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Knowledge about how forest margins are utilized can be crucial for a general understanding of changes in forest cover, forest structure, and biodiversity across landscapes. We studied forest‐agriculture transitions in southwestern Ethiopia and hypothesized that the presence of coffee (Coffea arabica)decreases deforestation rates because of coffee's importance to local economies and its widespread occurrence in forests and forest margins. Using satellite images and elevation data, we compared changes in forest cover over 37 years (1973–2010) across elevations in 2 forest‐agriculture mosaic landscapes (1100 km² around Bonga and 3000 km² in Goma‐Gera). In the field in the Bonga area, we determined coffee cover and forest structure in 40 forest margins that differed in time since deforestation. Both the absolute and relative deforestation rates were lower at coffee‐growing elevations compared with at higher elevations (−10/20% vs. −40/50% comparing relative rates at 1800 m asl and 2300–2500 m asl, respectively). Within the coffee‐growing elevation, the proportion of sites with high coffee cover (>20%) was significantly higher in stable margins (42% of sites that had been in the same location for the entire period) than in recently changed margins (0% of sites where expansion of annual crops had changed the margin). Disturbance level and forest structure did not differ between sites with 30% or 3% coffee. However, a growing body of literature on gradients of coffee management in Ethiopia reports coffee's negative effects on abundances of forest‐specialist species. Even if the presence of coffee slows down the conversion of forest to annual‐crop agriculture, there is a risk that an intensification of coffee management will still threaten forest biodiversity, including the genetic diversity of wild coffee. Conservation policy for Ethiopian forests thus needs to develop strategies that acknowledge that forests without coffee production may have higher deforestation risks than forests with coffee production and that forests with coffee production often have lower biodiversity value. Efectos de la Administración Cafetalera sobre las Tasas de Deforestación y la Integridad de los Bosques

This book provides a clear theoretical lens and practical guidance on the prospects and limits of leveraging private corporate social responsibility standards, such as forest certification, alongside government regulatory efforts to achieve more effective and adaptive sustainability solutions.

Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), responsible for fanleaf degeneration, one of the most severe virus diseases of grapevines worldwide, causes substantial crop losses, reduces fruit quality and shortens longevity of grapevines. GFLV is transmitted from grapevine to grapevine by the ectoparasitic nematode Xiphinema index and belongs to genus Nepovirus, family Comoviridae. Since the discovery of the nematode vector in the late _50s and the identification of GFLV as the agent of fanleaf degeneration in the early _60s, a wealth of information was accumulated on its transmission, biological properties and serological characteristics, as well as on structure and expression of GFLV genome. Although dissemination of virus through propagation material has been drastically reduced over the past two decades by implementing rigorous certification schemes and establishing quarantine facilities, effective strategies are still needed to control GFLV in vineyards. Recently, significant progress has been made on the elucidation of the functions of most GFLV proteins, in particular the ones involved in critical steps of virus multiplication cycle, including RNA replication, cell-to-cell movement and transmission by X. index. New insights have also been gained into population structure and genomic variability among isolates from naturally infected vineyards, which have opened new pathways for designing alternative control strategies. This review article offers a comprehensive overview of the most significant advances made over the past 15 years on GFLV and discusses novel control strategies for one of the major threats to grapevine industry worldwide [Il Virus della foglia a ventaglio della vite (GFLV), responsabile della degenerazione a ventaglio, una delle più gravi malattie della vite a livello mondiale, causa rilevanti perdite produttive, riduce la qualità dell'uva e la longevità delle piante. Il GFLV viene trasmesso dal nematode ectoparassita Xiphinema index e appartiene al genere Nepovirus, famiglia Comoviridae. Dalla scoperta del vettore alla fine degli anni '50 e dall'identificazione del GFLV come agente della degenerazione a ventaglio nei primi anni '60, sono state accumulate molte informazioni su trasmissione, proprietà biologiche, caratteri sierologici e struttura ed espressione del genoma del GFLV. Sebbene la diffusione del virus col materiale di moltiplicazione sia stata ridotta drasticamente negli ultimi venti anni con rigorosi schemi di certificazione e strutture per la quarantena, sono tuttora necessarie strategie efficaci per il controllo del GFLV. Recentemente sono stati conseguiti progressi significativi sul chiarimento delle funzioni della maggior parte delle proteine del GFLV, in particolare quelle coinvolte nei passaggi critici del ciclo di moltiplicazione, comprendenti la replicazione dell'RNA, il movimento da cellula a cellula e la trasmissione tramite X. index. Sono state inoltre acquisite nuove informazioni sulla struttura e variabilità genomica delle popolazioni negli isolati provenienti da vigneti infetti naturalmente, che hanno aperto nuove strade per mettere a punto strategie di controllo alternative. Questa rassegna offre un panorama dei progressi più significativi conseguiti negli ultimi 15 anni sul GFLV e discute le strategie innovative di controllo di una delle maggiori minacce per la viticoltura mondiale]

Introduction: This study aims to determine the impact of sports personnel’s professional competence on sports personnel performance in Indonesia in several Sports selected based on the importance of professional competency certification. Objective: This study focuses on the population of sports personnel in Indonesia which is spread across several leading sports branches following the mandate of the Grand Design of Sports in Indonesia. Methodology: This study focuses on impact analysis using the Scriven model, namely the goal-free evaluation model (goal-free evaluation model). The sample in this study were sports personnel who already had 28 sports trainer licenses consisting of 14 leading sports, but do not yet have a professional competency certification from the National Professional Certification Agency. So it consists of 2 people from each sport. Data was collected through direct questionnaires answered by sports personnel. Results: The findings of this study resulted in the effectiveness of professional competency certification for sports personnel, especially coaches in leading sports branches, having a value of Sig. (2-tailed) of 0.000 on df 28. The Sig. (2-tailed) value obtained was <0.05, which means it is significant for the performance results of the trainer compared to when the trainer had not been given a professional competency certification training program. Conclusions: Therefore, the role of professional competency certification is critical in improving the performance of sports personnel in building and developing sports in Indonesia through professional and reliable sports personnel in carrying out their profession in each field following the mandate of the Sports Law.

Genuine ecotourism can have many positve impacts, particularly the conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities. While promoting these, it aims to eleminate negative impacts such as environmental degradation, cultural commoditisation and playground effects. Unfortunately, the concept is broadly misunderstood and its true definition is widely debated. It is often used as a marketing tool, with some operators taking advantage of the ecotourism label to attract more business while behaving in environmentally irresponsible ways. This book considers the important topic of quality control and accreditation in ecotourism, describing the mechanisms that can be implemented to ensure quality in all aspects of the industry, namely protected areas, businesses, producs and tour guides.

Sustainability standards and certification serve to differentiate and provide market recognition to goods produced in accordance with social and environmental good practices, typically including practices to protect biodiversity. Such standards have seen rapid growth, including in tropical agricultural commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soybeans, and tea. Given the role of sustainability standards in influencing land use in hotspots of biodiversity, deforestation, and agricultural intensification, much could be gained from efforts to evaluate and increase the conservation payoff of these schemes. To this end, we devised a systematic approach for monitoring and evaluating the conservation impacts of agricultural sustainability standards and for using the resulting evidence to improve the effectiveness of such standards over time. The approach is oriented around a set of hypotheses and corresponding research questions about how sustainability standards are predicted to deliver conservation benefits. These questions are addressed through data from multiple sources, including basic common information from certification audits; field monitoring of environmental outcomes at a sample of certified sites; and rigorous impact assessment research based on experimental or quasi‐experimental methods. Integration of these sources can generate time‐series data that are comparable across sites and regions and provide detailed portraits of the effects of sustainability standards. To implement this approach, we propose new collaborations between the conservation research community and the sustainability standards community to develop common indicators and monitoring protocols, foster data sharing and synthesis, and link research and practice more effectively. As the role of sustainability standards in tropical land‐use governance continues to evolve, robust evidence on the factors contributing to effectiveness can help to ensure that such standards are designed and implemented to maximize benefits for biodiversity conservation.

Organizations turn to private certifying institutions instead of public certifying agencies. The CONOCER Survey was applied to 304 organizations, out of which 43% do not implement Competency Certification Programs: 36% are unaware of the benefits, 31% are unaware of the institutions and procedures, 26% have a lack of budget and 7% have high turnover. More communication and promotion of government programs are needed [7]. The Chile Valora Program [5,6] confirmed a need of knowledge and trust in the competency certification program. The OECD [18] sustains that in Mexico, a collaboration between the government and the productive sector must be promoted. A public financing program should be developed since only .01% of GDP, among the lowest in the OECD, to activate labor competencies. The methodology applied is the fixed mixed method and parallel convergent typology. A concurrent design for the collection and analysis is necessary. Las organizaciones recurren a instituciones certificadoras privadas en lugar de certificadores públicos. La Encuesta CONOCER se aplicó a 304 organizaciones, de las cuales, 43% no implementa Certificación de Competencias: 36% desconocen beneficios y 31% desconoce instituciones y procedimientos, 26% sin presupuesto y 7% tiene alta rotación. Se requiere mayor comunicación y promoción de los programas gubernamentales [7]. El Programa Chile Valora [5,6] confirmó que existía desconocimiento y desconfianza sobre el programa de certificación de competencias. La OCDE [18] sostiene que en México se debe promover la colaboración entre el gobierno y el sector productivo. Se debe desarrollar un programa de financiamiento público ya que se destina .01% del PIB, más bajos de la OCDE, para la activación de competencias laborales. La metodología aplicada es el método mixto fijo y la tipología convergente paralela. Es necesario el diseño concurrente en la recolección y el análisis.

Swedish and Norwegian potential consumers of eco-labeled wood products in do-it-yourself (DIY) retail stores were investigated in a study that focused on the end customers of two flooring applications and wood for outdoor decks. Data were collected from different populations yielding a multiproduct, multipopulation study. Consumers with preferences for eco-labeled wood products generally focused less on the product type than consumers that reported a low preference for eco-labeled wood properties. The green consumers presented a low price sensitivity and they were more often women. Other characteristics of green consumers observed in the substudies included a higher share of married couples/cohabiters, a secondary education, less advanced plans concerning purchase, and preferences for product warranty. The results can assist producers in making approximate descriptions of green consumers; however, socioeconomic and demographic variables should be complemented by other information that reflects attitudes and intentions to get a more comprehensive idea of green consumers of wood products.

Purchasing a home is one of the most significant decisions in life. Research shows that consumers typically consider price, location, layout, durability, and aesthetics when buying a home. However, with the increasing impact of climate change, sustainability, energy consumption, and carbon emissions are becoming important factors. This study examines how the sustainability features of the HEP Istanbul Housing Project, which holds LEED Gold and Silver certifications, grounded in LEED criteria and informed by a thorough review of relevant literatura, was administered to 70 individuals who had purchased homes from the project. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22. The findings indicate that although consumers were not highly familiar with LEED certification, environmental responsibility played a role in their decisions, highlighting a growing awareness of sustainability in home purchases.

Amazon beef and soybean industries, the primary drivers of Amazon deforestation, are increasingly responsive to economic signals emanating from around the world, such as those associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, \"mad cow disease\") outbreaks and China's economic growth. The expanding role of these economic \"teleconnections\" (coupled phenomena that take place in distant places on the planet) led to a 3-year period (2002-2004) of historically high deforestation rates. But it also increases the potential for large-scale conservation in the region as markets and finance institutions demand better environmental and social performance of beef and soy producers. Cattle ranchers and soy farmers who have generally opposed ambitious government regulations that require forest reserves on private property are realizing that good land stewardship-including compliance with legislation-may increase their access to expanding domestic and international markets and to credit and lower the risk of \"losing\" their land to agrarian reform. The realization of this potential depends on the successful negotiation of social and environmental performance criteria and an associated system of certification that are acceptable to both the industries and civil society. The foot-and-mouth eradication system, in which geographic zones win permission to export beef, may provide an important model for the design of a low-cost, peer-enforced, socioenvironmental certification system that becomes the mechanism by which beef and soy industries gain access to markets outside the Amazon.