Forest planning across Europe: the spatial scale,tools, andinter-sectoral integration in land-use planning

New approaches to forest planning are needed to support the transition of European forests to sustainable management. The aim of this study is to review forest planning systems already in place throughout Europe by exploring a set of case-study countries reflecting the main silvicultural schools of Western Europe, including Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, and Slovenia.

A literature review and case-study data were used to assess the scale factors (vertical logic) as well as the relationships between forest planning and other environmental/land-use planning sectors (horizontal logic). The influence of EU policy on the development of forest planning is also discussed. As assessed using the vertical logic, the multi-scale and multi-topic planning approaches adopted in the countries studied here are highly heterogeneous. The horizontal logic shows that despite the importance of an inter-sectoral and harmonic relational framework between forest planning and the planning efforts of other sectors such as landscape and urban planning, the various plans are barely consistent with each other across the European countries studied here. Although interest is growing in the multi-functionality of forests, their sustainable management calls for the development of better integrated planning approaches across Europe.     

The concept of the Portuguese National Ecological Reserve: constraints and impossibilities in the Azores Archipelago

The biophysical features of small islands (SI) distinguish them from other territories; isolation, small size and several anthropogenic pressures reduce the resilience of ecosystems and increase their vulnerability to global changes. Many SI have a shortage of infrastructures, institutions and technical/financial resources that hinder planning and require different integrated solutions. In Portugal, the National Ecological Reserve (NER) is legally binding for spatial planning instruments. It aims to defend natural values and areas of ecological value, or sensibility, or susceptible to natural hazards. However, the criteria for the design of NER are strictly set for mainland territory, not taking into account specific features of small islands. A case study of the Azores Archipelago is used to demonstrate that spatial planning instruments should be adapted to island contexts. Such adaptation will increase the effectiveness of their implementation in relation to the protection of natural resources, stability of biophysical structures and prevention of natural hazards. Observing the main differences between mainland and the Azores Archipelago it is possible to define a methodological transposition of the NER aims and goals into an island context. This approach is an answer to the constraints in effective adaptation of spatial planning instruments for islands.     

Using social network analysis to examine planner involvement in environmentally oriented planning processes led by non-planning professions

Broad stakeholder involvement cannot be assumed in all environmental planning and management processes that have critical land use dimensions. This paper illustrates how concepts and techniques from social network analysis (SNA) can be used to examine and better understand the roles of one type of stakeholders, planners, in environmentally oriented planning and management processes led by other professions. Two cases of natural hazard mitigation planning led by emergency managers illustrate the usefulness of three SNA concepts of network structural characteristics in understanding how differences in planner involvement may influence incorporation of land use approaches in local natural hazard mitigation plans aimed at reducing long term risks from natural hazards.     

珠江三角洲区域污染分布及其垂直风场特征

基于2014年4月~2015年3月珠江三角洲(珠三角)56个环境监测子站以及9个城市的逐时PM2.5浓度数据,对珠三角地区的颗粒物污染进行了系统聚类分析和相关性分析.结果表明,珠三角地区PM2.5的区域污染可分为3种类区,一为东莞、广州、佛山以及江门(Ⅰ型);二为中山、珠海、深圳、惠州(Ⅱ型);三为肇庆单独为一类(Ⅲ型).其在一年中所出现的天数分别为47、7和128 d.Ⅰ型污染时,除珠海、深圳和惠州外,其他城市的PM2.5浓度普遍较高;Ⅱ型污染时,整个珠三角地区的PM2.5浓度均要高于50.0μg·m-3;Ⅲ型污染时,PM2.5浓度较高的区域主要集中在肇庆、广州以及佛山地区.同时利用珠三角地区4台主要的风廓线雷达数据研究3种污染类型所对应的垂直风场特征发现:Ⅰ型与Ⅲ型污染状况所对应的风廓线相似,低层受东南风控制,高层为西南风,Ⅲ型的风速大于Ⅰ型风速,而Ⅱ型污染时的风速明显大于其他两种类型,其低层几乎均受偏北风影响,而高层则受偏西风的影响.Ⅱ型污染所对应的边界层中低层的风向变化很小,而其他两类则有一定的变化.同时Ⅱ型的通风量要明显大于其他两种类型,其中Ⅰ型的通风量最小.珠三角受偏北风作用时,整个珠三角的PM2.5浓度较高;当盛行东南风时,Ⅰ、Ⅱ区的PM2.5浓度相对较低,而Ⅲ区的污染相对较重.     

苏州市主要工业污染物排放强度研究

污染物排放强度反映单位新创造经济价值的环境负荷大小.运用均方差赋权法对苏州市各地区的工业废水量、工业化学需氧量、工业氨氮、工业二氧化硫、工业氮氧化物、工业烟(粉)尘等6种主要污染物排放强度进行评价,结果表明,六种主要污染物排放强度综合评价的全市平均水平为15.08.然后分别计算各地区的污染物排放强度降低潜力,结果表明,主要污染物排放强度减排潜力存在区域间差异.最后提出促进污染物排放强度降低的一些建议.     

宜昌市水环境质量红线划分与空间管控研究

在宜昌市水环境质量红线划分中,对饮用水源保护区划分、水环境功能区划分和流域控制单元划分给予评估,分析在城市水环境质量红线划分上的可取之处,在自然社会综合系统框架下创造性的提出了适应宜昌城市环境总体规划中水环境质量红线划分的原则、技术方法和分级管控措施,提出的原则与适宜的管控措施为宜昌市水环境质量改善、环境公共服务实现与生态城市建设提供了支持,丰富并实践了生态保护红线体系.     

国家环境保护规划评估的语义建模技术方法研究

在确定环境保护规划文本语义解析目标的基础上,列举了规划文本的形式分析和内容分析方法,研究提出了规划评估的两类建模技术:基于驱动力的模型构建技术和基于利益驱动的模型构建技术,并针对语义模型构建相关技术的未来研究方向提出建议:(1)推广计算机信息搜索与统计技术在文本形式分析技术方法领域的应用;(2)关注评估过程中的利益相关方的主张、焦虑、争议以及相应的解决办法.     

新疆生物质能资源的经济效益分析与评价

生物质能资源具有可再生和环境友好的双重属性,现已成为新疆能源发展的重要组成部分。对新疆生物质能资源进行总量估算,分析其地区分布特点,运用替代价值法分别计算秸秆、牲畜粪便及能源植物三大类生物质能资源的经济效益,并从结果中分析得出,新疆生物质能资源在区域分布上具有资源分布不均、＂西高东低＂以及效益高低与自然条件关联性大等特征。因此,新疆在发展生物质能源产业时应当因地制宜,才能最大限度将区域资源优势转化为经济优势。     

环境规划中环境资源有价理论的政策研究和实践

随着环境保护意识的加强和环境保护理论的不断拓展,环境资源有价的理念逐步深入到管理层面,环境资源有偿使用也逐步成为重要的环境管理手段。部分省份经过多年的实践探索,取得了积极成效,但也存在一些问题。为了使环境资源有价理论相关内容在环境保护"十三五"规划中更加完善,本文在环境资源有价理论的基础上,通过分析总结,探索适宜的可持续发展的一系列经济政策,并介绍其在山西省的实践应用,期望利用经济手段的调控作用,实现环境保护和经济可持续发展的目的。     

Ecological Feasibility Studies in Restoration Decision Making

The restoration of degraded systems is essential for maintaining the provision of valuable ecosystem services, including the maintenance of aesthetic values. However, restoration projects often fail to reach desired goals for a variety of ecologic, financial, and social reasons. Feasibility studies that evaluate whether a restoration effort should even be attempted can enhance restoration success by highlighting potential pitfalls and gaps in knowledge before the design phase of a restoration. Feasibility studies also can bring stakeholders together before a restoration project is designed to discuss potential disagreements. For these reasons, a feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of restoring a tidal freshwater marsh in the Potomac River near Alexandria, Virginia. The study focused on science rather than engineering questions, and thus differed in approach from other feasibility studies that are mostly engineering driven. The authors report the framework they used to conduct a feasibility study to inform other potential restoration projects with similar goals. The seven steps of the framework encompass (1) initiation of a feasibility study, (2) compilation of existing data, (3) collection of current site information, (4) examination of case studies, (5) synthesis of information in a handbook, (6) meeting with selected stakeholders, and (7) evaluation of meeting outcomes. By conducting a feasibility study using the seven-step framework, the authors set the stage for conducting future compliance studies and enhancing the chance of a successful restoration.