The so-called “spotted fever” of the rocky mountains preliminary report to the montana state board of health

Please refer to JAMA, July 19, 1902, pp 131–136 for a copy of this article.     

The role of social and environmental attitudes in non-market valuation: An application to the Białowieża Forest

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of non-economic motivations such as altruism and environmental concerns on social preferences and hence willingness to pay (WTP) for changes in forest management strategies in the Białowieża Forest in Poland. We used data from a discrete choice experiment (CE) with attributes describing changes in the quality of the forest and recreation. The choice experiment technique makes it possible to disentangle the effect of the trait of altruism and environmental concern with regard to different attributes and their levels. Environmental attitudes were measured using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale, whereas the trait of altruism was determined using the Self-Reported Altruism (SRA) scale. The parameterization employed in the survey was a WTP space model. Results show that both altruism and environmental concerns have significant effects on the amount people are willing to pay for changes in forest management.     

Forest governance and sustainability pathways in the absence of a comprehensive national forest policy — The case of New Zealand

A ‘pathways’ and ‘framings’ approach derived from Leach et al. (2010) is used to examine forest sustainability policy in New Zealand. The country has had no comprehensive forest policy since the 1990s and indeed no longer a forest service or its equivalent. Instead ‘forest’ preservation, policy, and monitoring functions are carried out by the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Primary Industry and Ministry of Environment. Exotic plantation forests have themselves been sold off to the private sector and some aspects of planting and harvesting are regulated by the Resource Management Act. Even in this Neo-Liberal setting, and similar to Leach et al.'s work in completely different contexts, policy responses have tended to be oriented towards ‘stability’ and ‘resilience’ types of forest sustainability. Three forest sustainability pathways are evident, directed towards preservation of indigenous biodiversity, economic development without adverse environmental impacts, and monitoring of environmental quality. In some ways the current ‘New Zealand forest governance model’ is an improvement on its predecessor but it seems unlikely to be mobile in a policy sense, resting as it does on the existence a relatively large area of indigenous forest and a large exotic plantation resource where the latter provides all timber needs.     

The power of knowledge: information transfer and açaí intensification in the peri-urban interface of Belém,Brazil

Academic scholarship and development paradigms promote non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as potential options to link environmental conservation with sustainable economic development objectives for rural communities worldwide. The açaí berry (Euterpe oleracea) is a native palm found in forest ecosystems of northern Brazil and historically extracted and sold in regional markets. Recent increases in national and international açaí demand have resulted in dramatic price increases. Management decisions on a local producer level reflect trends not typically associated with traditional NTFPs as future production and income expectations increase. This case study draws on research conducted in peri-urban communities in close proximity to Belém, Brazil. The work draws links between recent açaí intensification trends in upland areas and information pathways that are contributing to this pattern. This paper argues that external information sources regarding land use choices are prioritized over local knowledge and market indicators which previously have been described as drivers for intensification processes of NTFPs. This qualitative analysis highlights the power structures that influence information sharing and in turn, land use choices on a community level. The results of this analysis are important for NTFP intervention initiatives focused on risk management for smallholders. Finally, this study is a useful complement for ecological studies currently being conducted on intensification processes of non-timber forest products.     

The role of governments in forest certification—a normative analysis based on new institutional economics theories

Forest certification is an issue that changes the forestry sector more profoundly than many governmental initiatives. Governments have taken quite different approaches across the globe and over time in dealing with the phenomenon. In most regions, they have seemingly switched to a ‘wait and see’ mode when confronted with the complex and fast-developing issue of forest certification. This paper explores the usefulness of economic theories to come up with recommendations on the role of governments. The approach taken is mainly based on ‘new institutional economics’ theories, especially on economics of information and related agent issues. Data collected from policy makers are used to compare theoretical positions against empirical findings (Werle, 1997). The paper shows that the economic theories applied provide rather clear indications on the role of governments. There are essential roles, such as ensuring compatibility with laws and international obligations. These have largely been fulfilled. Ensuring legal compliance, however, might well not be the only guiding function that governments should exert for the sake of market transparency, and thus market efficiency. That concerns both setting standards for forest management and roles in setting up and running private certification systems.     

Why and where do adult trees die in a young secondary temperate forest? The role of neighbourhood

? The density and identity of tree neighbourhood is a key factor to explain tree mortality in forests, especially during the stem exclusion phase.

? To understand this process, we built a logistic model for mortality in a spatially explicit context, including tree and neighbourhood predictors. Additionally, we used this model to build mortality risk frequency distributions. Finally, we tested this model against a random mortality model to predict the spatial pattern of the forest.

? Annual mortality rate was high for pedunculate oak (Quercus robur, 6.99%), moderate for birch (Betula celtiberica, 2.19%) and Pyrenean oak (Q. pyrenaica, 1.58%) and low for beech (Fagus sylvatica, 0.26%). Mortality risk models for pedunculate oak and birch included stem diameter, tree height, canopy position and neighbourhood. Mortality was affected by the specific nature of the neighbourhood showing a clear competitive hierarchy: beech > pedunculate oak > birch. Models based on random mortality and logistic regression model were able to predict the spatial pattern of survivors although logistic regression predictions were more accurate.

? Our study highlights how simple models such as the random mortality one may obscure much more complex spatial interactions.

     

Analysis of the role of forest,biomass policy legislation and other factors that may affect the future of Kenya’s forests: Use of Japanese forestry as a model

Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on earth that require careful management, conservation, and sustainable exploitation. As countries have their own guideline systems, each may learn and borrow from one another’s experience. One of such countries is Japan, which has elaborate forest policies, and rich in forest cover (67%) with its forest history dating many years back. On the other hand, Kenya, with a forest cover of just 7% and its policies demonstrating notable weaknesses, has a lot to learn from Japan. Therefore, we have attempted to do a comparative analysis of forest policies, technologies, and management practices between Kenya and Japan. Results indicate that Kenya’s forest policies do not place adequate emphasis on silvicultural practices and the establishment of forest plantations, and rarely focus on sustainable biomass utilization—factors that contributed significantly to forest growth and development in Japan. Additionally, policy legislation, revision, and implementation have not been given the deserved priority in Kenya. We conclude that Kenyan forest policy would benefit from both revision and thorough implementation. We also discuss the role of indirect factors such as economic growth and availability of nonwood-based energy sources in the future of Kenya’s forests.     

The “German model” of integrative multifunctional forest management—Analysing the emergence and political evolution of a forest management concept

Forest policy and management are subject to various and often conflicting demands, which internationally have led to distinct policy responses and related management paradigms. These range from a strong focus on commodity production complemented by economic rationalities – e.g. focusing on plantations – to community-based or social forestry approaches highlighting local participation and stakeholder engagement, to a focus on ecosystem services and conservation. A major challenge involves the potential orientation of the overall forest policy and management paradigm either towards integrating manifold demands more or less evenly across an area, or towards dividing the land base into forest areas with different management priorities. The specific reconciliation and integration of both sides of the spectrum have been at the centre of scientific and political discussion on forest policy and management for several decades.In this context, the “German model” of integrative and multifunctional forest management has received international attention. It is regarded as an example for integrating diverse (societal and ecological) demands into a timber-production-oriented management approach. At the same time, the model's primary focus on timber production has been criticised by some.In this paper, we analyse the political dimension of the German model by tracing the birth and evolution of the so-called LÖWE programme, a much noticed governmental forest management programme in the German state of Lower Saxony. LÖWE has frequently been presented as a particularly successful example of multifunctional forestry. We first assess the specific societal and political circumstances that led to the establishment of the programme 20 years ago. Subsequently, we assess its political function in forest policy debates about various demands on Lower Saxony's public forests. We show that the evolution of the programme can be interpreted in two distinct but non-exclusive ways. On the one hand, LÖWE was a strategic success story for the Forest Service because it aligned (and also appeased) conflicting demands in line with the changing political priorities. On the other hand, it also embodied a learning process towards environmental policy integration. By underlining LÖWE as an example of the German model of integrative multifunctional forest management, we reiterate the strategic importance of this model in the German context and also highlight future challenges and related research needs.     

Fleshy Fruits Eating Birds and Their Role in the Seed Dispersal of Plants in of Plants in Maoer Mountain,NE China

lntroducti0nMan}'pIantshavFt1eshytYLlitsinALItumnil1teInperatezone.Thesefruit3providefoodtbrmanytYugivorouSbirds.BirdsgetnutritiontYomthetYuits,anddispersetheseedsofthesepIantsatthesametime.Manyre-searchesonthistopicaretinishedinMediterraneanScrubIandsand…     

Towards a donut regime? Domestic actors,climatization, and the hollowing-out of the international forests regime in the Anthropocene

Political responses to global deforestation, as a defining characteristic of the so-called Anthropocene, are a key field for scholarship and policy analysis. In the past decade, research has proliferated on global forest governance and the international forest regime (IFR), yet the academic literature on the IFR is just as dispersed and fragmented as the IFR itself. An emerging body of literature now suggests the key role of domestic actors in international forest governance, questioning an implicit top-down logic of global arrangements. In spite of all the resources at its disposal, the IFR is characterised by complexity, fragmentation and ineffectiveness regarding its main objective of reducing global deforestation.Based on an extensive literature review, the authors’ long-standing observations and selected own empirical findings, this review article aims to provide an updated historical account of the IFR and proposes a from-below approach for analysing the IFR from the viewpoint of domestic actors. In this bottom-up perspective the IFR is conceptualised as a set of resources that key domestic actors can pick and choose from according to their interests and in the light of domestic politics.Using illustrative empirical examples from recent research and own observations, the article finds that the IFR is being hollowed-out by (i) the growing policy links between forests and climate change - a process referred to as “climatization”- and (ii) domestic influences. We conclude that our from-below approach is instrumental in further explaining why deforestation has largely continued, despite the emergence of the IFR some three decades ago. Our findings about the importance of domestic actors illustrate that global governance arrangements cannot operate effectively, relative to their ambitious mandate and for tackling policy issues relating to the Anthropocene, unless they are granted adequate resources and support by key domestic actors.     

Factors influencing the variability of Mg, Ca and K in waters of a mangrove creek in Bragança, North Brazil

Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and physicochemical parameters were monitored for one year in a mangrove tidal creek near Bragança, North Brazil, to determine their tidally induced and seasonal variations and the main parameters controlling the concentration of these cations. On a daily basis, cation concentrations showed a strong tidal rhythm due to the mixing of estuarine and mangrove waters. Mean concentrations were highest at the end of the dry season (December 1996) and lowest (April 1997) towards the end of the rainy season. Average values over one year were: Na+ = 329± 118mM, K+ = 6.9±2.5mM, Mg++=37 ±14 mM and Ca++= 6.9±2.4mM. Dissolved oxygen concentration was higher during the dry season due to enhanced aquatic primary production, with a maximum daily average value of 8.5mg/L in July 1996, and a minimum value of 4mg/L in June 1997. Cation concentrations were transformed relating them to the respective average values in standard seawater at salinity 35. Although cation concentrations and salinity tightly correlated, this standardization showed that the concentrations of K+, Ca++ and Mg++ did not depend solely on salinity and reflected the seasonal variation in aquatic primary production. It also allowed the discrimination of their sources (marine, riverine and groundwater). Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations indicate that phytoplankton may be regulating the concentration of these cations in the water column indirectly by inducing precipitation through pH increase and directly through metabolic uptake.     

Rural Governance, Forestry, and the Promotion of Local Knowledge: The Case of the German Rural Development Program ‘Active Regions’

This article investigates the role of local knowledge in the policy approach of neo-endogenous rural development, which may be held by local and regional actors such as municipal and county level politicians, local and regional level administration, entrepreneurs as well as local third sector representatives. The main question addressed is whether local knowledge under this approach is merely mobilised or if rural development processes are even based on such knowledge, placing it at the centre of such policy. The relevance of this approach to forestry is also explored. The types of forest owners for which the neo-endogenous rural development approach is appropriate and the types that may have difficulties in coping with this cross-sectoral and area-based approach are especially examined. Using a case study design on the German Active Regions funding program it is shown that the neo-endogenous approach is most relevant to large private forest owners and small-scale corporate enterprises, but also has potential for small- and medium-sized private owners. Concerning the role of knowledge held by local and regional actors, the approach is shown to largely build on the use of local expertise, and hence policy acceptance increases. However, scientific knowledge as well as politics are found to play a major role in the use, production and interpretation of local knowledge.     

Forest conflicts and public intervention. The case of the forests of María and Vélez Blanco (Almeria,Spain). 1879–1901

By the Royal Decree issued on the 21 of September 1900 the forests in the Los Vélez region were divided between the Ducal House of Medina Sidonia and, jointly, to the villages of María, Vélez Blanco and Vélez Rubio.The said forests are the result of evolution of the history of Spain itself, in which, during almost three centuries, there has been coexistence between the communal uses inherited from their Muslim forbears and the feudal rights that the House of Fajardo, the present Ducal House of Medina Sidonia, received from the Catholic Monarchs.The beginning of the nineteenth century saw the end of the Old Spanish Regime and, with it, the complete transformation of society and customs in force up to that time. Many of these changes were produced by the laws established by the Cortes de Cadiz (a parliament which established a new Spanish constitution), one of which abolished feudal estates. The political instability the country was going through and the controversies that arose as regards how to execute these rulings postponed their effective implementation and created a legal vacuum regarding what, until then, had been the exclusive right of the nobles, rights that included the ownership and exploitation of the forests.This vacuum caused a rapid deforestation in the district, in which the Administration could not intervene until the enactment of the Royal Order of 31 of January 1879. From this date and until the publication of the Royal Decree dated 21 of September 1900 several Forest Engineers carried out and in depth study of the said forests and the causes of their ruin, which finally lead them to be shared between the Ducal House of Medina Sidonia and the villages of María, Vélez Blanco and Vélez Rubio. This established the bases for the forest management which would be carried out during the twentieth century, some aspects of which have continued up to the present moment.In order to gain knowledge of the evolution of the forests of María and Vélez Blanco during this period, as well as the influence the Forestry Administration had on the same, a study has been carried out on the events that occurred during the last quarter of the nineteen century. These commence with the first years of public intervention and end with the drafting of the Forestry Engineer Domingo Olazábal's Report regarding the specification of territories, approved by Royal Decree dated 21 September 1900 which, by sharing the forests between the Ducal House and the villages, confirmed the public nature of those assigned to the latter, thus establishing the bases for the public forestry management carried out during the twentieth century.