NationStates Jolt Archive

Recently, as our small nation grew and sought to balance the needs of economic development with the preservation of our natural treasures, our forest suffered a terrible and sudden loss due to the misguided demands of the multinational uranium mining industy. What was once our vast and deep Perilous Forest National Forest is being referred to by the media as 'the Wasteland.'

Now, our precious national animal teeters on the brink of extinction because of the deplorable methods used by industry. The safety plans and promises were false and empty. While we sought and obtained immediate redress against the specific organizations who abused the public trust and broached their contracts with our government, there was no way even the most severe and exacting financial settlement can ever make good the devastation wreaked upon our landscape.

While we are a government that believes in a strong economy, short-sighted business development policies and selfish individualist acts will only lead to long-term ruination not just of our lands, but of wider regional ecologies, and indeed, the world.

Because of this, we have reviewed the UN's past policies, especially Resolution #23. We call into question not the pure and solidly-supported intent of the resolution, but solely its effectiveness.

Have other nation states found this resolution to be sufficient to preserve their own natural treasures, or has it been so far ineffective to stop the gross destruction of our world's habitats?

Please, reply to the poll, and also voice your experiences, so that we may understand better the world view on this crucial topic to us all.

Sir Nasciens d'Hermitage
Ambassador to the UN
Kingdom of Listeneisse

Recently, as our small nation grew and sought to balance the needs of economic development with the preservation of our natural treasures, our forest suffered a terrible and sudden loss due to the misguided demands of the multinational uranium mining industy. What was once our vast and deep Perilous Forest National Forest is being referred to by the media as 'the Wasteland.'

Now, our precious national animal teeters on the brink of extinction because of the deplorable methods used by industry. The safety plans and promises were false and empty. While we sought and obtained immediate redress against the specific organizations who abused the public trust and broached their contracts with our government, there was no way even the most severe and exacting financial settlement can ever make good the devastation wreaked upon our landscape.

While we are a government tha
t believes in a strong economy, short-sighted business development policies and selfish individualist acts will only lead to long-term ruination not just of our lands, but of wider regional ecologies, and indeed, the world.

Because of this, we have reviewed the UN's past policies, especially Resolution #23. We call into question not the pure and solidly-supported intent of the resolution, but solely its effectiveness.

Have other nation states found this resolution to be sufficient to preserve their own natural treasures, or has it been so far ineffective to stop the gross destruction of our world's habitats?

Please, reply to the poll, and also voice your experiences, so that we may understand better the world view on this crucial topic to us all.

Sir Nasciens d'Hermitage
Ambassador to the UN
Kingdom of Listeneisse

I am most saddened to hear about the destruction of your precious natural forests; as well as providing invaluable habitat for thousands of species, they are all things of great beauty. Our own country has a vast forest range, the Compadrian Bare Birch and Ash Wilderness Park, composed exclusively of these trees. A few years ago, acid rain, coming from emissions drifting in from the industrial zone of the nearby city of Tarka, severely damaged the forest. The company in question were criminally negligent and were fined heavily. Nevertheless, it cannot change the fact that the forest has, possibly permenantly, been scarred.

Resolution 23, was a good piece of legislation. All it lacked was teeth and rather than replacing it, perhaps giving it a more stringent code of conduct, with tougher penalties for abuse, would be better.

Thank you though for raising this issue. We wish you the best of luck in restoring your natural treasure.

"Dwell not unvisited of Heav'ns fair Light
Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious Air,
To heal the scarr of these corrosive Fires"

John Milton, "Paradise Lost"

Leonard Otterby
Ambassador for the Republic of Compadria to the U.N.

So far, with only six votes in the poll, three support a new resolution, and three do not.

What do others say?

Remember this is not a binding poll. It is to test the waters, so to speak, to see if further efforts would prove desired.

I also thank my fellow for quoting Milton, for indeed, it was a Paradise Lost.

In further research regarding the protection of the environment, we have come across UN Resolution #48: Save the forests of the World (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=UN_past_resolutions/start=47).

This resolution also seems to lack specific enforcement provisions.

It is unimplementable, unmeasureable, and therefore, likewise, moot.

While such resolutions as #23 and #47 are well-meaning, to make them implementable, measureable, and enforceable will require more specific language.

Please state your own state's policy vis-a-vis forest management.

Forest management in Compadria comes under ForestWatch, a subsidiary of the Department of Environmental Protection and Preservation (DEPP). DEPP hires roughly 2500 forest rangers in national parks across the country to survey the parks, supervise visits, ensure that exploitation is not being performed under any guise on the parks natural resources and keeping track of flora and fauna levels.

The rangers also carry out periodic burns of the undergrowth, to clear out the forest floor and aid in the continuing cycle of growth, death and re-birth in the biome.

Funding was last year set at 17.5 million strachans, though a recent tourist boom has caused a strain on resources. Entrance to the parks is free and the rangers have to be paid at least 20% above the minimum wage (6.95 strachans per hour), as they are deemed 'essential government officials'.
Overall, the policy has worked, though logging has recently increased, due to a dip in the price of wood exports on the foreign markets. This has angered some environmentalists, but the loggings were conducted with adaquate environmental safeguards and few areas were significantly disturbed.

I hope this answers some of your questions on our forest management policy.

Leonard Otterby
Ambassador for the Republic of Compadria to the U.N.

Today, because of the passage of UN resolution #119 "UNCoESB," and specifically because of its enforceable provisions, the government of Listeneisse gladly reports our national animal, the Questing Beast, once again frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

The restoration of natural habitats to undo the damage of the uranium mining industry brought an outpouring of advice and assistance in needfully overhauling local industries from friendly and ecologically progressive nations. While this has deepened our trade imbalance, and held our GDP growth in check, this policy development is for the long-term good of business, and our national best interest.

The Queen Mother herself has decided to take up the cause, overseeing efforts to preserve the Perilous Forest National Park.

Regarding the recent improvement in the park's condition, She pronounced with a beatific smile, "We are quite pleased."

To prove compliance with the UN resolution, Listeneisse has instituted a new $928M Royal Forestry Service (RFS) programme, set at 4% of our national budget. The new service, under the Interior Ministry, has drawn from our administration's top managers.

"It's jolly grand to hear the baying sound of the Q-Bee in the wild again," spoke senior administration Sir Pellinor D. Gales, newly appointed as His Majesty's Chief Ranger (HMCR). "I almost thought we'd seen and heard the last of the creature, but it's a hardy sort, thank God."

The Q-Bee, as the Questing Beast is fondly referred to by Listeneisse naturalists, is a curious combination of a deer's fore legs and hooves, a snake's head, and other body parts in the chest and hind quarters somewhere between a lion and a leopard.

"It is a mammalizard," explained the Chief Ranger, "unique to our realm as far as we know. It's either clear proof of the evolutionary stage between reptiles and mammals, or of God's grand design and good sense of humor." With a smile he added, "We like to think both."

Scientists have never quite caught a Questing Beast, so it is difficult to say what they feed on or what their DNA is like. Whether it is a singular creature, or whether there is more than one, is also unknown. It remains a national treasure, and a mystery.

Perilous Forest National Park is open year-round to visitors. Setting fires is not allowed in the park, subject to imprisonment. Visitors are suggested to bring warm clothes, especially a nice wool jumper. No weapons are permitted on forest grounds, except to the members of the Forestry Service and Royal Army who regularly patrol searching for poachers and lost tourists. It is a crime to poach the King's beasts, subject to capital punishment and summary justice without trial. Tourists are given quests to find the park's natural vistas, ancient ruins, and cleverly hidden food courts, or clear directions or a lift to the park's exits in case they've been adventuring long enough.

Because of the success of UN resolution #119 "UNCoESB," we are satisfied for the present for our own national needs, but still solicit opinions of other nation states of whether there may be a desire for a repeal of the old resolutions or a new comprehensive resolution.

We're quite satisfied for the moment, we're glad that someone has raised this vital issue and found a resolution that enforces it.

Leonard Otterby
Ambassador for the Republic of Compadria to the U.N.

Long live the Compadrian forests!