Livestock production, as one of the oldest and most significant human activities, plays a vital role in fulfilling the global demand for human nutrition and other animal-related products while contributing to poverty reduction. However, it is also important to address the environmental impact of livestock animals. Over 60% of the global biomass harvested annually to support human activity is directed towards this sector, raising concerns about its sustainability. In addition to substantial water and fertilizer usage reported in recent years, it is estimated that 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions are generated by the livestock sector. Furthermore, the increasing amount of manure resulting from intensive animal farming raises concerns about its disposal and potential water pollution. The degradation of pasture and rangeland is another significant contributor to soil erosion. Multiple approaches are being studied to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production, but a sustainable alternative may be through forestry. Forests play a vital role in countering livestock emissions by absorbing billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year, and they act as a crucial carbon sink. Furthermore, the diversity and age of forests impact the carbon sequestration process. Forests also help to combat climate change by reducing soil erosion and regulating the water cycle. As such, sustainable forest management is essential as forests provide multiple benefits, including economic, environmental, and social benefits, while also sequestering carbon. In this review, the current impact of modern livestock production is described, along with the potential for mitigating it through forestry-based solutions.

Evaluation of land use change is important for understanding the relationship between nature and the future policy design in sustainable natural resources management. In this study the dam-triggered land use cover changes since the time of its commencement of construction was evaluated by using satellite remote sensing and GIS techniques. To detect changes between 2011 and 2021, the post-processing technique was applied using QGIS’s SCP tool and two raster images of 2011 and 2021 as inputs for change simulation and the output classes were edited using reference classes. The study results revealed that the overall accuracy for the 2011 classification and 2021 classification was 0.89 (89%) and 0.94 (94%) respectively. The highest conversion was recorded between agricultural land to the mixed forest (14.61%) and mixed forest to shrub land (13.40%), while the lowest conversion was observed between the built-up area to a water body (0.02%) and to agricultural land (0.1%). It was recommended to consider the correlation between forest biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of hydroelectric dam by increasing restoration of degraded forests in the GERD catchment and growing forest cover should be viewed as an issue of national energy security as early as possible.

Background: Although Sancho (Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold & Zucc) oil has traditionally been used for its antibiotics properties, there is currently a lack of scientific evidence regarding its biological activities. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Sancho oil against food-hazardous microorganisms, phytopathogens, and dermatophytes. Methods and Results: We investiated the antimicrobial activity of Sancho oil against 11 food-hazardous microorganisms, nine phytopathogens, and six dermatophytes. The Sancho oil was found to show the strongest antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri and Listeria spp. Sancho oil also showed high antifungal activity against plant pathogens, particularly Fusarium oxysporum, and showed antimicrobial activity against dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum canis and Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity of Sancho oil was measured using the DPPH method, and was found to be stronger than that of unrefined oil. Moreover, this activity increased with increasing oil concentration. Conclusions: We found that Sancho oil showed differing antimicrobial activities against food-hazardous microorganisms, dermatophytes, and plant pathogens. The antimicrobial activity spectrum of Sancho oil was not broad and varied among microbial strains. On the basis of our findings, we consider that Sancho oil could be used an antibacterial material for food-borne S. flexneri and Listeria spp., a biopesticide for Fusarium spp., and a treatment for dermatophytes such as T. rubrum.

Understanding the impact and mechanisms of livelihood capital on farmers’ willingness to participate in wildlife conservation is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of wildlife protection in nature reserves. Based on survey data from 186 farmers around the Jiyuan Macaque Natural Reserve in Henan Province, this study employs an ordered probit model to examine how livelihood capital on farmers’ willingness to engage in wildlife conservation. Additionally, mediating and moderating effect models are used to explore the mediating role of perceived living conditions and the moderating role of farmers’ policy cognition. The key findings are threefold: (1) Livelihood capital has a significant positive effect on farmers’ willingness to participate in wildlife conservation. (2) Perceived living conditions significantly mediate the relationship between capital and farmers’ willingness to participate. (3) Farmers’ awareness of ecotourism policies positively moderates the effect of livelihood capital on their willingness to participate, whereas awareness of wildlife damage compensation policies does not show a significant moderating effect. Therefore, it is recommended that the government should focus on enhancing farmers’ livelihood capital, improving their perceived living conditions, and strengthen policy publicity and awareness.