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The paper focuses on the historical distribution of haylofts in Slovakia, geographical conditions related to hay meadows with haylofts, and land cover changes of former hayloft localities. Moreover, the current state of preserved haylofts and the land use of their surrounding area were documented at a regional scale, during the field research. A map of the historical occurrence of haylofts was digitised based on the Czechoslovakian military topographic maps from 1952–1957 (1:25,000). Altogether, 9,742 haylofts were recorded. The haylofts were usually built in mountain and sub-mountain areas on places with low soil quality, mostly at higher elevations, on moderate or moderately steep slopes and in more distant and isolated areas. About half of former hayloft meadows now exist as meadows or pastures with different intensity of grassland management. Forest or shrubs already cover the other 38% of the sites. To a lesser extent, the areas have been converted into arable land or recreational areas. Only a few haylofts have survived to this day; for example, in Upper Liptov Region, it is only 1% of their former abundance in this area (48 haylofts). Apart from a few positive cases where they have been restored or preserved, those that have survived continue to decay.

Abstract Background The interplay between different uses of woody plants remains underexplored, obscuring our understanding of how a plant’s value for one purpose might shield it from other, more harmful uses. This study examines the protection hypothesis by determining if food uses can protect woody plants (trees and shrubs) from wood uses. We approached the hypothesis from two distinct possibilities: (1) the protective effect is proportional to the intensity of a species’ use for food purposes, and (2) the protective effect only targets key species for food purposes. Methods The research was conducted in a rural community within “Restinga” vegetation in Northeast Brazil. To identify important food species for both consumption and income (key species) and the collection areas where they naturally occur, we conducted participatory workshops. We then carried out a floristic survey in these areas to identify woody species that coexist with the key species. Voucher specimens were used to create a field herbarium, which, along with photographs served as visual stimuli during the checklist interviews. The interviewees used a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the species in terms of perceived wood quality, perceived availability, and use for food and wood purposes. To test our hypothesis, we used Cumulative Link Mixed Models (CLMMs), with the wood use as the response variable, food use, perceived availability and perceived quality as the explanatory variables and the interviewee as a random effect. We performed the same model replacing food use for key species food use (a binary variable that had value 1 when the information concerned a key species with actual food use, and value 0 when the information did not concern a key species or concerned a key species that was not used for food purposes). Results Consistent with our hypothesis, we identified a protective effect of food use on wood use. However, this effect is not directly proportional to the species’ food use, but is confined to plants with considerable domestic food importance. Perceived availability and quality emerged as notable predictors for wood uses. Conclusion We advocate for biocultural conservation strategies that enhance the food value of plants for their safeguarding, coupled with measures for non-edible woody species under higher use-pressure.

World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a leading organization dedicated to preserving the world's most cherished cultural sites. In Latin America and the Caribbean, WMF has collaborated with local communities, funders, and governments on over 186 conservation projects since the 1980s, with a strong emphasis on local partnerships and capacity building. Recognizing the importance of community involvement, inclusive management, and diverse heritage narratives, as well as the need to foster this approach in our Latin American portfolio, recent WMF projects there aim to establish models for participatory heritage conservation. Two ongoing projects where WMF is testing this approach focusing on community participation and inclusive management include Teotihuacán in Mexico, where we aim to create the conditions for sustainable and equitable tourism development by fostering collaboration between local and institutional stakeholders. A second case study explores Rapa Nui National Park, where WMF is addressing the preservation of the endangered Mata Ngarahu petroglyphs in Orongo and empowering the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community in conservation efforts. These projects underscore the importance of long-term commitment, flexibility, and cultural sensitivity in promoting participatory approaches, with the need for adapting engagement strategies based on local dynamics. Lessons learned emphasize that successful implementation requires time, consistency, and alignment with local actors, particularly considering potential conflicts with institutional timing and constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing need to train and retrain personnel that would be saddled with the capabilities, professional and skill developmental requirement that meets societal needs. In this case, there is need for adequately trained personnel that will bridge the gap between societal needs; industrial needs with classroom instructions and vice versa. Therefore, this study examines the influence of building aspiring teachers' capabilities, professional and skill development as an auspice to quality teaching activities in technical vocational education and training institutions. Samples were selected using a multistage sampling technique. The collected data from 945 aspiring teachers was analysed using empirical analysis with AMOS SPSS v.23. Hayes PROCESS macro was used for mediation analyses. The result of the study indicated that self‐efficacy and professional skills with knowledge of instructional delivery and personal capabilities have strong significant linkage. There is also a mediating interaction of attention to relationship on the relationship between constructive teaching and personal capabilities. TVET institutions should ensure continuous professional development by concentrating on the requirements concerning teaching and learning, individual resources and social support for coping with various requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interplay between different uses of woody plants remains underexplored, obscuring our understanding of how a plant's value for one purpose might shield it from other, more harmful uses. This study examines the protection hypothesis by determining if food uses can protect woody plants (trees and shrubs) from wood uses. We approached the hypothesis from two distinct possibilities: (1) the protective effect is proportional to the intensity of a species' use for food purposes, and (2) the protective effect only targets key species for food purposes. Methods: The research was conducted in a rural community within "Restinga" vegetation in Northeast Brazil. To identify important food species for both consumption and income (key species) and the collection areas where they naturally occur, we conducted participatory workshops. We then carried out a floristic survey in these areas to identify woody species that coexist with the key species. Voucher specimens were used to create a field herbarium, which, along with photographs served as visual stimuli during the checklist interviews. The interviewees used a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the species in terms of perceived wood quality, perceived availability, and use for food and wood purposes. To test our hypothesis, we used Cumulative Link Mixed Models (CLMMs), with the wood use as the response variable, food use, perceived availability and perceived quality as the explanatory variables and the interviewee as a random effect. We performed the same model replacing food use for key species food use (a binary variable that had value 1 when the information concerned a key species with actual food use, and value 0 when the information did not concern a key species or concerned a key species that was not used for food purposes). Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, we identified a protective effect of food use on wood use. However, this effect is not directly proportional to the species' food use, but is confined to plants with considerable domestic food importance. Perceived availability and quality emerged as notable predictors for wood uses. Conclusion: We advocate for biocultural conservation strategies that enhance the food value of plants for their safeguarding, coupled with measures for non-edible woody species under higher use-pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit trees are a source of natural resources and economic income for some local communities. Capulin (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) is a tree native to North America that spreads wildly and is associated with different uses (e.g. food, medicinal, cabinetmaking, timber). The objective of this work is to analyze the ethnobotanical knowledge, use and management associated with the capulin (P. serotina) for the recovery of local knowledge in two Mazahua communities. Through the snowball technique, 59 semi-structured interviews were carried out in the communities of Santa María Citendeje and San Miguel Tenochtitlán, Jocotitlán, State of Mexico, Mexico. The interviews included sections such as: name in native language, parts used, season and method of collection, identification of the quality of the fruit and associated economic activities. The data were analyzed through mention frequencies and the consensus index. In both communities, the capulin (P. serotina) is called “Nres’e” or “Nrensje” in the Mazahua language and is used mainly for food purposes, followed by other uses such as: medicinal, fuel, forage and cabinetmaking. The fruit collection season is from June to August and the method of collection is through cutting by cluster or fruit by fruit. Three types of fruit can be distinguished according to their color and flavor. This study identifies a local use of wild capulin populations, so it is important to promote management strategies that protect the genetic diversity of these populations and improve both the provision of ecosystem services (e.g. living barrier, barrier to control erosion), such as the economic potential for the sale of fruit, wood, teas and derived products (e.g. tamales, jams, water, tea, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grassland ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable as they are threatened by both intensive agriculture and abandonment of land use, which leads to overgrowth with scrub vegetation and forest. Given that meadows are habitat types of very high biodiversity, their loss significantly reduces local biodiversity. That is why the University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana has been renting a 2 ha dry meadow at the edge of Ljubljana capital city since 2001, for the purpose of in situ conservation in the urban area. We have been observing the meadow since 1997. In 2023, in addition to the complete inventory of species, we also carried out an inventory and analysis of the community in the meadow using the Braun–Blanquet method in 25 relevés. We recorded 163 plant species in the meadow during the entire growing season, and a total of 82 were recorded in the relevés. Eighteen of the species recorded are on the red list of protected plant species in Slovenia. In the relevés, 15 species types were constant (occurring in 60%) and as many as 21 were unique. The species Peucedanum oreoselinum (L.) Moench was recorded in all relevés (25), followed by the species Bromopsis erecta (Huds.) Fourr. (24), Galium verum L. (24), Briza media L. (23), Brachypodium pinnatum (L.) PB. (22) and Salvia pratensis L. (21). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and IntroductionOrganizations locked in the iron fence of rules and regulations require their members to act only within the delineated limits so as to be less involved with intellectual challenges. Over time, this issue leads to the formation of presuppositions and attitudes in the minds of employees and, as a result, behaviors that show resistance against any kind of disruptive change in the existing conditions; And without thinking and understanding the change of conditions, they act according to what they have learned so far. In such a situation, people will be inflexible against new events and even their abilities will act as potential obstacles. In addition to the fact that this method of action is the result of consecration of laws and regulations, protection of job security and fear of closing job career for promotion, as well as taking care of the safe margin around oneself and fear of failure; The result is getting caught in the competence trap.In the category of degenerate competences, employees with rusty beliefs, frozen thoughts, improper context and familiar actions are watching their office life pass. The captives insist on their path as if the only way to achieve excellence is to flow through it, and any look other than theirs is met with visible and hidden resistance. Therefore, the present research aims to scrutinize the antecedents of the competency trap and reveal its consequences from the experts' point of view.MethodologyThis research is exploratory in nature, and in order to understand the antecedents and consequences, it has explored the experiences of 16 employees of public organizations in Ilam city by using a random sampling method until reaching theoretical saturation. The data is based on the open, axial and selective coding method, combining the terms used by the participants themselves; Analysis and finally the categories and components are obtained. In this way, after conducting the interview, open codes are extracted and then by merging and integrating the open codes, the axial codes are determined. MAXQDA 2020 software was used for data analysis. Then, the components were prioritized using the fuzzy Delphi method. FindingsThe components identified in the interview stage are provided to the experts in the form of a questionnaire, and according to the proposed option and the defined linguistic variables, the results of the examination of the answers given in the questionnaire are analyzed to obtain the fuzzy average of the components. According to the views presented in the first stage and comparing it with the results of the second stage, the difference between the de-fuzzified average in the two stages was less than 0.1, in this case the survey process was stopped and prioritization was done. According to the findings, traditional management style, technology phobia and administrative socialization respectively had the greatest share in development of competence traps from the experts' point of view. Also, according to the experts, The consequences such as outdated knowledge, job routine and job satisfaction respectively have a stronger role as a result of competency traps in the public organizations in Ilam city. Discussion and Conclusion It can be difficult to let go of traditional beliefs and knowledge, especially when one's colleagues and managers of an organization argue against it or even challenging the new knowledge and theory. This is where the competency trap in the organization gains more strength and power due to the circle of decision-making power as well as groupthink. Sometimes, we have to let go of what we thought was right, but sometimes conditions and mechanisms like a wave drown a person in a flood of intellectual stagnation, and minds do not grow with the passage of time, and a miniature of old stereotypes and memory will be archived. The competency trap creates a knowledge gap in employees because they are under the shadow of what they know. Considering that knowledge, skill and competence is a potential power, which in incorrect application, diminishes its awe and admiration and leads to a competence trap that deceives the mind and gradually, exhaustion and organizational decline are revealed. The results of this research lead to the discovery and explanation of the lesser-known phenomenon of competency traps in the geometry of human resource management studies in the country and provide a clear path to managers and policy makers of the administrative system in understanding the said phenomenon and how to deal with it.

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Economics, Business, Politics, & International Relations (JEBPIR) / Ekonomi Işletme Siyaset ve Uluslararsi Ilişkiler Dergisi (JEBPIR) is the property of Ekonomi Isletme Siyaset ve Uluslararsi Iliskiler Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Grassland ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable as they are threatened by both intensive agriculture and abandonment of land use, which leads to overgrowth with scrub vegetation and forest. Given that meadows are habitat types of very high biodiversity, their loss significantly reduces local biodiversity. That is why the University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana has been renting a 2 ha dry meadow at the edge of Ljubljana capital city since 2001, for the purpose of in situ conservation in the urban area. We have been observing the meadow since 1997. In 2023, in addition to the complete inventory of species, we also carried out an inventory and analysis of the community in the meadow using the Braun–Blanquet method in 25 relevés. We recorded 163 plant species in the meadow during the entire growing season, and a total of 82 were recorded in the relevés. Eighteen of the species recorded are on the red list of protected plant species in Slovenia. In the relevés, 15 species types were constant (occurring in 60%) and as many as 21 were unique. The species Peucedanum oreoselinum (L.) Moench was recorded in all relevés (25), followed by the species Bromopsis erecta (Huds.) Fourr. (24), Galium verum L. (24), Briza media L. (23), Brachypodium pinnatum (L.) PB. (22) and Salvia pratensis L. (21).

Abstract Background The Biebrza Valley is one of the largest complexes of wetlands (floodplain and percolation mire) and conservation sites in Central Europe. Local communities have managed the area extensively for subsistence and farming purposes for centuries; nonetheless, since the 1960s, hand mowing and livestock grazing have been gradually ceasing due to the intensification of farming, and wetlands have undergone natural succession. Currently, the protection of this vast ecosystem is challenging. Despite its remarkable cultural origin, the complexity of the traditional practices and knowledge of local people have never been studied comprehensively. Therefore, we found it urgent to explore if traditional ecological knowledge that could be used in conservation management of the area still exists among the local community. Methods We interviewed 42 inhabitants of seven villages located in the Lower Basin of the Biebrza Valley (NE-Poland) in the consecutive years 2018–2020. We applied semi-structured, repeated interviews with farmers (aged 29–89), each lasting several hours. By using different ethnoecological methods (visual stimuli, walks in wetlands, co-mapping of the area), we explored traditional knowledge on the plants, landscape and traditional management of wetlands. Results Farmers from the oldest generation, who used to manage wetlands with scythes, shared the deepest ecological knowledge. Local people divided wetlands into zones differentiated by vegetation type and hay quality. Depending on plant composition, people managed wetlands under a mixed regime: mowing once or twice a year during periods that ensured good hay quality and pasturing various livestock: cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and fowl. We identified at least 50 plant ethnospecies, which were described exhaustively by their habitat, morphological features, and mowing and grazing value. Conclusions The local community in the Biebrza Valley shared a deep traditional ecological knowledge and had a good memory of traditional farming practices. Research confirmed the unquestionable cultural origin of the local ecosystem, therefore in conservation endeavours the area should be treated first and foremost as a cultural landscape. The documented exceptional local perception of the wetland landscape, elements of traditional knowledge and complex farming practices should be considered for inclusion into conservation management, and cooperation with the local community should also be taken into account.

In einem vierjährigen Forschungsprojekt wurden 238 Wiesen und Weiden von 114 landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben im bayerischen Alpenvorland sowie in der Oberpfalz vegetationskundlich untersucht. Mit den Betriebsleitern von 103 dieser Betriebe wurden Befragungen zur landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung der Grünlandflächen durchgeführt. Um das Risiko für das Vorkommen von J. aquatica in Bayern einzuschätzen, wurde ein Habitat Suitability Model erstellt, das die aktuellen Vorkommen der Art auf Standortmerkmale (Wasser- und Bodenverhältnisse) und die aktuelle Bewirtschaftung zurückführt. Die Modellierung zeigte, dass das Auftreten von J. aquatica mit dem Vorkommen grund- und stauwasserbeeinflusster Böden korreliert ist. Ein weiterer wichtiger Faktor ist eine Niederschlagssumme im Zeitraum Juni–August von >380 mm. Bei Eintreffen beider Kriterien besteht in Bayern vor allem im westlichen Alpenvorland (Allgäu und westliches Oberbayern) ein hohes Risiko für das Vorkommen der Problemart. Auf Grünlandflächen, die wegen Nässe nur bedingt befahrbar sind, auf ebenen Schlägen oder solchen mit geringer Distanz zu einem Moor ist J. aquatica häufiger zu finden. Dagegen waren die Zusammenhänge mit der landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung deutlich schwächer. Der stärkere Befall von nassen Flächen mit Narbenschäden deutete darauf hin, dass eine unangepasste Bewirtschaftung, die offene Bodenstellen verursacht, das Vorkommen von Wasser-Greiskraut fördert. So könnte die in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten erhöhte Mahdfrequenz auf Feucht- und Nasswiesen die Zunahme der Art begünstigt haben.

Key message: Tree-ring growth of pollarded narrow-leaved ash trees in Central Spain reveals traditional management cessation in 1970 and property-specific management patterns. Tree pollarding was a dominant management strategy of European forests for centuries creating open agroforestry landscapes with important cultural and environmental values. This traditional practice has been widely abandoned in last decades with a subsequent impact in terms of biodiversity and cultural loss. Central Spain hosts the largest and best-preserved area of pollarded narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) woodlands in Europe. The main aim of this research is to obtain rigorous historical records of pollarding frequency to get adequate information for traditional ash management. We used dendrochronological techniques to evaluate temporal changes of pollarding frequency and rotation length. We analysed the stand level synchrony and the effect of land property on pollarding activity from 322 trees growing in eight pollard stands in Central Spain. Pollarding events were unequivocally identified at tree level by a characteristic change in growth pattern. We identified 2426 tree-level pruning events with the first event dated in 1777. Historical pruning recurrence ranged between 5 and 10 years with higher pollarding frequency on private lands. Pruning events within each site were synchronous, suggesting the existence of a rotational schema within each stand. Pruning frequency decreased drastically in the 1970s matching with the depopulation of rural areas and the general abandonment of traditional practices. Pollarding practices have recovered in recent decades although with lower intensity and lacking the synchronic historical patterns. Providing technical and economic support to make this traditional activity profitably would have strong environmental revenue due the multiple ecosystem services provided by pollarded ashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locally adapted and evidence-based management strategies are needed to counteract the current insect declines. In Central Europe, semi-natural grasslands are biodiversity hotspots having a high conservation value, but are threatened by both abandonment and agricultural intensification. We investigated the potential of traditional lowland meadow irrigation as a biodiversity-friendly grassland management strategy using carabid beetles as indicator organisms. We analysed carabid beetle species richness, the occurrence of species of conservation concern, and trait composition in relation to meadow irrigation and fertilization. Moreover, we conducted bipartite network analysis in order to reveal species-habitat networks. The key finding is that the species richness of carabid beetles in irrigated and non-irrigated meadows was similar, but irrigation positively influenced species and individual numbers of carabids of conservation concern. Meadow irrigation, but also fertilization, further shaped carabid beetle species-habitat-networks indicating species-specific preferences for differently managed meadows. Finally, the trait composition was affected: carabid beetles in irrigated meadows were on average larger, more predacious and less mobile than in non-irrigated meadows. We therefore recommend the preservation and restoration of this traditional grassland management practice for biodiversity conservation in suitable regions, but also call for future studies to further increase conservation evidence.

The Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) was once widespread in large parts of Central Europe. However, in the course of the last century, populations of the butterfly largely collapsed. Here, we surveyed patch and microhabitat occupancy and its drivers in one of the last vital populations in calcareous grasslands. Our study revealed that environmental conditions at the landscape and habitat level determined the occurrence of E. aurinia in a montane agricultural landscape with low land‐use intensity. Patch occupancy increased with the cover of Devil's‐bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) grasslands in the surroundings of the patches, habitat heterogeneity and host‐plant cover. Microhabitat occupancy was driven by a warm microclimate and high availability of host plants. In the well‐connected landscape of nutrient‐poor grasslands, patch occupancy of E. aurinia was driven by parameters defining a high habitat quality. Habitat heterogeneity very likely buffers E. aurinia populations against environmental stochasticity and, hence, enhances long‐term viability. For the gregariously feeding caterpillars of E. aurinia, host‐plant biomass is essential. Due to their more luxuriant growth, S. pratensis plants were clearly preferred, although the Glossy Scabious (Scabiosa lucida) was also widespread. Additionally, the growth of large Succisa plants was favored by soil humidity and grassland abandonment. To cope with the adverse macro‐ and mesoclimatic conditions of the study area, females of the butterfly selected host plants growing in extraordinarily warm microhabitats for oviposition. To secure long‐term viability of E. aurinia populations, we recommend creating mosaics of traditionally managed grasslands and early stages of abandonment within the patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preindustrial era agro-sylvopastoral land uses have influenced structure, function and disturbance in Mediterranean type mountainous landscapes for millennia. In this study we analyze through semi-structured interviews, stakeholder perceptions of coupled human and natural system (CHANS) community resilience in one such landscape; the municipality of Puebla de la Sierra, Madrid. The municipality is part of the Biosphere Reserve of the Sierra del Rincon and the Natura 2000 network and as such is subject to various conservationist regulations emanating from multiple levels of governance. In the preindustrial past most municipal lands formed an oak “dehesa” or open forest CHANS that made biomass extraction through pollarding compatible with pastoralism and shifting agriculture. After a period of rapid land-use change in the early 20th century—marked by the state led plantation of coniferous forests, the final decades of the last century were characterized by rural abandonment and the collapse of traditional forms of land use as well as the gradual transformation of the municipality into an eco-touristic, exurban destination for Madrid residents. More recently, the municipality has experienced an influx of neo-rural settlers in the area wishing to connect traditional knowledge and management with modern agro-environmental practices. In our study, we identify two limiting factors to community resilience in Puebla de la Sierra; governance and financing. The current governance model is perceived by respondents to be contrary to their reality and needs, which translates into environmental, urban and health regulations that, in their views, penalizes agroecological and small-scale economic activities. In addition, respondents believe there is a dearth of material and financial resources to initiate these transformative local actions which further weakens community resilience. Stakeholders however also identified other factors that reinforce community resilience such as a collective willingness to revive key traditional ecosystem management practices such as pollarding, the networks of trust existing between the people participating in these new initiatives and the capacity for deliberating between different visions of future development pathways amongst local stakeholders.

Background: The Biebrza Valley is one of the largest complexes of wetlands (floodplain and percolation mire) and conservation sites in Central Europe. Local communities have managed the area extensively for subsistence and farming purposes for centuries; nonetheless, since the 1960s, hand mowing and livestock grazing have been gradually ceasing due to the intensification of farming, and wetlands have undergone natural succession. Currently, the protection of this vast ecosystem is challenging. Despite its remarkable cultural origin, the complexity of the traditional practices and knowledge of local people have never been studied comprehensively. Therefore, we found it urgent to explore if traditional ecological knowledge that could be used in conservation management of the area still exists among the local community. Methods: We interviewed 42 inhabitants of seven villages located in the Lower Basin of the Biebrza Valley (NE-Poland) in the consecutive years 2018–2020. We applied semi-structured, repeated interviews with farmers (aged 29–89), each lasting several hours. By using different ethnoecological methods (visual stimuli, walks in wetlands, co-mapping of the area), we explored traditional knowledge on the plants, landscape and traditional management of wetlands. Results: Farmers from the oldest generation, who used to manage wetlands with scythes, shared the deepest ecological knowledge. Local people divided wetlands into zones differentiated by vegetation type and hay quality. Depending on plant composition, people managed wetlands under a mixed regime: mowing once or twice a year during periods that ensured good hay quality and pasturing various livestock: cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and fowl. We identified at least 50 plant ethnospecies, which were described exhaustively by their habitat, morphological features, and mowing and grazing value. Conclusions: The local community in the Biebrza Valley shared a deep traditional ecological knowledge and had a good memory of traditional farming practices. Research confirmed the unquestionable cultural origin of the local ecosystem, therefore in conservation endeavours the area should be treated first and foremost as a cultural landscape. The documented exceptional local perception of the wetland landscape, elements of traditional knowledge and complex farming practices should be considered for inclusion into conservation management, and cooperation with the local community should also be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Landscape domestication (LD) has been an important mechanism for subsistence in traditional rural societies. In the last decade, important theoretical advances have been accomplished with valuable archaeological, historical, and ecological approaches for understanding LD processes, while integrated spatial approximations are still scanty. Objectives: To assess the usefulness of species distribution modeling for addressing LD processes associated with human influence on plant community distribution, using as case study the palm-stands of Brahea dulcis in central-southern Mexico. Methods: We used MaxEnt for building distribution models, including social factors as triggers of palm-stand distribution, and environmental variables as covariates. Model performance, predicted surface and variable importance were statistically evaluated. The best distribution model was chosen, and it was further assed by visual inspection and ground-truth validation to contrasts predicted versus observed palm-stand distribution. Results: Social factors contributed the most to the model fit, proving to be strongly associated with palm-stand presence. Visual inspection of the predicted spatial distribution resulted coherent with observed palm-stand distribution. Ground-truth proved to reach a certainty of circa 80% between predicted and observed areas with palm-stands. Conclusions: Ethnic identity, distance to roads, and land tenure were the strongest explanatory variables to accurately predict the observed palm-stand spatial distribution. This revealed the high importance of social factors for palm-stand presence and support the assertion that palm-stand are the result of long-standing human actions, rather than purely ecological and physical attributes. The identification of driving social factors allowed to inquire into the underlying LD processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is focused on the site conditions of the cultural mountainous West Carpathian landscape (Liptovská Teplička village, Central Slovakia) affected by historical agricultural land use, which also included relief and soil modifications leading to the formation of specific mosaic of agrarian landforms – AL (narrow productive plots separated by balks having character of terraces and mounds). It is based on a pair comparison of sites located side by side; the former is located on the productive plot (former arable land), while the latter is a balk. The pairs were selected in order to capture the representative sample of AL within diverse natural conditions, land cover and management. In order to assess the differences between individual AL, continuous soil water content (SWC) measurements using EC-5 soil moisture sensors were performed. The sensors provided continuous measurements of hourly soil volumetric water content rates (VWC, m3/m3). The data were recorded from April 2018 until December 2018. These data were used to assess individual monitoring localities in terms of SWC temporal stability. Furthermore, at each sampling location, an analysis of soil organic matter content, soil texture and stone content was performed. This research was also supplemented by indirect estimation of some site conditions based on phytoindication method using Ellenberg’s indicator values for moisture, soil reaction, nutrient content, continentality, temperature and light. Our results can be concluded as follows: i) the SWC temporal stability assessment revealed the clear effect of AL, however, it was difficult to identify which factors associated with AL typology were the most significant. The high differences between similar AL types revealed the fact that land use, management and rock content (both at productive plots and balks) affect the SWC temporal stability rather than AL typology and their orientation within the slope, ii) phytoindication method did not show statistically significant differences in site conditions between productive plots and balks, despite the fact that there were some significant differences confirmed in species composition, especially between productive plots and dolomite mounds. These differences are related to a higher number of calciphilous and termophilous species preferring ecotones and forests in mounds and group of mesophilous meadow species in productive plots. In summary, it seems that identified differences in both SWC temporal stability and floristic composition between productive plots and balks reflect the management regime rather than site conditions and formation of mounds represents relatively the most significant impact of traditional agricultural land use on the local environment.

Summarized in the article are different opinions of researchers regarding the essence of creativity, presenting different interpretations of the notion of “creative management”. Two types of management are described: ”traditional and creative”. The main elements of the system of creative management are characterized. described were the basic stages of evaluating and analyzing of the state of the system of creative management. The article contains coefficients , characterizing the system of enterprise’s creative management, particularly the coefficients of target matching, target realization, the coefficients of consciousness and productivity of subjects, coefficients of targets realization, the coefficient of subjects discipline, the coefficient of realization of creative ideas, the coefficient of intensity of taking creative solutions, the coefficient of rationality of creative solutions, the coefficient of completeness of information provision of management subjects in creative management and the coefficient of communication development. Defined were the instruments for a manager to apply at implementing creative management at an enterprise.

Indigenous communities conserve their local practices around natural resources, which contribute to the conservation of nature and the satisfaction of their dietary and sociocultural needs. The objective of the study was to analyze the practices of exploitation and management of natural resources in indigenous spaces of Oaxaca. The ethnoecological method was used: the structured interview and field visits. It was found that interview respondents implemented different types of agricultural practices, with the following standing out: sowing of associated or interspersed crops, construction of retention walls (bordos), and terraces and leveling. Soil management was carried out in a differentiated way; in two sites they use manure from backyard animals and in another community they use domestic waste. The water management practices were different per community and were subject to their culture; the management of irrigation water by gravity stood out, and to a lesser extent the harvest of rainwater. The harvest of plants, fungi and the exploitation of wild animals were also frequent. Rituals are still practiced that are devoted to the soil, to a lesser extent to water, to the mountain and to animals. It is concluded that the communities of study conserve their practices that were developed locally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of knowledge communities have about species in their mixed homegardens, as well as the little value they give to their uses, led to develop the research that took place in the village of Concepción Alto, a town in the municipality of Pasto, located at 1.09º8`8 "of latitude; -77º30`11" of longitude and with 2520 masl. The purpose was to collect, evaluate and systematize the use and management of the species that make up the homegardens, 10 families as key informants were selected, being necessary to stratify them to determine which stratum had the highest knowledge; a semi-structured interview was applied. Knowledge analysis was carried out using the AKT 5 (Agroecological Knowledge Toolkit) methodology. Among the evaluated variables, the outstanding were the specific use of the species, type of management and coefficient of importance, a statistical analysis (Student t test) complemented with their correlation with the variables: age, education, and the number of sentences. To analyze the information the R statistical software was used. The results indicate that the knowledge between the strata I (µ=94±27), II (µ=127±22) and III (µ=75±13) showed no statistically significant differences (p-value=0.3988 >0.05), meaning that all sections share similar knowledge, obtaining a negative correlation between the variables of age and number of phrases (r = -0.31). About the homegardens´ use highlight medicine, food, fodder, fuelwood, timber, shade and water regulation. The homegarden management is conditioned by the experience, beliefs, and new acquired knowledge. In this sense, mixed homegardens in the village of Conception Alto, are a reservoir of plant biodiversity and knowledge

Cat's claw (Uncaria guianensis (Aublet) J.F. Gmel and U. tomentosa (Willd. ex Roemer & Schultes) DC.) has been used in the traditional indigenous medicine. This plant stands out for its medicinal properties, which has generated a commercial interest. So far, there are many studies of U. tomentosa related with agroforestry management and propagation methods. However, the available information of Uncaria guianensis is limited, especially with its management in communities. With the aim to contribute with information about the management of these species and their propagation, It were conducted interviews, field trips with local guides and planting trials in Tikuna communities. It was found that the management of cat's claw species, mainly of the Uncaria guianensis, focuses both on the extraction and planting practices by stakes, as well as on the conservation of their natural regeneration. It was found that Uncaria tomentosa had a high mortality rate in the natural environment, since it was more susceptible to the adverse effects of environmental conditions. Otherwise, Uncaria guianensis had a greater survival especially in stubbles where stakes were treated with rooting hormones and it were planted and in soils enriched with organic fertilizer. The results of this research may contribute to the formulation of integrative management strategies, that allows a sustainable use of natural populations of cat's claw species in Amazonian communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating the massive impacts of defaunation on natural ecosystems requires understanding and predicting hunting effort across the landscape. But such understanding has been hindered by the difficulty of assessing the movement patterns of hunters in thick forests and across complex terrain. We statistically tested hypotheses about the spatial distribution of hunting with circuit theory and structural equation models. We used a data set of >7000 known kill locations in Guyana and hunter movement models to test these methods. Comparing models with different resistance layers (i.e., different estimates of how terrain and land cover influence human movement speed) showed that rivers, on average, limited movement rather than serving as transport arteries. Moreover, far more kills occurred close to villages than in remote areas. This, combined with the lack of support for structural equation models that included latent terms for prey depletion driven by past overhunting, suggests that kill locations in this system tended to be driven by where hunters were currently foraging rather than by influences of historical harvest. These analyses are generalizable to a variety of ecosystems, species, and data types, providing a powerful way of enhancing maps and predictions of hunting effort across complex landscapes. Article impact statement: Locations of bushmeat hunter kill sites in Guyana seem driven by where hunters go currently rather than by historical influences of harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European expansion in the 16th Century produced a worldwide circulation of plants.Spanish colonialism displaced native plant resources while also promoting a mixture of Old and New World food cultures. That is the case of allspice, the fruit of the Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, a native tree to tropical forest in Mesoamerica that eventually became highly valued as a spice in global markets. For this study we trace the trade history of allspice and describe some common current traditional practices for harvest and commercial production strategies. Initially confused with other pepper-like spices, allspice was partially marginalized during the first two centuries of Spanish colonization, but later support from the Spanish Crown helped it to become actively traded beginning in the 18th Century. In Guatemala, its region of natural distribution, allspice is still produced following traditional techniques and is commercialized in local markets, although there are well-established large-scale producers in Mexico that export it. The present study aims at integrating experiences over time and under various conditions, from history and present days, to provide a better understanding of the elements that contributed to the resurgence of allspice from being a marginalized crop to one prized worldwide. We conclude that allspice survived the vicissitudes of colonialization partially due to government intervention, and eventually became a valuable commodity, even in our days.

Energy and mineral resource extraction has fuelled economic development in the modern world but has caused unprecedented environmental destruction. Economically viable to extract resources are not evenly distributed but found in a few regions of the world due to unique geologic characteristics. Inequity in distribution of resource benefits and environmental costs predispose these regions to resource conflict and war. Traditional resource management has failed to address their complexity, with most models utilised lacking multi-disciplinary perspective. Understanding the complexity of these regions is a key prerequisite for their management to be effective and sustainable. Here, we investigate the potential of re-assessing mineral resource active regions from a systems perspective. Findings demonstrate that the application of systems thinking in resource management has the potential to deliver benefits to all stakeholders while maintaining ecological integrity. System tools offer an alternative to the reductionist end-of-pipe thinking of traditional resource management and policies. Rather than simply relying on competition, focusing on the interdependencies between the various players and sectors in these regions can deliver system improvements that should be further investigated because of their potential to deliver integrated and holistic solutions that could benefit all involved.

Teleost fish that form predictable spawning aggregations and undertake reproductive migrations can be particularly vulnerable to overexploitation. To support community-based management of an artisanal fishery that targets bonefish (Albula glossodonta) spawning aggregations, we used a combination of acoustic telemetry, biological sampling, and remote imagery to reveal the spatiotemporal spawning migrations of bonefish on Anaa Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. The spawning migrations of bonefish tracked with acoustic telemetry were restricted to the northern section of the atoll, with 99.6% of all detections at offshore spawning habitats occurring on fixed acoustic receivers adjacent to the atoll's artisanal fish trap complex. Male bonefish undertook spawning migrations more frequently than females and these spawning migrations were common during the Austral winter and fall. The movements of bonefish spawning aggregations coincided with the lunar cycle, as a network analysis revealed an increase in network size and the diversity of habitat use within our acoustic array throughout the duration of the waning moon. Our results highlighted the need for the management of the artisanal trap fishery to prevent the overharvest of bonefish during their peak spawning periods. In response to the spatiotemporal management recommendations derived from this research, the local government established an Educational Managed Marine Area that includes the atoll's bonefish spawning migratory corridor adjacent to Tukuhora village and a Rahui (i.e., seasonal closure) to improve the sustainability of the fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Numerous wild, weedy and ruderal plants are recognized as valuable resources for food and nutrition of traditional rural peoples worldwide and were broadly consumed in the pre-Columbian Peru. However, the Peruvian ethnobotanical studies have been mainly centred on medicinal plants and general inventories of useful plants, but few information is available on their management. Sustainable strategies for food security should be based on traditional management techniques; therefore, this study aimed at recording wild, weedy and ruderal plants used as food by communities from the Andean highlands of Huánuco, their forms of preparation, management, habitat and periods of availability. Through a "snowball" sampling method we identified expert people knowing edible plants; with them, we conducted free listing to identify the most significant plants, semi-structured interviews and ethnobotanical walking. Through focus groups we constructed participatory check lists and maps of the communitarian territories, identifying places where edible plant resources occur. We documented 142 edible plant species, most of them used as beverages and greens, 47.2% with medicinal properties. Simple gathering and tolerance or let standing plants after disturbance are the most common management forms. The main habitats providing edible resources are the chacra and the pluviifolia savanna, during the whole year or the wet season. The use of these sites in the ecological floors called Puna, Suni and Quechua illustrate the vertical management of the environments, which correspond to strategies of use and management of resources oriented to counteracting environmental risks. The plant resources recorded significantly contribute to local food sovereignty, but traditional knowledge linked to these resources are in risk of disappearing. We consider a priority to support diffusion about benefits of consuming these plant resources as well as bromatological studies to document their nutrimental contribution to diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyzes variation in local acceptance of a community forestry (CF) model in Nepal. • Discusses out-migration, CF flexibility and traditional institutions as reasons. • Out-migration pre-empts leadership and participation risking acceptance of a model. • Concludes traditional institutions with control over local political ecology and institutional flexibiliy as major reasons for variations in local acceptance. Although studies on Community Forestry (CF) have been focused on what makes a CF model sustainable and how it can achieve success, CF lacks study on why a community accepts or resists a model. This study explores the reason why some CF models are accepted and others are resisted by communities by studying two different types of CF model in Nepal – Community Forestry User Groups and Conservation Area Management Committees. Based on household surveys, semi-structured interviews and historical analysis, such variations in local acceptance have been examined on the basis of the following three hypotheses: the variation in local acceptance is due to increasing out-migration and the subsequent decreasing use of community-managed forests for livelihoods, the variation is due to the management arrangements of the CF models themselves, and the variation is due to the persistence of traditional practices of forest use. The article ultimately finds that an acceptance of or resistance to a CF model cannot be explained solely by relying on the migration of users and their decreasing dependency on the forests. Rather, in addition to reducing active leadership, out-migration prevents local participation in the design and implementation of new forestry institutions, and therefore makes an institution vulnerable and increases the risk of accepting a CF model. Moreover, a CF model that has wider institutional flexibility in terms of rules and rights can succeed in incorporating villagers' priorities, and can thus enjoy enhanced local acceptance. Finally, the persistence of traditional institutions with the ability to impose sanctions on forest uses can resist to a formally designed CF model. As the government of Nepal is revising forestry legislation in the context of climate change and REDD+, the findings may provide knowledge for the sustainability of emerging forestry governance practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traditional fruit orchards are an important part of the cultural landscape. • Orchards could indicate the rural history of present city areas. • Spatiotemporally continuous orchards were larger than newer ones. • Tree spacing was the most important determinant of orchard continuity. • The high spatial diversity of orchards highlights their importance for cultural heritage. Traditional fruit orchards are an important and conspicuous part of the cultural landscape and heritage. These formerly typically rural artifacts are disappearing across Europe. Some of them, however, remain in big cities, as in our study area of a million city, Prague, in the Czech Republic. We were interested in the most important determinants of the poorly studied urban land use type of orchards from the rural past of the city environment in comparison with those that were not continuous. All orchards were described by characteristics that comprehensively illustrate the actual state of their environment. We found and studied all 76 existing freely accessible fruit orchards in Prague. Thirty-two continuous orchards had a larger area and were mainly determined by rectangular spatial distribution of trees, while 44 newer ones were smaller and had mainly triangular spacing. The majority of orchards were still managed. Even if orchards are a rather marginal type of land use in Prague, we found that continuous and newer sites were highly diversified regarding their structure and surroundings. Nevertheless, old orchards conserve higher potential for the future regarding their biodiversity, land use policy and agricultural value. Traditional fruit orchards are gradually disappearing from the suburbanized landscape, and therefore, their conservation cannot be considered merely as a trend but as a strategy to combat a real loss of cultural heritage. The final loss of this type of land use might lead to the loss of know-how of traditional management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arable plant diversity has been dramatically declining due to agriculture intensification, with several arable species currently included in national Red Lists. This is particularly relevant in the case of plant communities of the traditional Mediterranean agricultural systems. Despite the current knowledge about the factors affecting this diversity, it is not clear how these communities, which have likely evolved under the pressure of ploughing for millennia, depend on this regular soil disturbance. This is an important issue nowadays, because current management practices focused on the conservation of the ground vegetation cover, to protect soil and other biological groups, often exclude ploughing. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that traditional ploughing is favourable to more specialist arable plants, predictably more dependent on the regular soil disturbance. We address this issue in a Mediterranean agricultural system, the traditional olive groves of Southern Portugal, which is characterized by the annual ploughing of soil. A total of 90 plots containing 1350 sampling quadrats were sampled, and all plant species identified. We categorized plants in four target groups of conservation interest, and then used a joint species distribution model to model their occurrence in relation to three management practices: ploughing, cultivation and low-intensity grazing, using abandoned olive groves as reference level. Results suggest that ploughing is a key factor for the maintenance of arable plant diversity. Ploughing had a positive effect on the occurrence of rare arable plants, archaeophytes and on several Red listed species. In order to conserve these high value plant communities and endangered plant species, we recommend incentivizing ploughing using reduced tillage techniques (e.g. chisel ploughing) on these traditional Mediterranean agricultural systems. • Traditional ploughing promoted the occurrence of specialist arable plants. • Low-intensity cultivation and grazing had a detrimental effect on threatened species. • The exclusion of ploughing may cause the declining of threatened species populations. • Conservation tillage should include ploughing with reduced tillage techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use changes and especially management intensification currently pose a major threat to biodiversity both on and beneath the soil surface. With a comparative approach, we investigated how management intensity in orchards and meadows influences soil macro-invertebrate communities in a North-Italian Alpine region. We compared soil fauna assemblies from traditional low-input sites with respective intensively managed ones. As expected, the taxonomical richness and diversity were lower in both intensive management types. Extensive management of both types revealed similar communities, while intensification led to substantial differences between management types. From these results, we conclude that intensification of agricultural practices severely alters the soil fauna community and biodiversity in general, however, the direction of these changes is governed by the management type. In our view, extensive management, traditional for mountain areas, favors soil fauna communities that have adapted over a long time and can thus be viewed as a sustainable reference condition for new production systems that consider the protection of soil diversity in order to conserve essential ecosystem functions.

For centuries, in the Moroccan arganeraies, the rural populations organized the control of the space on which people depended for their livelihood by adopting practices of traditional management. But, recently, in the context of the economic globalization and fuelled by strong demand for the argan oil, we are experiencing for a great pressure exercised on natural resources of the arganeraie, which exacerbates the usage conflicts and contributes to the degradation of this ecosystem, which reflecting the inadequacy of these traditional management systems to this new context.

Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC) are affected by global environmental change because they directly rely on their immediate environment for meeting basic livelihood needs. Therefore, safeguarding and restoring ecosystem resilience is critical to support their well‐being. Based on examples from the literature, we illustrate how IPLC participate in restoration activities maintaining traditional practices, restoring land degraded by outsiders, and joining outside groups seeking to restore ecosystems. Our review also provides examples of how Indigenous and Local Knowledge can be incorporated in the planning, execution, and monitoring of restoration activities. However, not all restoration initiatives engaging IPLC are beneficial or successful, and the factors that lead to success are not fully known. While local involvement in restoration projects is often mentioned as an element of success, this is primarily associated to projects that actively involve IPLC in codesigning restoration activities affecting their territories, ensure both short‐term direct benefits to IPLC and long‐term support of the maintenance of restored areas, and recognize IPLC local traditions and customary institutions. Based on these examples, we argue that IPLC should be a more important focus in any post‐2020 CBD agenda on restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Études Caribéennes is the property of Etudes Caribeennes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since Jambinese batik industry is predominantly managed by family business, the study aimed to explore the management model of family business, its constraints and the solutions in conducting professional management practices. The subjects of the research are four creative home industries in processing Jambinese batik into various fashion attributes, ranging from attire, 'lacak', wall decorations to other forms in the city of Jambi. Using a qualitative approach, the data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, documentation studies and triangulation. The result show that their management model is still traditional. In managing their business, they encounter with the problem of scarcity of craftsmen, raw materials and equipment that must be delivered from Java, market limitations and lack of awareness of batik home owners about the importance of financial recording and reporting. The solutions of their problem are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Abandoned lands are expanding globally due to depopulation in rural areas; biodiversity is declining due to the cessation of traditional management practices. However, the awareness of abandonment as a serious threat is still limited. Knowledge of the influence of the responsible factors on the assessment of regional extinction risk of species due to abandonment is sparse although it is indispensable for conservation decision‐making. This study aimed to clarify the influence of the heterogeneity in abandonment risk and interspecies differences in sensitivity to abandonment on regional species extinction risk and to identify the attributes of the species whose extinction risk is prone to be assessed inaccurately by ignoring the abandonment risk. Location: Awaji Island, Hyogo, Western Japan. Methods: We assessed the extinction risk of 64 species of macrophytes under four scenarios: 2 × 2 combinations whether to incorporate interspecies differences in sensitivity to abandonment and the abandonment risk, respectively. Results: Ignoring the abandonment risk overestimated the extinction risk of most species by 10%, whereas ignoring interspecies differences in sensitivity did not significantly affect the extinction risk. Ignoring the abandonment risk overestimated the extinction risk of emergent plants by 12%, whereas it underestimated that of free‐floating plants or threatened plants by 5%. Spatial bias in abandonment risk markedly reduced the correlation between the extinction risk and the frequency of species occurrence. Main conclusions: The abandonment risk was more effective in accurately assessing the extinction risk due to abandonment than interspecies differences in sensitivity. Extinction risk of emergent, free‐floating or threatened species were assessed inaccurately by ignoring the abandonment risk. Focusing only on the area of occurrence or the extent of occurrence of a species as a surrogate for its extinction risk is likely to produce inaccurate assessments, and thus should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]