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Användningen av sökhundar som hjälpmedel och verktyg inom naturvården är i Sverige hittills ett litet område med några få verksamma aktörer. Men precis som hos tull, polis och försvarsmakt kan hundarna implementeras i naturvårdsverksamheten som ett standardverktyg. Hunden har en unik förmåga att selektera dofter och vilja att samarbeta med människan. Dessa egenskaper kan utnyttjas för att effektivisera arbetet inom naturvården. Vi har gjort en sammanställning av aktörer i Sverige samt en litteraturstudie över forskningsområdet och jämfört dessa för att ge förslag till vidare användning av naturvårdssökhundar i Sverige. För flera av användningsområdena finns forskning som stödjer hundarnas effektivitet. Inom några användningsområden finns däremot ingen forskning, därför hade dessa behövt studeras närmare för att bekräfta hudarnas effektivitet. Flera potentiella nationella användningsområden för naturvårdssökhundar har identifierats, som spillningsinventering av fladdermöss, skadegörare som almsjuka, hotade arter, invasiva växter och däggdjur, läckor på avloppsledningar, nedlagda deponier och laboratorieanalyser. Vårt förslag för att underlätta framtida arbete både för kunder och aktörer, är en samlad databas där alla operativa aktörer inom naturvårdssökhund är inkluderade. / In Sweden the use of detection dogs as a tool in nature conservation has until now been a small field, with few practitioners. In the daily operations of customs, police and the armed forces, detection dogs are a natural part of the organization and the same could be possible in conservation work. The dog’s ability to select between scents and their willingness to work with humans make them unique, utilizing these traits can make conservation work more efficient. The Swedish practitioners are compiled, and the available research is reviewed, the practitioners are then compared to the international research, to suggest further implication in Sweden. There are some practitioners working with conservation detection dogs today, research supports the dog’s efficiency in some areas, but in some areas research is absent. These areas would need studies to confirm the dog’s efficiency. We suggest potential areas for implantation in Sweden, such as scat detection of bats, pests like elm decease, threatened species, invasive species, sewage leaks, disused landfills, and laboratory analyses. Our suggestion is a national database for all conservation detection dogs, to aid future work for both practitioners and customers.

Background: This research explores the integration of satellite imagery and imageprocessing techniques to innovate forest monitoring methods. Traditional approachesoften fall short in scale and efficiency, necessitating enhanced techniques for accurateforest structure analysis. Objectives: The main goal is to develop a software prototype capable of automat-ing the measurement of tree row spacing and detecting clearing areas within forests,thereby facilitating more informed and efficient forest management and conservationefforts. Methods: The study employed computer vision techniques and image processingalgorithms using OpenCV to process high-resolution satellite images. The develop-ment and testing of the prototype involved iterative enhancements to refine accuracyand functionality. Results: The findings demonstrate that the prototype successfully identifies andmeasures forest structural features with high accuracy, confirming the effectivenessof integrating computational techniques with ecological monitoring practices. Conclusions: The successful application of satellite imagery and image processingsignificantly enhances forest monitoring capabilities, promoting sustainable forestmanagement. This research underscores the potential of technology to transformenvironmental conservation efforts by providing detailed, reliable data that supportsproactive management strategies. / Bakgrund: Denna forskning utforskar integrationen av satellitbilder och avanceradebildbehandlingstekniker för att innovera metoder för skogsövervakning. Traditionellatillvägagångssätt är ofta bristfälliga i skala och effektivitet, vilket kräver förbättradetekniker för noggrann analys av skogsstrukturer. Syften: Huvudmålet är att utveckla en programvaruprototyp som kan automatiseramätningen av trädradsavstånd och upptäcka kalhyggen inom skogar, vilket underlät-tar mer informerad och effektiv skogsförvaltning och bevarandeinsatser.Metoder: Studien använde datorsynstekniker och bildbehandlingsalgoritmer medOpenCV för att bearbeta högupplösta satellitbilder. Utvecklingen och testningen avprototypen involverade iterativa förbättringar för att förfina noggrannhet och funktionalitet. Resultat: Resultaten visar att prototypen framgångsrikt identifierar och mäterskogsstrukturella egenskaper med hög noggrannhet, vilket bekräftar effektivitetenav att integrera avancerade datatekniker med ekologiska övervakningsmetoder. Slutsatser: Den framgångsrika tillämpningen av satellitbilder och bildbehandlingförbättrar avsevärt möjligheterna till skogsövervakning och främjar hållbar skogsför-valtning. Denna forskning understryker teknikens potential att transformera miljöbe-varande insatser genom att tillhandahålla detaljerade, tillförlitliga data som stöderproaktiva förvaltningsstrategie

South Africa and the rest of the world currently face an exacerbating threat of environmental degradation, which can be partly ascribed to the fact that some parts of society still place economic growth as a priority over environmental conservation. This study shows that such an approach is only profitable over the short term and actually causes more harm than good. On the other hand, the world is still recovering from the major 2008 global financial crisis. To tip the scale back into balance, it is crucial that economic -, social -, and environmental development be sustainable; from now and into the future. This study recognises that, to achieve sustainable development at all three levels, a transition to a green economy is needed. In essence a green economy requires investment in the environment for the benefit of both society and the economy. This study then goes on to show that ecotourism can be used as a manner to invest in the environment, whilst at the same time uplifting society and improving the economy. Subsequently it is identified as a key driver of a green economy. However, a daunting reality is that ecotourism developments and - activities also threaten the environment. This study therefore argues that ecotourism has to be regulated effectively; otherwise it will not live up to its purpose and may, as a result, curtail South Africa’s efforts of a transition to a green economy, instead of positively contributing to it. This study asks the question: Does South Africa’s environmental legislation provide for the effective regulation of ecotourism? This question is answered by considering whether various relevant pieces of national environmental legislation measure up to certain criteria that is inherent to the effective regulation of ecotourism. Finally this study serves to show that; from an environmental law perspective, and to the extent that this study investigated the ecotourism environment, ecotourism as a phenomenon is regulated effectively in South Africa. However, it appears that there still remains tremendous scope for improvement. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

South Africa and the rest of the world currently face an exacerbating threat of environmental degradation, which can be partly ascribed to the fact that some parts of society still place economic growth as a priority over environmental conservation. This study shows that such an approach is only profitable over the short term and actually causes more harm than good. On the other hand, the world is still recovering from the major 2008 global financial crisis. To tip the scale back into balance, it is crucial that economic -, social -, and environmental development be sustainable; from now and into the future. This study recognises that, to achieve sustainable development at all three levels, a transition to a green economy is needed. In essence a green economy requires investment in the environment for the benefit of both society and the economy. This study then goes on to show that ecotourism can be used as a manner to invest in the environment, whilst at the same time uplifting society and improving the economy. Subsequently it is identified as a key driver of a green economy. However, a daunting reality is that ecotourism developments and - activities also threaten the environment. This study therefore argues that ecotourism has to be regulated effectively; otherwise it will not live up to its purpose and may, as a result, curtail South Africa’s efforts of a transition to a green economy, instead of positively contributing to it. This study asks the question: Does South Africa’s environmental legislation provide for the effective regulation of ecotourism? This question is answered by considering whether various relevant pieces of national environmental legislation measure up to certain criteria that is inherent to the effective regulation of ecotourism. Finally this study serves to show that; from an environmental law perspective, and to the extent that this study investigated the ecotourism environment, ecotourism as a phenomenon is regulated effectively in South Africa. However, it appears that there still remains tremendous scope for improvement. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

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