838 resultados para environmental management practices


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In Nepal, changing demographic patterns are leading to changes in land use. The high level of outmigration of men in the hills of Kaski District, Western Development Region of Nepal, is affecting the household structure but also land management. Land is often abandoned, as the burden on those left behind is too high. How do these developments affect the state of the land in terms of land degradation? To find out, we studied land degradation, land abandonment caused by outmigration, and existing sustainable land management practices in a subwatershed in Kaski District. Mapping was done using the methodology of the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT). While previous studies expected land abandonment to exacerbate slope erosion, we demonstrate in this paper that it is in fact leading to an increase in vegetation cover due to favourable conditions for ecosystem recovery. However, negative impacts are several, including the increase of invasive species harmful to livestock and a decline in soil fertility. Traditional land management practices such as terraces and forest management exist. To date, however, these measures fail to take account of the changing population dynamics in the region, making the question of how migration and land degradation are linked worth revisiting.

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Due to their biodiversity, forests generate a range of products and services that are of economic, social or cultural value to human beings. Natural resource management provisions should ensure the creation and maintenance of these goods and services in the long term. However, unsustainable management practices of forests do not only generate short-term benefits but also considerable costs for society. Payment by the beneficiaries of the services would enable us to internalise external costs and promote sustainable management. Two days of conferences on ”Forest and water”, on the multifunctionality of forests, on interactions between forests and water, on sustainable resource management, on payments for environmental services, their institutional and economic perspectives, were the basis of this brochure which presents an in-depth analysis of the information exchanged among conference participants and the public. It is intended for readers who work in international development cooperation and assistance in Switzerland and abroad. It offers additional information for local programmes in the field and at policy level.

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This is an investigation into the microbially mediated processes involved in the transformation of arsenic. With the recent change in the Federal Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic in drinking water, an increasing amount of resources are being devoted to understanding the mechanisms involved in the movement of arsenic. Arsenic in drinking water typically comes from natural sources, but the triggers that result in increased release of arsenic from parent material are poorly understood. Knowledge of these processes is necessary in order to make sound engineering decisions regarding drinking water management practices. Recent years have brought forth the idea that bacteria play a significant role in arsenic cycling. Groundwater is a major source of potable water in this and many other countries. To date, no reports have been made indicating the presence and activity of arsenate reducing bacteria in groundwater settings, which may increase dissolved arsenic concentrations. This research was designed to address this question and has shown that these bacteria are present in Maine groundwater. Two Maine wells were sampled in order to culture resident bacteria that are capable of dissimilatory arsenate reduction. Samples were collected using anaerobic techniques fiom wells in Northport and Green Lake. These samples were amended with specific compounds to enrich the resident population of arsenate utilizing bacteria. These cultures were monitored over time to establish rates of arsenate reduction. Cultures fiom both sites exhibited arsenate reduction in initial enrichment cultures. Isolates obtained fiom the Green Lake enrichments, however, did not reduce arsenate. This indicates either that a symbiotic relationship was required for the observed arsenate reduction or that fast-growing fermentative organisms that could survive in high arsenate media were picked in the isolation procedure. The Northport cultures exhibited continued arsenate reduction after isolation and successive transfers into fiesh media. The cultured bacteria reduced the majority of 1 a arsenate solutions in less than one week, accompanied by a corresponding oxidation of lactate. The 16s rRNA fiom the isolate was arnplifled and sequenced. The results of the DNA sequence analysis indicate that the rRNA sequence of the bacteria isolated at the Northport site is unique. This means that this strain of bacteria has not been reported before. It is in the same taxonomic subgroup as two previously described arsenate respirers. The implications of this study are significant. The fact that resident bacteria are capable of reducing arsenate has implications for water management practices. Reduction of arsenate to arsenite increases the mobility of the compound, as well as the toxicity. An understanding of the activity of these types of organisms is necessary in order to understand the contribution they are making to arsenic concentrations in drinking water. The next step in this work would be to quantitj the actual loading of dissolved arsenic present in aquifers because of these organisms.

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The effect of returning grass clippings on turfgrass growth and quality has not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of returning grass clippings in combination with varying N rates on growth, N utilization, and quality of turfgrass managed as a residential lawn. Two field experiments using a cool-season turfgrass mixture were arranged as a 2 x 4 factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Treatments included two clipping management practices (returned or removed) and four N rates (equivalent to 0, 98, 196, and 392 kg N ha(-1)). Soils at the two sites were a Paxton fine sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Dystrudepts) and a variant of a Hinckley gravelly sandy loam (sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Udorthents). Returning clippings was found to increase clipping dry matter yields (DMYs) from 30 to 72%, total N uptake (NUP) from 48 to 60%, N recovery by 62%, and N use efficiency (NUE) from 52 to 71%. Returning grass clippings did not decrease turfgrass quality, and improved it in some plots. We found that N fertilization rates could be reduced 50% or more without decreasing turfgrass quality when clippings were returned. Overall, returning grass clippings was found to improve growth and quality of turfgrass while reducing N fertilization needs.

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Objective. This study investigates the life and health goals of older adults with diabetes, and explores the factors that influence their diabetes self-management. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 older adults with diabetes and other morbid conditions and/or their caregivers, when appropriate. ^ Results. Participants’ provided a consistent set of responses when describing life and health goals. Participants described goals for longevity, better physical functioning, spending time with family, or maintaining independence. Diabetes discordant conditions, but not diabetes, were seen as barriers to life goals for participants with functional impairments. Functionally independent participants described additional health goals that related to diabetes self-management as diabetes was seen often a barrier to life goals. Caregivers, co-morbid conditions, denial and retirement were among the factors that influenced initiation of diabetes self-management. ^ Conclusion. Participants endorsed health goals and diabetes self-management practices that they believed would help them accomplish their life goals. Functional capabilities and social support were key factors in the relationship between diabetes self-management and their broader goals. ^ Practice implications. When planning diabetes treatments, clinicians, patients and caregivers should discuss the relationship between diabetes self-management and health and life goals as well as the affects of functional limitations and caregiver support.^

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Electronic waste is a fairly new and largely unknown phenomenon. Accordingly, governments have only recently acknowledged electronic waste as a threat to the environment and public health. In attempting to mitigate the hazards associated with this rapidly growing toxic waste stream, governments at all levels have started to implement e-waste management programs. The legislation enacted to create these programs is based on extended producer responsibility or EPR policy. ^ EPR shifts the burden of final disposal of e-waste from the consumer or municipal solid waste system to the manufacturer of electronic equipment. Applying an EPR policy is intended to send signals up the production chain to the manufacturer. The desired outcome is to change the methods of production in order to reduce production outputs/inputs with the ultimate goal of changing product design. This thesis performs a policy analysis of the current e-waste policies at the federal and state level of government, focusing specifically on Texas e-waste policies. ^ The Texas e-waste law known, as HB 2714 or the Texas Computer TakeBack Law, requires manufacturers to provide individual consumers with a free and convenient method for returning their used computers to manufacturers. The law is based on individual producer responsibility and shared responsibility among consumer, retailers, recyclers, and the TCEQ. ^ Using a set of evaluation criteria created by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Texas e-waste law was examined to determine its effectiveness at reducing the threat of e-waste in Texas. Based on the outcomes of the analysis certain recommendations were made for the legislature to incorporate into HB 2714. ^ The results of the policy analysis show that HB 2714 is a poorly constructed law and does not provide the desired results seen in other states with EPR policies. The TakeBack Law does little to change the collection methods of manufacturers and even less to change their production habits. If the e-waste problem is to be taken seriously, HB 2714 must be amended to reflect the proposed changes in this thesis.^

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En los últimos tiempos se ha fomentado, a través de distintas normas, la protección del medio ambiente como parte integrante de las diferentes actividades y políticas tanto del sector público como privado, con el propósito de lograr un desarrollo equilibrado y sostenible, compatible con el actual modelo económico. En función de ello, en una bodega emplazada en Maipú (Mendoza, Argentina) se realizó un diagnóstico (Revisión Inicial Ambiental - RIA) para conocer la situación actual del establecimiento con respecto a su relación con el medio ambiente. Una vez recabada la información y concluido el diagnóstico, se planteó un plan de medidas de gestión ambiental. Dichas medidas, que incorporaron los nuevos conceptos de producción limpia, ecoeficiencia y buenas prácticas ambientales, fueron documentadas a través de registros y permitieron conocer el desempeño ambiental a partir de los indicadores propuestos para cada uno de los Puntos Críticos ambientales (PCA). La propuesta inicial del presente trabajo fue lograr que la implementación de las medidas de acción, junto con los registros e indicadores de desempeño ambiental, sirvieran de soporte decisorio y brindaran los lineamientos básicos para diseñar un Sistema de Gestión Ambiental (SGA) que, junto con las Auditorías Ambientales (AA), formaran parte de la propuesta final.

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La lógica del mercado y al cambio de modelo de desarrollo en América Latina, en el intento de poder competir a nivel mundial, ha agudizado las disparidades y el deterioro ambiental. La presión que ejercen las grandes empresas y ciertos grupos con poder, el enquistamiento de una estructura administrativa que puja por mantener esquemas tradicionales ya perimidos y la falta de planificación impiden atender uno de los problemas claves que plantea la economía en el territorio, el de la concentración y los desequilibrios territoriales. Surge entonces el Ordenamiento Territorial como alternativa válida para atenuar estos procesos y dar respuesta a la sociedad. El caso que se presenta pone en el tapete muchos de estos temas que hoy preocupan y puede servir como experiencia transferible y aplicable a otras realidades que buscan consolidar un desarrollo local sustentable. El ante-proyecto de Ley de Ordenamiento Territorial y Usos del Suelo para la provincia de Mendoza, República Argentina, es un instrumento elaborado en el año 2006 por el sector académico-científico que desde una visión interdisciplinaria incorpora fundamentos técnicos y aportes de los actores sociales involucrados. La metodología aplicada permite consensuar por la sociedad en su conjunto los principios que sustentan la Ley, determinar la aplicación de ciertos instrumentos para efectivizar acciones en el territorio y definir una forma innovadora de hacer política, gestionar y planificar el uso del suelo. La propuesta considera al Ordenamiento Territorial como una política de Estado que debe propiciar condiciones de gobernabilidad. Sus principios y normas priorizan la equidad y el bienestar general por encima de los intereses particulares así como también el respeto de los valores y costumbres de la sociedad. Surge de un proceso participativo y sus principios y fines responden a los problemas actuales. Incorpora una serie de instrumentos debidamente jerarquizados conforme a las competencias jurisdiccionales y existencia de distintas escalas geográficas, como también, instrumentos jurídicos y prácticas administrativas innovadoras que permiten la resolución de conflictos territoriales. Identifica además recursos financieros para implementarla y prioriza el fortalecimiento de los mecanismos de control para un funcionamiento más ágil y eficaz de la gestión pública. Sin embargo existen riesgos vinculados a la voluntad política y el poder económico que pueden impedir que esta utopía se transforme en realidad. Solo la participación social es la que puede lograr vencer los intereses en juego y conseguir la aprobación de la Ley. Si esto se consigue se habrá dado un paso muy importante a ser imitado, sin lugar a dudas, en otros lugares de Argentina y América Latina.

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Soil erosion is a widespread problem in agricultural landscapes, particularly in regions with strong rainfall events. Vegetated field margins can mitigate negative impacts of soil erosion by trapping eroded material. In this data set, we present data of sediment trapped by 12 field margins during the monsoon season of 2013 in an agricultural landscape in the Haean-myun catchment in South Korea. Prior to the beginning of monsoon season, we equipped a total of 12 sites representing three replicates for each of four different types of field margins ("managed flat", "managed steep", "natural flat" and "natural steep") with Astroturf mats with a size of 34 cm x 25 cm (850 cm**2). The mats (n = 15 / site) were installed at three levels: upslope, immediately before the field margin to quantify the sediments that reach it, in the middle of the field margin to quantify the locally trapped sediments, and after the field margin at the downslope edge to quantify the sediments that leave the field margin to the next field or to the stream. Sediment was collected after each rain event until the end of the monsoon season.

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Public participation is an integral part of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and as such, has been incorporated into regulatory norms. Assessment of the effectiveness of public participation has remained elusive however. This is partly due to the difficulty in identifying appropriate effectiveness criteria. This research uses Q methodology to discover and analyze stakeholder's social perspectives of the effectiveness of EIAs in the Western Cape, South Africa. It considers two case studies (Main Road and Saldanha Bay EIAs) for contextual participant perspectives of the effectiveness based on their experience. It further considers the more general opinion of provincial consent regulator staff at the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Planning (DEA&DP). Two main themes of investigation are drawn from the South African National Environmental Management Act imperative for effectiveness: firstly, the participation procedure, and secondly, the stakeholder capabilities necessary for effective participation. Four theoretical frameworks drawn from planning, politics and EIA theory are adapted to public participation and used to triangulate the analysis and discussion of the revealed social perspectives. They consider citizen power in deliberation, Habermas' preconditions for the Ideal Speech Situation (ISS), a Foucauldian perspective of knowledge, power and politics, and a Capabilities Approach to public participation effectiveness. The empirical evidence from this research shows that the capacity and contextual constraints faced by participants demand the legislative imperatives for effective participation set out in the NEMA. The implementation of effective public participation has been shown to be a complex, dynamic and sometimes nebulous practice. The functional level of participant understanding of the process was found to be significantly wide-ranging with consequences of unequal and dissatisfied stakeholder engagements. Furthermore, the considerable variance of stakeholder capabilities in the South African social context, resulted in inequalities in deliberation. The social perspectives revealed significant differences in participant experience in terms of citizen power in deliberation. The ISS preconditions are highly contested in both the Saldanha EIA case study and the DEA&DP social perspectives. Only one Main Road EIA case study social perspective considered Foucault's notion of governmentality as a reality in EIA public participation. The freedom of control of ones environment, based on a Capabilities approach, is a highly contested notion. Although agreed with in principle, all of the social perspectives indicate that contextual and capacity realities constrain its realisation. This research has shown that Q method can be applied to EIA public participation in South Africa and, with the appropriate research or monitoring applications it could serve as a useful feedback tool to inform best practice public participation.

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The author participated in the 6 th EU Framework Project ―Q-pork Chains (FP6-036245-2)‖ from 2007 to 2009. With understanding of work reports from China and other countries, it is found that compared with other countries, China has great problems in pork quality and safety. By comparing the pork chain management between China and Spain, It is found that the difference in governance structure is one of the main differences in pork chain management between Spain and China. In China, spot-market relationship still dominates governance structure of pork chain, especially between the numerous house-hold pig holders and the great number of small slaughters. While in Spain, chain agents commonly apply cooperatives or integrations to cooperate. It also has been proven by recent studies, that in quality management at the chain level that supply chain integration has a direct effect on quality management practices (Han, 2010). Therefore, the author started to investigate the governance structure choices in supply chain management. And it has been set as the first research objective, which is to explain the governance structure choices process and the influencing factors in supply chain management, analyzing the pork chains cases in Spain and in China. During the further investigation, the author noticed the international trade of pork between Spain and China is not smooth since the signature of bi-lateral agreement on pork trade in 2007. Thus, another objective of the research is to find and solve the problems exist in the international pork chain between Spain and China. For the first objective, to explain the governance structure choices in supply chain management, the thesis conducts research in three main sections. 10 First of all, the thesis gives a literature overview in chapter two on Supply Chain Management (SCM), agri-food chain management and pork chain management. It concludes that SCM is a systems approach to view the supply chains as a whole, and to manage the total flow of goods inventory from the supplier to the ultimate customer. It includes the bi-directional flow of products (materials and services) and information, and the associated managerial and operational activities. And it also is a customer focus to create unique and individual source of customer value with an appropriate use of resources, leading to customer satisfaction and building competitive chain advantages. Agri-food chain management and pork chain management are applications of SCM in agri-food sector and pork sector respectively. Then, the research gives a comparative study in chapter three in the pork chain and pork chain management between Spain and China. Many differences are found, while the main difference is governance structure in pork chain management. Furthermore, the author gives an empirical study on governance structure choice in chapter five. It is concluded that governance structure of supply chain consists of a collection of rules/institutions/constraints structuring the transactions between the various stakeholders. Based on the overview on literatures closely related with governance structure, such as transaction cost economics, transaction value analysis and resource-based view theories, seven hypotheses are proposed, which are: Hypothesis 1: Transaction cost has positive relationship with governance structure choice Hypothesis 2: Uncertainty has positive relationship with transaction cost; higher uncertainty exerts high transaction cost Hypothesis 3: The relationship between asset specificity and transaction cost is positive Hypothesis 4: Collaboration advantages and governance structure choice have positive relationship11 Hypothesis 5: Willingness to collaborate has positive relationship with collaboration advantages Hypothesis 6: Capability to collaborate has positive relationship with collaboration advantages Hypothesis 7: Uncertainty has negative effect on collaboration advantages It is noted that as transaction cost value is negative, the transaction cost mentioned in the hypotheses is its absolute value. To test the seven hypotheses, Structural Equation Model (SEM) is applied and data collected from 350 pork slaughtering and processing companies in Jiangsu, Shandong and Henan Provinces in China is used. Based on the empirical SEM model and its results, the seven hypotheses are proved. The author generates several conclusions accordingly. It is found that the governance structure choice of the chain not only depends on transaction cost, it also depends on collaboration advantages. Exchange partners establish more stable and more intense relationship to reduce transaction cost and to maximize collaboration advantages. ―Collaboration advantages‖ in this thesis is defined as the joint value achieved through transaction (mutual activities) of agents in supply chains. This value forms as improvements, mainly in mutual logistics systems, cash response, information exchange, technological improvements and innovative improvements and quality management improvements, etc. Governance structure choice is jointly decided by transaction cost and collaboration advantages. Chain agents take different governance structures to coordinate in order to decrease their transaction cost and to increase their collaboration advantages. In China´s pork chain case, spot market relationship dominates the governance structure among the numerous backyard pig farmer and small family slaughterhouse 12 as they are connected by acquaintance relationship and the transaction cost in turn is low. Their relationship is reliable as they know each other in the neighborhood; as a result, spot market relationship is suitable for their exchange. However, the transaction between large-scale slaughtering and processing industries and small-scale pig producers is becoming difficult. The information hold back behavior and hold-up behavior of small-scale pig producers increase transaction cost between them and large-scale slaughtering and processing industries. Thus, through the more intense and stable relationship between processing industries and pig producers, processing industries reduce the transaction cost and improve the collaboration advantages with their chain partners, in which quality and safety collaboration advantages be increased, meaning that processing industries are able to provide consumers products with better quality and higher safety. It is also drawn that transaction cost is influenced mainly by uncertainty and asset specificity, which is in line with new institutional economics theories developed by Williamson O. E. In China´s pork chain case, behavioral uncertainty is created by the hold-up behaviors of great numbers of small pig producers, while big slaughtering and processing industries having strong asset specificity. On the other hand, ―collaboration advantages‖ is influenced by chain agents´ willingness to collaborate and chain agents´ capabilities to cooperate. With the fast growth of big scale slaughtering and processing industries, they are more willing to know and make effort to cooperate with their chain members, and they are more capable to create joint value together with other chain agents. Therefore, they are now the main chain agents who drive more intense and stable governance structure in China‘s pork chain. For the other objective, to find and solve the problems in the international pork chain between Spain and China, the research gives an analysis in chapter four on the 13 international pork chain. This study gives explanations why the international trade of pork between Spain and China is not sufficient from the chain perspective. It is found that the first obstacle is the high quality and safety requirement set by Chinese government. It makes the Spanish companies difficult to get authorities to export. Other aspects, such as Spanish pork is not competitive in price compared with other countries such as Denmark, United States, Canada, etc., Chinese consumers do not have sufficient information on Spanish pork products, are also important reasons that Spain does not export great quantity of pork products to China. It is concluded that China´s government has too much concern on the quality and safety requirements to Spanish pork products, which makes trade difficult to complete. The two countries need to establish a more stable and intense trade relationship. They also should make the information exchange sufficient and efficient and try to break trade barriers. Spanish companies should consider proper price strategies to win the Chinese pork market

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Spain is the fifth-largest producer of melon (Cucumis melo L.) and the second exporter in the world. To a national level, Castilla-La Mancha emphasize and, specifically, Ciudad Real, where is cultivated 27% of national area dedicated to this crop and 30% of melon national production. Melon crop is cultivating majority in Ciudad Real and it is mainly located in the Alto Guadiana, where the major aquifers of the region are located, the aquifer 23 or Mancha Occidental and the aquifer 24 or Campo de Montiel, both declared overexploited and vulnerable zones to nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. The problem is exacerbated because in this area, groundwater is the basic resource of supply to populations, and even often the only one. Given the importance of melon in the area, recent research has focused on the irrigation of melon crop. Unfortunately, scant information has been forthcoming on the effect of N fertilizer on melon piel de sapo crop, so it is very important to tackle in a serious study that lead to know the N requirements on the melon crop melon by reducing the risks of contamination by nitrate leaching without affecting productivity and crop quality. In fact, the recommended dose is often subjective and practice is a N overdose. In this situation, the taking of urgent measures to optimize the use of N fertilization is required. To do it, the effect of N in a melon crop, fertirrigated and on plastic mulch, was studied. The treatments consisted in different rates of N supply, considering N fertilizer and N content in irrigation water, so the treatment applied were: 30 (N30), 85 (N85), 112 (N112) and 139 (N139) Kg N ha-1 in 2005; 93 (N93), 243 (N243) and 393 (N393) kg ha-1 in 2006; and 11 (N11), 61 (N61), 95 (N95) and 148 (N148) kg ha-1 in 2007. A randomized complete-block design was used and each treatment was replicated four times. The results showed a significant effect of N on dry biomass and two patterns of growth were observed. On the one hand, a gradual increase in vegetative biomass of the plant, leaves and stem, with increasing N, and on the other hand, an increase of fruit biomass also with increasing N up to a maximum of biomass corresponding to the optimal dose determined in 90 kg ha-1 of N applied, corresponding to 160 kg ha-1 of N available for melon crop, since this optimum dose, the fruit biomass suffers a decline. A significant effect was observed in concentration and N uptake in leaf, steam, fruit and whole plant, increasing in all of them with increasing of N doses. Fast N uptake occurred from 30-35 to 70-80 days after transplanting, coinciding with the fruit development. The N had a clear influence on the melon yield, its components, skin thickness and flesh ratio. The melon yield increased, as the mean fruit weight and number of fruits per m2 with increasing N until achieve an above 95% of the maximum yield when the N applied is 90 kg ha-1 or 160 kg ha-1 of N available. When N exceeds the optimal amount, there is a decline in yield, reducing the mean fruit weight and number of fruits per square meter, and was also observed a decrease in fruit quality by increasing the skin thickness and decrease the flesh ratio, which means an increase in fruit hollowed with excessive N doses. There was a trend for all indexes of N use efficiency (NUE) to decline with increasing N rate. We observed two different behaviours in the calculation result of the NUE; on the one hand, all the efficiency indexes calculated with N applied and N available had an exponential trend, and on the other hand, all the efficiency indexes calculated with N uptake has a linear trend. The linear regression cuts the exponential curve, delimiting a range within which lies the optimum quantity of N. The N leaching as nitrates increased exponentially with the amount of N. The increase of N doses was affected on the N mineralization. There was a negative exponential effect of N available on the mineralization of this element that occurs in the soil during the growing season, calculated from the balances of this element. The study of N leaching for each N rate used, allowed to us to establish several environmental indices related to environmental risk that causes the use of such doses, a simple way for them to be included in the code of Best Management Practices.