scholarly journals METHODOLOGICAL PROPOSALS FOR ADDRESSING AGROECOLOGICAL DESIGN IN PERIURBAN AREAS: A CASE STUDY IN THE EDGES OF MILAN (ITALY)

AGROFOR ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma CHIAFFARELLI ◽  
Ilda VAGGE
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Global Evaluation ◽  
Inclusive Approach ◽  
Ecological Functionality ◽  
Landscape Level ◽  
Environmental Compartments

This study aims to develop an ecological-based design model, applying the theoretical basis of landscape ecology and phytosociology on a pilot area located in the Milan South-Eastern rural edges. The goal was to integrate an all-inclusive approach for agroecological regeneration. Three main guidelines were identified: 1. the rehabilitation of landscape texture; 2. internal diversification; 3. environmental consistency. The study led to a global evaluation of the ecological functionality of the different environmental compartments, analysing their weaknesses and resiliences. Consequently, design criterions were defined, regarding the landscape level (ecotopes diversification) and the single ecotope level (vegetational standards), reconfiguring the current uses and functions and enhancing the biological and structural diversity within the agroecosystem. Finally, an evaluation of the benefits on ecological functionality was carried out, as well as a qualitative assessment of the ecosystem services that can be delivered. This approach enabled to make direct comparisons between actual and project scenarios, supporting the readability of the rebalancing effects attainable on the environmental, social and economic scale.

scholarly journals Exploring the Use of Ecosystem Services Conceptual Models to Account for the Benefits of Public Lands: An Example from National Forest Planning in the United States

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 267
Author(s):  
Lydia Olander ◽  
Katie Warnell ◽  
Travis Warziniack ◽  
Zoe Ghali ◽  
Chris Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Public Lands ◽  
The United States ◽  
Forest Planning ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Planning Team ◽  
National Forest Planning

A shared understanding of the benefits and tradeoffs to people from alternative land management strategies is critical to successful decision-making for managing public lands and fostering shared stewardship. This study describes an approach for identifying and monitoring the types of resource benefits and tradeoffs considered in National Forest planning in the United States under the 2012 Planning Rule and demonstrates the use of tools for conceptualizing the production of ecosystem services and benefits from alternative land management strategies. Efforts to apply these tools through workshops and engagement exercises provide opportunities to explore and highlight measures, indicators, and data sources for characterizing benefits and tradeoffs in collaborative environments involving interdisciplinary planning teams. Conceptual modeling tools are applied to a case study examining the social and economic benefits of recreation on the Ashley National Forest. The case study illustrates how these types of tools facilitate dialog for planning teams to discuss alternatives and key ecosystem service outcomes, create easy to interpret visuals that map details in plans, and provide a basis for selecting ecosystem service (socio-economic) metrics. These metrics can be used to enhance environmental impact analysis, and help satisfy the goals of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 2012 Planning Rule, and shared stewardship initiatives. The systematic consideration of ecosystem services outcomes and metrics supported by this approach enhanced dialog between members of the Forest planning team, allowed for a more transparent process in identification of key linkages and outcomes, and identified impacts and outcomes that may not have been apparent to the sociologist who is lacking the resource specific expertise of these participants. As a result, the use of the Ecosystem Service Conceptual Model (ESCM) process may result in reduced time for internal reviews and greater comprehension of anticipated outcomes and impacts of proposed management in the plan revision Environmental Impact Statement amongst the planning team.

scholarly journals Assessment of ecosystem services provided by livestock agroecosystems in the tropics: a case study of tropical island environment of Guadeloupe

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-L. Gourdine ◽  
A. Fourcot ◽  
C. Lefloch ◽  
M. Naves ◽  
G. Alexandre
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Tropical Island ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Livestock Farming System ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Cluster 2

AbstractThe present study aims to assess (1) the ecosystem services (ES) provided by LFS and (2) the differential ES between local (Creole) and exotic breeds from pig, cattle and goat. The ES are defined as the benefits that humans derive from LFS. They were summarized in 12 ES indicators that cover services related to provisioning, ecological and socio-cultural aspects and territorial vitality. A total of 106 LFS units that covers the five agroecological zones of Guadeloupe were analysed. Functional typologies of LFS per species were created from surveys. The effect of breed on the ES indicators was tested. Results showed that the 40 pig LFS units were separated into 3 clusters that were differentiated in ES according to provisioning ES (cluster 1), cultural use and sale to the neighborhood (cluster 2) and pork self-consumption (cluster 3). The typology of the 57 farms with cattle distinguished 4 clusters with differences in ES provided in self-consumption (cluster1), ecological ES (cluster 2), socio-cultural ES for racing or draught oxen (cluster 3) and ES associated with territory vitality (cluster 4). The 66 goat LFS units were classified into 3 clusters different in ES concerning self-consumption (cluster 1), cultural aspects (cluster 2) and provisioning ES (cluster 3). Our study highlights that ES indicators are not breed dependent (P > 0.10) but rather livestock farming system dependent. The ES rely more on the rearing management than on the breed type, and up to now, there are no specifications in Guadeloupe to differentiate management between breeds.

scholarly journals Integrating ecosystem services into policymaking – A case study on the use of boundary organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 101286
Author(s):  
Erica Honeck ◽  
Louise Gallagher ◽  
Bertrand von Arx ◽  
Anthony Lehmann ◽  
Nicolas Wyler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Boundary Organizations

scholarly journals Evaluating Landscape Attractiveness with Geospatial Data, a Case Study in Flanders, Belgium

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 703
Author(s):  
Astrid Vannoppen ◽  
Jeroen Degerickx ◽  
Anne Gobin
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Geospatial Data ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Landscape Indicators ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
Landscape Quality

Attractive landscapes are diverse and resilient landscapes that provide a multitude of essential ecosystem services. The development of landscape policy to protect and improve landscape attractiveness, thereby ensuring the provision of ecosystem services, is ideally adapted to region specific landscape characteristics. In addition, trends in landscape attractiveness may be linked to certain policies, or the absence of policies over time. A spatial and temporal evaluation of landscape attractiveness is thus desirable for landscape policy development. In this paper, landscape attractiveness was spatially evaluated for Flanders (Belgium) using landscape indicators derived from geospatial data as a case study. Large local differences in landscape quality in (i) rural versus urban areas and (ii) between the seven agricultural regions in Flanders were found. This observed spatial variability in landscape attractiveness demonstrated that a localized approach, considering the geophysical characteristics of each individual region, would be required in the development of landscape policy to improve landscape quality in Flanders. Some trends in landscape attractiveness were related to agriculture in Flanders, e.g., a slight decrease in total agricultural area, decrease in dominance of grassland, maize and cereals, a decrease in crop diversity, sharp increase in the adoption of agri-environmental agreements (AEA) and a decrease in bare soil conditions in winter. The observed trends and spatial variation in landscape attractiveness can be used as a tool to support policy analysis, assess the potential effects of future policy plans, identify policy gaps and evaluate past landscape policy.

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