A Bayesian network highlighting the linkages between landscape structure and the local economy: the case of agritourism in lowland areas of Northern Italy

Linking landscapes to socio-economic benefits necessarily requires considering the usability of landscape structure. To do so, however, depends on the interaction between users and producers of landscape-related services. We illustrate this interaction with a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) in a case study analysing the connection between residents' perceptions of landscape structure and agritourism restaurants in the eastern lowlands of Ferrara (Italy). We use estimates of prior and conditional probabilities from a mix of different data: land use, survey data, regional statistics, and expert judgements to show the likely effects of the landscape structure on the local economy by using intermediate forms of services (i.e. second-order services). The second-order service is highly influenced by the agritourism density and by the frequency with which customers dine at agritourism restaurants and less by landscape attractiveness, confirming the importance of the supply and demand of second-order services in the provision of landscape-related services.     

Boater Perceptions of Environmental Issues Affecting Lakes in Northern Wisconsin

Understanding public perceptions of the importance of environmental issues is crucial for gauging support for management activities. I present a novel methodological approach to assess the importance boaters placed on 16 water issues in a lake‐rich region of northern Wisconsin. A latent class maximum difference conjoint model was used to examine the relationships between environmental concern and engagement with lake resources. Boaters were grouped to maximize observed heterogeneity in prioritizing issues of concern. Socio‐demographic characteristics, recreation specialization, place attachment, and attitudes concerning aquatic stewardship and invasive species management were then used to predict class membership. This modeling approach identified five groups whose perceptions of issues pertaining to lakes are influenced by their interactions with the lake environment. While anglers were most concerned about fishing quality, sightseers identified lakeshore development and loss of natural habitat. Groups also differed in their socio‐demographic and attitudinal characteristics. The priorities of each group were substantially different from those of the overall sample. Accounting for differences in stakeholders' environmental concerns may improve public involvement in water management initiatives by allowing managers to identify common concerns and prioritize important issues among multiple groups.     

Adaptive Targeting: Engaging Farmers to Improve Targeting and Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices

Targeting of agricultural conservation practices to cost‐effective locations has long been of interest to watershed managers, yet its implementation cannot succeed without meaningful engagement of agricultural producers who are decision makers on the lands they farm. In this study, we engaged 14 west‐central Indiana producers and landowners in an adaptive targeting experiment. Interviews carried out prior to targeting provided rich spatial information on existing conservation practices as well as producers' preferences for future conservation projects. We targeted six of the most accepted conservation practices using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and spatial optimization using a genetic algorithm approach. Fairly optimal conservation scenarios were possible with even the most limiting constraints of farmer‐accepted practices. We presented in follow‐up interviews a total of 176 conservation practice recommendations on 103 farm fields to 10 farmers whose lands were targeted for conservation. Primary findings indicated producers were interested in the project, were open to hearing recommendations about their lands, and expressed a high likelihood of adopting 35% of targeted recommendations. Farmers generally viewed the interview process and presentation of results quite favorably, and the interviews were found to build trust and make the targeting process more acceptable to them.     

化工园区水环境风险公共应急设施布局研究

重大事故状态下,单个化工企业的风险防控设施(应急池等)无法控制事故污水的情形下,整个化工园区的公共应急设施十分必要.在化工园区环境风险特征分析、突发事故次生水环境污染发生过程分析的基础上,提出建立整个化工园区的水环境风险三级防控体系,统一规划布局园区水环境风险公共应急设施,保障事故污水不出园区,根本上提高对事故污水的控制能力,最后以某临港化工园区进行案例分析.     

邻避情结下环境影响评价的公众参与研究——以东北地区A市为例

环境影响评价中引入公众参与是尊重与保护建设项目周围民众相关权利的程序.民众在参与基建项目的环境影响评价过程中会针对项目的负外部性表现出明显的邻避情结,甚至引发邻避冲突.文章通过对“邻避”概念的梳理,并针对东北沿海A市的环境影响评价公众参与情况进行分析,在邻避的视角下探讨环评公参的现实情况,并以政府、企业与民众这些不同角色为主体探讨化解邻避冲突的方式.     

北京地区某生活垃圾处理工程周边公众参与和社会监督情况调查研究

通过实地走访、资料查阅、问卷调查的方式,以北京城区东部某垃圾处理工程为研究案例,对中国生活垃圾处理在立项和运行阶段的公众参与和社会监督情况做全面的调查分析.调查结果显示,中国在生活垃圾处理的公众参与和监督方面总体上仍处于起步的初期阶段,公众对垃圾在处理处置方面的意愿体现程度仍有提高空间.同时,垃圾处理处置的信息披露需要进一步完善,在公开渠道和受众面上要更加广泛和及时.     

特高压输变电工程环境影响评价公众参与工作程序细化研究

公众参与工作程序的合法性和有效性,直接影响特高压输变电工程环境影响评价工作质量,不仅关系到公众对环境保护的参与权、知情权和监督权,还关系到项目能否顺利取得环境行政许可.结合特高压输变电工程环境影响评价公众参与工作实际,细化环境影响评价信息第一次公告、报告书简本公示、第二次公告、征求公众意见、报告书受理公示及审批公示完成时序,规范公众参与一般工作程序及变更工作程序.     

政府采购环境标志电子产品的环境效益分析

实施政府绿色采购,引导和推动消费和生产向更可持续的方向发展是解决环境问题,实现经济社会全面可持续发展的必然要求.进行绿色采购成本效益分析是政府绿色采购政策可持续推进发展的有力保障.本文在介绍了中国环境标产品政府采购的现状和国外相关政府绿色采购环境效益研究的基础上,针对电子产品展开了相应的环境效益分析,最后对国内广泛开展此项工作的存在的问题和挑战进行了总结.     

中国废弃物处理处置社会监督体系模式现状及存在问题研究

废弃物不妥善处理处置是环境污染的主要部分,但废弃物治理的社会监督尚处于起步阶段,相关政策法规并不完善甚至缺位,同时国内也缺少相应的经验可供借鉴。现阶段,公众环境权意识逐渐萌发,对环境保护工作提出更高要求,社会监督作为环境监管的重要组成单元,其发展水平和公众权益意识在一定程度上代表着国家环境保护工作的长足进步。通过实地调研和资料查阅相结合的方式,重点对目前中国社会监督体系的现状、途径、体系构成、存在问题进行系统梳理,并有针对性地提出建设性意见。     

浅析海洋环境影响评价的公众参与方法研究

海洋环境影响评价中的公众参与是海洋工程建设项目过程的重要内容,公众参与的具体实施方法和过程决定了公众参与的有效性,公众参与的相关信息反馈到项目建设的环境保护中,才能达到经济、社会、环境效益的协调和统一。文章对海洋环境影响评价公众参与过程中的对象及调查方法以及公众参与的具体实践方式,公众参与的信息发布方式和调查问卷内容,公众意见汇总及信息反馈等进行分析并提出建议,通过对海洋环境影响评价的公众参与实施具体方法进行讨论,为推动环境影响评价公众参与制度的科学化、规范化提供支持。