scholarly journals GIS and land cover-based assessment of ecosystem services in the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve, Finland

2019 ◽  
Vol 197 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Poikolainen ◽  
Guilherme Pinto ◽  
Petteri Vihervaara ◽  
Benjamin Burkhard ◽  
Franzeska Wolff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Biosphere Reserves ◽  
The North ◽  
Promising Tool

Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, ecosystems and their services are key principles behind the establishment of “Biosphere Reserves”. Mapping of ecosystem services is one of the activities that is expected to increase the knowledge of sustainable land use planning. The Biosphere Reserves, established by the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme, aims to find the balance between nature conservation, use of natural resources, recreation and other culture-related activities. For this purpose, the ecosystem services approach is a promising tool for examining the relationships between people and nature in practice. This study applies the ecosystem services approach and examines which ecosystem services are perceived to be relevant in the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve in Eastern Finland. The results of a matrix method, with expert-based approach, showed that particularly old-growth forests and undrained open and forested mires have a broader potential to provide different ecosystem services. Water and urban areas are considered important for cultural services. However, these areas cover only a relatively small area altogether. The results of the ecosystem services assessment were compared to areas of high biodiversity, as defined by local biodiversity experts. The areas with high capacity for ecosystem services provision (from now on “high ecosystem services areas”) were found in areas with high biodiversity. In most cases, these areas are already under protection. The results also showed that ambiguity is an issue with the use of the ecosystem services concept in both stakeholder and expert evaluations.

The role of community participation in the effectiveness of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve management: evidence and reflections from two parallel global surveys

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. STOLL-KLEEMANN ◽  
A. C. DE LA VEGA-LEINERT ◽  
L. SCHULTZ
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Biosphere Reserves ◽  
Participatory Conservation ◽  
Reserve Management

SUMMARYBiodiversity management has traditionally followed two contradictory approaches. One champions ecosystem protection through rigorous law enforcement and exclusion of humans. The other promotes community-based sustainable use of natural resources. Participatory conservation, a major paradigm shift, nowadays strongly guides the concept of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs). In this paper, the rationale for community participation, and the perception of its effectiveness among BR managers are analysed. Within the World Network of BRs (553 sites in 107 countries) diverse participatory approaches are being tried to advance community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). Data from two parallel surveys, involving managers from 276 BRs worldwide, reveal how far this participation paradigm shift has really occurred, and its influence on managers’ self-evaluated effectiveness. There is substantial regional disparity, although in general BR managers endorse inclusive conservation, despite critical implementation hurdles. The process of participatory conservation carries new dangers for effective biosphere reserve management, when the aspirations of communities and other stakeholders do not ‘fit’ with a predetermined interpretation of sustainable development.

Economic Value of Desert Plants: Acacia Trees in the Wadi Allaqi Biosphere Reserve

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Springuel ◽  
Abdel Moneim Mekki
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
Ecological Value ◽  
Southeastern Desert ◽  
Desert Areas ◽  
Nomadic People

Acacia trees form a principal element of desert plant communities in Egypt's Southeastern Desert. They are widespread in remote desert areas but sparse near settlements and urban areas as a result of human impact. However, sustainable use of Acacia trees remains an important component in the livelihood of nomadic people living in remote desert areas.The present paper discusses the economic and ecological value of Acacia trees in the Wadi Allaqi basin. The total population of Acacia trees in this area is estimated at approximately 13,000 trees. What will be the fate of this population, from which the annual production of charcoal amounts to 10–15 tons? The present work attempts to answer this question by analysing the economic system of the local nomadic population and the ecological characteristics of Acacia trees, coming to reasonably optimistic conclusions.

scholarly journals Optimization of Green Space Planning to Improve Ecosystem Services Efficiency: The Case of Chongqing Urban Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8441
Author(s):  
Shuiyu Yan ◽  
Jun Tang
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Space ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Buffer Analysis ◽  
Gis Software

This paper applied landscape indexes to evaluate the size, form, and structure of green spaces in the mountainous city of Chongqing and found that green spaces benefit from certain advantages in size, but the network suffered from low heterogeneity and limited interconnectivity. To ensure the integrity and continuity of ecological processes and improve the efficiency of ecosystem services (ES), the authors used Geographic Information System (GIS) software to conduct adaptability evaluation and adjacent buffer analysis for the existing green spaces, wetlands, rivers, and other landscapes with relatively high capacity for ES. We designed a comprehensive map of potential areas for UGS expansion by superimposing the maps obtained from adaptability evaluation and buffer analysis. We also proposed some strategies that respect, consider, and evaluate aspects and special features of urban environment to optimize green space planning and improve ES efficiency, such as protection of important areas, development of green corridors, and careful consideration of ecological processes and complex functions in urban areas. Based on these strategies, the paper put forth suggestions for green space planning to improve ES efficiency that can function as foundation for subsequent green space planning.

Influence of Cognitive and Emotional Advertisements on Biosphere Reserve Image and Visitation Intention for Youth

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1391
Author(s):  
Anda ARKLINA ◽  
Kristine GRINBERGA ◽  
Nripendra SINGH ◽  
Agita LIVINA
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Biosphere Reserves ◽  
The North ◽  
Integrated Research ◽  
Social Media Platforms

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve’s image (functional, symbolic and experiential) in building young visitors’ intentions to visit biosphere reserves. Integrated research methods were used. An online survey was conducted for data collection (n=295), and focus group discussions and observations (three groups - two from Latvia and one from Estonia) were conducted about youth traveling behavior in the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were used to analyze data. Findings showed that the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve has a weak image in the perception of young people. Most respondents agreed that visiting biosphere reserves relieves stress, helps them to socialize, and allows them to escape from daily routine; additionally, they noted that they would visit protected areas more often if they would see their friends visiting them. Youth 15–19 was more excited, pleasureful, and excited about visiting biosphere reserves, but youth 20–25 was more neutral about it. Both groups agreed that there was a lack of advertisements and visibility of these areas on social media platforms. Research results showed that improving functional, symbolic, and emotional images of the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve will have a positive effect on youth visiting and revisiting intentions.

scholarly journals Ecosystem Services at the Archipelago Sea Biosphere Reserve in Finland: A Visitor Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Viirret ◽  
Kaisa Raatikainen ◽  
Nora Fagerholm ◽  
Niina Käyhkö ◽  
Petteri Vihervaara
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Biosphere Reserves ◽  
Local Livelihoods ◽  
Archipelago Sea ◽  
Sustainable Landscapes

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO’s) Biosphere Reserves aim to be flagships of sustainable landscapes. Many of them are important locations for tourism and leisure activities. We explored the perceptions of short-term visitors and summer residents on ecosystem services (ESs) tied to characteristic habitats of the Archipelago Sea Biosphere Reserve in Finland. During holiday season, we conducted structured on-field interviews with 74 Biosphere Reserve visitors. From these data, we gained information on the visitors’ appreciation of different ESs and the selected habitats. We also derived habitat-specific ES profiles. Excluding the reedbeds, most habitats were both highly valued and considered as important producers of the listed ESs. The derived ES profiles were partially overlapping and inclined towards appreciation of cultural services, and the importance of scenery was highlighted. Provisioning services were not particularly appreciated. We discovered several linkages among biodiversity, ESs, and recreational land uses. Certain habitats were found to be in need of protection under high recreational land-use pressure, but also potential synergies were found. Our method introduces an important socio-cultural perspective into the region’s land management that aims to find a balance between the protection of the Biosphere Reserve’s unique biodiversity and the need to support sustainable local livelihoods and tourism.

The urban stormwater farm

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Liebman ◽  
O. J. Jonasson ◽  
R. N. Wiese
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Food Miles ◽  
Impervious Areas

Currently more than 3 billion people live in urban areas. The urban population is predicted to increase by a further 3 billion by 2,050. Rising oil prices, unreliable rainfall and natural disasters have all contributed to a rise in global food prices. Food security is becoming an increasingly important issue for many nations. There is also a growing awareness of both ‘food miles’ and ‘virtual water’. Food miles and virtual water are concepts that describe the amount of embodied energy and water that is inherent in the food and other goods we consume. Growing urban agglomerations have been widely shown to consume vast quantities of energy and water whilst emitting harmful quantities of wastewater and stormwater runoff through the creation of massive impervious areas. In this paper it is proposed that there is an efficient way of simultaneously addressing the problems of food security, carbon emissions and stormwater pollution. Through a case study we demonstrate how it is possible to harvest and store stormwater from densely populated urban areas and use it to produce food at relatively low costs. This reduces food miles (carbon emissions) and virtual water consumption and serves to highlight the need for more sustainable land-use planning.

Shrinking Ecosystem Services in a Sinking Delta – Maintaining livelihoods in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oindrila Basu ◽  
Isha Das ◽  
Sudipa Pal ◽  
Tim Daw ◽  
Sugata Hazra
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Shore Protection ◽  
Seed Collection ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Per Capita

<p>A range of ecosystem services provide critical direct benefits to poor households living in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve in India. These include artisanal fishing in creeks and rivers, crab collection, prawn seed collection, brackish and fresh-water aquaculture, fuel, fodder and honey collection from forests, and marine fishing in mechanized and non mechanized boats. The roles of these ecosystem services are largely invisible to official data. Triangulating between available statistics, key informant interviews and a new household survey, we estimate that nearly 30% of the 4.6 million population, mostly poor people rely on these ecosystem services. Ecosystem services supplement traditional rainfed agriculture, providing over 30% of household livelihood requirements. The availability of these ecosystem services is declining in per-capita terms due to the rapidly rising population in addition to ecosystem degradation. The area and health of mangrove is affected by sea level rise, differential subsidence, reduction of sediment and freshwater supply due to human obstruction and abstraction, increased salinity, high intensity cyclones, monsoon instability and temperature rise. Under a business as usual scenario, sharp decline of provisioning and regulating ecosystem services available per capita by 2030 is envisaged resulting in the threatening to increase poverty in the Biosphere Reserve. We review policy options to protect and enhance these critical ecosystem services for poor households including restoration of the estuarine mangrove habitat through river reconnection and rejuvenation and  fresh water provisioning and desalination, scientific plantation and shore protection using building with nature concept, regulating marine fishery and aquaculture practices , land use planning and population realignment.</p>

scholarly journals Analysing the Synergies and Trade-Offs between Ecosystem Services to Reorient Land Use Planning in Metropolitan Bilbao (Northern Spain)

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Peña ◽  
Miren Onaindia ◽  
Beatriz Fernández de Manuel ◽  
Ibone Ametzaga-Arregi ◽  
Izaskun Casado-Arzuaga
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Trade Offs

In the last decades, some European cities have undergone important changes in search of a more sustainable development. This is the case for the city of Bilbao (Bizkaia, Basque Country), where a Greenbelt has been maintained surrounding the urban areas allowing the periurban areas to deliver ecosystem services (ES) to society. However, the role of the different ecosystems in the provision of ES is not the same, which can lead to conflicts among them. The aim of this study is to analyze the synergies and trade-offs among the eight most important ES in the Bilbao Metropolitan Greenbelt (BMG) to orient their management strategies towards more multifunctional landscapes. We mapped the ES and overlapped them looking for the most relevant areas for the provision of multiple ES and areas that are mostly lacking ES provision. We identify also existing ES trade-offs and synergies between ES using correlations so that managers can prioritize preservation efforts of land use types in the rest of the area. The results show that provisioning ES had trade-offs with regulating and cultural ES and the latter showed synergies between them. The former are mainly delivered by semi-natural ecosystems, while regulating and cultural ES are delivered mainly by natural ecosystems. Moreover, the most relevant areas for the provision of multiple ES were proposed as potential components of a Green Infrastructure (GI). Their identification and ES bundles could help decision-makers to orient their management strategies towards sustainability in metropolitan areas.

scholarly journals Biosphere Reserves - Suggested Model of the Institution of Commons (Case study of the Šumava Biosphere Reserve)

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Těšitel ◽  
Drahomíra Kušová
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Theoretical Concept ◽  
Suggested Model ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Nature Protection ◽  
Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere Reserves - Suggested Model of the Institution of Commons (Case study of the Šumava Biosphere Reserve)An attempt to address the interdependence between human economies and natural ecosystems has been articulated in ecological economics, among others, in terms of ecosystem services. Introducing ecosystem services yields positive result in the sense that the theoretical concept of cultural landscape has been complemented by the more or less effective political scheme, suitable as a basis for practical decision making. Nevertheless, practical management of ecosystem services on landscape scale is a rather complex task. The concept ofinstitution of commonscould be suggested to be used when dealing with the problem of implementation of ecosystem services concept in practice. The overall aim of the contribution is to discuss whether or not, or to which extent,UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the modern strategy in biodiversity conservation backed up by internationally agreed upon conventions, can be used as a model for institution of commons in landscape-scale nature protection. The discussion is based on empirical evidence gained within a long-term research conducted in the Šumava Biosphere Reserve, Czech Republic.

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