Evaluation of a dairy agri-environmental programme for restoring woody green infrastructure

Pastoral landscape woody vegetation provides ecosystem services, but potentially competes for space, light and nutrients that could provide additional farm production. A questionnaire determined the values and behaviours of New Zealand dairy farmers to evaluate voluntary agri-environmental programmes for restoring woody vegetation. Findings indicate the area is increasing, while the composition and configuration of networks are changing and redistributing. Farms with little are losing more, and those with more are gaining. Farmers are planting new areas to increase their public ecosystem services, but may not provide these services through planting and management. Barriers include insufficient private woody vegetation ecosystem services, and low rates of growth of native plants. Government incentive programmes are ineffective in overcoming barriers. Farmers may be motivated by stronger evidence of valued ecosystem services, information about their benefits and drawbacks and how to support services through planting and management. However, a targeted environmental stewardship scheme is required to overcome barriers to planting, with government and the dairy industry working together to develop and maintain a landscape-scaled woody vegetation network on private and public land. Such networks would build sustainability and resilience into dairy farming, leading to an equitably sharing of benefits and costs of their public ecosystem services.     

Variation of federal cost-share programs in the United States and the inducement effects on tree planting

A long existing question associated with federal cost-share programs in the United States has been whether these public subsidies have induced or substituted for landowners’ private investment in tree planting. This study reexamined the relationship between public funding and private investment behavior in the past 50 years by employing a state space model with time-varying parameters. Three regions, i.e., the South, North, and West were formed and compared. The analysis revealed that the relationship has changed over time and across regions and both inducement and substitution effects have occurred. The inducement effect occurred in the South from 1960 to 1972 and in the West from 1961 to 2002 while the substitution effect was present for all other years in the South and West. In the North, there has been a strong substitution effect from 1951 to 2002.     

全生命周期视角下烟草水源工程造价监控管理

为缓解烟草灌溉缺水的现象,我国建设了烟草水源工程。针对烟草水源工程的独特性,需要研究适应于该工程的造价监控管理关键点和监控管理内容,从而规范工程造价管理和有效控制造价。以中国烟草总公司贵州省公司为例,从全生命周期角度,研究构建贵州省烟草水源工程造价监控管理关键点,并提出全生命周期各个阶段的监控管理内容。研究成果可以有效地起到规范烟草水源工程造价监控管理的作用。     

退耕还林工程成本补助:性质、结构及有效分担

阐明退耕还林工程的成本构成、补助性质和分担情况;对工程成本资金管理和运作责任主体不明确、补助成本结构设置不尽合理、退耕农户成本总体弥补不足的问题突出、地方政府在退耕还林中实际负担过多成本以及补助期偏短、配套基础建设进展缓慢、培育替代产业难度大等退耕还林工程成本补助管理及成本分担问题进行深入剖析;提出退耕还林工程成本有效分担的原则、财政职责在政府间的合理分配、保证退耕还林工程区地方政府正常工程管理工作运转的资金需要、兼顾效率原则和改进成本补助资金方法等创新退耕还林工程成本分担机制,优化政府间财政措施的建议。     

水利工程装配式建筑的生态效率评价

“双碳”目标和高质量发展对建筑行业提出了绿色转型的新要求,而装配式建筑作为建筑领域践行绿色低碳发展理念的重要措施,在水利工程中也得到了实践应用。为衡量水利工程装配式建筑的环境-经济影响,引入生态效率概念作为衡量指标,基于单一比值法构建了装配式混凝土泵房生态效率评价模型,将生态效率转化为功能、成本与碳排放的比值,并分别采用结构熵权法、生命周期成本理论和生命周期评价法构建计量模型计算功能、成本与碳排放值。工程实例计算结果表明,装配式混凝土泵房的生态效率高出传统现浇建造模式8.16%,得益于水利工程装配式建筑在工期、质量、节能减排等方面效益更佳,装配式建造模式主要在功能和碳排放方面占据优势,其中功能系数提高9.64%,碳排放系数降低8.06%,但受我国预制构件生产技术的限制,在成本方面不及传统现浇建造模式;未来应在成本和环境影响两方面着重发力以进一步提高水利工程装配式建筑的生态效率。     

Comparing the environmental impacts of pasture-based and confinement-based dairy systems in Nova Scotia (Canada) using life cycle assessment

A life cycle assessment (LCA) of dairy systems in Nova Scotia was conducted to compare environmental impacts of typical pasture and confinement operations. Data on material and energy inputs and outputs of these systems were obtained from local researchers and industry, and life cycle impacts in 11 categories were quantified. Use of concentrate feeds, N fertilizers, transport fuels and electricity were dominant contributors to environmental impacts. Somewhat surprisingly, grazing cows for five months per year (typical of pasture systems in Nova Scotia) had little effect on overall environmental impact. Scenario modelling suggests, however, that prolonged grazing is potentially beneficial. Compared with total confinement, a seven-month grazing scenario performed better in seven of the environmental impact categories evaluated with greatest potential improvements associated with acidification potential, ozone depletion potential, human toxicity and fresh water ecotoxicity. In contrast, land use was the only category in which an increased reliance on pasture is predicted to result in a marked increase in environmental impact.     

Local compensation payments for agri-environmental externalities: a panel data analysis of bargaining outcomes

We analyse local compensation payments made to farmers for providinglandscape amenities in Alpine tourist communities. These paymentsresult from political bargaining at the municipal level. Paneldata estimation shows that the probability of introducing compensationpayments depends positively on the benefits of landscape amenities.Although no impact of service provision cost is found, transactioncosts at different levels of the bargaining process reduce theprobability of payments. Compensation payments mainly occurin communities where the provision of agricultural landscapeservices is perceived as relatively low and the diversity ofthe countryside seems to be endangered. We argue that municipalcompensation payments are an important supplement to nationaland European Union policy measures in support of less-favouredareas.     

“五结合”生态温室生命周期评价及比较分析

[目的]通过"五结合"生态温室生命周期评价及比较分析,发现各类温室潜在的环境影响及其关键要素,探索各模式改进提升的重点及未来发展方向。[方法]应用生命周期评价方法,将"五结合"生态温室与国内典型地区节能日光温室和国外同类模式进行环境综合评价,在此基础上分析"五结合"生态温室替代常规模式的可能性。[结果]较节能日光温室,生态温室单位产品的能源消耗、水资源消耗、气候变化、潜在的环境酸化、富营养化、人体、水体和土壤毒性分别降低了27%, 64%, 27%, 32%, 43%, 97%, 99%和99%,综合环境指数降低98.6%,环境效益大幅度提升。与国外同类模式相比,由于充分利用太阳能,中国常规模式在降低能源消耗和温室气体减排方面优势明显,其他各项环境指数与国外相比还存在较大差距,但"五结合"生态温室各项指数全面优于或接近国外同类模式。[结论]以"五结合"生态温室为代表的生态模式能够解决国内外温室发展面临的众多瓶颈问题,具有极大的发展潜力和应用价值。     

The effect of on-site forest experience on stated preferences for low-impact timber harvesting programs

An important issue in the design of stated-preference surveys is whether the information provided to respondents within a survey instrument is adequate to yield valid value estimates. Providing respondents with on-site experience about forest ecosystem management alternatives may influence their expectation of the effects from new policies and programs. In the research reported here, we investigate whether preference parameters for attributes of low-impact timber harvesting programs differ between respondents to a mail survey versus respondents provided with an on-site forest experience (walk through a research forest). The empirical analysis in our application shows that stated preferences for timber harvesting attributes are not statistically different between the mail and on-site applications of the survey, and this result is robust to pretest (before experience) and post-test (post experience) applications.     

A Comparison of the Economic Well-Being of Farm and Nonfarm Households

This study compares the economic well-being of farm and nonfarm households using data from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey and the Survey of Consumer Finances. Comparisons are made in terms of income and wealth using parametric and nonparametric tests, regression analyses, and inequality measures. The results show that the economic well-being of households differs based on their degree of involvement in business activities and their life-cycle stages. The main conclusion is that the income of rural residence and intermediate farms is comparable to that of wage-earning nonfarm households, while commercial farms are similar in well-being to nonfarm households with businesses.     

土地整治项目综合监测体系构建

研究目的：分析土地整治项目全生命周期,系统整合现有监测措施和方法,构建土地整治项目综合监测体系,以规范监测环节、统一监测指标、集成监测方法,实现监测目标。研究方法：理论研究法。研究结果：构建了土地整治项目综合监测体系,形成5个监测目标类、16个监测类型类、86个监测指标类。研究结论：研究构建的土地整治项目综合监测体系,对规范中国土地整治制度体系和完善土地整治监管工作具有现实意义。     

生命周期视角下茅洲河流域水环境综合治理

基于生命周期理论和利益相关者理论,对茅洲河流域水环境综合治理工程中的决策阶段、设计阶段、实施阶段、竣工验收阶段和运营维护阶段进行全生命周期管控,根据不同阶段的侧重点采取不同的应对措施。总结出生命周期视角下的水环境治理经验,包括开创性的治理模式,水资源、水安全、水环境、水生态、水文化 “五位一体”的城市河流健康治理理念,先进的治水科技和智慧水务以及多方协同的治理格局等,可为相关流域水环境综合治理提供参考。     

The evolution of Australia's natural resource management programs: Towards improved targeting and evaluation of investments

This paper examines the evolution of Australia's natural resource management programs over the past two decades. The story is one of major paradigmatic shifts with implications for the design and operation of similar programs worldwide. Since 1983, Australian Governments have approved the National Soil Conservation Program, the National Landcare Program, the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and a new program called Caring for Our Country. These programs have seen a transition from the early days of attitude change to the creation of new regional institutions and direct payment systems for environmental stewardship. Despite these advances recent audit reports have mirrored those from the United States and the Europe. They identify problems of ineffective targeting, monitoring and evaluation of expenditure. This paper considers the efficiency and effectiveness of alternative program designs in Australia. Two major design improvements are suggested: (a) systems for linking expenditure to outcomes and (b) adopting standardised metrics for valuing outcomes. This will permit the application of benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analysis and, ultimately, improved returns on investment.     

水足迹评价方法对比及案例研究

围绕国际上主要采用的两种水足迹评价方法:基于水足迹网络(WFN)方法和基于国际标准化组织(ISO)的生命周期评价(LCA)方法,对两种评价方法在水足迹定义、评价流程、核算方法及评价方法等方面的异同开展对比分析研究,在此基础上,选取某乳制品企业为例,探索两种水足迹评价方法在实际应用中的优缺点和适用范围。研究结果表明:基于WFN的水足迹侧重于"体积",而基于LCA的水足迹更注重"影响"。两种方法虽然侧重点以及结果表达形式不同,但计算和评价方法互有联系,得出的结论大致相同,可为指导我国工业企业开展水足迹评价研究、实现可持续的水资源管理提供科学依据。     

The role of behavioural factors and opportunity costs in farmers' participation in voluntary agri-environmental schemes: A systematic review

Agri-environmental schemes (AESs) are increasingly implemented to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly practices by farmers. We use a systematic review to explore the role of behavioural factors and opportunity costs in farmers' decisions to participate in AESs in Australia, Europe and North America. Behavioural factors influence how farmers value and perceive options, while opportunity costs relate to farmers' forgone utility when choosing to participate in schemes. We synthesise insights from 79 articles and over 700 factors explaining the participation in AESs. We find that a set of behavioural factors seem consistently connected to participation, including agricultural training, advice and having positive attitudes towards AESs. Moreover, several factors related to opportunity costs also have a rather consistent relationship with AES participation, including market conditions, implementation efforts, profitability, and management and contract flexibility. However, many relationships of behavioural factors and opportunity costs with AES participation are not as consistent and generalizable as sometimes portrayed and require context-specific interpretation. Those factors with mixed results can still provide insights into farmers' participation decisions as several of them are either ‘positively and insignificantly’ or ‘negatively and insignificantly’ related to participation, such as environmental attitude, trust and farm size. These results suggest that their relationship with AES participation depends on other factors or the setting, highlighting interactions and raising important new research questions. Overall, our results provide several entry points for both researchers and policy-makers, highlighting uncertainties in relationships between factors and participation that should be considered when designing policies.     

The ‘Neighbourhood Effect’: A multidisciplinary assessment of the case for farmer co-ordination in agri-environmental programmes

In this paper we present a multi-disciplinary analysis of the potential impacts of undertaking similar environmental actions on multiple farms in a small geographic area, using organic farming as a proxy for a co-ordinated approach. Recent papers have called for more co-ordinated efforts between farmers in terms of their environmental actions, but there has been limited applied research demonstrating the environmental benefits or the economic and social implications to farmers of this approach. Comparative analysis of biodiversity, soil and water, and farm profitability were undertaken in England on 32 matched farms in areas of low and high organic farming concentration; qualitative interviews were also conducted with 48 farmers living in two of the eight areas. Findings demonstrate higher overall levels of biodiversity on organic farms (particularly in “hotspot” areas) but this was not universal across the species groups investigated. Higher water infiltration rates were found in organic grasslands, which could prove to be a useful measure to combat flooding. In terms of the technical efficiency of producing these environmental gains, conventional and organic farms in hotspot areas demonstrated equivalent efficiency from a financial perspective. Socio-cultural research identified the different amounts of trust farmers have in their neighbours, based in part on their performance as ‘good farmers’. We discuss the neighbourhood effect with a multi-disciplinary approach and conclude that encouraging local farmer co-ordination can have clear environmental benefits without high economic cost, but must be undertaken with caution - specifically regarding the trade-offs between benefits, local geophysical and social characteristics, and assumptions made about inter-farmer trust.     

对我国矿业城市可持续发展问题的思考

矿业城市是因矿产资源开采而兴起或发展起来的城市,其生存和发展与矿产资源的开发关系非常密切。城因矿而兴,因矿而衰。在我国426座矿业城镇中,已有12%的面临“矿竭城衰”问题,这些城市如果能够依靠现代技术,积极挖掘资源潜力,调整产业结构,发展替代产业,拓展城市功能,完全有可能走出“矿竭城衰”的困境,并在新的起点上持续发展。如果这些城市的转型发展成功了,必将对其他矿业城市的持续健康发展产生深远影响。     

黑龙江省林业资源型城市的演进历程与发展特性研究

通过对资源型城市、林业资源型城市等相关概念的界定,论述了林业产业在林业资源型城市中的主导地位,认知了黑龙江省林业资源型城市的生成期、发展期、成熟期与转型期等演化历程,剖析了黑龙江省林业资源型城市的发展特性等,为黑龙江省林业资源型城市的经济转型路径选择提供理论基础与实践依据,以推动林业资源型城市的经济复苏与可持续发展等。