Agricultural policies and the emergence of cotton as the dominant crop in northern Côte d'Ivoire: Historical overview and current outlook

In most of sub‐Saharan Africa, where the agricultural sector experiences dismal performance and is characterized by a gloomy picture, the cotton sub‐sector in Côte d’Ivoire is often mentioned as a “success story” given the spectacular rise in the quantity of cotton production and the profile of the crop within the farming system. What are the historical and political antecedents of the development of cotton and the factors responsible for the feat accomplished in the midst of general failures in the same continent? To what extent can cotton be regarded as a “success story” and, what lessons can be drawn for agricultural development strategies based on the Ivorian case study? This paper traces the historical and socio‐political background of cotton development in Côte d’Ivoire and identifies key policy and institutional interventions that have influenced the rise of cotton production and its emergence as the dominant crop in the farming systems of the country. Four stages in Ivorian cotton development are identified: planning, take off, crisis and the renaissance phases. The study demonstrates how a combination of good planning, technological advancement and appropriate policy and institutional conditions have contributed significantly to the rise of cotton production and its influence on the agricultural economy of northern Côte d’Ivoire. The study also highlights how the sustainability of agricultural development has been impacted by domestic and international policies and political events over which smallholder farm families have little control, and can at best only respond to. Important questions about cotton development in Côte d'Ivoire are raised that need to be answered before the program can be categorized conclusively as a success story. The study shows that there are no quick fixes to agricultural development in the sub‐region. Rather, good planning and putting the necessary building blocks in place are important prerequisites. It is recommended that agricultural development efforts in the continent take cognizance of the complexity of the sector and address the inter‐relationships that exist among the technical, policy, market and institutional factors that combine individually and collectively to influence African agriculture.     

Natural Resource Assessment: An Approach to Science Based Planning in National Parks

We conducted a natural resource assessment at two national parks, New River Gorge National River and Shenandoah National Park, to help meet the goals of the Natural Resource Challenge—a program to help strengthen natural resource management at national parks. We met this challenge by synthesizing and interpreting natural resource information for planning purposes and we identified information gaps and natural significance of resources. We identified a variety of natural resources at both parks as being globally and/or nationally significant, including large expanses of unfragmented, mixed-mesophytic forests that qualify for wilderness protection, rare plant communities, diverse assemblages of neotropical migratory birds and salamanders, and outstanding aquatic recreational resources. In addition, these parks function, in part, as ecological reserves for plants in and wildlife. With these significant natural resources in mind, we also developed a suite of natural resource management recommendations in light of increasing threats from within and outside park boundaries. We hope that our approach can provide a blueprint for natural resource conservation at publically owned lands.     

城市绿地空气负离子浓度评价研究——以杭州西湖风景区为例

采用AIC1000型空气负离子浓度测试仪,对西湖综合保护工程实施范围内的不同绿地进行了空气负离子浓度测定,结果表明,不同绿地空气负离子浓度排序依次为：乔灌草型〉疏林草地型〉滨水绿地型〉硬质铺地型,且滨水绿地型样地与硬质铺地型差异较小。与此同时,西湖风景区的空气负离子浓度显著高于城市中心区。     

可持续发展：西部大开发的基本理念

本文从西部大开发的深远意义出发 ,探讨西部大开发的约束条件 ,进而讨论可持续发展是西部大开发的基本理念 ,并以可持续发展为指导原则提出建议。     

西湖底泥对水中苯胺、苯酚的吸附性能及机理

研究了杭州西湖５ 个不同采样点底泥对水中苯胺、苯酚的吸附性能及机理,初步探讨了ｐＨ和振荡时间对吸附的影响．结果表明,西湖底泥中有机碳含量较高（５．６６％ ～１１．９０％ ）,对水中苯胺的吸附作用及其去除率与底泥的有机碳含量成正相关（ｒ＝ ０．９９８）;对苯酚的吸附作用及其去除率与底泥的比表面积成正相关（ｒ＝ ０．９４２）．     

西部大开发与公民环境意识

提高公民环境保护意识,是西部大开发形势的需要。通过对目前新疆环境形势的分析,指出环境问题给社会经济和人民生活带来的严重影响;并就提高公民环境保护意识提出的有效方法和措施进行探讨。     

皖西大别山区生态足迹实证分析-以金寨县为例

在简要介绍生态足迹模型的基础上,以皖西大别山区金寨县为例,对该地区2002年的经济发展的状况进行了实证分析.结果表明,金寨县2002年的经济发展是可持续的,其中在生态承载力中,林地贡献率最大,其次为草地,分别占77.0%和19.2%;耕地和水域贡献率最低,分别为1.5%和1.3%;在所需的生态足迹中,耕地足迹最大,其次为化石燃料,分别占47.7%和42.0%,草地、建筑用地、水域、林地足迹较小.     

生态增益补偿问题探讨——对东西部生态补偿争议的思考

针对生态补偿增益层面理论研究相对薄弱及当前我国大规模生态工程建设中支付主体单一、资金不足的问题,本文分别从法学、经济学、东西部差异三个角度,通过理论与实例分析相结合的方式,论述了东部对西部实施生态补偿的必要性,提出了将区外受益政府和直接受益行业纳入补偿支付主体,生态增益层面不宜对全社会征收生态税,以及暂时不宜实行自我补偿的政策建议。     

杭州西湖水生高等植物的恢复与水生生态修复

在过去的50年，西湖一直被富营养化问题所困扰。迄今为止，采用了各种工程措施进行治理，耗资数亿，但收效不明显。为了进一步解决西湖富营养化问题，提出需要用生态方法去解决生态问题，通过生态学手段，恢复、重建高等水生植物带落，增加水生生物多样性，改善西湖水生生态系统的结构和功能，控制藻类来修复西湖水生生态系统。科学地选择先锋种类组合、消除草食性鱼类的影响、合理地控制水位是西湖水生植被恢复过程中的三个重要措施。     

建立西部地区生态经济系统的新探索

分析中国西部地区生态环境的主要问题及其生态环境建设在中国的战略地位，指出西部地区应建立环境与经济相互协调，互相促进的生态经济体系。并从技术结构层面和政策层面对西部地区生态经济系统的建立提出一些新的想法与建议。