ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Can domestication of wildlife lead to conservation? The economics of tiger farming in China

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Can domestication of wildlife lead to conservation? The economics of tiger farming in China

Tigers are a threatened species that might soon disappear in the wild. Not only are tigers threatened by deteriorating and declining habitat, but poachers continue to kill tigers for traditional medicine, decoration pieces and so on. Although international trade in tiger products has been banned since 1987 and domestic trade within China since 1993, tigers continue to be poached and Chinese entrepreneurs have established tiger farms in anticipation of their demise. While China desires to permit sale of tiger products from captive-bred tigers, this is opposed on the grounds that it likely encourages illegal killing. Instead, wildlife conservationists lobby for more spending on anti-poaching and trade-ban enforcement

ScienceDirect Spatial wildlife-vehicle collision models: A review of current work and its application to transportation mitigation projects

ScienceDirect - Journal of Environmental Management : Spatial wildlife-vehicle collision models: A review of current work and its application to transportation mitigation projects

In addition to posing a serious risk to motorist safety, vehicle collisions with wildlife are a significant threat for many species. Previous spatial modeling has concluded that wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) exhibit clustering on roads, which is attributed to specific landscape and road-related factors. We reviewed twenty-four published manuscripts that used generalized linear models to statistically determine the influence that numerous explanatory predictors have on the location of WVCs. Our motivation was to summarize empirical WVC findings to facilitate application of this knowledge to planning, and design of mitigation strategies on roads. In addition, commonalities between studies were discussed and recommendations for future model design were made.

World Bank`s Shantayanan Devarajan on Africa - The AfricaNews articles of smajek

AfricaNews - World Bank`s Shantayanan Devarajan on Africa - The AfricaNews articles of smajek: "Mr. Shantayanan Devarajan, the Sri-Lankan-born Chief Economist of the World Bank's (WB) Africa Region whose research covers public economics, trade policy, natural resources, the environment, and general equilibrium modeling of developing countries is a sought after authority on Africa.

Although there are many “unofficial authorities” on Africa at the WB, his name is the only one listed on the World Bank’s website as their expert on Africa."

Horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2011

ScienceDirect - Trends in Ecology & Evolution : Horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2011

This review describes outcomes of a 2010 horizon-scanning exercise building upon the first exercise conducted in 2009. The aim of both horizon scans was to identify emerging issues that could have substantial impacts on the conservation of biological diversity, and to do so sufficiently early to encourage policy-relevant, practical research on those issues.

Disease-related conflicts in mammal conservation

CSIRO PUBLISHING - Wildlife Research: "Diseases pose a major direct or indirect threat to the conservation of endangered species, and can be a source of conflict among the stakeholders in conservation efforts. We aim to provide examples of disease-related conflicts in conservation, and information that can be used to identify means to reduce existing conflicts and avoid potential new ones. After introducing how diseases can affect conservation efforts, we have provided examples of different types of disease-related conflicts,"

Research Areas & Approach: International Development Research Centre

Research Areas & Approach: International Development Research Centre: "IDRC has been contributing to building the field of ecohealth since 1996. Results include improved health and ecosystems, improved research capabilities in developing countries, and in many cases, positive changes in policies and common practices.
The Program supports many Communities of Practice in Ecohealth (COPEH) and other networks, the International Association for Ecology and Health and its journal, EcoHealth. It has also organized two international Forums to share knowledge between different groups,while strengthening and challenging the field."

East Africa gets ready for looming famine in 2011

The East African: - News |East Africa gets ready for looming famine in 2011: "During a meeting in Arusha last week that brought together senior officials from the five East African Community governments and the private sector that deal with agriculture and climate change, it was established that the big three — Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania — have common problems mitigating against maximising production and distribution of food."

How can Africa grow more food?

How can Africa grow more food? | Global development | guardian.co.uk: "African agriculture has become the focus of extraordinary attention and interest. Yesterday a big report was launched by the Harvard academic Calestous Juma with the backing of several African presidents, and next week Chatham House in London is hosting a major conference on food security where the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (Ifad) is launching a new report on rural poverty."

Food security, farming, and climate change to 2050 | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Food security, farming, and climate change to 2050 | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): "As the global population grows and incomes in poor countries rise, so too, will the demand for food, placing additional pressure on sustainable food production. Climate change adds a further challenge, as changes in temperature and precipitation threaten agricultural productivity and the capacity to feed the world’s population. This study assesses how serious the danger to food security might be and suggests some steps policymakers can take to remedy the situation."