Source: Christine Werner, via Email

Source: Christine Werner, via Email

The organizing committee writes:

"After the success of DT2003 the second international dry toilet conference will take place on August 16-19, 2006 in Tampere, Finland.

The DT2003 conference gathered a lot of world wide interest and attention to sanitation issues. In the Dry Toilet 2003 conference were 163 delegates from 30 different countries. The Dry Toilet exhibition organised during the conference was attended by many local visitors as well as the conference participants.

This new conference Dry Toilet 2006 will continue the progress achieved with the previous conference. The objective of the conference is to offer a platform for discussion for the professionals and other interested parties. The conference will distribute latest information about various aspects of dry toilets. The popular Dry Toilet exhibition will also be organised during the conference."

More information including the announcement: http://www.drytoilet.org/dt06.html

The King Hassan II Great World Water Prize is an international award jointly established by the Government of Morocco and the World Water Council, in memory of His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco's distinguished leadership and encouragement of cooperation and sound management of water resources.

The award was created in March 2000, with the aim of having a political tool at the disposal of both institutions to stimulate awareness and reflection. The Prize is awarded to an institution, organization, individual or group of individuals in honor of outstanding achievements in any aspects of water resources such as scientific, economic, technical, environmental, social, institutional, cultural or political.

The theme of the Prize is "Cooperation and solidarity in the fields of management and development in water resources". The award winner receives a prize sum of US$ 100,000, a trophy and a certificate.

The award is presented every three years in conjunction with the World Water Forum. The first edition of the Prize was awarded at the 3rd World Water Forum, and the second edition will therefore be awarded in Mexico City.

The deadline for applications for this second edition is September 30, 2005 .

For more information, please visit:
http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/hassan_II_prize/nomination.shtml
or write to hassan2-waterprize@worldwatercouncil.org

Michael Köttner of IBBK writes:

Dear Biogas-User and Biogas-Stakeholder,

The International Biogas and Bioenergy Competence Centre (IBBK) is carrying out a biogas study tour in England and Wales from 22nd to 24th September 2005. The study tour will be following the RPA Biogas Conference which is taking place the 21st September 2005 in Manchester. Information and registration under http://www.r-p-a-.org.uk/. The tour could be organized through long standing personal expert contacts of IBBK.

The tour programme includes the visit of a waste treatment plant in Leicester, a ryegrass digesting pilot plant in a crop growing area and the building site of a digester for catering waste in Shropshire, a community biogas plant in Devon, an specialized digester designer and organic power station in Summerset and a mobile biogas dry digester in Hampshire. Additionally we are organizing other business contacts with interested companies in the field.

We are addressing biogas users and biogas stakeholders to providing international business contacts in the field of anaerobic digestion and a vast variety of examples in practice on the possibilities energy and fertilizer production with renewable primary products through biogas technologies and finding economical and ecological solutions for waste treatment.

We would like to welcome you to this special tour !

Best regards,

Michael Koettner
(CEO, IBBK)

Fördergesellschaft nachhaltige Biogas- und Bioenergienutzung e.V. FNBB
Internationales Biogas and Bioenergie Kompetenzzentrum IBBK
Fachgruppe Biogas
Weckelweiler
Heimstr. 1
74592 Kirchberg / Jagst
Germany
Phone: +49 - (0)7954 - 926 203
Fax: +49 - (0)7954 - 926 204
Email: info@biogas-zentrum.de
Internet: www.biogas-zentrum.de

For details on how to register, fees and the detailed study tour programme please download the information sheet (pdf file, 116 kB).

Source: Michael Köttner, IBBK, via Email

The International Foundation for Science (http://www.ifs.se/index.asp) and the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water & Food (http://www.waterforfood.org/) have issued a call for research proposals open to young scientists.

Researchers in developing countries who satisfy the IFS eligibility criteria and undertake research into Crop Water Productivity Improvement; Water and People in Catchments Aquatic Ecosystems and Fisheries; Integrated Basin Water Management Systems; or the Global and National Food and Water System may apply for the grant.

Research grants are awarded up to a value of US$ 12,000 for a period of 1-3 years. The twice renewable grants are intended for the purchase of scientific equipment, expendable supplies and literature, and to arrange field activities. Grantees must be salaried by, or have a stipend from, the university where the research project will be conducted. The grant will include mentorship and guidance on theme, basin and project from theme leaders, basin coordinators and project leaders.

Application Deadline: 30 June, 2005 . For information about the IFS grant and application process, please go to: http://www.ifs.se/Programme/waterandfood_call_2005.asp

Source: B. Guterstam, via Email

I would like to warmly welcome Mr. Mohan K. Mudgal from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, as our new correspondent for the EcoEng-Newsletter. Mohan Mudgal, born 1965, has been working as engineer and lecturer in his career and is currently working as assistant engineer in the State Water & Sanitation Sector Reform Cell in the "Lake Bhopal Conservation and Management Project", also known as "Bhoj Wetland Project".

Mohan Mudgal writes: "To my understanding, Ecological Engineering is concerned with interfacing humanity and environment and managing the self-organizing characteristics of ecosystems at all scales. The challenge that lies ahead is in better understanding of the application of ecological engineering (EE) in solving problems, at the interface between humans and their environment, which requires methods of evaluation that can incorporate environmental values as well as human derived values. (...) I wish to work in the area of ecologically engineered systems in rural and rural/urban interface environments; develop and apply ecotechnologies for drainage, stormwater, stream systems, wastes, watersheds, and water supply."

Madhya Pradesh is the largest Indian State and spreads over an area about twice the size of the UK, with almost any kind of climate and vegetation present in India. One of its rivers, the Narmada, gained international prominence in the past few years when the Indian government proposed to build a dam on it.

I am sure that a wealth of interesting news items related to Ecological Engineering waits to be discovered in this fascinating state of India. I am looking forward to a fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation with Mohan Mudgal.

Andreas Schoenborn
Co-editor of the EcoEng-Newsletter

Johannes Heeb, president of IEES, writes:

"Dear members of IEES,

As already announced we will have our annual meeting of our society on Mai 21 in the afternoon from 16:00 – 19:00.

The meeting will take place at: Makaranga Garden Lodge (www.makarangagardenlodge.com), 1A Igwababa Road, Kloof, 3610. This is a nice place 30 minutes by car from the Durban Airport.

Agenda of the Meeting:

1. Business report IEES
2. Information from the Mai board meeting
3. Financial report and budget
4. Elections
5. Membership fee 2006
6. myNetWorks
7. Courses on ecological engineering
8. Ecological engineering award 2005
9. Open floor
10. Presentations

Best regards and looking forward to meet you in Kloof/Durban!

Johannes Heeb"

Jacky Foo writes:

"The challenges and ravages of water and sanitation in the 21st century could be worse than the preceding centuries for evident obvious reasons, notably increasing population with concomitant environmental decay, natural disasters, war etc. which all tantamounts to poverty. Is it possible for us to make an overwhelming impact in this century ? If we are to do so, certainly, we have to carve out new global strategies and consolidate them.

The cliche term and expression "Water and Sanitation Decade" has come and gone. The projections and hope can best be described as a fiasco as we enjoyed the campaigne, huge investments were seen in this sector, but the incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases leaped-frog. Today, there are new choruses of hope -- The Millennium Development Goal --- with the anticipation that by 2015 the water crises would be half way solved. If concrete measures are not put in place this would soon be a celebrated illusion. The plant kingdom has Hope if we properly explore and exploit them. The use of plant biomass to remove organic and inorganic matter from water and wastewater can be rewarding in every measure. This is the thrust of this E-symposium on phytoremediation and water purification.

The Objectives:

• To highlight projects in Africa that explore and exploit the potentials of plant biomaterials to remove organic and inorganic pollutants from water and wastewater.
• To develop and cement a biophilosophy and culture of using plant materials that widely available within our vicinity to bring about clean water in our daily needs.
• To discuss new trends, constraints and contemporary issues on phytoremediation and water purification technologies in Africa
• To identify researchers, strenghthen co-operation across frontiers that would culminate into effective information dessimination in this area across africa and possibly other continents in need."

Four papers will be presented by:

• Kebreab Ghebremichael (Sweden)
• Jacky Foo (Sweden)
• Shuaibu. O.A. Usman & Kenneth.A. Yongabi (Nigeria)
• Markus Schneider-Mmary (Tanzania)

Contact person: Mr. Kenneth A Yongabi (Nigeria) yongabika@yahoo.com

Registration:

There is no registration fee. All participants are recommended to register by creating a user account (if you do not already have one). Goto : http://www.iobbnet.org/drupal/user/register

All participants can read e-Symposium materials and comments but only those with 'write-permissions' can write and make comments. Write-permission is given automatically to all authors and co-authors of papers. A temporary 'write permission' is given to all other participants upon request. E-mail et-w7@segate.sunet.se , give your user name  and  request for  '2005 ICBB-PHYTO write permission'

Source: Jacky Foo, IOBB, via email

The Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee, India, has started a two-year Master of Technology programme in "Conservation of Rivers and Lakes". The course is initially meant for serving professionals in government

The course includes lectures on Watershed Behavior and Conservation Practices, Ecology and Limnology, Environmental Laws, Public Participation and Institutional Development, EIA, Water Quality Assessment and Modelling, Simulation and Computer Application.

The output of the course will be capacity and capability enhancement of human resources in the field of ecological engineering project formulation, design and implementation. Course prospectus,eligibility,admission procedures and application form and other details can be downloaded from the website: http://www.iitr.ernet.in/common/admission/pg/index.htm

The course is funded by the Ministry of Environment and Forest of the Government of India.

Source: Mohan Mudgal, EcoEng-correspondent

Note: The forum has been cancelled (May 17, 05)

If there were a question and answer service in the internet, where you could:

• Ask pending problems, e.g. about conceptual or technical issues of an ecologically engineered system, during a project phase?
• Get an answer in a reasonable time.
• Be sure that the answer is from another professional.
• Know who the other one is.

Would that be of interest for you?

The "Problem solving Forum"  is bound to start in May 05. Seven interested volunteer experts - active predominantly in water issues, wastewater treatment and avoidance, Ecological Sanitation etc. - have been found who are willing to share their expertise with you.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN! Do you have a question or pending problem regarding an Ecological Engineering issue for the start-up of this new service?

We'd like to set it up with a selection of the most interesting and challenging problems that are currently around. Please send in your question / problem to the editor of this website until April 10, 2005.

The "Problem solving Forum" will be located in IEES' community web environment mynetworks (http://www.mynetworks.org)

Thanks a lot and best greetings

Andreas Schoenborn
Editor EcoEng-online

Stockholm, March 22, 2005 - The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi, an influential Indian non-governmental organisation led by Ms. Sunita Narain, a dynamic advocate for water, environment, human rights, democracy and health, will receive the 2005 Stockholm Water Prize.

The award has been given to CSE for its efforts to build a new paradigm of water management, which uses the traditional wisdom of rainwater harvesting and advocates the role of communities in managing their local water systems. In its citation, the Nominating Committee lauded CSE, under the leadership of Ms. Narain, "For a successful recovery of old and generation of new knowledge on water management, a community-based sustainable integrated resource management under gender equity, a courageous stand against undemocratic, top-down bureaucratic resource control, an efficient use of a free press, and an independent judiciary to meet these goals."

CSE (www.cseindia.org) will receive the $150,000 Prize from HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in August. The Stockholm Water Prize is awarded annually to individuals and institutions for their outstanding contributions to the world of water. This year's prize to CSE acknowledges the growing crisis of water management in many regions of the South and the need for new approaches that provide local food and water security to communities. CSE's work, through its many publications, its research and advocacy has helped create new thinking on how traditional systems of water management, which use rainwater endowment, once rejuvenated could become the starting point for the removal of rural poverty in many part of the world.

Source: David Trouba, SIWI, via email

The training builds on the participants’ experiences and needs and consists of problem-solving activities and related lectures. The aim is to enable the participants to initiate and participate in the decision-making processes related to development of ecosystem-based sanitation initiatives and providing the participants with a more in-depth understanding of:

• Water and nutrient cycles in time and space and related routes of contamination
• Management options for improved urban environmental sanitation and ways to utilise nutrients in human excreta as a resource in urban agriculture
• Risk assessment, incl. hygiene in handling sanitized urine and faecal matter, and residents’ and professionals’ attitudes and norms concerning risks
• Costs and benefits, including those related to the environment, of ecological sanitation systems compared to current technical alternatives
• Exchange of experiences of household efforts to improve well-being through safe excreta disposal and protection of ground water
• Skills training in social inquiry

Date and Place

• Phase 1: Sweden 15 August – 2 September 2005.
• Phase 3: South Africa in February 2006 and Mexico in March 2006.

Participation

The Programme is open to persons working professionally or on a volunteer basis with sanitation and water issues in urban and peri-urban areas.

Target Regions

Africa and Latin America & the Caribbean with fifteen participants from each region.

Target Group

Professionals engaged in town planning, water supply, waste management, and socio-economic development; researchers and trainers in fields of environmental sanitation, and key persons engaged in NGOs with projects related to improved sanitation and water supply.

Closing date for application is April 1, 2005.

A copy of the application should be sent by fax to Cecilia Ruben, Stockholm Environment Institute, fax +46 8 723 0348. Necessary information for contacting the candidate, i.e. e-mail, fax, telephone and postal address and possible alternative co-ordinates, must be provided.

The course is offered by SIDA, the Swedish International Development Agency.

For more details, please refer to the programme announcement (download, PDF 164 kB)
Application form (download, PDF 40 kB)

Source, Cecilia Ruben, via email

(note: the dates of the meeting have been corrected on Feb. 24, 05)

Johannes Heeb, IEES president, writes:

Dear IEES friends

It is a pleasure for me to invite you on the behalf of the IEES board to our Annual Meeting and to a Workshop on Recent Development in Ecological Engineering.

The meetings will take place May 21-22, 2005 (Saturday and Sunday) in the Durban Area in South Africa (Venue will be defined by the end of February).

From May 23-27, 2005 the 3rd International Conference on Ecological Sanitation will also take place in Durban. The topic of this conference will be "Ecological Sanitation: A sustainable, integrated solution". For more information see: http://www.buildnet.co.za/ecosan/

We recommend you to link up these events in your agenda!

Program of the IEES meetings

May 21, 2005: morning

• General Meeting of the IEES

May 21, 2005: afternoon and May 22, morning to mid afternoon

• Workshop on „Recent development in Ecological Engineering“

May 22, 2005: early afternoon

• Launching of the International Ecological Engineering Institute (IEEI)
• Ecological Engineering Award 2005

Submitting Papers

Your are invited to submit abstract of your papers by March 31, 2005 via Email to Dr. Johannes Heeb (johannes.heeb@seecon.ch)

!!! Selected papers will be published in a special issue of the journal „Ecological Engineering“ (published by Elsevier) !!!

Source: Johannes Heeb, via Email

The first online forum for Ecological Engineers in the Pacific region will take place on Wednesday 9th March at 18:00-19:00 New Zealand time (UTC 05:00-06:00). Every interested person is invited to join.

Theme: Establishing an Ecological Engineering Education Network.

Location: http://www.mynetworks.org -> Exchange Space -> Community Chat Room (registration as member required, free of costs)

Organizers: Andrew Dakers, Leigh Davison and Aisling O'Sullivan

Please check http://www.worldtimeserver.com for your corresponding local time!

'Economic Impacts of Micro-biotechnologies for Urban Agriculture at the Household Level' (tentative title) is a proposed session of the Internet Conference on Biotechnology and Bioengineering in Africa (2005)

This e-Session will be conducted in a Webforum and exchange of email messages for 3 weeks. The e-discussion will focus at economic impacts of case studies in Africa and includes the scope related to bioconversion technologies that can be managed by an African household for production of e.g. fuel, fertiliser, fodder and food and fiber; and that offers an economic gain to the family. Special attention will be given to the integrated use of biosystems for the generation of value-added products and income.

This e-mail declares that preparations for such an E-session is on-going
and seeks :

• (a) assistance from volunteers to join the organizing committee
• (b) papers/reports/webpages on case studies on such bioconversion technologies, e.g. composting, vermiculture, insect larvae cultivation, biogas, innovative use of under-utilised biowaste or resources as fodder, biofiber production, integrated biosystems, etc.

Contact person:
Jacky Foo
foo@stockholm.bostream.se

Source: Jacky Foo, via Email

How to Choose, Install and Construct Them

Grow with the flow!
Learn about a wide range of dry and low-water composting toilets options and
plant-based ecological wastewater systems. See three types of eco-toilets
successfully in use in Baja. Make a urine-diverting or combined composting
toilet with a barrel!

Hear about plant-based ecological wastewater recycling options and simple systems you can make and install. Facilitator is Carol Steinfeld, author of The Composting Toilet System Book, Liquid Gold: The Lore & Logic of Using Urine to Grow Plants, and Reusing the Resource:
Adventures in Ecological Wastewater Recycling,

Two dates:

Saturday, Jan. 15

10-12 noon for eco-wastewater talk;
1- 4+ p.m. for barrel-net composting toilet workshop
Jardin de los Naranjos

Located at km 15 after the crossroad at Highway 1, which is 20 km north of the
Los Cabos International Airport; look for the "Ramal a los Naranjos" sign

Sunday, Jan. 16

Time: 10-12 noon for eco-wastewater talk;
1- 4 p.m. for barrel-net composting toilet workshop

Place: Next to the Hotel California, Todos Santos, BCS

Some urine-diverters will be for sale (http://www.ecovita.net/privy.html) as well
as discounted books, plans, a urine-diverting toilet commode, and dry urinals,
as well as literature and brochures.

Cost: Just $550 pesos MXN or $49 US. None turned away for lack of funds.
RSVP not necessary but helpful. Email: info@ecowaters.org
Proceeds fund the projects of Ecowaters.  Organizing sponsor: Baja Sangha
Community  

See Web site: http://www.ecowaters.org/baja.html

--
ecowaters
p.o. box 1330
concord, ma 01742 usa
www.ecowaters.org
tel: 978-318-7033

Source: Carol Steinfeld, EcoEng-Correspondent, via Email

Invitation to IOBB E-Seminar
(please forward to your friends)


Date: 12-28 Jan 2005
Title: Biological purification of greywater - Wetparks and Folkewalls
Presented By : Folke Gunther, Sweden
Venues:
(a) Web-forum: http://www.iobbnet.org/drupal/forum/82
(b) E-mail list: to subscribe, email listserv@segate.sunet.se and
use subscription command:
SUB ET-ODEN yourfirstname yourlastname, countrycode
Background Papers: www.iobbnet.org/news/e-sem-12.html
Images: www.iobbnet.org/drupal/image/tid/76

The discussion will be on productive water purification by enhancing the
natural processes occurring in living plants and microorganisms, using pond
systems ('wetparks'), constructed walls ('Folkewalls') and other media.
Several case studies will also be discussed.

Regards
Jacky E.L. Foo, Chairman,
IOBB (Intl Org for Biotechnology and Bioengineering)
See forthcoming IOBB activities:
www.iobbnet.org/activities.html

Source: Jacky Foo, via Email

The Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development (BFSD) is an international network of grant-providing institutions striving to attain environmental balance, economic stability and social progress throughout the world.

The Forum is now accepting applications for the position of Project Manager. We are looking for self-motivated, ambitious individuals interested in working for a small, dynamic team beginning in February, 2005 in Osnabrück, Germany.

Responsibilities will include:

• Development and management of Bellagio Forum projects
• Relationship management with members, partners and friends of the Forum
• Acquisition of new members
• Preparation of brochures, presentations, speeches, and press relations

The ideal candidate:

• Holds an advanced degree and has a passion for sustainable development
• Experience with foundations, corporations and international organizations
• Perfect German (native speaker preferred), fluent English – spoken and written –
• Is eager to learn and not afraid of taking on a challenge

Please send your application to sshiroff@bfsd.org or:

Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development
An der Bornau 2; D-49090 Osnabrück
For questions please call +49 (0)541 9633 493

Source: Carol Steinfeld, EcoEng-Correspondent, via Email

Need some help with a Ecological Engineering project? Looking for a graduate course on Ecological Engineering? Just want to hang out on the web and chat with colleagues?

Join A. Schoenborn, editor of this website, in the "Open Hour", every Wednesday at 14:00 GMT/UTC, Where? http://www.mynetworks.org -> Exchange Space -> Community Chat Room (registration as member required, free of charge).

Please check http://www.worldtimeserver.com for your corresponding local time

The recipient of the first WASH Media Award is Nadia El-Awady from Egypt for her outstanding article "The Nile and its People", which illustrates the impacts of industrial pollution, sewage and solid waste management on people’s health and dignity along the River Nile.

The WASH Media Award was established by the WSSCC in 2002 in order to encourage and promote investigative reporting on water, sanitation and hygiene issues by developing country journalists. An international panel of judges evaluated more than 100 entries from print, radio and TV journalists from over 40 countries.

The award winning article can be found at http://www.islamonline.net/English/Science/2004/05/article09.shtml

Source: http://www.wsscc.org/

Companies from Member States and Associated Candidate Countries are eligible to apply for funding, participate in EU projects and tenders in a variety of fields. The number of open programmes is significant. In order to assist companies with preparing to participate in these EU programmes, Geonardo Ltd. has developed a training programme about EU funds.

The seminar is held in English by project managers of Geonardo Ltd. The speakers have several years of experience in the field of EU project development, coordination and also evaluation, their experience is 'transfered' in an informal way during the day providing practical assistance to establish successful consortiums and projects.

Contact person: Ms. Judit Gabosy, training@geonardo.hu

Source: Anna Kovacs, via Email

Please download the 1st announcement here (PDF, 360 kB). Note: The deadline for abstracts is October 15, 2004.

Source: Florian Klingel, GTZ via Email

If you want to submit an entry, please send it via email to . It will then briefly be checked on its suitability. If the character of the entry is non-commercial, it will be placed in the newsline for free as soon as possible. For commercial entries we have to bargain an adequate price.

The editor.