From European forestry strategies to implementing local policies: a study on public forest workers in the Tuscany region of Italy

Even though forests represent almost half of the EU territory, the implementation of forestry strategies is delegated to local government institutions. This study proposes an overview of the main European forestry strategies, national (Italian) guidelines and local implementation instruments (in Tuscany). This approach made it possible to identify the actual executors of forestry policies, i.e., the public forest workers. The paper provides a framework of the recent dynamics of regional forestry instruments, their effects on available financial resources and their technicaloperational consequences. Furthermore, Tuscan public forest worker profiles were defined through an online questionnaire. The results show that it is essential to activate constant monitoring of local actions in order to verify the effectiveness of superordinate forestry policies.

Seroepidemiologic survey of emerging vector-borne infections in South Korean forest/field workers

With global warming and lush forest change, vector-borne infections are expected to increase in the number and diversity of agents. Since the first report of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in 2013, the number of reported cases has increased annually in South Korea. However, although tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was detected from ticks and wild rodents, there is no human TBE case report in South Korea. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of TBEV and SFTS virus (SFTSV) among forest and field workers in South Korea. From January 2017 to August 2018, a total 583 sera were obtained from the forest and field workers in South Korea. IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assay were conducted for TBEV, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and neutralization assay were performed for SFTSV. Seroprevalence of TBEV was 0.9% (5/583) by IgG ELISA, and 0.3% (2/583) by neutralization assay. Neutralizing antibody against TBEV was detected in a forest worker in Jeju (1:113) and Hongcheon (1:10). Only 1 (0.2%) forest worker in Yeongju was seropositive for SFTSV by IFA (1:2,048) and neutralizing antibody was detected also. In conclusion, this study shows that it is necessary to raise the awareness of physicians about TBEV infection and to make efforts to survey and diagnose vector-borne diseases in South Korea.

TBE in Lithuania

The first case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Lithuania, diagnosed by clinical and epidemiologic criteria only, was reported in 1953. A forest worker became ill with the disease in April after a tick bite, had a typical clinical presentation with shoulder girdle muscle paralysis and bulbar syndrome, and died after 12 days from the start of clinical symptoms. Autopsy data were compatible with viral encephalitis.1 Serological diagnosis of TBE in Lithuania was started in 1970.2

PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF WINCHING OPERATIONS IN PINE STANDS IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity and energy efficiency of tree extraction in mountainous regions by means of a tractor with winch in two work team compositions: I: one tractor operator and a cable operator; and II: one tractor operator and two cable operators. The study was carried out in Vale do Ribeira region using a full tree harvesting system through a time and motion study in different conditions of extraction distance (6 to 135 meters) and log yard (5 to 241 meters), and land slope (from 7 to 37º). To evaluate the cycles, a regression analysis was carried out for each treatment and subsequently compared using the Graybill F test. Then a regression with a dummy variable was performed. The productivity was 9.26 m3 PMH0-1 with a cable operator and 12.12 m³ PMH0-1 at an extraction distance of 100 m; the specific fuel consumption was 44.26 g kW-1 PMH0-1 in both treatments, and the energy efficiency was 4.92 g kW-1 m³ with a forest worker and 3.13 g kW-1 m³ with two forest workers. Consequently, although the specific fuel consumption was equal in both treatments, the increase in productivity resulting from the addition of a cable operator,improved the energy efficiency in the extraction using a tractor with winch.

TBE in Lithuania

The first case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Lithuania, diagnosed by clinical and epidemiologic criteria only, was reported in 1953. A forest worker became ill with the disease in April after a tick bite, had a typical clinical presentation with shoulder girdle muscle paralysis and bulbar syndrome, and died after 12 days from the start of clinical symptoms. Autopsy data were compatible with viral encephalitis.1 Serological diagnosis of TBE in Lithuania was started in 1970.2

PERKEMBANGAN PERTANIAN KOPI RAKYAT DI DESA MARGAMULYA KECAMATAN PANGALENGAN TAHUN 1990-2015: DARI TRADISIONAL KE SISTEM AGRIBISNIS

The object of this research is the development of coffee farming which once was traditional, now turned into modern agribusiness system, the effort of increasing harvest and the shifting of farming’s system on coffee are also giving contribution to economy-social life especially for the farmers’ society. This research is emphasized on year 1990-2015, because at that period, there was a shifting in the farming system also the effort of increasing harvest at Margamulya village. The aim of this research is to be involve in a farmer’s life who was developing the farming system with technology. The method of this research is historical, which include heuristik, critics (external and internal), interpretation and graphical history. The approach of this research is interdisciplinary concept of sociology, anthropology, economics, and farming especially agribusiness. Concept which are taken from sociology are the society, social stratification, social mobility, farmer. Concept which are taken from economics are occupation, income. Also the concept which are taken from farming is agribusiness. The writer is interested to have this theme because Margamulya Village is one of the finest coffee producer which is located at Pangalengan District-Bandung with agribusiness system. The geographical area of Margamulya Village is very suitable to be developed as a farming area which is the economic source of their people. Meanwhile, the usage of forest area as farming vegetable’s ones cause several damages that lead to conflict between the forest worker and the farmer in 1998. To solve this conflict, there was a discussion which produce an agreement that are beneficial for both parties, which is changing commodity. Changing commodity from vegetables to coffee. The traditional coffee farming which was pioneered at 1990 only covered the main necessities of the farmer because of its low income, hence the interest of developing coffee was lacked. With the agreement between the forest worker and the famer, coffee farming then developed into agribusiness system on 1998 which influenced to the increased of the harvest, in quantitiy also quality. The shifting of the farming system that pioneered by the farmer’s desire and supported well by the government are very influencing to the success of farming business which led to the wealth of the farming’s society.

Partial evaluation of questionnaires monitoring the need of knowledge in forest workers from selected EU countries

The paper informs about partial results gathered and processed in the framework of the international research project “Learn for Work”, Leonardo da Vinci programme. The goal of the research project was to acquire information about the subjective perception of importance and subsequent use of theoretical knowledge in practical use in the forest worker occupation. The research, monitoring the practical need of theoretical knowledge of workers in the forest, was realized in selected six countries of the European Union – Belgium, Austria, France, Finland, Germany and Czech Republic. Another objective of this research was to find out whether there are significant differences in opinions concerning the need of theoretical knowledge in respondents from the individual countries. Partial results presented in the paper relate to the measure of practical need and use of theoretical knowledge in physics for the occupation of forest worker. The acquired data are interpreted and discussed in the context of analogical research studies implemented abroad as well as in the Czech environment.  

Three cases of tularaemia in southern Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, November 2007

After contact with a dead rabbit in Baden-Wuerttemberg in southern Germany, three members of a family were infected with tularaemia in late summer 2007. The patients were a forest worker (Patient A) in his twenties, and his parents, both in their fifties. Tularaemia is very rare in Germany. From 2002 to 2006, between one and five cases were reported annually, with the exception of 2005 with 15 reported cases [1]. In 2007, 19 cases were reported, 11 of them in Baden-Wuerttemberg [2]. In the district in which the three cases occurred, no tularaemia cases had been reported in recent years.