Landscape influences and management countermeasures of ginseng planting near Changbai mountain nature reserve

Ginseng planting in Northeast China brings economic benefits but affects forest landscape integrity and native ecological processes.In order to quantify the impacts of ginseng planting on the forest landscape,Fusong County in Jilin Province was selected as a study area.The number and distribution of ginseng fields over different time was quantified based on remote sensing and ground surveys.Grid analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to study the impacts of ginseng planting on the landscape.The results showed that altitudes and slopes of ginseng fields increased and became increasingly scattered and smaller closer to the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve.Ginseng fields and abandoned fields increased total patches and total area of the local forested landscape,and shared edge lengths between ginseng fields and forests,resulting in continuous fragmentation of the landscape.Although the total area of existing and abandoned ginseng fields accounts for a small fraction of the total landscape,their negative impacts on ecosystem conservation is significant.The local government needs to rationally plan ginseng planting,scientifically implement the restoration of abandoned ginseng lands,and enhance awareness of ginseng farmers to environmental stewardship.Our study has important significance for maintaining the healthy and stable development of the local ginseng industry and for improving the quality of regional ecological environment.

Assessing the Impact of Different Land Use Activities on the Vegetation Cover and Sustainable Livelihoods along the Banks of Niles at Khartoum State, Sudan

Land use activities (LUA) have a significant impact on the level and situation of vegetation characteristics and in turn affect human population as they are considered as the main global environmental changes. This study analyzed land use patterns in three different locations in Khartoum, Sudan: banks of River Nile, Blue and White Nile. The main objective of the present study were 1) to assess the changes in land use and their impact on vegetation cover and sustainable livelihoods of the population, and 2) to identify the factors behind land use changes along the Banks of Niles, Khartoum State. The study data used were field survey (questionnaire) which revealed the existence of five types of land use patterns: roads, human settlements, agricultural and plantations farms, and industrial of brick-kilns making and investment areas. The primary data were collected through social survey (questionnaire) as face-to-face interviews with local communities in the study area and by observations. The secondary records during the field survey were collected from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Forest National Corporation (FNC) documents, scientific papers and annual reports. SPSS was used to analyze the data acquired from questionnaires. Results showed that agricultural land, and industrial and residential areas increased while forests and bare lands decreased as a result of changes imposed by the government and local population with consequent land degradation in terms of environmental value and productivity. Interestingly, it was found that the impact of land use on vegetation cover and livelihood of the population was very complex and dynamic and that the main influencing factors in this process were climate fluctuations and human illegal interference. For instance, vast areas in west bank of White Nile were changed from agriculture to residence and investment. In conclusion, land use requires a clear plan for optimum utilization. Various human activities are behind these changes, which have led to deterioration of forest cover and loss of the source of income of local population. Because of such alarming changes, decision makers should initiate efficient plans and management of forests to minimize changes in land cover, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. We recommend that a sound land use plan should be revised often to ensure rehabilitation, reduce vulnerability to desertification and halt the encroachment by construction of facilities and buildings at the expense of environmental issues.

Collective Forest Tenure Reform in Nature Reserves in China:Problems and Countermeasures

Collective forest tenure reform is now carried out throughout China with the aim to clarify the property,increase forest farmers' income and motivate the development of forestry.But the collective forest tenure reform in nature reserves comes to a dilemma.The current implemented laws and regulations provide that forests and trees in nature reserves shall be under strict protection,while the forest farmers hope to improve their livelihood in the reform.The paper discussed the problems encountered in the c...

我国自然保护区土地权属法律制度及其存在的主要问题

我国现有法律法规中的自然保护区土地权属法律制度,片面强调自然保护的一面,而漠视了土地经济功能的发挥和自然保护区土地的财产属性。政府因财政负担能力有限,将土地经营管理权授予自然保护区管理机构,意味着自然保护区管理机构可以利用行政管理权、土地经营权集于一身的便利,追逐土地利益。法律所追求的自然保护目标难以实现,而自然保护区土地利益并未服务于解决社区贫困问题,造成了社区与政府之间长期的利益冲突。

我国自然保护区土地权属立法中的几个问题

结合保护对象的特点和自然保护区土地分区管理措施、少数民族使用公共土地的习惯权利、社区共同管理等国外立法经验,提出了自然保护区土地权属立法建议:确立自然保护区土地权属立法的指导思想;设立或者指定专门的机构来科学确定全国自然保护区的土地面积,划分土地类型,并对每一个自然保护区作出详细的土地利用规划;建立公共利益、集体利益与私人利益之间的生态保护对价关系,使三种土地利益在法律上获得平等保护;确保自然保护区内农民的生存权不受到侵犯。

Socio-Economic Drivers of Deforestation in Roghani Valley,Hindu-Raj Mountains,Northern Pakistan

Deforestation and associated ecological disturbances are the issues of global concern.Researchers have investigated a number of driving forces which accelerate the rate of deforestation at local and regional levels.These include poverty,population growth,market demand and prices,political instability,agricultural expansion and changes in property right and ownership regimes.This paper seeks to explore the impacts of population growth,changing tenure system and other socioeconomic factors on the forest cover of Roghani Valley,located in Hindu Raj Mountains,Northern Pakistan.The present study is mainly based on information collected through participatory observation,selfadministered interviews and questionnaire survey.Geographical Information System(GIS) database is also used for mapping and quantification.The results reveal that in the past three to four decades the study area has been subjected to severe deforestation and about half of the forest area has been converted into barren land.Thus,the area under natural forests decreased from 2099 to 1444 hectares in four decades.This large-scale deforestation is attributed to both proximate and under lying causes particularly traditional land tenure system and demographic development.Consequently,forest resources have been degraded and a number of plant species have disappeared from the forests of the study area while several others are in the process of disappearance.