Saving Dupinga Watershed in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija Philippines: Insights from Community Based Forest Management Model

The world is losing its forest. The study described the multi-sectoral initiatives done to protect the Dupinga watershed. By using Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) as theoretical framework and analytic descriptive method of research, issues and concerns related to watershed protection are discussed. The study argued that the multi-sectoral collaboration of the Local Government Unit of Gabaldon, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Peoples Organizations, Non Government Organizations (NGO) and Community Organization is a CBFM in progress. Alternative source of income and community tourism may strengthen and sustain the multi-stake-holders collaboration existing in the area while capacity building program for community participation and forest management may provide insights for a sustainable watershed protection and management.

Indigenous People’s Contribution to the Mitigation of Climate Variation, Their Perception, and Organizing Strategy for Sustainable Community Based Forest Resources Management in <i>Caraballo</i>Mountain, Philippines

The focus of the study is to measure the level of awareness of Indigenous People on Climate Variation. It inquired into their observations and organizing strategy to cope with the early impacts of climate change on their socio-economic and cultural beliefs. The organization’s adaptation and mitigation practices to protect the environment are also discussed using as basis of analysis the multi-stakeholders framework of forest protection. The study documented and recognized the Indigenous Peoples contributions to the preservation and protection of forest resources in Caraballo mountain and a shift in paradigm to Indigenous People’s centered forest resources management is recommended.

Community Based Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition: The MSF Experience from an Urban Slum Setting in Bangladesh

Background: Until recently, the experience on implementing community based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) among children has been largely based in African settings. While the government in Bangladesh is yet to scale up CMAM approach, there is still paucity of knowledge on the experience of CMAM within the complex milieu of an urban slum context. In Kamrangirchar slum, Dhaka, Bangladesh, this paper describes a CMAM programme performance and outcomes run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors without Borders, in light to performance indicators set by MSF and the Sphere minimum standards. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study using routinely collected programme data of children admitted with severe acute malnutrition between May 2010 and November 2011. Kamrangirchar is an urban slum of a large migrant population in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Results: There was a total of 640 new admissions, of whom 333 (52%) were males. The median age was 18 months (Inter-quartile range (IQR) 12 - 41). 599 children had a reported nutritional outcome at discharge from ambulatory therapeutic feeding centre (ATFC), this included: cure rate of 69% with an average length of stay of 68.8 (SD ± 46.0) days and average weight gain of 3.8 g/kg/day (SD ± 2.7). The lost-to-follow-up rate was 18% and 5% reported to the programme that they will leave the slum and go back to their villages. These performance indicators did not meet the threshold level indicators set by MSF and Sphere standards. Conclusions: Our experience highlights the need for developing more adapted and contextualised indicators for assessing the performance of CMAM programmes in settings such as urban slums. Community engagement in the process of developing relevant standards is crucial. Nutrition humanitarian actors have a vital role to collaborate with local authorities to contextualize and refine these standards.

Participatory and integrated watershed management and community based organgzanon

In Iran, and in order to encourage local watershed management, community based organizations （CBO） like ＂cooperatives of watershed＂, ＂construction groups＂ and ＂watershed management groups＂ have been established to obtain resident＇s cooperation in activities eormeeted with protection, reclamation and exploitation of natural resources in the basins that lead to sustainability within watershed management. This study was done as a ease study to explore the role of Remeleh Group （RG） as a CBO in the management of the ＂Kharkheh＂ sub-basin. Participatory action and learning method was used. Participatory tools including natural resources mapping, flow diagram, transect walk, semi-structured interview and brainstorming were applied. Making the conclusion, it was found that the CBO of Remeleh Group cause： （1） Enhancement of social capital through encouraging cooperation and participatory practices, creating new communication among local residents and outsiders, reducing conflicts and promoting the solidarity among communities in the sub basin of Karldaeh; （2） Sustain livelihood and economic situation through agricultural intensification and livelihood diversification （gardening and agriculture together and reducing migration）; （3） Conservation of environmental and natural recourses via the implementation of watershed activities like vine, terracing, bunding and destocking, seedling, and check dams; （4） Empower local people through carrying out training on the watershed practices.

Perceptive insight into incentive design and sustainability of participatory mangrove management: a case study from the Indian Sundarbans

Incentive design is among the decisive factors behind active community participation and long-term sustainability of participatory forest management. Especially in case of mangroves, where multiple interests apply, it requires a careful integration of several ecological, economic and institutional factors. The primary objective of this paper is to understand the basis of incentive design and make a comprehensive inquiry into the existing incentive mechanism of participatory mangrove management in Indian Sundarbans. The qualitative and in-depth assessment was derived against a conceptual framework that contains three main determinants: (1) resources availability, (2) control mechanism, and (3) perception of end-users. The study deploys the results of various participatory exercises such as structured interviews with forest officials, focus group discussions with 10 Joint Forest Management Committees and semi-structured interviews with 119 mangrove users. In general, we observed an over-cautious, hierarchical and safety-margin-based incentive design with distinct bifurcation of communities over the adequacy and effectiveness of derived benefits. Although, the incentives are diverse and align well with the overall conservation of mangroves, they are considered to be insufficient by nearly half of the mangrove users. The main issues that were observed to hinder effective community participation can be summarized as (1) serious restrictions on access to economically exploitable mangrove products, (2) passive involvement of vulnerable occupational groups, and (3) lack of trust and conflicting interests between the officials and the communities. Although the existing preventive management of mangroves can be justified considering the magnanimity of the Indian Sundarbans, it can severely impair community participation and emerge as a clear threat to future sustainability. To secure greater participation of the communities, we propose small scale, innovative developmental incentives to supplement traditional forest-resource-based incentives.

Community-led initiatives for the rehabilitation and management of vernacular settlements in Oman:a phenomenon in the making

Once abandoned for more than three decades,vernacular settlements in Oman are now being progressively reinvested in to foster the country’s heritage tourism sector.The present research focuses on the emerging phenomenon of community-led initiatives for vernacular heritage rehabilitation and adaptive reuse in Oman.Through an examination of three case studies,its aim is to describe this process and its modes of action and discuss its efects on vernacular settlement transformations.A mixed research methodology was designed to include(A)analyses of relevant primary and secondary data,(B)documented onsite observations,(C)interviews with local community representatives and key players in the operations of rehabilitation,and(D)extractions and analyses of quantitative data from a hotel booking website.The research sheds light on unsuspected interrelations within and between the projects being implemented in these settlements and their operating modes.It reveals the focal role of a local community in a kind of‘bottom-up’management of its built heritage,coupled with a‘horizontal cooperation’between the three initiatives studied in this research.Moreover,it shows that a heavily centralised and top-down policy for the feld of heritage conservation and management is among the main obstacles that hinder such initiatives.Furthermore,community-led operations of vernacular heritage rehabilitation are being undertaken under insufcient regulations in terms of land use,building restoration and adaptive reuse.In this context,the paper discusses some of the serious threats and concerns faced by such initiatives and proposes actionable solutions to mitigate these hindrances.

Reflections on the Participation of Social Organizations in the Prevention of COVID-19

Objective To study the problems of Chinese social organizations in participating in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic so that we can standardize the participation mechanism,improve the collaborative management mechanism,and promote the development of social organizations.Methods Through the analysis of CNKI,news reports,industry conferences and other data,combined with the current situation,the participation of social organizations in public health emergencies were investigated.Results and Conclusion The coordination between government and social organizations is not good.Social organizations in the field of public health are unable to stand out in a timely manner.The public do not have self-management ability.Some of the media spread rumors.Besides,most social organizations are highly dependent on the government and they are ack supervision.Social organizations should be incorporated into the emergency management system and national hub-based social organizations must be established.In addition,supervision should be strengthened to increase the credibility of social organizations.The responsibilities of community and emergency management at the grassroots level should be enhanced.The public opinion response and disposal system should be improved.Lastly,the responsibility of social organizations in the field of public health must be fulfilled.

Navigating Interoperability in Disaster Management:Insights of Current Trends and Challenges in Saudi Arabia

In this rapid review,we critically scrutinize the disaster management infrastructure in Saudi Arabia,illuminating pivotal issues of interoperability,global cooperation,established procedures,community readiness,and the integration of cuttingedge technologies.Our exploration uncovers a significant convergence with international benchmarks,while pinpointing areas primed for enhancement.We recognize that continual commitments to infrastructural progression and technology adoption are indispensable.Moreover,we underscore the value of robust community involvement and cross-border collaborations as key factors in bolstering disaster response capabilities.Importantly,we spotlight the transformative influence of emerging technologies,such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things,in elevating the effectiveness of disaster management strategies.Our review champions in all-encompassing approach to disaster management,which entails harnessing innovative technologies,nurturing resilient communities,and promoting comprehensive disaster management strategies,encapsulating planning,preparedness,response,and recovery.As a result of our analysis,we provide actionable recommendations to advance Saudi Arabia's disaster management framework.Our insights are timely and crucial,considering the escalating global focus on disaster response in the face of increasing disaster and humanitarian events.

Reflections on the Myth of Tourism Preserving “Traditional” Agricultural Landscapes

The renewed interest in ＂cultural landscapes＂ is a global phenomenon to be explained in a multi dimensional way.The process of revalorising traditional habitats,people and their way of living in a particular environment,is closely linked to the introduction of heritage as ＂a cultural,social and economic construct＂.The recognition of cultural landscapes as a new category on the world heritage list （UNESCO） since the 1990s,emphasises the importance of the human-environment interaction and the need for understanding the dynamics of landscapes in time and space.Values are changing and new opportunities emerge for a ＂dynamic preservation＂ of iconic landscapes and traditional communities.A cross disciplinary understanding of interacting processes is essential to plan and manage sustainable heritage（land）scapes.Various pilot projects and case studies-world-wide-lead to critical reflections about the sustainability of heritage landscapes and the sovereign role of tourism.The perspective of ＂Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Sites＂ （GIAHS）,supported by economic resources generated by tourism,requires a research-based approach analysing opportunities and expectations,assessing strategic policies and top down politics.