Sustainable Land Development And Restoration

Decision Consequence Analysis (DCA) is a framework for improving the quality of decision results. The framework is a systematic, multi-criteria quantification of uncertainties and the opportunities for managing and reducing the potential negative consequences of such uncertainties. DCA is demonstrated throughout Sustainable Land Development and Restoration for each stage of system based management of environmental issues. DCA links disciplines and incorporates components of risk modelling, probability modelling and the psychology of decision making. Its goal is to provide a comprehensive unbiased decision making framework. Its foundation is accurately defining your problem statement and clearly vetting your objectives to build a structure for meaningful analysis of data. Employment of DCA consistently throughout the environmental industry can reduce decibel-driven, agenda-laden decision making, streamline expenditure of resources (financial, human, natural), and provide a clear path to the sustainable maintenance of balanced environmental systems as the penultimate objective. Sustainable Land Development and Restoration provides a toolbox to both the novice and experienced environmental practitioner of valuable techniques for addressing site specific environmental issues, as well as managing a portfolio of liabilities on an international scale. Ultimately, the authors are addressing the critical issue of balancing environmental asset balance sheets, whether on the scale of an individual project, across a company's portfolio, or for a community. The environmental manager who adopts the principles in this book will have greater confidence that environmental protection or restoration activities are providing measurable utility. The goal is that, through multidimensional resource management analysis and practices companies and societies can achieve sustainable maintenance of a balanced environmental system. Descriptions of technical, contracting and implementation processes are supported by detailed case studies to provide real world context rather than an academic exchange of theories. Techniques for addressing site specific environmental issues Multidimensional resource management analysis Case narrative, data base, and GIS linked

Land Restoration: Reclaiming Landscapes for a Sustainable Future provides a holistic overview of land degradation and restoration in that it addresses the issue of land restoration from the scientific and practical development points of view. Furthermore, the breadth of chapter topics and contributors cover the topic and a wealth of connected issues, such as security, development, and environmental issues. The use of graphics and extensive references to case studies also make the work accessible and encourage it to be used for reference, but also in active field-work planning. Land Restoration: Reclaiming Landscapes for a Sustainable Future brings together practitioners from NGOs, academia, governments, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to exchange lessons to enrich the academic understanding of these issues and the solution sets available. Provides accessible information about the science behind land degradation and restoration for those who do not directly engage with the science allowing full access to the issue at hand. Includes practical on-the-ground examples garnered from diverse areas, such as the Sahel, Southeast Asia, and the U.S.A. Provides practical tools for designing and implementing restoration/re-greening processes.

Land Reclamation and Restoration Strategies for Sustainable Development: Geospatial Technology Based Approach, Volume Ten covers spatial mapping, modeling and risk assessment in land hazards issues and sustainable management. Each section in the book explores state-of-art techniques using commercial, open source and statistical software for mapping and modeling, along with case studies that illustrate modern image processing techniques and computational algorithms. A special focus is given on recent trends in data mining techniques. This book will be of particular interest to students, researchers and professionals in the fields of earth science, applied geography, and those in the environmental sciences. Demonstrates a geoinformatics approach to data mining techniques, data analysis, modeling, risk assessment, visualization, and management strategies in different aspects of land use, hazards and reclamation Covers land contamination problems, including effects on agriculture, forestry, and coastal and wetland areas Suggests specific techniques of remediation Explores state-of-art techniques based on commercial, open source, and statistical software for mapping and modeling using modern image processing techniques and computational algorithm

In a context of escalating food demand and pressure on natural resources, this study emphasizes the importance of land evaluation and land-use planning. Only with a rational use of resources can we enhance productivity while maintaining resilient ecosystems. The publication stresses the importance of collaborative processes to meet the interwoven challenges of population growth, competition for limited resources, land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.

This volume deals with land degradation, which is occurring in almost all terrestrial biomes and agro-ecologies, in both low and high income countries and is stretching to about 30% of the total global land area. About three billion people reside in these degraded lands. However, the impact of land degradation is especially severe on livelihoods of the poor who heavily depend on natural resources. The annual global cost of land degradation due to land use and cover change (LUCC) and lower cropland and rangeland productivity is estimated to be about 300 billion USD. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounts for the largest share (22%) of the total global cost of land degradation. Only about 38% of the cost of land degradation due to LUCC - which accounts for 78% of the US$300 billion loss – is borne by land users and the remaining share (62%) is borne by consumers of ecosystem services off the farm. The results in this volume indicate that reversing land degradation trends makes both economic sense, and has multiple social and environmental benefits. On average, one US dollar investment into restoration of degraded land returns five US dollars. The findings of the country case studies call for increased investments into the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands, including through such institutional and policy measures as strengthening community participation for sustainable land management, enhancing government effectiveness and rule of law, improving access to markets and rural services, and securing land tenure. The assessment in this volume has been conducted at a time when there is an elevated interest in private land investments and when global efforts to achieve sustainable development objectives have intensified. In this regard, the results of this volume can contribute significantly to the ongoing policy debate and efforts to design strategies for achieving sustainable development goals and related efforts to address land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Decision Consequence Analysis (DCA) is a framework for improving the quality of decision results. The framework is a systematic, multi-criteria quantification of uncertainties and the opportunities for managing and reducing the potential negative consequences of such uncertainties. DCA is demonstrated throughout the text for each stage of system based management of environmental issues. DCA links disciplines and incorporates components of risk modelling, probability modelling and the psychology of decision making. Its goal is to provide a comprehensive unbiased decision making framework. Its foundation is accurately defining your problem statement and clearly vetting your objectives to build a structure for meaningful analysis of data. Employment of DCA consistently throughout the environmental industry can reduce decibel-driven, agenda-laden decision making, streamline expenditure of resources (financial, human, natural), and provide a clear path to the sustainable maintenance of balanced environmental systems as the penultimate objective. This book provides a toolbox to both the novice and experienced environmental practitioner of valuable techniques for addressing site specific environmental issues, as well as managing a portfolio of liabilities on an international scale. Ultimately, the authors are addressing the critical issue of balancing environmental asset balance sheets, whether on the scale of an individual project, across a company's portfolio, or for a community. The environmental manager who adopts the principles in this book will have greater confidence that environmental protection or restoration activities are providing measurable utility. The goal is that, through multidimensional resource management analysis and practices companies and societies can achieve sustainable maintenance of a balanced environmental system. Descriptions of technical, contracting and implementation processes are supported by detailed case studies to provide real world context rather than an academic exchange of theories. Techniques for addressing site specific environmental issues Multidimensional resource management analysis Case narrative, data base, and GIS linked.--[Source inconnue].

Greater Central Asia encompasses a vast area that includes deserts, natural grasslands, steppes, shrublands and alpine regions. Many of these land types are degraded and productivity is falling at a time when human populations and livestock inventories are on the rise. Ecosystem stability and biodiversity are under threat and there is an urgent need to develop more sustainable land management regimes. This book uses an integrated regional approach to provide a comprehensive exploration of sustainable land development in Central Asia. An interdisciplinary team of experts analyses the economic, ecological, sociological, technological and political factors surrounding sustainable land and water management in the region, sharing potential problems and solutions. As international concern about desertification grows, the book concludes by asking how the region is likely to develop in the future. This book will be of value to scholars, students, policy makers and NGOs with an interest in sustainable development in Central Asia.

Soils and Landscape Restoration provides a multidisciplinary synthesis on the sustainable management and restoration of soils in various landscapes. The book presents applicable knowledge of above- and below-ground interactions and biome specific realizations along with in-depth investigations of particular soil degradation pathways. It focuses on severely degraded soils (e.g., eroded, salinized, mined) as well as the restoration of wetlands, grasslands and forests. The book addresses the need to bring together current perspectives on land degradation and restoration in soil science and restoration ecology to better incorporate soil-based information when restoration plans are formulated. Incudes a chapter on climate change and novel ecosystems, thus collating the perspective of soil scientists and ecologists on this consequential and controversial topic Connects science to international policy and practice Includes summaries at the end of each chapter to elucidate principles and key points

The mid-term evaluation of the project "Mainstreaming sustainable land development and management” was executed by the Guyana Land Survey Commission (GLSC), implemented by FAO and funded by the Guyana Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) Investment Fund (GRIF). Overall project effectiveness and efficiency is low: implementation is slow and few outputs and outcomes have been achieved. The main reasons are the poor communication and collaboration between GLSC and FAO, and insufficient delivery of their roles and responsibilities. Recently, improved communication between GLSC and FAO has generated better collaboration. The evaluation made a series of recommendations to improve project delivery during the remainder of the implementation period.

This publication supports processes related to rural communities’ resilience in implementing land restoration of the Great Green Wall Programme on the ground. It serves a dual purpose of consolidating biophysical operations and socio-economic assessments, and is mainly built on five-year interventions and practical experiences gathered through Action Against Desertification. The first part of the publication is a practical manual expressly created for stakeholders, partners, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations. Its purpose is to guide the implementation of restoration operations at scale on the ground, as well as to provide detailed practical instructions based on the successful results obtained by Action Against Desertification. The manual describes how to implement an innovative approach to the large-scale restoration of degraded land for small-scale farming. This innovative approach consists of combining enrichment planting of native woody and fodder grass species and the preparation of large-scale land for rainwater harvesting and soil permeability. The second part of the manual introduces a methodology for socio-economic assessments. This easy to-to-use approach is based on household surveys and can be used by socio-economic experts to monitor, evaluate and assess the socio-economic impacts of the large-scale restoration interventions. Household surveys are not only used for impact assessment but can potentially serve to collect useful data needed to plan a restoration intervention. Quantitative information is collected through carefully chosen standardized questions to households as samples.

This book gives a broad coverage of modern restoration and the management needed after restoration. It deals with relevant topics such as restoration ecology; restoration planning; ecological and ecotoxicological risk assessment; management and adaptive management; restoration in the broader context of sustainable development; as well as case studies and examples related to the Asian region. Major emphasis is placed on the Asian region, but the techniques described in the book can also be applied to other regions. It concludes with an important overview of the steps that must be taken in the management of any project.The Restoration and Management of Derelict Land serves as an important reference for undergraduate and postgraduate students, professors, decision-makers and engineers in environmental science and management.

Land degradation is a pressing global challenge, with three billion people residing in degraded landscapes. The global cost of land degradation is estimated to be about $300 billion per year, with Africa south of the Sahara accounting for 26 percent of the total global costs due to land-use and land-cover changes. In Ethiopia, it is estimated that more than 85 percent of land is moderately to severely degraded due to changes in land use and cover, costing the country an estimated US$4.3 billion annually. In order to halt further degradation and support essential restoration through sustainable land management (SLM) and related investments, the Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC) and its consortium of development partners established six learning watersheds in Central and North-Western Ethiopia with the ultimate goal of improving water security and crop and livestock productivity.

Despite our growing awareness of the vital role they play in the global environment, wetlands remain among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth and are still being destroyed and degraded at an alarming rate. This much-needed publication, which includes contributions from leading researchers and practitioners, presents a holistic perspective on the restoration of wetland ecosystems such as shallow lakes, streams, floodplains and bogs. Through the use of carefully chosen case studies, the authors examine European wetland restoration projects from Scandinavia to Bulgaria and from Ireland to Belarus, focusing on the lessons they can teach to a new generation of conservationists. As well as reviewing the sum of current knowledge on the subject, the text is a store of practical know-how, covering a wide range of conservation approaches and techniques. It analyzes the major problems in the field and identifies key principles for achieving sustainability in wetland restoration. The topics covered include: • the role of wetlands in landscape functioning • human interference with natural processes such as water and matter cycles and energy dissipation • the impact of land use on global problems such as climate change, floods and droughts • the role played by diversity in wetland functioning The work shows that without sustainable land use over the totality of their catchment areas, and without cohesive inter-agency cooperation, individual restoration projects will have a short life span. The balance between scientific background and practical restoration makes this book a valuable resource for scientists as well as wetland managers, decision makers and land use planners, as well as students of ecology, nature conservation and environmental protection.

Soil Degradation, Restoration and Management in a Global Change Context, volume four in the Advances in Chemical Pollution, Environmental Management and Protection series, explores a wide breadth of emerging and state-of-the-art technologies and provides the best practices to manage soils affected by degradation. Soils are the base of life, thus a sustainable soil management is crucial in a context of global environmental change. Chapters in this new release include Soil degradation, processes, future treats and possible solutions, Agriculture and grazing environments, Abandoned and afforested lands, Environments affected by fire, Mining environments, Urban areas, and Lands affected by war. Covers a wide breadth of emerging and state-of-the-art technologies Includes contributions from an international board of authors Provides a comprehensive set of reviews Synthesizes all aspects involved in soil degradation

This open access book presents and discusses current issues and innovative solution approaches for land management in a European context. Manifold sustainability issues are closely interconnected with land use practices. Throughout the world, we face increasing conflict over the use of land as well as competition for land. Drawing on experience in sustainable land management gained from seven years of the FONA programme (Research for Sustainable Development, conducted under the auspices of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research), the book stresses and highlights co-design processes within the “co-creation of knowledge”, involving collaboration in transdisciplinary research processes between academia and other stakeholders. The book begins with an overview of the current state of land use practices and the subsequent need to manage land resources more sustainably. New system solutions and governance approaches in sustainable land management are presented from a European perspective on land use. The volume also addresses how to use new modes of knowledge transfer between science and practice. New perspectives in sustainable land management and methods of combining knowledge and action are presented to a broad readership in land system sciences and environmental sciences, social sciences and geosciences.

The purpose of this report is to assess the current implementation of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) in Africa. It presents the context for FLR on the African continent, highlights major FLR initiatives, and provides an overview of FLR in Africa at the start of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). It identifies key challenges, opportunities, actors and processes, illustrated with some case studies. Data collection was both primary (interviews) and secondary (extensive desk research). The report contributes to tracking progress on the implementation of AFR100 and other FLR initiatives in Africa on the ground. It provides a baseline for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and is expected to be updated at regular intervals. The report is prepared under the jointly implemented regional technical cooperation programme by FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) “Support to the implementation and monitoring of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100)” and in close collaboration with AFR100 Management Team members and partners. It is also responding to the recommendation of the 22nd Session of FAO African Forestry and Wildlife Commission1, held in March 2020 in South Africa. The report is structured as follows: Chapter 1 introduces the importance of Africa’s forests and tree-based landscapes and to the challenges they and their people face, as well as the relevance of restoration and the global policy context. The next chapter presents an overview of FLR and restoration more generally. The third chapter provides a more detailed overview for Africa’s subregions of the current status of forests with examples of FLR initiatives (or other relevant ones that may not have the FLR label but are in fact aligned with FLR). Chapter 4 then reviews some key success factors for FLR in Africa. Chapter 5 presents opportunities going forward and remaining challenges. The last chapter is more forward-looking and speculative, highlighting potential priorities for FLR in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

• New York Times bestseller • The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world “At this point in time, the Drawdown book is exactly what is needed; a credible, conservative solution-by-solution narrative that we can do it. Reading it is an effective inoculation against the widespread perception of doom that humanity cannot and will not solve the climate crisis. Reported by-effects include increased determination and a sense of grounded hope.” —Per Espen Stoknes, Author, What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming “There’s been no real way for ordinary people to get an understanding of what they can do and what impact it can have. There remains no single, comprehensive, reliable compendium of carbon-reduction solutions across sectors. At least until now. . . . The public is hungry for this kind of practical wisdom.” —David Roberts, Vox “This is the ideal environmental sciences textbook—only it is too interesting and inspiring to be called a textbook.” —Peter Kareiva, Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA In the face of widespread fear and apathy, an international coalition of researchers, professionals, and scientists have come together to offer a set of realistic and bold solutions to climate change. One hundred techniques and practices are described here—some are well known; some you may have never heard of. They range from clean energy to educating girls in lower-income countries to land use practices that pull carbon out of the air. The solutions exist, are economically viable, and communities throughout the world are currently enacting them with skill and determination. If deployed collectively on a global scale over the next thirty years, they represent a credible path forward, not just to slow the earth’s warming but to reach drawdown, that point in time when greenhouse gases in the atmosphere peak and begin to decline. These measures promise cascading benefits to human health, security, prosperity, and well-being—giving us every reason to see this planetary crisis as an opportunity to create a just and livable world.

Good agroecological practices are indispensable for the development of sustainable agriculture. In this book, principles, diversity and applications of agroecological practices for a range of systems are presented, transforming scientific research and participatory knowledge of production into practical application. It illustrates a broad range of research and teaching being used within the farming community to demonstrate best practice and current state-of-play within the field. Agroecological methods used in crop farming, grass-based livestock farming, fish production, and other complex farming systems are discussed. Conclusions are drawn from studies to provide an outlook on future trends of agroecological practices and on policies supporting implementation. Due to emphasis on real-life application, it is relevant not only to students of the agricultural sciences and public policy, but also to researchers, stakeholders and policy makers involved in the development of sustainable agriculture.

Land Reclamation and Restoration Strategies for Sustainable Development: Geospatial Technology Based Approach, Volume Ten covers spatial mapping, modeling and risk assessment in land hazards issues and sustainable management. Each section in the book explores state-of-art techniques using commercial, open source and statistical software for mapping and modeling, along with case studies that illustrate modern image processing techniques and computational algorithms. A special focus is given on recent trends in data mining techniques. This book will be of particular interest to students, researchers and professionals in the fields of earth science, applied geography, and those in the environmental sciences. Demonstrates a geoinformatics approach to data mining techniques, data analysis, modeling, risk assessment, visualization, and management strategies in different aspects of land use, hazards and reclamation Covers land contamination problems, including effects on agriculture, forestry, and coastal and wetland areas Suggests specific techniques of remediation Explores state-of-art techniques based on commercial, open source, and statistical software for mapping and modeling using modern image processing techniques and computational algorithm