Video Spotlight Niger's Trees May Be Insurance Against Drought To view the NPR video, click here. On the NPR website, scroll down the video video list and select "Trees Return to Arid Niger". Scientists studying vegetation patterns in the broad arid region just south of the Sahara desert have discovered that trees are growing like crazy there, due in part to a change in the law decentralizing ownership and management of trees, with all kinds of benefits, such as increased water retention, agricultural productivity, nutrition, incomes for women and youth, etc. And while it's a big unknown whether global warming will bring further drought to this impoverished region, these trees will be one of the things that help people in countries like Niger cope. Author: Climate Connections: NPR Radio , Produced by Richard Harris, this NPR radio broadcast features natural regeneration in Niger and USAID/FRAME-funded researchers Larwanou and Tappan. Related Links | ![online learning](images2/online-learning.jpg) | Online Learning The Portal provides a web-based learning management system used for delivering online courses, and managing virtual learning communities. It is designed using sound constructivist pedagogical principles and has the ability to create syllabi, objectives, content modules, assignments, tests, and social course activities like forums, chats, news and calendars. Read more | ![regional and global initiatives](images2/market.jpg) | Regional and Global Initiatives | ![issues and challenges](images2/Womenbuckets.jpg) | Issues and Challenges | | ![How to Participate in the Portal](images2/hands.jpg) | How to Participate in the Portal Much of the Development Resource Management Portal is available to the public. Some materials and functionality are private and membership is required for access. Members are allowed to publically or privately post and share content, and use group collaboration services. This level of access is currently granted to USAID staff and partners. If you are interested in becoming a member please contact your USAID staff representative, or email the Portal Administrator (info@rmportal.net). Read more | ![how to find information](images2/walkway.jpg) | How to find Information on the Portal Search Portal Use the Search Portal tool in the upper left column to search for content indexed by keyword, title, description, and the text of entire Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat documents. This tool makes searching more comprehensive and relevant. Click Advanced Search for more detailed searching options. | ![browse by](images2/magnifying_glass.jpg) | Browse By Use the Browse By links in the upper upper left column to search portal content in a way that fits your research style. You may browse the portal content collection by theme, keyword, title, language, date posted, portal content type, library catalog, group, and by geographic region. | ![partner search](images2/waving-crowd.jpg) | The Partner Search tool enables you to search across our partner websites without leaving the Portal. Using external search technology the Partner Search tool brings back actual documents (PDFs, Word, PowerPoint) as well as relevant weblinks and html pages. Read more | ![group](images2/groups.jpg) | Working Collaboratively Inside the Portal The Portal provides members a neutral group space to collaboratively work together. Group 'workflow'; tools include: public and private news and calendars, a newsletter service, content sharing, group email notification, group member listing, shared library services, smartfolder content aggregators, and content flagging and indexing. Read more | ![adding content](images2/upload-icon.jpg) | Adding Content to the Portal Different types of content can be added to the portal: webpages, documents, spreadsheets, images, flash videos, audio files, events, and news. Portal members are allowed to flag their content using metadata including self-suggested keywords, copyright, contributors, authors, and relevant time-sensitive information. Read more | |