Environmental Management Program Research Articles

Evolution and determinants of precipitation chemistry in a plateau city, China: Insight from the pollutants source identification and environmental effect

Rainfall-related chemical ions deposition processes have important environment effects on earth-surface, which is also a vital sink of urban air pollutants. Therefore, identifying the rainwater chemical evolution and determinants, and source is essential. The daily-based rainwater samples during 2022– 2023 and the historical rainwater data in a typical plateau city (Kunming) were investigated. The Ca2+ and NH4+, SO42− and NO3− dominated the rainwater cations and anions, with the cationic and anionic percentages of 78% and 10%, 50% and 33%. The historical variations in ions percentages revealed the achievement of environmental protection. The precipitation amount and the seasonal changes of source emission were critical determinants for the variations of rainwater chemistry. Using the stoichiometry and receptor model, the contributions of potential origins to rainwater chemicals were assessed. 86% of NO3− and 40% SO42− were from combustion-related anthropogenic source, volatilization-related source contributed 85% of NH4+ (e.g., agricultural/municipal wastes emissions), whereas marine input was the main contributor of Cl− (59%) and Na+ (52%). Mg2+ (58%) and Ca2+ (41%) were primary from terrestrial input source. The risk of wet deposition-caused acidification was limited due to the high rainwater neutralization level, whereas the impact of nitrogen-related deposition on gross primary productivity (GPP) was non-negligible and further attention was need. Overall, the present study clarified the rainfall chemical features of plateau city region and further provided decision support for more effective urban air environmental management programs.

Environmental risk assessment of selected pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater in nothern Vietnam

Pharmaceuticals are progressively employed in both human and veterinary medicine and increasingly recognized as environmental contaminants. This study investigated the occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants of 12 hospitals in Hanoi and 3 northern cities of Vietnam during dry and rainy seasons. In addition, environmental risk of pharmaceuticals in both hospital influents and effluents were evaluated based on risk quotients (RQs). Nine selected pharmaceutical compounds including sulfamethoxazole (SMX), naproxen (NPX), diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBU), acetaminophen (ACT), carbamazepine (CBM), iopromide (IOP), atenolol (ATN), and caffeine (CAF) were frequently detected in most influent and effluent wastewaters of 12 investigated hospitals. Detected compound levels exhibited a wide range, from as low as 1 ng/L for DCF to as high as 61,772 ng/L for ACT. Among these compounds, ACT, CAF, SMX, and IOP were consistently detected at substantial concentrations in both influents and effluents. This investigation also highlighted potential risks posed by SMX, ACT, and CAF residues present in influents and effluents of hospital wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to aquatic ecosystem. These finding are expected to provide scientific-based evidence for the development of hospital waste management and environmental management programs in Vietnam.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is independently stratified in thermally stratified water bodies

Thermal stratification often occurs in deep-water bodies, including oceans, lakes, and reservoirs. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in regulating the dynamics of aquatic food webs and water quality in aquatic ecosystems. In the past, thermal stratification boundaries have been sometimes used exclusively to analyze the vertical distribution of DOM in thermally stratified water bodies. However, the validity of this practice has been challenged. Currently, there is limited understanding of the formation mechanism and stratification of the vertical distribution of DOM in thermally stratified water bodies, which hinders the analysis of the interactions between DOM and vertical aquatic ecological factors.To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive study to extensively collect the vertical distribution of DOM in thermally stratified water bodies and identify the primary factors influencing this distribution. We found that DOM was independently stratified in thermally stratified water bodies (including two cases in unstratified water bodies), and that the formation mechanisms and statuses of DOM stratification were different from those of thermal stratification. The boundaries and numbers of DOM stratification were generally inconsistent with those of thermal stratification. Therefore, it is more accurate to divide DOM into different layers according to its own vertical profile, and analyze DOM characteristics of each layer based on its own stratification instead of thermal stratification. This study sheds light on the relationship between DOM and thermal stratification and provides a novel approach for analyzing DOM vertical distribution characteristics and their impact on aquatic ecosystems. This finding also holds significant implications for the design and implementation of environmental management programs aimed at preserving the health and functionality of aquatic ecosystems.

INDICATORS AND DIMENSIONS IN THE FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS INDEX

The establishment of a green campus assumes significance in ensuring comfort and elevating the overall quality of life. This study was conducted to ascertain the variability in the questionnaires and delineate the attributes of questions exhibiting high variation in the results. Therefore, constructing the UniSZA Green Campus index based on the acquired weighted values. A total of 420 questionnaires were returned out of 500. Principal Component Analysis was employed to extract distinctive information from the amalgamated dataset. The results of the analysis draw out four factors that were discerned and subsequently interpreted as environmental management (46.65%), environmental infrastructure (12.53%), environmental atmosphere (6.35%), and environmental program (5.39%). In assessing the variation of the UniSZA Green Campus Index, distinct categories were identified, encompassing excellent, good, fair, poor, and bad classifications. This study suggests that the average UniSZA Green Campus index is situated within the second category. Despite the indication of good standing, the university should proactively take steps to ensure that UniSZA aligns with the principles of environmental sustainability in daily practices. The index system can serve as a guide for universities to attain sustainability on their campuses.

Community Service Awareness of Environmental Law with A Pollution Control and Environmental Management Program in the Village of Kading

Government as underwriter answer to well-being its people own not quite enough answer big in effort think and realize formation preservation environment live. As good citizens, society must own high level of concern to sustainability environment live around it in accordance with Conditions Tree Management Environment Life based on Law no. 4 of 1982. Management environment government has declared for applied in the community environment with cope case pollution. supervise material dangerous and poisonous, do evaluation analysis about impact environment as well as various management and protection movements law environment. Activity Devotion This carried out in the village Kading Bone Regency which was carried out by Andi Sudirman University lecturers together with student. Activity This carried out in 3 stages that is Focus Group Discussion (FGD), socialization policy law environment and agreements in commitment together to use Control Pollution Environment. Opportunities for students to enrich themselves through activities and ideas outside of learning activities and provide scholarship opportunities for smart students by using their creativity and encouraging special education in 3T places so that they are the same as schools that have quality education according to national standards.

Environmental Impact of Nephrological Activity: How to Register, Evaluate and Audit?

While medical health professionals are trained to detect, treat, and comfort, they are not trained to consider the environmental impact of the services they provide. Healthcare contributes significantly to resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. Not only are healthcare institutions, whose mission is to protect and promote health, major polluters that use large amounts of energy and water, but the production, transport, use and disposal of medications and other medical consumables also leave considerable carbon footprints. In nephrology practice, dialysis programs have a particularly large carbon footprint with recurrent, per capita, resource consumption and waste generation profiles that are disproportionately high compared to other medical therapies. A close relationship between renal healthcare professionals and manufacturers is fundamental for the development of sustainable ecofriendly technologies, devices, and machines. Such collaboration is essential to reduce the environmental burden of renal therapies and maintain good quality of treatment. Renal units should register and evaluate their environmental performance and make an initial diagnosis of their environmental processes, to provide locally adapted recommendations for areas of additional improvement through environmental management programs. Regular auditing of these programs must be also performed aiming at continuous improvement with the setting of increasingly ambitious goals for reducing environmental burden of nephrology.

Analisis Politik Ruang Terbuka Hijau Studi Kasus pada Kecamatan Lamongan, Kabupaten Lamongan

This study seeks to explain: (1) How is environmental politics in the form of green open space development in Lamongan distict, Lamongan Regency (2) How is the dynamics of interests between actors in the practice of green open space development. The results that can be conveyed are (1) Development of green open space in Lamongan district until now is still not optimal; the ability of the community to actively participate in environmental management programs is very small. This condition has an impact on the function of green open space that has not been felt by the community and has an impact on aspects of maintenance that are not given attention. From the research results, the development of Green open space in Lamongan district is still dominated by private green open space which is more than 90%. Meanwhile, the allocation for green belt land use, parks and recreation areas is still not maximal. If we connect with the Minister of Public Works Regulation No. 5 of 2008, this is very far from expected because the ratio of green open space is 30 percent of the total area of ??Lamongan which reaches 1,782 km2 (2) District Government. Lamongan is currently still focusing on economic issues and putting aside environmental issues, especially green open space, therefore sustainable development is very difficult to carry out optimally in Lamongan district. The government in making spatial planning only prioritizes capitalist interests, and or more provides space andonly for investors.

Perspectives on Environment and Waste Management Initiatives in Barangay Pili, Mogpog: Basis for Local Strategic Management Framework

This research study aimed to explore the resident perspectives on environment and waste management initiatives in Barangay Pili, Mogpog, and their implications for the development of an effective strategic management framework. A survey-based approach was employed to gather data from 121 residents of the barangay. The survey included questions related to satisfaction levels regarding various aspects of the government’s Environment and Waste Management Program. The results indicated that residents expressed a generally high level of satisfaction with pollution control programs and the practice of waste segregation and other programs. However, the practice of waste collection received a slightly lower level of satisfaction. These findings have connotations for the formulation of an effective local strategic management framework. The high satisfaction levels in pollution control and waste segregation highlight the success of these initiatives and emphasize the need to continue and expand such efforts. However, the moderate satisfaction levels in other areas indicate areas of improvement and the need for further engagement with residents. To enhance effective local strategic management, policymakers and stakeholders should consider increasing community involvement and participation in decision-making processes related to environment and waste management initiatives. This can be achieved by consolidating actions into a strategic management framework that includes promoting awareness campaigns, organizing educational programs, and encouraging collaboration between residents and local authorities. The research findings provide valuable insights which can guide future policy formulation and implementation. However, it is recommended to conduct further research to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying factors influencing resident perspectives.

Quantification of primary PM2.5 Mass Exchange in three Mexican Megalopolis Metropolitan Areas

It is commonly assumed that the outgoing flux of pollutants from large cities deteriorates the air quality of neighboring communities. Quantifying the mass exchange of pollutants among cities will enable local and regional planning of environmental management programs, to identify well all previously unrecognized impacted areas. In this study, the quantification of outgoing and incoming fluxes of primary PM2.5 particle mass among three neighboring metropolitan areas of the Mexico City Megalopolis in the dry-cold climate months, was carried out for the first time. The results show that the metropolitan areas of Toluca Valley and Cuernavaca receive mass quantities of PM2.5 approximately equivalent to a 100% of their local emissions. The prevailing winds in the cold-dry climate months, impel the emissions from the studied metropolitan areas, effectually dispersing in different directions, though mainly towards the megalopolis South, impacting with large mass amounts of PM2.5 the rural areas. The overlap puffs of local emissions with imported particle masses contribute to atypically high concentration events in receiving metropolitan areas. In the import-export balance, the metropolitan areas of Toluca and Cuernavaca had a significant PM2.5 concentration increasing during the cold-dry climate months mainly due to the incoming particles from the Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

Fuzzy-based global water quality assessment and water quality cells identification using satellite data

The water environmental impact assessment and management programs increasingly rely on accurate and quantitative estimates of water quality parameters through remote sensing, owing to the limitation of the time-consuming field-based approaches. Numerous studies have utilised the remote-derived water-quality products and existing water quality index WQI models, but they are typically site-specific and yield significant errors for the accurate assessment and monitoring of coastal and inland water bodies. This study presents a generalized WQI model that incorporates a flexible number of parameters, simplifying them to produce comprehensive water quality index values with the fuzzy logic approach. To derive these index values, three major water quality parameters such as Chl, TSS and aCDOM443 were estimated using new remote-sensing models, and the corresponding indices Trophic State Index (TSI), Total Suspended Solids Index (TSSI) and CDOM Index (CI) were produced by a generalized index model. Finally, WQI products were derived based on the Mamdani-based Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and individual contribution of the water quality parameters to WQI was analysed to establish ‘Water Quality Cells’ WQcells, which are represented by the dominant WQ parameter. The new models were tested on MODIS-Aqua and Sentinel-3 OLCI data in different regional and global oceanic waters. Further, a time series analysis was performed in regional coastal oceanic waters (along the Indian coast) to study the seasonal variations of individual water quality parameters and WQI over the period from 2011 to 2020. The results demonstrated that the FIS is efficient in handling the parameters with varying units and their relative importance. The water quality cells were identified in the bloom-dominated (Arabian Sea), TSS-dominated (Point Calimere, India and Yangtze River estuary, China) and CDOM-dominated (South Carolina coast, USA) regions. The time series analysis revealed that the water quality of the Indian coast exhibits cyclic seasonal variations due to the annual occurrence of the south-west and north-east monsoons. These results are critical for monitoring and assessing the quality of surface waters in coastal and inland environments and enabling water resources managers to formulate and implement management plans for a variety of water bodies cost-effectively.

The cleaner the environment, the happier the people: Integrating a nationwide public survey and environmental quality monitoring data in South Korea

Environmental studies are eager to prove the contribution of environmental quality (EQ) to happiness, given the recent interest of society in life quality and human well-being. Despite advances in empirical studies testing the relationship between EQ and life satisfaction (LS) at a global, national, and local scale, there is no comprehensive analysis of EQ, satisfaction with the environment (SE), and LS using various EQ parameters. This study tests this relationship by implementing a 5-year public survey on awareness and attitudes towards the evnironment with nationwide air and water quality data. Ordered probit models proved that NO2, PM10, and the comprehensive air-quality index concentrations are related to satisfaction with air quality, combined with the impacts of respondents’ pro-environmental attitude, property, and size of the residential area, whereas SO2, O3, and CO concentrations were ineffective. Total phosphorous was the only water quality parameter significant to satisfaction with water. Structural equation modelling proved that LS was affected by objective EQ through both direct and indirect paths via SE. We estimated the marginal effects of EQ improvement on SE. Understanding the relationship between EQ, SE, and LS can support decision-making in environmental management and public health programmes at the individual to policy levels. This study provides an improved approach and observations on this topic.

Selection of Residence Based on Public Perception of Settlements as an Effort to Support the KOTAKU Program

Currently, there are many programs from the government related to urban villages. One of them is Kampung Kota Baru Tengah in Balikpapan City, which is the location for the Community-Based Settlement Environmental Management program (KOTAKU Program). The socialization program is carried out with an approach to the informal community. Socialization through community media is the mainstay of the government so that existing programs can be realized properly in society. This study aims to see the similarity of perceptions regarding space as a place to live. Considering that a common perception is one of the first steps to achieving the success of the KOTAKU program, where a common perception of where to live will become the vision of development in residential areas so that people will be more consistent in implementing the KOTAKU program. This study uses Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis, which will then map the perceptions of settlements. The results of the perception mapping formed show that individuals in each community have different perceptions of settlements. Based on perceptions of reconciliation grouping, we found that 51% chose identity as the main reason for staying and 48.5% chose location dependence as the main reason for staying. This perception formed in the community suggests that government strategies for environmental and housing improvement programs are advocated to reflect or strengthen people's sense of identity and place dependability. Strengthening this sense of identity can be linked to any development activity that can reflect local wisdom, while the location dependency aspect can be linked to improving settlement infrastructure.

MAPTkit: An environmental management decision‐tool for inclusive, equitable and representative stakeholder attribute mapping

Abstract Inclusive, comprehensive Stakeholder Identification and Mapping processes are vital for successful environmental management. This is relevant as multi‐disciplinary collaboration becomes increasingly popular, and the diversity of people influenced by, or involved in, the management of most projects is greater than ever before. Understanding how relevant parties are analysed in environmental management programmes is required to enable robust and considered methodologies as well as successful, just and equitable outcomes. The aim of this study was to improve the attribute mapping process, increasing transparency and ensuring representation is both comprehensive and equitable. A rapid scoping review of Scopus and Web of Science was undertaken to collate and analyse peer‐reviewed, published evidence on stakeholder analysis, with a focus on the mapping processes involved in identifying stakeholders and their attributes. Of the Initial 359 identified papers, 61 were included after three stages of screening. Our results indicate that there is little consistency among practitioners to ensure that Identifying and Mapping Stakeholders is representative: <20% of Case Studies (n = 9) checked the relevancy of their stakeholders after identification. Additionally, definitions at all stages of the stakeholder analysis process were inconsistent across the case studies. Fewer than half of the Case Studies included a definition of Stakeholder (n = 22) or of stakeholder analysis (n = 25). Capturing a representative sample of relevant parties, without compromising on efficiency, financial or practical constraints, is difficult. Having consistent definitions for the term Stakeholders and stakeholder analysis within environmental management is an important step. Based on the scoping review, we formalise the Analysis process into six stages. Through the scoping review findings, a decision support tool, MAPTkit (Mapped Attribute Profiling Toolkit) was developed to visualise the heterogeneity and representation of stakeholders across several user‐determined attributes. This tool is non‐prescriptive, drawing attention to potential issues with stakeholder analysis, such as misrepresentation of real‐world stakeholder communities. This ensures engagement across the full range of people to ensure that environmental management projects are multi‐disciplinary and collaborative, while promoting fair and equitable representation.

Community Characteristics as the Basis of Empowerment Strategies In Sustainable Environmental Hygiene Management

The community is one of the waste producers, so community empowerment in environmental hygiene programs is very strategic. The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics (level of education, employment, income, a distance of the house to the TPS and TPA), and community perceptions related to sustainable environmental hygiene programs, especially towards the waste management of the city of Makassar. The data collection method used in the characteristics of society towards environmental cleanliness is carried out using a survey approach. Data analysis using qualitative and quantitative techniques. The results showed that the variety of these characteristics contributed (except the level of education) to the sustainable environmental hygiene management program. The results of Fisher's contingency coefficient test, showed a significant relationship between community characteristics, except for the level of education and sustainable environmental hygiene management programs.

An updated ecological assessment of floral and faunal communities of mangrove habitats in Tolo Harbour and Channel, Hong Kong

Mangrove forests are coastal habitats of ecological and socio-economic importance, and those in Hong Kong have been found to support high species diversity. Located in northeastern Hong Kong, the mangroves in the Tolo Harbour and Channel (the Tolo area), like many mangrove communities in Hong Kong, have suffered from considerable threat due to rapid coastal development. To provide up-to-date ecological information on the species composition and diversity of major mangrove stands in the Tolo area and advise conservation priorities, surveys were conducted to investigate spatial and temporal variations in species composition of epibenthic and arboreal organisms and to quantify tree diversity in mangrove stands covering inner to outer Tolo areas. A total of 127 species/taxa were recorded in the Tolo area of which 51 were gastropods and 34 were crustaceans. Species richness was higher in the inner Tolo area associated with larger mangrove stands than the outer Tolo area. Mangrove tree communities varied spatially whereas epibenthic and arboreal communities varied both spatially and seasonally. Outer Tolo mangroves had more crab species than inner Tolo area, whereas mangrove stands in Plover Cove and inner Tolo Channel areas were richer in species and had taller mangrove trees as well as presence of endemic species. Priority should be given to conserve mangrove stands in Plover Cove and inner Tolo Channel areas in order to conserve the ecological value of the Tolo area. The present dataset could serve as a baseline for future environmental monitoring and management programmes on the mangrove habitats in the Tolo area.

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT MODELS FOR REGIONAL PROGRAMS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE OPERATION AT CRITICAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES

The objects of the critical transport infrastructure are located in all regions of Ukraine, and the question of the safety of these objects is extremely relevant. A functional approach should be used to form an effective safety management unit for critical transport objects. Therefore, in order to achieve an acceptable level of safety of the critical transport infrastructure, it is necessary to have an effective mechanism for achieving this result, which can be achieved through the formation and efficient management of regional programs for the safe operation of critical transport infrastructure objects. Management models for regional safety programs at critical transport infrastructure facilities based on the existing approaches to construction of models of program and project management are proposed in the article. Critical transport infrastructure includes highways, state-owned transport enterprises, subway facilities, gas stations, bridges, sea and river ports, airports, and pipelines. These facilities are strategic for the state, and as a consequence, vulnerable, so they require special protection. To form an effective apparatus for environmental safety management in critical transport infrastructure facilities, the application of a program approach is proposed in the article. To assess the life cycle of regional environmental safety programs of critical transport infrastructure facilities based on the Deming cycle, a spiral model was developed, which is the environment for the operation of schematic, system, and service models of the environmental safety management program. Development of approaches to the management of regional programs for the environmentally safe operation of critical transport infrastructure facilities, based on the formation of strategic objectives and their decomposition, will be aimed not only at solving existing problems of critical transport infrastructure in the region but factors related to the occurrence of dangerous events for them and the elimination of the causes leading to these problems. A system model for managing regional safety programs for objects of critical transport infrastructure is proposed.

The Impact of Establishing Environmental Management System ISO 14001 on Performance

In recent years, many organizations have used management system certification such as the Environmental Management System (EMS). The purpose of present study is to assess the effect of Environmental Management System (ISO14001) on hospital performance. This is an applied (regarding the purpose of the study) and descriptive research and data are gathered through secondary (library) and primary (questionnaires) sources. This is applied and causal. After confirming the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, it was used for data collection. The research population includes hospital staff. This community was considered limited and therefore all the staff were studied. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling with Smart-PLS software. In addition, the results indicate that three variables of environmental management system, environmental training of human sources, and environmental management program have a direct and significant effect on hospital performance.

Citizens’ Assessment of the Environmental Management Programs Delivered by the Local Government Unit of Lezo, Aklan

The performance in the delivery of environmental management programs of the local government of Lezo, Aklan, Philippines was evaluated in this study. Through the Multi-Stage Random Probability Sampling technique, 150 respondents from barangays’ share in the municipal population were determined based on the Philippine Statistical Authority’s Data on Census Population and Housing for the 2015. The probability respondents were selected using the Kish Grid where female respondents were given even numbered questionnaires while male respondents were assigned odd numbers. The four major core concepts namely awareness, availment, satisfaction and need for action were used in measuring the ratings presented in frequency and percentage distributions. Interview was also conducted to gather reasons for their ratings. The study inferred that majority of the respondents were highly aware of the community-based greening project. However, low awareness was attained on projects such as air pollution control program and waste-water management. A high percentage of respondents have availed the environmental management programs except for solid waste management. Overall, majority of the respondents were satisfied of the environmental management programs rendered by the local government unit and therefore needs less action. It is recommended that the local government unit strengthen air pollution control program.

Implementation of type III environmental declaration based on ISO 14025: a case study on an ideal and reality of the PROPER program implementation in Indonesia

Environmental management program performance ratings for companies (PROPER) is a public disclosure program for environmental compliance by the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK). PROPER is a type of government policy to enhance the business’ environmental management performance by the law’s requirements. Furthermore, PROPER is an example of how environmental management has become more open and democratic in Indonesia. The application of this instrument is an effort by the KLHK to implement some of the virtues of good governance — transparency, equity, responsibility, and community participation — in environmental management. In 2021, the PROPER Program expanded its activities’ scope by including elements of LCA implementation in the program report. This paper aims to provide recommendations for the PROPER program implementation concerning applying the ISO 14025 standard. The method used in this study are literature studies of related regulations and mapping the existing conditions against the conformity of the ISO 14025 standard. The study shows that the current PROPER program has met several requirements of the ISO 14025, comprising life cycle assessments and environmental product declarations. However, the existing program should have determined that PCR is one of the elements required to assess environmental management performance ratings.

Testing MaxEnt model performance in a novel geographic region using an intentionally introduced insect

Species distribution models (SDM's), such as the popular MaxEnt software, are frequently used to guide conservation programmes, predict the potential distribution of invasive species, forecast the impacts of climate change and develop applied ecological research (e.g., biological control). Many applications of these models require that SDM's be transferred in either space and/or time. However, few studies to date have tested the transferability, and thus usefulness, of MaxEnt models using fully independent data. Moreover, numerous authors have raised concerns over how model complexity (controlled primarily by feature class and regularisation multiplier settings) may affect MaxEnt model transferability. In this paper, we evaluated the usefulness of MaxEnt models when transferred in space using the native Australian insect Dasineura rubiformis Kolesik (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) which has been intentionally introduced as a biological control agent of the invasive plant Acacia mearnsii De Wild (Fabaceae) in South Africa. MaxEnt's models were developed using native-range records only (Australia) and projected over South Africa to identify the potential climatic suitability for the insect, using a range of model parameter configurations. Model transferability was assessed using independent post-release data from South Africa. Our results demonstrated that MaxEnt scores were positively correlated with increased probabilities of recording D. rubiformis at field sites in South Africa. However, the accuracy of the MaxEnt models and their climatic suitability projections depended on the parameter configurations (i.e. features classes and regularisation multipliers) used to calibrate the models. Taken together, MaxEnt models can be useful in predicting where a species may establish, even when projected into a novel geographic area, but users need to be aware of how model parameter configurations and model extrapolation can influence model outputs and uncertainty. We demonstrate how statistical validation of the D. rubiformis MaxEnt models can be used to develop an environmental management programme towards improving the biological control of A. mearnsii using D. rubiformis by selecting optimal release sites.