Agricultural landscapes as multi-scale public good and the role of the Common Agricultural Policy

During the last 50 years, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has impacted the evolution of European agricultural landscapes by driving changes in land use and farming practices. We propose a typology characterising the scales relevant for agricultural landscapes management and argue that action is required on three scales: (1) a landscape oriented management at the farm level; (2) the coordination of land managers’ actions at the landscape level; and (3) the conservation of the diversity of agricultural landscapes in the EU. We provide evidence that until now the CAP has mainly focused on the first scale. We also illustrate how agricultural policy could encourage coordinated actions at the landscape- and EU-scales. In particular, we propose policy instruments to coordinate actions of individual land owners (e.g. collective bonus in agro-environmental contracts or support to environmental cooperatives (scale 2)). We also analyse how the recognition and transposition of the European Landscape Convention could promote trans-frontier landscape cooperation in order, not only to conserve high-quality rural landscapes, but also to ensure the conservation of the diversity of EU landscapes (scale 3). This paper provides a knowledge base to support an integrated CAP design in the direction of improved landscape management, as an important component of the EU project towards more sustainable agriculture.     

Tradeable development rights to protect peri-urban areas: lessons from the United States and observations on Australian practice

As population growth continues there is greater pressure to manage cities and regions sustainably. These pressures are particularly acute in Australia's fastest growing peri-urban regions. Despite efforts to contain and consolidate urban growth, pressure on the peri-urban interface remains a key challenge. The reliance on traditional regulatory approaches to manage land use change in high growth peri-urban areas is proving to be ineffective. The use of market-based instruments (MBIs) are among the many options available to planners and policy makers to manage growth and development. Tradeable development rights (TDRs) are one type of MBI that have been used widely throughout the US to preserve open space and agricultural lands; however, their application in Australia has been limited. This paper uses a simple case study approach to review two Australian peri-urban TDR cases based on the findings of a large-scale US TDR study. The findings suggest that any attempt to implement TDR programmes in Australia should have regard for the key factors found in successful US TDR programmes. Planners also need to develop an intricate understanding of the internal and external factors that influence peri-urban areas.     

Agricultural policies and the emergence of voluntary landscape enhancement efforts: an exploratory analysis of rural tourism using an agent-based model

Conservation and enhancement of ecosystem services have become a priority of rural policies. Feedback loops from rural policies on ecosystem service supply have often been highlighted in the literature, but only vaguely investigated. In this paper, we model feedback loops from rural policies through an agent-based model, and we analyse whether feedback loops can indirectly create a system in which voluntarily landscape enhancement emerges from the interactions between farmers and rural tourists. The results suggest that, in certain conditions, feedback loops from policies can be a relevant element to take into account, but that greater attention to the ecosystem service demand is required.     

浙江省农村生活污水处理现状及其对策

基于浙江省67个县的农村生活污水处理设施的问卷调查结果,统计分析浙江农村生活污水处理设施现状,包括动力情况、处理工艺、执行标准、运维模式、经费来源等,并探讨分析了农村生活污水处理设施排放标准及运维管理的长效性.结果表明:目前浙江农村生活污水处理设施以中小规模(30～60 t·d-1)为主,约80％的设施采用了无动力厌氧+人工湿地处理技术,出水一般执行GB 18918-2002《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》中的一级B标准,以村镇自管的运维模式为主,年均运维成本为1.3万元·座-1.从省级管理层面应加快制订符合浙江省情的农村生活污水处理设施排放标准,其指标项目数量不宜过多,指标限值可略宽于GB 18918-2002中的一级A标准;并应尽快形成针对责任主体、资金保障、第三方运维的农村生活污水处理设施长效管理机制.     

低温下强化水芹浮床对农村污水的深度处理研究

在低温条件下,利用强化水芹浮床对生物净化槽处理后的崇明岛农村生活污水进行深度处理.研究结果表明,水芹在浮床内保持着较好的生长状态,是一种优越的低温条件下浮床植物;强化水芹浮床由纤维填料和水芹交替分布组合而成,提高了浮床内的微生物浓度,强化了浮床对污染物质的降解作用,从而使其对有机质、氮、磷及悬浮物保持着较好的净化效果,平均出水浓度COD≤40 mg/L,NH4+-N≤10 mg/L,TN≤15 mg/L,TP≤1.0 mg/L.     

农村生活污水处理现状及工艺研究

日渐增大的农村生活污水无序排放,已经逐渐成为中国环境管理面临的新问题.文章分析了农村生活污水的排放特点、存在的问题以及处理的必要性,介绍了处理农村生活污水的生态系统技术和生物处理技术两大类处理方法的特点和主要原理.文章通过对CWT-M膜处理、SW一体化+人工湿地生活污水处理、ASPS生态湿地处理、AAO等四类处理设施实际运行监测结果的对比分析,指出污水处理设施及工艺的选择要因地制宣、科学设计,使相关设施达到应有的处理效果.     

中国农村环境问题根源探析

农村环境问题是中国环境保护面临的又一严峻挑战,深入探讨其成因是解决问题的关键.中国农村环境问题是多方面因素共同作用的结果,但其根本是城乡居民经济水平差距的日趋扩大使农村发展重经济轻环境、城乡环境权益的不平等使农村承担城市转嫁污染而得不到补偿,以及城乡统筹发展过程中未真正将农村与城市平等对待的偏差.     

Using Soil and Water Conservation Contests for Extension: Experiences from the Bolivian Mountain Valleys

Soil and water conservation (SWC) contests among farmer groups were organized in five rural villages in the Bolivian mountain valleys. The contests were aimed at quickly achieving widespread sustainable results. This article analyzes the effectiveness of these contests as an extension tool. Mixed results were obtained. In three villages, participation rates in the SWC activities introduced in the contests were still high even 2 years after project withdrawal. These were all villages where a solid foundation for sustainable development had been laid before the contests were held. Two years later, most families were still involved in maintenance of the SWC practices introduced in the contests, and many farmers had started to experiment with different soil management practices. However, replications of these SWC practices were not widespread, Conservation Leaders did not continue with their training activities, and the quality of maintenance of the practices was often not satisfactory. In order to become a more effective extension tool and achieve widespread impact, SWC contests must receive continued support by a catalyst agency. Moreover, other SWC contests should also be organized in which practices are not predefined. Given that SWC contests are a low-budget extension tool, local municipalities could become more actively involved.     

Past On-Site Experience,Crowding Perceptions,and Use Displacement of Visitor Groups to a Peri-Urban National Park

Past on-site experience was linked to the crowding perceptions and use displacement of 383 on-site visitors to the peri-urban Danube Floodplains National Park, Austria. Three visitor groups were determined according to their area experience: local residents from Vienna and rural communities, having the highest level of experience; regional visitors from the city and eastern Austria; and tourists from Austria and abroad with the lowest degree of experience. Crowding perceptions were significantly different across the user groups. More than 50% of local residents perceived the national park as crowded, whereas only 27% of regional visitors and 19% of tourists reported such an evaluation. Even among local residents and regional visitors, respondents with more on-site experience expressed a greater impression of a crowded park. Differences in crowding evaluations between local rural and urban residents and between regional rural and urban visitors were not found. For 27% of local residents and 15% of regional visitors, use levels were so unacceptable that they displaced temporally and spatially, whereas use displacement was relatively irrelevant for tourists. The use displacement strategies involved differ among the three user groups. Management implications were discussed, taking the specific situation of the small national park on the urban-rural fringe into consideration.     

村镇小型生活垃圾热处理炉底渣的理化特性

小型垃圾热处理设备可实现就地处置,节约运输成本,目前在中国山区、丘陵地带的村镇得到广泛应用.为了解村镇小型生活垃圾热处理炉底渣的理化特性及其影响因素,对中国云南、贵州、安徽村镇实际运行的小型生活垃圾热处理设备产生的底渣进行取样,分析其热灼减率、物理组成、化学组成、晶相组成、重金属含量和浸出特性,探讨处理工艺、地域及季节...