Green Forest Research Articles

Evaluating the implementation of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) and its adaptation potential in China

The importance of green infrastructure for achieving urban sustainability is increasingly recognized globally. Originating in the United States, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) is an international green rating system designed to guide sustainable landscape development and evaluate sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle of landscapes and other outdoor spaces. Despite its international scope, the performance of SITES has not been quantified in diverse contexts. Understanding the performance of SITES is crucial for practitioners and regulatory authorities; however, quantitative analysis of previous projects is lacking. Furthermore, the adaptation of SITES in China requires further exploration. This study addresses these gaps by utilizing a dataset of SITES v2 certified projects to examine the achievement of sections and credits across various projects, aiming to understand performance patterns and identify barriers to certification. Performance was assessed using score ratios to measure how effectively projects met potential credits, and Association Rules Mining was employed to explore relationships between related credits. Furthermore, a detailed case study of Beijing Central Green Forest Park was conducted to assess the adaptability and applicability of SITES within the Chinese context. Our findings indicate significant variability in the difficulty of achieving certification across different sections. Among 1166 potential rules, 128 pairs of related credits were identified, suggesting substantive associations among the credits. The case study of Beijing Central Green Forest Park resulted in an overall score ratio of 82%, achieving 171 scores, which underscores the potential of SITES as a valuable sustainability tool in China. However, variability in section performance, particularly lower scores in the Materials Selection section, highlights the challenges faced and emphasizes the need for further adaptations of the SITES criteria to better align with local conditions.

How do species richness and colour diversity of plants affect public perception, preference and sense of restoration in urban green spaces?

Urban development has led to an overlap between natural and artificial environments, affecting individuals’ experiences with nature. To create high-quality urban natural environments, it is crucial to understand the residents’ perceptions, preferences and psychophysical health benefits concerning biodiversity. This study, employing various experimental designs, investigated the perceptions, preferences and restorative experiences of 695 participants concerning different levels of plant species richness and colour diversity in four typical urban green space types (lawn, forest, square and streetscape). The following discoveries were made: (i) The colour diversity carried by vegetation in lawns was an important basis for the public to identify plant diversity. Lawns with high richness achieved by different grass species (that have green colour) were not preferred by the public, and increased colour diversity that can be achieved by adding flowering plants (forbs) was preferred by people more than a single green lawn. The species richness of forests was positively correlated with public perception, preference and perceived restoration, with single green forests being preferred by the public. Additionally, people preferred vegetated environments over unvegetated squares or streetscapes. (ii) Participants’ perceptions, preferences and perceived restoration were positively correlated. Their preference for and perceived restoration from plant diversity depended more on their perception of it than on the actual species richness. (iii) Participants’ gender, expertise, physical condition, ecological knowledge, childhood living environment, frequency of use and accessibility of green spaces, natural orientation (connectedness), gardening, sense of security and well-being all influenced their perceptions, preferences and perceived restoration from plant diversity to varying extents. Significant distinctions were found between different forms of experimental design. Combining between-subject and within-subject designs could both control individual errors to some extent and avoid long-term effects on the participants compared to using either design alone. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical approach for future biodiversity-oriented urban green space planning and management to better maximise the ecological and social service benefits of urban green spaces.

Leveraging Observations of Untrained Panelists to Screen for Quality of Fresh-Cut Romaine Lettuce

Fresh-cut romaine lettuce’s high perishability challenges ready-to-eat (RTE) salad production. Selecting cultivars less prone to browning and decay is crucial for extending shelf life. Traditional quality evaluation methods using instrumentation and trained panelists are time-consuming and logistically complex. This study investigated the effectiveness of untrained volunteers in assessing fresh-cut romaine lettuce quality. Given that the average consumer in the USA is familiar with the flavor characteristics of romaine lettuce, this study proposed to investigate the value of having untrained volunteers discern the quality of fresh-cut romaine lettuce. Therefore, six romaine lettuce accessions (Green Forest, King Henry, Parris Island Cos, PI 491224, SM13-R2, and Sun Valley) were assessed for sensory quality attributes (browning, green color, decay, and overall quality) and compared with instrumentation analyses (gas composition including O2 and CO2, electrolyte leakage, and color). The results showed significant quality differences (p < 0.05) among the accessions, with some seasonal variability. Very importantly, the consumers’ (n = 159) assessments revealed similar results to those produced by either instrumentation or a trained panel. The consumers provided sensory scores that allowed for the grouping of accessions based on their postharvest quality, which efficiently matched their pedigree relationship. In conclusion, ad hoc consumer panels can be an effective way to characterize the quality of romaine lettuce for RTE salads.

Botanical Exploration in Car Nicobar and Nancoury Islands

The vegetation of Car Nicobar and Nancoury Islands are discussed. Car Nicobar is a flat island with an area of 126.8 square kilometres, while Nancoury is still a smaller island with hills and ridges. Evergreen forests and tidal mangrove forests are absent in Car Nicobar Island and the vegetation consists of beach forest, scrub jungle, low forest in the interior, and grass land. Unlike Car Nicobar, Nancoury Island has dense forest growth of the evergreen type. Plants growing near the shores constitute the beach forest here, while the tropical ever green forest is situated in the interior at a higher elevation. Plants of economic and medicinal importance are also described.

PERANCANGAN MOCK UP SISTEM INFORMASI MANAJEMEN DESA BERBASIS WEBSITE (STUDI DI DESA MEKARMUKTI KECAMATAN CISAGA KABUPATEN CIAMIS JAWA BARAT)

Mekarmukti Village is located in Cisaga District, Ciamis Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The village is famous for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, as well as its agricultural practices. The village is surrounded by lush green forests and hills, making it a popular destination for tourists looking to explore the natural beauty of West Java. One issue that often arises in the Mekarmukti Village community that is the focus of attention is the lack of clarity of information conveyed to residents, causing them to repeatedly seek information. The village government has difficulty collecting family data due to various reasons and the busyness faced by residents, hampering the performance of the village government. From the above problems, the purpose of study is designing a Website-based Information System that is used to facilitate the Mekarmukti Village community in getting or obtaining the latest information from the Village Government. In addition to making it easier to get information, this information system also provides information related to tourist info and tourist maps, as well as financial transparency of Mekarmukti Village.

Experimental Study on the Mitigation Effect of Urban Green Forest Belt on Noise Pollution

Experimental Study on the Mitigation Effect of Urban Green Forest Belt on Noise Pollution

TOWARDS URBAN TRANSFORMATION FOR SUSTAINIBILITY OF IBU KOTA NUSANTARA

This research delves comprehensively into the development prospects of Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) within the context of the visionary Green Forest City and the inclusive City for All concept. Employing qualitative research methods and a literature review approach, the study draws from a diverse array of scholarly sources, including academic journals, articles, news reports, and more. The findings underscore the imperative need for cross-sectoral synergy, involving government bodies, private enterprises, and civil society organizations, to realize the vision of inclusivity in IKN's development. The future trajectory of IKN necessitates the implementation of systemic mechanisms for achieving inclusive cities. These mechanisms include augmenting political participation among minority groups, ensuring universal access to egalitarian public services, extending legal protection and social services to all, including minority groups and individuals with disabilities, and establishing inclusive healthcare and educational facilities. Successful execution of these dimensions holds the potential to transform IKN into an inclusive city, offering a sense of safety and comfort for its entire population. In conclusion, this research underscores the significance of holistic collaboration and systemic approaches in building inclusive urban environments. It illuminates the path towards realizing the Green Forest City's vision and the City for All concept within the context of IKN, with implications extending to the broader realm of urban development.

Shade Nets Reduced Growth, Nutrition, and Sugars of Hydroponic Lettuce and Basil

Colored shade nets are known to alter the light quality and quantity and thus can influence plant growth and nutritional quality of crops. Lettuce (‘Lollo Antonet’ and ‘Green Forest’) and basil (‘Aroma-2’ and ‘Genovese’) were grown in ebb-and-flow hydroponic tables for 4 weeks. Colored shade nets of aluminet, black, pearl, and red with 50% shading intensity along with a control (no-shade) were used in this experiment. Data for plant growth and leaf quality attributes were collected at harvest time. The no-shade treatment showed increased shoot fresh and dry weight, sugar, and relative chlorophyll content in both lettuce and basil cultivars, whereas plant height and net photosynthesis rates were increased under aluminet, pearl, and red nets. In basil, calcium and sulfur were greatest under no-shade, whereas zinc and copper were greatest under aluminet. Zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese concentrations were greatest under no-shade in lettuce. The pearl-colored net increased leaf soluble solids content. No-shade produced the greatest starch values in basil, whereas pearl shade net produced the greatest starch in ‘Lollo Antonet’ in the fall. Light spectra varied with shade net resulting in 90%, 65%, 50%, 30%, and 70% of incident light occurring between 400 and 700 nm for no-shade, pearl, aluminet, black, and red shade nets, respectively. Overall, lettuce and basil plants under no-shade (daily light integral of 20 to 24 mol·m−2·d−1 and temperature of 26 to 30 °C) had increased plant growth and leaf quality in late spring and fall, compared with colored shade nets.

Gold and green forests

Sweden's fauna and flora are constantly changing. Humans have not only deliberately promoted and introduced new species in horticulture, agriculture and forestry, they have also acted as a vector for the introduction of alien species through, for example, transportation and food. When these species spread rapidly and affect biodiversity, they are deemed ‘invasive alien species’. This artistic research project explores and articulates how humans, as part of a system where nature and culture meet, affect complex functioning ecosystems through the movement of species. The starting point is the iconic elm tree and how its cultural and natural ecosystems have been wiped out in large parts of Europe by the invasive fungus Ophistoma novo ulmi. With the extinction of the elm come ecological and cultural losses. Those losses are examined and interpreted in this work, in a dialogue with nature and with people. At the same time, another species is explored, the Canadian goldenrod, which, unlike the elm, is expanding rapidly. With these explorations, life stories about the elm will be created not only for our collective memory, but also for speculation about what happens when a new and invasive alien species, such as the Canadian goldenrod, spreads. The form of my narrative is based in materials, crafts and objects. It is primarily the objects and the process that are the carriers of the stories. As a ceramicist, I use clay as a sketching material, binder and a tool for documentation. These species, the elm and the goldenrod, constitute the materiality that are part of the exploration and creation.

РОЗВИТОК ФІНАНСОВОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ ЗАКЛАДУ ІНДУСТРІЇ ГОСТИННОСТІ

The article examines the estimated indicators of the financial potential of the hospitality industry establishment. They include a set of financial resources, which constitute the sum of income and receipts for carrying out financial and economic activities. It is emphasized that, according to the company's financial statements, financial resources include revenue from sales, income from other activities, and the amount of passive capital or source capital. It was determined that financial resources are the material carrier of the system of economic relations. They form the financial potential and ensure the maximization of the financial result of the enterprise by directing them to the implementation of investment projects. This, in turn, contributes to the development of financial potential due to the net cash flows and income generated by these projects. Problems have been identified in the functioning of the "Green Grove" glamping site, which are connected with the limited number of places for accommodation and the lack of organized food for consumers. The directions for improving the activities of the glamping "Green Grove" have been determined, which include increasing the number of beds and seats by installing an additional glamping and opening a new functional unit for the provision of food services not only to guests living in the glamping, but also to visitors during the organization of daily service. An investment project for the development and improvement of the hospitality industry establishment was developed, and its financial and economic justification was carried out. The material and technical equipment of the additional glamping and the functional unit for the provision of food services has been calculated. The amount and structure of current expenses, as well as income and profit of the glamping "Green Forest" according to the investment project have been determined. The payback period of the project, the marginal profit, the marginal profit coefficient, and the critical volume of sales were calculated.

Is green the new black? Black-backed Woodpecker vital rates do not differ between unburned and burned forests within a pyrodiverse landscape

AbstractWoodpeckers often reflect rapid changes to forest health and serve as indicator species to help guide forest management decisions. The Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) is known for its strong association with recently burned forests and is a species of conservation concern due to habitat loss stemming from post-fire management of burned forest. Several studies have found the Black-backed Woodpecker occupying extensive areas of unburned (i.e., green) forests in the western part of its range during the breeding season, raising questions about whether green forests can support viable nesting populations in this region. We studied breeding Black-backed Woodpeckers in southern Oregon, USA to evaluate whether 2 vital rates critical to population recruitment—nest survival and post-fledging survival—differed between green and burned forests. During 2018, 2019, and 2021, we monitored 91 Black-backed Woodpecker nests (n = 34 in green forest, n = 57 in burned forest) and found that neither daily nest survival rate nor reproductive output (i.e., the number of fledglings per successful nest) differed between nests located in green and burned forest; however, nestling body condition was slightly enhanced in green forest. We also quantified survival of recently fledged individuals using VHF radio telemetry and found that the survival rate of birds in green forest was nearly identical to those in burned forest, with most mortalities occurring within 4 weeks of fledging. Our results indicate that Black-backed Woodpeckers in green forests were equally successful at breeding as conspecifics in recently burned forest, although densities of nesting pairs in green forest were lower than those in burned forest. Our findings indicate certain types of green forest, particularly mature lodgepole pine, can support viable populations of the Black-backed Woodpecker in the western portion of its range. This finding has conservation implications given that green forest occupies much of the forested landscape in this region and is often juxtaposed to areas subjected to high severity fire. Therefore, practices that promote pyrodiversity—landscape-level spatial and temporal variability in fire effects—as well as connectivity between green and burned forest within fire-prone landscapes are likely to provide the greatest conservation benefit for this species.

Fractals: The Secret Code of Creation

Fractals: The Secret Code of Creation

The Mother Worshiping Beliefs and Some Legends Related to Mother Thuong Ngan (Who Rules the Green Forest) in Vietnam

The Dong Cuong Temple is located in Dong Cuong village, Dong Cuong commune, Van Yen district, Yen Bai province, Vietnam. The Dong Cuong Mother has an important position in religious life in Vietnam. The Mother governs the mountains and forests, the ultimate power. The unique feature of the Mother worshiping custom in Dong Cuong is that it has harmonized the Vietnamese mother’s beliefs with the unique cultural features of the indigenous peoples. Mother Thuong ngan is the God who rules the green forest. Returning to the Mother Dong Cuong is to ask for Mother’s fortune, to pray for wealth such as a golden forest, to be prosperous, to be full, to trade smoothly, etc. In people’s minds, the Mother Thuong ngan has very lots of permission capacity. The power of Mother Dong Cuong is the sacred and miraculous power that the Holy Mother created to give people or punish them. This power is created from the people’s belief and desire for a prosperous, happy, and fair life and is expressed through the people’s customs and rituals of worshiping the Holy Mother, the legends of The model has been and is being handed down in folklore. The power of Mother Dong Cuong is authority, supernatural powers that cover both space and time, dominating people’s ideas. This power is created from the concept that the Mother is the expression for femininity, for the fertility of life. The Mother Thuong ngan is also considered as a deity. The belief in Mother Goddess worship is a cultural and spiritual landmark that unites ethnic groups in the Vietnamese ethnic community. In fact, the Mother Thuong ngan is the culmination of the culmination and distillation of the combination of Goddess worship and forest god worship, associated with the agricultural economy. The mother represents the mother god in the mountains, in harmony with the mundane, revered by the people and classified as a saint in the Four Palaces. The Mother worship is a folk belief in the cultural life of Vietnam. These tales contact mandarin arrive credit threshold worship Mother also very abundant.We use investigative methods; field method; ethnographic method; sociological investigation methods; interdisciplinary methods of history, toponymology, folklore, archeology, etc... to study this issue.In this article, we study the following issues: 1. Belief in worshiping the Mother of God Th??ng ngan in Vietnam; 2. Some tales related to the Mother Thuong ngan. The object of our research is the Mother Thuong ngan and the worship of Mother Thuong ngan in Vietnam. The scope of the study is the Mother Th??ng ngan in Dong Cuong commune, Van Yen district, Yen Bai province, Vietnam.Learning about the Mother Thuong ngan beliefs will contribute to helping ethnic minority communities in the province transmit and continue their traditional culture and literature. Since then, contributing to the implementation of the policy of preserving and promoting the traditional culture of the Party, State and Yen Bai province; especially practical contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage of Mother worship of ethnic minorities.This research will contribute to the education of Vietnamese traditional culture in general and Yen Bai province in particular; help people gradually consciously preserve and preserve the value of the heritage of worshiping the Mother of God; help people love their nation’s mother-worshiping heritage. From there, arousing national pride and self-respect, encouraging children to actively participate in studying and preserving the Mother-worshiping heritage of Yen Bai ethnic minorities.

SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF CARBON SEQUESTRATION OF MANGROVE FORESTS AT RAIGAD DISTRICT COAST, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Mangrove forests are highly productive ecosystems with carbon sequestration rate almost equivalent to tropical green forests. Mangroves distribute proportionally more carbon below ground and possess higher below to above ground carbon mass ratio as compared to any other forests (Kathiresen, 2004). Mangrove is amongst the most carbon rich biomes containing more than 950 tC/H. The said study overlooks destructive and non-destructive methods of the carbon sequestration. It is conducted as a comparative assessment of the carbon sequestration potential of mangrove and non-mangrove regions. By means of methodology of calculating Soil Bulk Density (gcm -3) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in mangroves soils (El Wakeel and Riley, 1956) and Carbon Sequestration Rate (CSR) is estimated based on the sediment rates and TOC content of the soil (Duan Xiaonan et al (2008). The systematic assessment conducted at West Coast of Maharashtra; shows mangrove region with Avicinnia marina species and in non–mangrove region total carbon in soil (%) recorded 17.15% and 4.52 percent respectively. Total Soil Carbon Stock recorded is 431 million g / Ha at mangrove region and 105.7 million g / Ha at non mangrove region. After methodical estimation of biomass and carbon stock of mangroves (English et.al, 1997 and Kaufman and Donato, 2012), total carbon stock of mangrove stand was recorded 393.14 mg/Ha and that of non-mangrove stand was recorded to be 91.7 mg/Ha. It shows that mangroves absorb almost 315.14 percent more carbon than non-mangrove region. In other words, carbon stock in Avicinnia marina stand found to be almost 3 times more than non-mangrove zone.

IMPACTS OF URBANISATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE OF ZIRO VALLEY, ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Urbanization is a process of growth of cities and town; which is directly linked to the degradation of environmental quality and the quality of water, air and noise. Ziro valley, the place has an imposing landscape of beautiful lush green forest, rivulets, and elevated patches. It is famous for paddy cum pisciculture cultivation. The area is renowned for the terrace paddy fields where the unique system of poly- culture and water management is practiced by local people. But due to rapidly increase of urban area in Ziro valley, the environment become changed day by day. The purpose of the paper is to present the effects on environment due to urbanization in Apatani society in Ziro valley of Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. There are several areas where urbanization has affected along with environment settings. The induced of development of urbanization which is affected on the balance of the ecosystem in the valley portion. The study based on secondary data, satellite image, photography etc. and primary sources, the study area map has prepared through QGIS

Anomaly detection in image streams with explainable AI

We define an anomaly as an unlikely occurrence that deviates from a typical behavior [1]. An anomaly could be a defect in a production line, sudden stock market fluctuations or natural disasters such as deforestation, volcanic eruptions, or floods [2] [3]. The assistance of an intelligent system to identify such disturbances would be very beneficial to initiate methods to prevent such situations in the early stages. This study forwards an AI based anomaly detection system and its testing stages primarily focused on the detection of deforestation, where when deforestation occurs, it shows an anomalous scenario which deviates from the typical sights of lush green forests.

Quantitative Analysis of Natural Green Forests for Relative Replacements by Additional New Plantations

Quantitative Analysis of Natural Green Forests for Relative Replacements by Additional New Plantations

Identification of Preferable Ecotourism Destinations in Purulia District, West Bengal (India): AHP and GIS Approach

Ecotourism has gained popularity among travelers in recent years due to the detrimental effects of conventional tourism. Purulia district in West Bengal (India), with its diversified picturesque landscape such as lush green forest, mesmerizing riverscape, lakes, waterfall, hills and uniqueness in the local community’s culture gives ample potentiality of ecotourism development. The aim of this paper to explore potentiality of ecotourism in Purulia district, West Bengal, India using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographical Information System (GIS). Initially, ecotourism inventory dataset was developed based on following criteria: Elevation, slope, proximity to river, distance from road, distance from settlements, distance from ecological sites, distance from railway, distance from tourism sites using ARC-GIS 10.6.1 software. Later, the suitability map of ecotourism development has been developed by applying Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) with combination of the criteria with their respective weights and categorized into five suitability classes as highly suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2), suitable (S3), less suitable (S4) and unsuitable (S5). Finally, after the identification of suitable zones, six alternatives ecotourism destinations are identified. This proposed method may be helpful for the local stakeholders and public administration in identifying potential ecotourism destination and planning for sustainable ecotourism development.

PEMAHAMAN PELESTARIAN ALAM WARGA PINTUBESI DI KAB DELISERDANG

Conservation of nature, maintaining the balance of the ecosystem is an inseparable part of the divine mandate of God. Preserving nature and the balance of ecosystems means that we have done part of the faith. Community service by providing education on nature conservation is carried out to give residents a better understanding. The activity was carried out by selecting a group of residents in Pintubesi, especially Hindus. This implementation is based on the location of Pintubesi hamlet, Laurakit village in Deliserdang district, around (surrounded) nature with green forests. The life of the majority of residents is not farming, and a small number of broiler breeders. Therefore, to support nature conservation and maintain ecosystems, it is necessary to provide understanding to the residents there. The implementation of the activity uses the extension method by preparing materials and some practical materials during the extension. Meanwhile, residents were selected from a Hindu community to provide concentration and focus on counseling and monitoring after the counseling. From several counseling sessions, pleasant results were obtained regarding the understanding and awareness of participants in preserving nature and the role of humans in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Participants enthusiastically participated in each counseling session and arrived on time. Awareness and responsibility for conserving the surrounding nature are united by maintaining one's own farmland. Preserving and maintaining nature has been asked to become a lifestyle.

Eco-Friendly customer engagement Practices in hotels: A Qualitative Study

Hospitality industry especially hotels consume a good amount of natural resources and results in wastegeneration. Hotel Industry is considered as main customer oriented industry, were there is huge consumptionof energy resources. As we know that limited availability of energy resources on planet earth has made itessential feature of every industry and hospitality industry is not untouched to go for energy conservation.To contribute effectively, hotels have started exercising green practices which include reusing linen practices,natural temperature control techniques, 3R’s principle and many more. There is huge significance ofenvironment related issues that continues to rise in hotel industry because of increased knowledge aboutenvironmental issues. Keeping this information in mind, the current study stresses on exploring the ecofriendlycustomer engagement practices with respect to hotel location, hotel design exercised in hotels ofGulmarg, Kashmir as well as its impact on repurchase intention of services in hotels. A checklist wasdeveloped to receive data from the hotel managers/ supervisors. The outcome specified that someenvironmental friendly practices like plantation drives, walking through the wilderness, waste watermanagement tools, linen reuse, horse ridding as means of transportation, trekking through the green forests,use of natural light and installation of well designed ventilation and LED lighting etc are mostly exercisedpractices in the hotels of Gulmarg, Kashmir. The study revealed that eco friendly customer engagementpractices involve customers effectively and leaves an ever lasting impression on the customer and attractsthem again towards the destination.