Production, Economics, Employment Generation and Marketing Pattern of Rattan-Based Cottage Enterprises: A Case Study from an Urban Area of North-Eastern Bangladesh

Rattan, an important non-timber forest product, is a flexible palm used in weaving baskets or furniture. Rattan is light yet sturdy, making it suitable for furniture that can be moved often. Bangladesh has a large number of rattan-based enterprises. This paper reports a case study carried out in Sylhet City Corporation of north-eastern Bangladesh, exploring the production, financial profitability and marketing of rattan-based products, and the problems and priorities of rattan-based enterprises as well as their potential contribution to employment opportunity. A sample survey was conducted of 58 randomly selected rattan-based enterprises with entrepreneurs personally interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Based on the total investment, the enterprises were divided into large, medium and small categories. Three origins of rattan (Local, Myanmar and Indonesia) and five species were used by the enterprises to produce 29 rattan-based product types. Rattan products were divided into three basic categories, viz. domestic utensils, domestic decorative articles and others for which uses are not specific. Among the three rattan origins, processing cost of local and Myanmar rattan species products was less and more articles were sold than for Indonesia rattan species. Financial analysis indicated that rattan-based enterprises are a profitable and attractive option for local socio-economic development. Entrepreneurs’ views on major problems and issues in rattan-based product trading and suggested measures to improve the condition of rattan-based enterprises also collected. Rattan-based enterprises will generate more domestic revenue, foreign exchange and employment if policies are adopted to provide the enterprises with a reliable source of raw materials and technical and financial assistance from Government to NGOs to sell the products, and expand market facilities in both local and international markets.     

State of Urban Nurseries in Bangladesh: A Case Study from the North-Eastern Region

The state of urban seedling nurseries in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh is examined with a focus on production and profitability of the enterprises. Twenty-eight sample nurseries out of the 97 nursery enterprises in Sylhet town were selected at random, and operators personally interviewed. It was found that the entrepreneurs are not highly educated though they believed that a basic level of education is required to understand the management of young nursery stock. Labourers of various employment categories work in the enterprises and their wage is determined by their skill, gender and efficiency. Capital and operating costs vary among the enterprises according to land value, production capacity, infrastructure type and workforce size. Production capacity ranges from 10,000 to 5 M seedlings/year with an average 836,000, though actual average production is only 341,000 seedlings/year. The production cost per seedling ranges from Tk. 4 to 50 while sale value ranges from Tk. 10 to 60. The most frequently sold species are Acacia mangium, Swietenia macrophylla, Tectona grandis, Mangifera indica, Litchi chinensis and Cocos nucifera. Nursery techniques and cultural practices adopted by nursery operators depend on the type of species and its silvicultural requirement. Despite some problems, including lack of suitable land for nursery establishment and inadequate level of technical knowledge for high quality seedling management, it seems that production of tree seedlings is a promising profitable small-scale business in the study area.     

The Profitability of Strip Plantations: A Case Study on Two Social Forest Divisions in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

Forest concessions are currently in a state of flux. Despite mitigated results in some regions, they are still hailed as the path to sustainable forest management on other continents. Using geographical, economic, and political viewpoints, this article offers a multidisciplinary perspective to account for this apparent contradiction. The authors conclude that although political actors continue to support or criticize them by using a range of historical, contextual, and ideological associations, large-scale forest concessions can be theoretically justified from an economic and geographical viewpoint.     

Capacity for Timber Management in Small and Medium Forest Enterprises: A Case Study from the Peruvian Amazon

With the implementation of a new legal framework for more responsible forest management in Peru, private small-medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) have become the most important social actors engaged in commercial forestry in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite the role of SMFEs in contributing to employment and local economic growth, there is little information with respect to their economic performance and capacities. This is a hindrance to efforts aimed at better characterizing this important sector and its influence on the development and conservation of tropical forests. For this study, 29 private SMFEs were surveyed to inventory their capital assets in order to evaluate their capacities to carry out timber management. Results indicate that SMFEs vary greatly in terms of their produced and natural capital assets, and consequently in their forest management capabilities as well. While most SMFEs lack adequate capacity for sustainable forest management, those that had more valuable timber resources and physical infrastructure attained forest certification. SMFE capacities depend greatly on external mechanisms to ensure consistent technical and financial assistance.     

Spatiotemporal Availability of Dead Wood in Protected Old-growth Forests: A Case Study from Boreal Forests in Eastern Finland

Spatiotemporal patterns of standing and fallen dead trees were examined in two protected Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.)-Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forests in eastern Finland (Pahkavaara and Pönttövaara). In Pahkavaara the volume of standing dead trees was 10 m 3 ha -1 and the volume of fallen logs was 66 m 3 ha -1 , and in Pönttövaara the values were 48 m 3 ha -1 and 107 m 3 ha -1 , respectively. The areas differed with respect to the tree species composition, whereas the proportion of different decay stages was similar. Decay stage and dendrochronological analyses revealed the continuity of dead wood formation. The spatial pattern of standing dead trees was usually towards clustered. The volumes of fallen logs showed a spatial autocorrelation up to distances of 10-20 m. The results also suggest that the current amount and diversity of dead wood is rather high, but that forest succession is likely to lead to a less diverse state in the future.     

Operationalizing a Framework for Assessing the Enabling Environment for Community Forest Enterprises: A Case Study from Nepal

Small-scale Forestry - We demonstrate how Baynes et al.’s (Glob Environ Change 35:226–238, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.09.011) framework can be operationalized as a...     

Transformation Strategy for Managing Coupled Socio-Ecological Systems: Case Studies from Bangladesh and the Philippines

This study demonstrates the potential of transformation strategy (an approach that emphasizes strengthening interdependence among social and ecological systems) to rehabilitate degraded land by examining two cases in Bangladesh and one in the Philippines. The study considers the benefits obtained from forests and forest-related activities in the form of income and energy sources as key parameters to link the social system (local people) with the ecological system (forest). Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data on land use and socio-economic changes indicates that the transformation strategy improved both the wellbeing of local people and forest cover. In the case of the Philippines, social and ecological linkages were found to be strong, with local people rehabilitating the degraded land while also obtaining a high proportion of their total income from the activity. For the two Bangladesh cases, however, the level of dependency on the forest for livelihood declined as local people used their income from the forest and forest-related activities for diversification to non-forest activities.     

Sustainability Attributes of a Small-Scale Betel Leaf Agroforestry System: A Case Study in North-eastern Hill Forests of Bangladesh

The Khasia ethnic community of Bangladesh has been a population of forest villagers in the north-eastern hill forests of Bangladesh since the early 1950s, practicing a betel leaf-based agroforestry system on land granted by the Forest Department. Taking a sample forest village of the Sylhet forest division as a case study, this article examines the sustainability attributes of betel leaf production in the agroforestry system. The presence of several positive attributes of sustainability including the composition of agroforestry, disease control, soil fertility management, profitability, socio-cultural acceptability and institutional support indicate that betel leaf production within the agroforestry system is stable under the prevailing traditional management system. Income from the sale of betel leaf is the principal livelihood means and villager’s reciprocal contributions help to conserve forest resources. However, problems with land ownership and regular agreement renewal need to be resolved for the sake of their livelihoods and forest conservation.

杨-小麦复合经营模式的立地生产力及生态经济效益评价

根据目前平原农区经济发展的现状和林木生长的边行优势原理 ,设计了 6种双行大间距的杨农复合经营模式。试验点位于江苏省宝应县 ,于 1992年春植苗造林 ,供试杨树品种为NL - 80 35 1,农作物品种为小麦 ,6种杨树配置模式分别为Ⅰ :(3× 3)× 2 0m ;Ⅱ :(3× 3)× 30m ;Ⅲ :(3× 3)× 4 0m ;Ⅳ :(4× 4 )× 2 0m ;Ⅴ :(4× 4 )× 30m ;Ⅵ :(4× 4 )× 4 0m。根据调查研究的资料 ,本文主要探讨了小麦不同物候期内不同杨农复合经营模式中小气候条件的时空变异 ,不同模式对农作物产量和质量的影响 ,生物生产力及光能利用率的差异及其经济效益评价。研究结果表明 :(1)杨农复合经营模式降低了作物面层上的太阳总辐射和温度 ,提高了作物面层上的相对湿度。与单农经营相比 ,不同复合模式及不同物候期内太阳总辐射和光照强度降低了 3 9%～ 36 2 % ,相对湿度提高了 2 5 %～ 3 9%。(2 )杨农复合经营对小麦的产量和质量有较大影响。与单农经营相比 ,小麦千粒重和单位面积产量均有所下降 ,但不同间作模式下降的幅度存在较大差异 ,而小麦中淀粉含量和蛋白质含量均明显高于单农经营 ,平均分别高12 1%和 18 3%。 (3)林分 7年生时 ,6种杨粮 (小麦 )间作模式的生物生产力、光能利用率和经济效益均高于单农经营 ,其大小顺     

The Role of Government in the Development of Small and Medium Forest Enterprises: Case Studies from The Gambia

Small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) can contribute to poverty reduction, while promoting the sustainable use of forests. Governments have a fundamental role to play in generating the conditions necessary for these enterprises to emerge and develop. Unfortunately, the business environment in many countries is unsuitable for SMFEs. That said, The Gambia has been cited as a positive example in terms of providing an enabling environment for community forestry and as being a country where SMFEs are emerging. This qualitative research employed a multiple case study approach to examine the role of The Gambian government in catalyzing the development of SMFEs. Specifically, 16 enterprises that focus on five different activities were selected to shed light on the aspects of government activities that have either enabled or constrained them. Data indicate that The Gambian government has had a positive impact on various SMFEs with respect to the transfer of land tenure to local communities, coupled with the implementation of capacity building and support activities. However, there is room for improvement as wood-related enterprises revealed being affected by significant challenges such as corrupt practices, illegal activities and deficient enforcement.     

马鞍山城市森林景观镶嵌与其城郊分布梯度格局研究

运用景观生态学的原理与方法及3S技术,研究马鞍山市区63.8 km2城市森林景观特点及与其他景观的关系;并沿城市南北纵轴设立样带,采用移动窗口法对6个样区景观要素的景观特征进行计算,分析城市森林斑块在城市中心与城郊间的分布规律.结果表明:该城市的景观要素有各类硬质铺装表面、城市森林、农业用地、水面与一般绿地五大类,分别占67.25%、16.47%、11.9%、3.99%、0.39%;景观多样性指数1.071 28;主要景观要素的优势度排列顺序为硬质表面0.573,城市森林0.472,农田0.122,水面0.114,一般绿地0.029,城市森林已具有较高的环境控制能力.城市森林类型有风景林、庭院林、游憩林、道路林、苗圃及防护林;分别占城市森林面积的40.8%、23.9%、21.5%、7%、3.6%、3.2%;风景林面积最大,斑块数量最少;庭院林斑块数量最多,道路的绿化质量较高.城市森林斑块数达到2 464,最大面积185.1 hm2,平均面积0.43 hm2,大面积的风景林地主要集中在城市西侧;城市森林的景观密度及最小距离指数都反映其具有一定程度聚集分布的特征;而农田在城南与城北近郊具有较高的聚集性;城市森林在城市南北轴向的分布具有明显的变化,其面积比、斑块密度等城区高于近郊;城市北侧的城市森林要优于城市南侧.     

以博城为例谈小城市绿化建设

以鲁北小城博兴为例,根据目前绿化发展形式,分析小城镇绿化建设的现状、绿化建设过程中面临的问题,指出小城镇绿化建设应根据本地实际情况,本着以人为本的原则,营造具有地域文化特色的适合小城镇的格调趋于宁静、恬淡的精致型绿化环境。       

Contribution of Small-Scale Agroforestry Systems to Carbon Pools and Fluxes: A Case Study from Middle Hills of Nepal

In view of the heavy people’s dependence (80 %) on various forms of land-based resources, carbon sequestration should not only be targeted in forests, but also on private land agroforestry. A survey was conducted in 2011 to investigate the gap in contribution of agroforestry carbon to the household economy in the middle hills region of Rasuwa district of Nepal. A total of 120 households were randomly selected and surveyed, of which eight were further examined for detailed tree carbon measurement. It is estimated that a total of 48.60 ton C per hectare has been stocked in agroforestry sites in the middle hills region. Assuming a carbon price of $US12/ton, the total potential income from carbon sequestration per household would amount to NPR 45,490/ha in 20 years of agroforestry if a payment scheme were introduced. The income from carbon sequestration is quite low compared with other agroforestry income. Policy implications are thus oriented towards farmers reaping multiple benefits from the existing international mechanisms by having negotiations based on contribution of all agroforestry components (farm trees, crops and animals) rather than limited to forest carbon stock. To benefit from these multiple functions of farms and forests, the policy framework to address the climate-related affects and risks (e.g., of landslides, burst of Himalayan lakes) should be broad enough to produce potential synergy between the negative effect of climate change and agroforestry income.     

家具包装设计及实例

家具包装作为现代家具生产不可分割的一部分,对保障货物储存、运输和销售各个阶段起着重要的作用。论文从包装定位、装潢设计、包装尺寸的确定、包装容器的结构设计、包装零部件位置摆放及封箱处理等进行阐述,以婴儿床为案例进行包装设计。     

A Case Study Assessment of Agroforestry

Summary

Finding sustainable land-use systems within the Panama Canal Watershed will be necessary for future management by the Panamanian government. Agroforestry is a land-use option for small-scale farmers living within the Watershed that can help achieve the goals of both conservation and productivity. This case study qualitatively evaluates current agroforestry projects in the Canal Watershed using an analytical framework based on other evaluations of agroforestry systems in Central America. Designated criteria for the analysis include: management objectives, project life span, incentives, technology, economic feasibility, community involvement, and extension. These factors can present obstacles to wide-scale adoption of agroforestry systems by small-scale farmers, thus preventing the realization of associated benefits of agroforestry. The analysis of the three field sites visited in March 1998 is followed by recommendations for expanding agroforestry practices among farmers in the Watershed.     

竹石景观的配置方式研究——以北京园林为例

以北京园林中的竹石景观为研究对象,对竹石景观的类型进行了分类,论述了各种竹石景观的配置手法和应用地点;总结了北京园林竹石景观的特点:竹与"秀"石的配置较少,而与"拙"石配置较多;竹石景观配置中的竹种以箬竹属(Indocalamus sp.)、早园竹(Phyllostachys propinqua)、黄槽竹(Phyllostachys aureosulcata)、紫竹(Phyllostachys nigra)为主。     

Conservation and Development of Forest Mushrooms: A Case Study on Song Rong (Tricholoma matsutake) from China

Song Rong (i.e. Matsutake, Tricholoma matsutake) is the most favorite edible mushroom in Japan and restrictedly distributes in forests in East Asia. The yield of Song Rong, however, has been extremely dropping since 1940 's in the region due to changes of environmental ecology of nature forests. As a compensation for consumption, Japan imported products of T. matsutake from Korea and China, and T. magnivelare from North America since mid-1970s, but T. matsutake stili accounts for a large portion of the import components. About 6,000 to 7,000 ton of fresh Matsutake mushrooms were transported to Japanese markets, one fourth of these were harvested from uplandforests in Yunnan Province, southwest China. On the basis ofa case study of Song Rong in the Zixi Mountain Area of Chuxiong, Yunnan Province, this paper pays great attention to the sodai, economical and ecological aspects and issues relative to the production and sustainable management are addressed.     

城市动物园规划设计三元论——以广州动物园为例

以广州动物园规划为例,提出城市动物园规划设计的三元论。动物园规划设计应满足动物和游客的需求,采用以动物为本、融于自然,以人为本、归于自然,以自然环境为本、人与动物相融合的设计理念。阐述动物园设计必须从动物、人、环境三元素出发,建立动物园规划设计框架系统,为城市和野生动物园规划设计提供参考和借鉴作用。     

NTFP income contribution to household economy and related socio-economic factors: Lessons from Bangladesh

Exploring extent and pattern of non-timber forest product (NTFP) income contribution to livelihoods of forest-adjacent people and the income related socio-economic factors is crucial in designing any development and conservation initiative. This paper examines NTFPs' role in contributing to the household economy and how different socio-economic factors may influence this contribution. Field methods involved quantitative and qualitative data collection of forest-adjacent households of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Results show that the contribution of different types of NTFPs to household economy varies in terms of subsistence and cash income. However, overall NTFP income is much higher than income from timber or firewood which indicates a larger dependence of the households on NTFPs. Income data analysis also finds that the poor households are relatively more dependent on NTFPs for their subsistence and cash income than the better-off households. Moreover, the study reveals that there are many other socio-economic factors at the household level such as number of members in household and total value of household implements and furniture that are significantly correlated with the NTFP income. More site-specific applied research on NTFP income and influential factors is necessary to generalize the findings for other parts of the world with similar socio-economic and environmental settings.