Participatory and Integrated Research in Mountainous Regions of Thailand and Vietnam： Approaches and Lessons Learned

Introduction Until the late 1980s, the mountainous regions of northern Thailand and northern Vietnam were largely cut off from the rapid economic develop- ment in the urban centers such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hanoi, and from the dynamics of the ‘gree…     

China-France International Symposium on Rural Construction and Development, Beijing, China, 23–24 September 2007

The China-France International Symposium on Rural Construction and Development was held in Beijing, China, from 23 to 24 September 2007, under the auspices of National Natural Science     

Integrated and Participatory Research Approaches towards Sustainable Livelihoods and Ecosystems in Mountainous Regions

Mountainous regions cover about 27 per cent of the world’s land surface and are home to some 22 per cent of the global population (UNEP 2002). A much greater number of people depend on mountain environments for a wide range of services, including clean water, energy, timber, biodiversity, recreation, and protection from environmental hazards, such as landslides and floods. At the same time, mountain areas are extremely vulnerable ecosystems and under continuous threat of environmental degrad…     

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON RESIDENTS＇ PERCEPTION OF TOURISM IMPACT AT TOURIST PLACES—A Case Study of Xidi, Zhouzhuang and Jiuhua Mountain

Based on the questionnaire investigation, the authors make a comparative study on local residents‘ perception of tourism impacts in Xidi, Zhouzhuang and Jiuhua Mountain. The result shows that residents of the three places tend to have strong and consistent perception of its positive economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts, but distinctly diverse ones of its negative impacts. Residents in Xidi and Zhouzhuang also have noticeable perception of its negative environmental impacts while those in Jiuhua Mountain have weaker perception of them.The research confirms the fact that residents are more liable to have positive perceptions at the early stage of the life cycle of the tourist places. The authors conclude that there exists a nonlinear relationship between residents‘ perception and tourism development stages, and that tourism socio-cultural impact may appear at an early stage of tourism development instead of being no universal.     

Glacier Extent and Volume Change （1966-9000） on the Su-lo Mountain in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau,China

The topographic maps of 1：50, 000 scales, aerial photographs taken in 1966, one Landsat image taken in 1999, and SRTM data from 2000 were used to quantify the losses in area and volume of the glaciers on the Su-lo Mountain, in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China in the past 30 years. The total glacier area decreased from 492.9 km^2 in 1966 to 458.2 km^2 in 1999. The volume loss of the studied glaciers reached 1.4 km^3 from 1966 to 2000. This agrees with documented changes in other mountain glaciers of the whole Tibetan Plateau.     

China-France International Symposium on Rural Construction and Development, Beijing, China, 23-24 September 2007

The China-France International Symposium on Rural Construction and Development was held in Beijing, China, from 23 to 24 September 2007, under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China （NSFC） and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research （IGSNRR）, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）. The symposium was co-sponsored by the following organizations：     

Review of maritime transportation air emission pollution and policy analysis

The study of air emission in maritime transportation is new, and the recognition of its importance has been rising in the recent decade. The emissions of CO2, SO2, NO2 and particulate matters from maritime transportation have contributed to climate change and environmental degradation. Scientifically, analysts still have controversies regarding how to calculate the emissions and how to choose the baseline and methodologies. Three methods are generally used, namely the ‘bottom up’ approach, the ‘top down’ ap...     

Resource Utilization Pattern and Development in Hills——A Case for the Pindar Basin of Garhwal Himalaya, India

Agrarian system is well adapted in Himalayan eco-system. Hence, the people have adopted the traditional subsistence cereal farming and it becomes the main stay of Himalayan people. About 80 percent of the workable force is attached with agriculture and its allied practices, according to the census of 1991. Although, horticultural farming runs parallel with agriculture, its proportion in terms of land is quite less, resulted in a negligible place in the economy of the region. Human resources, mainly men are attached with national security after recruitment in Army. While, women play a vital and integrated role in maintaining the workable potential in the field of agriculture and are known as backbone of economy. An animal resource implies foremost and wider part in agricultural system and economy as well Water resources are unutilized yet, while almost all the major rivers of our country are originated from and flowing through this region. Increasing population causes forest resources depletion. The economy of the region is rested either on ‘traditional cereal farming‘ or ‘money order based‘ development, which could not take place due to its remoteness from the main streams of the country. The impactof modern technology with innovation in agricultural system remains impracticable due to unwillingness of people in one hand and on the other hand, adversege ographical conditions like topography, climate etc. which could not permit the uses of modern innovation in the field of agriculture. As for infra-structurally, this region is lacked behind, due to its inaccessibility. While, this region is bestowed with numerous rivers, many places for tourists and pilgrims, and huge forest resources. They might be used evenly in thedevelopment processes. The practice of tourism will help for the further development, particularly, in the wake of the newly born state, Uttaranchal. The present paper aims to evaluate the present potentiality of resources and their balanced utilization in the Pindar Basin. A precise study has been done on resource utilization, ecology and environment with keeping view in mind that more or less exploitation of resources could not influence the environment and the economy of the region.     

Utilisation and Management Changes in South Kyrgyzstan＇s Mountain Forests

Using political ecology as its conceptual framework, this paper focuses on the changes in forest utilisation and management of South Kyrgyzstan＇s walnut-fruit forests over the last century The aim of this study on human-environment interactions is to investigate the relationship between actors on the one side, their interests and demands, and the forests and forested lands on the other. Forest resource utilisation and management - and even the recognition of different forest products as resources - are connected with political and socioeconomic conditions that change with time. The walnut-fruit forests of South Kyrgyzstan are unique, characterised by high biodiversity and a multiplicity of usable products; and they have been utilised for a long time. Centralised and formal management of the forests started with the Russian occupation and was strengthened under Soviet rule, when the region became a part of the USSR. During this era, a state forest administration that was structured from Moscow all the way down to the local level drew up detailed plans and developed procedures for utilising the different forest products. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the socio-political and economic frame conditions have changed significantly, which has brought not only the sweeping changes in the managing institutions, but also the access rights and interests in the forest resources. At present, the region is suffering from a high unemployment rate, which has resulted in the forests＇ gaining considerable importance in the livelihood strategies of the local population. Political and economic liberalization, increased communication and transregional exchange relations have opened the door for international companies and agents interested in the valuable forest products. Today, walnut wood and burls, walnuts, wild apples and mushrooms are all exported to various countries in the world. Scientists and members of various international organisations stress the ecological value of the forests and are trying to establish nature conservation areas. Nevertheless, it is to fear that a multiplicity of interrelated factors - the present transformation and globalization processes, the appearance of new actors, the local population＇s insecure economic situation and the erosion of managing institutions - are all leading to an intensified and unregulated exploitation of the forests, resulting in their degradation.     

RESIDENTS＇ ATTITUDES TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ANCIENT VILLAGE RESORTS——Case Study of World Cultural Heritage of Xidi and Hong Villages

Tourism development surely has social, economic and environmental impacts on tourist destinations.The study on resorts residents‘ attitudes can help understand the nature of tourism development and the extent to which it may influence on tourist destinations. By now, researches on residents‘ perception and attitudes are plenteous in the international circle and achievements are great, yet few are found in developing countries. As a most representative cultural tourist destination, World Cultural Heritage-Xidi and Hong villages in Yi County of Anhui Province, are drawing the attention of both tourists and academic circles. This article, taking Xidi and Hong villages as examples, seeks to analyze ancient village residents‘ attitudes towards tourism impacts and then tries further to explore the connection between tourism development and residents‘ attitudes. Both qualitative and quantitative surveys are applied in the exploratory investigation into local residents‘ attitudes of tourism impacts. Based on abundant face-to-face interviews with the local households, tourism enterprises concerned, local government and tourists from July to August of 2002, we are able to have a better understanding of local residents‘ attitudes to community life, and perception of tourism impacts on society, economy and environment. By this we can promote domestic study on resorts residents‘ attitudes, and provide some theoretical grounds for establishing tourism development planning and perfect community participation system at tourist destinations.     

In the Mountain＇s Shadow： Japan＇s Silk Reelers Blazed an Asian Path of Economic Development

Exploring the history of the silk-reeling industry in Chichibu, Japan, this paper challenges the prevalent representation of mountain communities as marginal economic peripheries of the metropolitan center or as reservoirs of poverty and backwardness. Mountain districts were the cradle of an Asian “industrious” revolution that led to Japan‘s modernization. The highland-based silk-reeling producers pioneered an autonomous Asian model of industrial development, which competed successfully against the capital-intensive system introduced from the West into coastal cities. The export strength of silk-producing households in upland villages overturns the claim that Japan‘s economic miracle was based on the introduction of Western technology and administrative systems. To the contrary, the Asian-style management practices and labor standards developed by the silk producers were transferred to a succession of other industries. These indigenous practices account for the rise of Japanese industry in world markets. The clash between the two opposing models of modernization resulted in modern Japan‘s first major civil conflict, the Chichibu Rebellion of 1884, a legacy that has major implications for today‘s recession-mired Japan as well as for developing countries striving for an alternative path to economic development.     

Stability problems in road and pipeline constructions and their mitigation — Examples from Sakhalin and Azerbaijan

The paper gives two examples of larger construction projects with typical stability problems. The first example is from Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East. It is connected with a construction of oil and gas pipelines through the mountainous terrain in Makarov region. The region has an active geotectonic history and is highly affected by uncontrolled erosion and extensive landslips. Basic principles of landslide hazard mitigation are presented. The second example is from a motorway construction in Azerbaijan. This motorway leads from Baku to Russia through a seismo-tectonically active area at the toe of Caucasian mountains and in some places is situated in deep cuts at the toe of high slopes. This unsuitable routing, together with seismic activity, led to a slope stability failure of a slope affected by recent tectonic movements near the village of Devechi. Stability conditions and designed remedy measures are presented.     

Mountain pastures and grasslands in the SW Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan �� Floristic patterns, environmental gradients, phytogeography, and grazing impact

Vast grasslands are found in the walnut-fruit forest region of southern Kyrgyzstan,Middle Asia.Located above the worldwide unique walnutfruit forests and used for grazing,they play a pivotal role in the mixed mountain agriculture of local farmers.Accordingly,these pastures are subject to an increasing utilization pressure reflecting the changing political and social conditions in the transformation process from a Soviet republic to an independent state.A first detailed analysis of mountain pasture vegetation in the Ferghana Range answers the following questions:What are the main plant community types among Kyrgyzstan’s mountain pastures? What are the main environmental gradients that shape their species composition? Which phytogeographical distribution types are predominant? How does grazing affect community composition and species richness in these grasslands? Species composition was classified by cluster analysis;underlying environmental gradients were explored using DCA.A dataset of 395 relevés was used for classification,and a subset of 79 relevés was used in a DCA to analyze the correlation between vegetation,environment,and grazing impact.The investigated pastures were classified into four distinctive plant communities.The site factors altitude,heat load,inclination and grazing impact were found to be the major determinants of the vegetation pattern.A significant overlap between floristic composition and structural and spatial properties was shown.The majority of the species pool consisted of Middle Asian endemics and Eurosiberian species.However,disturbance-tolerant species played a significant role with respect to species composition and coverage of the herbaceous layer in vast areas of southern Kyrgyzstan’s mountain pastures.In general,an intense grazing impact is clearly reflected by both species composition and structural variables of plant communities.The highly diverse and unique ecosystem is modified by an increasing utilization pressure.In order to maintain vital processes and functioning of this valuable ecosystem-in both economical and ecological terms-,it is indispensable to adopt appropriate pasture management strategies.     

‘Initial’ Soil Moisture Effects on the Climate in China——A Regional Climate Model Study

In this study,the effects of ‘initial’ soil moisture(SM) in arid and semi-arid Northwestern China on subsequent climate were investigated with a regional climate model. Besides the control simulations(denoted as CTL),a series of sensitivity experiments were conducted,including the DRY and WET experiments,in which the simulated ‘initial’ SM over the region 30 –50°N,75 –105°E was only 5% and 50%,and up to 150% and 200% of the simulated value in the CTL,respectively. The results show that SM change can modify ...     

Analysis of Tianchi volcano activity in Changbai Mountain，NE China

Changbaishan volcano is the largest potential eruptive volcano in China.In this paper,seismic activity,horizontal displacement,vertical displacement and the fluid geochemistry data acquiring from Changbaishan Tianchi Volcano Observatory(TVO) in recent years are analyzed.The authors discussed the ability for the Changbaishan volcanic seismic monitoring and active level of Changbaishan volcano in recent years based on the fundamental monitoring results.The results show that Changbaishan volcano has experienced an unrest episode from 2002 to 2005,but its active level recovers to the background now.     

Climatology of Wind-Seas and Swells in the China Seas from Wave Hindcast

The wind-sea and swell climates in the China Seas are investigated by using the 27-yr Integrated Ocean Waves for Geophysical and other Applications(IOWAGA)hindcast data.A comparison is made between the significant wave height from the IOWAGA hindcasts and that from a jointly calibrated altimetry dataset,showing the good performance of the IOWAGA hindcasts in the China Seas.A simple but practical method of diagnosing whether the sea state is wind-sea-dominant or swell-dominant is proposed based on spectral partitioning.Different from the characteristics of wind-seas and swells in the open ocean,the wave fields in the enclosed seas such as the China Seas are predominated by wind-sea events in respect of both frequencies of occurrences and energy weights,due to the island sheltering and limited fetches.The energy weights of wind-seas in a given location is usually more significant than the occurrence probability of wind-sea-dominated events,as the wave energy is higher in the wind-sea events than in the swell events on average and extreme wave heights are mostly related to wind-seas.The most energetic swells in the China Seas(and other enclosed seas)are‘local swells’,having just propagated out of their generation areas.However,the swells coming from the West Pacific also play an important role in the wave climate of the China Seas,which can only be revealed by partitioning different swell systems in the wave spectra as the energy of them is significantly less than the‘local swells’.     

Analysis of Wave Distributions Using the WAVEWATCH-III Model in the Arctic Ocean

In this work,we examined long-term wave distributions using a third-generation numerical wave model called WAVE-WATCH-III(WW3)(version 6.07).We also evaluated the influence of sea ice on wave simulation by using eight parametric switches.To select a suitable ice-wave parameterization,we validated the simulations from the WW3 model in March,May,September,and December 2017 against the measurements from the Jason-2 altimeter at latitudes of up to 60°N.Generally,all parameterizations ex-hibited slight differences,i.e.,about 0.6 m root mean square error(RMSE)of significant wave height(SWH)in May and September and about 0.9 m RMSE for the freezing months of March and December.The comparison of the results with the SWH from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts for December 2017 indicated that switch IC4_M1 performed most effec-tively(0.68 m RMSE)at high latitudes(60°-80°N).Given this finding,we analyzed the long-term wave distributions in 1999-2018 on the basis of switch IC4_M1.Although the seasonal variability of the simulated SWH was of two types,i.e.,‘U’and‘sin’modes,our results proved that fetch expansion prompted the wave growth.Moreover,the interannual variability of the specific regions in the‘U’mode was found to be correlated with the decade variability of wind in the Arctic Ocean.     

Integrated Futures for Europe＇s Mountain Regions： Reconciling Biodiversity Conservation and Human Livelihoods

Europe＇s mountains cover nearly half of the continent＇s area and are home to one fifth of the European population. Mountain areas are hotspots of biodiversity and agriculture has played a multifunctional role in defining and sustaining mountain biodiversity. Ongoing trends of agricultural decline are having negative impacts on mountain biodiversity. This paper presents results from an interdisciplinary European research project, BioScene, which investigated the relationship between agriculture and biodiversity in six mountain study areas across Europe to provide recommendations for reconciling biodiversity conservation with social and economic activities through an integrated rural development strategy. BioScene used scenario analysis and stakeholder participation as tools for structuring the analysis of alternative mountain futures. Three main BioScene scenarios were evaluated： Business as Usual （BAIT）, Agricultural Liberalisation （Lib）, Managed Change for Biodiversity （MCB）. BioScene brought together ecologists, economists, sociologists and rural geogra- phers, to carry out interdisciplinary analysis of the scenarios： identifying key drivers of change, assessing the biodiversity consequences and evaluating costeffectiveness. BioScene used a sustainability assessment to integrate the research outputs across natural and social science disciplines to assess the broader sustainability of the scenarios in terms of biodiversity, natural resources, rural development, social development, economic development and institutional capacity. The sustainability assessment showed that the MCB scenario was potentially the most sustainable of the three BioScene scenarios. Through the reconciliation of potentially conflicting objectives, such as conservation, economic development and human livelihoods, and with a strong participatory planning approach, the MCB scenario could represent an alternative approach to BaU for sustainable rural development in Europe＇s mountains. BioScene confirms the necessity for natural and social scientists to work together to seek solutions to environmental problems. Interdisciplinary research can assist with the definition of integrated strategies with the potential to reconcile the ecological, social and economic parameters that determine a sustainable future for European mountain areas.