This paper has two objectives. First, it analyzes the past research on deforestation and summarizes the findings of that research, in terms of its relevance to the development of future REDD regimes. Second, it highlights areas where future research and methodological development are needed to support national and international processes on avoided deforestation and degradation.
Tag: environmental management
Laikipia County Environment Action Plan (CEAP) 2025-2029 [Abridged Version]
The development of this plan is anchored on participato ry approaches, incorporating insights from communities, NGOs, technical experts, private sector, and policymakers. It aligns with frameworks such as the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, (EMCA) 1999 (Revised 2015), Kenya’s Vision 2030, the County National Climate Change Action Plans. Through this integrated approach, we reaffirm our resolve to build a resilient and prosperous Laikipia that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship.
Physical scarification and hydrogen peroxide treatment improves germination of Vangueria infausta seed
The effects of physical seed coat scarification and soaking in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were studied to determine presowing treatments that would improve germination in seed of Vangueria infausta. The study involved two experiments, the first conducted in the laboratory, and the second in the nursery. The scarification treatments were: unscarified control; partial removal of the seed coat at the radical end; and total removal of the seed coat. The other treatments involved soaking the seeds in 5 concentrations of H2O2, i.e., 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%, for 12 h.Generally, less than 70% of the seeds germinated. The best germination results, (71% in the laboratory and 63% in the nursery) were obtained in seeds with partial removal of the seed coat when soaked in 6% H2O2 for 12 h. Germination in other treatments involving partial removal of the seed coat was higher than that of unscarified seed in the nursery, although laboratory values were nearly the same. Seeds whose seed coat was completely removed germinated poorly (5–16%), as a result of rapid water uptake which caused damage to internal seed structures.Hydrogen peroxide application at concentrations of 2–6% positively improved germination, while 8% H2O2 seemed to have a depressive effect. The impact of scarification and H2O2 on other germination parameters is discussed.
Restoration plan for Divo Botanic Reserve
The development of this restoration plan is the first step in the process to achieving the recovery of the Divo Botanic Reserve. To maintain momentum, the most important next step is to form a management committee for the reserve as none of the above can be achieved by any single organisation working in isolation. The management committee will need representation from all key local and national stakeholders. Once it is accepted to make decisions on behalf of the reserve, the task of the management committee will then be to work in partnerships to synergise the conservation actions and maximise impact. To ensure adaptive management going forwards, it will be important that data be collected on the conservation actions, and it is also recommended that the management committee meets regularly to evaluate progress and assign responsibilities with timely deadlines.
REDD+, transformational change and the promise of performance-based payments: a qualitative comparative analysis
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) has emerged as a promising climate change mitigation mechanism in developing countries. This article examines the national political context in 13 REDD+ countries in order to identify the enabling conditions for achieving progress with the implementation of countries’ REDD+ policies and measures. The analysis builds on a qualitative comparative analysis of various countries’ progress with REDD+ conducted in 12 REDD+ countries in 2012, which highlighted the importance of factors such as already initiated policy change, and the presence of coalitions calling for broader policy change. A follow-up survey in 2014 was considered timely because the REDD+ policy arena, at the international and country levels, is highly dynamic and undergoes constant evolution, which affects progress with REDD+ policy-making and implementation. Furthermore, we will now examine whether the ‘promise’ of performance-based funds has played a role in enabling the establishment of REDD+. The results show a set of enabling conditions and characteristics of the policy process under which REDD+ policies can be established. The study finds that the existence of broader policy change, and availability of performance-based funding in combination with strong national ownership of the REDD+ policy process, may help guide other countries seeking to formulate REDD+ policies that are likely to deliver efficient, effective and equitable outcomes.
Slash-and-burn agriculture: the search for alternatives
This remarkable volume addresses the sustainable management of tropical forests with unstinting sophistication, moving the analysis beyond clichés to the true complexities of the challenge. The world’s tropical forests, in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, are being cut down, at enormous costs to local and global biodiversity and ecosystem services. The carbon released by tropical deforestation is a significant factor in the overall increase in atmospheric green-house gases. Yet the “best bets” to deal with the challenge of tropical deforestation remain far from obvious. The studies collected here offer new conceptual tools and a rich compendium of empirical analyses that will be needed to formulate a set of viable responses to this major global challenge. The traditional interpretation of tropical deforestation has usually proceeded in something like the following way. A rising population of smallholder farmers at the forest margin—the boundary between farm and forest—leads to deforestation as forests are cut to make room for new farms. At the same time, existing farmland is abandoned because of land degradation, soil erosion, and soil nutrient depletion. The loss of existing farmland is exacerbated by the pressure of shortened fallows, caused by the rise of population densities. In this traditional view, the best way to slow or stop deforestation would be to raise productivity on existing farms in a sustainable manner—for example, through the systematic replenishment of soil nutrients, so that pressures to expand into new lands can be eased. There are of course important aspects of truth in this conventional view, but as the studies in this volume make clear, the situation is far more complex. Natural population growth on the forest margin is not the only, or even the key, driver of deforestation. Population growth often results from in-migration of settlers, rather than from the natural population increase among existing residents. Ironically, in such circumstances, intensification of agricultural techniques, even in a sustainable manner, can increase rather than decrease the rate of deforestation, by raising the profitability of farming and thereby inducing the in-migration of settlers to the forest margin. There may be a strong case for improving the productivity of agricultural practices, but that step alone may not solve the problem of deforestation
Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn agriculture, symposium ID-6: 15th International Soil Science Congress, Acapulco, Mexico 1994
Sustainable woodfuel (charcoal and firewood) systems in coastal region in Tanzania. Stakeholder engagement in context analysis and planning using SHARED methodology
Contribution of grazing to soil atmosphere CH4 exchange during the growing season in a continental steppe
Degradation of steppes induced by overgrazing may affect the uptake of atmospheric methane (CH4) by soil sinks. However, uncertainty is associated with the very limited knowledge of gas fluxes in rapidly degrading steppe. In this study, we investigated the effects of grazing on CH4 uptake during the growing season in three types of steppe (meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe and) in Inner Mongolia, China, to quantify and compare CH4 uptake in steppe ecosystems under different grazing management conditions. The CH4 fluxes were measured using an automatic cavity ring-down spectrophotometer at three steppe locations that differed primarily in grazing intensity. The results indicated that steppe soils were CH4 sinks throughout the growing season. CH4 uptake at all sites averaged 7.98 kg CH4-C ha-1 yr-1 (ranging from 1.53 to 18.74 kg CH4-C ha-1 yr-1), of which approximately 43.8% occurred in the desert steppe. CH4 uptake in the desert steppe increased 20.4% and 51.2% compared with the typical steppe and meadow steppe, respectively. Light grazing (LG) of steppe did not significantly change CH4 uptake compared with un-grazed (UG) steppe, but moderate and heavy grazing (MG, HG) reduced CH4 uptake significantly (by 6.8-37.9%, P < 0.05). These findings imply that reducing the grazing pressure on steppe would help increase the atmospheric CH4 sinks in steppe soils. Our results suggest that HG exerts a considerable negative impact on CH4 uptake in a continental steppe. Further studies involving year-round, intensive measurements of CH4 uptake are needed.
Agroforestry in transformation
During the one hour drive from Jakarta to Bogor you can observe a remarkable diversity in land use: rice paddies, cassava cultivated under highway tree plantations, mixed home garden and fruit and timber trees-all grown by small-scale farmers. But there are also golf courses and massive real estate development, Living for a while in West Java brings perspectives, on forestry, agriculture the environment and the people who manage natural resources. This island is one of the most populated places anywhere, some 120people in an area one-third of Sweeden. Yet Java is full of trees. This has not always been the case: fifty years ago Java had large areas of unproductive Imperata grasslands after generation of shifting cultivation which became unstable due to human population growth. Today small-scale farmers have converted most of the grasslands to rich agroforestry home gardens. Farmers are changing the landscape.