The Environment Chronicle

The East African Lake Victoria is the Threatened Lake 2005 announces Global Nature Fund (GNF). GNF intends to draw attention to the drastic reduction of fish populations, the destruction of shoreline vegetation and wetlands as well as the increasing poverty of the people living around the lake.

Fish of the Year 2005 is the Brown trout (Salmo trutta fario).

Water plant of the year 2005 is the Chara polyacantha.

Lichen of the Year is the Usnea hirta.

Mollusc of the Year is the Great greay slug (Limax maximus).

Butterfly of the Year is the Grayling ((Hipparchia semele).

Fungus of the Year 2005 is the Hygrosscopic Earthstar (Astraeus hygrometricus).

Landscape of the Year: the Jura mountain range between France and Switzerland.

Lichen of the year is the common yellow wall-lichen (Xanthoria parietina)

Laboratory Animal of the Year 2004 and 2005 is the Crab-eating Macaque (Macaca fascicularis).

Orchid of the Year: Long-bracted green orchid (frog orchid)(Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartman)

Fungus of the Year 2004 is the Serpula lacrymans.

Bird of the Year 2004 is the Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes).

Tree of the Year 2004 is the Silver Fir (Abies alba).

Fish of the Year: Allis shad (Alosa alosa L.).

Every year on the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the Global Nature Fund (GNF), an international foundation for the protection of environment and nature, highlights the threatened state of a unique lake to the world. Global Nature Fund (GNF), International Foundation for Environment and Nature, Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany

In 2004 GNF has declared the Lake Chapala in Mexico as the Threatened Lake of the Year. Lake Chapala is extremely endangered of disappearing within the next years, because of overexploitation of water resources and contamination there is a high conflict potential for water resources. Another problem is the illegal settlement in the dried-up zones.

Flower of the Year 2004 is the Alpine Snowbell (Soldanella alpina).

Medicinal Herbs of the Year are the Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and the Common centaury (Centaurium erythraea).

Invertebrate of the Year 2004: earth worm (Lumbricus terrestris)

Spider of the Year is the Green huntsman spider (Micrommata virescens).

Animal of the Year: Fat Dormouse (Glis glis).

Fluvial Topography of the Year 2004 and 2005 is the Havel. The Havel River rises in the Müritz National Park near Ankershagen. It flows through Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt and enters the Elbe River near Havelberg.

Medicinal Plant of the Year 2004 is the Peppermint (Mentha piperita).

Perennial herb of the Year is the Geranium.

Insect of the Year 2004 is the hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus).

Mollusc of the year is the freshwater snail (Theodoxus fluviatilis).

Butterfly of the Year ist Orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines).

Vegetable of the year 2004 is the Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Water plant of the year 2004 is the Utricularia australis.

Biotope of the Year is the meadow.

Tree of the Year 2003 is the Common Alder (Alnus glutinosa).

Fungus of the Year 2003 is the Parrot Mushroom (Hygrocybe psittacina).

Orchid of the Year is the Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera L.).

Landscape of the Year: Lebuser Land - Ziemia Lubuska (Lebusian country).

Insect of the Year 2003 is the field cricket (Grillus campestris).

Vegetable of the Year 2003: Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. ssp. tuberosum)

Animal of the Year: Wolf (Canus lupus).

Fish of the Year 2003 is the Barbel (Barbus barbus L.).

Flower of the Year 2003 is the Common Corncockle (Agrostemma githago).