Ice dam to break early

BUENOS AIRES – A huge ice dam on Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier will break apart for the first time in the southern hemisphere winter, likely as a result of global warming, scientists and environmentalists said on Monday.

The 60-metre-high wall of ice holding back a portion of Lake Argentina breaks apart spectacularly in cycles of one year to several years, but always in summer, and is one of Patagonia’s top tourist attractions. “This is the first time the glacier breaks up in winter.It could be related to global warming as rising temperatures affects ice friction,” said Los Glaciares National Park director Carlos Corvalan.The Perito Moreno glacier, one of the world’s largest, measuring 275 square kilometres and five kilometres wide at its mouth, is located 2 800 kilometres southeast of Buenos Aires.- Nampa-AFP One day, 9 million trees MEXICO CITY – More than nine million trees were planted in Mexico as part of a day-long campaign against deforestation, the environment minister said on Monday.The day of tree-planting took place on Saturday and aimed to compensate for the 316 000 hectares of forest that are lost annually to illegal exploitation, Environment Minister Juan Elvira said.Mexicans were able to “plant 9 345 000 trees of various types”, said Elvira, adding that 507 000 citizens had participated across the country.Mexico is the fifth leading country in the world in terms of deforestation.The government launched an ambitious reforestation project in 2007, when 250 million trees were planted, with a goal of 280 million for 2008.Nampa-AFP”This is the first time the glacier breaks up in winter.It could be related to global warming as rising temperatures affects ice friction,” said Los Glaciares National Park director Carlos Corvalan.The Perito Moreno glacier, one of the world’s largest, measuring 275 square kilometres and five kilometres wide at its mouth, is located 2 800 kilometres southeast of Buenos Aires.- Nampa-AFP One day, 9 million trees MEXICO CITY – More than nine million trees were planted in Mexico as part of a day-long campaign against deforestation, the environment minister said on Monday.The day of tree-planting took place on Saturday and aimed to compensate for the 316 000 hectares of forest that are lost annually to illegal exploitation, Environment Minister Juan Elvira said.Mexicans were able to “plant 9 345 000 trees of various types”, said Elvira, adding that 507 000 citizens had participated across the country.Mexico is the fifth leading country in the world in terms of deforestation.The government launched an ambitious reforestation project in 2007, when 250 million trees were planted, with a goal of 280 million for 2008.Nampa-AFP