[Environmental hygiene in relation to the use of chemicals in forestry].
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Agriculture↗
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[Endemic threat of Lyme borreliosis in Bialowicza forestry area].
Lyme Borreliosis is a serious diagnostical and therapeutical problem in regions with high exposure of residents to ticks, which are Borrelia burgdorferi vectors. The aim of this study was to estimate occurrence of specyfic antibodies and symptoms of Lyme Borreliosis in Białowieza area, as a region of potential endemic presence of this disease. Antibodies against B. burgdorferi were found, with an immunoenzymatic assay, in 71 from among 143 of examined persons (49.7%). Diagnosis of Lyme Borreliosis was established in 54 persons (37.7% of examined population) according to criterions of Lyme Disease Foundation and Centers for Diseases Control. Symptoms of joints involvement (polyarticular or restricted to knee joints) and peripheral nervous system involvement (predominantly radiculalgia lumbosacralis) were most frequently observed in clinical picture. These results motivate to recognize Białowieza region as an endemic area of Borrelia burgdorferi infections.
Adult↗
[Evaluation of the noise produced by mechanical saws used in forestry].
The noise level of 25-motor-saws used for felling and processing wood has been measured. There were found that the saws are the source of an intermittent noise, and the break periods of various duration occur irregularly. The sound pressure level ranges from 100 dBA to III dBA (N97-M108) and the daily noise exposure of a sawyer amounts to 77 minutes. Evaluating the noise produced by motor-saws by means of damage risk criteria for intermittent exposure, it was stated that the noise level exceeds slightly the allowable values. The statistical analysis showed correlations between noise level and type of the saw, speed of motor turns and degree of saw wear.
Humans↗
[Industrial medicine and occupational protection in agriculture and forestry].
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Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
[Vibration damage in forestry and the mechanical industry].
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Adult↗
[Prevention and rehabilitation of chronic diseases in agriculture and forestry].
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Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
[Risk of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infection among people occupationally exposed to tick bites].
The paper presents the results of seroepidemiologic studies concerning tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in 1583 persons (1261 forestry workers and 233 farmers) from the Lublin region (eastern Poland) occupationally exposed to ticks and in 130 healthy blond donors (a control group). The mean percentage of seropositive reactions in forestry workers amounted 19.8% and in farmers 32.0%. Based on 5-year research (1994-1998) conducted in 5 districts of the Lublin region, an existence of endemic foci of TBE was detected in the district of Biała Podlaska, on the areas of Radzyñ Podlaski and Parczew, where the percentage of seropositive reactions in forestry workers exceeded 50%. Statistical analysis showed that the frequency of seropositive reactions in forestry workers and farmers was significantly greater compared to control group (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). It indicates that these groups are occupationally exposed to TBE wirus. Totally, in the years 1994-98 nine clinical cases of TBE (acute neuroinfection) in forestry workers and fourteen clinical cases in farmers were confirmed serologically. The effectiveness of specific immunization against TBE was proved on the brie of 100% seroconversion in 56 earlier seronegative forestry workers. The obtained results proved that forestry workers and farmers in Poland are under increased risk of infection with TBE virus.
Adult↗
Effectiveness of constructed overland flow areas in decreasing diffuse pollution from forest drainages.
Forestry is the largest scale human impact affecting catchments in Finland and a prominent source of diffuse pollution in many water courses. Among the forestry activities, draining of wetlands had the most pronounced impacts on sediment, nutrient, and metal loading in the past. At present, renovation of old ditches and fertilization of peatlands constitute the major risk of forestry-induced diffuse pollution. Contemporary forestry aims at decreasing this risk with various riparian buffer strip designs. Among such designs, creation of overland flow areas by plugging the outlet ditches is increasingly used. Our objectives were to evaluate the potential of constructed overland flow areas to function as riparian buffers and estimate the quality and quantity of diffuse pollution from old versus recent forest drainages. We studied retention and release of pollutants from 20 constructed, 2- to 10-m-wide overland flow areas receiving drainage water from forested peatlands. Drainage waters were sampled above and below the plugged ditches three times per year from 1998 to 1999. Chemical oxygen demand and nutrient and metal loads and concentrations varied strongly between seasons, years, and drainage areas. Areas subjected to recent ditch renovations and fertilizations had clearly elevated seasonal loads and concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), PO4, Fe, and Al in comparison to old treatment areas. Especially TP loads were high above the national average values measured for forestry-induced diffuse pollution. In general, water quality above and below the buffer strips did not differ significantly. Our results indicate that plugged outlet ditches and associated narrow overland flow areas do not function as proper buffers in peatland areas. We suggest that wider buffers with extensive overland flow areas are needed in order to control diffuse pollution from forested and drained peatlands.
Diffusion↗
A survey of forest workers in New Zealand. Do hours of work, rest, and recovery play a role in accidents and injury?
PROBLEM: A number of structural and organizational changes have occurred recently within the New Zealand Forestry Industry, with concerns being raised about the impact of these changes on the forestry worker in terms of fatigue, sleepiness, and compromised safety. This study explored the relationship of fatigue, and some of its key determinants, with accidents and injuries in a group of forestry industry workers in New Zealand. METHOD: A total of 367 forestry workers responded to a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Fatigue was found to be commonly experienced at work in the forest, with 78% of workers reporting that they experienced fatigue at least "sometimes." This study found that certain groups of workers reported long working hours, reduced sleep, compromised recovery time, and intensely paced work. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that recent sleep, number of breaks taken during the workday, and specific job/tasks were independently associated with reporting of high fatigue levels at work. Near-miss injury events were significantly more common among those reporting a high level of fatigue at work. Accidents and lost-time injury were associated with length of time at work, ethnicity, and having had near-miss injury events. DISCUSSION: Together, these results suggest that fatigue and aspects of work organization, which are likely to be fatiguing, may be associated with compromised safety for forest workers. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: With an already slim margin of error present in forest operations, an impairment due to increased fatigue may constitute a significant risk factor for accidents and injuries in this workforce. The results indicate the need for further examination of shift and workload management among forestry workers, as well as a role for improving industry awareness about the causes and consequences of fatigue.
Accidents, Occupational↗
Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Romania.
In order to assess the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Romania and to define associated risk factors, a cross-sectional, observational study was performed in 13 districts during 1999. Sera from healthy blood donors (1,598) and from forestry workers (1,048) were tested. A two-step testing strategy was used in which sera were tested for anti-B. burgdorferi antibodies by a commercially available passive hemagglutination assays (PHA). All PHA positive sera were then evaluated by Western blot IgG. Demographic data regarding age, sex, profession, work place/residence, duration of employment (forestry workers), animals in the environment, and tick bites history were collected using a questionnaire. Data obtained from serological study were matched with that obtained from the questionnaire. The seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi in blood donors was of 4.3% (range 1.4-8.7%) and 9.3% (range 2.8-31.7%) in forestry workers. Seroprevalence was higher in forestry workers with a tick bite history (10.7 vs. 4.3%, p < 0.05). The highest seroprevalence in blood donors (8.7%) was noted in Maramures, a northern district of the country, whereas in forestry workers the highest seroprevalence (31.7%) was observed in a western district (Arad), where a previous study in entomology has demonstrated the highest density of Ixodes ricinus ticks in Romania.
Adolescent↗
Carbon accounting rules and guidelines for the United States forest sector.
The United States Climate Change Initiative includes improvements to the U.S. Department of Energy's Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The program includes specific accounting rules and guidelines for reporting and registering forestry activities that reduce atmospheric CO2 by increasing carbon sequestration or reducing emissions. In the forestry sector, there is potential for the economic value of emissions credits to provide increased income for landowners, to support rural development, to facilitate the practice of sustainable forest management, and to support restoration of ecosystems. Forestry activities with potential for achieving substantial reductions include, but are not limited to: afforestation, mine land reclamation, forest restoration, agroforestry, forest management, short-rotation biomass energy plantations, forest protection, wood production, and urban forestry. To be eligible for registration, the reported reductions must use methods and meet standards contained in the guidelines. Forestry presents some unique challenges and opportunities because of the diversity of activities, the variety of practices that can affect greenhouse gases, year-to-year variability in emissions and sequestration, the effects of activities on different forest carbon pools, and accounting for the effects of natural disturbance.
Agriculture↗
Risk of tick-borne bacterial diseases among workers of Roztocze National Park (south-eastern Poland).
The objective of the present study was to assess the risk of borreliosis and anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis) among the forestry workers of the Roztocze National Park (south-eastern Poland) by examination of Ixodes ricinus ticks living in park area with PCR method, and by the serological and clinical examination of the workers. In 406 examined ticks, the prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was 11.5 %. The nested PCR reaction for determining the genospecies showed that the most common was Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (55.3 % of total positive) followed by Borrelia afzelii (38.3 %). As many as 6.1 % out of 115 examined ticks showed the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA. The infection rate was high in males and females (14.3 % and 11.1 % respectively) and low in nymphs (1.5 %). In 46 out 113 examined forestry workers (40.7 %) the presence of specific IgG and/or IgM antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was found in ELISA test, while only 4 out of 56 urban blood donors showed a positive response (p<0.0001). The prevalence of IgG antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum determined with the use of indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA) was 17.7 % in forestry workers compared to 5.4 % in reference group of blood donors (p<0.05). No correlation was found between the presence of antibodies to A. phagocytophilum and to B. burgdorferi s. l. Clinical investigations of 113 forestry workers showed 3 cases of borreliosis (2.7 %) and no cases of anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis). In conclusion, forestry workers of the Roztocze National Park in south-eastern Poland are often exposed to Ixodes ricinus ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and show a high proportion of asymptomatic borreliosis and anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis) manifested by a positive serologic response, while the number of clinical cases is relatively low.
Adult↗
Seroepidemiologic study on Lyme borreliosis in the Lublin region.
The frequency of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in human sera of various groups of people from the Lublin region was studied. In the indirect immunofluorescence test (IFT) sera from 836 forestry workers and 56 farmers occupationally exposed to ticks were examined. Fifty healthy blood donors from the city of Lublin were examined as a control group. Forestry workers showed positive response in 26%, whereas farmers in 11% and the control group in 6%. In ELISA test, sera from 44 forestry workers, 217 farmers, 458 patients from the dermatologic and neurologic clinics, and 50 blood donors (controls) were examined. A positive response was found in 38.6% of forestry workers, 28.1% of farmers, 12.2% of patients of the neurologic clinic, 27.1% of patients of the dermatologic clinic and in 6% of controls. During this study, in one of an forestry workers the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis as the occupational disease was clinically confirmed. High percent of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies found in people exposed to ticks may suggest that Borrelia burgdorferi is widespread in the forest environment of eastern Poland and that infection often has an occupational character.
Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
Measuring, monitoring, and verification of carbon benefits for forest-based projects.
Worldwide, there are many pilot forestry projects that are under some stage of implementation, and much experience has been gained from them with respect to measuring, monitoring, and accounting for their carbon benefits. Forestry projects have been shown to be easier to quantify and monitor than national inventories, partly because not all pools need measuring: a selective accounting system can be used that must include all pools expected to decrease and a choice of pools expected to increase as a result of the project. Only pools that are based on field measurements should be incorporated into the calculation of carbon benefits. Such a system allows for trade-offs between expected carbon benefits, costs, and desired precision, while maintaining the integrity of the net carbon benefits. Techniques and methods for accurately and precisely measuring individual carbon pools in forestry projects exist, are based on peer reviewed principles of forest inventory, soil sampling, and ecological surveys, and have been well tested in many part of the world. Experience with several forestry projects in tropical countries has shown that with the use of these techniques carbon stocks can readily be estimated to be within less than +/-10% of the mean. To date, there is little experience with measuring the changes in carbon stocks over time but, using the correct design and sufficient numbers of permanent plots, it is expected that precision levels will be maintained at less than +/-10% of the mean. Internal verification can be accomplished through use of quality assurance/quality control plans. External or third-party verification is still in its infancy, and would greatly benefit from international agreements in relation to protocols used for all aspects of project design and implementation.
Biomass↗
Designing a carbon market that protects forests in developing countries.
Firmly incorporated into the Kyoto Protocol, market mechanisms offer an innovative and cost-effective means of controlling atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. However, as with markets for many other goods and services, a carbon market may generate negative environmental externalities. Possible interpretations and application of Kyoto provisions under COP-6bis and COP-7 raise concerns that rules governing forestry with respect to the Kyoto carbon market may increase pressure on native forests and their biodiversity in developing countries. In this paper, we assess the following two specific concerns with Kyoto provisions for forestry measures. First, whether, under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), by restricting allowable forestry measures to afforestation and reforestation, and explicitly excluding protection of threatened native forests, the Kyoto Protocol will enhance incentives for degradation and clearing of forests in developing countries; second, whether carbon crediting for forest management in Annex I (industrialized) regions under Article 3.4 creates a dynamic that can encourage displacement of timber harvests from Annex I countries to developing nations. Given current timber extraction patterns in developing regions, additional harvest pressure would certainly entail a considerable cost in terms of biodiversity loss. In both cases, we find that the concerns about deleterious impacts to forests and biodiversity are justified, although the scale of such impacts is difficult to predict. Both to ensure reliable progress in managing carbon concentrations and to avoid unintended consequences with respect to forest biodiversity, the further development of the Kyoto carbon market must explicitly correct these perverse incentives. We recommend several steps that climate policymakers can take to ensure that conservation and restoration of biodiversity-rich natural forests in developing countries are rewarded rather than penalized. To correct incentives to clear natural forests through CDM crediting for afforestation and reforestation, we recommend for the first commitment period that policymakers establish an early base year, such as 1990, such that lands cleared after that year would be ineligible for crediting. We further recommend an exception to this rule for CDM projects that are explicitly designed to promote natural forest restoration and that pass rigorous environmental impact review. Restoration efforts are typically most effective on lands that are adjacent to standing forests and hence likely to have been recently cleared. Thus, we recommend for these projects establishing a more recent base year, such as 2000. For the second and subsequent commitment periods, we recommend that climate policymakers act to restrain inter-annex leakage and its impacts by ensuring that crediting for forest management in industrialized countries is informed by modelling efforts to anticipate the scale of leakage associated with different Annex I 'Land use, land-use change and forestry' policy options, and coupled with effective measures to protect natural forests in developing countries. The latter should include expanding the options permitted under the CDM to carbon crediting for projects that protect threatened forests from deforestation and forest degradation. Ultimately, carbon market incentives for forest clearing can be reduced and incentives for forest conservation most effectively strengthened by fully capturing carbon emissions associated with deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries under a future emissions cap. Finally, we note that these recommendations have broader relevance to any forest-based measures to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions developed outside of the specific context of the Kyoto Protocol.
Air Pollution↗
Planting history and propagule pressure as predictors of invasion by woody species in a temperate region.
We studied 28 alien tree species currently planted for forestry purposes in the Czech Republic to determine the probability of their escape from cultivation and naturalization. Indicators of propagule pressure (number of administrative units in which a species is planted and total planting area) and time of introduction into cultivation were used as explanatory variables in multiple regression models. Fourteen species escaped from cultivation, and 39% of the variance was explained by the number of planting units and the time of introduction, the latter being more important. Species introduced early had a higher probability of escape than those introduced later, with more than 95% probability of escape for those introduced before 1801 and <5% for those introduced after 1892. Probability of naturalization was more difficult to predict, and eight species were misclassified. A model omitting two species with the largest influence on the model yielded similar predictors of naturalization as did the probability of escape. Both phases of invasion therefore appear to be driven by planting and introduction history in a similar way. Our results demonstrate the importance of forestry for recruitment of invasive trees. Six alien forestry trees, classified as invasive in the Czech Republic, are currently reported in nature reserves. In addition, forestry authorities want to increase the diversity of alien species and planting area in the country.
Czech Republic↗
Environmental ozone field study on pulmonary and subjective responses of assumed risk groups.
Lung function parameters (measured with a body plethysmograph) and subjective votes on irritations of eyes or airways were taken from subjects belonging to four assumed ozone risk groups and one control group (40 subjects each: senior citizens, juvenile asthmatics, forestry workers, athletes, and clerks). Every subject was examined on 8 days both in the morning and in the afternoon. The intention was to obtain an equal distribution of measuring days with elevated and low ozone concentrations, respectively, for each subject. On average the ozone concentrations reached 0.070 ppm on "ozone days" [maximum concentration 0.112 ppm for clerks (outdoors), 0.100 ppm for senior citizens, 0.091 for juvenile asthmatics, 0.086 ppm for athletes, and 0.077 ppm for forestry workers] and 0.028 ppm on "control days" (minimum 0.001 ppm). The results show no relevant ozone effect for the group with the lowest ventilation rate (senior citizens) and only marginal reductions of respiratory flows and volumes for athletes. Pulmonary decrements of juvenile asthmatics on ozone days were small but larger than those documented in the literature for healthy children. Forestry workers and clerks had significantly higher airway resistances on ozone days, although having been exposed to the lowest ozone concentrations of all groups. Thus, on days with moderately elevated levels of ozone in the environment it is assumed that ozone itself has a minor influence on pulmonary responses compared to that of other constituents of the air in certain locations like in forests or indoors on these days. These could be reaction products of ozone with motor tool exhausts in the case of forestry workers or substances originating from ozone deposition on the surfaces of the offices.
Adolescent↗
Forest Protection and Reforestation in Costa Rica: Evaluation of a Clean Development Mechanism Prototype.
/ Costa Rica has recently established a program that provides funds for reforestation and forest protection on private lands, partly through the sale of carbon certificates to industrialized countries. Countries purchasing these carbon offsets hope one day to receive credit against their own commitments to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. Costa Rica has used the proceeds of the sale of carbon offsets to Norway to help finance this forest incentive program, called the Private Forestry Project, which pays thousands of participants to reforest or protect forest on their lands. The Private Forestry Project is accompanied by a monitoring program conducted by Costa Rican forest engineers that seeks to determine net carbon storage accomplished on these lands each year. The Private Forestry Project, which is officially registered as an Activity Implemented Jointly, is a possible model for bundled projects funded by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It also serves as an interesting example for the CDM because it was designed by a developing country host-not by an industrialized country investor. Accordingly, it reflects the particular "sustainable development" objectives of the host country or at least the host planners. Early experience in implementing the Private Forestry Project is evaluated in light of the main objectives of the CDM and its precursor-Activities Implemented Jointly. It is concluded that the project appears to meet the criteria of global cost-effectiveness and financing from non-ODA sources. The sustainable development implications of the project are specific to the region and would not necessarily match the ideals of all investing and developing countries. The project may be seen to achieve additional greenhouse gas abatement when compared against some (although not all) baselines.
Journal Article↗