Spatial Heterogeneity of Driving Factors of Wind Erosion Prevention Services in Northern China by Large-Scale Human Land-Use Management

Large-scale human land-use management is an effective method for ecosystem restoration and wind erosion prevention service (WEPS) improvement. However, the spatial differences of driving factors and the feedback in subsequent management have received less attention. This study analysed the temporal and spatial changes in the WEPS in northern China from 2000 to 2015, classified the driving modes between the WEPS and environmental factors, distinguished the main driving factors, and proposed suggestions for successive projects. The results showed that, compared with 2000, the amount of WEPSs in 2015 increased by 12.60%, and forest and grassland in the WEPS-increased area was 1.34 times that in the declining area. There were east–west differences in the driving mechanism of WEPS improvement. In addition to climatic and topographic factors, the western division was mainly affected by changes in vegetation quality, whereas the eastern division was affected by the combined influence of vegetation quality and quantity. This study shows the necessity of land-use management and project zoning policies, and provides a reference for policy formulation and management of large-scale ecological projects.

Geomorphing effect of sand fences in primary dunes of Gulf of Riga

Finding a the most appropriate solution for the problems caused by coastal eros ion is very important, as erosion prevention and habitat management measures must promote the restoration of the natural balance (order of things before anthropogenic disturbances) and restore the coastal status quo as much as possible [6; 2]. Dune fences are a very widespread erosion management tool on developed sandy coastal areas due to ease of installation, inexpensiveness, and generally positive public attitude [1]. Effectiveness and impact of fences have also been studied in many places around the world, however previous studies in Latvia have been very limited and episodic [16]. This article shows the observed dune and high beach area evolution of the coast in Riga, a somewhat developed coastal section on the top of the Gulf of Riga, Latvia, over a 4-year period from 2017 to 2020. Dune fences were installed along several short, but significantly disturbed sections of coast in 2018 and 2019. Implementation area is one of the busiest parts of the coast of Latvia dealing with the highest level of anthropogenic disturbance. Data has been derived from cross-shore transects (n=12) along the 17 km long coastal section between Daugava and Gauja river mouths. The findings generally indicate a very intense initial wind driven sand accumulation in the target areas compared to the background situation. It also seems that such a method may in the longer term be responsible for reduction of the primary dune height and beach width.

4-H Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Workbook

Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) protects natural resources through water conservation, waste and nonpoint source pollution reduction, erosion prevention, and creation of wildlife-sustaining habitats by implementing science-based landscaping practices. 4-H Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Curriculum fosters environmental stewardship among youth and allows them to engage in conserving water, soil, and vegetation resources from an early age. This curriculum addresses Florida’s unique environment and may be used alone or as a supplement to the 4-H Junior Master Gardener curriculum. Through 4-H Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Curriculum, youth will learn nine basic principles of FFL, including water, soil, and vegetation conservation through landscape and gardening activities. This curriculum targets youth in grades 6 to 8 (ages 10 to 14) and contains both in-classroom and home activities that allow youth to understand and engage the world around them, thereby helping them gain life skills in the areas of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. All volunteers and instructors utilizing this resource should work with their local 4-H Extension Agent to appropriately enroll youth in 4-H in order for them to experience the full benefits of the 4-H Youth Development program and to receive credit for completion of a 4-H project. Workbook; https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h422

4-H Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Leader Guide

Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) protects natural resources through water conservation, waste and nonpoint source pollution reduction, erosion prevention, and creation of wildlife-sustaining habitats by implementing science-based landscaping practices. 4-H Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Curriculum fosters environmental stewardship among youth and allows them to engage in conserving water, soil, and vegetation resources from an early age. This curriculum addresses Florida’s unique environment and may be used alone or as a supplement to the 4-H Junior Master Gardener curriculum. Through 4-H Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Curriculum, youth will learn nine basic principles of FFL, including water, soil, and vegetation conservation through landscape and gardening activities. This curriculum targets youth in grades 6 to 8 (ages 10 to 14) and contains both in-classroom and home activities that allow youth to understand and engage the world around them, thereby helping them gain life skills in the areas of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. All volunteers and instructors utilizing this resource should work with their local 4-H Extension Agent to appropriately enroll youth in 4-H in order for them to experience the full benefits of the 4-H Youth Development program and to receive credit for completion of a 4-H project.Leader Guide; https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h411

Estimating Benefits of Nature-based Solutions: Diverging Values From Choice Experiments With Time or Money Payments

Nature-based solutions (NBS) provide a promising means to a climate resilient future. To guide investments in NBS, stated preference studies have become a common tool to evaluate the benefits of NBS in developing countries. Due to subsistence lifestyles and generally lower incomes, SP studies in developing countries increasingly use time payments as an alternative to the traditionally implemented money payments. It remains unclear, however, how time values should be converted into money values, how the payment affects willingness to pay (WTP) estimates, and how this influence varies across settings with different levels of market integration. We compare the results of choice experiments that use either time or money payments and that are implemented in urban and rural Ghana. The choice experiments target to value different NBS aimed at erosion prevention and other ecosystem service benefits along the highly erosion prone Ghanaian coastline. Time payments are converted into monetary units using two generic wage-based conversion rates and one novel individual-specific non-wage-based conversion rate. We find higher WTP estimates for the time payments. Moreover, we find that the underlying implicit assumptions related to the currently commonly applied generic wage-based conversion rates do not hold. Finally, we find higher levels of market integration and smaller WTP disparities in the urban site, providing evidence that market integration allows for convergence of WTP estimates. These results provide guidance on the accurate estimation of NBS benefits through the implementation of stated preference studies with time payments.