Measurement of the Zakat Village Index in Curug Depok

Zakat funds are a mandate of Allah SWT that must be distributed to mustahiq. This study aims to measure the feasibility of a village to be assisted by using zakat funds. The method used is a qualitative method using the Village Zakat Index (IDZ) model. The IDZ measurement includes five dimensions: economy, health, education, humanity, and dakwah. The research was conducted at Curug Depok. Data collection techniques were carried out through interviews, questionnaires, and expert judgment consisting of village officials, RT, and the community. The results showed that the IDZ value in Curug was categorized as functional with a score of 0.79. This finding indicates that Cukug is not prioritized to be assisted by zakat funds. The dimensions with the lowest IDZ value are the economic and human dimensions of 0.61 and 0.78. This data shows that zakat institutions can implement empowerment programs focusing on economic and humanitarian programs.

Social Repercussion of Translocating a Jaguar in Brazil

The translocation of “problem-animals” is a common non-lethal strategy to deal with human-wildlife conflict. While processes of wildlife translocation have been widely documented, little is known about the social repercussions that take place once the capture and the return of a problem-animal to its natural habitat fail and it has to be permanently placed in captivity. We investigated how the public, an important stakeholder in wildlife conservation, perceived the translocation of a female jaguar to a wildlife captivity center. The objectives were to (1) assess the public's perceptions (e.g., attitudes, emotions, awareness) toward the jaguar and its translocation process, and (2) how these psychological constructs are related. We used the social media profiles of the three institutions involved in the process (one responsible for the jaguar rescues, one that supported its recovery, and the one responsible for the jaguar's final destination) and analyzed the comments left by their followers on posts related to the jaguar and the translocation itself during 25 days. A total of 287 comments were analyzed through coding, a categorizing strategy of qualitative analysis; 33 codes were identified. Results showed high admiration for the work done, positive attitudes and emotions, and concern toward the animal. Lack of awareness about the translocation process was high, with comments of curiosity toward the situation being one of the most commonly found. To a lesser extent, people felt sad for the jaguar not being able to return to the wild and criticized the need for translocation. Admiration for the work had a strong relation with gratitude and broader positive perceptions toward the jaguar's story. Criticism related to concern, which was also related to a need for more information and curiosity. Our findings suggest that the public who engaged with those institutions through their Instagram accounts were grateful for seeing the jaguar safe, but were not aware of the complexity of the operation nor about the nature of the conflict with farmers. The public can either reinforce a particular action or jeopardize an entire operation, depending on their perceptions of the matter. In the case of this jaguar, the public held a positive view; however, we acknowledge the limitations of our sample and recommend further analyses of social repercussions among people who are not followers of these organizations. Furthermore, we recommend engaging other stakeholders to fully understand the human dimensions of translocating this jaguar. Finally, for social acceptance, we highlight the importance of transparency and reliability of the organizations operating the translocation.

Intensive Fishing Effort and Market Controls as Management Tools for Invasive Aquatic Species: A Review

Invasive aquatic species may disrupt ecosystems and cause socioeconomic damage. Biosecurity protocols were developed to prevent transport and unintended introductions of invasive species, but less attention has been paid to management once they become established. The use of classical fisheries stock assessment to determine levels at which selectively targeted fisheries elicit recruitment overfishing is discussed. Case studies of several species of invasive aquatic organisms, including lionfish Pterois spp. two species of mytilids and three species of crayfish, including Faxonius rusticus (Girard, 1852), are discussed as examples. Fecundity as measured by egg production rate (EPR) is a key factor determining how the various species react to fishing pressure. Ecosystem modelling of predatorprey relations between indigenous and invasive aquatic species suggests that restricting fishing effort on indigenous predators of invasive prey may be as effective in managing invasive species in lieu of directly increasing fishing effort on the targeted species itself. Invasive mytilids Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) and Mytella strigata (Hanley, 1843) may not be effectively controlled by intensive fishing effort due to high EPR values. However, crayfish that brood offspring and exhibit much lower EPR values may be ideal candidates for stock assessment and setting fishing effort targets to promote recruitment overfishing. Recommendations for managing invasive aquatic species include: collecting data on population dynamics of the invasive species; assessing predator populations; developing fisheries that target the invasive species; and collecting socioeconomic data to understand the human dimensions of the impacts of the invasive species and inform subsequent policy development.

Post-pandemic scenarios and design strategies for public spaces transformation

Almost two years later of a pandemic condition, one thing is sure: the pandemic will change permanently the world and its systems. Nowadays, the reflection on public space is crucial within a more sustainable and inclusive development at urban scale, amplified also by the ongoing experience of the pandemic that still presents. Public space is a real opportunity to test new urban and social models, thus becoming a principal catalyst for positive changes in the entire urban context. It is therefore necessary to re-establish a relationship between the public space and its inhabitants, providing a system of proximity by highlighting the human and non-human dimensions and consequently connecting services, relationships, and opportunities. Acting in public space is the first step in the development of innovative urban transformations, generated by collaborative phenomena working in the collective interest. The use of participatory practices within the design processes favors the reconnection between people and territory, generating a shared sense of belonging that leads to taking care of one's own places. The reversibility of the intervention and its adaptability are key characteristics that allow experimenting with new ways of experiencing public spaces and responding to unforeseen experiences, thus accommodating the inevitable changes in society. This scientific contribution aims to set forward distinctive points of view on the planning strategies implemented in the pandemic and post-pandemic period to achieve intelligent transformations on a small and large urban scale with an impact from short to long-term; hence shaping the future cities.

CICA AND ASIAN COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS (SCO, ASEAN, OIC): COOPERATION POTENTIAL AND PROSPECTS

The article contains an overview of the activities of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), a structure aimed at creating a comprehensive mechanism for developing and reconciling the positions of Asian countries on key security issues. The CICA is a forum that many regional states have joined as permanent participants. Eight countries and five international organizations, including the U.N., currently have an observer status at the CICA, which cooperates with existing regional organizations such as SCO, ASEAN, and OIC in a number of specific areas. The current concept of CICA’s work is aligned with five main spheres: military and political collaboration; the fight against new challenges and threats, including terrorism; drug trafficking; transnational crime and human trafficking; as well as the economic, environmental and human dimensions. Cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose members (including the observer countries) are all also members of the Conference, will be of great importance for the further development of CICA. The presence of both resource-producing countries and large oil and gas importers in the organization creates the preconditions for the formation of an energy block within its framework, which will increase the energy security of its member states. The authors note that the interaction between ASEAN and the CICA can be based on five points required for building a “community of common destiny,” which were set forth by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping in Jakarta: (1) adhere to the principle of trust and strive for good neighborliness; (2) adhere to the principle of cooperation and mutual benefit; (3) constantly provide mutual assistance; (4) adhere to the principle of “living in perfect harmony”; (5) adhere to the principle of openness and tolerance. The authors note that the problem of Afghanistan can become a point of contact and development of joint approaches and strategies of the CICA and the OIC in the context of international and regional security. The author concludes that the transformation of the CICA into the Organization for Security and Development of Asia, proposed by Kazakhstan, would mean an expansion of the conference format and a turn towards solving new problems. In addition, the urgent task of the CICA at present is the transition to qualitatively new levels of cooperation—preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention.

Closure of Central Public Sector Enterprises in India: a case study

Changing objective circumstances over time often warrant the closure of public sector enterprises that may have originally been established due to compelling public purposes. Many public enterprises lose their relevance and public purpose, become chronically loss making and are a recurring drain on public resources. Yet it has been found to be extremely difficult to actually close down any such enterprise due to a host of institutional constraints unique to the public sector. Closing down a public enterprise is difficult but not impossible, given the will and sincere execution. It has been done in India. While the practicalities have to be worked out, closure of any entity needs to be implemented sensitively given the human dimensions involved. This paper brings out a case study of the experience in implementing the closure of five public sector enterprises in India during the period 2014-16.

The human-dimensions ecology of parrots reintroduced to a city: the Kākā (Nestor meridionalis) of Wellington, New Zealand.

<p>Conflict involving wildlife and people is globally common and is one of the more difficult challenges facing conservation. The increasing trend for wildlife to colonise, or be reintroduced, to cities increases the chances of conflict occurring. It is common for people to feed wildlife which leads to an increase in their local density. This concentrates their odours, fouling, noise, nesting, property damage and in some cases, can lead to attacks on people. Wherever they have been measured, attitudes to wildlife are generally positive and robust to some damage and conflict. Nonetheless, more negative attitudes and conflict among residents are particularly likely if the wildlife impose an economic cost. Understanding how wildlife use urban environments, what influences their habitat choices in cities, particularly their relationships with people (e.g., feeding), and how these could lead to conflict and deteriorating relationships with wildlife is essential for planning future reintroductions and preventing or mitigating conflict over wildlife in cities. Kākā (Nestor meridionalis) were reintroduced to Wellington City in 2002 and they are now commonly seen in city suburbs around the reintroduction site. The number and range of kākā appears to be increasing, as are reports of damage by kākā to public and private property. Most people report positive attitudes towards kākā, and some residents intentionally feed them. At these feeders, kākā appear to congregate in larger numbers. Recent research suggests that kākā feeding and damage may be initiating a conflict among residents, especially between neighbours who do and do not feed kākā. This can lead to deteriorating attitudes towards kākā, and native wildlife and conservation generally. The aims of this thesis are to better understand 1) which factors affect the presence of kākā on residential properties, 2) which factors lead to or exacerbate damage to these properties and 3) how damage affects resident attitudes towards kākā and avifauna conservation in general. I hypothesized that kākā will be in greater densities in areas proximal to native vegetation and close to their 2002 reintroduction site. I further predicted that the damage to properties will be more common and at a greater extent at sites where more people feed kākā. As this damage increases, it will negatively impact resident attitudes, especially where the damage imposes a cost on the resident. A postal survey sent to 600 residences at 25 stratified random sites (neighbourhoods) across Wellington City suburbs was used to quantify residents’ self-reports of kākā on properties, residential feeding activity, property damage and their attitudes to kākā and avian wildlife. A total of 309 surveys were returned (52%) with 301 entirely complete and used in the final analysis. The sites were also visited to quantify their environments, particularly topographical exposure, tree size and the number of emergent trees that were hypothesised, from my anecdotal observations and the literature, to potentially be important influences on kākā distribution. An information theoretic approach was used to test current hypotheses (models) for kākā abundance on properties and property damage by compiling a candidate set of 46 models for kākā abundance and 22 for kākā damage. A repeated measures, one-way ANOVA tests was used to determine if damage negatively affected resident attitudes. Residential feeding was found to be the strongest driver of kākā presence, followed by the proximity of native vegetation. The abundance of kākā, particularly the frequency with which kākā visit properties, was found to be the best explanatory variable for the presence and scale of property damage. Damage itself was not found to be a significant driver of increasingly negative attitudes. However, the few residents spending greater than $50 to repair damage showed significantly lower attitude scores compared to those that had no expenditures. Overall, resident attitudes towards the kākā in Wellington are generally positive. However, these findings suggest that there is a causative pathway leading from residential feeding of kākā to occurrences of increasingly negative attitudes and conflict among neighbours that are sensitive to the economic cost of damage. While conflict between people and kākā in Wellington is certainly present, it is not yet widespread. However, it is likely that instances of conflict involving kākā and people will only grow as the kākā population within the city continues to increase. There is a need to seek solutions to mitigate this conflict promptly, before it reaches a tipping point in which widespread negative attitudes will be difficult to change. Financial compensation and the discouraging of feeding are discussed as recommended solutions, tailored to findings in this thesis.</p>

The human-dimensions ecology of parrots reintroduced to a city: the Kākā (Nestor meridionalis) of Wellington, New Zealand.

<p>Conflict involving wildlife and people is globally common and is one of the more difficult challenges facing conservation. The increasing trend for wildlife to colonise, or be reintroduced, to cities increases the chances of conflict occurring. It is common for people to feed wildlife which leads to an increase in their local density. This concentrates their odours, fouling, noise, nesting, property damage and in some cases, can lead to attacks on people. Wherever they have been measured, attitudes to wildlife are generally positive and robust to some damage and conflict. Nonetheless, more negative attitudes and conflict among residents are particularly likely if the wildlife impose an economic cost. Understanding how wildlife use urban environments, what influences their habitat choices in cities, particularly their relationships with people (e.g., feeding), and how these could lead to conflict and deteriorating relationships with wildlife is essential for planning future reintroductions and preventing or mitigating conflict over wildlife in cities. Kākā (Nestor meridionalis) were reintroduced to Wellington City in 2002 and they are now commonly seen in city suburbs around the reintroduction site. The number and range of kākā appears to be increasing, as are reports of damage by kākā to public and private property. Most people report positive attitudes towards kākā, and some residents intentionally feed them. At these feeders, kākā appear to congregate in larger numbers. Recent research suggests that kākā feeding and damage may be initiating a conflict among residents, especially between neighbours who do and do not feed kākā. This can lead to deteriorating attitudes towards kākā, and native wildlife and conservation generally. The aims of this thesis are to better understand 1) which factors affect the presence of kākā on residential properties, 2) which factors lead to or exacerbate damage to these properties and 3) how damage affects resident attitudes towards kākā and avifauna conservation in general. I hypothesized that kākā will be in greater densities in areas proximal to native vegetation and close to their 2002 reintroduction site. I further predicted that the damage to properties will be more common and at a greater extent at sites where more people feed kākā. As this damage increases, it will negatively impact resident attitudes, especially where the damage imposes a cost on the resident. A postal survey sent to 600 residences at 25 stratified random sites (neighbourhoods) across Wellington City suburbs was used to quantify residents’ self-reports of kākā on properties, residential feeding activity, property damage and their attitudes to kākā and avian wildlife. A total of 309 surveys were returned (52%) with 301 entirely complete and used in the final analysis. The sites were also visited to quantify their environments, particularly topographical exposure, tree size and the number of emergent trees that were hypothesised, from my anecdotal observations and the literature, to potentially be important influences on kākā distribution. An information theoretic approach was used to test current hypotheses (models) for kākā abundance on properties and property damage by compiling a candidate set of 46 models for kākā abundance and 22 for kākā damage. A repeated measures, one-way ANOVA tests was used to determine if damage negatively affected resident attitudes. Residential feeding was found to be the strongest driver of kākā presence, followed by the proximity of native vegetation. The abundance of kākā, particularly the frequency with which kākā visit properties, was found to be the best explanatory variable for the presence and scale of property damage. Damage itself was not found to be a significant driver of increasingly negative attitudes. However, the few residents spending greater than $50 to repair damage showed significantly lower attitude scores compared to those that had no expenditures. Overall, resident attitudes towards the kākā in Wellington are generally positive. However, these findings suggest that there is a causative pathway leading from residential feeding of kākā to occurrences of increasingly negative attitudes and conflict among neighbours that are sensitive to the economic cost of damage. While conflict between people and kākā in Wellington is certainly present, it is not yet widespread. However, it is likely that instances of conflict involving kākā and people will only grow as the kākā population within the city continues to increase. There is a need to seek solutions to mitigate this conflict promptly, before it reaches a tipping point in which widespread negative attitudes will be difficult to change. Financial compensation and the discouraging of feeding are discussed as recommended solutions, tailored to findings in this thesis.</p>