OCEANO, Calif. -

Just in time for windy season, there's a large mediation project at the Oceano dunes recreation area.

State Parks is putting up fences to reduce sand blowing into Oceano and Nipomo neighborhoods.

During the last couple months planning the project, international desert and dune scientists were brought in to help design a solution.

15 acres of these fences in the dune's riding area are expected to slow wind flow in its main path into Oceano and Nipomo.

It's a one million dollar project that State Parks believes will make a big difference.

The fences will be taken down around July when the windy season ends.

Nipomo residents News Channel 3 spoke with have differing opinions; while some are doubtful and think the fences will just blow over, others are looking forward to the results.

State parks say they'll install air and wind monitors around the project to track the progress.

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Sand Fences to Stop Pollution From Oceano Dunes

Missoula, MT (PRWEB) March 20, 2014

The Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) regularly joins with its partners to fund and support science that is designed to help guide conservation solutions on the ground. Today, we announce the first in our Science to Solutions series for the public, titled Marking High-Risk Fences Saves Sage Grouse. The next in the series will focus on the removal of conifers invading historic sagebrush-steppe.

Were closing the science loop to get published work out to show its relevance to a broad public audience, said Dave Naugle, SGI science advisor and University of Montana professor.

Throughout the 11 western states, SGI supports researchers studying sage grouse and related wildlife of the sagebrush-steppe. As new information comes in, the science is used to fine-tune practices to maximize conservation benefits. Science ranges from evaluating effectiveness of individual conservation practices to producing mapping products that identify important areas to focus efforts. At every level, SGI aims to efficiently target taxpayer dollars for highest benefits.

For example, the science behind marking fences to prevent sage grouse collisions provides a useful tool for land managers to focus their efforts on marking only the fences that are most problematic for sage grouse.

Researcher Bryan Stevens studied sage grouse collisions for a graduate degree at University of Idaho in 2012. He found that flying sage grouse struck fences at a rate as high as 1.2 strikes per mile of fence during the breeding season. Each spring in early morning darkness, males fly into leks (traditionally used open areas in the sagebrush), to display and compete for females, who also have flown in to watch and select a mate. The birds have difficulty seeing barbed wire fences in the dim light.

Stevens found that snapping on white vinyl markers on top wires at three-feet intervals could reduce grouse collisions by up to 83 percent. He also identified that not all fences pose a risk with most strikes occurred close to a lek, and where the terrain was flat or gently rolling.

With that information, SGI joined forces with partners and developed a mapping tool to help land managers identify areas where collision risk was highest. The new tool now plays a key role in identifying fences for marking or removal and is also used in the planning stages to avoid locating new fences in high-risk areas.

The Science to Solutions four-page publication makes it simple for landowners and managers to access and use the planning tool. The publication is featured on the SGI website on the science and policy page: http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/our-work/science-policy/.

Marking fences is one part of SGIs proactive conservation programs that work closely with ranchers and partners. Fence-marking is often tied to larger projects, such as assisting landowners with rotational grazing systems that improve nesting cover for sage grouse. To date, SGI funding has made it possible for the marking or removal of more than 500 miles of high-risk fences, likely preventing more than 2,600 collisions.

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Marking High-Risk Fences Saves Sage Grouse: Science to Solution Series #1

Verdict

Few have realistic chances here and though City Line makes his debut over fences after showing consistent form over hurdles he's still a maiden after 29 starts. Useful hurdler Ballysteen has some potential though he's yet to show it over fences but Line View was in good form over hurdles last summer on fast ground and, as a winning point-to-pointer, should take to jumping fences. Three-times winning hurdler Rock County has another go at chasing after three unsuccessful attempts back in 2011 while Tabac Brun beat a big field in a Gowran maiden hurdle in October. Along with the lightly-raced and promising Third Opinion, who beat the useful Curley Bill over hurdles and has experience of fences, he looks the main threat to LOCAL CELEBRITY. Willie Mullins' charge is no stable star but his staying-on effort over the minimum trip here in November is the best form on view and that could be enough.

Ballysteen (IRE) 14-1 (11-12) Soon disputed lead, not fluent 2nd, 2nd approaching 7th, lost place from 5 out, weakened and eased from 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Toon River (11-12) at Gowran Park 2m 4f beg chase sft, 9 ran.

Bar Stool Bob (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Chased leaders until fell 4th, in a race won by Domination (11-12) at Limerick 2m 1f beg chase hvy, 12 ran.

Tabac Brun (FR) 8-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, ridden in 7th 3 out, no impression 2 out, kept on one pace, 5th of 12, 11l behind Sherika (10-5) at Thurles 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft in Jan.

Line View (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Soon led, headed after 3 out, no extra from next, 15th of 19, well behind Paudi The Punter (10-9) at Galway 2m 2f hcp hdl 80-109 gf in Sep.

Analyse That (IRE) 12-1 (11-6) Last until poor 13th frm 6out, sl closer in fair 8th aftr 3out, nev a dngr, 9th of 14, 40l behind Anseanachai Cliste (12-2) at Lismore 3m ire ptp.

Five Hawk Wings (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Always towards rear, ridden and no impression after 4 out, weakened and tailed off, 14th of 17, well behind Concordin (10-8) at Navan 2m 4f hcp hdl 80-116.

Knockanarrigan (IRE) 25-1 (11-5) Close up and disputed lead, a bit slow 6th, 2nd after 8th, no extra from before normal 4 out and dropped to moderate 5th approaching straight, 5th of 10, well behind Balnaslow (11-12) at Thurles 2m 6f beg chs gd in Oct.

Red Or White 50-1 (11-7) Mid-division, bad mistake 4 out, soon no impression, 10th of 14, 33l behind Kandinski (11-12) at Clonmel 2m 4f beg chase.

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Templemore Beginners Chase 2m 2f

MELILLA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain has more than doubled the strength of security forces at its North African enclave of Melilla, after about 500 people stormed its fences in the biggest border rush for years.

Madrid sent 100 more police on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the total to 150, a source at the Interior Ministry said, and will reinforce the rapid response unit with 20 more personnel, bringing the total to 80.

Immigrants from all over Africa regularly dare the razor-wire fences of Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla, which are surrounded by Moroccan territory and sea. The numbers have multiplied as increased naval patrols discourage attempts to get to Europe by boat.

Some 1,074 people breached the 12-kilometre-long fences around Melilla in the whole of 2013, according to the source, and more than 1,600 have done so since the beginning of 2014.

Once in Melilla or Ceuta, the immigrants are fed and given clothes and beds in special centres.

Many end up in continental Spain and either stay there or travel elsewhere in Europe.

Young men gathered at the centre in Melilla said on Wednesday they were happy to have come down from the mountains surrounding the enclave, where many had spent months living rough waiting for a chance to rush the border.

"We've made it! We've passed into Europe," said one of a group of men from countries including Guinea, Mali, the Ivory Coast and Togo.

The internment centre where immigrants await processing has been overwhelmed, prompting the army to put up tents around it.

There are now around 1,800 people housed in a facility with an official capacity of 480.

Originally posted here:
CORRECTED-Spain beefs up African enclave security after hundreds storm border

Verdict

Archie Mead has yet to impress over fences, though he's generally been aimed at much better contests than this. Coole Avenue has been placed once in eight starts over the bigger obstacles and has rarely shown his best form after a fall at Limerick a year ago, though he had Kashline well behind when runner-up there in December. Dushrembrandt was a progressive hurdler back in 2012 and his latest start over fences behind Cadspeed over 3m here offers some encouragement and Shamiran should be ready to do better after a couple of runs over trips too short. Manor Court made a promising return to action behind Bright New Dawn at Punchestown in December before a poor effort at Fairyhouse but in a tricky race it's STONEY who is given the nod as he looked likely to do much better when staying on nicely on his chasing debut at Clonmel a couple of weeks ago.

Archie Meade (IRE) 20-1 (9-13) Rear of mid-division, ridden and no extra 6 out, weakened and pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by On His Own (11-6) at Gowran Park 3m 1f hcp chs in Jan, 18 ran.

Kashline (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Mid-division, 7th 4 out, ridden from next, no impression, 8th of 15, 19l behind Hold Em Cowboy (10-4) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f hcp chs 0-116 sft in Jan.

Manor Court (IRE) 9-1 (11-12) Led and disputed lead, slow 6th and headed, 4th halfway, pushed along in 7th approaching 4 out and no extra before straight, eased, completely tailed off,, 6th of 9, well behind Civena (10-12) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f beg chase in Jan.

Moss Grove (IRE) 50-1 (11-12) Chased leaders early, soon mid-division, towards rear halfway, ridden 5 out, no impression next, bad mistake 2 out, 10th of 15, well behind Leavethelighton (11-9) at Gowran Park 2m 2f beg chase hvy in Feb.

Waterloo Chateau (IRE) 66-1 (11-7) Mid-division, weakened from 4 out, never a factor, 12th of 17, well behind Foxrock (11-11) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f beg chs in Nov.

Coole Avenue (IRE) 33-1 (9-4) Soon mid-division, ridden 3 out, no extra before next, 11th of 16, 26l behind Jetson (10-5) at Punchestown 3m hcp hdl hvy in Feb.

Stoney (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Soon mid-division, closer in 6th approaching straight, no impression from before 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 14, 18l behind Kandinski (11-12) at Clonmel 2m 4f beg chase.

Shamiran (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Held up, 7th halfway, progress into 5th 5 out, ridden before 3 out, no impression in moderate 4th last, kept on one pace, 5th of 9, 24l behind Touch The Eden (11-12) at Navan 2m 4f beg chase.

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Cashel Beginners Chase 2m 6f

Lessons from a pasture classroom: Barry Striegel at TEDxGrandForks
Ranchers build fences to manage a herd, but some cows purposely teach their calves how to get at the greener grass on the other side. What about the verbal, ...

By: TEDx Talks

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Lessons from a pasture classroom: Barry Striegel at TEDxGrandForks - Video

"Theres an Endless Road to Re-Discover" Meagan Smith at MSU
This weekend (3/15/14-3/16/14) the Redhawks Equestrian Team traveled to Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri to close our our season competing ...

By: Meagan Smith

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"Theres an Endless Road to Re-Discover" Meagan Smith at MSU - Video

ABC Cows escaping through vandalised farm fences invade Ravenswood

A bovine breakout is making Northern Tasmanian residents moody.

Mooing cows roaming in Launceston are driving residents to despair.

Locals say cows are on the loose and are taking over the streets.

Residents of Ravenswood were woken last night by cows mooing outside their bedroom windows.

They say the cows have become regular visitors to the suburban area, with sometimes up to 40 roaming the streets.

And they are fed up.

They say their lawns are being torn up, the streets are littered with droppings, and the 700 kilogram cows present a dangerous obstacle on the roads.

The cows are coming from farmer Grant Hazelwood's property.

He says he is fighting a losing battle against people cutting his fences so they can illegally ride dirt bikes on his land.

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Roaming cows escaping through vandalised farm fences are driving Launceston residents to despair

Trucks and containers through India-Pakistan Wagah-Attari Border. (File photo)

Pakistani government is set to grant Most-Favored Nation (MFN) status to India with a condition of receiving substantial concessions in trade from New Delhi, a media report says.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will hold a special Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss trade normalization with India, the daily Dawn newspaper reported on Tuesday.

This comes as the country's Commerce & Textile Industry Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan and some other officials are pushing hard for granting the status, now also referred to as Non-Discriminatory Market Access, to India.

The trade normalization process between the two neighbors started in 2011.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's agricultural group and textile and automobile industries fear India would flood their markets, rendering them jobless.

Senior Indian and Pakistani officials have recently held several rounds of fresh talks aimed at resolving long-standing disputes including the Kashmir issue.

Reports, however, say no major breakthroughs were made on controversial issues such as the Kashmir dispute and terrorism.

Nevertheless, the two countries agreed to ease a number of trade and travel restrictions in the interest of peace.

Dialogue between the two neighbors was brought to a standstill following the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

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Pakistan to mend fences with India

Good Fences for Good Neighbors - Chris Wright Jan Piribeck
One of Art At Work #39;s #39;Meeting place #39; outcomes was a neighborhood arts project involving four artist four fences and many, many neighbors. Jan Piribeck and Ch...

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Good Fences for Good Neighbors - Chris Wright & Jan Piribeck - Video