Understanding consistencies and gaps between desired forest futures: An analysis of visions from stakeholder groups in Sweden

Conflicting perspectives on forests has for a long time challenged forest policy development in Sweden. Disagreements about forest futures create intractable deadlocks when stakeholders talk past each other. The purpose of this study is to move beyond this situation through the application of participatory backcasting. By comparing visions of the future forest among stakeholder groups, we highlight contemporary trajectories and identify changes that were conceived as desirable. We worked with four groups: the Biomass and Bioenergy group, the Conservation group, the Sami Livelihood group and the Recreation and Rural Development group; in total representatives from 40 organizations participated in workshops articulating the groups’ visions. Our results show well-known tensions such as intrinsic versus instrumental values but also new ones concerning forests’ social values. Identified synergies include prioritization of rural development, new valued-added forest products and diversified forest management. The results may feed directly into forest policy processes facilitating the process and break current deadlocks.     

Population exposure and mortality due to regional background PM in Europe – Long-term simulations of source region and shipping contributions

This paper presents the contribution to population exposure (PE) of regional background fine primary (PPM_2.5) and secondary inorganic (SIA) particulate matter and its impact on mortality in Europe during 1997–2003 calculated with a chemistry transport model. Contributions to concentrations and PE due to emissions from shipping, Western (WEU), Eastern (EEU), and Northern Europe are compared.WEU contributes about 40% to both PPM_2.5 and SIA concentrations, whereas the EEU contribution to PPM_2.5 is much higher (43% of total PPM_2.5) than to SIA (29% of total SIA). The population weighted average concentration (PWC) of PPM_2.5 is a factor of 2.3 higher than average (non-weighted) concentrations, whereas for SIA the PWC is only a factor 1.6 higher. This is due to PPM_2.5 concentrations having larger gradients and being relatively high over densely populated areas, whereas SIA is formed outside populated areas. WEU emissions contribute relatively more than EEU to PWC and mortality due to both PPM_2.5 and SIA in Europe.The number of premature deaths in Europe is estimated to 301 000 per year due to PPM_2.5 exposure and 245 000 due to SIA, despite 3.3 times higher average SIA concentrations. This is due to population weighting and assumed (and uncertain) higher relative risk of mortality for PPM_2.5 components (2.8 times higher RR for PPM_2.5). This study indicates that it might be more efficient, for the health of the European population, to decrease primary PM emissions (especially in WEU) than to decrease precursors of SIA, but more knowledge on the toxicity of different PM constituents is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.     

Factors regulating the coastal nutrient filter in the Baltic Sea

Ambio - The coastal zone of the Baltic Sea is diverse with strong regional differences in the physico-chemical setting. This diversity is also reflected in the importance of different...     

Guiding principles for rewilding

There has been much recent interest in the concept of rewilding as a tool for nature conservation, but also confusion over the idea, which has limited its utility. We developed a unifying definition and 10 guiding principles for rewilding through a survey of 59 rewilding experts, a summary of key organizations’ rewilding visions, and workshops involving over 100 participants from around the world. The guiding principles convey that rewilding exits on a continuum of scale, connectivity, and level of human influence and aims to restore ecosystem structure and functions to achieve a self-sustaining autonomous nature. These principles clarify the concept of rewilding and improve its effectiveness as a tool to achieve global conservation targets, including those of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Finally, we suggest differences in rewilding perspectives lie largely in the extent to which it is seen as achievable and in specific interventions. An understanding of the context of rewilding projects is the key to success, and careful site-specific interpretations will help achieve the aims of rewilding.     

Short-term effects of environmental factors on the asexual reproduction of Aurelia sp. polyps

ABSTRACT

Aurelia is a jellyfish genus common in coastal and estuarine habitats, that are typically affected by human pressures such as heavy metals contamination. Mercury is one of the most dangerous due to its high toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation. In this paper, we tested for the first time the independent and combined effects of a level of mercury allowable by European regulation in force and hyposalinity on the asexual reproduction of Aurelia sp. polyps, mirroring a realistic scenario. Both mercury (0.07?µg/L, Maximum Allowable Concentration) and salinity (18 and 23 PSU) and the combination of the two factors stimulated the asexual reproduction increasing the number of polyps and buds during the 41 days of experiments. The increment of the asexual reproduction and the absence of suffering and mortality suggest that levels of mercury below the concentration fixed by the law and hyposalinity conditions could promote jellyfish proliferations, according to the hormesis hypothesis.     

Protected area governance in Sweden: new modes of governance or business as usual?

This paper explores whether ambitions to open up the traditional Swedish model of top-down conservation methods to local influences are indicative of an actual transition in governance of Swedish national park policy (NPP), and examines whether such a shift entails an increase in local influence over local interests and needs. Methodologically, we analyse a combination of governance types and incorporate theoretical definitions of power and accountability. The establishment of new governance arrangements – where power is shared, interactions promoted and accountability is directed downwards – indicates that Sweden's NPP is undergoing a change in its mode of governance. This change also seems to include ceding some influence to local interests, and the possibility of combining conservation with the utilisation of certain natural resources. The results of our research also provide valuable insights into when the establishment of shared-governance arrangements are likely to succeed; in short, this seems more likely when there are established sectors sited in a robust legal framework and where strong international commitments potentially play a role. In conclusion, we contend that when seeking diversified governance arrangements it is not enough simply to take local practices and customs into consideration – they have to be strengthened.