This study explores the influence of incidence of poverty and plot-level perception of soil degradation, on soil conservation behaviour of small subsistence farmers in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The study results confirm that poverty in assets significantly reduces the probability of soil-conservation efforts as measured by use of stone/soil bund structures in the highlands of Ethiopia.

The set of models available to predict land use change in urban regions has become increasingly complex in recent years. Despite their complexity, the predictive power of these models remains relatively weak. This paper presents an example of an alternative modeling framework based on the concept of a Markov chain. The model assumes that land use at any given time, which is viewed as a discrete state, can be considered a function of only its previous state.

The Red Palm Weevil (RPW), after its accidental introduction in Italy in 2005, determined a progressive
disruption of Canary palms mostly in the central and southern regions. As it is difficult to undertake the
management of this pest, the possibility of substituting the killed/symptomatic palms with other ornamental
trees has been recently discussed. In this context, understanding the citizens’ needs about green areas can
improve the management of public parks and urban greening. Involving citizens on the natural resource

The principle of urban-rural gradients can reveal the spatial variations of ecosystem services and socioeconomic dimensions. The interrelations between ecosystem services and socioeconomics have scarcely been considered in the context of urban-rural areas. We investigated the spatial gradients and the mutual linkages of several ecosystem services and

Invasive alien plants have a negative impact on ecosystem goods and services derived from ecosystems. Consequently, the aggressive spread of invasive alien plants (IAPs) in the river catchments of South Africa is a major threat to, inter alia, water security. The Olifants River catchment is one such a catchment that is under pressure because of the high demand for water from mainly industrial sources and unsustainable land-use, which includes IAPs. This study considered the cost-effectiveness of clearing IAPs and compared these with the cost of a recently constructed dam.

In the appraisal of the market value of the properties are applied two important surface indexes: the market surface ratio of the secondary surfaces and the ratio of the site value to total value (allocation method).

To discriminate between the contributions of ecosystems and the human subsidies to agricultural systems,
we propose using an additional terminology to bring clarification into the controversial discussion about i)
ecosystems versus agrosystems and ii) ecosystem services versus agrosystem services. A literature review
revealed that with the exception of some very recent publications, this has not yet been sufficiently
reflected, neither within the scientific nor in the policy discussion. The question remains whether to spoil

Inadequacies in the indication of cultural ecosystem services (CES) are a hindrance in assessing their
comprehensive impacts on human wellbeing. Similarly, uncertainties about the quantity and quality of
CES, in real time and space, have hampered the ability of resource managers to precisely take responsive
management actions. The aim of the study is to demonstrate, how CES indicators can be identified and
qualified in order to link CES to human wellbeing, and to integrate them into the ‘ecosystem services cascade’

This paper presents an overview of progress in the area of nature conservation in the last decade in Kosovo.
Two very important laws were promulgated in 2012 about two national parks: Bjeshket e Nemuna and
Sharri National park. With this expansion, the protected area network that in 2003 was about 4.36 % of
the territory was increased to 10.9%, reaching a satisfactory degree of protected areas and increasing the
number of protected areas in a total of 116. While in terms of conservation of protected areas a significant

The purpose of the article is to review current paradigms in ecosystem services valuation, existing gaps and current trends in addressing those gaps. Natural capital, often defined as the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services into the future, is often undervalued or not valued at all by governments, business and society, which leads to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.

Housing prices in the Lyon Urban Area are simulated with the land use framework UrbanSim interacting with transportation model. We focus on the Real Estate Price Model of the UrbanSim framework. This OLS regression model of housing prices is calibrated using a nine-year back-casting period. The calibrated model, applied in simulation, provides price dynamics similar to actual one in the centre of Lyon. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates the model’s ability to capture changes in employment accessibility on price dynamics.

The present chaotic transformation from the industrial to the global information society is accelerating the ecological,
social and economic unsustainability. The rapidly growing unsustainable, fossil energy powered urbanindustrial
technosphere and their detrimental impacts on nature and human well-being are threatening the solar
energy powered natural and seminatural biosphere landscapes and their vital ecosystem services. A sustainability
revolution is therefore urgently needed, requiring a shift from the „fossil age“ to the „solar age“ of a new world