Enhancing Sustainability in Forestry Using Material Flow Cost Accounting

Forestry is an applied science related to the sustainable management of natural resources. Many scientific disciplines influence forest science including ecology, economics and other social sciences. In this paper, it is proposed to promote the sustainable management of forest resources using a method coming from the Environmental Management Accounting discipline. The method is Material Flow Cost Accounting, which assists managers to recognize material and energy inefficiencies in production processes and create cost savings for the organization. Through a study of the methodology and using forestry examples, it is shown that Material Flow Cost Accounting can be a useful tool for forest managers, either in Public Forest Service, or other forestry organizations.

Professionalism in Wildlife Management: The Case of Gallifoms Releases in Hellas

Hunting organizations in cooperation with the Forest Service release thousands of artificially reared pheasants and partridges in Hellas (Greece). To evaluate the effectiveness of this practice a questionnaire was applied to hunting wardens of four hunting federations in 2002 and one in 2011. Moreover data were obtained from the wildlife managers of one federation from 2009 to 2014. The release of hybrid pheasants and chukar partridges was conducted by the majority of local hunting clubs (H.C.). Most hunting wardens and wildlife managers stated that even during the most successful release only a small percentage (1% - 10%) of released birds can survive for more than three months and usually none of the released birds or a few achieve to rear chicks. However, repeated releases led to the establishment of small groups of birds in some areas, but without a serious benefit for hunting activity. In case of releases for hunting purposes (put and take), the respondents said that the majority (90%) of galliforms were killed by predators or hunters within a few days after release, and that only few (18 - 25) hunters harvested the survived birds. Until 2009, in northern and central mainland Hellas, the minimum cost per bird entering to the hunter’s bag was 143€. That amount is estimated to be 33.47€ in islands and after 2009 in mainland. In conclusion, the professionalism in galliforms releases should get improved with appropriate legal decisions and organization structures.

Vlammals and habitat disturbance： the case 3f brown hare and wildfire

Ecosystem disturbances, such as wildfires, are driving forces that determine ecology and conservation measures. Species respond differentially to wildfires, having diverse post-fire population evolution. This study reports, for first time, the responses of brown hare （Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778） to wildfires. Hare relative abundance, age ratio, diet quality, body condition, and diseases were studied. Fire influence on vegetation was calculated at a micro-scale level. Hare abundance was lower the first year after wildfires in burned relative to unburned areas. The reverse was found in the second year when hare abundance was higher in burned areas. Hare abundance in burned areas was also higher in the third and fourth years. In the fifth and sixth years after wildfire no significant difference was found in abundance. At a micro-scale level, higher numbers of hare feces were counted in places with greater wildfire influence on vegetation. Age ratio analysis revealed more juveniles in burned areas, but the same number of neonates in burned and unburned areas, indicating lower mortality of juveniles in burned areas. Reduced predation in burned areas pro- vides the most plausible explanation for our findings.