Standard of Living and Community Perception in the Community Based Ecotourism (CBET) Sites of Kerala: An Inter Zone Analysis

This study is an attempt to situate the quality of life and standard of living of local communities in ecotourism destinations inter alia their perception on forest conservation and the satisfaction level of the local community. 650 EDC/VSS members from Kerala demarcated into three zones constitute the data source. Four variables have been considered for evaluating the quality of life of the stakeholders of ecotourism sites, which is then funneled to the income-education spectrum for hypothesizing into the SLI framework. Zone-wise analysis of the community members working in tourism sector shows that the community members have benefited totally from tourism development in the region as they have got both employments as well as secured livelihood options. Most of the quality of life-indicators of the community in the eco-tourist centres show a promising position. The community perception does not show any negative impact on environment as well as on their local culture.

Community perception of mobile payment in e-Government services

Mobile payment and e-Government are emerging topics in the research area of Information Systems. This research addresses the preferred e-Government services for mobile payment, the suitable payment methods of mobile payment, and adoption factors of e-Government services. The research derives the notion of technology adoption and related constructs, however, as no particular Information Systems adoption theory was adequate to study emerging systems of electronic payment, the research did not utilise any specific theory. Rather, the research uses the characteristics of mobile payment as revealed in the contemporary research to develop an adoption model based on user perceptions regarding mobile payments in the context of e-Government services. A survey study on the use of mobile devices to pay for e-Government services was conducted in Western Australia. The findings of this research contribute conceptually and practically by recommending suitable services and mobile payment methods. This paper also addresses the positive and negative factors impacting the adoption of mobile payment for e-Government services.

Local community perception towards bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Caves in South central Mindanao, Philippines: Threats and Implication for conservation

In the tropics, bats are an essential component of many native ecosystems, through providing various ecological services including pollination and insect pest control, in addition to seed dispersal. Many Philippine bat species roost in caves and underground habitats. However, many caves are disturbed by people, to exploit resources for food, recreation, and mineral and guano extraction. The misunderstanding of the importance of bats to the ecosystem is also considered a threat to many cave roosting species. Understanding the conflicts between humans and ecosystems which provide essential services is important to maintain ecosystem service provision. A total of 100 local respondents from the village of Pisan, Kabacan North Cotabato in south central Mindanao were interviewed through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Respondents were asked about their views, levels of knowledge, use, interaction, and awareness towards both the caves and bats in their locality. Our survey found that most of the respondents are aware of the presence of bats from the caves in their locality. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the respondents noted that bats are hunted in caves for bush meat and trade, and most people perceived bats as pest to fruit crops such as durian. These factors are among the main factors of the execution of many bat colonies in caves of south central Mindanao. In general, cave bats are under appreciated species in caves. The unregulated tourism, hunting for bush meat and trade, and guano extraction are among the alarming threats occurring for both caves and bats in the locality and possibly to other localities in the country. Furthermore, the establishment of strong and effective model conservation education programs and the strengthening the participation of local government, academic, and community are essential steps to preserve the current state of cave bats in the area.

Balancing risk? First year performing arts students’ experience of a community arts event

This study examines participants’ responses to first year students’ street performances as a non-placement work-integrated learning (WIL) activity over a two year period. The purpose of the study was to determine: (1) community perception, (2) continuous improvement, and (3) future needs. Data was collected through surveying participants’ post-viewing of the street performances, students’ reflective notes, and a recorded focus group interview. The findings indicated that audience members require additional assistance to value the students’ street performances. The results revealed that students require more guidance around researching the sites of practice, understanding group work dynamics, relaxation methods, intra- and interpersonal skill development, conflict resolution and how to effectively build community relations with the local government Council. From the findings, specific recommendations for continual improvement are made. These include offering an explanation of the street performances’ historical and aesthetic connections to the building sites for audience members, affording battery operated body-microphones and light rostrum for improved sight lines, delivering group dynamics information and arranging opportunities for students to engage more effectively with the Council. While the recommendations in this study are intended to advance the field of research that evaluates non-placement WIL performing arts curriculum in higher education, the findings are relevant to any group-based performance activity in learning and teaching.

Migration of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) in rainforests of north Queensland: fact or fiction?

The Wet Tropics bioregion of north Queensland has been identified as an area of global significance. The world-heritage-listed rainforests have been invaded by feral pigs (Sus scrofa) that are perceived to cause substantial environmental damage. A community perception exists of an annual altitudinal migration of the feral-pig population. The present study describes the movements of 29 feral pigs in relation to altitudinal migration (highland, transitional and lowland areas). Feral pigs were sedentary and stayed within their home range throughout a 4-year study period. No altitudinal migration was detected; pigs moved no more than a mean distance of 1.0 km from the centre of their calculated home ranges. There was no significant difference between the mean (+/- 95% confidence interval) aggregate home ranges for males (8.7 +/- 4.3 km², n = 15) and females (7.2 +/- 1.8 km², n = 14). No difference in home range was detected among the three altitudinal areas: 7.2 +/- 2.4 km² for highland, 6.2 +/- 3.9 km² for transitional and 9.9 +/- 5.3 km² for lowland areas. The aggregate mean home range for all pigs in the present study was 8.0 +/- 2.4 km². The study also assessed the influence seasons had on the home range of eight feral pigs on the rainforest boundary; home ranges did not significantly vary in size between the tropical wet and dry seasons, although the mean home range in the dry season (7.7 +/- 6.9 km²) was more than twice the home range in the wet season (2.9 +/- 0.8 km²). Heavier pigs tended to have larger home ranges. The results of the present study suggest that feral pigs are sedentary throughout the year so broad-scale control techniques need to be applied over sufficient areas to encompass individual home ranges. Control strategies need a coordinated approach if a long-term reduction in the pig population is to be achieved.

Socio-Economic Aspects of Sustainable Ecotourism Development: The Case of Kerala

The paper is an attempt to shed light on the socio-economic aspects of the local communities on the development of ecotourism in Kerala. Most of the local communities in the ecotourism destinations are tribes who have been excluded from the mainstream society and are not a part of Kerala’s overall development setting. The paper also tries to situate the community perception on the sustainable livelihood of ecotourism sites of Kerala. Data for the study is obtained from a primary survey by dividing the ecotourism destinations in Kerala into three zones, 230 from south zone, 220 from central zone and 200 from north zone with a total sample size of 650 based on the notion of community based ecotourism initiatives of the state. The result of the study confirms that ecotourism has helped to enhance the livelihood of the marginalized community. With well-knit policies it is possible to tag ecotourism of Kerala as an important tourism destination in the global tourism map

Genetic diversity and population structure of pumas (Puma concolor) in southeastern Brazil: implications for conservation in a human-dominated landscape

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Turismo religioso na cidade da santa: a percepção da comunidade sobre a construção do Complexo Turístico e Religioso Alto de Santa Rita, Santa Cruz/RN

The general objective of this study was to analyze the city of Santa Cruz cope with the impacts of the changes caused by the insertion of religious tourism with the construction of the Tourist Complex Religious Alto de Santa Rita, and specific objectives: to identify the economic activities from building the Tourist Complex Religious Alto de Santa Rita with the monument of Santa Rita; describe the research scenario to respect the traditions, rituals and spatial organization of the city and to evaluate the impacts through construction of movement by Religious Tourism Complex human capital and economic development fostered by Religious Tourism. To this end, we used the methods of application of Questionnaires and interviews, as well as the method was conducted participant observation, individual and systematic, having exploratory held through a correlational analysis regarding the impacts by inserting Tourism religious elsewhere. Was performed also discourse analysis of speeches Stakeholder city of Santa Cruz / RN for understanding the local reality. Literature search was performed readings of books, articles, theses and dissertations dealing with the issue, it was necessary to use data from websites. As for the media research field was qualitative. At the end of the study, it was concluded that the city of Santa Cruz suffered socio-economic and cultural, as a result, especially the lack of a previously developed tourism planning

A percepção dos moradores da comunidade do Passo da Pátria em Natal-RN

This essay: The perception environmental of the Passo da Pátria dwellers in Natal-RN has as its goal, investigate the perception of the dwellers in an degraded environment in ways of urbanizing, at the Potengi River riverine. This is an area in zone environmental risk, which year after year was even forgotten by the municipality, but which attracted a huge estranger public because of its facility in access urbanized areas in Natal at the same rate of its natural riches from the mangue and the sea. Front to problems of economical nature as scarce job offers, its habitants build their dwellings without any kind order or social protection, occupying an inadequate space for the well keeping of the urban environmental equilibrium. The analyzed community is exposed to water floods, tropical diseases, and to criminal problems like gangsters and drug dealers. We propose in such essay observe the connivance of the dwellers with the natural environment and their expectations o citizen transformations. This essay has as its bases the studies of Tuan (1983), Nunes (2000) and principally in Wilhem Reich (1998) in who we found our concept of perception, that here plays like an important analytical category to confront our corpus. Our first chapter debates the concept of place, not in an historical materialistic vision, but within an phenomenological survey; the second chapter presents the impacts of the urbanization in the community perception, and in the third one is analyzed the perception of the Passo da Pátria community. Based in this analyzes we confirmed that the conditions of living of the dwellers are extremely dangerous; but, the most of them do not see such dangers, even saying that are well living in its community

Interações nas danças circulares do Mana-Maní em Belém do Pará

Esta pesquisa prioriza abordagens que estudam a comunicação enquanto interação entre pessoas. O objetivo geral foi identificar, compreender e interpretar as interações que ocorrem nas danças circulares do Mana-Maní em Belém do Pará. Especificamente buscou-se identificar a dimensão comunicativa das ações individuais e coletivas que ocorrem na dança circular e verificar de que maneira a dimensão comunicativa das interações favorecem as interações simbólicas na dança circular, além de descrever as interações comunicativas que ocorrem nas danças circulares do Mana- Maní. O aporte teórico fundamentalmente discutiu dispositivos interacionais em José Luiz Braga; Espírito Comum e Sociedade Midiatizada em Raquel Paiva e Muniz Sodré e Comunidade Emotiva e Percepção do Mundo Sensível em Michel Mafessoli. Desse modo fez-se um tencionamento entre teorias e pesquisa empírica, sobre as observações em um contexto compreendido a partir de interpretações do pesquisador. Ao nível da abordagem metodológica, utilizou-se um enfoque prevalentemente qualitativo (interpretativo), que se pautou na abordagem fenomenológicopragmática, buscando revelar características intrínsecas, ações e reações que ora promovem, ora decorrem das interações observadas no contexto do grupo. Trabalhou-se com pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo, com a observação participante, diário de campo, entrevistas em profundidade e não estruturadas, aplicação de formulário semi-estruturado e coleta de depoimentos de participantes e ex participantes. Quanto às implicações práticas, buscou-se compreender formas de comunicação ocorridas partir de uma vivência sociocultural, dentro de um contexto especificamente observado, reconhecendo influências externas e internas que propiciam interações comunicativas. Quanto aos resultados, compreendeu-se que as interações ocorrem nas danças circulares do Mana-Maní a partir da inter-relação entre cinco elementos: 1) o eu, parte fundamental e insubstituível, que agrega motivações pessoais para vivenciar as danças circulares; 2) o outro – matéria-prima para as diversas interações, sempre de forma assimétrica, conforme o cabedal de conhecimento de cada um. Sem o outro, não há interação; 3) a ritualística das danças circulares no Mana-Maní, inspirada nas matrizes culturais da Amazônia, que com sua filosofia estimula e permite um espírito mais meditativo e interativo entre os participantes; 4) o cotidiano, por conta do reencantamento, a partir do prazer de participar e de ter inspirações para enfrentar dificuldades, desafios, limites físicos, psíquicos e comunicativos do comportamento pessoal; 5) a intersubjetividade, que ocorre de forma relevante e intensa, partir das dimensões simbólica e intersubjetiva, onde cada participante projeta seu mundo, sua subjetividade e entra em contato com a subjetividade dos demais, criando e ressignificando interações.

Grade nine teachers' perception of how teachers, parents, peers, administrators, and community members affect the development of the grade nine student /

The purpose of this study was to examine grade nine teachers' perception of how teachers, parents, peers, administrators, and community members influence the overall development of grade nine students. Ten grade nine teachers (four male and six female) participated in the study which consisted of the completion of a one hour, tape-recorded interview. The central findings were as follows: 1) the grade nine student has evolved; 2) peers have an important impact on the four developmental areas (physical, emotional, social, and academic) of the grade nine student; and 3) the role of the grade nine teacher appears to have dramatically changed over the last seventeen years. Suggestions and recommendations for future research in this field are based on findings related to the enhancement of the secondary school experience for the grade nine adolescent.