Grassroots facilitators as agents of change for promoting sustainable forest management: lessons learned from REDD+ capacity development in Asia

This article aims to provide policymakers and other key stakeholders with insights into the issues and concerns of grassroots stakeholders with regards to REDD+2 policy and programme development. The lessons shared spring from experiences in REDD+ capacity development in South and South-East Asia, covering Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal and Viet Nam. Extensive participatory and contextualized discussions and a series of training events contributed to building a cadre of hundreds of REDD+ trainers and facilitators at different levels and reached out to thousands of grassroots communities in project countries.The opportunities and challenges involved in strengthening communication between policymakers and local stakeholders are highlighted

Ethnobotany in the Nepal Himalaya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Indigenous knowledge has become recognized worldwide not only because of its intrinsic value but also because it has a potential instrumental value to science and conservation. In Nepal, the indigenous knowledge of useful and medicinal plants has roots in the remote past.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The present study reviews the indigenous knowledge and use of plant resources of the Nepal Himalayas along the altitudinal and longitudinal gradient. A total of 264 studies focusing on ethnobotany, ethnomedicine and diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants, carried out between 1979 and 2006 were consulted for the present analysis. In order to cross check and verify the data, seven districts of west Nepal were visited in four field campaigns.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In contrast to an average of 21–28% ethnobotanically/ethnomedicinally important plants reported for Nepal, the present study found that up to about 55% of the flora of the study region had medicinal value. This indicates a vast amount of undocumented knowledge about important plant species that needs to be explored and documented. The richness of medicinal plants decreased with increasing altitude but the percentage of plants used as medicine steadily increased with increasing altitude. This was due to preferences given to herbal remedies in high altitude areas and a combination of having no alternative choices, poverty and trust in the effectiveness of folklore herbal remedies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Indigenous knowledge systems are culturally valued and scientifically important. Strengthening the wise use and conservation of indigenous knowledge of useful plants may benefit and improve the living standard of poor people.</p

Effect of Nanoscale Confinement on Ultrafast Dynamics of Singlet Fission in TIPS-Pentacene

Singlet fission (SF) is a phenomenon for the generation of a pair of triplet excitons from anexcited molecule in singlet electronic state interacting with another adjacent molecule in its ground electronic state. By increasing the effective number of charge carriers and reducing thermal dissipation of excess energy, SF is promised to enhance light-harvesting efficiency for photovoltaic applications. While SF has been extensively studied in thin films and crystals, the same has not been explored much within a confined medium. Here, we report the ultrafast SF dynamics of triisopropylsilylethynyl pentacene (TIPS-Pn) in micellar nanocavity of varying sizes (prepared from TX-100, CTAB, and SDS surfactants). The nanoparticles with a smaller size contain weakly coupled chromophores which are shown to be more efficient for SF followed by triplet generation as compared to the nanoparticles of larger size which contain strongly coupled chromophores which are less efficient due to the presence of singlet exciton traps. Through these studies, we delineate how a subtle interplay between short-range and long-range interaction among chromophores confined within nanoparticles, fine-tuned by the curvature of the micellar interface but irrespective of the nature of the micelle (cationic or anionic or neutral), play a crucial role in SF through and generation of triplets.Ultrafast dynamics of singlet fission within micellar nanocavities of varying size is investigated using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The nanocavity size controls the delicate interplay between short-range and long-range interactions among TIPS-pentacene chromophores leading to different types of molecular packing, which in turn, fine-tunes the rates and efficiencies of singlet fission.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/175184/1/cphc202200454-sup-0001-misc_information.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/175184/2/cphc202200454_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/175184/3/cphc202200454.pd

Indigenous knowledge on animal healthcare practices in district Kachchh, Gujarat

240-254This article describes the indigenous knowledge of local communities on the traditional healthcare system in district Kachchh, Gujarat. A total of about 726 individuals, from 55 villages across district Kachchh were interviewed, using structured questionnaire survey method. Major communities across wide range of age groups ranging from 15 years to above 90 years were covered. Of the total interviewed persons 49% claimed to have the ethnoveterinary knowledge. Respondents listed a total of 75 plant species that are used for treating ailments in the animals. Leaves, seeds, fruits and in some cases whole plant were used for medicinal purposes. The administration procedures were quite simple and the plant parts are fed to sick animal in the form of crushed green leaves, powder of seeds or sometime in the paste form. Some of the most common diseases treated through plant-based medication are rheumatism, fever, bloat, and foot and mouth disease and to expel the placenta after delivery in cattle. Besides plant-based medicines, few wild animals and their products and few minerals are also used by local people to cure sick animals. The emphasis has been laid on the scientific validation of medicinal properties of the plants and animals used in traditional medication system and also to recognize and reward the traditional wisdom of the local communities