The meeting was held on 18 June 2015 in Chisinau, Moldova. The key objective was to discuss the progress made on the programme implementation and to agree the work plan for 2015-16.

Casual familiarity triggers a sense of belonging and happiness in most of us and this in turn makes us more resilient

Out in the western suburbs, follow in the footsteps of rock ’n’ roll greats and a royal mistress along the river Thames

Miles Armstead (right), 44, was doing yard work outside of his home in Oakland on May 1, when his former neighbor, Jamal Thomas (left), 43, allegedly shot him in the back of the head.

Political differences notwithstanding, given the shared socio-cultural fabric, it makes sense for India to collaborate with her South Asian neighbours and look to them for solutions to common problems, writes Sakuntala Narasimhan.

According to a new survey of residents living near two major national parks in Panama, jaguars deserve increased protection. Nature and wildlife are considered national […]

The post Jaguar conservation depends on neighbor attitudes appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

An overview of the Smithsonian Affiliations program and its reach in communities across the United States. Is the Smithsonian in your neighborhood?

The post Smithsonian Affiliates in your neighborhood appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

New results from a massive study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute show that interactions among community members play an important role in determining which organisms thrive.

The post Tropical tree study shows interactions with neighbors plays an important role in tree survival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

How more than 1,000 tree species may occur in a small area of forest in Amazonia or Borneo is an unsolved mystery. Their ability to […]

The post Trees employ similar strategies to outcompete their neighbors appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A 1962 Thousand Oaks survey picture of H.L. Hall Water Well and Test Hole Drilling, and Aitken and Kidder Water Development, by Pat Allen. Water well drilling goes back a century in California, but records are scarce for public viewing.

Monday's news is nosy about your neighbor — and your neighbors' groundwater drilling.

• More great reporting from the Sacramento Bee on anachronistic problems of transparency in how we manage water in California. Even some well drillers now favor more transparency for groundwater "well logs":

In all other Western states, such records are accessible to whomever wants to see them – from university professors to civil engineers, real estate agents to the media. But in California, well logs are barred from public inspection by a 63-year-old law written to keep data gathered by well-drilling companies from falling into the hands of competitors. “The lack of information about well logs makes no sense, particularly as we are trying hard to manage a diminishing public trust resource,” said Jeffrey Mount, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank in San Francisco. “This is another one of those anachronistic statutes that does not belong in a modern water management system,” Mount said. (Sacramento Bee)

• Nearly 90 percent of the $700 million in "emergency drought relief" money authorized by the governor a few months ago is yet to be spent. But, as our public radio colleague Ben Adler reports, that's not necessarily as bad as it sounds. Grants take time. (Capital Public Radio)
• The secret new trend in water district conservation isn't cops, it's guys who make "water-wise house calls":

One out of every four households has a leak of some sort, usually something as simple as a loose toilet flapper, [water district spokeswoman] Figueroa said. "Leaks are common," she added. "Don't be embarrassed." (SJ Mercury News)

• The New York Times reports on how Californians are tracking their neighbors' usage deep into the drought. Ian Lovett explores Twitter-based shower-shaming (a phenomenon this blog noticed some months ago), ratting your neighbor out for violating restrictions and other guilt-based behavioral nudges. About our region, he writes:

Most homes in Southern California have already been outfitted with efficient shower heads, toilets and garden hoses, making it harder for residents to significantly reduce their water consumption than it was during the last severe drought a quarter-century ago. (NYT)

And how has your community been affected by the drought? Share your story with a photo on Twitter or Instagram. Tag it #mydrought. For more details on our photo project, click here.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

New research has found evidence that a small Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Mediterranean has the potential to deliver larvae of some fish species to surrounding, non-protected areas. This is one of few studies to investigate this desired role of MPAs and its design could be used to evaluate current and future MPAs elsewhere.

A new German study suggests that residents??? level of satisfaction with their urban neighbourhood can be predicted from their perceptions of multiple and co-occurring burdens, such as poor air quality, lack of green space, noise and low cleanliness.

New Dutch research has investigated the composition and strategies of local activist groups who oppose changes to land use. The results indicated that activists tend to have a higher level of education and live in densely populated areas. They most frequently use awareness-raising strategies, especially when fighting new housing projects.

The international University of California, Riverside-led SpARCS collaboration has discovered four of the most distant clusters of galaxies ever found, as they appeared when the universe was only 4 billion years old. Clusters are rare regions of the universe consisting of hundreds of galaxies containing trillions of stars, as well as hot gas and mysterious dark matter. Spectroscopic observations from the ground using the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the Very Large Telescope in Chile confirmed the four candidates to be massive clusters. This sample is now providing the best measurement yet of when and how fast galaxy clusters stop forming stars in the early Universe.

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Understanding the role of neighbourhood networks in encouraging farmers to participate in Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes is important as this can help to create local patterns of high and coordinated uptake of PES schemes, and thus an impact on ecosystem protection at a wider, landscape level. This is the outcome of a recent UK study, which found that neighbourhood networks were particularly important for small, remote communities.

People who live in the most ‘activity-friendly’ neighbourhoods do up to 1.5 hours more physical activity a week than those in the least supportive neighbourhoods. This is according to a new international study which measured levels of exercise — mainly walking for recreation or transport — in relation to the urban environment across 14 diverse cities. The results show how urban design — such as parks and local amenities — can promote healthy lifestyles which also bring environmental benefits, such as better air quality, through reduced car use.

A method for assessing urban neighbourhoods’ resilience to flooding has been presented in a recent study. The method identifies features of urban landscapes that contribute to three elements of flood resilience: resistance, absorption and recovery. In a German case study, the tool shows that the features which make a waterfront neighbourhood of Hamburg more flood resilient include high bridges, open public spaces and flood-protected basements.

Despite local opposition, Mitt Romney is given the green light to raze his existing beachfront home in La Jolla, Calif. and replace it with a ginormous mansion.

When the upscale grocery moves into poorer areas, the potential benefits are huge.

Residents in the New York town of Denning rally against 'Taxi' actor Judd Hirsch's proposed wind turbine project.

Supreme Court decides not to hear the case about a plan to build 'the world's largest garbage dump' near the iconic national park.

Punta Gorda, a sleepy Gulf Coast getaway north of Fort Myers, shines bright as Babcock Ranch, a solar-powered eco-town, attracts its first residents.

Getting along with neighbors can yield big health benefits for birds, a new study finds. It's probably good for us, too.

Social drama unfolds on the social networking site Nextdoor.

The Big Apple's complaining culture gets its own mapping website that spotlights the top complaints reported within 42 different neighborhoods on a daily basis.

If there was an 'unlike' button for renovation projects, the 30-year-old social media tycoon would have earned himself more than a few thumbs down.

Escaped camel, cow and donkey in Kansas are 'halfway towards a live nativity.'

In a once iffy stretch of East Oakland, Tassafaronga Village stands as a model of affordable green housing done right.

Researchers have found a rocky planet, GJ 1252 b, that's just 66.5 light-years away and it's zipping around a red dwarf star.

Sweden, a recycling-happy land where 810,000 homes are heated by the incineration of waste, is facing a unique dilemma: It needs more fuel.

Program in Alberta helps humans peacefully coexist with often dangerous wildlife.

People all over the world are performing music from their balconies and windows as a sign of hope during the coronavirus quarantine.

From spraying coyote urine to mourning the passing of a horse, I'm learning to be part of this community.

New neighborhoods feature latest HomeSmart™ technology

First move-ins praise amenity-rich neighborhood

First move-ins praise the design forward townhomes at Playa del Sol

Fast Developing Neighborhood South of Alliance Announces Dog Park Construction

Homeowners in El Paso and Las Crcues considering an air conditioner upgrade will have profitable options if they call SoBellas Home Services.

A capacity crowd witnessed the big reveal of the winners and runners-up of the 21 categories in Dubai's only neighbourhood F&B awards.

Families flock to grand opening of modern townhomes

Baladna Dairy began operations within a month after Qatar's neighbors cut off ties and imposed a trade blockade. More than 18,000 cows were transported from the U.S. to the small, landlocked gulf state by airplane and ship.

These beautiful residences are brand new and featuring many designer features; select from single- and two-story open floorplans with gourmet kitchens, lofts, upstairs laundry rooms and a GenSmart Suite® at Kadence.

City-Owned Parcel Cited as Motivation to Go Against the Neighbors

FDI flows from neighbouring countries will be affected due to new screening rules: Shardul Shroff

For most people living in red zones, the building WhatsApp groups and apartment apps have emerged as the new spaces to coordinate the buying and procuring of essential items. It has forced people to interact with those who were just familiar faces or flat numbers earlier.

It took for the company’s HR department to visit the villages and show them the letters of approval received from the ministry of textile, local administration and to explain to the residents how this will help the country’s effort to fight the pandemic. HR departments face the additional task of convincing not just employees but their neighbours too of the hygienic conditions.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/nps-to-offer-pilot-shuttle-bus-service-from-grca-to-tusayan-again-this-year.htm

Shuttle bus service between Grand Canyon National Park and neighboring town of Tusayan to resume for season https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/shuttle-bus-service-between-grand-canyon-national-park-and-neighboring-town-of-tusayan-to-resume-for-season.htm

Two high school students, Matthew Casertano and Dhruv Pai used their time off from classes to deliver groceries to their neighbors in self-isolation.

The post Maryland Teens Go On Grocery Store Runs for Seniors and Vulnerable Neighbors Amid COVID-19 Fears appeared first on Good News Network.