Sustainable or Not? Tourism Development in Agricultural Heritage Sites

Tourism is often considered as one of the dynamic conservation and adaptive management approaches in Agricultural Heritage Sites. It has been over 15 years since the GIAHS programme was initiated in China, and tourism developed quickly in the Agricultural Heritage Sites, to some extent because many researchers consider tourism as a significant engine of the local economy. However, this is contrary to the original intention of agricultural heritage tourism as it was proposed in the first place. Apparently, there are some overt problems during the tourism development process, which are mainly as follows: Some threats to Agricultural Heritage Systems are ubiquitous; The tourism development mode in Agricultural Heritage Sites is questionable; Community involvement is difficult to implement; And the negative environmental impacts are easy to overlook. Under the context of global development, the UNWTO sustainable tourism criteria provide some guidance for agricultural heritage tourism. Based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, combined with previous survey experiences and related researches, this paper analyzes the tourism sustainability of all the 15 GIAHS sites in China, and explores the current sustainable tourism development level. On this basis, an agricultural heritage sustainable tourism development framework was built in an attempt to find the road to sustainability for agricultural heritage tourism. The framework in the global and local contexts is trying to connect all the important elements related to agricultural heritage tourism according to the UNWTO sustainable tourism criteria.     

The Role of Local Knowledge in the Risk Management of Extreme Climates in Local Communities: A Case Study in a Nomadic NIAHS Site

In the context of climate change, research on extreme climates and disaster risk management has become a crucial component of climate change adaptation. Local communities, which have been facing extreme climates for a long time in their production and daily life, have developed some locally applicable traditional knowledge that has played an important role in their adaptation to extreme climate and disaster risk management. Therefore, this research aims to link Local knowledge (LK) to community extreme climate disaster risk management in order to construct a conceptual model. It then takes the extreme climate adaptation strategy of traditional nomads in a temperate grassland of China as an example to analyze the role of LK in extreme climate adaptation using the proposed theoretical framework. The main research objectives of this study are: (1) To construct a conceptual model to illustrate the relations among extreme climate events, risk management, LK, and farmers' adaptation strategies; (2) To apply the theoretical framework to a field case to reveal context-specific extreme climate adaptation mechanisms with LK as a critical component; (3) To test the framework and provide suggestions for the extreme climates adaptation, and the conservation of LK related to climate change adaptation. The results show that from the perspective of disaster risk management, local communities could manage extreme climates as a disaster risk through adaptation strategies formed from LK, because as a knowledge system, LK contains relevant knowledge covering the whole process of disaster risk management.     

The Evaluation of Food and Livelihood Security in a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Site

Based on the basic selection criteria of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and food and livelihood security research trends, this paper established an evaluation framework and indicator system for food and livelihood security in GIAHS and selected the first GIAHS site in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case for empirical evaluation. The results demonstrate that the food and livelihood security of farmers at this site was at a medium level, with an average evaluation value of 2.91, which still lagged behind the level of better food and livelihood security. Specifically, the average values of farmers’ evaluation of food security and livelihood security were 1.43 and 1.48, respectively, which show that farmers’ food security in the study area was at a medium level and that of livelihood security was relatively good. Simultaneously, the more simple a farmers’ economic activities (i.e., agriculture-oriented economic activities or non-agriculture-oriented economic activities), the worse their food and livelihood security; while the more diversified the economic activities (i.e., engaged in part-time economic activities), the better the food and livelihood security.     

The Significance of Traditional Culture for Agricultural Biodiversity—Experiences from GIAHS

Agricultural biodiversity has a high importance in social-cultural, economic, and environmental aspects, and can help in adapting to and withstanding climate change. Conserving the GIAHS sites and the important components within them can help conserve the agricultural biodiversity and traditional agricultural culture of the whole country. This study considered Ifugao Rice Terraces, Dong’s Rice-Fish-Duck System, and Hani Rice Terraces System as three examples which show that traditional culture can be used to protect agricultural biodiversity, while as a carrier of traditional culture, agricultural biodiversity also conveys and protects the traditional culture of the nation. According to the analyses, through several years of efforts, the status of agricultural biodiversity and traditional culture in them has improved. Then, to further promote agricultural biodiversity conservation and traditional culture protection, several suggestions are made, such as establishing community seed banks; documenting and preserving traditional farming methods, techniques, and tools and developing participatory activities which encourage more farmers to participate in the protection work.     

The Role of the Important Agricultural Heritage Systems in the Construction of China’s National Park System and the Optimisation of the Protected Area System

Conservation-compatible development of rural communities is an important part of nature conservation objectives. Understanding the role of agriculture, which is often practiced in or bordering the protected areas in rural China, is critical for managing conservation networks considering that limited spatial areas are available for enclosed protected areas. Important Agricultural Heritage Systems stand out for their multi-functionality, and some of their values are compatible with nature conservation. This paper examined the concept, management objectives and resource management characteristics of the Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS) by analysing their interactions with national parks in terms of community development. The results reveal that management strategies of dynamic conservation, integrated protection and adaptive management of the IAHS can contribute to those national park management objectives concerning conservation-compatible livelihood. However, the typology of the protected area system, including the traditional agricultural system as a new type, needs further consideration.     

Suppressive Effects of Traditional Mulching Using Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) on Solanaceae Crop Diseases

Poaceae plant species, such as silver grass, are commonly used in mulching activities Japan. In contrast, local farmers have traditionally used Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) mulch in the cultivation of solanaceous crops in the Nishi-Awa area of Japan, which is a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems site. We have previously evaluated the positive effects of Japanese knotweed mulching on solanaceous crops, such as eggplants, tomato, and potato. In the present study, we observed that the naturally occurring diseases in the solanaceous crops tended to decrease when the knotweed mulching system was adopted, in comparison to when Poaceae mulch was adopted. In eggplants, leaf mold and powdery mildew decreased under Japanese knotweed mulching. We further evaluated the effects of Japanese knotweed mulching by inoculating test plants with Pseudomonas cichorii. We observed suppression of bacterial disease and tomato mosaic virus under Japanese knotweed mulching and following spraying with Japanese knotweed extracts. In addition, disease-resistance genes were expressed at high levels in Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant, following treatment with Japanese knotweed extracts. The results suggest that Japanese knotweed has potential applications in future sustainable agriculture activities.     

A GIS-Based Model to Determine Site Suitability of Emergency Evacuation Shelters

In recent years, the increase in the number of hurricanes and other costal hazards in the US pose a tremendous threat to the residents of coastal states. According to the National Hurricane Center, Florida is the most vulnerable coastal state to hurricanes. Mitigation policies have been formulated to reduce mortality and provide emergency services by evacuating people from the hazard zone. Many of these evacuees, particularly the elderly or lower income populations, rely on evacuation shelters for temporary housing. Because of the cost and limited use, evacuation shelters are almost exclusively dual use shelters where the primary purpose of the facility is for some other public function (e.g. school, hospital, etc.). In 2000, the estimated shortage of public shelter spaces in Florida was about 1.5 million. The purpose of this study was to rank the existing and candidate shelters (schools, colleges, churches and community centers) available in the state based on their site suitability. The research questions examined in this study include: (1) How many candidate shelters are located in physically suitable areas (e.g. not in a flood prone area, not near hazardous facilities, etc.)?; (2) How many existing shelters are located in physically un suitable areas, but in socially suitable areas (situated in areas with demand)?; (3) How many alternative existing and/or candidate shelters with high/very high physical suitability are located near physically un suitable existing shelters and thus, may be better choices for a shelter?; and (4) How many existing shelters located in physically un suitable areas are not near alternative existing and/or candidate shelters? A Geographic Information System‐based suitability model integrating Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) with a Pass/Fail screening technique was implemented for the 17 counties of Southern Florida. It was found that 48% of the existing shelters are located in physically unsuitable areas. Out of all the candidate shelters, 57% are located in physically unsuitable areas. For 15 of the existing shelters in unsuitable locations, no alternative candidate or existing shelter with medium to high physical suitability exists within 10 miles (16.1 km).     

多系统集成的全球地球观测系统与全球海洋观测系统

多系统集成的全球地球观测系统(GEOO S)是一个新概念,它从更高层次上规划全球的地球观测,国际社会十分重视这一系统的建设,其关键是综合、协调、持续的地球观测系统。全球海洋观测系统(GOO S)是GEO SS的重要组成部分,是它的一个子系统。文中阐述了GEO SS的基本概念及与GOO S的关系,综述了海洋环境基本要素观测技术特别是遥感观测技术的最新进展,它也是GEOO S的基本观测手段。     

A physically-based method for removing pits in digital elevation models

Spurious pits in digital elevation models (DEMs) are traditionally removed by filling depressions, often creating flat regions that lead to inaccurate estimation of landscape flow directions. In this study, a physical approach based on a simple landscape evolution model is proposed for DEM pit removal. This method, an alternative to traditional geometrical procedures, enforces more realistic slopes and flow directions on topography. The procedure is compared with the method most commonly used in the literature and distributed with commercial GIS software where, generally, elevations of a depression are increased up to the lowest value among neighbouring cells. Several tests are performed and parameters sensitivity is carried out in order to demonstrate the performance of the proposed model as compared to traditional methods.     

Understanding and managing the stressed Mexico-USA transboundary Hueco bolson aquifer in the El Paso del Norte region as a complex system

As the latest drought has swept over the southwestern United States, most local and regional water providers have had to rely on ground water to meet their water demands as surface water supplies have diminished. In areas near major population centers this situation has continued to put strain and stress on already over-drafted regional aquifers. Metropolitan centers throughout the southwestern United States, as exemplified by Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; and El Paso, Texas, have a history of over drafting their available ground water resources. How these stressed aquifers should be managed is an urgent issue. In El Paso, Texas long-term groundwater mining in the transboundary Hueco bolson aquifer has resulted in large water level drawdowns within the basin, particularly in several well fields. This situation has promoted the intrusion of brackish water into fresh water zones, and consequently reduced the volume of fresh water stored in the aquifer. Management of this aquifer is made more complex as the water resources of the region are shared across the United States/Mexico boundary and the transboundary region continues to grow rapidly. This paper describes the current situation within the Hueco bolson due to over drafting and continued reliance on the fresh water in storage and describes how understanding the dynamics of the aquifer as a complex system can offer managerial perspectives that can be used to establish operational procedures and programs for bringing drawdowns into equilibrium, increasing the longevity of the aquifer, gradually restoring water quality, and offering the hope of utilization of the resource in a sustainable manner.

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Resumen A medida que la última sequía ha pasado ligeramente sobre el suroeste de Estados Unidos la mayoría de abastecedores locales y regionales de agua han tenido que depender del agua subterránea para satisfacer sus demandas de agua debido a que las fuentes de agua superficial han disminuido. En áreas cerca de centros poblados principales esta situación ha continuado ejerciendo presión en los ya sobre explotados acuíferos regionales. Los centros metropolitanos en todo el suroeste de Estados Unidos, por ejemplo Las Vegas, Nevada; Fénix y Tucson, Arizona; y El Paso, Texas tienen una historia de sobre explotar los recursos de agua subterránea disponibles.La gestión de estos acuíferos estresados constituye un problema urgente. En El Paso, Texas el minado de agua subterránea a largo plazo en el acuífero transnacional Hueco bolsón ha resultado en varios campos de pozos. Esta situación ha promovido la intrusión de agua salobre hacia zonas con agua fresca y reducido consecuentemente el volumen de agua fresca almacenado en el acuífero. El manejo de este acuífero se hace más complejo debido a que los recursos hídricos de la región son compartidos a través del límite Estados Unidos/México y la región transnacional continúa creciendo rápidamente. Este artículo describe la situación actual dentro del Hueco bolsón debido a la sobre explotación y continua dependencia en el agua fresca almacenada y describe como el entendimiento de la dinámica del acuífero como un sistema complejo puede ofrecer perspectivas de gestión que pueden utilizarse para establecer procedimientos operacionales y programas que conduzcan al equilibrio de los descensos, aumentando la longevidad del acuífero, gradualmente restaurando la calidad del agua, y ofreciendo la esperanza de utilizar el recurso de manera sostenible.

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Résumé Alors que la dernière sécheresse a atteint toute la partie Sud-Ouest des Etats-Unis, la plus part des distributeurs deau, locaux et régionaux, doivent sapprovisionner en eau souterraine dés lors que les niveaux des eaux de surface ont diminués. Dans les zones proches des grands centres densément peuplés, cette situation a continuée a altérée des aquifères déjà surexploités. Les centres métropolitains du Sud-Ouest des Etats-Unis (Las Vegas dans le Nevada, Phoenix et Tucson dans lArizona, El Paso au Texas) sont connus historiquement pour surexploités leurs ressources en eaux souterraines. Il devient urgent de définir un mode de gestion de ses aquifères surexploités. A El Paso dans le Texas, le minage de laquifère transfrontalier engendre un rabattement important dans le bassin, et plus particulièrement autour des zones de captage. Cette situation a induit lintrusion deaux saumâtres dans des zones deaux douces, et a par conséquent réduit le volume deau douce stockée et exploitable dans laquifère. La gestion de cet aquifère est par ailleurs complexifiée par la situation transfrontalière, dautant que la zone frontalière connaît une croissance rapide. Cet article décrit la situation actuelle dans la vallée fermée du Hueco, due au sur-rabattement et à lexploitation continue des eaux douces, et décrit comment la compréhension de laquifère, vu comme un système complexe, peut offrir des perspectives de gestion amenant à des procédures opérationnelles et à des programmes à long terme permettant de ramener à léquilibre la baisse des niveaux deau. Ainsi la longévité de laquifère sera mieux garantie, la qualité de leau sera graduellement restaurée et lutilisation de leau respectera le souci de développement durable.