Hectares Of Forest Land Research Articles

Impact of open pit coal mining on the forest landscape ecology using spatial metrics: a study of Barabani C.D. block, West Bengal

Mining is an extractive activity that creates pits, scars and waste dump especially when operated on open cast basis that not only degrades the landscape structure but also have significant impact over its functioning. There is a general consensus about the role of forest as an important entity of landscape structure in maintaining the ecological balance which is under immense pressure by the various anthropogenic activities like growth of built up area by means of urban industrial growth and expansion of mining area. This study has been conducted with an objective to assess the ecological health of the forest landscape and to analyse the land use land cover change in Barabini C.D. block of West Bengal, Eastern India where hectares of forest land has been greatly modified by open pit coal mining. The study has employed two satellite images of 2000 and 2017 to assess the land use land cover and spatial metrics of the study area. Modification of land use land cover to a large extent has been reported during the specified time, for instance, forest cover and agricultural land decreased considerably; built up area and mining area has been increased to a great extent. Landscape matrices of class level and landscape level concerning with the surface, shape, edge character and spatial distribution has been calculated to analyzed the spatio temporal character of the landscape. Increase in the landscape level spatial metrics value indicative of the development of a complex landscape structure with shrinking vegetative cover. The result of class level indices also reported that, the forest land not only fragmented by the formation of open cast pit but also experienced huge spatial loss over the specified time. This phenomenal change of the landscape structure is a matter of serious environmental concern that needs immediate attention for the sustainability of the region.

HOUSEHOLDS FUELWOOD CONSUMPTION IMPACT ON FOREST DEGRADATION IN THE CASE OF MOTTA DISTRICT, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA

Traditional energy sources like fuelwood, charcoal, cow dung, and crop residue are common for household domestic energy consumption in the majority people of the study area as well as in Ethiopia. However, information related the impact of household fuelwood consumption on forest degradation is limited in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the impacts on households' domestic fuelwood consumption on deforestation and forest degradation in Motta district northwest Ethiopia. A random sampling procedure was employed to select 140 sample households involved in the household survey. Then open ended and close ended semi structured questioners were provide for each sample household. In addition, sample bundle of fire wood and sack of charcoal were measured to quantify households’ traditional measuring unit into standardize biomass unit. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression was performed to examine household fuelwood impact on forest degradation and for identifying main determinant factors affecting households' daily fuelwood consumption. . The result revealed that farmers owned plantation is the main source of fuelwood consumption a species like Eucalyptus globulus. Annually they consumed 2.36 kg/household. Hence, the total communities consumption was around 3,635.51ton dried biomass of fuelwood which is estimated about 1.89 hectare of forest land is degraded due to households’ domestic energy consumption in the study area. The statistical regression analysis also revealed family size and their residence far from fuelwood source had statistically significant different. It is confirmed that household fuelwood consumption had negatively impact of forest resource development and accelerate deforestation and forest degradation rate. Hence, in order to solve deforestation and forest degradation due to forest dependence energy consumption; providing other alternative energy accessibility like electricity, solar energy, biogas, improved cook stove are recommended. KEYWORDS: Fuelwood, Charcoal, Forest degradation, Household energy, Household

Household Fuelwood Consumption Impact on Forest Degradation in The Case of Motta District, Northwest Ethiopia

Traditional energy sources like fuelwood, charcoal, cow dung, and crop residue are common for household domestic energy consumption in the majority people of the study area as well as in Ethiopia. However, information related the impact of household fuelwood consumption on forest degradation is limited in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the impacts on households' domestic fuelwood consumption on deforestation and forest degradation in Motta district northwest Ethiopia. A random sampling procedure was employed to select 140 sample households involved in the household survey. Then open ended and close ended semi structured questioners were provide for each sample household. In addition, sample bundle of fire wood and sack of charcoal were measured to quantify households’ traditional measuring unit into standardize biomass unit. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression was performed to examine household fuelwood impact on forest degradation and for identifying main determinant factors affecting households' daily fuelwood consumption. . The result revealed that farmers owned plantation is the main source of fuelwood consumption a species like Eucalyptus globulus . Annually they consumed 2.36 kg/household. Hence, the total communities consumption was around 3,635.51ton dried biomass of fuelwood which is estimated about 1.89 hectare of forest land is degraded due to households’ domestic energy consumption in the study area. The statistical regression analysis also revealed family size and their residence far from fuelwood source had statistically significant different. It is confirmed that household fuelwood consumption had negatively impact of forest resource development and accelerate deforestation and forest degradation rate. Hence, in order to solve deforestation and forest degradation due to forest dependence energy consumption; providing other alternative energy accessibility like electricity, solar energy, biogas, improved cook stove are recommended. Keywords: Fuelwood, Charcoal, Forest degradation, Household energy, Household DOI: 10.7176/JETP/10-4-02 Publication date: August 31 st 2020

Implications of Future Natural Gas Demand on Sugarcane Production, Land Use Change and Related Emissions in Brazil

Due to its low share of energy-related emissions, energy systems models have overlooked the implications of technological transition in the agricultural sector and its interaction in the wider energy system. This paper explores the role of agriculture intensification by using a novel agricultural-based energy systems model. The aim is to explore the future role of Brazil’s agriculture and its dynamics with other energy sectors under two carbon constraint scenarios. The main focus has been to study resource competition between sugarcane and natural gas at a country level. Results show that in order to meet the future food and bioenergy demand, the agricultural sector would start intensifying by 2030, improving productivity at the expense of higher energy demand; however, land-related emissions would be minimised due to freed-up pasture land and reduction in deforestation rates. Additionally, the development of balanced bioenergy and natural gas markets may help limit the sugarcane expansion rates, preserving up to 12.6 million hectares of forest land, with significant emissions benefits.

ENERGY WOOD STORES IN UNDERGROWTH OF FORESTS IN LATVIA

INTRODUCTION
 Forest resources are the most significant natural asset of the state of Latvia. According to data of the 2nd stage of forest resource monitoring for 2014, Latvia has 3575 thousand hectares of forest land comprising 55.3 percent of the total territory of Latvia, while the total timber stock is estimated at 668 million cubic meters (Bumanis et al., 2014).
 However, from the available data on forest resources it is only possible to theoretically and hypothetically state what proportion of these resources would be useful and economically justified as an energy supply. Each forest stand has a certain amount of undergrowth and understorey – small woody plants (shrubs) which have not been researched much until now. A precise determination of the amount of energy wood in Latvian forests would be of great benefit to the Latvian economy.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS
 Research data were collected in forests at the Jelgava Forest District “Forest Research Station”. The research was carried out in two forest subquarters of forest site type Myrtillosa mel. Eight circle-shaped sample plots were established. The area of each single plot was 25 m2.
 In the sample plots, the understorey and undergrowth trees were cut at the root neck. A sample was prepared from each tree harvested which was then sent for drying.
 The wood samples were transferred to "Forest and wood products research and development institute Ltd” for moisture determination. Total moisture content of the wood sample was determined according to standard LVS EN ISO 18134-2: 2016.
 RESULTS
 In the forest subquarter with a stand composition of 10Pine (66 years old) the sum biomass of undergrowth and understorey was 177.91 kg per sample plot. In the forest subquarter with a stand composition of 9Pine1Birch (88 years old) there was a total understorey tree mass of 180.9 kg but 16.17 kg of undergrowth per plot. This means there was more biomass in understorey than undergrowth in the site investigated.
 DISCUSSION
 When the tree stand was 10Pine (66 years old) the amount of dry matter to be extracted from all sample plots was 12.37 t ha-1 on average. In the forest subquarter with a stand composition of 9Pine1Birch (88 years old) the amount of dry mass is 10.24 t ha-1 on average.
 According to previous research, 7-20 t ha-1 of dry mass was obtained in Sweden, 7 to 12 t ha-1 in Poland, 6 to 14 t ha-1 in Germany and 8 to 12 t ha-1 in Latvia (Lazdina et al., 2010). There are also several researches papers which describe biomass from young hardwood stands on abandoned agricultural land in Canada: the values vary from 0,6 t ha-1 to 82,6 t ha-1 (Lupi et al., 2017). Consequently, a sufficient amount of biomass was obtained in the forest subquarters investigated in our research, which fits with the results of other studies carried out.
 CONCLUSION
 The volume of potential energy wood in undergrowth and understorey in Myrtillosa mel. forest site types is significant and it is advisable to use it as a raw material for energy production together with felling residues. However, it is necessary to evaluate the technical and technological capabilities from an economic perspective in each particular case.

Formation of Post-Fire Water Repellent Layers on Nothofagus glauca (Hualo) Forests, After the Historical “Las Máquinas” Wildfire in South-Central Chile

The Chilean summer of 2017 was the worst wildfire season by far. Hundreds of wildfires burned a total of more than half a million hectares of forested land (native forests and forest plantations). A significant portion of the burned area was occupied by Hualo (Nothofagus glauca (Phil.) Krasser), a native forest species widely distributed in central Chile. Using the water-drop-penetration-time method, post-fire water repellency was evaluated at different depths (on the mineral soil surface and 5 mm below it) for a Hualo stand. Comparative data were obtained from a neighboring 11-year-old Monterrey pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) plantation. Both stands were located near Santa Olga, one of the towns that were totally consumed by the wildfire. A Chi-Square statistical analysis was used to determine significant differences among stands and soil depths. Results suggested that the abundant Hualo native forest species exhibited strong potentials to form fire-induced water repellent layers. Differences were mainly in depth between the two species. As wildfires in Chile are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, the authors strongly recommend post-fire flood control practices on Hualo-burned drainage areas located upstream from human settlements, as well as erosion and sediment control techniques to avoid post-fire desertification processes.

Development and Evaluation of Black Spruce (Picea mariana (Miller) B.S.P.) Diameter Increment Models across Silvicultural Treatments in Northern Minnesota, USA

The black spruce cover type occupies roughly 10% of Minnesota’s 7 million hectares of forestland, and is an important species, both ecologically and economically. A clearcut regeneration harvest is the main silvicultural system in black spruce in this region. The effects of managing black spruce with alternative silvicultural methods in the Lake States remains largely understudied. Here, we examine a silviculture study in lowland black spruce to assess the performance of two diameter growth models fit to this data compared to a widely-used model. Six silvicultural treatments (clearcut strips, clearcut patches, thinning, group selection, single-tree selection, and shelterwood) and a control were treated and measured around 1950, with a follow-up measurement occurring 10 years later. Fixed- and mixed-effects growth-models were adapted from the previous work, and fit to 10,231 observations and compared to a recently released diameter growth model. The mixed-effects model using treatment, compartment, and plot as nested random effects outperformed the fixed-effects model, and outperformed a model proposed for use in the Lake States variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator that was fit to this data. This modeling approach of localized growth models across a wide-range of diameters (9.1–32.1 cm) more accurately predicted the diameter growth in lowland black spruce than the conventional approach of using separate models for large (>12.7 cm) and small (≤12.7 cm) diameter trees.

Does community-based forest management in Indonesia devolve social justice or social costs?

The Indonesian government is committed to allocating 12.7 million hectares of forest land to local communities through community-based forest management (CBFM) schemes. We analysed CBFM case studies from three provinces throughout the archipelago. In all cases, actions focused on nominal redistribution of land but ignored local participation and aspirations. CBFM was used as a tool to solve problems of forest tenure, legalization of forest communities and forest rehabilitation, rather than to empower communities and therefore address issues of social justice. Communities remained subject to land-use restrictions, limiting their opportunities. Their participation was often weak and limited to the village elites. Technical support to communities was almost inexistent, leaving them without the financial and technical skills required to run the schemes efficiently. The analysis indicates that redistribution of rights only serves social justice when the process recognises local aspirations and cultural values of participants.

From Problems to Potentials—The Urban Energy Transition of Gruž, Dubrovnik

In the challenge for a sustainable society, carbon-neutrality is a critical objective for all cities in the coming decades. In the EU City-zen project, academic partners collaborate to develop an urban energy transition methodology, which supports cities in making the energy transition to sustainable lifestyles and carbon neutrality. As part of the project, so-called Roadshows are organised in cities that wish to take the first step toward zero-energy living. Each Roadshow is methodologically composed to allow sustainability experts from across Europe to co-create designs, strategies and timelines with local stakeholders in order to reach this vital goal. Following a precursory investigative student workshop (the SWAT Studio), Dubrovnik was the third city to host the Roadshow in November 2016. During these events the characteristics of Dubrovnik, and the district of Gruž in particular, were systematically analysed, leading to useful insights into the current problems and potentials of the city. In close collaboration with local stakeholders, the team proposed a series of interventions, validated by the calculation of carbon emission, to help make Gruž, and in its wake the whole city of Dubrovnik, net zero energy and zero carbon. The vision presented to the inhabitants and its key city decision makers encompassed a path towards an attainable sustainable future. The strategies and solutions proposed for the Dubrovnik district of Gruž were able to reduce the current carbon sequestration compensation of 1200 hectares of forestland to only 67 hectares, an area achievable by urban reforestation projects. This paper presents the City-zen methodology of urban energy transition and that of the City-zen Roadshow, the analysis of the city of Dubrovnik, proposed interventions and the carbon impact, as calculated by means of the carbon accounting method discussed in the paper.

Оценка экономических последствий наблюдаемых и ожидаемых климатических изменений с учетом долгосрочных прогнозных сценариев развития лесного сектора

Economic consequences of climate change for the forest sector were calculated on the basis of data on changes in wood reserves as a result of an increase in the vegetation period, the sum of active temperatures and the total average annual increase for 1 ha of forest fund lands covered by forest vegetation, as well as the dynamics of the complex Nesterov’s fire danger index for weather conditions for the middle and end of the century for the 3rd, 4th and 5th classes of fire danger. Comparative analysis of the position of boundaries of natural and climatic zones at current time, middle and end of the century indicates a predictable shift of boundaries from south to north. The displacement of the boundaries of the natural and climatic zones will inevitably entail a change in the pedigree composition of the forest tracts in these territories. In particular, the gradual change of coniferous species for deciduous ones is predicted, which will directly affect the structure of forest resources. The economic consequences of predicted changes will be related both to the change in the species composition of forests and to the change in the average annual growth of wood. Due to the increase in the growing season and the sum of the active temperatures, an increase in the total average annual growth per hectare of forestland covered with vegetation, operational forests up to 2.9 m3/ha in the middle of the century and up to 3.2 m3/ha at the end of the century (at 2.6 m3/ha for the period of 2008-2014). Taking into account the cost of coniferous and deciduous wood by regions (in average prices in 2017), as well as the growth of productivity of plantations, by the middle of the century the value of forests in relation to 2014 will increase by 50.3%. By the end of the century, an increase up to 217% is expected from the level of 2014. By 2090, the boundaries of the southern taiga are expected to shift to the middle taiga. If current forest productivity continues, the valuation is expected to decline to 93.8% from the level of 2014. By the middle and the end of the century, the fire season is expected to increase, in aver-age for 4 days by 2050 and for 9 days by 2090. Due to this, the cost of extinguishing forest fires is likely to increase. On average, by regions, the increase in expenditures from 2016 to 2050 will be 2.3 million rubles per year, from 2051 to 2090 - 4.1 million rubles per year.

Распространение и плодоношение ежевики сизой в лесах степного Придонья

В результате 3-летних наблюдений (2012–2014 гг.) выявлены закономерности распространения ежевики сизой (Rubus caesius) в лесах степного Придонья, изучены показатели урожайности, определены ее возможные промысловые площади. Получены данные об экологической приуроченности вида, зависимости его продуктивности от мест произрастания и метеорологических условий. The article devoted to the study of the distribution and fruiting of blackberries PPE in different groups of types of natural forest steppe of the don area [1]. The study of non-timber forest resources presents a great interest from the point of view at intensification of forest management. However, currently in the Russian Federation, the most studied and widely used berry plants of family cranberry. The relevance of the article associated with fact that the BlackBerry grey, as an important non-wood resource of the southern forests of our country, poorly studied. In literature there are single works associated mainly with the geobotanical characteristics of this plant. An author on the basis of observations 2012-2014 identified the main regularities of the distribution of culture in different groups of forest types of the steppe of the don area, studied parameters of its productivity, also defined the possible fishing areas. In addition, the work presents the data of the dependence of the growth and fruiting of blackberries from the conditions of the habitat. For the time of the work examined more than 40 hectares of forest land, of which presents berries blue-gray of BlackBerry. It is established that the studied culture is found in all natural forestsof the steppe of the don area: the floodplain, arena and bairachny. However, the largest areas of berries noted in the floodplain of Don river. The maximum parameters of blue-gray BlackBerry recorded in birch arena band that has no underbrush and undergrowth. Minimal – oak forests bairachny Priceline in which non-enough illumination in combination with excessive moisture created unfavorable conditions for the development of the blue-gray BlackBerry. In addition, the author noted the high dependence of productivity of blue-gray BlackBerry from lighting habitats. Well-lighting areas of forest are preferable to fruit culture, and the lack of light leaded to the growth of young shoots, which shading fruit-bearing and reducing the overall productivity of berry. In conclusion, we presented preliminary findings on the research topic, confirming the confinement of field berries blue-grey blackberry to certain groups of forest types.

Land Use/Land Cover Change and its Effects on Bamboo Forest in Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia

Bamboo deforestation has become a serious problem in Ethiopia threatening the bamboo biodiversity and the people who depend on bamboo income. Previous studies mostly emphasize on mechanical, physical and biological characterization of the lowland bamboo. Earlier studies rarely relay on measuring the trend and magnitude of bamboo deforestation. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to examine the rate and magnitude of bamboo deforestation and identify the driving factors of LU/LC change. Data for the study were obtained from geographic information system (GIS) with ground verification. To supplement the GIS and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) result, a random sample of 384 households was interviewed. In addition, key informants interview and focus group discussions were held to validate the required data. The result generally revealed the declining state of bamboo forest over the past 26 years. The 2006 year’s NDVI value shows that a household owned 3.846 hectares of forest land. The result indicated a decline in forest to 2.027 hectare in 2012. The result showed 52.704 percent decline in forest land cover. Moreover, the survey result indicated that from 2009-2013, about a 0.014 hectares of bamboo forest was converted to agricultural land. On average, a household has converted an average of 0.081 hectares of forestland into agriculture land. Our evidence also shows that the lowland bamboo forest cover in the region has devastated due to anthropogenic and natural factors. This result implies that if the same trend continues, the available bamboo stock will vanish in shorter period of time. Therefore, quick rehabilitation and mass bamboo restocking policy shall be designed by the regional government in order to regenerate and conserve the lowland bamboo resources.

Invasive forest defoliator contributes to the impending downward trend of oak dominance in eastern North America

Disturbanceby non-native insect species can be an important ecological driver shaping long-term changes in vegetation and plant species composition. While impacts of gypsy moth (Lymatria dispar L.) outbreaks in North American forests have been extensively studied, the results are quite inconsistent, particularly with respect to the amount of tree mortality associated with defoliation. In this study, we integrate geographical data describing historical gypsy moth defoliation with forest inventory data collected by a national forest inventory programme to quantify regional impacts across several million hectares of forest land in the northeastern US. While observed increases in host tree mortality rates and decreases in growth rates associated with defoliation were expected, the study also indicates that this overstory mortality, coupled with ongoing declines in oak regeneration, will result in a long-term reduction of oak density in defoliated areas. Eventually, these impacts will likely contribute to regional shifts in tree species composition and forest succession pathways. Gypsy moth outbreaks thus appear to exacerbate ongoing declines in young oak age classes in the region.

Valuation of timber production and carbon sequestration on Järvselja nature protection area

Abstract Järvselja nature protection area was established in order to preserve and introduce virgin forests, to protect old natural forests, old deciduous forests and habitats of different species. At the same time the stands of nature protection area provide other benefits having both use and non-use values. The goal of the study is to assess the monetary value of the two components of forest ecosystem: timber production and carbon sequestration. The value of timber expresses to forest owners and policy-makers the opportunity cost of nature protection. The carbon sequestration represents the value of new service, highly appreciated in the context of climate policy. While a market for timber and carbon exists, the market-price method has been used for valuation. The data for calculations was obtained from the materials of forest inventory carried out in 2010 by the Department of Forest Management, Estonian University of Life Sciences. According to the calculations the theoretical long-term average value of timber is 325 euros per hectare. The monetary value of timber production is approximately three times higher compared to average productivity of Estonian private forests. The guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the inventories of greenhouse gases were used when transforming the growing stock and dead stem timber into biomass and finally into carbon and carbon dioxide. According to the price 4.62 € per ton of tradeable carbon equivalent in autumn 2013, the value of carbon sequestration on Järvselja nature protection area could be estimated 1473 € per hectare of forest land. Because of the high age of stands on nature protection area, the role of forests as a sequestrator of CO2 is remarkable compared to commercial forests. The accumulation of carbon in old-growth natural forests is close to zero, but they still fulfil the role of being a carbon pool.

Human-Asian wild elephant (Elephas maximus) conflicts and its socio-economic consequences in and around the protected areas of Central Terai, Nepal

The study was carried out in and around the two protected areas of Central Terai, Nepal with the primary aim of assessing the socio economic losses due to human-wild elephant conflicts. The field work was conducted during May 2010 to April 2011 through field observation, household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Loss of 50 houses and 15 lives were noticed during the study period in the study sites whereas five wild elephants were killed during 2005–2010. An estimated amount of about NRs. 2,000,000 (US$ 25,165) was found as the economic loss due to crop raiding by elephants in Parsa District for the year 2009; whereas it was slightly less to a level of about NRs. 1,600,000 (US$ 20,289) in the year 2010. However, the economic loss due to crop damage by wild elephants raiding in the Buffer Zone (BZ) of the Chitwan National Park (CNP) was nearly half of the Parsa District. The per household economic loss from crop damages were estimated to be around NRs 5,000 (US$ 65.96) and NRS 6,135 (US$ 77.67) in Parsa District and the BZ of the CNP respectively. About 1000 hectares of forestland have been found to be occupied by about 650 families in and around the buffer zone of the CNP and Parsa Wildlife Reserve (PWR). Compensatory relief for victimized families are the immediate solution in reducing the conflict whereas cultivation of unpalatable crops in and around the elephant routes as well as practice of agro-forestry are some of the long term solution in the habitat of wild elephants.Banko Janakari, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 47-54

Global forest area disturbance from fire, insect pests, diseases and severe weather events

Reliable global data on forest degradation and disturbances due to fire, insect pests, diseases and severe weather are important to understand ecosystem health and condition, safeguard production of goods and services and avoid negative impacts on human livelihoods. This paper presents a global analysis of forest area affected by fire, significant insect pest outbreaks, diseases and severe weather reported by countries as part of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015. Between 2003 and 2012, approximately 67million hectares (1.7%) of forest land burned annually, mostly in tropical South America and Africa. In a similar reporting period, in total 142million hectares of forest land were affected by other disturbances than fire. Insect pests affected more than 85million hectares of forest, of which a major part was in temperate North America. Severe weather disturbed over 38million hectares, mostly in Asia. About 12.5million hectares were reported to be disturbed by diseases, mostly in Asia and Europe. There were strong correlations between burned forest area and the area of partial canopy cover reduction, as well as between burned forest area and net forest loss. Partial canopy cover reduction is used as a proxy for forest degradation, although it also includes land under management that is not degraded. A decreasing trend in burned forest area was found, largely accounted for by decreased area burned within the last ten years in tropical South America. However, an increasing trend in burned forest area was found in the boreal climatic domain. The data on other disturbances was not suitable for determining any year on year correlations and should be improved in future data collection exercises.

FORESTRY LAND USE IN THE CARPATHIAN REGION OF UKRAINE

Based on the data of the State Land Cadastre it was analyzed the structure and geography of the land resources of the Carpathian region of Ukraine both in terms of administrative areas and within land-use lanes. It was defined the changes that have occurred in the structure of land fund and especially of its distribution by landowners, land users, for the period of Ukraine’s independence. Natural factors of land use and features of economic activity in the region led to the dominance of agricultural and forestry land use type. Lately activelywere developed the environmental, recreational and wellness types of land use that helps to improve the environmental situation and creates a positive image of the region. This paper analyzes the current state of forest lands in the Carpathian region of Ukraine and set the main directions for their use. Forest lands in the region in the early stages of human evolution were the basis of appropriate land use (hunting and gathering). In the process of economicdevelopment in the region was destroyed about 1.9 million ha, 1.1 million hectares of which is used for arable land. The Carpathian region of Ukraine is dominated by operational form of forestry land use and 148.3 hectares of forest land (6.9%) are used as protected areas. Small areas of forest land in the region are set aside for recreation (10.8 ha) and recovery (183.8 hectares). Protective forest plantations in the region is 35.5 thousand hectares (1.5%),which leads to the development of the degradation process and reduces the stability of natural and man-made landscapes. The vast majority of forest land in the region is transferred for use to 293 forest enterprises, most of which are located in Zakarpatska and Ivano-Frankivska regions.

Forest Administration in Romania: Frequent Problems and Expectations

The aim of this study is to describe the status and evolution of forest management in Romania in terms of forest regime, as well as to highlight the most frequent problems and common expectations of forest district managers. Underlying the presented results are an analysis of the compiled statistical indicators used in Romanian forestry and the outcome of a sociological survey conducted on a sample of 345 forest district managers. In early 2013, over 4.4 million hectares of state, public and private forest land were administered by state and experimental forest districts, and over 1.7 million hectares of forest land, other than state-owned, by private forest districts. Note that approximately 0.36 million hectares (over 5% of Romania’s forest area) are not in the care of specialized units, contrary to the legal provisions. The most frequent problems faced by forest district managers arise in relation to the owners of forests or are caused by illegal logging. This study is a contribution to making the concrete problems faced by foresters and especially the structure and ownership related characteristics of forestland the driving force of legislative changes in the forestry sector.

Mountain Pine Beetles, Salvage Logging, and Hydrologic Change: Predicting Wet Ground Areas

The mountain pine beetle epidemic in British Columbia has covered 18.1 million hectares of forest land showing the potential for exceptionally large-scale disturbance to influence watershed hydrology. Pine stands killed by the epidemic can experience reduced levels of evapotranspiration and precipitation interception, which can translate into an increase in soil moisture as observed by some forest practitioners during salvage logging in the epicenter of the outbreak. They reported the replacement of summer ground, dry firm soil areas, with winter ground areas identified by having wetter, less firm soils upon which forestry equipment operation is difficult or impossible before winter freeze-up. To decrease the likelihood of soil disturbance from harvesting, a set of hazard indicators was developed to predict wet ground areas in areas heavily infested by the mountain pine beetle. Hazard indicators were based on available GIS data, aerial photographs, and local knowledge. Indicators were selected by an iterative process that began with office-based selection of potential indicators, model development and prediction, field verification, and model refinement to select those indicators that explained most field data variability. Findings indicate that the most effective indicators were lodgepole pine content, understory, drainage density, soil texture, and the topographic index.

Decentralization and Environmental Governance in Multicultural Areas: Lessons from Two Colombian Communities

Most Latin American countries recognized the right to self-determination of ethnic groups and became precursors in community forest management. The paper takes the case of Colombia to evaluate how multicultural areas have adapted to these reforms. I evaluate the effect of local politics on ethnic organizations and environmental governance by comparing an indigenous community settling 1,300 hectares of forested land in Karmata Rua (Antioquia) and a riverine Afro-Colombian community addressing the environmental effects of a hydroelectric company in the Anchicaya River (Valle). The paper argues that in multicultural areas, ethno-political autonomy may lead to environmental governance. Autonomy is affected by the scale and characteristics of ethnic territories and their natural resources, social movement dynamics, type of state presence and inter-government relations, and the reciprocal recognition and adaptation of consuetudinary and statutory norms within multiple layers of governance. I conclude that autonomy rights depend on local faculties to oversee government actions and synchronize customary and statutory rights. This is more likely to happen in the presence of strong social movements that support community empowerment and facilitate governance technology transfers compelling cooperation or acquiescence from government, and other powerful groups. I draw information from primary and secondary documents, participant observation and interviews with stakeholders.