The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, an area almost the size of Japan, has a new network of no-take areas that significantly improves the protection of biodiversity. The new marine park zoning implements, in a quantitative manner, many of the theoretical design principles discussed in the literature. For example, the new network of no-take areas has at least 20% protection per "bioregion," minimum levels of protection for all known habitats and special or unique features, and minimum sizes for no-take areas of at least 10 or 20 km across at the smallest diameter. Overall, more than 33% of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is now in no-take areas (previously 4.5%). The steps taken leading to this outcome were to clarify to the interested public why the existing level of protection was inadequate; detail the conservation objectives of establishing new notake areas; work with relevant and independent experts to define, and contribute to, the best scientific process to deliver on the objectives; describe the biodiversity (e.g., map bioregions); define operational principles needed to achieve the objectives; invite community input on all of the above; gather and layer the data gathered in round-table discussions; report the degree of achievement of principles for various options of no-take areas; and determine how to address negative impacts. Some of the key success factors in this case have global relevance and include focusing initial communication on the problem to be addressed; applying * email leannef@gbrmpa.gov.au the precautionary principle; using independent experts; facilitating input to decision making; conducting extensive and participatory consultation; having an existing marine park that encompassed much of the ecosystem; having legislative power under federal law; developing high-level support; ensuring agency priority and ownership; and being able to address the issue of displaced fishers.Key Words: biophysical operational principles, cultural operational principles, economic operational principles, reserve-design software, social operational principles Establecimiento deÁreas sin Captura Representativas en la Gran Barrera Arrecifal: Implementación a Gran Escala de la Teoría sobreÁreas Marinas Protegidas Resumen: El Parque Marino Gran Barrera Arrecifal, con una superficie casi del tamaño de Japón, tiene una red deáreas sin captura que incrementa la protección de la biodiversidad significativamente. La nueva zonificación en el parque marino implementa, de manera cuantitativa, muchos de los principios teóricos de diseño discutidos en la literatura. Por ejemplo, la nueva red deáreas sin captura tiene niveles mínimos de protección de por lo menos 20% de protección por "bioregión" en todos los hábitats y rasgos especiales oúnicos conocidos, y tamaños mínimos para lasáreas sin captura de por lo menos 10 o 20 km en el diámetro menor. En general, más de 33% del Parque Marino Gran Barrera Arrecifal está enáreas sin captura (4.5% anteriormente). Los pasos hacia este resultado fueron clarificar al público interesa...

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Green roofs have the potential to retain stormwater on the roof surface and lower the thermal loading on buildings. Because of this, the greatest environmental benefits from green roofs might be achieved in subtropical climates characterized by high temperatures and intense rain events. There is, however, little research to support this. In a replicated study in Texas, we compared the performance of six different extensive green roof designs vegetated with native species, to non-reflective (black) roofs, and reflective (white) roofs. Preliminary hydrologic and thermal profile data indicated not only differences between green and non-vegetated roofs, but also among green roof designs. Maximum green roof temperatures were cooler than conventional roofs by 38°C at the roof membrane and 18°C inside air temperature, with little variation among green roofs. Maximum run-off retention was 88% and 44% for medium and large rain events but some green roof types showed very limited retention characteristics. These data demonstrate indicate that: 1. Green roofs can greatly affect the roof temperature profile-cooling surface layers and internal space on warm days. 2. Green roofs can retain significant amounts of rainfall, this is dependent on the size of the rain event and design and can fail if not designed correctly. We suggest that as green roofs vary so much in their design and performance, they must be designed according to specific goals rather than relying on assumed intrinsic attributes.

Conservation of North American grasslands is hampered by the impact of invasive herbaceous species. Selective control of these plants, although desirable, is complicated by the shared physiology and phenology of the invader and the native components of the invaded plant community. Fortunately, there is evidence that some management practices, such as prescribed fire, herbicide, and mowing, can cause differential responses in native and invasive grassland species. However, timing of treatment is critical, and fire has been shown to increase rates of invasion when implemented during the dormant season. Bothriochloa ischaemum, an introduced C4 Eurasian grass is an increasing problem in grasslands, particularly in southern and central regions of North America. To date, there has been little success in effective selective control. Two invaded grassland sites representative of Blackland Prairie and Edwards Plateau ecoregions were subjected to two growing-season prescribed fire treatments, single and double herbicide applications, and single and double mowing treatments. Mowing had no effect on either B. ischaemum or other dominant species at either site one-year posttreatment. However, growing-season fire and herbicide were both effective at reducing the abundance of B. ischaemum, with other codominant species responding either negatively to herbicide or neutrally or positively to fire. The vulnerability of B. ischaemum to growing-season fire may be associated with the ecology of its native range. The negative growth response to growingseason fire, combined with its lower implementation costs, indicates that this method warrants further investigation as a selective management tool for other problematic species in invaded grasslands.