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Cooperation - a prerequisite to sustainable destination development? : a qualitative interview study about Kinnekulle´s nature tourism
Get PDFStatistik om besöksnäringens utveckling i Sverige visar på att allt fler människor visats i naturen. Inom naturturismens utveckling står ofta två värden i fokus, att främja naturturism och samtidigt värna om höga naturvärden. För att hitta balansen mellan dessa två värden och åstadkomma hållbar destinationsutveckling, har flera aktörer pekat på vikten av samverkan. Uppsatsens syfte är att skapa förståelse för hur aktörer arbetar med samverkan samt vilken roll samverkan har inom en hållbar destinationsutveckling. Utgångspunkten för studien är Kinnekulle, som är en etablerad naturdestination med över 300 000 besökare varje år. För att uppnå uppsatsens syfte har studien undersökt hur samverkan skapas och äger rum, samt på vilket sätt samverkan bidrar med en hållbar destinationsutveckling på Kinnekulle. Studien har använt sig av kvalitativa metoder där 11 semistrukturerade intervjuer används som underlag. De intervjuade personerna representerar aktörer från antingen offentlig, privat eller ideell sektor som är kopplade till naturturism på Kinnekulle. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkt ligger i begreppen ”aktörsamverkan” och ”nätverk” som bland annat är hämtade från Westbergs (2005) och Engdahl & Larssons (2020) redogörelser av begreppen. Studien visar att samverkan i viss mån äger rum mellan aktörer som är kopplade till naturturism på Kinnekulle. Genom etablerade nätverk skapas olika samverkansmöjligheter. Dessutom visar studien att olika nätverk som är uppbyggda med olika länkar mellan aktörerna, är positivt för samverkan som i sin tur främjar en hållbar destinationsutveckling. Samtidigt är turismverksamheter som guidade turer och cykeluthyrning inte etablerade i samma utsträckning som boendeanläggningar samt café-och restaurangverksamheter i området. Dock kan den typ av verksamhet utvecklas på ett hållbart sätt där naturen inte tar skada med hjälp av samverkan mellan berörda aktörer, vilket även de intervjuande aktörerna framförde.The tourism industry in Sweden is undergoing significant development, with studies indicating a rise in nature-based tourism. Within the development of nature tourism, two values are often in focus: promoting nature tourism and at the same time, protecting high natural values. In the context of sustainable destination development, collaboration emerges as a crucial component. This study aims to contribute an understanding of how different stakeholders work with cooperation and the role it plays in sustainable destination development. The study focuses on Kinnekulle, an established nature destination attracting over 300,000 visitors annually. To fulfill the study's objective, an investigation was conducted to explore the creation, implementation, and impact of cooperation on sustainable destination development in Kinnekulle. The study used qualitative methods based on 11 semi-structured interviews. The interviewees represent actors from the public, private and non-profit sectors who are involved in nature tourism at Kinnekulle. The theoretical starting point of the study is the concepts of "actor cooperation" and "network", which are taken from, among others, Westberg (2005) and Engdahl & Larsson (2020). The study shows that there is a certain amount of collaboration between the actors involved in nature tourism at Kinnekulle. Through established networks, various opportunities for cooperation are created. In addition, the study shows that different networks with different links between the actors are positive for cooperation, which in turn promotes sustainable destination development. At the same time, tourism activities such as guided tours and bicycle rentals are not established to the same extent as accommodation, cafés, and restaurants in the area. Nonetheless, that type of activities can be developed in a sustainable way where nature is not harmed with the help of cooperation between the actors involved, which was also expressed by the interviewees
Institutional dynamics in Cuban agriculture : a case study from three Cuban farms
Get PDFCuba is still subjected to the trade embargo imposed by the United States in 1962, restricting global trade and historically forcing Cuba into a dependency on the Soviet Union for energy, oil, and agricultural inputs. Today's agricultural system in Cuba bears the imprint of this historical reliance in the form of institutional constraints that shape Cuban farmers everyday activities. Our thesis aims to identify institutions affecting the agricultural activities on three Cuban farms using a method consisting of interviews and field observations. Furthermore, we examine whether identified institutions are adapting to the structural changes of the post-Castro era. Empirical evidence is analyzed using a theoretical framework based on concepts including institutions, pre-definitions and habits, bureaucracy, and new institutionalism.
In the context of Cuban agriculture this thesis identifies both informal and formal institutions present on the three farms. Our findings identified the Cuban farmer as an informal institution consisting of collective notions of what it means to be a Cuban farmer. Additionally, we also identified practices from the era of state agricultural collectives as an informal institution. We address how habits from the era of state agricultural collectives are passed down through generations and become institutionalized.
Secondly, this thesis also identifies bureaucracy as a formal institution, notably the Cuban agricultural bureaucracy (CAB). This thesis emphasizes the bureaucratic problems that Cuban farmers face, such as complex regulations, delays in obtaining essential equipment, and the significance of connections and privileges within the system.
Lastly the thesis discusses institutional change in Cuban agriculture. Cuba's government has expressed interest in restructuring the agriculture industry and decentralizing some authority to cooperatives. Alongside farmers have experienced legislative changes that, for example, guaranteed greater access to farmers' markets. While there is a desire for change, our thesis emphasizes that the historical context and path-dependency of institutions continue to exert influence. While large external events such as COVID-19 and subsequent emigration have also had significant impacts on Cuba, potentially pushing the government to take action for change
Can targeted disclosure regulations facilitate the environmental transition of the shipping sector?
Get PDFThis research examines the impact of the EU Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) regulation on ship emissions when calling at EU ports. The main question is whether ships that are required to report their emissions emit less due to the regulation. The study utilizes Automatic Identification System (AIS) data on distance sailed, fuel consumption, deadweight tonnage, and gross tonnage to calculate each ship's Annual Efficiency Ratio (AER) value. The value is an index used to describe a ship’s carbon intensity per carrying capacity and distance traveled. An empirical analysis is conducted using the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) method to clarify the question. By limiting the analysis to ships with a gross tonnage just above 5,000 and ships with a gross tonnage just below 5,000, the effect of MRV regulation on emissions is isolated. According to the result estimates, it appears that the MRV regulation does not have a significant impact on ship emissions. In fact, if any effect exists, it might be positive. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that the results are not statistically significant
Överföring av karprofen från tik till diande valpar
Get PDFDen dräktiga eller lakterande tiken kan drabbas av diverse komplikationer som kan
ge upphov till smärta, exempelvis dystoki eller mastit och vid dessa
sjukdomstillstånd kan det vara aktuellt med smärtbehandling. Däremot är frågan
om lämplig smärtlindring för dräktiga eller lakterande tikar svårbesvarad. Detta
beror på att det för närvarande finns för få studier angående utsöndring av nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) i mjölken hos tikar. Syftet med
pilotstudien var därmed att undersöka överföringen av karprofen (NSAID) från
tikens mjölk till diande valpar.
Studien är ett kandidatarbete inom djuromvårdnad och utformades som en
pilotstudie med litteraturöversikt. Pilotstudiens data kom från en tik och hennes sju
valpar som ägs av Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU). Tiken förlöstes genom
assisterad valpning och smärtbehandlades därefter med en subkutan injektion av
karprofen (4 mg/kg), följt av en per oral (p.o.) dos av karprofen (2 mg/kg) två
gånger dagligen under en behandlingsperiod av fem dagar. Insamlingen av data
skedde under tre provtagningstillfällen. Vid det första provtagningstillfället, dag 2
post partum (p.p.), samlades mjölk- och blodprover in från tiken vid specifika tider
efter dosering av karprofen. Blod- och urinprover samlades även in från valparna
efter doseringen vid bestämda tider. Ytterligare ett provtagningstillfälle
genomfördes när tiken fick mastit och mjölkprover togs från friska juverdelar och
juverdelen med mastit under en period av tio dagar. Vid provtagningstillfället när
valparna var 30 dagar gamla samlades enbart urinprover från valparna.
Den högsta koncentrationen av karprofen som uppmättes i tikens plasma var 13
900 ng/ml och 35,4 ng/ml i valparnas plasma. Den högsta koncentrationen av
karprofen i tikens mjölk uppmättes till 67,6 ng/ml. Under de tio behandlingsdagarna
som tiken smärtlindrades med karprofen på grund av mastit var den högsta
uppmätta koncentration av karprofen i mjölken från juverdelen med mastit 70,4
ng/ml som observerades vid första behandlingsdagen och för de resterande dagarna
var koncentrationen < 30 ng/ml. Koncentrationen av karprofen i mjölken från de
friska juverdelarna var ≤ 20,4 ng/ml.
Pilotstudiens resultat indikerar att det möjligtvis är säkert för den neonatala
valpen att dia från en tik som blir behandlad med karprofen. Det var dock ett för
lågt antal individer i pilotstudiens urvalsgrupp för att kunna dra några tillförlitliga
slutsatser kring om förtäringen av karprofen via tikens mjölk medför risker för den
neonatala valpen. Mer forskning behövs inom området för att säkerställa att
smärtbehandling med karprofen för den lakterande tiken inte medför några risker
för tikens diande valpar.
Nyckelord: Dystoki, Immunitet, Karprofen, Laktation, Mjölk, NSAID, Tik, ValpThe pregnant or lactating bitch can suffer from various complications that can give
rise to pain, for example dystocia or mastitis. Therefore, pain treatment may have
to be administered to the bitch when these complications arise. However, the
question regarding suitable pain relief for pregnant or lactating bitches is difficult
to answer within veterinary medicine. This is because there are currently too few
studies regarding the degree of excretion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAID) in the milk of bitches. The aim of the pilot study was therefore to
investigate the transfer of carprofen from the bitch’s milk to the nursing puppies.
The study is a bachelor's thesis in veterinary nursing and consisted of a pilot
study with a literature overview. The pilot study’s data came from a bitch and her
seven puppies that are owned by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
(SLU). The bitch whelped by assisted birthing and was afterwards treated with a
subcutaneous injection of carprofen (4 mg/kg) and thereafter a per oral (p.o) dose
of carprofen (2 mg/kg) twice daily for a period of five days. The collection of data
took place during three sampling occasions. At the first sampling occasion, day 2
post-partum (p.p), milk and blood samples were collected from the bitch at specific
times after the p.o dose of carprofen. Blood and urine samples were also collected
from the puppies after the p.o dose of carprofen at set times. Another sampling
occasion occurred when the bitch had mastitis and milk samples were taken from
healthy mammary glands and the mammary gland with mastitis during a ten-day
period. At the sampling occasion when the puppies were 30 days old, only urine
samples from the puppies were collected.
The highest concentration of carprofen measured in the bitch’s plasma was 13
900 ng/ml and 35,4 ng/ml in the puppies’ plasma. The highest concentration of
carprofen in the bitch’s milk was 67,6 ng/ml. During the ten treatment days that the
bitch was administered carprofen as pain-relief for mastitis, the highest measured
concentration of carprofen in the milk of the mammary gland with mastitis was 70,4
ng/ml which was observed during the first day of treatment and for the remaining
days the concentration was < 30 ng/ml. The concentration of carprofen in the milk
from the healthy mammary glands was ≤ 20.4 ng/ml.
The results of the pilot study indicate that it is possibly safe for the neonatal
puppy to nurse from a bitch treated with carprofen. However, the number of
individuals in the pilot study sample group was too small to allow drawing any
reliable conclusions from the results. More research is needed within this field of
study to establish if carprofen as pain treatment for the lactating bitch poses any
risk to the nursing puppies.
Keywords: Bitch, Carprofen, Dystocia, Immunity, Lactation, Milk, NSAID, Pupp
Elektrisk effektanalys av vårdcentraler
Get PDFMed rådande kapacitetsbrist i Uppsala finns det incitament att se över det elektriska effektuttaget. Region Uppsala äger fastigheter såsom vårdlokaler med varierande elektriskt effektbehov. Utöver variationen mellan fastigheter så varierar det elektriska effektuttaget för en och samma byggnad kraftigt under dygnet. Där finns det ett behov för större förståelse för förbrukningen. Detta projektarbete går ut på att göra en elektrisk effektanalys på vårdcentralerna i Heby och Årsta för att utreda tillgängliga alternativ för att minska det elektriska effektuttaget av vårdcentraler i Region Uppsala. Projektarbetet utförs endast utifrån ett tekniskt perspektiv. Resultaten visar att de största lasterna på vardera vårdcentral är undercentral, belysning och ventilation. Det är möjligt att sänka den elektriska effektkonsumtionen med ungefär 30% i både Heby och Årsta. Det finns många laster som går att ändra drifttider till lägre belastningstid på dygnet.With the current power transmission shortage in Uppsala, there are incentives to look over the electrical power usage. Region Uppsala owns properties such as health care centers with varying electrical power demand. In addition to variations in demand between different properties, one single building can have widely varying electrical power demands over 24 hours. There is a need to better understand the electrical power usage. The purpose of this project is to conduct an electrical power analysis for the health care centers in Heby and Årsta, and to investigate available alternatives to reduce the electrical power usage in health care centers in Region Uppsala. The project is solely conducted from a technical perspective. The results show that the largest loads at each health center are the mechanical room, lighting and ventilation. It is possible to reduce the electrical power consumption by about 30 % in both Heby and Årsta. There are several loads that can be moved to lower load times during the day
Studie av toppskyddet EcoTall på ett ungskogsbestånd i Västmanland
Get PDFViltskador är problematiska för skogsbruket då det medför defekter som orsakar stora ekonomiska förluster. Det är framförallt älgens betesskador på tall som är ett problem för skogsbrukets ekonomi och skadorna förväntas inte bli färre med tiden. Syftet med denna studie var att öka kunskapen om det mekaniska viltskyddet EcoTall och undersöka hur produkten kan nyttjas i arbetet för att minska betesskadorna. Skyddet ska placeras på tallarnas toppskott och ska sitta kvar under den period som träden är extra känsliga för betning. Tanken är att detta ska vara ett kostnadseffektivt alternativ för skogsägaren att arbeta med för att reducera betesskadorna, eftersom funktionstiden för skyddet är minst fem år.
I denna studie har EcoTall använts på cirka 10 000 tallar i ett åtta hektar stort ungskogsbestånd i Sala i Västmanland. Appliceringen skedde under november 2021. För att undersöka kostnaderna för behandlingen användes inköpspriset för EcoTall inklusive volymrabatt, samt en uppskattad timkostnad multiplicerad med antalet timmar som behandlingen tog att utföra. Materialkostnaden och arbetskostnaden adderades och en total kostnad beräknades. Vidare undersöktes EcoTalls funktion genom objektiva cirkelprovyteinventeringar i beståndet. Tio provytor lades ut vid samma tidpunkt som behandlingen utfördes i syfte att undersöka EcoTalls funktionstid. Måttband användes för att räkna antalet behandlade tallar inom 200 m2. Återbesök av provytorna skedde tre gånger för att kontrollera hur många av skydden som var intakta i april 2022, november 2022 samt april 2023. För undersökning av betesskadorna användes Skogsstyrelsens inventeringsmetod (Äbin). Metoden innebar att undersöka betesskador på enskilda stammar som var mellan en till fyra meter höga i ungskogsfasen för att kontrollera om betesskadan var en årsskada som skett under sommaren eller vintern 2022, eller om skadan var av äldre karaktär från tidigare år.
Undersökningen visade att kostnaden för att behandla en tall under den tidsperiod som studien omfattade var cirka 5,82 kronor. Detta gav för beståndet en total kostnad på 58 150 kronor. Totalkostnaden grundades på två appliceringstillfällen och tre inventeringstillfällen, vilket har påverkat kostnaden avsevärt. Genom inventeringarna bedömdes totalt 80 procent av skydden ha ramlat av från behandlingens start. Orsakerna till det kan bland annat ha varit kraftig blåst och toppskottens uppskjut under sommaren. Av denna studie framgår det därför att kompletterande åtgärder är nödvändiga redan innan fem år löper ut. Det är därför i nuläget osäkert om EcoTall kan anses vara ett långvarigt, kostnadseffektivt skydd så som det är utformat idag. Avseende betesskadorna visade resultatet att den genomsnittliga årsskadenivån för 2022 nästan var en tredjedel lägre i det behandlade beståndet jämfört med älgförvaltningsområdet som omfattades av studien. Genom okulära uppskattningar bedömdes dessutom EcoTall fungerat väl, eftersom älgar har befunnit sig i området men undvikit att beta på de behandlade tallarna.
Slutsatsen av studien är att EcoTall har potential till att nyttjas i arbetet för att minska betesskadeproblematiken om produkten utvecklas till att tåla vindexponerade ungskogar med snabba tillväxtprocesser. Något som ju är vanligt i dagens trakthyggesbruk.Grazing damage is a problem for the forest industry since it causes large financial losses. It is mostly grazing damage caused by mouse which is problematic for the forestry’s economy, and the damage is not expected to decrease over time. The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about the mechanical game protection EcoTall and how the product can be used in work to reduce grazing damage. The protection is being placed on the top shoots of the pines and must remain in place during the period when the trees are extra sensitive to grazing. The idea is that this should be a cost-effective alternative for forest owners to work on reducing grazing damage since the functional lifetime of the protection is five years.
In this study, EcoTall has been treated on 10 000 pines in an eight-hectare forest in Sala in Västmanland during November 2021. To investigate the costs of the treatment, the purchase price of EcoTall was used, including volume discount, as well as an estimated hourly cost multiplied by the number of hours the protection took to apply. The material cost and the labor cost were added and a total cost was calculated. Furthermore, EcoTall was investigated through objective circular sample area inventories in the stand. Ten sample areas were laid out at the same time as the treatment started to investigate EcoTall's functional lifetime. Measuring tapes were used to count the number of treated pines within 200 m2. The sample areas were revisited three times to check how many of the Ecotall that were intact in April 2022, November 2022 and April 2023. The inventory method (Äbin) was used to investigate the grazing damage. The method involved examining grazing damage on individual trees that were between one and four meters high in the young forest phase to check if the grazing damage was an annual damage that occurred during the summer or winter of 2022, or if the damage was of an older nature from previous years.
This study showed that the costs of one EcoTall during the time period covered by the study was 5.82 Swedish crowns, which for the whole area gave a total cost of 58,150 crowns. The total cost was based on two applications and three inventories, which has tended to affect the costs significantly. The cost of materials was the biggest expense that affected the result. Through the inventories, 80 percent of the Ecotall had fallen off since the treatment started. The reasons for this may have been, among other things, strong winds and the postponement of the top shoots during the summer. Therefore, it appears that supplementary measures are necessary before five years expire. It is therefore currently uncertain whether EcoTall can be considered a long-term, cost-effective protection as it is designed today. Regarding grazing damage, the result showed that the average annual damage level for 2022 was almost a third lower in the treated area compared to the elk management area. Through ocular estimations, EcoTall was judged to have worked well, since elks has been in the area but avoided grazing on the treated pines.
The conclusion of the study is that EcoTall has the potential to be used in work to reduce the problem of grazing damage if the product is developed to withstand wind-exposed young forests with rapid growth processes, which are common in today's forestry
Implementering av Skogliga Grunddata i hprGallring vid andragallring
Get PDFGallring är en av de skogsvårdsåtgärder som utförs i våra skogar för att bemöta de olika skogliga mål som skogsägarna har för sin skog. I Sveriges skogar så utförs gallringsåtgärder på ca 400 000 hektar årligen. För att säkerställa att gallringsåtgärden på de olika bestånden har utförts efter de villkor och mallar som ska följas samt utförts efter skogsägarens mål med skogen är uppföljningsarbetet efter åtgärderna en viktig stolpe i ett ansvarsfullt skogsbruk.
Detta uppföljningsarbete har under lång tid utförts manuellt i fält, vilket det har funnits brister i och med bland annat stickprovsutförande som ej varit rättvisande för hela åtgärden. Det var detta som gjorde att Skogforsk tog fram programvaran hprGallring, ett automatiskt gallringsuppföljnings-program som idag arbetar med tre olika metoder för att bedöma beståndets olika värden, såsom volym, gallringsstyrka och gallringskvot. Två av metoderna är grundade i att beräkna beståndens olika värden utifrån de träd som tas ut i de stickvägar som huggs upp framför skördaren under arbetet. I andra- eller senare gallringar finns inte dessa stickvägsträd att tillgå för hprGallrings beräkningar, då de har huggits ut i tidigare åtgärd. Då använder hprGallring en algoritm som grundar sig på ett samband mellan övrehöjd och grundyta efter gallring, uppbyggd på företagskontrollmätningar för beräkning av kvarvarande bestånd och gallringsstyrka. Denna algoritm har dock inte samma precision som de stickvägsmetoder som programmet har, och informationen den genererar har även påpekats vara missvisande och svårtolkad för skördarförare i andra och senare gallring.
I ett annat parallellt projekt som pågår under 2023, utvecklar Skogforsk en anpassad version av hprGallring (algoritm med SGD), för användning vid hyggesfria metoder. Ett av projektets syften är att utvärdera användning av skogliga grunddata (SGD) i beräkning av prognosvariabler för kvarvarande volym och grundyta. SGD, en nationstäckande databas som togs fram genom flygburen laserskanning, som ingångsvärden för dess skogsåtgärder. Det projektet öppnade upp möjligheten att utvärdera om prognoser på kvarvarande skog kan skattas med högre precision i gallring när SGD används för beståndets ingående variabler. Dock har även SGD en viss avvikelse i bland annat sin volymberäkning, då dess laserpunktstäthet har uppskattats till att kunna ha en felmarginal på 20 procent i dessa beräkningar (se Brethvad 2012).
Med detta som bakgrund utfördes en försöksstudie med syfte att analysera resultat av gallringsuppföljning med skogliga grunddata som ingångsvärden, samt att jämföra resultaten från de två metoderna, hprHyggesfritt med SGD som ingångsvärden och hprGallrings algoritm, med referensmätta provytor som totalklavats efter andragallring.
Resultaten visade att avvikelsen med SGD-metoden var lägre än för hprGallring, men att enstaka provytor stack ut från referensmätningen även för SGD-metoden. Medelvärdet över provytornas avvikelse hamnade på 5 procent för SGD-metoden med ett spann -4 till 19 procent, medan hprGallrings medelavvikelse vart -17 procent med spann -36 till + 16 procent. Dessa resultat överensstämmer med tidigare observationer, såsom att algoritmen i hprGallring missbedömer beståndsvärden en aning i andragallring. Vid signifikanstest på resultaten från de båda metoderna kunde hprGallrings resultat bekräftas underskatta sina volymberäkningar med 95 procent säkerhet, vilket stämmer med tidigare erfarenhet av programmet. Med SGD-metodens resultat kunde ingen signifikans bekräftas då resultaten hade för stor variation mellan över- och underskattning. Fler och framförallt större undersökningar behöver dock genomföras för att ytterligare stärka att hpr-program tillsammans med SGD implementerat som ingångsvärde har bättre precision i sitt resultat än de algoritmerna hprGallring använder idag. SGD-metoden är fortfarande under utveckling och en användarvänlig implementering av SGD i programvaran behövs innan det kan testas i skördarmiljön. Detta för att ge ett enkelt arbetssätt i skogsbruket och möjlighet att tillämpa systemet i större skala.Thinning is one of the silviculture measures that are performed in our forests to meet all the different forestry goals that the forest owners have. Thinning is performed in Sweden on about 400 000 hectares of forest every year. To secure that the thinning in the forest stands is performed after the agreements and templates which must be followed and according to forest owner’s goals with the forest, the follow-up work after the forest activity is an important pillar in responsible forestry. This follow-up work has for a long time been carried out manually in the field, in which it has found shortcomings, including random sampling that was not fair for the entire forest activity.
This is what led Skogforsk to develop the software "hprThinning", an automatic thinning follow-up program that today works with three different methods to assess the stand's various values, such as volume, basal area, thinning intensity, and thinning ratio. Two of the models used are based on calculating the different values of the stocks based on the trees that are removed from the cutting paths, from stems harvested from the path the harvester’s direction of travel during thinning work. In second or later thinnings, these path trees are generally not sufficient to enable hprThinning’s calculations, as they have already been removed to a large extent in the previous thinning. In these cases, hprThinning uses an earlier developed algorithm that is based on a correlation between dominant height and basal areal after thinning, that allows for a limited span in thinning intensity (Bhuiyan et al 2011). This correlation is based on a large dataset from Swedish forestry companies’, manually measured follow-up data after thinning. This correlation is used in the calculation of remaining stock and thinning intensity. but it lacks the same precision as models that stem data from cutting paths, and the information it generates has been shown at times to be misleading and difficult to interpret for harvester operators in second and later thinnings.
In another ongoing parallel project at Skogforsk, 2023, a modified version av hprThinning is under development (Algorithm laser scanning data) for use in nonclear-cut forestry. One of the aims of this project is to evaluate the use of laser data in the calculation of remaining volume and basal area after thinning. The laser data used is from the Swedish national database forest inventories that was produced through airborne laser scanning, which contains data on standing volume, basal area, basal area weighted average height and basal areal weighted average diameter. This parallel project, when applied to thinning operations, enables the evaluation of calculations in hprThinning based on laser data and whether these generate predictions for remaining volume and basal area with higher precision than earlier developed models. However, laser data also has a certain deviation in, among other things, its volume prediction, as its laser point density has been estimated to have a margin of error of 20 percent in these calculations. With this a pilot study was carried out with the aim of analyzing the results of thinning follow-up with SGD as input values, as well as comparing the results of the two methods, hprNonClearcut with SGD as input values and hprThinning's algorithm, with reference-measured sample areas that were totally cleared after second thinning.
The results showed that the deviation of the SGD-method was lower than for hprThinning, but that individual sample areas stood out from the reference measurement even for the SGD-method. The average value over the deviation of the sample areas ended up at 5 percent for the SGD method with a range of - 4 to + 19 percent, while the average deviation of hprThinning was -17 percent with a range of - 36 to + 16 percent. These results are consistent with previous observations, such that the algorithm in hprThinning slightly misjudges stock values in second thinning. In a significant test on the results from both methods, hprThinning's results could be confirmed to underestimate their volume calculations with 95 percent certainty, which is in line with previous experience with the software. With the results of the SGD-method, no significance could be confirmed as the results had too much variation between overestimation and underestimation. However, more and above all larger investigations need to be carried out to further strengthen that Hpr-software together with SGD implemented as an input value have better precision in their results than the algorithms hprThinning uses today. hprNonClearcut is still at an early stage and an easy implementation of SGD into the software for the harvesters needs to be developed. This would provide a simpler way of the everyday work in forestry and the opportunity to apply the system on a larger scale
Can urban tree re-inventories inform future species selection?
Get PDFUsing the inventory database of trees for Malmö municipality, Sweden, this study explored the
potential of using the diameter at breast height (DBH) measurement in re-inventories, as a
decision-making tool for species selection and management in urban forests. With the
escalating pressures of urbanization and unpredictable climate change effects, there is an urgent
need for urban forest managers to possess reliable tools that can facilitate the selection of
resilient tree species capable of thriving in diverse and changing urban contexts. A series of
discussion graphs were used in this study’s analysis to effectively illustrate the relationship
between DBH, growth rates, and the provision of ecosystem services. DBH, acknowledged as
a significant inventory parameter, was found to be an effective proxy for crown diameter,
which serves as a vital indicator of the extent of ecosystem services provided by urban forests.
The study found species-dependent differences in relative performance, as indicated by growth
rate, across various planting environments and groundcover types. One method of categorizing
trees into age groups was explored to assess any age-dependent performance differences.
However, the analysis revealed little variation within species between the selected age groups.
Future research could adopt more sophisticated analyses, focusing specifically on speciesspecific
growth curves and performance in younger trees. This study demonstrates that DBH
measurements are a valuable tool for guiding species selection. Continued study of this data
can help urban tree managers make informed decisions about species likely to perform well in
the future. Specifically, understanding species performance in more restrictive environments,
such as hardscapes or street environments, can provide predictive insights into species'
resilience in increasingly challenging conditions induced by climate change. It is strongly
recommended that future re-inventory efforts continue to prioritize the inclusion of DBH
measurements in re-inventories to increase the available data for analysis. The continuous
incorporation of this parameter will yield a more comprehensive understanding of tree
populations, ultimately enabling informed decision-making and facilitating the formulation of
effective management strategies for urban forests in the future
Faunabroar: Är det framtiden för minskade viltolyckor?
Get PDFWildlife vehicle collisions (WVC) are a problem in the world that is costly and can create suffering for the affected. Every year about 65 000 WVC are reported in Sweden only. Fauna passages are built to try to reduce WVC and the fragmentation that road networks make. The aim of this study was to see if fauna bridges influenced the amount of reported WVC, which species were affected and whether the bridge had an impact up to four kilometres. Coordinates for bridges and the WVC were compared. Furthermore, the species in the WVC and distance from the bridge were noted. The results show that reported WVC were higher after the bridges were built than before the bridges. However, trends in the years after the bridges were built show that the number of WVC were declining. The bridges had a positive effect on WVC up to one kilometre. Fallow deer were also less reported in WVC after the bridges were built
The Impact of Export Restrictions on International Trade in Medical Products : An Analysis of Supply Chain Disruptions between China and the United States during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Get PDFThis thesis investigates the impact of export restrictions on supply chains within the medical supply industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. A multiple linear regression model is estimated on monthly data between January 2020 to December 2022. The regression model is provided to help analyze China's trade values of medical supplies with the United States in relation to textile face-masks. Different measures which influenced supply chains were implemented by the governments in response to the health crisis. The model for this thesis included factors such as export restrictions in the form of licensing and permit requirements, lockdowns in China and also confirmed number of Covid cases in China and the United States respectively. The results aligns with the hypothesis that export restraints as well as lockdowns and the confirmed number of cases in China had a negative significant impact on China’s exporting trade value of textile face-masks to the United States while the number of confirmed cases in the United States showed a positive relationship to China’s trade values