Community Management Research Articles

The Controversy of Social Forestry Policy: Public Reaction on the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Decree No. 287/2022/KHDPK in Java, Indonesia

Social forestry in Java, Indonesia, refers to policies and practices aimed at involving local communities in management and protection of forest areas. The study focuses on the controversy surrounding Decree No. 287/2022/KHDPK of the social forest policy which was rejected by local forest communities and public. The primary contribution of this research is to investigate the reasons behind the rejection on the Ministry of Environment and Forestry regarding Forest Areas with Special Management (KHDPK) policy, particularly the reduction in the forest area it entails. The main stakeholder involved in this controversy include Perum Perhutani, which has a vested interest in maintaining control of 2.4-million-hectare of forest land in Java. A qualitative research method was employed, using a case study approach applied for content analysis. Data were gathered from online newspapers and social media reports published between April 2022 and October 2022. The results indicates that the ongoing controversy reflects a disharmonious relationship between regulators and operators in implementing Agrarian Reform and Social Forestry policies on Java Island. The data suggest that the failure to manage the dialogue between stakeholders can create a challenging environment for the sustainability of both people and forests. Furthermore, involvement of stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of new environmental policies can foster better relationships. This study also highlights the critical role of dialogue and collaboration among regulators, operators, local communities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.

Empowering rural communities for effective larval source management: A small-scale field evaluation of a community-led larviciding approach to control malaria in south-eastern Tanzania

IntroductionLarval source management, particularly larviciding, is mainly implemented in urban settings to control malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. In Tanzania, the government has recently expanded larviciding to rural settings across the country, but implementation faces multiple challenges, notably inadequate resources and limited know-how by technical staff. This study evaluated the potential of training community members to identify, characterize and target larval habitats of Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, the dominant vector of malaria transmission in south-eastern Tanzania. MethodsA mixed-methods study was used. First, interviewer-administered questionnaires were employed to assess knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of community members towards larviciding (N = 300). Secondly community-based volunteers were trained to identify and characterize aquatic habitats of dominant malaria vector species, after which they treated the most productive habitats with a locally-manufactured formulation of the biolarvicide, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. Longitudinal surveys of mosquito adults and larvae were used to assess impacts of the community-led larviciding programme in two villages in rural south-eastern Tanzania. ResultsAt the beginning of the program, the majority of village residents were unaware of larviciding as a potential malaria prevention method, and about 20 % thought that larvicides could be harmful to the environment and other insects. The trained community volunteers identified and characterized 360 aquatic habitats, of which 45.6 % had Anopheles funestus, the dominant malaria vector in the area. The preferred larval habitats for An. funestus were deep and had either slow- or fast-moving waters. Application of biolarvicides reduced the abundance of adult An. funestus and Culex spp. species inside human houses in the same villages, by 46.3 % and 35.4 % respectively. Abundance of late-stage instar larvae of the same taxa was also reduced by 74 % and 42 %, respectively. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that training community members to identify, characterize, and target larval habitats of the dominant malaria vectors can be effective for larval source management in rural Tanzania. Community-led larviciding reduced the densities of adult and late-stage instar larvae of An. funestus and Culex spp. inside houses, suggesting that this approach may have potential for malaria control in rural settings. However, efforts are still needed to increase awareness of larviciding in the relevant communities.

Community perceptions on wildfires in Mount Kenya forest: implications for fire preparedness and community wildfire management

BackgroundNatural ecosystems provide beneficial goods and services to adjacent communities. However, these benefits also come with societal risks, among them wildfires. Kenyan ecosystems have faced increased wildfire risk due to human activities and a warming earth that causes dangerous fire weather conditions. Mount Kenya is one such ecosystem that experiences annual fires; however, there is limited information on the level of knowledge or preparedness of the local community towards wildfires and fire management across the entire ecosystem. Here, we used questionnaires and interviews to randomly and purposively survey 55 respondents across 11 villages that surround Mt Kenya forest, majority of whom were Community Forest Association (CFA) members. We investigated the perceived extent to which the communities contribute to wildfires; their opinions on some aspects of fire management; and what individual and collective actions are required to improve fire preparedness.ResultsThe most perceived causes of wildfires were honey harvesting (56%) and poaching (40%). A minority of the respondents (35%) were aware of the belief that setting forests on fire brings about rainfall, with 56% of that group reporting that the belief contributed to wildfire ignitions by a large extent. This scientifically inconclusive belief was not specific to certain tribes around Mt Kenya, as previously expected. The community strongly rejected the use of prescribed burning in fire management. They were against clearing of forest or farm debris to reduce fuel hazards, and preferred converting debris into compost.ConclusionsTo improve fire preparedness, firefighting training, resourcing, firebreak creation, and sharing of wildfire warnings with the local community need to be enhanced. Despite limited community involvement in fire-management decisions, we recommend a greater involvement of the local community in forest and/or fire management to promote ownership and sustainability.

Community Participation in Flood Disaster Management

General background disaster management requires active community participation to reduce disaster risks. Specific background this study focuses on community participation in flood disaster management in Balonggabus Village, Candi. Knowledge Gap Although many studies discuss community participation in disaster management, research examining local context and specific community participation is still limited. Aims this research to analyze the role and participation of the community in flood disaster management. Results show active participation from the community in cleaning drainage and awareness to engage in disaster management efforts. The community actively participates from the planning stage to the evaluation of disaster management programs. Novelty this study highlights the importance of involving various actors, including the government and the community, in disaster management and strengthens the concept of participation in the local context. Implications these findings can serve as a reference for government policies and related organizations to enhance disaster management programs by more effectively involving the community in the decision-making process. Highlights: Community awareness and participation are crucial for effective flood management. Collaboration between government and community enhances disaster preparedness and response. Research emphasizes the importance of local context in disaster management strategies. Keywords: Participation, Disaster, Management, Community, Research

Integrating Values to Improve the Relevance of Climate‐Risk Research

AbstractClimate risks are growing. Research is increasingly important to inform the design of risk‐management strategies. Assessing such strategies necessarily brings values into research. But the values assumed within research (often only implicitly) may not align with those of stakeholders and decision makers. These misalignments are often invisible to researchers and can severely limit research relevance or lead to inappropriate policy advice. Aligning strategy assessments with stakeholders' values requires a holistic approach to research design that is oriented around those values from the start. Integrating values into research in this way requires collaboration with stakeholders, integration across disciplines, and attention to all aspects of research design. Here we describe and demonstrate a qualitative conceptual tool called a values‐informed mental model (ViMM) to support such values‐centered research design. ViMMs map stakeholders' values onto a conceptual model of a study system to visualize the intersection of those values with coupled natural‐human system dynamics. Through this mapping, ViMMs integrate inputs from diverse collaborators to support the design of research that assesses risk‐management strategies in light of stakeholders' values. We define a visual language for ViMMs, describe accompanying practices and workflows, and present an illustrative application to the case of flood‐risk management in a small community along the Susquehanna river in the Northeast United States.

Recent technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence for orthopaedic wound management

In orthopaedics, wound care is crucial as surgical site infections carry disease burden due to increased length of stay, decreased quality of life and poorer patient outcomes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a vital role in revolutionising wound care in orthopaedics: ranging from wound assessment, early detection of complications, risk stratifying patients, and remote patient monitoring. Incorporating AI in orthopaedics has reduced dependency on manual physician assessment which is time-consuming. This article summarises current literature on how AI is used for wound assessment and management in the orthopaedic community.

Post Earthquake House Reconstruction Management Based On Community Participation of Monggang Srihardono Pundong Village of Bantul City Yogyakarta

Abstract Earthquakes are natural disasters that often cause severe damage to infrastructure, including buildings and houses without exception. Srihardono Pundong Village, Bantul, Yogyakarta is one of the areas where many buildings are found flat to the ground, so it is important to carry out effective reconstruction management. to restore affected areas. The problems faced are limited community participation and limited knowledge and skills regarding disasters and their management. The methodology used in this research is qualitative through interviews, sampling and ending with data analysis. The approach applied is community participation-based reconstruction management where local communities are actively involved in the process of planning, implementing and supervising the reconstruction of houses and infrastructure. The results of this research are in the form of maximizing the role of the community and direct learning to all communities about simple building reconstruction.

Energy‐Water Asynchrony Principally Determines Water Available for Runoff From Snowmelt in Continental Montane Forests

ABSTRACTChanges in the volume, rate, and timing of the snowmelt water pulse have profound implications for seasonal soil moisture, evapotranspiration (ET), groundwater recharge, and downstream water availability, especially in the context of climate change. Here, we present an empirical analysis of water available for runoff using five eddy covariance towers located in continental montane forests across a regional gradient of snow depth, precipitation seasonality, and aridity. We specifically investigated how energy‐water asynchrony (i.e., snowmelt timing relative to atmospheric demand), surface water input intensity (rain and snowmelt), and observed winter ET (winter AET) impact multiple water balance metrics that determine water available for runoff (WAfR). Overall, we found that WAfR had the strongest relationship with energy‐water asynchrony (adjusted r2 = 0.52) and that winter AET was correlated to total water year evapotranspiration but not to other water balance metrics. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that none of the tested mechanisms were strongly related to the Budyko‐type runoff anomaly (highest adjusted r2 = 0.21). We, therefore, conclude that WAfR from continental montane forests is most sensitive to the degree of energy‐water asynchrony that occurs. The results of this empirical study identify the physical mechanisms driving variability of WAfR in continental montane forests and are thus broadly relevant to the hydrologic management and modelling communities.

Facilitating Dam Removal Decisions With Multiple Objectives

ABSTRACTProactive and transparent decision‐making about the long‐term management of dams, including rehabilitation, retrofit, and removal, is critical for successfully managing this aging infrastructure and presents an opportunity to weigh the many services and disservices dams provide. Existing tools to support dam removal decisions often constrain decision processes by considering only a limited set of user objectives. We identified 18 dam removal objectives in the literature and found that most of the 41 dam removal decision‐support tools we evaluated included only two or three objectives. Common objectives of previous dam removals like reducing safety hazard and expanding recreational opportunities were included in few decision‐support tools. To facilitate dam removal decisions with diverse objectives, we created a new web application, which supports decisions with the 18 objectives that we identified in the literature. The application guides users to select appropriate objectives, choose metrics and methods to evaluate management alternatives, and identify additional decision‐support tools to weigh alternatives relative to selected objectives. We demonstrate this web application as a resource for the dam management community of practice with a case study of a dam removal decision in Athens, Georgia, USA. More broadly, we propose the process outlined here as a model for aligning diverse objectives in other types of river infrastructure decisions. Given the contribution of this infrastructure to declining biodiversity, intensifying climate, and development needs, failing to align multiple objectives in river infrastructure decisions can represent consequential, missed opportunities.

Potential Benefits of Tannins on Ruminant Health, Production and Environmental Sustainability

Tannins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds increasingly recognized for their potential benefits to ruminants. Tannins can be extracted from plants' roots, bark, leaves, and seed husks. Management of plant communities to produce a diverse array of secondary compounds, particularly tannins, is a promising strategy for holistically enhancing agroecosystems on rangelands and benefiting free grazing ruminant animals. Deterioration of rangelands constrains plant diversity, reducing tanniferous forage plants and limiting tannin availability to free-grazing ruminants. Ruminants supplemented with tannin extracts in confined feeding operations have gained several reported benefits. Commercial industries are also expanding to extract and process tannin extracts. The beneficial effects of tannins depend on many factors, including plant species, plant part, tannin type (condensed tannins (CTs) or hydrolyzable tannins (HTs), and dose. Tannin binds with proteins, enhances the diversity and abundance of amino acids in the small intestine, and improves overall protein absorption and utilization. Compiled with other mechanisms, tannins can improve the quality, quantity, shelf life, and consumer preference of meat and milk products. Tannins also possess antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties. CTs also impact rumen microbial populations, decreasing methane production, improving ruminal microbiota diversity, and lowering ammonia nitrogen production. Therefore, the use of tannin from tannin extracts and tanniferous forage plants presents a promising avenue for enhancing confined and free-grazing ruminant animals' health, productivity, and environmental sustainability.

A research data management (RDM) community for ELIXIR.

Research data management (RDM) is central to the implementation of the FAIR (Findable Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and Open Science principles. Recognising the importance of RDM, ELIXIR Platforms and Nodes have invested in RDM and launched various projects and initiatives to ensure good data management practices for scientific excellence. These projects have resulted in a rich set of tools and resources highly valuable for FAIR data management. However, these resources remain scattered across projects and ELIXIR structures, making their dissemination and application challenging. Therefore, it becomes imminent to coordinate these efforts for sustainable and harmonised RDM practices with dedicated forums for RDM professionals to exchange knowledge and share resources. The proposed ELIXIR RDM Community will bring together RDM experts to develop ELIXIR's vision and coordinate its activities, taking advantage of the available assets. It aims to coordinate RDM best practices and illustrate how to use the existing ELIXIR RDM services. The Community will be built around three integral pillars, namely, a network of RDM professionals, RDM knowledge management and RDM training expertise and resources. It will also engage with external stakeholders to leverage benefits and provide a forum to RDM professionals for regular knowledge exchange, capacity building and development of harmonised RDM practices, keeping in line with the overall scope of the RDM Community. In the short term, the Community aims to build upon the existing resources and ensure that the content of these remain up to date and fit for purpose. In the long run, the Community will aim to strengthen the skills and knowledge of its RDM professionals to support the emerging needs of the scientific community. The Community will also devise an effective strategy to engage with other ELIXIR structures and international stakeholders to influence and align with developments and solutions in the RDM field.

Study of germination of collection samples of wild flora of Astana botanical garden

The present study is devoted to the main tasks of seed bank laboratories, among which the formation, study and conservation of seed collections of both natural and introduced flora of Central and Northern Kazakhstan are emphasized. This work emphasizes the importance of maintaining optimal conditions for seed collection in these regions, which is a key aspect for successful seed management, conservation and restoration of plant communities. Expedition trips, conducted annually between July and September, are synchronized with the growing seasons of the plants and take into account weather conditions that directly affect the efficiency of seed collection.During such visits, 56 forms of wild flora were collected, mainly on the territory of the Kokchetavskaya Upland, Central-Kazakhstan shallow meadow and Akmola region, including Shortanda district, as well as in the unique ecosystems of SNPP “Burabai” and the vicinity of Makinki village. The collected genetic material plays a key role in biodiversity conservation and can be used for further scientific research as well as for practical needs related to ecosystem restoration.As part of this work, a laboratory study was also conducted to investigate the viability of the selected seeds. The results of the study will help to further understand the characteristics and factors that determine the viability of seeds of different forms, which is crucial for their subsequent use in botanical collections. This study emphasizes the relevance of the selected topic, as well as the importance of conservation and management of seed resources in conditions of ecological vulnerability, which is of significant importance for sustainable environmental protection and conservation of plant diversity in Central and Northern Kazakhstan.

The Impact of Eco-tourism on the Local Economy of Kuruva Dweep, Wayanad: A Study of the Industry's Contribution to GDP and Sustainable Development

ABSTRACT The study examines the economic and environmental effects of eco-tourism in Kuruva Dweep, Wayanad, with a focus on its impact on local livelihoods and sustainability. Eco-tourism, considered a sustainable development model, has drawn more tourists to Kuruva Dweep, resulting in economic benefits such as job opportunities and increased income for local communities. However, this growth has raised concerns about environmental degradation and the region's long-term sustainability. Through surveys, descriptive statistics, and regression analysis, the study investigates the link between eco-tourism, its economic impact, and environmental consequences. The findings indicate a strong positive correlation between eco-tourism and local economic growth, but also reveal significant environmental challenges such as littering, resource overuse, and habitat disruption. The study concludes that while eco-tourism holds promise for sustainable development, stricter environmental management and greater community involvement are crucial to balance economic gains with ecological preservation. The study provides recommendations to encourage responsible tourism and ensure the long-term sustainability of Kuruva Dweep.

Hiding in the shadows: a qualitative exploration of women gamers identities and perceptions of the video gaming context

Video gaming has evolved into a complex, digital landscape where gender dynamics are increasingly scrutinised. While women now constitute a significant portion of the gaming population, they face unique challenges in a traditionally male-dominated space. Despite the growing presence of women in gaming, persistent gender inequalities continue to shape their experiences and identities within gaming cultures. This qualitative study explored how women gamers conceptualise their identities and navigate their experiences in the video gaming context, focusing on motivations, well-being, and representation. Utilising a feminist theoretical perspective and social constructionist epistemology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 international women gamers (aged 23–43, M = 28, SD = 5.51). Findings constructed through our reflexive thematic analysis highlighted how women negotiate their identities within often hostile gaming environments, revealing both challenges and sources of resilience. Participants reported using strategies such as concealing their gender and creating private gaming communities to mitigate harassment. However, they also described gaming as a source of empowerment, offering opportunities for identity exploration and stress relief. Our research contributes to understanding gender dynamics in gaming by providing nuanced insights into women’s lived experiences, challenging simplistic narratives about their identities, preferences, and behaviours. Implications for game developers, community managers, and policymakers are discussed, offering guidance for creating more inclusive gaming environments that cater to diverse players and combat gender-based discrimination.

Study on factors affecting resilience behaviours of residents in coastal rural community management in response to typhoons

Coastal rural areas are highly vulnerable to a variety of climate-related disasters, including severe typhoons, extreme temperatures, and other environmental changes, each significantly damaging their ecosystems, economies, and communities. To more effectively predict, respond to, and recover from adverse events, and to maintain community stability and prosperity in these areas, building community resilience has become a central objective in coastal management. A comprehensive understanding of residents' resilience behaviours is essential for bolstering community resilience. Existing research primarily focuses on the causes and intervention strategies associated with residents' resilience, yet it neglects the mechanisms underlying residents' resilience behaviours. This study focuses on typhoon disasters in coastal rural areas, applying the Rural Coastal Community Resilience framework for the first time to expand typhoon resilience behaviours among coastal rural residents from five dimensions. It utilizes the widely recognized Theory of Planned Behaviour model, incorporating three critical variables essential for resilience building-risk perception, trust in community agencies, and community support-to analyse the mechanisms of resilience behaviours. The findings indicate that perceived behavioural control is the foremost predictor of resilience behaviours during typhoons and contrary to traditional views, trust in community agencies did not impact behavioural intentions positively. Moreover, community support, acting as a moderating factor, significantly facilitated the transformation from intentions to behaviours, highlighting the importance of external support. These innovative findings provide valuable strategies and insights for resilience building in coastal rural areas.

Research Advancement in Forest Property Rights: A Thematic Review over Half a Decade Using Natural Language Processing

This paper proposes a thematic literature review of advances in the literature on forest property rights over the first half of this decade. From a methodological point of view, we exploited a corpus of scientific articles published between 2019 and 2023, extracted from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. We then performed a co-word analysis using the Louvain algorithm to reveal thematic clusters. This approach enabled us to identify seven distinct trends over the past half-decade, each highlighting specific aspects and geographical diversity of forest property rights, which were then evaluated using a thematic map. The main findings revealed that (policies, livelihoods and agroforestry) and (institutions, sustainability and non-timber forest products) stand out as central and influential themes, which have a significant impact and present notable advances that have shaped recent discussions and practices. Furthermore, themes (forest policy and resource management) and (conservation and the rights of indigenous communities) are well developed, which have a solid research base, offering an in-depth understanding of the relevant research questions. Conversely, themes (institutional change and forest conservation) and (deforestation, indigenous rights and community management) represent emerging themes, which are receiving increasing attention and are likely to become major of focus. In contrast, (forest governance, community management and land conflict resolution) which indicates a waning influence in terms of miscellaneous implications. The findings of this thematic literature review will help guide policymakers, researchers, and practitioners based on recent developments in international forest property rights, during a half-decade marked by a break with previous trends, leading to legislative changes and strategic adaptations essential for the sustainable management of forest resources, bolstered by technological advancements and environmental efforts.

Generative-based community sustainable tourism development: From conceptualization to practical framework

This study explores the impact of generativity on supporting sustainable tourism development (SSTD) in Jecheon City, South Korea, a destination renowned for its captivating natural landscapes, including a national park and a lake. Faced with the environmental challenges posed by increasing tourist numbers, this research employs a mixed-method approach to investigate the causal relationships between place attachment and SSTD, informed by generativity concepts. It develops a comprehensive framework for generative community-based management. Survey data from local residents, coupled with insights from national experts, confirm a significant correlation between residents' place-based identity and their generativity. Based on these findings, the study proposes a novel six-step plan aimed at enhancing SSTD through strategic community management practices. Although the study focuses on a specific region, its findings have broader implications, suggesting the need for further research across diverse cultural and geographic contexts to validate and refine the proposed model.

Policy-oriented Research and Island Management Within Island Studies

This paper introduces the special section on ‘Policy-oriented research and island management within island studies’. The paper discusses island studies’ relationship with and engagement with policy-oriented research and the world of practice. It asks how island studies can learn from and influence trends elsewhere within global academia as well as how it best can influence the sustainable management of island communities.

Household Participation in Community-Based Tourism Management in Don Det Village, Khong District, Champasak Province, Lao PDR

The objectives of this study were to investigate the following: 1) household participation; 2) factors relating to household participation; and 3) recommend guidelines for household participation promotion in community-based tourism management in Don Det village, Khong District, Champasak province, Lao PDR. Households were unit of analysis in this study and respondents in this study consisted of 104 households in Don Det village. A set of questionnaires passing content validity and reliability test was used for data collection. The reliability values of the questionnaire on attitude of the head of household was 0.78 and on household participation in community-based tourism management was 0.92. Findings showed that household participation in community-based tourism management of Ban Don Det community, most of the respondents participated at a moderate level (mean = 3.00). The three aspects were also found at a moderate level: (1) participation in management community tourism activities (mean = 2.66); (2) participation in the process preparing communities to support tourism (mean = 2.67); (3) participation in evaluation from the tourism community activities (mean = 3.05). However, participation in benefiting from the tourism community activities was found at a high level (mean = 3.71). Significant factors that could predict the relationships towards household participation in community-based tourism management were two independent variables: the number of household members involved in tourism and the attitude of the head of household were correlated with the household participation in the management of community-based tourism at a moderate level (R = 0.449, P <0.05). This could explain the relationships between independent variables as mentioned and household participation in community-based tourism management with a statistical significance level of 20.20 percent. The following were suggestions in the policy level: 1) There should have meetings in the village so that some people who are not involved in tourism get to know the tourism, importance of tourism and benefits of tourism; 2) Provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Office of Champasak Province should support and promote tourism marketing for Don Det village. And other suggestions were as follows: 1) There should be a mutually agreement upon sharing benefits to each individual household within the community as appropriately; 2) it should promote more people to be involved in community tourism; and 3) the training should be provided to educate people in the community about tourism management and should raise awareness about conservation of tourism resources in the community.

A picit jeu: Agent-based modelling with serious gaming for a fire-resilient landscape

Wildfire governance requires addressing driving physical, biological and socio-economic processes, by promoting the development of fire-resistant and resilient landscapes. These landscapes can best be achieved by strategies that integrate fuel management for direct prevention with allied socio-economic activities, through the collaboration of stakeholders with different and sometimes conflicting interests. This work aims to address the need for new approaches supporting the participatory process of collective decision-making, helping stakeholders explore land management strategies for landscape fire resilience. We present and discuss a methodology combining agent-based modelling with a role-playing game. It was tested in a valley of the Italian Alps, involving 23 local stakeholders in forest and pasture management in three game sessions. Evaluation was based on observation of game sessions, collection of feedback via immediate post-session debriefing and questionnaires, and long-term (multi-year) assessment carried out through semi-structured interviews. We found the methodology valuable for facilitating discussion among different stakeholders, who were able to identify context-related challenges (land fragmentation and land abandonment, stakeholders' limited collaboration, controversial drives of European funding) and possible strategies for producing a fire-resilient landscape (community management forms of pastoralists activities for maintaining land cover diversity). The approach also triggered a positive process for longer-term change. By analysing the outcomes, we are able to identify four key recommendations for future work using serious gaming for sustainable landscapes: 1) aim for an even composition of session groups, 2) consider the multiple levels of organisation in the area, 3) use the allocation of game roles to disrupt power dynamics, and 4) seek to involve the broadest stakeholder spectrum in developing the game itself.