Forest Officials Research Articles

Considering masculinities at forest fires: the case of the 2021 Muğla forest fires in Turkey

ABSTRACT This article investigates emerging masculinities in Turkey’s massive Muğla forest fires of 2021 and their aftermath. The findings are based on a multi-stage qualitative field study: the disaster research was conducted in Köyceğiz and Marmaris in 2021, as well as social media research and personal observations during the fires, followed by follow-up research in 2022. Following Pacholok (2013). I argue that in the unique time and terrain frame of disaster, masculinities are contested and realized. In relation to disaster and environment, four main local constructions of masculinities are observed during the fires. They are (1) the villagers who embody traditional rural masculinities, (2) the firefighters who represent working-class masculinities based on arduous physical labour without heroism, (3) the forest officers and engineers who represent masculinities with refined state-centred engineering male rationality that aim for men’s domination over nature, and (4) the celebrities and volunteers that comprise the urbanites who represent possibilities for alternative ecomasculinities with subtle gender egalitarianism. They present particular constructions of masculinities that reveal local societal norms and expectations and the gender relations that emerged as a result of the crisis environment caused by forest fires.

Protection beyond park boundaries: On the impact of systematic patrolling in Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, Bhutan

AbstractProtected areas and biological corridors play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity and promoting connectivity between habitat patches. Bhutan, known as a stronghold for tigers (Panthera tigris), has dedicated a significant portion of its land to a network of protected areas and biological corridors. However, these areas face risks from illegal activities, posing challenges for their management. To address this, the Department of Forests & Park Services in Bhutan deployed an adaptive management framework, informed by the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool in 2016 in the Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, an important corridor area outside of official protected area boundaries. This study analyses 5 years of data (2017–2021) recorded through a monitoring tool to assess changes in ranger activities and on‐ground observations. The results show improved data availability, increased patrol effort, enhanced monitoring of wildlife, and a reduction in threat detection over time. Furthermore, camera trap surveys targeting tigers reveal a potential increase in the number of individual tigers utilizing the corridor since the adoption of the tool and other management actions. These findings highlight the effectiveness of these efforts in a critical wildlife corridor.

Rapid assessment of human–elephant conflict: a crime science approach

An interdisciplinary approach has the potential not only to help solve conservation-centric problems but also to enrich and improve evidence-based scientific research. Crime science, an offshoot of criminology, provides a comprehensive, solution-oriented approach that transcends disciplinary boundaries and bridges science and practice for developing effective conservation interventions to real-life problems such as Human Elephant Conflict (HEC). This paper focuses on HEC as a conservation concern, but the resultant behaviors toward elephants, people, and their property are criminology’s concern. Using the Action Research paradigm, a rapid assessment of human–elephant conflict (HEC) in India was undertaken to identify contextual solutions. This study utilized problem-oriented field research methods that enabled the gathering of data on elephant habitat-landscape, villagers’ lifestyle (habitat) in the fringe areas, their current approaches in dealing with the conflict, the challenges forest officials face to mitigate HEC, and the assistance provided by district administrators to protect villagers and their corps and HEC-related deaths. The qualitative inquiry, including observation of village-forest fringe areas, focus group discussions with villagers, and interviews with forest officers and rangers, and district administrators/collectors who are handlers, guardians, and managers of the conflict space, provided rich data in identifying situational practical measures and underscored the role of crime science in providing a conceptual framework to gather evidence in addressing HEC in forest areas. The findings of the research suggest that human–animal convergence space is the source (or location) of conflict and criminology-driven situational crime prevention measures, including increasing effort, risks, reducing rewards and provocations, and removing excuses might mitigate the conflict, requiring coordinated efforts by villagers, forest and district administrators, and local law enforcers.

Impact and consequences of military actions for nature protection areas and objects of the nature reserve fund within the boundaries of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” lands

The study analyzed data on the negative impact of military actions on the objects of the nature reserve fund under the management of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” within the forest offices as of March 1, 2024. The impact of military actions on Nature Reserve Fund (NRF) objects was analyzed according to ten factors. It was established that out of the 9 Forest offices of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, the negative impact of military operations on NRF objects was noted in the territory of the Southern, Eastern, Slobozhansky, Northern and Capital forest offices.45 objects of the Nature Reserve Fund, which are located on the lands of forestry purpose, and are in permanent use of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” with a total area of 36,441.0 hectares, were negatively affected by the military operations. Most often, the territories of the objects of the nature reserve fund were negatively affected by military operations as a result of damage by aerial bombardment and shelling of long-range artillery, missiles, UAVs (37 objects) and the basing of military units (40 objects). The 19 NRF objects were affected by three or more negative factors of military operations, which included explosions of various ammunition, rockets and mines, most often accompanied by bullets and fragments of ammunition that exploded, as well as the fall of downed aircraft and missiles. The construction of engineering fortifications and the uncontrolled felling of trees often accompanied the movement of military equipment.The amount of damage to the objects of the nature reserve fund was calculated for 6 objects of the NRF on the territory of the Southern and Eastern forest offices and totals UAH 817,272.44. For 39 NRF objects, the amount of damages has not yet been calculated due to limited access and the impossibility of conducting relevant surveys and examinations and remains an urgent task.In order to eliminate the consequences of the negative impact of military operations on the NRF objects, it is necessary to calculate the damage caused to the environment, carry out demining. An important task is to conduct an inspection of the protected areas for the presence of explosive objects, as well as carry out the necessary sanitary felling to prevent the mass reproduction of pests on the dead and weakened trees damaged by fires.

Beyond boundaries: Unifying classification and segmentation in wildfire detection systems

AbstractForest fires, a dangerous natural phenomenon, cause large-scale destruction in forests and nearby communities. In this paper, we leverage the capabilities of classification and fast prediction of machine learning and deep learning to detect forest fires by proposing a dual-stage approach of identification and segmentation of burnt/burning regions. The initial identification step uses simple classification by harnessing custom convolutional neural network and AlexNet to detect satellite images displaying signs of burning, followed by the next step of segmentation, which employs UNet and SegNet architectures to precisely localize the burnt/burning areas. We chose UNet considering its ability of efficient feature preservation, and SegNet prominent use for precise boundary delineation. For training our models, we have curated a dataset using Google Earth Engine, querying latitude, longitude, and dates. Image processing techniques facilitated the extraction of segmentation masks, bounding box images, and segmented images. The post-training results portray that CNN outperforms AlexNet with an 88.19% accuracy for classification, while in segmentation, UNet excelled over SegNet with a dice score of 0.6869. If deployed, this study stands to benefit forest officials, local communities, and biodiversity. Moreover, it aids afforestation teams in identifying burnt zones for targeted reforestation efforts, ensuring a more effective response to forest fires.

Human-elephant conflict: attitudes of local people toward elephants and the conflict management authority in a shared landscape of India

ABSTRACT Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is one of the major conservation challenges for elephants. To address this issue, understanding the ecological and sociological perspectives of HEC is crucial. In North Bengal, India, we explored 25 electrocution cases of Asiatic elephants (Elephas maximus) and surveyed the attitudes of 209 local people toward elephants and the HEC management authority (forest officials). We used open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires in the surveys and binomial logistic regressions to analyze the datasets. We observed that electrocutions primarily occurred during cropping seasons and adult elephants mostly died in these incidences. Despite experiencing high HEC, most respondents had a positive attitude toward elephants. However, they felt differently about the forest officials. Key factors driving their attitudes include cultural, emotional, and economic associations with elephants, HEC-related costs, and perceptions of HEC management. Community participatory approaches and financial and technical support are recommended for local people in HEC management.

Assessment of forest cover change, key drivers of change and perception of locals in Birendranagar Municipality, Surkhet District, Nepal

Land use and land cover change has an immense impact on the global environment and ecosystem and is mostly connected with human activities such as conversion of forest into agricultural land and settlements. Forests are changing globally in quantity and quality, and in both increasing and decreasing trends. For the Birendra Nagar Municipality, this study evaluated LULC dynamics, the conversion of forest cover from 2000 to 2020, as well as community perceptions on forest cover change, its drivers. Landsat images of 2000 and 2020 were used for LULC dynamics and for forest cover change detection Using software GIS 10.8. Questionnaire survey, key informant survey, field observation and secondary data were acquired from journal articles, reports, District Forest office, books, and various other sources to find out drivers of forest cover change and perception of locals. It was found that 1146 ha of forest area, 280.53 ha of water bodies, 752.62 ha of barren land were lost between 2000 and 2020. However, 1147.74 ha of settlement area and 1032.40 ha of agricultural land was gained.Net forest cover decreased overall by 4.67%, however, some areas within the municipality experienced an increase in forest cover namely Ward 11 and ward 16 of Municipality shows Highest positive and Negative Forest cover change in terms of Area. Expansion of agriculture land and settlements with the encroachment of forest area, haphazard infrastructure development, illegal timber harvesting and low regeneration capacity of land responsible for the reduction of forest, along with Community forestry approach, plantations programs, promotion of agroforestry practices, fuel transition were responsible drivers for improvements of forest cover. Water cycle disruption, Increases Natural hazard, Temperature rises, shortage of wood for fuel, extinction of indigenous species were the most perceived negative impacts of the forest cover reduction whereas income generation Activities, support biodiversity, easy to collect fuel wool and fodder and others including purifying air quality, increasing aesthetic beauty were the most perceived positive impacts of the forest cover improvement in the study area. Most of the locals have a holistic understanding of forest cover change. Strengthening forest protection, improving soil and water conservation structures, awareness creation, enrichment planting, Promote Alternate Energy Resources and Equitable benefit-sharing mechanism are possible solutions perceived by locals.

Injustice and subaltern environmentalism: tribal ecosystem and decolonial practices in Bhoopal’s Forest, Blood & Survival: Life and Times of Komuram Bheem

ABSTRACT A commitment to engage with the structural and historical processes that result in discrimination and injustice in the utilisation of natural resources and landscapes is an epistemic responsibility that must be achieved in order to imagine a just society in which environmental justice is a feasible possibility. Indian author Bhoopal’s Forests, Blood & Survival: Life and Times of Komuram Bheem (2023), translated from Telugu by P A Kumar, is one such literary narrative that vividly portrays the injustices endured by tribal communities in India at the hands of colonial forest officers, money lenders, capitalist extractive authorities, and other oppressive authorities. In this context, the article explicates this narrative of tribal communities to demonstrate and encourage alternative viewpoints and positions of tribal cultures that may confront the dominance of colonial-capitalist logic as a monolithic framework in environmental discourse. In doing so, the first section discusses the natural environment of the tribes and their way of life, followed by an intervention on the colonial brutality and injustices that tribals have been subjected to, and finally, how their resistance is deemed to be subaltern environmentalism.

Role of Forest Officers in Botanical Exploration in India

No Abstract.

Department of Forest's new community Forestry Guideline

Department of Forest (DOF) has issued a new version of Community Forestry Guideline in May 2001, replacing the first version that was issued 10 years back. Officials engaged in developing this amendment indicate in their preface statements that a new versionof the guideline was felt necessary in the changing contexts of community forestry policies and practices over thepast several years in general, and in particular, to address the challenges of meeting escalating demand for increasingly diverse services to communities. The guideline was prepared with involvement of, and support from bilateral forestry projects, who deputed their representatives in the guideline review task force constituted by DOF. An outline of the draft guideline was discussed in two national level meetings of government forest officials and forestry project staff.

Smart Agriculture: Enhancing Security Through Animal Detection Via Deep Learning and Computer Vision

Agriculture stands as a crucial sector, making significant contributions to the economies of many countries. Nevertheless, it encounters various challenges, one of which is animal disruption. This poses a considerable threat to crops, leading to financial losses for farmers. In response to this concern, we have engineered an animal disruption warning system for agricultural settings based on YOLOv6 technology.The system operates by analyzing live video feeds from strategically placed cameras. Utilizing deep learning algorithms, it can detect and classify animals in real-time. The computer vision algorithms enable tracking and prediction of animal movements. Upon detection, the system promptly sends alerts, enabling timely and appropriate actions.In this paper, we periodically monitor the entire farm through a camera that continuously records its surroundings. The identification of animal entry is achieved using a deep learning model, and alarm systems serve as a deterrent, notifying forest officials. This report provides details on the libraries and convolutional neural networks employed in constructing the model.This research focuses on the implementation of a robust animal detection system in agricultural environments, leveraging the capabilities of deep learning. The project utilizes state-of-the-art deep neural networks and computer vision algorithms to analyze live video feeds from strategically positioned cameras across the farm. The deep learning model is trained to detect and classify various animals in real-time, contributing to the early identification of potential threats to crops.The system employs sophisticated computer vision techniques, enabling accurate tracking and prediction of animal movements within the monitored areas. Upon detection, the system triggers timely alerts, providing farmers with the necessary information to take swift and appropriate actions, thereby mitigating potential damage to crops.To achieve these objectives, the project involves periodic monitoring of the entire farm through a camera that continuously records its surroundings. The deep learning model, supported by alarm systems, effectively identifies animal entries, serving as a proactive deterrent. This research report outlines the libraries, frameworks, and convolutional neural networks employed in the development of the animal detection model, shedding light on the technical aspects of its implementation.The integration of deep learning and computer vision in agriculture not only enhances crop protection but also contributes to the sustainable and efficient management of farming practices. This research offers insights into the potential of advanced technologies to address challenges in agriculture and opens avenues for further exploration in the intersection of technology and agriculture.

Assessment of revenue loss from illegal logging in Ghana’s informal timber sector

This study estimated stumpage, Social Responsibility Agreement (SRA) and carbon revenue loss from Ghana’s informal timber sector. Secondary data on confiscated timber were collected from 13 District Forest offices from 2020 to 2022. The timber species volumes were computed with their corresponding stumpage, SRA, and potential carbon revenue. The results indicate that US$ 14,670.73 was lost as stumpage revenue between 2020 and 2022 in the study Forest Districts. SRA revenu e of US$ 733.54 originally destined for the development of forest fringe communities was also lost. For the study period, the highest potential carbon revenue loss (US$ 37,572) was recorded in the year 2020. The findings have implications for the country’s forest sector emission reduction target under the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the realization of carbon revenue from the mandatory and voluntary markets. One key way to improve the forest revenue system is to address illegal logging as it is widespread in the country and contributes to the decline in stumpage revenue, which is one of the main sources of revenue for forest management and development at the local level.

Ecology, economic botany and conservation of Diploknema butyracea in Nepal

Diploknema butyracea (Roxb.) H. J. Lam, butter tree, locally known as Chiuri, is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree widely distributed on the south-facing slopes in the sub-Himalayan region from 200 m to 1500 m. This is an economically valuable, nutritionally important, ecologically slow-growing, and culturally integrated multipurpose tree species. The tree is culturally connected with an ethnic minority group, Chepang, in central Nepal. We systematically reviewed over 102 primary research studies, review papers, and grey literature, along with nine field visits, three each in western, central, and eastern Nepal to collect the population and ethnobotanical data of Chiuri. Additionally, government forest officials, forest user groups, and local communities of 62 districts were consulted to collect and verify the information on distribution, use, and conservation. The interrelationship of ecology and ethnobotany of Chiuri was found to be positively associated. This tree was reported to be grown in 58 districts, abundant in central and western Siwalik and mid-hills. The ethnobotanical use reports of Chiuri used by 26 ethnic groups were recorded from 22 districts. Among the groups, Chepang has intensive use reports and conserved this multipurpose tree since time immemorial. Ethnotaxonomically, four types of Diploknema species were reported by Chepang communities, whereas the national botanical records and molecular analyses have yet to confirm the types. As the species complements the livelihood, traditions, history, socio-culture, folklore, and household economy of Chepang people, we supported the argument that the D. butyracea is a cultural keystone tree species (CKTS) in Nepal for Chepang people. Further research on socio-cultural, ethno-ecological, and morpho-molecular attributes is urged for cultural integrity, biodiversity, and bioprospecting.

Effects of Indiscriminate Logging of Indigenous Tree and Tree Sustainability in Ifedore Local Government Area, Ondo State

This study investigated the effects of indiscriminate logging of indigenous trees and tree sustainability in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state. Purposive sampling technique was used to select five communities from Ifedore local government. Data were collected through administration of semi-structured questionnaire and interview on one hundred (100) community residents and ten (10) forest officials in the study area. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ranked using percentage mention. Majority (58.0%) of the community resident are male while the highest percentage (50.0%) of the residents are between age 41 and 50 years. Majority (70.0%) are married, and there is high level of awareness of indiscriminate logging, as 50.0% of the community residents reported very frequent occurrence of indiscriminate logging. Poverty ranked 1st among causes of indiscriminate logging by community residents. Timber contractors dominated (70.0%) the categories of people involved in indiscriminate logging. While, limited resources ranked 1st (80.0%) among the challenges faced by forest officials in preventing indiscriminate logging. Climate change ranked 1st (95.0%) among the impacts of indiscriminate logging on the sustainability of indigenous tree species. Provision of employment ranked (98.0%), and and creation of awareness on sustainable forest management (100.0%) ranked 1st respectively by community residents and forest officials as ways of mitigating indiscriminate logging activities. Consequently, it was suggested that urgent efforts should be directed at raising more effective awareness on the adverse effects of indiscriminate logging activities and also the need for sustainable management of the forest.

Participation, Learning and Environmental Justice: A Case Study of Protected Area Planning and Management in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract Achieving environmental justice in protected area (PA) planning and management has been historically problematic. Herein, potential connections between learning outcomes acquired through PAs and advancements in environmental justice are examined and assessed through a case study of PAs in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India. Specifically, our study aimed to identify learning outcomes that contributed to positive changes in distributive, procedural, recognitional and restorative justice for local people managing or residing near PAs. As throughout the Himalayas, the land use rights, both customary or recognised by law, of local inhabitants in the Kullu District have been altered and eroded through the establishment of PAs, which has resulted in poor environmental justice outcomes. Interviews were conducted with local people living near PAs, forest officers working in PAs, relevant government officials, academics, and NGO representatives. The results indicate that non-formal and informal learning has produced positive cognitive and relational changes in local inhabitants as well as forest officers, which has led to modification of policies, positive environmental change, and enhanced aspects of environmental justice. Though positive changes emerged, the study also identified a need for increased learning opportunities, particularly for inhabitants of more remote areas.

Identifying risk zones and landscape features that affect common leopard depredation.

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a pressing issue worldwide but varies by species over time and place. One of the most prevalent forms of HWC in the mid-hills of Nepal is human-common-leopard conflict (HLC). Leopard attacks, especially in forested areas, can severely impact villagers and their livestock. Information on HLC in the Gorkha district was scarce, thus making it an ideal location to identify high-risk zones and landscape variables associated with such events. Registered cases were collected and reviewed from the Division Forest Office (DFO) during 2019-2021. Claims from DFO records were confirmed with herders and villagers via eight focus group discussions. To enhance modeling success, researchers identified a total of 163 leopard attack locations on livestock, ensuring a minimum distance of at least 100 meters between locations. Using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and considering 13 environmental variables, we mapped common leopard attack risk zones. True Skill Statistics (TSS) and area under receiver-operator curve (AUC) were used to evaluate and validate the Output. Furthermore, 10 replications, 1,000 maximum iterations, and 1000 background points were employed during modeling. The average AUC value for the model, which was 0.726 ± 0.021, revealed good accuracy. The model performed well, as indicated by a TSS value of 0.61 ± 0.03. Of the total research area (27.92 km2), about 74% was designated as a low-risk area, 19% as a medium-risk area, and 7% as a high-risk area. Of the 13 environmental variables, distance to water (25.2%) was the most significant predictor of risk, followed by distance to road (16.2%) and elevation (10.7%). According to response curves, the risk of common leopard is highest in the areas between 1.5 to 2 km distances from the water sources, followed by the closest distance from a road and an elevation of 700 to 800 m. Results suggest that managers and local governments should employ intervention strategies immediately to safeguard rural livelihoods in high-risk areas. Improvements include better design of livestock corrals, insurance, and total compensation of livestock losses. Settlements near roads and water sources should improve the design and construction of pens and cages to prevent livestock loss. More studies on the characteristics of victims are suggested to enhance understanding of common leopard attacks, in addition to landscape variables. Such information can be helpful in formulating the best management practices.

STATUS OF FOREST GOVERNANCE IN BANGLADESH: A CASE STUDY ON BHAWAL NATIONAL PARK

The present study assessed the status of forest governance of Bhawal National Park (BNP) in Bangladesh. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify and analyze data. The study identified that the BNP authority adhered to well-defined and coherent forest policies and laws of forest governance, having highest score (i.e., about 4.27) in five-points rating scale. However, the enforcement of forest laws and regulations by the jurisdictional authorityis hindered due to insufficient resources, including budgetaryconstraints, shortage of forest officials and staff, inadequate toolsand technology, and delayed implementation resulting less effective influence on the forest governance. The involvement of stakeholders in decision-making processesand access to information is limited. Additionally, there is not always a high enough level of transparency and accountability, sometimes leading to misconduct and corruption among forest officials, secured the lowest score of forest governance (i.e., 1.15). Overall, the composite score is nearly 1.90 represents less significant influence of forest governance for BNP resulting in one-third of the park is completely under encroachment. The findings of this study are crucial for policymakers to determine the priority areas within the various components and pillars of forest governance.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in forest management and biodiversity conservation

The recent progress in data science, along with the transformation in digital and satellite technology, has enhanced the capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the forestry and wildlife domains. Nevertheless, the swift proliferation of developmental projects, agricultural, and urban areas pose a significant threat to biodiversity on a global scale. Hence, the integration of emerging technologies such as AI in the fields of forests and biodiversity might facilitate the efficient surveillance, administration, and preservation of biodiversity and forest resources. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of how AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms are utilized in the forestry sector and biodiversity conservation worldwide. Furthermore, this research examines the difficulties encountered while implementing AI technology in the fields of forestry and biodiversity. Enhancing the availability of extensive data pertaining to forests and biodiversity, along with the utilization of cloud computing and digital and satellite technology, can facilitate the wider acceptance and implementation of AI technology. The findings of this study would inspire forest officials, scientists, researchers, and conservationists to investigate the potential of AI technology for the purposes of forest management and biodiversity conservation.

Study of the Effects of Polypropylene Tree Shelters and Hydrophilic Polymers on Growth, Survival, Health and Physiological Condition of Pedunculate Oak Seedlings ( L.)

This paper presents the results of eight years of scientific research on the effect of polypropylene shelters (Tully tubes) and hydrophilic polymers on growth, survival, health and physiological condition of pedunculate oak seedlings (Quercus robur L.). The experiment was established in 2014 on relative forest soil, on partially forested land in subcompartment 35a, forest management unit Kragujna, which is managed by the Forest Administration Vinkovci, Forest Office Županja. In the autumn of 2014, one-year-old bare-rooted pedunculate oak seedlings were planted as a randomized block design experiment - four blocks with four repetitions. Four types of planting were tested: seedlings without a polypropylene shelter, without the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer granules (S variant), seedlings without a polypropylene shelter, with the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer granules (SP variant), seedlings with a polypropylene shelter, without the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer granules (SS variant), and seedlings with a polypropylene shelter, with the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer granules (SSP variant). The experiment was established as a result of considering the long-term problem of difficulties in natural regeneration. Disturbances in natural regeneration are certainly caused by increasing climate changes (floods, long-term droughts, storms, hailstorms, etc.) and other unfavourable biotic and abiotic factors that cause a significant reduction in quantities and/or an almost complete absence of pedunculate oak acorn yield. Due to the aforementioned circumstances, in the very near future we will be forced to resort more often to different forms of artificial forest regeneration, such as regeneration by planting sheltered seedlings that are less exposed to risks and challenges during survival, and which have greater competitiveness in relation to other vegetation on the regeneration surface (higher growth). Nowadays, this method of regeneration is used mostly for filling in places where, for various reasons, natural regeneration has been unsuccessful on several occasions and over a long period of time, and/or where there are great difficulties in carrying out natural regeneration (floods, areas damaged by fires, game damages and competition of weeds). This paper presents the results of scientific research after five periodic measurements, i.e. after the first, second, fifth, sixth and eighth growing season. The results show that even after the eighth growing season, seedlings protected with a polypropylene shelter have greater survival rate and greater height growth than unprotected seedlings. The highest survival rate was found in seedlings protected with a polypropylene shelter, with the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer of 82.14% (SSP variant), while unprotected seedlings with the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer (SP variant) had the lowest survival rate of 62.63%. The highest growth was recorded on seedlings protected with a polypropylene shelter, with the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer (SSP variant) amounting to 202.75 cm, while on average the smallest seedlings were those without polypropylene shelter protection and without the addition of Zeba hydrophilic polymer (S variant), amounting to 129.02 cm.

Revolutionalizing Forest Monitoring and Conservation Using Internet of Things (IoT): The Challenges and the Opportunities

Over some decades, advancement has come to the way forest is being monitored. The process of monitoring the forest area have advanced beyond human-power into technology. Nigeria forests have experience degeneration from illegal logging to encroachment resulting from population growth and agricultural activities. The wildlife species are endangered due to human illegal activities in the forest area. Manual monitoring has achieved some results in keeping the forest safe but there is a need for more effective and real time forest monitoring. Therefore, digital technology should be analyzed for monitoring. Many forests departments in some countries have shifted to the Internet of Things (IoT) devices for real-time forest monitoring and conservation. IoT devices are devices that utilizes sensors to capture information about activities going on in the forest area and alert the monitoring personnel of any illegal activities through an electronic device connected to computer. IoT system collect data from the forest and send them to the cloud server for storage and analysis of activities that are going on in the forest area. This have helped forest officers in curbing many issues like illegal logging and forest fires. It has also helped in conserving wildlife within the forest. This paper discussed some IoT devices for real time forest monitoring and conservation. This manuscript also discussed the components of IoT devices and how they benefit forestry.