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Hoffmann EM, Schareika N, Dittrich C, Schlecht E, Sauer D, Buerkert A. Rurbanity: a concept for the interdisciplinary study of rural-urban transformation. Sustain Sci 2023; 18:1-15. [PMID: 37363312 PMCID: PMC10199291 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-023-01331-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Along with climate change, population growth, and overexploitation of natural resources, urbanisation is among the major global challenges of our time. It is a nexus where many of the world's grand challenges intersect, and thus key to sustainable development. The widespread understanding of urbanisation as a successive and unidirectional transformation of landscapes and societies from a rural to an urban state is increasingly questioned. Examples from around the globe show that 'the rural' and 'the urban' are not only highly interdependent, but actually coexist and often merge in the same space or livelihood strategy. Our concept of rurbanity provides an integrated theoretical framework which overcomes the rural-urban divide and can be operationalised for empirical research. Rurbanity is the next stringent step following the gradual widening of previous concepts from urban-centred approaches through the emphasis on urban peripheries to attempts of abolishing any distinction of a rural environment and acknowledging the highly dynamic nature of globalising urbanisation. Building on complex systems theory and assemblage thinking, our concept explores complementary aspects of the distinct epistemic worldviews dominating the natural and social sciences. Within this theoretical frame, we derive four analytical dimensions as entry points for empirical research: Endowments and Place, Flows and Connectivity, Institutions and Behaviour, and Lifestyles and Livelihoods. Two examples illustrate how these dimensions apply, interact, and together lead to a comprehensive, insightful understanding of rurban phenomena. Such understanding can be an effective starting point for assessing potential contributions of rurbanity to long-term global sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Hoffmann
- Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Schareika
- Social and Cultural Anthropology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Theaterstrasse 14, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Dittrich
- Human Geography, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Goldschmidtstrasse 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Schlecht
- Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
| | - Daniela Sauer
- Physical Geography, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Goldschmidtstrasse 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Buerkert
- Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
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Rivera CJ, Macey SK, Blair ME, Sterling EJ. Assessing Ecological and Social Dimensions of Success in a Community-based Sustainable Harvest Program. Environ Manage 2021; 67:731-746. [PMID: 33475792 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01425-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Community-based conservation and resource management (CBCRM) programs often incorporate the dual goals of poverty alleviation and conservation. However, robust assessments of CBCRM program outcomes are relatively scarce. This study uses a multidisciplinary, systems approach to assess the ecological and social dimensions of success of an internationally acclaimed CBCRM program. This program, located in one of the largest protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon (Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve), strives for the sustainable harvest and trade of a turtle species (Podocnemis unifilis). We used mixed methods analysis, including interviews and population viability modeling, to understand three elements: how local perceptions of changes in the managed population compare to changes inferred by ecological analyses, the indicators stakeholders use to measure success, and the barriers to long-term program success and social-ecological system sustainability. We find that stakeholders perceive a growth trend in the managed turtle population, but this perception may diverge from our ecological understanding of the system under current management. Population viability analyses with a 1:1 sex ratio suggested population size will decline under two of three management scenarios (different degrees of harvest). Yet this and similar studies are plagued by a lack of species- and site-specific population parameters that could improve understanding of the system. Significant vulnerabilities exist for system sustainability, notably the recent decrease in foreign demand for the traded resource. Identifying a sustainable species-specific harvest rate, developing locally-grounded ecological and social indicators, and focusing on data-driven adaptive management will facilitate the identification of key leverage points for future management interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Rivera
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 10th Floor Schermerhorn Ext., 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, PO Box 110430, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | - Suzanne K Macey
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Mary E Blair
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Eleanor J Sterling
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA
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Gerits F, Messely L, Reubens B, Verheyen K. A social-ecological framework and toolbox to help strengthening functional agrobiodiversity-supported ecosystem services at the landscape scale. Ambio 2021; 50:360-374. [PMID: 32951148 PMCID: PMC7782596 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01382-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Functional agrobiodiversity (FAB) has severely declined during the last decades. Current efforts to reinforce FAB are mainly focused on single-actor, parcel-based measures, whereas multi-actor landscape approaches are supposed to be more effective. In this paper, we propose a social-ecological framework that structures how different land users at both the parcel and landscape level interact with FAB as a natural resource. Furthermore, we introduce 1 m2 FAB gardens as an interactive multipurpose measurement tool to gather data on ecosystem services in collaboration with land users. The presented action research approach provides new insights on motivations and interests of different land users in FAB and how knowledge exchange can result in a higher motivation to invest in FAB. Using a case study in Flanders, we illustrate the FAB-garden concept and highlight its strengths and necessary considerations to properly complement other research approaches in this social-ecological system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Gerits
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090 Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
- Social Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 115 bus 2, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 109, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Lies Messely
- Social Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 115 bus 2, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bert Reubens
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 109, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090 Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
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Gonzalez-Redin J, Polhill JG, Dawson TP, Hill R, Gordon IJ. Exploring sustainable scenarios in debt-based social-ecological systems: The case for palm oil production in Indonesia. Ambio 2020; 49:1530-1548. [PMID: 31808107 PMCID: PMC7320119 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01286-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A debt-based economy requires the accumulation of more and more debt to finance economic growth, while future economic growth is needed to repay the debt, and so the cycle continues. Despite global debt reaching unprecedented levels, little research has been done to understand the impacts of debt dynamics on environmental sustainability. Here, we explore the environmental impacts of the debt-growth cycle in Indonesia, the world's largest debt-based producer of palm oil. Our empirical Agent-Based Model analyses the future effects (2018-2050) of power (im)balance scenarios between debt-driven economic forces (i.e. banks, firms), and conservation forces, on two ecosystem services (food production, climate regulation) and biodiversity. The model shows the trade-offs and synergies among these indicators for Business As Usual as compared to alternative scenarios. Results show that debt-driven economic forces can partially support environmental conservation, provided the state's role in protecting the environment is reinforced. Our analysis provides a lesson for developing countries that are highly dependent on debt-based production systems: sustainable development pathways can be achievable in the short and medium terms; however, reaching long-term sustainability requires reduced dependency on external financial powers, as well as further government intervention to protect the environment from the rough edges of the market economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julen Gonzalez-Redin
- Information and Computation Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH Scotland, UK
| | - J. Gareth Polhill
- Information and Computation Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH Scotland, UK
| | - Terence P. Dawson
- Department of Geography, King’s College London, Strand, London, England, UK
| | - Rosemary Hill
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Cairns, QLD Australia
- Division of Tropical Environments and Societies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia
| | - Iain J. Gordon
- Information and Computation Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH Scotland, UK
- Division of Tropical Environments and Societies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT Australia
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Pan H, Page J, Zhang L, Cong C, Ferreira C, Jonsson E, Näsström H, Destouni G, Deal B, Kalantari Z. Understanding interactions between urban development policies and GHG emissions: A case study in Stockholm Region. Ambio 2020; 49:1313-1327. [PMID: 31749102 PMCID: PMC7190688 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01290-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced urban growth and sprawl have implications for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that may not be included in conventional GHG accounting methods. Improved understanding of this issue requires use of interactive, spatial-explicit social-ecological systems modeling. This paper develops a comprehensive approach to modeling GHG emissions from urban developments, considering Stockholm County, Sweden as a case study. GHG projections to 2040 with a social-ecological system model yield overall greater emissions than simple extrapolations in official climate action planning. The most pronounced difference in emissions (39% higher) from energy use single-residence buildings resulting from urban sprawl. And this difference is not accounted for in the simple extrapolations. Scenario results indicate that a zoning policy, restricting urban development in certain areas, can mitigate 72% of the total emission effects of the model-projected urban sprawl. The study outcomes include a decision support interface for communicating results and policy implications with policymakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haozhi Pan
- School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Jessica Page
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Temple Buell Hall 611 Taft Drive, Champaign, 61820 IL USA
| | - Cong Cong
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Temple Buell Hall 611 Taft Drive, Champaign, 61820 IL USA
| | - Carla Ferreira
- Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisie Jonsson
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Näsström
- Regional Planning, Growth and Regional Planning Management, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Georgia Destouni
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brian Deal
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Temple Buell Hall 611 Taft Drive, Champaign, 61820 IL USA
| | - Zahra Kalantari
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract
We propose a framework to support management that builds on a social-ecological system perspective on the Arctic Ocean. We illustrate the framework's application for two policy-relevant scenarios of climate-driven change, picturing a shift in zooplankton composition and alternatively a crab invasion. We analyse archetypical system dynamics between the socio-economic, the natural, and the governance systems in these scenarios. Our holistic approach can help managers identify looming problems arising from complex system interactions and prioritise among problems and solutions, even when available data are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Crépin
- The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Lilla Frescativägen 4, Box 50005, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa Gren
- The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Lilla Frescativägen 4, Box 50005, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustav Engström
- The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Lilla Frescativägen 4, Box 50005, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Ospina
- The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Lilla Frescativägen 4, Box 50005, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
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Tapia-Lewin S, Vergara K, De La Barra C, Godoy N, Castilla JC, Gelcich S. Distal impacts of aquarium trade: Exploring the emerging sandhopper (Orchestoidea tuberculata) artisanal shore gathering fishery in Chile. Ambio 2017; 46:706-716. [PMID: 28247340 PMCID: PMC5595739 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0906-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Artisanal fishery activities support the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Within these fisheries, distal global drivers can promote switching between alternative target resources. These drivers can promote the rapid development of new, unregulated and previously unexploited fisheries that pose a threat to the sustainability of ecosystems. In this paper, we describe a new artisanal shore gathering activity that targets a previously unexploited resource: the sandhopper (Orchestoidea tuberculata). The activity is driven by aquarium trade demand for food. We used mixed methods to describe the activity, assessed basic socio-economic incentives, and estimated Catches per Unit Effort. Results show that the sandhopper plays an important role for the livelihoods of shore gatherers engaged in the activity. Gatherers have adapted and developed two main extraction methods with different degrees of investment and extraction rates. Furthermore, gatherers have developed local knowledge regarding the ecology and management of the resource. Results show that economic incentives can motivate a rapid expansion of this unregulated activity. Future research gaps and management options to address the development of this fishery are discussed in light of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Tapia-Lewin
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, 2400 Bren Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-5131 USA
| | - Karina Vergara
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian De La Barra
- Dirección Regional de Pesca de la Región del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, Servicio Nacional de Pesca, Evaristo Merino 526, Pichilemu, Chile
| | - Natalio Godoy
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
- The Nature Conservancy, Marchant Pereira 367, of. 801, Providencia, 7500557 Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Castilla
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
| | - Stefan Gelcich
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, 2400 Bren Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-5131 USA
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Rivera A, Gelcich S, García-Flórez L, Acuña JL. Assessing the sustainability and adaptive capacity of the gooseneck barnacle co-management system in Asturias, N. Spain. Ambio 2016; 45:230-240. [PMID: 26204856 PMCID: PMC4752561 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-015-0687-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The gooseneck barnacle fishery in Asturias (N. Spain) has undergone three important changes: (1) the early implementation of a co-management system based on Territorial User Rights for Fishing, (2) a change in management measures (due to a decrease in landings), and (3) an economic crisis. This has allowed us to analyze the systems' sustainability in time through examining five critical variables: landings, effort, catch per unit effort (CPUE), mean market prices, and annual revenue. Additionally, we used focus groups and questionnaires to determine the response of the system to these three changes. Co-management has succeeded in maintaining or increasing CPUE throughout all management areas and produced stable mean market prices. This was achieved through flexible management policies and adaptive strategies adopted by the fishers, such as increased selectivity and diversification. The analysis of this fishery provides important lessons regarding the need to understand the evolutionary dynamics of co-management and the importance of embracing adaptive capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Rivera
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Stefan Gelcich
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) & Centro de Conservación Marina, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Lucía García-Flórez
- Centro de Experimentación Pesquera, Consejería de Agroganadería y Recursos Autóctonos del Principado de Asturias, Gijón, Spain.
| | - José Luis Acuña
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
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Akamani K, Wilson PI, Hall TE. Barriers to collaborative forest management and implications for building the resilience of forest-dependent communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana. J Environ Manage 2015; 151:11-21. [PMID: 25528269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Community resilience, the capacity of a community to adapt to change in ways that result in positive impacts on its well-being, is increasingly used as a framework for understanding and enhancing the sustainability of forest-dependent communities as social-ecological systems. However, studies linking community resilience to the implementation of forest management programs are limited. This study uses community resilience literature and analyzes data collected from interviews to study barriers of forest-dependent communities of collaborative forest management (CFM) in two forest-dependent communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Analysis revealed the barriers in community response to CFM programs in these two communities comprise institutional shortfalls in the design and implementation of the CFM program that have constrained the incentives, capacity and opportunities for communities to successfully adapt to the program. The paper offers recommendations on how the CFM program can contribute to building the resilience of communities in managing their forests. The first is to build institutional capacity of communities to play an active role in forest governance, and the second is the prioritization of well-being and livelihood enhancement as forest management goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi Akamani
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, 1205 Lincoln Drive, Mail Code 4411, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA.
| | - Patrick Impero Wilson
- Department of Conservation Social Sciences, University of Idaho, P.O. Box 441139, Moscow, ID 83844-1139, USA
| | - Troy Elizabeth Hall
- Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR 92331, USA
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