Some European lands have been progressively alleviated of human pressures, particularly traditional agriculture in remote areas. This book proposes that this land abandonment can be seen as an opportunity to restore natural ecosystems via rewilding. We define rewilding as the passive management of ecological successions having in mind the long-term goal of restoring natural ecosystem processes. The book aims at introducing the concept of rewilding to scientists, students and practitioners. The first part presents the theory of rewilding in the European context. The second part of the book directly addresses the link between rewilding, biodiversity, and habitats. The third and last part is dedicated to practical aspects of the implementation of rewilding as a land management option. We believe that this book will both set the basis for future research on rewilding and help practitioners think about how rewilding can take place in areas under their management.

Using the perspectives of science, technology, and society studies, this book grapples with questions stimulated by a concern that current energy policies and practices reflect neither the best interests of ordinary people nor decision-making consistent with the traditions and aspirations of democracy. Probing the depths of assumptions made in traditional analysis and assembling minority views, present practices come into focus as startlingly narrow social constructs amidst a vast unexplored terrain of material and socio-cultural possibilities. Questions of power and responsible action are pursued in this context, casting both traditional decision makers and citizens in less than a positive light. The author includes an examination of the experience of the "home power" movement not as "The Solution" to our energy problems, but as a concrete illustration of alternative theory and practice, and of the range of possibilities inherent in energy decisions. The book aims not at recommendations for prescriptive public policy, but primarily at refocusing the reader's attentions, as ultimate policy maker, on the core of the energy question: How do we wish to live in the world?

Forest wildlife conservation is critically required in many parts of the world today. This book presents a merger between the elements of wildlife conservation and habitat conservation, and explains how these disciplines can be used to promote the conservation of vertebrates in forests around the world.

The research category of the landscape ecology, which researches the structure, functions, and the spatio-temporal changes of the ecological landscapes, has now been contributing to the human life and the shifts of the socio-economic paradigm. Global warming has been influencing the universal life patterns of the mankind which have been maintained in the past several hundreds of years. And it has been having the influences on the international social problems and economic problems. Although the diverse plans for adapting to the climate changes have been the topics of the conservations among the ecologists internationally, it is the reality that the speed of the changes of the environment has been quicker than the time it takes to complete the solutions. In order to maintain the sustainable earth and the sustainable society, the role of the landscape ecology has been coming to the fore. Especially, the theories and the methodologies of the landscape ecology have been applied to the multidisciplinary researches by going beyond the research category of ecology, including the maximization of the efficiencies of the land spaces, the management of the ecological space (habitats) in which the biological diversity can be maintained, the utilization of the resources that are absolutely needed by the human beings (Here, it is compressed to water, energy, and food), etc. and until reaching the human society. It is considered that, to that extent, the utilizations and the applications of the landscape ecology are very much needed for the diagnoses and the evaluations of the global environmental problems which have been proceeded with rapidly in the modernity. This book is not comprised of any general remarks that explain the theories and the methods of the landscape ecology. Already, based on the basic theories of the landscape ecology, the writers have conducted the investigations on the farm villages, the cities, and the coastal ecosystems. And, through the space analyses and interpretations, the structure and functions of the landscapes were analyzed. Of course, in this book, too, the diverse ecosystems and the landscape ecological methodologies regarding the land use have been presented. However, the core of this book focuses more on what role the landscape ecology must play for the materialization of a sustainable society in the future. At the farm villages, the sustainable agriculture will be presented, and, at the cities, the discussions on the green networks and the energies will be proceeded with. Also, regarding the coasts and the seas, a thesis on the safety of the life zones of the residents adjacent to the sea and on the conservation of the island ecosystems will be presented. The sustainable society is a system that is formed by having the sustainable development as a basis. It is considered to be one aspect within a kind of a sustainable process with regard to which the natural world and the human world coexist and are in a symbiotic relationship harmoniously. In order to maintain the biodiversity, the reasonable adjustments of the human activities, like the use of the resources, are absolutely needed. Without the biological resources, the cultural diversity of the human beings, too, cannot exist. Consequentially, recently and internationally, there are a lot of the case examples that express the biocultural diversity by linking the biological diversity with the cultural diversity. In this book, the role of the landscape ecology as an academic link which can connect the two possible, if possible, is highly expected. It is, indeed, the biocultural landscape. It can be said that this concept, also, is the interconnection of the multidisciplinary spaces that must be dealt with in the modern landscape ecology. Through this book, it is intended to present a new directionality which can contribute to the sustainable society at the same time as the organization of the theories and the methods of the landscape ecology.

Over the last 60 years, we have recognized increasingly that our world is connected, and the impacts of environmental catastrophes and economic crises in one region of our world have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences globally. Central Asia is a developing region with great potential, but there are valid concerns that current resource management practices are not sustainable, particularly with regard to the management of water resources. Recent changes in social structures, accompanied by regional climate change, have caused substantial environmental changes leading to security concerns in the region. As a result, the local economy has been significantly impacted to the extent that the potential for social unrest is of great concern.

This book explores new technologies and adaptation strategies to mitigate these environmental problems and cope with continued environmental change with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable growth and improved quality of life in the region.

Fish and shellfish comprise annually nearly 70-million tons of the world's edible animal protein. However, because of this demand, previously vast stocks have often been exhausted to the point of near extinction. The first book of its kind in the area of freshwater/marine biodiversity, this extensive work reviews the present status of genetic resource management, its needs and constraints, various intervening human factors such as pollution and overfishing, and problems posed by different species and life-styles. This discussion of the conservation of fish and shellfish resources is illustrated by four diverse groups: Atlantic salmon, cupped oysters, common and Chinese carp, and Nile tilapia. These results, produced by the collaboration of nine leading population and production geneticists, aquaculturists, and behavioral and developmental ecologists should become a fundamental resource useful to biologists, scientists and advisors exploring current issues in the fishery sciences.
Key Features
* Four page color plate section
* Database of key organizations for contact purposes
* Foreword by Dr. Mike Strauss, Am. Assoc. for the Advancement of Science; and Dr. Peter Day, Rutgers University
* Four in-depth case studies by international experts
* Editors are major names in marine/freshwater fisheries science
* Originally sponsored and reviewed by U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Around the world, intensifying development and human demands for fresh water are placing unsustainable pressures on finite resources. Countries are waging war over transboundary rivers, and rural and urban communities are increasingly divided as irrigation demands compete with domestic desires. Marginal groups are losing access to water as powerful elites protect their own interests, and entire ecosystems are being severely degraded. These problems are particularly evident in Australia, with its industrialised economy and arid climate. Yet there have been relatively few attempts to examine the social and cultural complexities that underlie people's engagements with water. Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in two major Australian river catchments (the Mitchell River in Cape York, and the Brisbane River in southeast Queensland), this book examines their major water using and managing groups: indigenous communities, farmers, industries, recreational and domestic water users, and environmental organisations. It explores the issues that shape their different beliefs, values and practices in relation to water, and considers the specifically cultural or sub-cultural meanings that they encode in their material surroundings. Through an analysis of each group's diverse efforts to 'garden the world', it provides insights into the complexities of human-environmental relationships.

Today, the effect of global climate change is clear to all. It is clearly dangerous in developing countries such as Bangladesh. The industrial revolution caused major changes in technology, socio-economy and cultures in the late 18th and early 19th century, beginning in Britain and spreading throughout the world. The technology dominated economy was mostly dependent on energy produced from fossil fuel, which still holds true today. It is well known that fossil fuel burning has increased the GHGs to the atmosphere, thus creating global warming. Among the GHGs, the concentration of CO2 has been confirmed as the largest. Terrestrial ecosystems are clearly influencing the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are constantly entering and leaving the atmosphere. Actively growing trees and other plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, combine it with water through photosynthesis and create sugars and more stable carbohydrates. Through this process, trees capture and store atmospheric CO2 in vegetation, soils and biomass products. The Kyoto Protocol, in 1997, explored a flexible mechanism, CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) where Annex I and non-Annex I parties interact for climate change mitigation. Forestry activities have been considered important in the arena of climate change as they act both as a sink and sources of carbon. The purpose of this book is to highlight the means of efficiently reducing global warming through forestry options in Bangladesh and the positive implications of CDM.

This book explores the main methods, models, and approaches of food consumer science applied to six countries of the Western Balkans, illustrating each of these methods with concrete case studies. Research conducted between 2008 and 2011 in the course of the FOCUS-BALKANS project forms an excellent database for exploring recent changes and trends in food consumption.

This volume presents the latest research related to the current water situation, as well as its significance for the peaceful coexistence of the neighbouring countries. The book focuses on crucial topics: water resources, water protection, water management and water as a source of conflict. Topics such as sewage disposal and soil protection, as well as the transfer of environmental technology are also discussed.

Most studies of water scarcity in the Middle East conclude that there is a significant risk of imminent conflict, even warfare, between states in the region. This book demonstrates that the evidence does not support this doom-laden prediction. Indeed, the authors show that although water scarcity has occasionally played a role in disputes in the Middle East, it has much more often promoted co-existence between adversaries. The reasoning behind this hypothesis is that water is too critical to be put at risk by warfare.

What has happened in Latin America's energy sector since the early 1990s is a revolution. Roles of state energy companies, private investment, and foreign capital are rapidly changing. This comprehensive study from the East-West Center presents an in-depth analysis and realistic forecast of Latin America's energy growth and consumption of primary energy and petroleum products. It also explores relationships between Latin American producers and U.S. and international energy markets. Here is invaluable information for energy economists, policy makers, government regulatory officials, oil company executives, and those interested in gaining an insight into the Latin American energy sector and its future.

Mineral processing technologies have been used for decades to protect the environment and many examples of such applications are given here. The book covers four major subject areas: fundamentals; environmental pollution and its prevention; separation processes; and innovative techniques. Audience: Scientists, engineers and technologists conducting both applied and basic research into the different environmental aspects of mineral processing.

Emerging Threats to Energy Security and Stability January 23 to January 25, 2004, Windsor Castle, UK This two-day NATO-sponsored workshop was organised by the Windsor Energy Group and MEC International Ltd with support from NATO's Science Committee. The workshop was designed to promote a public-private sector exchange on how best to address issues arising in energy security at a time of growing uncertainty. In particular, it sought to assess emerging threats to energy security and stability and discuss new security strategies to protect global energy supplies from regional instability and terrorism. The format involved a wide-ranging international group of poli- formers and advisers from NATO, Partner and other countries, in a unique forum for intensive expert discussion. Background The international community is increasingly conscious of the need to develop new energy security strategies in order to protect global energy supplies from regional instability and terrorism. Energy security is a vital element in international stability. However, a variety of energy-related economic, technical, and military/political factors pose serious challenges to the international community's pursuit of energy security and stability: The global economy is expected to continue to be largely dependent on oil and gas for the next twenty to thirty years. Current levels of production may need to be doubled in this period, with most of the increment coming from the Gulf States who control 66% of global oil reserves and 40% of global natural gas reserves. There are forecasts of significant capacity shortfalls.

Addressing the links between science and the real world with a sound scientific baseline, "Coastal Water Bodies" targets researchers of various disciplines whose interest lies in the integrated sustainable management of coastal water bodies. The main topic of this book is not the ecology according to its accepted meaning, but rather the places and people concerned the coastal zones of the Mediterranean that are rich in ecological value and the local people who survive thanks to these environmental resources.

Integration is the joint consideration of different aspects of water uses and values, and new ways of understanding and managing conflicts around water use are needed if people are to benefit from integration. Sustainability of the ecological and socioeconomic environments requires a climate in which conflicts, if they need to exist, are properly managed in a non-destructive manner.

"This ambitious effort puts land use planning in a global perspective. . . . it is clearly the leading volume in its subject area and will set the standard for some years to come. Highly recommended for college and university collections." Choice

In the late 19th century, the Progressive Era laid the foundations for "scientific management" of lands and natural resources. Yet scientific management, often lauded in concept, is elusive. Land and resource management occurs in a social, economic, and political context in which different values, priorities, and interests influence goals, funding, and management choices. Complexities and uncertainties abound. At least three decades ago, critics of these decision processes began arguing that the complexities of managing natural systems required an interdisciplinary approach. Most books on scientific and political management of natural resources and lands are either theoretical academic tomes, a compendium of case studies, or handbooks. Despite this vast literature, land managers struggle to effectively restore and sustain lands amid conflict, controversy, and sometimes weak application of science to decisions. Though some notable conservation successes exist, in many places land health continues to deteriorate through mismanagement, neglect, and land transformation for development, agriculture, energy production, and other uses. This book examines decision making processes, the intersection of science and policy, and practical examples of how, where, and why successful conservation, restoration, and land management are occurring. The text consists of three sections Science, Technology, and Engineering; Politics and Policy; and People and Action. The Introduction lays out the premise of the book (harmonizing science, politics, and people to take action to restore and sustains lands given the complications of governance and climate change) and puts each chapter in context. The Synthesis is the linchpin chapter. It synthesizes the concepts put forth in each chapter into a plan of action to restore and sustain lands. It makes recommendations how this plan can be tested through action research. The plan will be dynamic; that is it will be designed to adapt to changing circumstances so that action can be taken quickly."

Over the past 100 years, there has been a steady process by which natural resources have been increasingly managed by centralized institutions. Governments and other national agencies have argued that this promotes efficiency and equity. Recently this orthodoxy has been challenged by experiments that show how centralized management tends to fail. Global, national and local goals are more likely to be met, at lower cost and with other benefits (such as promoting better democratic institutions) by involving local populations in collaborative management agreements. This volume, based on detailed case studies from around the world, subjects some of these experiments to critical study, and suggests limits to the participative approach as well as ways it can be improved and made suitable for new contexts.

Biomass obtained from agricultural residues or forest can be used to produce different materials and bioenergy required in a modern society. As compared to other resources available, biomass is one of the most common and widespread resources in the world. Thus, biomass has the potential to provide a renewable energy source, both locally and across large areas of the world. It is estimated that the total investment in the biomass sector between 2008 and 2021 will reach the large sum of $104 billion. Presently bioenergy is the most important renewable energy option and will remain so the near and medium-term future. Previously several countries try to explore the utilization of biomass in bioenergy and composite sector. Biomass has the potential to become the world s largest and most sustainable energy source and will be very much in demand. Bioenergy is based on resources that can be utilized on a sustainable basis all around the world and can thus serve as an effective option for the provision of energy services. In addition, the benefits accrued go beyond energy provision, creating unique opportunities for regional development.The present book will provide an up-to-date account of non-wood, forest residues, agricultural biomass (natural fibers), and energy crops together with processing, properties and its applications to ensure biomass utilization and reuse. All aspects of biomass and bioenergy and their properties and applications will be critically re-examined. The book consists of three sections, presenting Non wood and forest products from forestry, arboriculture activities or from wood processing, agricultural biomass (natural fibers) from agricultural harvesting or processing and finally energy crops: high yield crops and grasses grown especially for energy production."

International experts provide a comprehensive picture of the principles, concepts and methods that are applicable to problems originating from the interaction between the living/non-living environment and mankind. Both the analysis of such problems and the way solutions to environmental problems may work in specific societal contexts are addressed. Disciplinary approaches are discussed but there is a focus on multi- and interdisciplinary methods. A large number of practical examples and case studies are presented. There is special emphasis on modelling and integrated assessment. This book is different because it stresses the societal, cultural and historical dimensions of environmental problems. The main objective is to improve the ability to analyse and conceptualise environmental problems in context and to make readers aware of the value and scope of different methods. Ideal as a course text for students, this book will also be of interest to researchers and consultants in the environmental sciences.

Attempts to manage natural resources through collaboration rather than competition, by agreements rather than conflict, have become the touchstone for many who see these efforts as the harbinger of global sustainable development. The contributors to this volume advise caution as well as optimism for projects conducted in this way. By drawing on the experience of NGOs, national governments, and donor sectors as well as academic researchers this volume analyzes the theory and practice of participatory natural resource management and demonstrates the value of constructive dialogue between all those involved.

Many of the major environmental challenges facing governments and societies today are collective problems, calling for joint solutions. However, even when effective solutions can be found only through joint efforts, international cooperation is often hard to establish and maintain. This makes it all the more important to understand the conditions for success' and the causes of failure'. This book examines some of the political mechanisms at work in the formation and operation of international environmental regimes. What are the major factors that shape the national positions that governments bring to the negotiating table? How do the international institutions and negotiation processes through which these preferences and positions are adjusted and aggregated affect outcomes? What are the main mechanisms determining whether or not international environmental agreements are successfully implemented at the domestic level? The Politics of International Environmental Management is published in cooperation with the European Science Foundation.

Decision making in land management involves preferential selection among competing alternatives. Often, such choices are difficult owing to the complexity of the decision context. Because the analytic hierarchy process (AHP, developed by Thomas Saaty in the 1970s) has been successfully applied to many complex planning, resource allocation, and priority setting problems in business, energy, health, marketing, natural resources, and transportation, more applications of the AHP in natural resources and environmental sciences are appearing regularly. This realization has prompted the authors to collect some of the important works in this area and present them as a single volume for managers and scholars. Because land management contains a somewhat unique set of features not found in other AHP application areas, such as site-specific decisions, group participation and collaboration, and incomplete scientific knowledge, this text fills a void in the literature on management science and decision analysis for forest resources.