“Virbalgirio botaninio-zoologinio draustinio būklės įvertinimas ir gamtosauginio plano parengimas” Jurga Gedminas Optimalus saugomų teritorijų ūkinis, rekreacinis ir kultūrinis panaudojimas priklauso nuo teritorijų tvarkymo planų. Virbalgirio botaninis-zoologinis draustinis užima 364 ha, sudarydamas atskirą kompaktišką miško masyvą, susidedantį iš 7 kvartalų. Tarp miško masyvo išlikę nedideli įsiterpusių pievų plotai. Miško pakraščiai ribojasi su dirbamaisiais laukais. Efektyvi draustinio gamtosauga neįmanoma be biotos tyrimų. Atliktais augalijos tyrimais (2000-2003) buvo nustatyta vyraujančios draustinyje miškų (Querco-Fagetea sylvaticae Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1939) klasės, liepyninių skroblynų (Tilio Carpinetum betuli) asociacijos bendrijos. Norint išsaugoti ar pagerinti esamą ekologinę draustinio būklę būtina parengti gamtosauginio tvarkymo planą. Norint nustatyti teritorijos vertę reikalingas ekologinis vertinimas. Pagal nustatytus kokybinius ir kiekybinius kriterijus išskirtinį dėmesį būtina skirti Tilio Carpinetum bendrijom, į Buveinių direktyvos I priedą įtrauktom Europinės svarbos buveinėm: skroblynam ir pelkėtiem lapuočių miškam, draustinyje išskirtom dviejų tipų Kertinėm miško buveinėm: upės šlaitam bei plačialapių miškam, bei retiems draustinyje esantiems augalams (dvi iš jų saugomos tarptautiniu mastu) ir gyvūnams (visos saugomos tarptautiniu mastu). Draustinio teritorijoje aplinką veikia skirtingi gamtiniai ir antropogeniniai veiksniai, kurie neigiamai veikia... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / “State evaluation and management plan of the protection of nature for Virbalgiris botanical-zoological reserve” Jurga Gedminas Optimal economical, recreational and cultural use of conservancy areas depends on their management plans. The total area of Virbalgiris botanical-zoological reserve is 364 hectares. Almost the whole territory of reserve is covered with forest. The reserve has 7 blocks. Small meadows are inserted into the reserve woods, and it is surrounded by agricultural fields. Effective management of the reserve is impossible without the researches of biota. The researches of flora were made in 2000-2003 in Virbalgiris botanical-zoological reserve. These researches show the forest communicaties dominate in the reserve. The most common communicaties belong to Tilio-Carpinetum association, Querco-Fagetea class. It is necessary to make an environmental management plan to keep or make better situation in the reserve. Ecological evaluation is required for setting the value of the protected area. Using traditional quantitative and qualitative parameters, the most important attention must be paid to management of Tilio-Carpinetum communicaties, important European habitats written in I appendix of habitats directive (Sub-Atlantic and medio-European oak and oak-hornbeam forests of the Carpinion betuli, and Fennoscandian wooded pastures), Untempered forest habitats (broad-leaved deciduous forests, and river slope), and 10 species of and plants (two of them are protected... [to full text]

Magisto darbe tiriama Balkasodžio botaninio draustinio saugomų ir retų augalų būklė ir gamtosauginė svarba. Magistro baigiamąjį darbą sudaro 69 puslapiai. Jame yra lentelės, paveikslėliai, literatūros šaltiniai ir priedai. Darbo objektas – Vėjalandės šilagėlės (Pulsatilla patens), plikažiedžio linlapio (Thesium ebracteatum), smiltyninio gvazdiko (Dianthus arenarius) ir kitų rūšių radimvietės Balkasodžio botaniniame draustinyje. Darbo tikslas – Nustatyti į ES buveinių direktyvos II priedą įrašytų rūšių: vėjalandės šilagėlės (Pulsatilla patens), plikažiedžio linlapio (Thesium ebracteatum) , smiltyninio gvazidiko (Dianthus arenarius) – populiacijų apsaugos būklę. Šios rūšys, LRK paskutinių metų duomenimis, priskirtos 2 (V) saugomų augalų kategorijai. Darbo metodai – Buvo vykdomi lauko darbai ir floros inventorizacija. Nustatytos retų ir saugomų augalų rūšių radimvietės, fiksuojamos rastos floros rūšys, apibūdintos jų augavietės. Tyrimui pasirinktas maršrutinis apžiūros ir įvertinimo metodas. Darbo rezultatai - Norūnų miško saugomoje teritorijoje, kurios plotas sudaro 243 ha, užregistruota 471 induočių augalų rūšis. Iš jų 451 rūšies yra savaiminiai ir 20 rūšių svetimžemiai augalai. Teritorijoje aptikta 11 rūšių, įrašytų į LRK, tarp jų 3 induočių augalų rūšys įrašytos į ES buveinių direktyvos II priedą. Didžiausios teritorijoje esančios vertybės yra retosios, į ES buveinių direktyvos II priedą įrašytos rūšys – vėjalandė šilagėlė (Pulsatilla patens), plikažiedis linlapis... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The study is intended to analyse the rare and protected plants state and ecological reserve importance in Balkasodis reserve. Final master degree work of university, pages, figures, tables, references, appendix. The object - The rare and protected plants in Balkasodis reserve. The objects for the research plants included in The Red Data Book of Lithuania and which is growing in the botanical reserve of Balkasodis (Alytus region). This botanical reserve was opened in 1992. The aim - Implementing the previsions of the European Union Habitat Directive in Lithuania, on the most important task is to evaluate the state of the three plant species, included in the Annex 2 of the EU Habitat Directive. Dianthus arenarius, Pulsatilla patens, Thesium ebracteatum, during their vegetation period in the year 2008 and to suggest effective measure for their protection. According to the latest facts of the Lithuanian Red Data Book these three plant species are ascribed to the 2 (V) category of the legally protected species. The methods – Outside works and flora invetorization were carried out. Places where rare and protected plants grow were defined as well as all discovered flora species were recorded and described. The results - At the time of the research in the botanical reserve of Balkasodis were found 471 plant species: 451 plants are locals and 20 plant species are other. In the area were found 11 species of sparse plants (plants included in The Red Book of Lithuania). ... [to full text]

Leopard Panthera pardus are an economically valuable asset and when used in sustainable consumptive use programs can provide tangible benefits to communities to improve human livelihoods and the conservation of the species. Sport hunting is increasingly proposed as a tool to generate funds to support the conservation of leopard and other large carnivores. However, to assess the value of sport hunting as a conservation tool it is critical to understand its economic impact and ensure that the off-takes are sustainable. In this study I assessed the conservation status of leopard and the ecological sustainability of legal and illegal off-take in Niassa National Reserve (NNR) the largest protected area, 42,000 km2, in Mozambique, which is inhabited by 35,000 people. I also investigated whether the revenues from leopard sport hunting off-set the costs of depredation on livestock in local communities and individual benefits from poaching by local hunters. To perform this study, I interviewed hunting operators and villagers, collected camera trapping data, and analyzed long-term leopard sport hunting data. Leopard had high value for sport hunters, however, the economic benefits from the legal hunting did not off-set the costs from livestock depredation and did not compete with benefits from the illegal hunting which accrued to individuals at the household level. Leopard population densities in Niassa Reserve were comparable with the study sites in central and southern Africa. The numbers of leopard legally hunted in NNR appear to be ecologically sustainable, however a high percentage of the leopard taken as trophies were under the recommended age of seven years. The illegal off-take was unsustainable and resulting in high turnover and combined with the operators’ off-take is likely to be negatively affecting leopard populations. For the future ecological and economic sustainability of leopard quotas, I recommend improvements in the distribution of economic benefits and creating economic incentives to encourage villagers not to engage in the illegal hunting and quantification and inclusion of the illegal off-take in the annual quotas. My study also indicates the need to zone community and wildlife areas in NNR to reduce the anthropogenic effects on leopard and other carnivore populations. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

Fire is used in the management of ecosystems worldwide because it is a relatively inexpensive means of manipulating thousands of hectares of vegetation. Deciding how, where and when to apply fire depends primarily on the management objectives of the area concerned. The decision to ignite vegetation is generally subjective and depends on the experience of the fire manager. To facilitate this process, ancillary tools, forming a decision support system, need to be constructed. In this study a spatial model has been developed that is capable of simulating fire dynamics in savanna ecosystems. The fire growth model integrates spatial fuel and topographic data with temporal weather, wind settings and fuel moistures to produce a time-evolving fire front. Spatial information required to operate the model was obtained through remote sensing techniques, using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery, and existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) coverage's. Implementation of the simulation model to hypothetical landscapes under various scenarios of fuel, weather and topography produced fire fronts that were found to be in good agreement with experience of observed fires. The model was applied actual fire events using information for prescribed burning operations conducted in Mkuze Game Reserve during 1997. Predicted fire fronts were found to accurately resemble the observed fire boundaries in all simulations. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

The identification of non-random species composition patterns predicted by assembly rules is a central theme in community ecology. Based on life history characteristics, species composition patterns of rodents and shrews should be consistent with predictions from nestedness rather than competition hypotheses. This study investigated the seasonal changes in rodent and shrew assemblages in eleven savanna vegetation types in a protected reserve in South Africa. Rodents and shrews were sampled between 2009 and 2010 at Phinda Private Game Reserve (PPGR), KwaZulu-Natal. Sample-based rarefaction curves showed that rodent and shrew abundance and richness varied among seasons and vegetation types. Species richness estimators indicated that inventories for rodents (80%) and shrews (100%) were fairly complete. Null-model analyses found no evidence that species co-occurrence patterns in the reserve were non-random with respect to predictions from Diamond’s Assembly rules, niche limitation hypothesis and nestedness hypothesis. I also investigated seasonal changes in species richness and abundance of rodent and shrew assemblages on cattle, pineapple and former cattle farms surrounding PPGR, and used cluster analyses to compare the species composition of rodents and shrews at farm and PPGR study sites. Small mammal assemblages exhibited a heterogeneous distribution and species composition patterns changed between seasons. Sample-based rarefaction curves showed that rodent and shrew abundance and richness varied among seasons and study sites. Species richness estimators indicated that inventories for the rodents (91%) and shrews (100%) on the farms were essentially complete. Rodent and shrew species composition patterns did not group study sites according to land use, nor could species composition patterns be explained by vegetation characteristics. My results suggest that complex biotic and abiotic processes other than competition, nestedness, land use and vegetation characteristics operate at different spatial and temporal scales to structure rodent and shrew assemblages. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2013.

Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve as a natural area preserved from the more disruptive forms of economic activity, provides a multitude of benefits classified as either on-site use values or non-use values . This research addressed the problem of estimating the recreation use value of Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve. Two methodologies for valuing non-market benefits, the travel cost and contingent valuation methods are applied to evaluate the economic value of the reserve . The study reviews recent literature and highlights particular methodological issues characteristic of these techniques. The data from an on-site survey in the area permitted a description of visitors' socioeconomic characteristics and their trip patterns. Visitor attitudes, both to the recreational activities in Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve and to the proposals for the improvements of recreation provision were identified. Travel cost method results showed significant statistical relationships between number of trips, travel costs and socioeconomic variables. The consumer surplus value was estimated to be R95 800 in 1998. The contingent valuation method produced a true annual willingness-to-pay of R66 336 for entrance fees expressed by day visitors. The analysis of data from overnight visitors in the cottages revealed that 63 % of visitors were willing to pay up to R75 per person per night. Finally, the research emphasized the importance and the potential use of economic value in assisting the development of economically sustainable policies for the provision of recreation. Whilst Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve is under no immediate threat, having an indication of the economic value of recreational opportunities within the reserve will aid future planning and decision-making. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

This practicum examined Indigenous planning as the theoretical framework and foundation of this project. Literature reviews on First Nations on-reserve housing conditions were examined to understand the struggles Indigenous communities face when it comes to housing. Based on the literature reviews, it was determined that housing has been an issue in many First Nation communities, perpetuating a demand for planning to explore remedies to minimize or eradicate this social concern. From understanding Indigenous planning practices, the practicum explored the Indigenous community of Swan Lake First Nation (SLFN) and the housing challenges they experience. Through planning with SLFN community members to determine methods that would address the housing challenges, the development of a community housing plan was suggested. The process and development of SLFN community housing plan was documented in this practicum.

The Army Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) at Ball State University is a program designed to indoctrinate, train, and prepare students for careers as officers in the United States Army. In addition to military science classes held on campus cadets are required to attend the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) at Fort Lewis, Washington, a 33-day long course that focuses on combat related competencies. It is during this training that students are first taught the precepts of cultural awareness inside a military context. This research argues that cultural awareness training, introduced to cadets as a battlefield obstacle that can impede mission completion, is incompatible with the organizational culture of the Army. Using ethnographic methods as a theoretical framework, this research focuses on Ball State Army ROTC culture and the broader issue of culture as an obstacle. The data reveals the assumptions and symbols that inform the practical application of cultural awareness and mission orientation as well as the difficulties of securing reliable anthropological information. The goal of this paper is a practical body of knowledge that will bridge gaps in the literature and serve as an invitation for an open dialog between anthropologists, military members of all rank, and policy makers. / Department of Anthropology

This practicum examined Indigenous planning as the theoretical framework and foundation of this project. Literature reviews on First Nations on-reserve housing conditions were examined to understand the struggles Indigenous communities face when it comes to housing. Based on the literature reviews, it was determined that housing has been an issue in many First Nation communities, perpetuating a demand for planning to explore remedies to minimize or eradicate this social concern. From understanding Indigenous planning practices, the practicum explored the Indigenous community of Swan Lake First Nation (SLFN) and the housing challenges they experience. Through planning with SLFN community members to determine methods that would address the housing challenges, the development of a community housing plan was suggested. The process and development of SLFN community housing plan was documented in this practicum.

In 1938 the Canadian government approved a plan to train fishermen as naval reservists in British Columbia. The fishermen were recruited as whole crews and trained to shoot accurately, form fours, navigate, signal properly and drop depth charges – all aboard their own converted fishing vessels. On paper, and to the general public, the specialized reserve known as the Fishermen’s Reserve or “Gumboot Navy”, was a patriotic group of fishermen doing their bit and better preparing for emergencies. However, in reality, the Canadian government instituted the Fishermen’s Reserve in 1938 for a very specific reason – to round up and remove Japanese Canadians and their boats from the coast prior to the outbreak of war between Canada and Japan. This thesis explores various aspects of the Fishermen’s Reserve from 1938 to 1941 in order to better understand the Canadian Government’s wartime policies. As there are almost no secondary sources on the subject, this paper uses extensive primary sources to uncover and analyze the Royal Canadian Navy’s recruitment policy, unconventional regulations and racist underpinnings in instituting the Fishermen’s Reserve. / Graduate / 0334 / 0750 / 0740 / gregory.kier@gmail.com