IFPRA Asia Pacific Blog News

Asia Pacific Conference 08...call for papers

webmaster — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:42:00 +0000

With September quickly approaching, the organisers of IFPRA Asia Pacific Conference 2008 are now seeking applications for submission of papers for Congress Speakers.

To apply to have your paper accepted, please visit conference page to the contact details provided on the form.

For more information visit the official site.

Vth International Symposium on Horticultural Research, Training and Extension

webmaster — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:28:00 +0000

The theme of the symposium will be Research Training and Extension in Horticultural Science: Staff, Student, Institution and Industry Partnerships in a Changing World. Accordingly, research papers, posters and case studies that address the following key issues will be most welcome:

• The impact of changing research training and extension pressures on environmental and production horticulture programs throughout the world?
• How might this impact be addressed?
• To deal effectively with issues of research training and extension in horticultural science, what will be the relevant skill set required for staff, students and industry into the next decade?
• How can we partner and market persuasive cases to sustain research training and extension in horticulture at education and training institutions in the future?

Contributions will be welcomed from academics, researchers, executives, consultants, government officers, graduate students and growers. All papers will be subject to a blind peer review and the papers that are accepted will be published in a special edition of ACTA HORTICULTURAE.

Visit the Official Vth International Symposium on Horticultural Research, Training and Extension Website

Multipurpose Sports Stadium

webmaster — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:37:00 +0000

For those interested in multipurpose indoor sporting stadiums the new 63,400 seating capacity stadium built for the University of Phoenix has been designed with several very innovative features. It has a retractable roof and a retractable grass field. The stadium opened in August 2006 and it is the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals who held their inaugural game on 8 December 2006.

Built at a cost of US$455 million, the exterior design resembles a barrel cactus. The interior has all the modern facilities expected with corporate suites, restaurants, high resolution video scoreboards and two massive thermometers to gauge crowd noise. The stadium is air conditioned and seating can be expanded to 73,000 for concerts and trade shows. The main feature is the level natural grass playing field growing in a steel tray that rolls in and out of the stadium as required for football and soccer games. The field remains outside the stadium in full sun avoiding humidity and shadow problems common with indoor grass fields.The field rests on 13 rail tracks and the roll out takes 75 minutes. When the field rolls into the stadium the outside space becomes a security car park for players and officials. There are 14,000 on site parking spaces and a further 12,000 spaces nearby.

Further information and a 3D video of the stadium can be found on www.uopstadium.com and photographs of the stadium in NFL mode are on the Cardinal's web site www.azcardinals.com.

9th International Conference on Alien Plant Invasions

webmaster — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 05:14:00 +0000

The 9th International Conference on Alien Plant Invasions (EMAPi9), is in Perth on 17 - 21 September 2007.
Register online at www.congresswest.com.au/emapi9/.
Prior to the EMAPi9 conference, the Weeds Society of WA will hold the 2nd International Workshop on Weed Risk Assessment on September 14 - 15 2007

15th Australian Weeds Conference

webmaster — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 05:11:00 +0000

The 15th Australian Weeds Conference, Managing Weeds in a Changing Climate, is at the Adelaide Convention Centre, 24 - 28 September 2006.
Register online at www.plevin.com.au/15AWC2006.

International Turf Grass July 2006 Newsletter

webmaster — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 04:03:00 +0000

Welcome to the July 2006 issue of International Turfgrass. This is a quiet time for ITS; The Llandudno Research Conference is becoming a distant memory and it is still a year to go before the ITS mid-conference Board Meeting which marks the start of the serious business of organising the next quadrennial meeting in Santiago.

Click here to read full article

Planning a Holiday? Visit Cairns Queensland in 2011 for the IFPRA Asia Pacific Congress

webmaster — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:26:00 +0000

IFPRA Asia Pacific Congress 2011 - Cairns Queensland Australia
Cairns in Australia's tropical north, is one of the world's most stunning locations, home to the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest.

Cairns, Queensland is the host city for the 2011 IFPRA Asia Pacific Regional Congress and is a city known the world over for its unique environmental treasures. An abundance of reef cruises, adventure tours and cultual attractions awaits for delegates to explorer.

More information will be posted on the IFPRA website at www.ifpraasiapacific.org

Research needed into green spaces and urban growth

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:46:00 +0000

Last year more than half of the world’s urban population, 3.17 billion out of 6.45 billion people, live in and around cities, with trends indicating that this could extend out to 5 billion people out of a total world population of 8.1 billion people by 2030. Approximately 75% of the North American and European populations and approximately 90% of the Australasian populations live in urban and surrounding peri-urban areas.
In addition approximately 44% of the world’s population, that constituent many of the Third World countries are currently living under similar circumstances. The impact that urban growth in our cities and surrounding areas and its effect on our natural green sapces will have social, economic, environmental and health impacts and worthy of research.

National Workforce Report

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:45:00 +0000

Recently released Australia's National Workforce Report stated that 62% of Australian workers were found to be obese or overweight, with employee’s health strongly linked to absenteeism and loss of work productivity. UK research has linked the high cost of health in the United Kingdom and the potential use of natural green space in reducing health costs. For example a daily paced walk in natural green space can potentially save billions of dollars that comes about from obesity and physical inactivity, and any indirect health costs, from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and absenteeism from work.

Tree facts

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:43:00 +0000

Did you know that trees maintained over a 50-year lifetime can generate $US31,250 worth of 0_2 , provide $US62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycle $US37,500 worth of H_2 0, and control $US31,250 worth of soil erosion (USA Forest Service - Pamphlet #R1-92-100). In addition one acre of tree cover can give the equivalent of 2.8 t O_2 /year and clean 330 lbs of CO_2 (90 lbs C) from the atmosphere through direct sequestration. The cost-benefit implications of natural green space, calculated through direct estimation and implied valuation, of a single Arizona tree planting program, could provide a $US236.5 million net environmental benefit over a 40-year time frame.

IFPRA-Europe Congress

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:41:00 +0000

"Trees a living beings: essential in city development" is the Congress theme for the IFPRA 2006-European Congress which will be held over 11-13 September in Annecy, France. A great program on topics that should be of interest to all park and recreation personnel. Further information Jean Claude Gauthier on jean-claude.gauthier@ville-annecy.fr

Park economist on sabbatical

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:39:00 +0000

Professor John Haydu, from the University of Florida, will be taking his sabbatical leave with Associate Professor David Aldous, of the University of Melbourne, from the 1st August 2006 to study the economic value of the Australian turfgrass industry. Professor Haydu, who is a an agricultural economist, is currently in New Zealand with the NZ Sports Turf Institute, undertaking similar research. The outcomes of both pieces of work will assist in the marketing and production of the instant lawn industry as well as assisting their research and development profile.Further information daldous@unimelb.edu.au

10th National School in Park Management

webmaster — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:35:00 +0000

Thirty-five park and recreation people will be participating in the 10th National School this year which will be operating from the 2nd-7th July.
The School, which is a cooperative venture between The University of Melbourne, The City of Melbourne and Parks Victoria, has participants coming from Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria and even one participant from Singapore. Case studies this year range from management of cultural/indigenous sites through to sewer mining in parks as a means of water conservation, to park planning of the Royal Children's Hospital grounds. Further information daldous@unimelb.edu.au

Faculty of Horticulture - Chiba University

webmaster — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 23:42:00 +0000

The Faculty of Horticulture is composed of three departments, a special Division of Practical Horticulture, and three University Farmes. The three departments are subdivided into nine divisions and 35 laboratories. The Graduate School of Science and Technology in colloboration with the Faculty of Horticulture offer graduate degree programs (Masters & Ph.D.) in various fields of the natural sciences and technologies.

Study Programs - The Faculty offers four year undergraduate programs, in which students are required to complete 124 credit points. The Faculty provides a unique and favorable academic environment for students to study with modern techonology and facilities.

Student Enrollment - Application for admission to the undergraduate programs is open to all who have completed 12 years of education (or equivalent).

For more information visit http://www.h.chiba-u.ac.jp/english/7index_e.htm

IFPRA 2005 - Asia Pacific Congress

webmaster — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 19:38:00 +0000

The IFPRA 2005 Asia Pacific Congress was a platform to share thoughts and ideas, research and findings in "Creating A Lifestyle" for the New Living. Stepping into the new millennium marks the start of a new lifestyle where Human, Technology & Innovation co-exist and live in symbiosis. In our daily lives, we can all do more to reduce our use of the planet's resources and the damage we do to our environment.

IFPRA Asia PAcific Secretary John P Brandenburg attended this event and has posted the following information on the IFPRA AP website;
IFPRA2005 Presentation Papers (pdf)
Malaysia A Truly Tropical Garden Nation (mpeg video)
http://www.ifpraasiapacific.org/malaysia.htm

Community Garden Allotments

webmaster — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 04:53:00 +0000

Information presented by John P Brandenburg, Director of Parks and Recreation at the city of Nunawading, Victoria on Community Garden Allotments. This presentation was helpd at the Royal Australian Institute of Park & Recreation Annual Conference at Burnie, Tasmania in 1978.

Information includes 79 original slides used and number one membership receipt for Nunawading Community Gardens Co-operative, issued in 1978.

Check out the complete presentation at http://www.ifpraasiapacific.org/nunawading.htm