Assessing the utility of stakeholder analysis to Protected Areas management: The case of Corbett National Park, India

This study tests the potential utility of Stakeholder Analysis to Protected Area management. Using Corbett National Park (CNP), India, as a case study, Stakeholder Analysis (SA) was used to identify important stakeholder groups and assess their relationships, relative power and importance. This exercise was undertaken to assist the managers of CNP with future strategy formulation and implementation. The results demonstrate SA to be a simple, yet effective, method that can help PA managers understand the social dimensions of their undertaking, without waiting for long-term policy changes. The results reveal possible stakeholder alliances, and those that may need strengthening to guarantee the welfare of CNP. Divergent opinions on the same issue were also discovered. This underlines that addressing low levels of knowledge and misplaced information may be of strategic importance in reducing conflict against a PA. This research also helps theorize previously unexplored relationships among stakeholders in India, using the framework of Stakeholder Theory. Repeating the exercise on a regular basis could help PA managers monitor stakeholder interactions and political positions over time.     

Adsorption Kinetics of Acid Red on Activated Carbon Web Prepared from Acrylic Fibrous Waste

In this work, activated carbon (AC) web was prepared using physical activation under the layer of charcoal in high temperature furnace. The carbonization of acrylic fibrous waste was performed at different temperatures (800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1200 °C) with heating rate of 300 °C/h and at different holding time. At 1200 °C, the heating rate of 300 °C/h and no holding time provided better results of surface area as compared to carbonization at 800 °C and 1000 °C. The activated carbon web (AC) prepared at 1200 °C was used for removal of Acid Red 27 dye from aqueous media by varying different parameters like initial concentration of dye, stirring speed, adsorbent dosage, and pH. The results were evaluated using non-linear forms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The Freundlich isotherm was found to describe the results more effectively because of non-homogenous surface of activated carbon web. Further, the kinetics of adsorption was examined using linear and nonlinear forms of pseudo 1st order and pseudo 2nd order.