Role of tourism in local communities’ attitudes toward biodiversity conservation: case study of Golestan National Park, Iran

Dissertação de Mestrado, Economia do Turismo e Desenvolvimento Regional, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Social benchmarking to improve river ecosystems

To complement physical measures or indices of river health a social benchmarking instrument has been developed to measure community dispositions and behaviour regarding river health. This instrument seeks to achieve three outcomes. First, to provide a benchmark of the social condition of communities’ attitudes, values, understanding and behaviours in relation to river health; second, to provide information for developing management and educational priorities; and third, to provide an assessment of the long-term effectiveness of community education and engagement activities in achieving changes in attitudes, understanding and behaviours in relation to river health. In this paper the development of the social benchmarking instrument is described and results are presented from the first state-wide benchmark study in Victoria, Australia, in which the social dimensions of river health, community behaviours related to rivers, and community understanding of human impacts on rivers were assessed.

‘Live your liberation, don’t lobby for it’ : Australian queer student activists’ perspectives of same-sex marriage

One topic covered in Australian queer university student print media is the legalisation of same-sex marriage. The legalisation of same-sex marriage is currently generating much debate in Western queer communities. Same-sex marriage is legalised in some countries such as, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. It has been outlawed in Australia and most states in the US. Campaigns continue to reverse these restrictions. Other countries, such as the UK and New Zealand allow same-sex civil unions, providing couples with the rights afforded to married couples. There is a range of research documenting queer communities’ attitudes towards this issue (for example Lannutti 2005; Clarke, Burgoyne and Burns 2006; Yep, Lovaas and Elia 2003; Wolfson 1993; Egan and Sherrill 2005). These studies document broad community views as well as those of community sub-sections. For example, Yip (2004) looks at the views of gay and lesbian Christians on same-sex marriage and Lahey and Alderson (2004) document the experiences of same-sex couples who have gotten married or who are waiting to get married. Philosophical analyses consider the legalisation of same-sex marriage in relation to, for example, liberalism, equal rights, liberation, queer theory, citizenship, history, activism, religious discourse and feminism (Ferguson 2007; Jordan 2005; Josephson 2005; Lipton 2006; Sullivan and Chauncey 2005; Riggs 2007). This paper explores Australian queer university student activist media’s representation of same-sex marriage, and the debates surrounding its legalisation. It examines a selection of queer student media from four metropolitan Australian universities, and the 2003 and 2004 editions of national queer student publication, Querelle. This paper uses discourse analysis of queer student activists’ media representations of marriage to investigate this issue in one specific context – metropolitan Australian universities. This paper thus contributes to the history of queer activism, documenting what one group of young people say about the legalisation of same-sex marriage, and furthers research on queer perspectives of marriage and same-sex relationships.

Saving Young Lives: Pathfinder International’s Youth-Friendly Postabortion Care Project

As many as 2.5 million adolescent women seek abortion each year, and nearly 70,000 women die from complications related to unsafe abortion, of which almost half are women under the age of 25. A further 5 million women suffer disability due to unsafe abortion yearly. In most developing countries, abortion is legally restricted or highly inaccessible, which leads young women to seek services from unskilled practitioners often leading to incomplete, septic abortions and massive bleeding, which can result in permanent injury, infertility, and death. Based on our deeply held belief that all people, including adolescents, have a right to sexual and reproductive health services and the importance of addressing adolescent needs within Postabortion Care (PAC) services, Pathfinder used private funds to initiate a Youth-Friendly Postabortion Care (YFPAC) program in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Implemented between June 2007 and May 2008, the YFPAC program offered an opportunity to apply the PAC Consortium’s Technical Guidance on Youth-Friendly PAC, generating promising approaches and lessons learned. The goal of the YFPAC initiative was to increase access to PAC services that are responsive to adolescent needs in sub-Saharan Africa. While outcomes varied according to the country, the overall outcomes included: Increased community support for services and activities that prevent unwanted pregnancy, decreased stigma around abortion, and awareness of the issue of unsafe abortion among adolescent women: 311 peer educators reached almost 17,487 youth and other community members; 171 stakeholders (e.g., religious and traditional leaders, health officials, and local government officials) were sensitized on YFPAC, resulting in a positive shift in communities’ attitudes toward youth in need of PAC services. 125 service providers were trained to deliver YFPAC services and three doctors in Ghana were provided with a technical update on YFPAC. YFPAC services are available in Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Pathfinder introduced YFPAC services into 25 facilities (in 27 service delivery points), and provided more than 3,800 clients with YFPAC services throughout the eight countries. The number of adolescent PAC clients seen at the project facilities increased— 710 clients were seen in the first quarter, 1,144 were seen in the fourth. The number of adolescent PAC clients who adopt a contraceptive method to prevent future unintended pregnancies has increased. Statistics show an average postabortion contraceptive acceptance of 69%, with the highest acceptance being 83% and the lowest being 44%. Evidence-based approaches, tools, and lessons learned are being disseminated and used for scale-up or replication of YFPAC interventions.

Protective Eyewear Promotion: Applying Principles of Behaviour Change in the Design of a Squash Injury Prevention Programme

Eye injuries in squash have the potential to be severe. Although these injuries can be prevented through the use of protective eyewear, few players wear such eyewear. The aim of this paper is, to outline the behavioural principles guiding the design of a squash eyewear promotion initiative, the Protective Eyewear Promotion (PEP). Ecological principles of behaviour change were used to provide a comprehensive perspective on intrapersonal factors, policies and physical environmental influences of protective eyewear use. Results of baseline player surveys and venue manager inter-views were used to provide relevant and specific intervention content. At baseline, protective eyewear was not found to be readily available, and players' behaviours, knowledge and attitudes did not favour its use. The main components of PEP involved informing and educating both players and squash venue operators of the risk of eye injury and of appropriate protective eyewear, as well as assisting with the availability of the eyewear and offering incentives for players to use it. A structural strength of PEP was the strong collaborative links with the researchers of different disciplines, the squash governing body, eyewear manufacturers, squash venue personnel, as well as players. Attempts were made within the project structure to make provision for the future dissemination and sustainability of more widespread eye injury prevention measures in the sport of squash.

Unprotected eyes in squash: not seeing the risk of injury

The use of appropriate eyewear in squash can protect the eyes against injury. However, few adult squash players adequately protect their eyes against potential severe injuries. We describe the characteristics of non-users of protective eyewear and examine predictors of appropriate eyewear use. Self-report surveys of adult players were conducted in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Information on players' knowledge, behaviours and attitudes associated with protective eyewear use was collected, in addition to player demographic data. Appropriate eyewear was defined as Standards-approved polycarbonate lens eyewear. The majority 92.2% of players did not adequately protect their eyes while playing squash. Significant predictors of reported eyewear use were: previous eye injury; playing squash on average more than 2 hr per wk; having played for more than 20 y; and having more favourable attitudes towards eye safety in squash. The significant predictors of appropriate eyewear use were: being female; previous eye injury; playing squash on average more than 2 hr per week; and having more favourable attitudes towards eye safety in squash. Understanding the characteristics of both users and non-users of appropriate eye protection in squash is essential for informing future prevention strategies.

Green Marketing Communities and blogs : mapping consumer’s attitudes for future sustainable marketing

The last three decades have seen consumers’ environmental consciousness grow as the environment has moved to a mainstream issue. Results from our study of green marketing blog site comments in the first half of 2009 finds thirteen prominent concepts: carbon, consumers, global and energy were the largest themes, while crisis, power, people, water, fuel, product, work, time, water, organic, content and interest were the others. However sub issues were also identified, as the driving factor of this information is coming from consumer led social networks. While marketers hold some power, consumers are the real key factor to possess influence for change. They want to drive change and importantly, they have the power. Power to the people.

Conceptualising climate change in rural Australia : community perceptions, attitudes and (in) actions

Public engagement and support is essential for ensuring adaptation to climate change. The first step in achieving engagement is documenting how the general public currently perceive and understand climate change issues, specifically the importance they place on this global problem and identifying any unique challenges for individual communities. For rural communities, which rely heavily on local agriculture industries, climate change brings both potential impacts and opportunities. Yet, to date, our knowledge about how rural residents conceptualise climate change is limited. Thus, this research explores how the broader rural community – not only farmers – conceptualise climate change and responsive activities, focussing on documenting the understandings and risk perceptions of local residents from two small Australian rural communities. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted in communities in the Eden/Gippsland region on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, and the North-East of Tasmania. There are conflicting views on how climate change is conceptualised, the degree of concern and need for action, the role of local industry, who will 'win' and 'lose', and the willingness of rural communities to adapt. In particular, residents who believed in anthropogenic or human-induced factors described the changing climate as evidence of 'climate change', whereas those who were more sceptical termed it 'weather variability', suggesting that there is a divide in rural Australia that, unless urgently addressed, will hinder local and national policy responses to this global issue. Engaging these communities in the 21st century climate change debate will require a significant change in terminology and communication strategies.

Awareness and attitudes toward age-restricted communities in Finland

The average population age has been increasing for decades. In the U.S., the history of retirement communities in some states is relatively long, reaching back to the 1920s. In Finland, with one of the fastest-growing elderly population and highest total dependency ratios, seniors housing is a relatively new market within the residential housing business. Some studies have reported that only a small percentage of seniors are willing to move into age-restricted communities in Finland. This study analyzes awareness and attitudes of Finnish people toward age-restricted housing for seniors and toward seniors living in these communities. The results show that the majority of Finns were undecided if “senior houses” were the same as assisted living facilities. The respondents associated age-restricted communities with institutional housing for lonely elderly people with illnesses. The results of this study will help investors and developers understand how potential customers see age-restricted housing for seniors. Also, managers of senior houses can use the results for clarifying the idea of senior houses.

Invertebrate communities in northern Lake Victoria, with reference to their potential for fishery production

The zooplankton and macrobenthic communities of Lake Victoria were sampled by lift net and Ponar grab, respectively. The zooplankton comprised copepods and cladocerans, rotifers and aquatic insect larvae. Most taxa exhibited wide distribution in the lake, with the exception of rotifers which were rare in deep offshore waters. The main components in the macro-benthos were chaoborid and chironomid larvae and molluscs. Caridina nilotica (Roux) and other groups were rare in the samples. Zooplankton density ranged from 100000 or more to 4 million ind. m2 and increased from the shallow inshore to deep offshore waters. Numerical dominance of cyclopoids and nauplius larvae was a common feature at all stations sampled. Most macrobenthic taxa were also widely distributed, although chaoborid and chironomid larvae were rare in the samples. Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin) and larval Lates niloticus (L.) ate mainly cyclopoid copepods, while cichlids showed a strong preference for adult insects. High ecological stability of the cyclopoids, and the zooplankton community in general, despite radical ecosystem changes in recent years, coupled with what appears to be high predation pressure, offers good prospects for the pelagic fishery in the lake.

The history of fish communities, biodiversity and environment of Lake Victoria and the lessons learnt

The first fishery survey of Lake Victoria was conducted between 1927 and 1928 (Graham 1929). Atthat time, the lake had a diverse fish fauna and the fishery was dominated by two endemic tilapiine cichlids; Oreochromis esculentus (Graham 1929) and O. variabilis (Boulenger 1906). There were a number of other species such as Protopterus aethiopicus Heckel 1851, Bagrus docmac (Forsk.) 1775, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), Barbus species, mormyrids, Synodontis spp, Schilbe intermedius (Linn.) 1762 and Rastrineobola argentea Pellegrin, 1904 that were also abundant in the lake most of which made a significant contribution to the fishery (Graham 1929, Worthington 1929, 1932, Kudhongania & Cordone 1974). Haplochromine cichlids were represented by at least 300 species more than 99% of them endemic (Greenwood, 1974; Witte et al., 1992 a & b). The fishery of Lake Victoria was similar to that of lakes Kyoga and Nabugabo (Worthington 1929; Trewavas 1933; Greenwood 1965, 1966; Beadle 1962, 1981). There were also important fisheries on the inflowing rivers of Lake Victoria, the most important of which were Labeo victorianus and Barbus altianalis (Cadwallader 1965). The small sized species notably Rastrineobola argentea and haplochromines cichlids were not originally commercially exploited.

The nutritional status of fishing and non-fishing communities of Lake Victoria basin

We examined socio-economic variables that contribute to malnutrition in selected communities in the Lake Victoria basin during 2001. The study was carried out in nine districts and hinterland communities up to 25 km awayfrom the beach were used as the reference population. The main variables examined were: feeding habits, income and intra-household food distribution and living standards. Others included disease and health, sanitation and hygiene, childcare and mothers' age and workload, weaning practices, agricultural production and food availability, care during pregnancy and food taboos.

Epidemiology of bilharzia (Schistosomiasis) among fishing communities of Lake Victoria

The study was done in six districts of Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Bugiri, Busia and Kalangala. At both mainland shoreline and islands, 271 adult respondents were randomly selected from 17 landing sites of Lake Victoria over a four months period between October 2000 and January 2001. A questionnaire was administered for symptoms of schistosomiasis and samples of stool, urine and blood were taken from respondents. Stool and urine were analysed for schistosome eggs and blood. Blood was analysed for increased eosinophils. Snail samples were collected from various depths along the shoreline of study sites identified and screened for schistosome cercariae.

Wetlands and riparian zones as buffers and critical habitats for biotic communities in Lake Victoria

Despite their ecological and socio-economic importance, Lake Victoria's adjoining "swamps" and lake interface are among the least investigated parts of the lake. The "swamps" a term commonly equated to "wastelands" and the difficult working environment they present in comparison to open water, are major factors for the low level of attention accorded to shoreline wetlands. Moreover, definitions of wetlands highlighted for example in the Ramsar Convention as "areas of marsh, fern, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh or brackish, or salt, including areas of marine water, the depth of which does not exceed six metres" (Ramsar, 1971) were designed to protect birds (water fowl) of international importance. The Ramsar definition, which also includes oceans, has till recently been of limited use for Lake Victoria, because itdoes not fully recognise wetlands in relation to other public concerns such as water quality, biodiversity and the tisheries that are of higher socioeconomic priority than waterfowl. Prior to 1992, fishery research on Lake Victoria included studies of inshore shallow habitats of the lake without specific reference to distance or the type of vegetation at the shore. Results of these studies also conveniently relied heavily on trawl and gill net data from the 5-10 m depth zones as the defining boundary of shallow inshore habitats. In Lake Victoria, such a depth range can be at least one kilometre from the lake interface and by the 10m depth contour, habitats are in the sub-littoral range. Findings from these studies could thus not be used to make direct inferences on the then assumed importance of Lake Victoria wetlands in general.

Effects of cage fish culture on water quality and selected biological communities in northern Lake Victoria, Uganda

Growing of fish in cages is currently practiced in Uganda and was first introduced in northern Lake Victoria in 2010. An environment monitoring study was undertaken at Source of the Nile, a private cage fish farm, in Napoleon gulf, northern Lake Victoria. In-situ measurements of key environmental (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity) and biological (algae, zooplankton, macro-benthos) variables were made at three transects: Transect 1- the site with fish cages (WC); transect 2- upstream of the fish cages (USC-control) and Transect 3- downstream of the cages (DSC). Upstream and Downstream sites were located approximately 1.0 km from the fish cages. Environment parameters varied spatially and temporally but were generally within safe ranges for freshwater habitats. Higher concentrations of SRP (0.015-0.112 Mg/L) occurred at USC during February, September and at DSC in November; NO2-N (0.217- 0.042 mg/L) at USC and DSC in February and November; NH4-N (0.0054- 0.065 Mg/L) at WC and DSC in February, May and November. Algal bio-volumes were significantly higher at WC (F (2,780)=4.619; P=0.010). Zooplankton species numbers were consistently lower at WC with a significant difference compared to the control site (P=0.032). Macro-benthos abundance was consistently higher at the site with cages where mollusks and low-oxygen and pollution-tolerant chironomids were the dominant group. Higher algal biomass, concentration of low-oxygen/pollution-tolerant macro-benthos and depressed zooplankton diversity at WC suggested impacts from the fish cages on aquatic biota.