Terra Informa interviews Alirza Quluncu, Azerbaijani-Canadian Journalist and Activist over Lake Urmia Crisis
Today Terra Informa leaves the comfort of home for a look at some environmental issues from overseas. We begin by talking to members of the Azerbaijani community about the decline of Lake Urmia in Iran. The lake is home to more than 200 species of birds, and of critical importance to local people, but its water is quickly retreating. And if it disappears, the worst is yet to come. We talk to organizations that are working to save the lake about what's happening, and what can be done to reverse the trend. In the second half of the show, we take a trip to the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania where we talk to an American researcher who is studying the region's bats. She tells us about the area's incredible biodiversity and the role of bats in the ecosystem. And as always, we start things off with a run down of the week's environmental news headlines.
https://terrainforma.ca/2012/01/15/the-slow-death-of-lake-urmia/. January 15, 2012 Iran's Lake Urmia Lake Urmia is one of the largest salt lakes in the world. Located in Iran, between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, it is a breeding ground for flamingos and one of the largest habitats of a salt-water shrimp. Lake Urmia is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve, and a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. It plays a crucial role in the economic, ecological and social health of the region. Currently, the lake is in danger of drying up. More than just an environmental problem, the deterioration of the lake could impact the 13 million inhabitants of the region. Terra Informa correspondent Kathryn Lennon talks to some members of Azerbaijanji communities in Edmonton and Vancouver to hear their concerns.