Vegetation Management Research Articles

Incentives for self-evacuation: A panacea for bushfire fatalities in the Australian bushfire-prone areas

Recurring bushfire disasters have shaped the Australian landscape for over 110 years. Despite this, there has been a rise in the migration of residents into bushfire-prone areas, resulting in increased fatalities. This study investigated incentives that could encourage householders to self-evacuate from bushfire-prone areas during bushfires to address this issue. An inductive approach was adopted, utilizing thirty semi-structured interviews with participants in the southeastern part of New South Wales because the region was the most severely affected during the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. The study found that about 41% of residents needed to be aware of existing incentives. In addition, we identified 13 potential incentives that could encourage early self-evacuation during bushfires. These incentives include information and communication, adequacy of resourcing rural fire service, bushfire education programmes, vegetation management, emergency accommodation, financial assistance, access roads availability, security and property protection, affordable insurance coverage, alternative power supply, property preparation assistance, return access to the property, and improved development approval procedures. The findings provided valuable insights into the incentives that could influence householders’ decisions to self-evacuate during bushfires. The recommendations were based on these findings, suggesting that future studies consider a broader range of participants and geographical areas to enhance the generalizability of findings. The outcomes can be a valuable reference for policymakers and emergency agencies to develop and implement strategies to encourage early self-evacuation during bushfires, thus reducing fatalities.

Effect of climate change on the seasonal variation in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation coverage in desert areas, Northwest China

Efficient prediction of the response of vegetation to future climate change requires an in depth understanding of the effect of climate change on the land cover by photosynthetic (fPV) and non-photosynthetic vegetation (fNPV) and its driving mechanism. Here, we aimed to estimate fPV and fNPV, and analyze the impacts of climate factors on their seasonal variability in the arid desert of northwestern China. First, optimal vegetation indices (VIs) were selected to estimate fPV and fNPV based on measured spectral reflectance, and the accuracy of estimated fPV and fNPV using Sentinel-2 images was evaluated with data from an unmannedaerialvehicle (UAV). Then, partial correlation, multi-correlation and time‐lag effect analyses were used to obtain the correlation coefficients and lag times between fPV, fNPV and climate change. The results showed that Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Dead Fuel Index (DFI) were the optimal VIs to estimate fPV and fNPV in the desert, with the accuracy of 67 and 52 % for fPV and fNPV, respectively. The average fPV and fNPV were 8.15 and 9.26 % from March to November, their seasonal variability was consistent with plant phenology, and there was a decrease in fPV and fNPV from east to west with a decrease in precipitation. The variability in fPV was driven by precipitation while that of fNPV was dominated bytemperature. The time-lag of temperature and precipitation effect on fPV was 1.28 ± 1.28 and 1.61 ± 1.16 months, respectively, and on fNPV was 1.28 ± 1.2 and 1.19 ± 1.24 months, respectively. The time-lag of temperature-precipitation interaction on fPV and fNPV were 1.4 ± 1.22 and 1.2 ± 1.28 months, respectively. Accumulated precipitation had a positive effect on fPV and a negative effect on fNPV, while the impact of accumulated temperature was the opposite. We conclude that there were time-lag and cumulative effects of climate change on fPV and fNPV variability in desert areas. This study helps us better understand the climate-vegetation interactions and provides a scientific basis for desert vegetation management under climate change.

Vegetables Production and Management Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities by Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia

The production of vegetables is very important to Ethiopia's economy and various types of vegetables can grow in Ethiopia. However, despite the existing potentials, smallholder vegetable farms are based on low input–low output production system in the country. The production is run by smallholder farmers and is located on a relatively small part of land. In the same way, there is inadequate knowledge on improved vegetables production practices, challenges and opportunities by smallholder farmers in the country and public research on vegetable crops was negligible. To this end, this review was aimed to assess practices of vegetable production and management, challenges of vegetable production and management and opportunity of vegetable production by small holder farming household. The review found that, vegetable production practices and management are not the primary activity for the majority of smallholder farming households in the country; rather, they are seen as a supplement to the production of major crops. It was mainly based on traditional farming system. Further the review found out that, lack of access to credit, limited supply of improved seed, marketing and market information, appropriate management techniques, appropriate disease and insect pest control measures, outbreak of new disease and pest are among the main challenges of vegetable production in the country. This is mainly because of the limited resource allocation to research and development including the extension services. Finally, the review recommends that, in promoting vegetable producer households, diversified and intensified agricultural farming, and problems related to extension service and research, credit service, disease and pest control, market and marketing information, and provision of modern agricultural inputs should be addressed by concerned bodies.

Distribution system resilience improvement against hurricanes: optimal line hardening according to reconfiguration potentials

AbstractIn recent years, there has been a notable increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters related to global warming. Large‐scale blackouts caused by natural disasters demonstrate the extreme vulnerability of power systems to these devastations. Resilience planning is the key to preparing power systems for natural disasters by enhancing the vital infrastructure's robustness. This paper proposes a new resilience improvement framework based on resiliency assessment and optimal hardening to improve the distribution system's resiliency against hurricanes. The main goal is to find the optimal distribution system line hardening solution according to reconfiguration potentials after the hurricane to minimize the distribution system cost of energy not supplied. Fragility curves and Monte Carlo simulations are used for the distribution system resilience assessment. Poles and conductors are vulnerable components of distribution system lines; therefore, two hardening strategies have been outlined using measures like replacing old poles with new poles, upgrading pole classes, and vegetation management. This method is modelled as an optimization program considering budget limitations and load priorities and implemented by a genetic algorithm on the IEEE 33‐bus standard network. The results show that optimal line hardening according to network reconfiguration potentials significantly increased the distribution system's resilience.

The City of Penticton’s comprehensive approach to wildfire risk reduction

From 2017 to 2023, British Columbians experienced four record-breaking wildfire seasons, resulting in reduced air quality, mass evacuations and the destruction of homes, properties and livelihoods. Wildfire risk reduction is vital to breaking the sequence of disaster that has befallen such communities as Kelowna, BC in 2003, Ft. McMurray, AB in 2016, and Lytton, BC in 2021. As the City of Penticton (‘the City’) is located in a wildfire-prone environment, its Fire Department, FireSmart Team and Emergency Program have worked closely together to facilitate a proactive and comprehensive approach towards reducing the impacts of wildfire on Penticton’s neighbourhoods, businesses and residents through a variety of wildfire mitigation initiatives. This paper discusses the City’s efforts to achieve a holistic wildfire risk management plan through alignment with the seven disciplines of FireSmart and the four pillars of emergency management, namely: the use of education; land use planning and development considerations; vegetation management; emergency planning; and cross training and interagency cooperation. The paper describes the challenges the City has faced, as well its successes, and provides recommendations to help other local authorities reduce the risk of wildfire in their communities.

Herbicide alternatives in boreal and northern temperate forests of Ontario and Quebec: A compendium of studies

There is increasing concern across Canada regarding the use of chemical herbicides in forestry. In Quebec, the use of herbicides for forest management on public lands has been discontinued since 2001, and there is mounting pressure to eliminate or greatly reduce their use in Ontario. To this end, we present a digital compendium of studies that assess the medium to longer-term effectiveness of a range of vegetation management treatments in boreal and northern temperate forests of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. For inclusion, studies must have: (1) followed responses for five years or longer, or been a component of a larger project that did so; (2) included at least one silvicultural experiment type (i.e., harvest, site preparation, regeneration and/or tending); (3) included tree or other vegetation-related metrics as response variable(s); and (4) been located in or relevant to boreal or northern temperate forests of Ontario and Quebec. We classified study sites using a bioregional ecological framework that reflects site, substrate and overstory and understory vegetation characteristics relevant to vegetation management. The finalized compendium is open-access and can be used to synthesize knowledge on the silvicultural effectiveness of various herbicide alternatives, assess knowledge gaps, and identify candidate sites for re-measurement.

Urban lawn vegetation structure impact arthropod abundance and cattle egret foraging success

The vegetation in urban green spaces is often managed by means of machines and/or pesticides including herbicides for aesthetics without regard to the potential consequences on arthropods, particularly insect abundance, and the animals, especially birds, that feed on insects and other arthropods. Using the green spaces on the University of Cape Coast campus and cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) that feed there as a test case, we investigated the influence of arthropod abundance and vegetation structure on the foraging success of cattle egrets. To achieve this, we measured the foraging efficiency (FE) and capture rate (CR) of cattle egrets, and their correlations with arthropod abundance, vegetation height, vegetation cover, and mode of vegetation clearing during the wet and dry seasons. Foraging cattle egrets were surveyed along seven permanent transects three times for each season. Using sweep nets and pitfall traps, arthropods were sampled at six randomly selected locations within each transect where cattle egrets were recorded. General linear models showed that arthropod abundance did not differ between seasons and was positively correlated with FE but not with CR. Moreover, arthropod abundance was positively related to the number of days since vegetation clearing but not to vegetation height, vegetation cover, or vegetation clearing method. Vegetation height and vegetation cover were negatively correlated with CR but not with FE. Also, CR was significantly higher in machine-cleared areas than in cutlass-cleared areas. Collectively, these findings highlight the influence of vegetation management practices, particularly machine-clearing, on arthropod abundance and its implications for avian foraging success in urban green spaces. The relationship between arthropod abundance and foraging efficiency emphasizes the importance of sustainable vegetation management strategies to support bird populations in urban environments.

Ecological restoration of coastal wetlands in China: Current status and suggestions

Globally, coastal wetlands have experienced extensive loss and degradation over the past half-century. Ecological restoration is widely recognized as essential for maintaining ecosystem services. China has increased restoration efforts over the past twenty years, but there has been limited understanding of restoration's effectiveness. Through a review of 86 coastal wetland restoration projects in China, we analyzed restoration objectives, restoration measures, funding sources, and restoration effectiveness. We found that quantitative restoration objectives were unavailable from 90.7 % of those projects; active restoration was the primary measure (94.2 %), with vegetation management (40.6 %), topography modification (28.6 %), and hydrological regulation (24.8 %) being the main techniques. Restoration funding came mainly from governments (94.7 %), and the restoration costs per unit area decreased as the restoration area increased. Unrestored wetlands were mainly (75.6 %) used as references for restoration effectiveness evaluation, generally using species diversity (54.7 %) and physicochemical traits (48.8 %) as indicators. Most restorations were deemed as effective (89.5 %). We propose the following for future coastal wetland restorations: setting quantitative restoration targets focusing on protecting threatened species and enhancing ecological services; combining active with passive restoration measures that employ ecosystems' self-healing capabilities; expanding funding sources through diversified stakeholder collaborations; and establishing a comprehensive evaluation system for restoration effectiveness that includes ecosystem functions. This study provides a reference for the design, implementation, and adaptive management of future coastal wetland restoration in China and other coastal countries.

Vegetation Type Mapping in Southern Patagonia and Its Relationship with Ecosystem Services, Soil Carbon Stock, and Biodiversity

Vegetation Type (VT) mapping using Optical Earth observation data is essential for the management and conservation of natural resources, as well as for the evaluation of the supply of provisioning ecosystem services (ESs), the maintenance of ecosystem functions, and the conservation of biodiversity in anthropized environments. The main objective of the present work was to determine the spatial patterns of VTs related to climatic, topographic, and spectral variables across Santa Cruz province (Southern Patagonia, Argentina) in order to improve our understanding of land use cover at the regional scale. Also, we examined the spatial relationship between VTs and potential biodiversity (PB), ESs, and soil organic content (SOC) across our study region. We sampled 59,285 sites sorted into 19 major categories of land cover with a reliable discrimination level from field measurements. We selected 31 potential predictive environmental dataset covariates, which represent key factors for the spatial distribution of land cover such as climate (four), topography (three), and spectral (24) factors. All covariate maps were generated or uploaded to the Google Earth Engine cloud-based computing platform for subsequent modeling. A total of 270,292 sampling points were used for validation of the obtained classification map. The main land cover area estimates extracted from the map at the regional level identified about 142,085 km2 of grasslands (representing 58.1% of the total area), 38,355 km2 of Mata Negra Matorral thicket (15.7%), and about 25,189 km2 of bare soil (10.3%). From validation, the Overall Accuracy and the Kappa coefficient values for the classification map were 90.40% and 0.87, respectively. Pure and mixed forests presented the maximum SOC (11.3–11.8 kg m−2), followed by peatlands (10.6 kg m−2) and deciduous Nothofagus forests (10.5 kg m−2). The potential biodiversity was higher in some shrublands (64.1% in Mata Verde shrublands and 63.7% in mixed shrublands) and was comparable to those values found for open deciduous forests (Nothofagus antarctica forest with 60.4%). The provision of ESs presented maximum values at pure evergreen forests (56.7%) and minimum values at some shrubland types (Mata Negra Matorral thicket and mixed shrubland) and steppe grasslands (29.7–30.9%). This study has provided an accurate land cover and VT map that provides crucial information for ecological studies, biodiversity conservation, vegetation management and restoration, and regional strategic decision-making.

Prospects for the formation of forest-pasture systems: experience of the European Union for Ukraine

The article examines the conceptual foundations of agroforestry systems, particularly their priority and prospects for developing regenerative agriculture in Ukraine and the EU. The types of agroforestry improvement are highlighted and their role in combating soil erosion, increasing biodiversity and carbon sequestration is determined. The socio-economic value of introducing, maintaining, stabilizing and expanding the practice of forest-pastoral systems is not in doubt from the point of view of providing ecosystem services and assessing risks. The experience of European countries was studied, and the ecological, social and economic advantages of successfully implementing forest-pastoral practices were revealed. Using the example of the traditional agroforestry system of the farming and cattle-breeding region in Portugal, the experience of harmonious cultivation of oaks, cover vegetation, and grazing cows, sheep, goats, and pigs was studied. The possibility of introducing a similar model of the existence and interaction of trees, plants, and livestock under human control in Ukraine was substantiated. It is argued that rational management of such territories aims to balance resource use and preserve the natural environment and biodiversity is an integral process. The advantages and disadvantages of forest pastures are analyzed, and measures for their care and improvement of functioning are proposed. In particular, for the forest-pasture systems of the Ukrainian Carpathians, the integration of summer seasonal grazing of cattle, sheep, and goats on meadows is necessary to support the gradual revival of meadows. The need for soil protection, water regulation, and climate-creating reproduction of the Carpathian region has been proven, taking into account changes in the modern state's spatial structure, productivity, and features. The social value and economic efficiency of introducing forest-pasture systems as an integral nature-oriented solution, which is gaining popularity at the European and world level and is an apt example of the ecological direction of balanced development, is emphasized. Forest pastures in Ukraine are important both for the agricultural sector and for the preservation of natural resources and biological diversity. It is important to ensure proper management of these territories for the purpose of balanced use of resources and preservation of the natural environment.

Beef production systems with dairy × beef heifers based on forage and semi-natural grassland

ABSTRACT Beef production on semi-natural grassland provides meat and nature conservation of biodiverse habitats. In this study, heifers born to a dairy cow and an Angus (ANG) or Charolais (CHA) sire were allocated to a HIGH or LOW production system, varying in indoor feed intensity, number of summers on grass and slaughter age. CHA crosses had higher liveweight gain, conformation score, and proportion of high-value retail cuts than ANG crosses, which had higher scores for fatness and marbling. The LOW system gave lower liveweight gain and carcasses with lower fatness scores than the HIGH system. CHA-LOW had leaner carcasses than the other groups. Per kilogram salable meat produced, ANG-HIGH, CHA-HIGH, ANG-LOW, and CHA-LOW resulted in 18, 15, 58, and 46 m2 grazed semi-natural grassland. These results indicate that dairy × beef heifers can be used for nature conservation grazing of semi-natural grassland while still achieving acceptable performance and market-oriented carcass characteristics.

High spatiotemporal asynchrony between water deficit and nitrate accumulation under apple orchards in deep loess deposits

Understanding the relationship between water and nitrate in soils is critical to agricultural production and aquifer vulnerability assessments, especially in regions with intensive agricultural activities and thick unsaturated zones. Deep soils usually record long-term variations in coupling water and nitrate processes, influenced by multiple environmental factors. As such, this study aims to investigate water and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–−N) contents and their relationships in soil profiles of 13–23 m deep under farmland and neighboring apple orchards with different ages. Soil properties were considered to explore the individual effect of a single factor or combined effects of multiple factors by wavelet analysis and partial least squares path models. Compared with farmland, apple orchards had large water deficit and NO3–−N accumulation due to root water uptake and synthetic fertilizer inputs, with high spatiotemporal asynchrony in deep unsaturated zones. Specifically, water deficit and NO3–−N accumulation were respectively observed in relatively stable (5–15 m) and active layers (0–5 m, spatial asynchrony), with higher water deficit rates under young apple trees (e.g., 12 and 22 years old) but larger NO3–−N accumulation rates under old apple trees (e.g., 23–32 years old, temporal asynchrony), respectively. Under farmland and orchard, soil texture-organic carbon regulated soil water movement, while soil water-organic carbon affected nitrate transport and transformation processes, which further altered soil pH and electric conductivity conditions in deep vadose zones. The growth of apple trees leads to asynchronous water depletion and fertilizer accumulation in soils, and the > 20 years apple trees are limited by insufficient water despite the excessive fertilizer. The dried soil layers not only reduce potential groundwater recharge, but also prolong the residence time of nitrate bombs in thick unsaturated zones. This study provides essential information for sustainable management of vegetation and water resources, and benefits the complicated hydrological and biogeochemical cycles in thick vadose zones.

Effects of different land-use planning instruments on urban shrub and tree canopy cover in Zurich, Switzerland

Sustainable urban development requires not only dense and land-saving construction, but also a large share of urban vegetation. A planned unit development (PUD) is a land-use planning instrument that is often used to improve urban quality in urban renewal and densification worldwide. In this study, we analyse the influence of PUDs on urban vegetation in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, by contrasting them with conventional zoning. We modelled the share of shrub and tree canopy cover per neighbourhood block using generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMM), with the type of planning instrument as the focal predictor amongst other control variables known from the literature to be influential on urban vegetation. Results show that PUDs are associated with significantly less urban vegetation cover than conventional zoning. This is unexpected and raises concerns. Given how important PUDs are as levers for improving urban quality, their observed inability to promote valuable shrub and tree structures leads us to recommend that good landscape planning and long-term management of (existing and new) urban vegetation be included as an additional standard criterion of high priority in the assessment of future PUDs.

Vegetables Production and Management Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities by Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia

The production of vegetables is very important to Ethiopia's economy and various types of vegetables can grow in Ethiopia. However, despite the existing potentials, smallholder vegetable farms are based on low input–low output production system in the country. The production is run by smallholder farmers and is located on a relatively small part of land. In the same way, there is inadequate knowledge on improved vegetables production practices, challenges and opportunities by smallholder farmers in the country and public research on vegetable crops was negligible. To this end, this review was aimed to assess practices of vegetable production and management, challenges of vegetable production and management and opportunity of vegetable production by small holder farming household. The review found that, vegetable production practices and management are not the primary activity for the majority of smallholder farming households in the country; rather, they are seen as a supplement to the production of major crops. It was mainly based on traditional farming system. Further the review found out that, lack of access to credit, limited supply of improved seed, marketing and market information, appropriate management techniques, appropriate disease and insect pest control measures, outbreak of new disease and pest are among the main challenges of vegetable production in the country. This is mainly because of the limited resource allocation to research and development including the extension services. Finally, the review recommends that, in promoting vegetable producer households, diversified and intensified agricultural farming, and problems related to extension service and research, credit service, disease and pest control, market and marketing information, and provision of modern agricultural inputs should be addressed by concerned bodies.

Channel morphological change monitoring using high-resolution LiDAR-derived DEM and multi-temporal imageries

Natural processes and human activities both cause morphological changes in channels. Remote sensing products are often used to assess planform changes, but they tend to overlook vertical changes. However, considering both planform and vertical changes is crucial for a comprehensive evaluation of morphological changes. Using spatiotemporal aerial imagery and topographic data, remote sensing plays a vital role in evaluating channel morphological changes and flood-carrying capacity. This study aimed to investigate the morphological changes of a creek in an urban catchment using very high-resolution remote sensing products. In this study, we developed a new framework for investigating overall channel morphology change by employing very high-resolution aerial imagery and a LiDAR-derived digital elevation model (DEM). By digitizing channel boundaries using ArcGIS Pro 3.0, and analyzing various morphological parameters, erosion, and deposition patterns, we examined the impact of urban expansion and infrastructure development on channel adjustments. Channel adjustments have been performed in the case study catchment (Dry Creek, South Australia, Australia) due to urban expansion and development of infrastructure in the downstream reaches. Our findings revealed a significant southwest shift in the planform of the channel, with a maximum shift of 478 m and an average shift of 217 m since 1998. This alteration resulted in an increase in the sinuosity index reaching 1.2. Over the period from 2018 to 2022, the channel experienced a net deposition depth of 3.4 cm to 3.6 cm in downstream reaches. The annual deposition volume in the downstream reaches was 1963 m3, necessitating regular desilting to prevent channel capacity loss and flooding in the surrounding environment. This study also highlights the incremental growth of riparian vegetation within the channel, which affects surface roughness, channel slope, and carrying capacity. These findings provide a valuable baseline for future investigations into stream channel morphology changes and emphasize the importance of implementing appropriate measures such as desilting and vegetation management to mitigate deposition levels, reduce flood risks, and enhance the overall health and functionality of Dry Creek. The framework used in this study can be applied to other case studies employing reliable and high-resolution remote sensing data products.

Seeding and transplanting native forbs on reclamation sites in Alberta, Canada

A growing number of industrial disturbances are reclaimed with native grass species, although use of many native forbs in reclamation is limited due to low availability, high expense, poor germination, and lack of information on how to successfully establish them. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess the performance (establishment, growth, and survival) of native forbs (10 species by seeding and 12 species by transplanting) on disturbed sites planted in different seasons (spring and fall) and subjected to different types of vegetation management (mowed and unmowed). All seeded forb species established successfully, although density of most of the native forbs was very low (<20 stems/plot). Transplanted forb species established well, with 65% of seedlings surviving two growing seasons. Establishment and survival of seeded and transplanted native forbs were associated with plant competition, where forbs established well with annual weeds and less successfully with perennial weeds. Both spring seeding and transplanting increased forb establishment; and seeding and transplanting in fall versus spring produced more seed. Mowing generally had limited effects on forbs. Of the seeded species, Vicia americana, Achillea millefolium, and Ratibida columnifera consistently had the highest densities across treatments, whereas spring transplanting increased establishment of Anemone cylindrica, Gaillardia aristata, Geum triflorum, Monarda fistulosa, and Dalea purpurea. Spring‐transplanted forbs spread over a larger area than fall‐transplanted forbs. In most cases, seeding and transplanting native forbs in the spring can be more effective than in fall to reclaim disturbed sites if land management practices are used to control perennial weeds.

Evaluation of landscaping and vegetation management to suppress host-seeking Ixodes scapularis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) nymphs on residential properties in Connecticut, USA.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are of increasing concern across the United States, particularly in the Northeast. Ixodes scapularis Say (Ixodida: Ixodidae) remains the primary vector for the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi (Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner). Prior studies established that I. scapularis can be found in greatest abundance in the 1-m forested ecotone surrounding the lawn edge in residential backyards. Our study was conducted on 42 properties in Guilford, CT, and sought to expand upon this premise by determining which key habitat features were associated with increased densities of host-seeking I. scapularis nymphs. We quantified nymphal abundances in 19 different habitat types that were posited to influence densities. We determined that nymphal I. scapularis densities were greatest in forested areas closest to lawn edges with leaf litter or understory vegetation present, as well as short lawns adjacent to woodland edges. Additionally, we determined that there were no significant declines in nymphal I. scapularis density where leaf litter was removed, lawns were left unmowed, or woodchip barriers were installed. Bird feeders and woodpiles were not associated with increased nymphal I. scapularis densities. However, areas adjacent to stone walls did have nearly 3 times the density of I. scapularis nymphs present compared with habitats without stone walls. The culmination of the results from this study can be utilized to create more targeted acaricide applications rather than broadcast spraying, as well as increase homeowner awareness for areas with heightened risk for exposure to nymphal I. scapularis, which are deemed the most epidemiologically important species and stage for pathogen transfer to humans.

Vegetables Production and Management Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities by Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia

The production of vegetables is very important to Ethiopia's economy and various types of vegetables can grow in Ethiopia. However, despite the existing potentials, smallholder vegetable farms are based on low input–low output production system in the country. The production is run by smallholder farmers and is located on a relatively small part of land. In the same way, there is inadequate knowledge on improved vegetables production practices, challenges and opportunities by smallholder farmers in the country and public research on vegetable crops was negligible. To this end, this review was aimed to assess practices of vegetable production and management, challenges of vegetable production and management and opportunity of vegetable production by small holder farming household. The review found that, vegetable production practices and management are not the primary activity for the majority of smallholder farming households in the country; rather, they are seen as a supplement to the production of major crops. It was mainly based on traditional farming system. Further the review found out that, lack of access to credit, limited supply of improved seed, marketing and market information, appropriate management techniques, appropriate disease and insect pest control measures, outbreak of new disease and pest are among the main challenges of vegetable production in the country. This is mainly because of the limited resource allocation to research and development including the extension services. Finally, the review recommends that, in promoting vegetable producer households, diversified and intensified agricultural farming, and problems related to extension service and research, credit service, disease and pest control, market and marketing information, and provision of modern agricultural inputs should be addressed by concerned bodies.

Robots for Forest Maintenance

Forest fires are becoming increasingly common, and they are devastating, fueled by the effects of global warming, such as a dryer climate, dryer vegetation, and higher temperatures. Vegetation management through selective removal is a preventive measure which creates discontinuities that will facilitate fire containment and reduce its intensity and rate of spread. However, such a method requires vast amounts of biomass fuels to be removed, over large areas, which can only be achieved through mechanized means, such as through using forestry mulching machines. This dangerous job is also highly dependent on skilled workers, making it an ideal case for novel autonomous robotic systems. This article presents the development of a universal perception, control, and navigation system for forestry machines. The selection of hardware (sensors and controllers) and data-integration and -navigation algorithms are central components of this integrated system development. Sensor fusion methods, operating using ROS, allow the distributed interconnection of all sensors and actuators. The results highlight the system’s robustness when applied to the mulching machine, ensuring navigational and operational accuracy in forestry operations. This novel technological solution enhances the efficiency of forest maintenance while reducing the risk exposure to forestry workers.

Implementation of a Comprehensive Eco-Riparian Concept to Landscape Design of Water Source Area in Macari Village, Batu City

The eco-riparian concept application on the riverside is one of the programs of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia. The water source in Macari Village is one of the suppliers of raw water discharge in the Brantas watershed. Residential and industrial areas currently surround Macari Village Water sources, so it decreases the water quality, and pollution is often found due to industrial and household waste contamination. This research aims to find comprehensive eco-riparian concept design solutions to conserve water resources. By using a combined methodology between case studies and literature reviews, comprehensive eco-reparation design criteria were found, such as wetland restoration by using the terraced pond, vegetation management of the water bodies, ground covers, cliff retaining, aesthetic support vegetation, wastewater management, and drainage plans so it will not pollute the water sources. The development to support the area's vision is manifested in architectural design with ecological and historical characteristics. This design criteria is translated into a holistic visualization of the area to produce a coherent, functional, and aesthetic design. With the design result, all regional development visions are expected to be realized at the location.