The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical activities on human health in forests in countryside and rural areas. The test experiment was conducted in a countryside forest, whereas the controlled experiment was conducted in an urban area where the study participants resided. A total of 22 participants (aged 20.9 ± 1.3 years) were evaluated in this study. Heart rate variability and salivary cortisol level were used as indices of physiological conditions, and semantic differential method, profile of mood states (POMS), and state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) were used to evaluate the participants’ emotional states. The participants were asked to walk around forest and urban areas for 15 min. The results were as follows. As compared to the urban area, in the forest area, (1) the power of the high-frequency (HF) component of the heart rate variability (HRV) was significantly higher; (2) low-frequency (LF)/(LF + HF) was significantly lower; (3) salivary cortisol level was significantly lower; (4) the participants felt more comfortable, natural, relaxed, and less anxious and showed higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of negative emotions. Consequently, walking in the forest area induces relaxing short-term physiological and psychological effects on young people living in urban areas.

Many bamboo species are well suited for agroforestry as they are more versatile and rapidly renewable than trees. Bamboo is an important income source for rural villagers around the world, especially in tropical developing countries, such as Lao PDR (Lao People’s Democratic Republic). This study applied a value chain approach to compare potential incomes from different bamboo utilization models: (1) existing model of selling semi-processed raw materials (bamboo splits), and (2) new model of producing handcraft products locally. Using a rural village in eastern Lao PDR (Nongboua village in Vientiane Capital province) as a case study, we provided empirical assessments of two bamboo value chains. Based on interviews with the villagers and stakeholders and government statistical data from 2017 to 2019, existing and new bamboo production chains were evaluated. In the existing value chain, the final products, bamboo chopsticks, are worth $6.74/kg. The value chain starts with bamboo harvesting, collection, and management, which are done by villagers in Lao PDR and taxed by the Lao PDR government. Bamboo splits are then transported to Vietnam to make the final products to sell. Local villagers received only 4.9% of the total value. The new bamboo handicraft model could produce 9 bamboo cups and 60 medals from one bamboo stem worth $52.6–61.7 and $343.8. In this value chain, bamboo harvesting, management, and processing to final products are done by villagers. The handcrafts were collected by traders to be sold at souvenir shops. Local villagers could capture 29.4%–42.3% of the total values. Producing bamboo cup and medal could generate 1.12–2.17 and 234.8–244.6 times higher income for villagers per labor hour and per bamboo stem, respectively, and allow them to use more bamboo resource than producing bamboo splits to export to Vietnam. If applied to other rural areas in Lao PDR, the new bamboo product model for handicrafts can be a better income source for local villagers in Lao PDR with sustainable use of bamboo resources than the existing model. However, it requires extensive bamboo handicrafts training over a year. Although alternative uses of bamboo would be different depending on social, economic, and market contexts, the value chain analysis demonstrated in this study can be applied elsewhere to increase local retention of economic values generated from agroforestry.

Bamboo is a widely used natural resource, yet it cannot be managed sustainably without considering its social and environmental potentials. This study compared and evaluated the difference in demands and values of two stakeholder groups (local community and forestry experts) toward various ecosystem services for local bamboo forests and suggested interventions for decision-makers in Laos. This study selected six provisioning, five regulating, two cultural, and two habitat services and evaluated each group for its public perception of and priorities for bamboo forests using a 4-point Likert scale and 100 preference points. Both groups showed higher perceptions and priorities for provisioning and cultural services, which are helpful for sustaining livelihoods. The perceptions and priorities of the community group concerning regulating services (e.g., natural hazard regulation, water purification, and fresh air regulation) to improve crop production were higher than those of the expert group, but regarding the carbon sequestration, the expert group scored higher. Carbon sequestration, a public good provided on a large scale, could be perceived when there is a high level of understanding and interest in bamboo forests through environmental education. In habitat services, there was no significant difference between the groups. Experts should actively consider these differences in demands and public perception when making decisions about bamboo management to promote services that villagers have difficulty perceiving and draw intervention points accordingly in national policies for bamboo resources.

Mining activities lead to significant environmental degradation, including soil erosion, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. In South Korea, abandoned coal mines cause considerable ecological disturbances in mountainous regions. Forest rehabilitation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate these impacts, but its effectiveness depends on successfully integrating ecosystem services (ES). This study assesses the social value of ES in post-mining rehabilitation by incorporating perspectives from local communities and experts in forestry and mining sectors. A mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews was employed to gather stakeholder views on 18 ES, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and habitat services. Results indicate that local communities prioritize cultural and regulating services, such as mental health, aesthetic value, and climate regulation, while experts emphasize regulating services like soil erosion control and carbon sequestration. This divergence highlights the need for a balanced approach that integrates both ecological and socio-cultural benefits, suggesting that community needs have not been adequately reflected in current practices. The study findings underscore the importance of incorporating community input into forest management to ensure both ecological outcomes and social value, offering a framework for adaptive management that aligns ecological goals with community needs, ultimately promoting sustainability and resilience in post-mining landscapes.

Conflicting priorities between policymakers and local communities often compromise conservation outcomes in landscapes reliant on natural resources. Understanding how diverse stakeholders value ecosystem services (ESs) across coexisting land uses is essential; however, empirical evidence from rural Southeast Asia remains limited. This study examined ES perceptions and priorities among community members (n = 500) and experts (n = 30) within a bamboo forest, rice paddy, and teak plantation in Sangthong District, Lao PDR. A two-step survey methodology was employed: initially assessing ES perceptions to filter locally relevant services using a ≥50% recognition threshold, followed by quantifying priorities for this subset through a 100-point allocation task. The results revealed a systematic divergence in priorities rooted in differing knowledge systems. Communities, grounded in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), prioritized tangible provisioning and cultural services (e.g., food and raw materials). In contrast, experts emphasized regulating services (e.g., carbon sequestration and hazard regulation) and habitat services (e.g., biodiversity and habitat provision). Distinct “ES bundles” also emerged by land use: bamboo (raw materials and freshwater), rice (food and medicine), and teak (timber/bioenergy and regulating services). Our findings suggest a policy transition from single-objective management toward optimizing landscape-level ES portfolios, alongside institutionalizing participatory co-management that formally integrates local knowledge and enhances ES literacy.