Efficacy of Insecticide Aerial Spraying Programs to Reduce Tree Mortality During a Spruce Budworm Outbreak (1967‒1992) in the Quebec Province.

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) is the most important pest of conifer forests in Eastern North America. The main approach to protect Quebec forests against this defoliator is aerial spraying of insecticides. Despite the crucial role of aerial spraying of insecticides in the global forest protection strategy, little is known about its real impact on tree mortality reduction or the stand characteristics that may affect its long-term efficacy. We evaluate the efficacy of the protection program implemented between 1967 and 1992 in reducing tree mortality during the previous outbreak in Quebec and how its efficacy is affected by stand characteristics such as drainage quality and stand age. We established 422 plots in Eastern Quebec based on the following parameters: insecticide application (0-13 years), stand composition, drainage quality, and stand age at the beginning of the previous outbreak. Our results show that unprotected plots exhibited in average between 18 and 32.6% higher mortality than protected plots. Insecticide efficacy was affected by drainage quality. For example, protected plots established on sites with bad drainage quality exhibited 49% less balsam fir mortality than unprotected plots. Furthermore, immature and mature protected stands exhibited a similar reduction in balsam fir mortality (32.2 and 32.1% less mortality respectively) compare to unprotected stands. Our results may be useful for decision-makers not only to decide where and when apply insecticides during a spruce budworm outbreak but also, they may help to determine the pertinence of continuous protection during longer than usual outbreaks depending on protection goal.

Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards

Structural protection measures are designed to protect the population and infrastructure against natural hazards up to a specific predefined protection goal. Extreme events with intensities that exceed the capacity of these protection structures are called “cases of overload” and are associated with “residual risks” that remain after the implementation of protection measures. In order to address residual risks and to reduce the damages from overload events, a combination of structural protection measures with additional, nonstructural measures is required. Based on data collected through a literature review, a questionnaire survey, expert interviews, and an expert workshop we highlight the status quo as well as key challenges of dealing with residual risks and cases of overload in Alpine countries in the context of geohydrological hazards and gravitational mass movements. We present a holistic conceptual framework that describes the relationships of residual risks, cases of overload, and protection goals in the context of both risk governance and integrated risk management. This framework is valuable for decision makers aiming at an improved management of natural hazards that takes adequate account of residual risk and cases of overload in Alpine countries and mountain areas worldwide.

Untersuchung der Regelwerke für den passiven Schallschutz unter Berücksichtigung aktueller Verkehrslärmspektren – Teil 1

In den Regelwerken zum passiven Schallschutz von Umfassungsbauteilen wird das erforderliche Schalldämm-Maß der Fassade als Einzahlwert entsprechend dem Bewertungsverfahren nach DIN EN ISO 717-1 [1] ermittelt. Um die spektrale Zusammensetzung verschiedener Lärmquellen und die frequenzabhängige Schalldämmung von Fassadenbauteilen zu berücksichtigen, werden in den einschlägigen Regelwerken Korrektursummanden bzw. Spektrum-Anpassungswerte verwendet. Im folgenden Beitrag wird der Einfluss verschiedener Außenlärmspektren und frequenz- abhängiger Schalldämm-Maße auf den Innenpegel diskutiert. Insbesondere werden die Unterschiede zwischen Holz- und Massivbauweise bezüglich des Schutzziels bzw. des Innenpegels betrachtet. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, dass keine generelle Differenzierung zwischen Leicht- und Massivbauweise erforderlich ist. Für hochschalldämmende Leichtbaukonstruktionen mit einem Ctr,50–5000 < –8 dB wird jedoch ein Korrekturterm für das erforderliche Fassaden-Schalldämm-Maß zur Sicherstellung des Schutzziels vorgeschlagen. &nbsp; &nbsp; Summary In the regulations for passive noise protection of surrounding components, the required sound reduction index of the facade is determined as a single value according to the assessment procedure according to DIN EN ISO 717-1 [1]. In order to take into account the spectral composition of different noise sources and the frequency-dependent sound insulation of facade components, correction summands or spectrum adaptation values are used in the relevant regulations. The following article discusses the influence of various outside noise spectra and frequency-dependent sound insulation measures on the inside level. In particular, the differences between wood and solid construction were considered with regard to the protection goal and the internal level. The investigations show that no general differentiation between lightweight and solid construction is necessary. For highly sound-insulating lightweight constructions with a Ctr, 50–5000 <-8 dB, however, a correction term for the required facade soundproofing dimension to ensure the protection goal is proposed. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Urgenda – World Rescue by Court Order? The “Climate Justice”-Movement Tests the Limits of Legal Protection

The Gerechtshof in The Hague has condemned the Netherlands to take measures to ensure a reduction of at least 25% of Dutch greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2020. The court thus confirms the first-instance Urgenda decision, which had attracted much attention worldwide and which serves as a model for a whole series of other climate change litigations, some of which have since failed, some are still pending or planned. Even bearing in mind the urgency of the climate protection goal pursued by these lawsuits, the idea of a world rescue through court decisions is ultimately misleading. It overestimates the power of the judicial branch and risks being lost in mere symbolism. Worse still, it shifts responsibilities and creates expectations that tend to further de-legitimize the constitutional democratic systems of the world and their concept of a separation of powers. Even from a solely environmental point of view, this constitutes a high risk, because there are no better alternatives of responsible government. Keeping this risk in mind, the fact that the specific “Urgenda”-decision is legally not convincing seems an almost minor aspect.

Environmental Issues Related to the Elderly and Physically Disabled People in Different Life Situations

In Europe we can see a change in the social structure in the last period. Average life expectancy has increased dramatically over the last 50 years. Because of the improved life situation and advanced level of health care, older people are slower. With advancing age, the likelihood of experiencing a variety of constraints such as visual impairment, reduced hearing or physical ability increases. In such a life stage tenants are often forced to leave their long-term living space because these homes can not serve "new" individual needs and the resulting personal protection goal. This transition from the privacy of their home to the new environment often appears to be a painful change. They will take their familiar and well-known surroundings, because their homes can not be adapted to serve new needs. It must be the policy&rsquo;s role to create a new inclusive social space and the requirement for architects and designers to create new goals for the design of an adaptable environment. This is a comprehensive approach to the design of the outer and inner space that could serve people even if there is an unexpected situation and changes in movement and physiological limitations of older people. The contribution shows the results of the survey conducted in Germany and Slovakia. In the survey respondents expressed their opinion on what they considered important in creating an adaptive environment. Results are processed graphically with explanation. The results were mainly for designers and developers of the indoor environment. Based on the results of the questionnaire survey, studies of possible modifications in the interior of the flats were then prepared. The contribution yielded these results in three age groups of respondents; i. people aged 35, 50 and over 50.

The Case for Individualized Goal Attainment Scaling Measurement in Elder Abuse Interventions

Research available to inform the development of effective community-based elder abuse protective response interventions is severely limited. Elder abuse intervention research is constrained by a lack of research capacity, including sensitive and responsive outcome measures that can assess change in case status over the course of intervention. Given the heterogeneous nature of elder abuse, standard scales can lack the flexibility necessary to capture the diverse range of individually relevant issues across cases. In this paper, we seek to address this gap by proposing the adaptation and use of an innovative measurement strategy—goal attainment scaling—in the context of elder protection. Goal attainment scaling is an individualized, client-centered outcome measurement approach that has the potential to address existing measurement challenges constraining progress in elder abuse intervention research.