The Environment Chronicle

Dragonfly of the Year 2011 is the Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea).

On 28 March 2011 the Indian government released new tiger population numbers for the first time since 2007, indicating that numbers have increased in the country that has half of the world’s remaining wild tigers. The government estimated current tiger numbers in India at 1,706, up from 1,411 during the last count in 2007. However, the 1,706 figure includes an additional tiger reserve in the count, the Sundarbans, that contained 70 tigers. This area was not counted in 2007. Therefore, when comparing the previous survey with the current one, the official estimate stands at 1,636 when leaving out the Sundarbans, or an increase of 225.

The Global Nature Fund takes the World Water Day (22nd March) as an opportunity to choose a "Living Lake" in Germany each year. This action is designed to attract the attention to our lakes as precious ecosystems and unique natural treasures. This initiative is based on long, successful experience in the international action „Threatened Lake of the Year" and is meant to contribute to the solution of pressing problems at lakes and wetlands.

Cactus of the year 2011 is the Epicactus.

Insect of the Year 2011 is the narrow-headed ant (Formica exsecta).

Poisonous Plant of the Year 2011 is the common yew, or European yew (Taxus baccata).

Reptile of the year 2011 ist the Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis).

Perennial Herb of the Year 2010 is the Sedum.

Fish of the Year 2011 is the Grayling (Thymallus thymallus).

Orchid of the Year 2011 is the Platanthera bifolia, commonly known as the Lesser Butterfly-orchid.

Vegetable of the Year 2010 / 2012 is the parsnips (Pastinaca).

The Chequers Tree (Sorbus torminalis) is the tree of the year 2011.

Soil of the Year 2011: Brauner Auenboden

Butterfly of the Year 2011 is the Purple emperor (Apatura iris).

Water plant of the year 2011 is the water chestnut (Trapa natans).

German Mollusc of the Year 2011 is the Anisus vorticulus.

Bird of the Year 2011 is the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

Fungus of the Year 2011 is the Clathrus ruber. Clathrus ruber is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family, and the type species of the genus Clathrus. It is commonly known as the latticed stinkhorn, the basket stinkhorn, or the red cage.

The 2011 water body type of the year, which experts refer to as “Small coarse substrate-dominated siliceous highland river (type 5), is most worthy of our attention, as its more than 18,000-km of waterways are the most common water body type in Germany. The new “Water Body of the Year” campaign, launched in 2011, is how UBA is seeking to raise awareness of water bodies as they deserve special attention on account of their widespread presence, properties, uses, condition, and more notably, their risk potential. In addition to this year’s winner, there are another 50 other types of river, lake, transitional and coastal waters.

Endangered livestock breed of the year 2011 is the Limpurger cow.

Moss of the year 2011 is the Thuidium abietinum.

Lichen of the year 2011 is the Fulgensia fulgens.

Spider of the year 2011 is the common labyrinth spider (Agelena labyrinthica). The labyrinth spider is one of about 500 funnel-web spiders (Family Agelenidae) found world-wide. In Europe there are 150 species and in central Europe about 30. The labyrinth spider lives in sunny, dry habitats with low vegetation and sparse shrubs and bushes. It can also be found in forests and on the edges of pathways, as well as in dry grassland. In central Europe the labyrinth spider is widely distributed and thus commonly encountered.

Cave animal of the year 2011 is the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis).

Laboratory Animal of the Year 2011 is the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).

Flower of the Year 2011 is the Narthecium ossifragum, commonly known as bog-, Lancashire- or bastard asphodel.

Medicinal Plant of the Year 2011 is the purple passionflower(Passiflora incarnata).

Rosmary(Rosmarinus officinalis)has been chosen for the Medicinal Herb of the Year 2011 by the NHV Theophrastus.

Eighty years ago, Lake Fúquene was the largest lake in Colombia and an important habitat for indigenous species. Today, only 3,000 hectares of the once 10,000 hectares are left. The shallow water body has been dried up or filled in with land, to gain more farmland for agriculture and livestock breeding. At the same time, invasive plants are suffocating the lake. Since 2004, on the Worlds Wetlands Day (2nd February) GNF nominates the “Threatened Lake of the Year” to call attention to a threatened lake and help solving environmental problems. Laguna de Fúquene is located at 2,540 meters on the Bogotá plateau and is the last bigger fresh water body of the Cordillera Oriental, the Eastern range of the Andes Mountains. The lake belongs to a water landscape of the Ubaté Valley which connects various rivers, wetlands and small lakes and has a total surface of 1,974 square kilometers.

Animal of the Year 2011 is the lynx (Lynx lynx).

Avenue of the Year 2011 is a maple-ash avenue in Brandenburg (Kremmen).