Kazuo Asahiro

Basic Studies on a Dynamic Vegetation Mapping System and its Utilization as a Tool for Rural Country Land Conservation

有限の地球資源や生態バランスの保全を考えるとき, 国土環境の現況把握と植物資源の持続的な保全・利用計画が必要であるが, その基礎資料となる従来の植生図は, 植生の質量についての情報内容やデー夕の最新性等に限界があったため, 本研究は近い将来の超分解能衛星データの普及を前提に, カラー空中写真を主体に画像分析を行い, 当面は現地調査と目視判別も併用しながら, 樹林高, 樹冠幅, 樹木被覆度を示す現存植生環境動態図の作成を試みたものである.その活用の試案として, 植生の安定度, 大気浄化・気温調節機能, 景観・アメニティ機能, 生態的保全機能, 木材・バイオマス資源量, について現存植生環境評価図の作成を試みた.

Analysis of Power Dynamics and Livelihood Assets in Participatory Forest Management: Experience from Bangladesh

Participatory forestry (PF) plays a significant role to involve local communities and different actors in resources management and livelihood improvements. However, the power of important actors to misuse the PF for their self-interest has been stated as a key obstacle to success. Hence, this study seeks to identify the most powerful actors and the extent to which they affect PF decision- making and also to measure and evaluate the livelihood assets of participants. Empirical data were collected from Madhupur and Teknaf PF sites of Bangladesh during the different time intervals. The actors’ power analysis found out that the forest administration evidenced itself as the most powerful and influential actors in PF. In the case of livelihood analysis, the overall results indicated that the total value of PF members’ livelihood assets were 0.82 and 0.75 for Madhupur and Teknaf study sites. Livelihood asset conditions were significantly different between the PF members’ and non-members’ (0.65 and 0.62 for non-members’). However, the development of social and financial assets did not reveal a notable increase considering natural, physical and human assets. Therefore, it is very important to pay more attention to accelerate social and financial assets through intensive training, establishing conflicts resolution mechanism and adopting proper tree-crop technologies, and also provide alternative livelihood approaches to the forest dependent people. In addition, there is an immediate need to empower local PF members, by which the general members play the central role in decision making and governing all of their development activities.