The complexity of the conservation-development nexus in Central African national parks and the perceptions of local populations

Conservation programmes of recent decades aimed to adopt an approach that addresses biodiversity conservation goals through socio-economic tools and to better integrate the human dimension into biodiversity conservation. Yet, to analyse this complex conservation-development nexus, studying conservation perceptions of local populations are crucial to understand the dynamics and establish sound conservation-development management policies. Therefore, we aim to identify the key determinants of conservation perceptions in the Central African context in order to implement successful local and regional conservation strategies. Conservation perceptions of two national parks’ adjacent populations were examined through household surveys, adapted from the Poverty-Environment Network (PEN), in Rwanda and Republic of Congo. Outcomes were statistically analysed to identify the most important factors affecting perceptions about conservation measures. Using a nonlinear canonical correlation analysis, we found that economic factors (e.g. salary, savings, cattle size) and education positively affect conservation perceptions while ecosystem-dependent factors such as hunting and gathering other non-timber forest products have negative effects. Though, we identified a significant difference between two sites, whereby, conservation perceptions are negatively affected by bushmeat factors in Republic of Congo, and NTFP in Rwanda. In addition, our study showed that resource use and rights play a major role in communities’ perceptions and that revenue-sharing projects have a key impact on the perceptions. To ensure sound conservation and development measures, revenue-sharing schemes focusing on material benefits and alternative livelihoods may provide the best approach if participation of communities in the decision-making process is ensured. In this optic, improving education levels will raise awareness and positive perceptions of conservation measures. Development measures should target poor households as they appear to be more conservation-adverse. We conclude that in depth research on local demands for ecosystem products, relationships among stakeholders and community decision power are crucial factors to understand the complexity of the conservation-development nexus.     

Permeable Boundaries: Outsiders and Access to Fishing Grounds in the Berau Marine Protected Area

The designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Indonesia has been accelerated over the past two decades in line with international biodiversity conservation commitments and to secure a basis for decentralised fisheries resources management. The Berau MPA of northeast Kalimantan is one of them. This paper shows how the establishment of the park boundaries and zoning affects local fishers' livelihoods. Particular attention is paid to the position of outsider fishers or andon, who have a legal right to access the resource rich fishing grounds. Decentralised district government legitimises outsider fisheries activities because andon fishing permits bring in fees as a contribution to the regional income (PAD or pendapatan asli daerah), while international environmental organisations and local fishers regard the outsider fishers as illegitimately entering the MPA to access resources they regard as their own. Thus, MPA boundaries appear to be highly permeable, with both local fishers and environmental NGOs seeing the presence of andon as illegitimate and illicit, despite being legal.     

长三角地区1995-2007年生态资产时空变化

结合遥感定量反演与经济评价法,利用1995年1 km的AVHRR-NDVI、2000年和2007年250m MODIS-NDVI等遥感数据,模拟与评估长三角1995-2007年生态资产时空变化.结果表明:长三角1995-2007年生态资产总量呈持续下降趋势,由1995年891.39亿元减少到2007年845.54亿元,减少5.14％;各地市生态资产总量总体呈下降趋势,但区域变化差异极其显著;长三角1995-2007年生态资产空间分布呈南高北低格局,空间变化呈南部和北部以轻度增长为主、中部以中度和严重退化为主的变化特征;土地利用变化是导致长三角生态资产减少及空间差异的主导因素,自上而下生态修复工程明显有助于增加区域生态资产.     

自然资本价值核算研究综述

目前国内外对自然资本价值核算的理论与方法尚未取得共识,无疑制约了自然资本核算在生态环境保护中积极作用的发挥。基于此,本文分别从自然资本内涵及其价值核算理论基础、国内外自然资本存量与流量核算方法实证研究、自然资本货币化价值核算的合理性等方面对已有文献进行梳理与分析,发现目前自然资本核算研究主要集中在生态产品的功能量与价值量核算而缺少生态资产货币价值量核算的研究;当前采用的生态产品价值量核算的生态系统类型系数表、本地化生态过程模型、能值当量替换三种方法在精度适用性、应用推广性和计算便捷性上各有优劣,尚待进一步的深入研究;最后对自然资本货币核算的一些争论进行了分析。通过上述研究和分析,提出如下新认识：（1）自然资本相关概念尚不统一,已经形成的认识包括：自然资本具有一定的稀缺性和使用价值,资本可分为存量资本（又称生态资产）和流量资本（又称生态系统服务）;（2）自然资本核算技术繁多,研究成果的横向比较性较差,需要通过标准化核算技术方法和建立生态环境资源数据库等措施,进一步提高核算结果的准确性和可比性;（3）相比于基于生态系统类型价值系数方法和基于非市场化货币的当量替代方法,基于本地化参数的生态系统服务过程方法更能够反映本地生态环境特征,评估分析的准确度更高,生态管理抓手更多;（4）尽管自然资本货币核算理论和实践应用仍存在一些争论,但各国政府和各类组织都在推动自然资本核算工作,自然资本的探索性核算成果已在各国生态补偿和生态损害修复等方面发挥积极作用。     

青藏高原地区生态资产核算研究——以西藏自治区山南市为例

生态资产是重要的自然资源资产,也是优质生态产品提供的基础,生态资产的变化趋势可作为衡量生态保护和恢复成效的重要指标。山南市拥有青藏高原地区各种生态资产类型,以山南市为例开展生态资产核算可为青藏高原地区生态资产评估与保护提供参考。以生态资产数量、质量和生态资产指数为主要指标,揭示山南市2000-2015年生态资产的变化趋势及影响因素。结果表明：（1）2015年山南市生态资产以草地和森林为主,分别占生态资产总面积的40.6%和35.8%;但质量不高,优、良等级比例仅占11.8%和12.0%;生态资产综合指数为38.26,草地、森林、灌丛和湿地生态资产指数分别为16.23、14.88、5.37和1.78;（2）2000-2015年,山南市生态资产面积总体变化不大,森林和荒漠生态资产分别增加50.2 km²和43.9 km²,但湿地、农田、草地、灌丛、冰川生态资产面积分别减少97.4、29.8、2.9、2.7、0.3 km²;生态资产质量明显提升,优级和良级生态资产增幅分别为40.5%和108.5%;生态资产指数增加了16.1%;（3）退耕还林还草等生态保护和修复政策、城镇扩张以及气候变化等是山南市生态资产变化的主要因素。     

Constraints and Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods and Cash Income Generation from NTFPs in the Mountains of Northern Parts of Pakistan

Pakistan′s forest resource base is mostly found in the mountains of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) supporting the livelihood of the rural poor and providing different ecological services. The present study was, therefore, initiated with the aim to evaluate different constraints and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and cash income generation from NTFPs in the mountainous area of NWFP, Pakistan during 2008. Information was collected through questionnaire and interviews during field trips. A total of 117 NTFPs species have been recorded which are being used locally for various purposes such as fuel wood, fodder, medicinal plants, vegetables, mushroom, agricultural tools making, furniture, thatching, shade, fencing/ poles, ornamental purpose and animal products. The majority of plants are multi-functional like Pinus wallichiana provides timber, firewood, torch wood, the leaves/small branches are used as thatch for roofing, split logs are used for fencing and the decomposed needles are collected as humus for agricultural fields. These products were widely used by the indigenous community supporting their livelihood. The study proposes protection and sustainable management of these valuable resources for rural livelihoods, which might be useful for developing regional strategies of sustainable management of forest resources.     

Adaptation of Human Coping Strategies in a Small Island Society in the SW Pacific—50 Years of Change in the Coupled Human–Environment System on Bellona,Solomon Islands

Coupled human–environmental timelines are used to explore the temporal coevolution of driving forces and adaptive strategies from the 1960s to 2006 on Bellona in the SW Pacific. Climatic events and agro-environmental conditions are assessed in conjunction with issues such as population dynamics, agricultural strategies, non-agricultural activities, transport and infrastructure, migration, education, political conditions, etc. Satellite imagery and aerial photos reveal relative stability in agricultural land use intensity despite an increase in de facto population (51% from 1966–2006). Results of questionnaire survey of 48 households show that the utilization of natural resources (notably shifting cultivation and fisheries) remains widespread, although it is increasingly supplemented by other income generating activities (e.g., shopkeeping, private business, government employment). Group interviews are used to discuss ways in which the local communities’ adaptive resource management strategies have been employed in the face of climatic and socioeconomic events and changes in the recent past. Fifty years’ development is described as a combination of continuity and change. Resource management practices are only marginally impacted by different stress factors, but the importance of agriculture has been decreasing in relative terms. Culturally determined bonds have become a main ‘mechanism’ to cope with environmental or socioeconomic stress and the Bellonese have become less vulnerable to external shocks.     

A prevention strategy against fungal attack for the conservation of cultural assets using a fungal index

The present study aimed to establish a prevention strategy to protect cultural assets from fungal attack. A fungal index that assesses conditions critical for fungal growth was determined using a fungal detector in the storerooms of historical buildings in Higashiomi area, Japan. The index measurements were repeated after 4 weeks' exposure of the detectors during the seasons when relative humidity outdoors and/or indoors was high. The index values obtained were from below the measurable lower limit to above the upper limit. The prevention strategy proposed was as follows. Each microclimate was categorized into three levels, A, B, or C, depending on the index values, <1.8, 1.8–18 or >18, respectively. If all microclimates in a room maintain level A continuously, the room is considered free of contamination. If some microclimates maintain level B, fungal contamination might occur. If microclimates maintain level C, fungal contamination is unavoidable, and countermeasures should be taken promptly. Finally, fungal indices are measured for evaluation of the countermeasures and for level-A confirmation. The systematic use of fungal indices will provide practically useful information for conservation and must be applicable to IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in museums and libraries.     

Indian jujube a potential fruit tree to improve the livelihood

Indian Jujube, also known as Ber or Ziziphus Mauritiana Lam., is a fruit-bearing tree endemic to South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The tree belongs to the buckthorn family and is known for its fruit, a tiny, round, or oblong-shaped drupe roughly the size of a cherry or a small plum. Indian Jujube has been growing for thousands of years. It is a popular fruit throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and South America. Despite the fruit's delicious flavour and health benefits, it is also known for its therapeutic value. Many studies have suggested that various components of ber trees, such as fruit, seed leaves, roots, and flowers, include bioactive substances that demonstrate the potential for antioxidant activity and have anticancer, antibacterial, and antidiabetic effects. Due to the crop's minimal management requirements, it may slow down climate change and the threat of extreme soil and weather conditions, such as drought resistance, strong winds, erosion, high salt, and floods. The main objectives of the current systematic review are to understand Ber's chemical compositions, health benefits, culinary uses, major nutraceutical features, and its function in fostering livelihoods and climatic tolerance.     

Stressor or succour? Examining the association between conflict,livestock assets,and farmers’ mental health in Nigeria

Farmers are disproportionately vulnerable to violent attacks in the conflict situation in Nigeria, with potential traumatising effects due to the destruction of agricultural livelihoods. In this study, we conceptualise the links between conflict exposure, livestock assets, and depression, using a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 3021 Nigerian farmers to quantify the relationships. We highlight three main findings. First, conflict exposure is significantly associated with farmers exhibiting depressive symptoms. Second, holding higher herds of livestock, more cattle, and more sheep and goats while exposed to conflict is associated with higher risk of depression. Third, keeping more poultry is negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Finally, this study accentuates the significance of psychosocial support for farmers in conflict situations. The relationships between different livestock species and farmers’ mental health may interest further research in strengthening the evidence.