Conducting surveys on forestry attitudes and practices in Leyte communities,Philippines: Experiences and lessons learnt

A survey of forestry practices and attitudes was undertaken in four communities in Leyte, the Philippines, to improve understanding of the social and economic factors affecting small-scale forestry development. The survey had three main data collection activities — initial focus group discussions (FGDs), household interviews, and reporting and validation FGDs. A team of enumerators was selected for household interviews which consisted of both males and females, to avoid potential problems of unwillingness of people to talk with those of the opposite gender. The interviewers were also required to be able to speak local dialects (Cebuano and Waray Waray), the survey questionnaires being administered in these dialects. Various methods were used to gain the support and assistance of local government units and barangay captains. Some difficulty was experienced by the survey team in the first community due to barangay elections at the time of the survey, and the requirement by the University of Queensland Ethics Committee that respondents sign a consent form. This requirement was found to be not culturally appropriate for the Leyte smallholder communities. Offering goods at the end of the interview was found to be of limited value for encouraging participation in the survey. Provision of food and drinks were found to encourage FGD participants to express their views, but too much alcohol had a negative effect. The importance of providing comprehensive feedback to respondents and involving them and other stakeholders in development of policy recommendations was apparent. These survey experiences provide valuable insights which are not generally available in textbooks on sample surveys, and provide lessons for planning and conducting smallholder community survey into natural resource management issues.     

应用微机对TM图像进行森林资源分类的研究

遵义地区地形破碎,地貌很复杂,同谱异物、同物异谱现象较严重,地类界限不明显,而且只有一景单时相(质量7分)的TM数据,在微机上以计算机分类对遵义地区进行森林资源遥感图像分类。通过研究波段的选择、样地参数测算、图像的光谱特征、训练样地的选择和分类方法的选择,提出了可实际应用的技术方法,并全部由微机实现,得出了定量结果和分色图件。     

“洛阳1号”日本落叶松良种选育研究

"洛阳1号"日本落叶松是从天然林分后代超级苗中选出的天然杂种无性系,造林13年树高、胸径达11.33 m和11.67 cm,比对照高69.4%和114.9%,表现出明显的前期速生性。2011年该品种通过河南省林木品种审定委员会审定,具有生长快、材质优、抗性强、适应性广的优良特性,是优良的造纸用材树种,适宜在海拔800 m以上山区推广栽培。     

广州南香山水库森林水文季节变化研究

为了提高森林水文研究过程中数据采集的精确性,应用现代测绘技术,包括水准测量、全站仪三维坐标测量、GNSS 卫星测量及测深仪的水深测量等,研究了广州南香山水库的库容变化规律,反演水库上游森林径流。研究结果表明：南香山一年内的降雨量分布出现类似双波浪形的变化,波峰出现在5月份和8月份,波谷出现在1月和10月;降雨量与库容增量存在线性关系,相关系数为0.9152;地表径流的大小主要与植被类型,土壤水分的饱和度及地形有密切关系。相比传统的测量方法,现代测绘技术更精确地反映了广州南香山地区森林水文的变化规律。     

能源植物麻疯树闽东南引种试验

在福建省南安市进行麻疯树引种育苗,并开展不同海拔和不同立地条件的造林试验。结果表明:种子发芽率平均为81%,造林成活率达92.8%,试验林在冬霜期间没有受冻害,生长良好。当年生试验林9~10月份有少量植株开花结果,单株结果数最多达40粒,至12月份已陆续成熟,初试见效,可为中试和推广提供科学依据和示范。     

哈思山油松人工林生长特性研究

通过对哈思山油松人工林进行调查，并选择样树进行树干解析，建立了胸径与树高、高径比，株率与高径比的回归方程，分析了油松人工林前期生长过程、人工林林分结构和生长规律，为科学生产经营提供了依据。     

Landowner perceptions and the adoption of agroforestry practices in southern Ontario,Canada

A mail-out survey questionnaire was developed by the Agroforestry group at the University of Guelph to determine the level of awareness and interest in the adoption of agroforestry systems by landusers from four townships in Wellington County, Ontario. The questionnaire investigated: (1) the current level of knowledge regarding windbreaks, woodlots and plantations, intereropping, riparian plantations and silvipasture, (2) the present level of participation in each of these systems on-farm, (3) the perceived benefits and/or drawbacks of each of these initiatives with respect to total farm income, income diversity, land rehabilitation, land value/equity, soil/water conservation, labour intensity, overhead and return on the term of investment.The majority of respondents were familiar with conventional agroforestry systems such as windbreaks and woodlots/plantations (80%, 62% respectively), therefore the level of interest in the adoption of these practices was significant (74%, 66% respectively). Response rates were lower for silvipasture, riparian plantations and intercropping, most likely as result of the low level of familiarity with these practices (20%, 32%, 4% respectively). Respondents commented that agroforestry systems would have a neutral effect on farm income, and would increase land stewardship. In some cases, interested landusers indicated a willingness to participate in agroforestry systems even though they anticipated increases in overhead and labour intensity; however, this was only true if they held land stewardship as a priority. Landusers were more concerned with the economic aspects of agroforestry, as a determinant to the future adoptability of particular practices. Age, gender, farm operation and farm size were not correlated with the adoption of agroforestry systems.The success of agroforestry programs on farms in the study area is largely dependent on the attitudes and willingness of landusers to participate in non-traditional agricultural systems.     

Mapping the territory: agroforestry awareness among Washington State land managers

There is growing interest in research to develop potential agroforestry models for temperate climates. In Washington State, recent studies and anecdotal information suggest that agroforestry is already employed by land managers, and if so, this experience should inform future research efforts. Because this population is not well defined, a mail survey was designed to: 1) Assess Washington land manager awareness of agroforestry, 2) assess perceptions of agroforestry as a land management tool, 3) assess the perceived potential opportunities or obstacles for land managers to practice agroforestry, and 4) identify landowner groups believed to be practicing agroforestry in Washington State.Three groups of land managers were surveyed: employees of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service (WSUCE) and OTHER, consisting of university faculty, private land managers, State and Federal land managers and owners of small natural resource businesses.Agroforestry was not a new concept for most (94%) respondents, further 55% of those familiar with agroforestry were practicing agroforestry or providing advice to landowners who were practicing agroforestry. Use in (government mandated) soil conservation plans on farmland (100% of all respondents) was the most frequently cited potential application for agroforestry in the state followed by range and pasture land and managing non-commercial forest land (both 84%), use on commercial forest plantation (83%) and fruit and nut orchards (61%).Diversifies land use (25%), enhanced productivity (18%), aesthetics (13%) and income diversity (13%) were the four most frequently cited potential advantages to practicing agroforestry. Lack of information (28%), lack of technical assistance (18%), establishment costs (14%) and not an established practice (14%) were the most frequently identified potential obstacles to practicing agroforestry. Respondents suggested there is great potential for application of agroforestry throughout the state, and non-industrial private forest land owners were selected for future study of this potential.     

A molecular epidemiological survey of Babesia, Hepatozoon,Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections of dogs in Japan

Tick-borne diseases are often encountered in canine clinical practice. In the present study, a molecular epidemiological survey of dogs in Japan was conducted to understand the prevalence and geographical distribution of Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. Pathogen-derived DNA in blood samples obtained from 722 dogs with a history of exposure to ticks and/or fleas was examined by PCR. The prevalence of Babesia gibsoni, Babesia odocoilei-like species, Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia spp./Anaplasma spp. was 2.4% (16/722), 0.1% (1/722), 2.5% (18/722) and 1.5% (11/722), respectively. While B. gibsoni and Ehrlichia spp./Anaplasma spp. were detected in the western part of Japan, H. canis was detected in Tohoku area in addition to western and central parts of Japan.