{"title":"Participatory forest management for improving livelihood assets and mitigating forest degradation: Lesson drawn from the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia","authors":"Gonche Girma , Yoseph Melka , Amare Haileslassie , Wolde Mekuria","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The study was conducted in Heban Arsi district, Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia to investigate the contribution of participatory forest management (PFM) to improving household's livelihood assets and mitigating forest degradation. Data were gathered using household surveys, observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. During the entire study, 231 households (131 from PFM; 100 form non-PFM households), 35 key informants (25 from PFM; 10 from non-PFM) and 10 focus groups (6 from PFM; 4 from non-PFM) were involved. The livelihood assets framework was used to organize and analyze the quantitative data. The qualitative data was analyzed using topic coding and building categories, themes, and patterns of relationships. The introduction of PFM significantly (<em>P</em> < 0.05) improved the overall natural (index value of 0.72 and 0.58 for PFM and non-PFM, respectively), financial (0.73 and 0.61), physical (0.49 and 0.37), human (0.62 and 0.57) and social (0.77 and 0.59) livelihood asset values of local communities and contributed to the mitigation of forest degradation. On average, households involved in PFM displayed a 61.6%, 45.7%, 30.8% and 24.2% improvements in natural, financial, physical, and social assets, respectively. Households engaged in PFM showed a 37.4% improvement on the overall livelihood assets value, suggesting that PFM households displayed better livelihood assets compared to non-PFM households. However, the overall contribution of PFM to the livelihood assets showed skewed structure, suggesting that the improvements deviate from sustainability. The existing institutional structure including bylaws contributed a lot to strengthen PFM. Yet, it is crucial to strengthening the protection of forestlands through improving rule enforcement and commitments of both formal and informal institutions in managing forest resources. Also, sustaining the extraction of wood and non-wood forest products and the benefits from as well as integration of other interventions in PFM areas such as the provision of improved cook stoves and solar PV could help reduce forest degradation, improve the sense of ownership among local communities and sustain PFM activities. Further, expanding capacity building trainings and improving access to market could play a great role to sustainably manage forest resources through increasing the participation of local communities in decision making processes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sustainability of the long-term indigenous soil and water conservation practices in the UNESCO designated cultural landscapes of Konso, Ethiopia","authors":"Sibilo Gashure , Desalegn Wana","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100221","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49723697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intensifying the soil ecological functions for sustainable agriculture: Acting with stakeholders","authors":"Jean Trap, Eric Blanchart","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Soils are now recognized as key components in the design of sustainable agricultural practices within the agroecological framework. They are the place of many ecological functions achieved by living organisms interacting with each other and which support the sustainable provision of agrosystem services. In the context of the transformation of agriculture and to improve the sustainability and resilience of family farming, it becomes urgent to promote soil ecological functions, to intensify them by appropriate practices considering the socio-economic constraints, and finally, to be able to monitor them. Here, to improve our consideration of the soil functions for a sustainable agriculture, we first rely on the ecological theories of terrestrial ecosystem functioning to better establish the concept of sustainable functions in agroecosystems. We then propose a methodological framework, called SE-CURE (for “Soil Ecology Cure”), that aims to optimize the ecological functions of the soil for a sustainable supply of ecosystem services. This framework relies on the involvement of stakeholders and is illustrated by a case study in Madagascar where the different steps of the SE-CURE approach have been applied.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-stakeholder synergies for enhancing environmental management of beach recreation in the eastern coast, Thailand","authors":"Surasak Jotaworn , Vilas Nitivattananon","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100204","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49732822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Venuste Nsengimana , Jean de Dieu Nsenganeza , Thacien Hagenimana , Wouter Dekoninck
{"title":"Impact of chemical fertilizers on diversity and abundance of soil-litter arthropod communities in coffee and banana plantations in southern Rwanda","authors":"Venuste Nsengimana , Jean de Dieu Nsenganeza , Thacien Hagenimana , Wouter Dekoninck","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Few studies explored effects of chemical fertilizers on diversity and abundance of soillitter arthropods in the tropics. To fill this gap, a study focussed on the abundance of soil-litter arthropods and selected soil physicochemical properties in coffee plantations treated with chemical fertilizers and in plantations of coffee and banana treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches in southern Rwanda. Each land use was replicated three times. Soil-litter arthropods were collected using pitfall traps and hand collection. They were identified to the family level using dichotomous keys. Soil have been collected using auger and taken to the laboratory for the analysis of soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity. Findings indicated a total of 12,945 individuals distributed into 3 classes, 16 orders, 50 families and 92 morphospecies, with higher abundance and diversity in coffee plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches. Collected soil-litter arthropods were mainly classified in the class Insecta, dominated in numbers by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), while Coleoptera and Hemiptera had more families. However, soil under coffee plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches was acidic compared with the soil under coffee plantations treated with inorganic fertilizers and banana plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches. The relationships between soil-litter arthropods and soil physicochemical properties suggest that soil-litter arthropods respond to the land use independently from soil physicochemical properties. We recommend further studies in coffee and other crop plantations in other regions of Rwanda to verify the findings of this study.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of disasters in shaping narratives of resilience and transformation in Puerto Rico.","authors":"Alaina D Kinol, Laura Kuhl","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100227","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extreme weather events can act as \"focusing events\" that open windows of opportunity in the policy process for increasing resilience and transforming existing systems to be more sustainable and just. However, due to the multiple and contested meanings of resilience, it is uncertain to what extent a focusing event will foster transformational policy change as opposed to re-entrenching existing systems and structures. We conducted quantitative content and qualitative narrative analyses of Puerto Rican climate and energy policy before and after Hurricane Maria to assess the effect of a climate-induced disaster on the framings of resilience and transformation. We find that these terms are used predominantly in service of changes needed to promote the stability of the existing energy system. This suggests that after Hurricane Maria, achieving stability has been the dominant goal for resilience and transformation. As long as those responsible for the Puerto Rican energy system emphasize stability without actively working to enable longer-term transformational change, Puerto Ricans are unlikely to experience a rapid transition toward a sustainable, inclusive energy system.</p>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10732482/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"54099663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A.K.M. Abdullah Al-Amin , Hasneen Jahan , Tahmina Akhter , Abu Hayat Md. Saiful Islam , Md. Wakilur Rahman , Mohammed Mainuddin , Fazlul Karim , Sheikh Mohammad Sayem
{"title":"Intra-household gender differences in perception of climate change and eventual impacts: Empirical evidence from groundwater depleted zones of Bangladesh","authors":"A.K.M. Abdullah Al-Amin , Hasneen Jahan , Tahmina Akhter , Abu Hayat Md. Saiful Islam , Md. Wakilur Rahman , Mohammed Mainuddin , Fazlul Karim , Sheikh Mohammad Sayem","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100228","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49709138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lára Jóhannsdóttir , Stefan Wendt , Throstur Olaf Sigurjónsson , Ali Kharrazi , Mauricio Latapí
{"title":"Call for papers special issue: Current and future research in environmental sustainability: Role, responsibilities, and opportunities for the business sector","authors":"Lára Jóhannsdóttir , Stefan Wendt , Throstur Olaf Sigurjónsson , Ali Kharrazi , Mauricio Latapí","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100197","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100197","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wei Shi , Wanli Lian , Shuai Tian , Xueliu Gong , Qiuyu Yu , Zilin Guo , Xin Zhang , Biao Ma , Rongjun Bian , Jufeng Zheng , Kun Cheng , Genxing Pan
{"title":"A review of agronomic and environmental properties of inorganic compounds in biochars","authors":"Wei Shi , Wanli Lian , Shuai Tian , Xueliu Gong , Qiuyu Yu , Zilin Guo , Xin Zhang , Biao Ma , Rongjun Bian , Jufeng Zheng , Kun Cheng , Genxing Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100226","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Civil society organizations' institutional climate capacity for community-based conservation projects: Characteristics, factors, and issues","authors":"Ravi Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100218","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49710666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}