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Die Sanasilva-Inventur

*Der Gesundheitszustand der Bäume im Schweizer Wald wird seit 1985 mit der Sanasilva-Inventur repräsentativ erfasst. Die wichtigsten Merkmale sind die Kronenverlichtung und die Sterberate. Das systematische Probeflächen-Netz der Inventur ist im Laufe der Zeit ausgedünnt worden. In der Periode von 1985 bis 1992 wurden rund 8000 Bäume auf 700 Flächen im 4x4 km-Netz aufgenommen, 1993, 1994 und 1997 rund 4000 Bäume im 8x8 km-Netz und in den Jahren 1995, 1996 und 1998 bis 2002 rund 1100 Bäume im 16x16 km-Netz . Aufnahmemethode Alle drei Jahre (1997, 2000) wird die Sanasilva-Inventur auf dem 8x8-km Netz (ca. 170 Probeflächen ) durchgeführt. In den Jahren dazwischen findet die Inventur auf einem reduzierten 16x16-km Netz (49 Probeflächen) statt. Jede Fläche besteht aus zwei konzentrischen Kreisen. Der äussere Kreis hat ein Radius von 12.62 m (500 m2) und der innere ein Radius von 7.98 m (200 m2). Auf dem inneren Kreis werden alle Bäume mit einem Mindestdurchmesser in Brusthöhe von 12 cm und auf dem äusseren Kreis mit einem Mindestdurchmesser in Brusthöhe von 36 cm aufgenommen. In Nordrichtung wird zusätzlich in 30 m Entfernung eine identische Satellitenprobenfläche eingerichtet. Die Aufnahme findet in Juli und August statt. Eine Aufnahmegruppe besteht aus zwei Personen, von denen eine die Daten erhebt, und die andere die Daten eintippt. Die Daten werden mit dem Feldkomputer Paravant und der Software Tally erfasst. Die Aufgabenteilung wechselt zwischen Probeflächen. Auf dem 8x8-km Netz werden zusätzlich 10 Prozent der Flächen von einer unabhängigen zweiten Aufnahmegruppe zu Kontrollzwecken aufgenommen. Hauptmerkmale der Sanasilva-Inventur: Die Sanasilva-Inventur erfasst vor allem folgende Indikatoren des Baumzustandes: Die Kronenverlichtung wird beschrieben durch den Prozentanteil der Verlichtung einer Krone im Vergleich zu einem Baum gleichen Alters mit maximaler Belaubung/Benadelung an diesem Standort, den Anteil dieser Verlichtung, der nicht durch bekannte Ursachen erklärt werden kann, den Ort der Verlichtung, den Anteil und den Ort von unbelaubten/unbenadelten Ästen und Zweigen. Die Kronenverfärbung wird durch die Abweichung der mittleren Farbe (aufgenommen als Farbton, Reinheit und Helligkeit nach den Munsell Colour Charts) eines Baumes zu der für diese Baumart typischen Normalfarbe (Referenzfarbe) und durch das Vorhandensein, das Ausmass und den Ort der von der Referenzfarbe abweichenden Farben beschrieben. Der Zuwachs eines Baumes wird durch die zeitliche Veränderung der aufgenommen Baumgrössen beschrieben (Brusthöhendurchmesser, Höhe des Baumes, Kronenlänge und Kronenbreite). Weitere Merkmale sind die erkannten Ursachen der Kronenverlichtung, die Kronenkonkurrenz und das Vorkommen von Epiphyten, Mistel und Ranken in der Baumkrone.

FP6-SUSTDEV, Full-chain and uncertainty approaches for assessing health risks in future environmental scenarios (2-FUN)

The aim of 2-FUN is to provide decision-makers with a Decision Support System (DSS) that supports the analysis of current and future trends in environmental conditions and pressures causing health problems, and to evaluate and rank the management options of the composing risk factors using a cost-benefit evaluation. The DSS and its associated Geographical Information System (GIS) will offer a wide range of functionalities allowing the generation of results of high concern for health risk assessment: building of long-term environmental and socio-economic scenarios, exposure and effects mapping, provision of uncertainty margins, identification of sensitive pathways and risks, integrated risk indices and monetary values mapping, ranking of risk factors. Specific scientific actions will be set up to feed the DSS with methodologies/databases/models/ software on the following topics: Building future realistic socio-economic, environmental and health scenarios; Integrated exposure, effect and monetary assessment of multi-stressors and multi-routes; Integration of childrens issues in health risk assessments; Environment-related health indicators for relevant ranking and comparison of risk factors and monetary valuation of health effects; Development of uncertainty models for further health management; Implementation of a full-chain approach for health risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. 2-FUN also proposes to engage in a structural dialogue with all interested parties (stakeholders, policy-makers and researchers) to monitor large environment- and health-focused scientific initiatives and to incorporate stakeholders vision and needs regarding the development of tools for health risk assessment. The DSS will be tested on contrasted case studies covering a wide range of temporal, spatial, sectorial, environmental, societal contexts requiring comprehensive costbenefit analysis and able to provide policy-makers with relevant and easy-to-use information. Prime Contractor: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques; Paris; France.

Advanced Noise Reduction Systems (CALM II)

Today noise still belongs to the most concerned environmental pollutants. This is an essential societal problem, and-transportation is seen as the primary source. Accepting mobility as a basic human need and as an essential precondition for maintaining economic prosperity and wealth in an enlarging Europe, it is clear that the adverse effects of noise must be reduced while facing a continued increase in freight and passenger transport. CALM II aims at the synchronisation and encouragement of European transport noise research through an holistic system approach involving all related research areas. It is designed to facilitate the networking of organisations, the co-ordination of activities and the exchange and dissemination of knowledge. CALM II w ill -optimise research efforts -identify synergies between noise research objectives -identify remaining research needs -check the actual state-of-the-art of noise abatement technologies and support their industrial implementation. By involving the most relevant stakeholders from European and national activities from road, rail, aeronautic and maritime transport as well as complementary research issues such as health and socio-economic aspect, the European Noise Working Groups and the respective European Research Advisory Councils, CALM II will support the European Commission in setting up the agenda for future transport noise research and development. The outcome will be published in the form of 'Community Noise Research Strategy Plans' and the CALM II Consortium will use all modes of modern communication, electronically as well as brochures, papers, presentations and discussions at events to disseminate the results and enhance the Coordination of European noise research. Altogether CALM II will essentially contribute to the vision for 2020 'to avoid harmful effects of noise from all sources and preserve quiet areas.

FP6-SUSTDEV, Integrated Health, Social and Economic Impacts of Extreme Events: Evidence, Methods and Tools (MICRODIS)

Recent events such as the Pakistan earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the European heat waves of 2003 reveal the vulnerability of societies to extreme events. The goal of this project is to strengthen prevention, mitigation and preparedness strategies in order to reduce the health, social and economic impacts of extreme events on communities. The objectives of the MICRODIS project are to strengthen the scientific and empirical foundation on the relationship between extreme events and their impacts; to develop and integrate knowledge, concepts, methods and databases towards a common global approach and to improve human resources and coping capacity in Asia and Europe through training and knowledge sharing. This integrated project involves 19 partners from Asia and Europe, including research, policy and ground roots institutions. The outputs will include an evidence-base on impacts, field methodologies and tools for data compilation, impact models, and integrated vulnerability assessments. It will also strengthen standardised data collection of extreme events and their impacts at local, regional and global levels. Prime Contractor: Université Catholique de Louvain; Louvain-la-neuve; Belgium.

Ensuring Health and Food Safety from Rapidly Expanding Wastewater Irrigation in South Asia

Identification the risks and benefits associated with the use of untreated wastewater in urban and peri-urban fodder and vegetable cropping systems in India and Pakistan, with a particular focus on livelihoods, livestock and food safety. The project activities are in Hyderabad (India) and Faisalabad (Pakistan). Main task is the creation of a project GIS database and field mapping.

FP6-POLICIES, Pollution Reduction Options Network (PRONET)

European Member States have set up National Environment and Health Action Programmes during the last decade, confirming the importance of environmental health protection. The importance of scaling down this approach to regional and local level is evident to improve the conditions of life. There is a lack of exchange of information and experiences among Member States on this issue. Thus, there is a need to identify and analyse national and regional activities and to exchange good practices. The main objective of the PRONET project is to facilitate exchange and evaluation of interventions on environment and health exposure reduction measures on a regional level and promote implementation of successful initiatives in other regions of Europe. This project will focus on the exchange of useful practices in two areas; 1) the reduction of traffic-related health hazards; 2) improvement of indoor air quality. This project will co-ordinate the body of experience in practical pollution reduction measures or strategies and will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the design and implementation of measures aimed at reducing exposure to environmental health hazards. Communication, participation, socio-economic and gender factors are included in the analysis as they might influence the impact of exposure reduction measures. To do so PRONET will set up an information exchange platform for the development of health promotion-based policies. Furthermore, this project will set up a network of regional authorities and researchers at different levels. Establishing a link through partners and member states to THE PEP and other relevant projects will be part of the activities. At workshops and by surveys network members will come together to identify, analyse, assess and develop policy options to gain insight in interventions and disseminate the results to all stakeholders in European regions. The results will be used to make recommendations for policies at regional level. Prime Contractor: Hulpverlening Gelderland Midden; Arnheim; Netherlands.

FP6-SUSTDEV, Emerging Diseases in a Changing European Environment (EDEN)

FP6-POLICIES, Development of macro and sectoral economic models aiming to evaluate the role of public health externalities on society (DROPS)

The project aims to provide a full-chain analysis related to impact of health protection measures related to priority pollutants as identified by the Environment and Health Action Plan (EHAP), to support the development of cost effective policy measures against pollution related diseases and their wider impacts. The project will achieve this through extending and further developing existing methodologies, models and data to provide an impact-pathway-based model for evaluation of the role of public health externalities on society. The model will be made operational for the selected compounds. Specifically, the objectives are related to the following pollutants: ozone, heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, lead), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and indoor air pollution. Since a number of these compounds is carried on particles, PM may be used for some analyses. Main deliverables from the project will include evaluation of a number of emission scenarios using a cost-benefit analysis and incorporating macro-economic modelling. A coherent set of methodologies covering the indicated priority pollutants will be developed and applied in this evolution. The project objectives will be achieved in 7 work packages. WP 1 will extend current policy-relevant emission scenarios to cover all the targeted pollutants or pollution situations, and will provide data on costs of measures. WPs 2 and 3 will review latest research and incorporate information on dose/exposure/concentration - response relationships for health and non-health benefit endpoints of the targeted pollutants. They will also provide monetary valuation data. Based on WPs 1-3 and on macroeconomic analyses done in WP6, WP 4 will develop an integrated tool for the cost benefit assessment, which will be implemented in WP5. WP5 will also expand datasets created in WPs 1-3 and 6 with environmental information, to provide coherent input into the modelling. Prime Contractor: Norsk institutt for Luftforskning; Kjeller; Norway.

Feasibility study on means of combating forest dieback in the European Union

All EU Member States face economic and ecological losses due to forest damages. Thus, combating forest dieback, as for example caused by climate change, is a contribution to human safety and well-being and the sustainable development of Europe. The Feasibility Study on means of combating forest dieback in the European Union was initiated by the European Parliament demanding the European Commission to develop a concrete proposal for preventing, mitigating and control forest dieback in the EU. The study was carried out by the Institute for World Forestry and the European Forest Institute (EFI) in 2007. The main objectives of the study were to: - review the different factors affecting forest dieback in the EU and their related causes, - analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of available EU legislations and instruments to combat forest dieback in the EU and - examine the possibilities for establishing a specialised entity for forest protection. In the scope of the feasibility study a survey was conducted in the EU Member States on the importance of damaging agents in EU27 forests. The results of the survey show that the importance of individual threats to forest ecosystem health and vitality varies within European regions. Insects, storm/windfall, and fire were regarded as the most serious threats in Central Europe, Western Europe and Southern Europe respectively. Regional differences exist in relation to damage types and intensity, which thus reflect the importance for particular instruments to prevent, mitigate and control various causes of forest dieback. The feasibility study showed that at the EU level several efficient and well established measures have been implemented which contribute to the prevention, mitigation and control of forest dieback. The study showed also that as a consequence of the current state and the predicted development of environmental pressures, such as climate change, future activities on the EU level to combat forest dieback are urgently needed. Existing measures have to be further developed in order to (a) increase synergy effects between individual instruments, (b) make the instruments more transparent to the entire range of potential stakeholders and beneficiaries, and (c) improve the communication between the different actors involved. A major challenge will be to incorporate future patterns of forest dieback, into existing, amended or new measures. Only the triad of prevention, mitigation and control will put the EU into a position to maintain and enhance the multiple, beneficial functions of forests and their contribution to the quality of life.

FP6-POLICIES, Estimation of willingness-to-pay to reduce risks of exposure to heavy metals and cost-benefit analysis for reducing heavy metals occurence in Europe (ESPREME)

Heavy metals from different sources accumulate in the environment. From a policy point of view, it has been difficult to tackle the environmental problems due to heavy metals partly because the problem has been viewed from different policy domains (air, water, soils etc.). Thus, it is not guaranteed that the policy mix applied under environmental regulation is optimal. A systems analysis would be required to define the sources of heavy metals, how they are dispersed in the environment and which adverse effects they might cause on human and ecosystems health. From a policy point of view, it is also important to identify what kinds of policy responses would be most cost-effective to reduce the impacts of heavy metals. Such information is required for carrying out cost-benefit analyses of reducing the occurrence of heavy metals in our society. Identifying the benefits would include a monetary valuation of the impacts with contingent valuation (CV) approaches (e.g. assessing the willingness-to-pay, WTP). The focus of the work described will be on priority metals, which are mercury, cadmium, chrome, nickel, arsenic and lead. Core aim of the research is to carry out cost effectiveness (CEA) and cost-benefit analyses (CBA) for reducing the heavy metals occurrence, in the EU Member States and candidate countries, including damage assessment to the environment and human health in the long term following the impact pathway analysis which assesses the impacts and damages of pollutants from their emissions over their dispersion to exposure and impacts. Finally, a feasibility study will be conducted to identify the potentials, strengths and weaknesses and uncertainties of currently available macro-economic models to identify further research needs in this field.

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