Wetland ownership and management in a common property resource setting: A case study of Hakaluki Haor in Bangladesh

Schlager and Ostrom [Schlager, Edella and Ostrom, Elinor, (1992). Property-Rights Regimes and Natural Resources: A Conceptual Analysis. Land Economics, (August), 68(3), 249-262.] provide a theoretical approach to enable researchers to examine variation in ownership positions within a common property setting. Their approach provides a basis for developing hypotheses regarding the relationship between various ownership positions and subsequent incentives to invest in the long term maintenance of a natural resource. We use a survey approach to examine their theory as it applies to villagers living around the Hakaluki Haor, one of the largest wetlands in Bangladesh. Our key findings are consistent with Schlager and Ostrom's theory in several ways. First, we find that ownership positions vary amongst villagers in the common property setting that governs resource use in the Hakaluki Haor. Second, those that believe they possessed management rights were more likely to indicate that they participated in wetland conservation activities. An additional finding of interest is that women remained willing to support wetland conservation activities despite the fact that they generally characterized themselves as not having the right to participate in decisions regarding the management of wetland resources.Common property Property rights Wetland Hakaluki Haor Bangladesh

Increasing risk of cascading hazards in the central Himalayas

Cascading hazards are becoming more prevalent in the central Himalayas. Primary hazards (e.g., earthquakes, avalanches, and landslides) often trigger secondary hazards (e.g., landslide dam, debris flow, and flooding), compounding the risks to human settlements, infrastructures, and ecosystems. Risk management strategies are commonly tailored to a single hazard, leaving human and natural systems vulnerable to cascading hazards. In this commentary, we characterize diverse natural hazards in the central Himalayas, including their cascading mechanisms and potential impacts. A scientifically sound understanding of the cascading hazards, underlying mechanisms, and appropriate tools to account for the compounding risks are crucial to informing the design of risk management strategies. We also discuss the need for an integrated modeling framework, reliable prediction and early warning system, and sustainable disaster mitigation and adaptation strategies