Local | PANORAMA

To take multiple measures to strengthen efforts in forest fire prevention and nature conservation

forest fire prevention

Feng Han

nature conservation

Rongjie Zhang

Based on its topographic features, the 9 protection stations in Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve are further subdivided into 27 units. 27 rangers teams, each comprising 7-10 frontline rangers, were formed and carried out daily routine patrols. During the critical period, these teams were stationed in the field to defend their respective areas to the last. The Reserve vigorously promoted a full-range supervision and field camping measures, and continued to tighten the control of fire sources in the typhoon-stricken area, the areas with cash trees, and the areas open for tourism. It also strengthened in an all-round way the forest fire brigades with a special emphasis on lookouts, communications and fire fighting. Three professional firefighting teams were formed to cover the north, west, south slopes of Changbai Mountain, and their skill trainings and fire prevention and fighting drills were strengthened. Joint defence and joint protection were enhanced; a regional joint emergency response mechanism was established. Combined efforts were made to conduct public education of forest fire prevention.

1. As the top priority for ecological protection in the Reserve, forest fire prevention was included as an important indicator in performance appraisal. The specific responsibilities were broken down into different levels from protection stations to patrol teams and frontline rangers, and pledges of responsibilities were signed accordingly. 2. Regular meetings for joint defence and joint protection were held with nearby forest farms and villages, and respective pledges of responsibilities were signed.

The Reserve is located in remote area with limited accessibility and harsh working conditions. Further complicated by the positions available and the salary and benefits it can offer, the Reserve always has difficulty in recruiting talents of high skills and abilities.

Implementation

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Subnational

To create a model of integrated development of the scenic and the urban areas and raise local communities’ living standards

Thorough data analysis was conducted on recent years' tourism in Changbaishan, and the ecological carrying capacity of Changbai Scenic Area was hence determined based on science. A scientific and sound tourism plan was formulated based on statistics. Securing sufficient funding ensured the implementation of the planned projects. A number of mechanisms and measures are put in place to ensure an accurate calculation of the number of visitors of the day and a forecast in the following 3 days, such as merging the two ticket-checking points, real-name ticketing, ticket-booking based on the selected time of entry. When the crux comes, such measures as ceasing ticket sales and imposing restrictions on the number of visitors can effectively avert overcrowding in the scenic areas and raise the level of comfort for visitors.

The administrative agency also innovated in ecotourism practices, developing the urban areas as part of the scenic area, promoting economic development in neighbouring communities and increasing their income and job opportunities. Thus the administrative agency was able to not only improve the tourism quality, but also enhance ecological protection and stimulate the development of various industries in the neighbouring communities.

Monitoring

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Subnational

East Asia

Ecological Conservation and Sustainable Development of Changbai Mountain

Yueming

Zhao

To create a model of integrated development of the scenic and the urban areas and raise local communities’ living standards

To take multiple measures to strengthen efforts in forest fire prevention and nature conservation

To create a model of integrated development of the scenic and the urban areas and raise local communities’ living standards

Solid Waste Logistics

The Ecozinha Institute seeks the most professional and efficient solution for each waste stream generated by its associates, maximizing the collection and recovery of post-consumer waste and optimizing the correct destination for recycling in the circular economy. It is responsible for managing the solid waste logistics involved in the collection and final destination of organic waste (leftovers and food scraps), glass and dry recyclable waste.

Creation of solid waste logistics with the private sector, which did not previously exist in Brasília;
Ecozinha has helped in the creation of new composting yards in the DF, to treat organic waste from bars and restaurants, thus stimulating composting companies;
It pioneered the implementation of glass collection, for this it was necessary to manufacture specific containers for glass storage and make commercial agreements with glass haulers for recycling.

At the beginning there were many difficulties due to the lack of service providers in the area. For this reason, Ecozinha has established a network of Intermediary Agents responsible for the collection, processing and routing (for reuse) of each waste stream.
To scale up, a technological tool is needed to monitor the collection, transportation and final destination of waste through specific data in order to estimate how much is being diverted from the landfill and to prove to entrepreneurs that their efforts and resources are paying off.

Documentation and dissemination of results

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Restaurants and Bars Network

The Restaurants and Bars network is made up of associates who share responsibility as waste generators, always seeking to Reduce, Reuse, Share and Recycle, and to establish a "purchasing policy" that aims to eliminate the generation of waste going to landfill.

The legislation transferred to bars and restaurants the responsibility of integral waste management;
The environmental awareness of the associates and also the diffusion of their establishment through green marketing.

At least 20 associated developments are needed to enable processes and costs;
The network of restaurants and bars encourages dissemination of the initiative among neighboring restaurants and bars to decrease recycling costs and expand logistics;
Environmental education to teach proper waste segregation is facilitated when internal processes are in place and visual communication is simple and informative;
The pursuit of the Zero Waste goal becomes possible as major waste streams are properly targeted.The facility begins to understand what is in fact discarded and destined for the landfill, and thus begins to look for alternatives to reduce future generation of this type of waste;
In the future, with a greater number of associates, it is hoped that the Ecozinha Institute and its associates will be able to demand that the beverage and food supply industry improve its packaging so that it is returnable or better utilized in post-consumer recovery by recyclers and processors.

Local

Large Generators Law of the city of Brasília

In order to meet the guidelines of the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), the Large Generators Law was instituted locally. In the Federal District, through Law No. 5,610/16, it was possible to indirectly promote the diversion of waste to landfills. This law established the responsibility of large generators of solid waste, those that generate more than 120L/day, to manage their own waste, taking for themselves the burden of proper conditioning, collection, transportation and final disposal.

The local public agency, the Urban Cleaning Service, is no longer responsible for the collection and final destination of waste, collecting only waste from large generators, those that generate more than 120 liters per day.

Since the cost was related to depositing waste in the landfill, the Large Generators Law incentivized the circular economy and low-impact destination with alternatives to landfilling.

It encouraged the private sector to promote waste solutions, making composting and recycling of glass and other waste possible. Once a price has been added to the solid waste generated and destined for the landfill, new market alternatives will emerge to compete with this solution.

Emergence of a new market for recyclables and awareness of waste generation in restaurants and bars.

Local

National Solid Waste Policy

The National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) was instituted by Law No. 12,305/10, proposing alternatives to divert waste from the final solid waste destination. This law also prohibits disposal in controlled dumps and landfills.

For the first time, PNRS established guidelines for the sector, which in addition to underlining the importance of the waste sector, non-explicitly promoted the introduction of alternatives for MSW treatment, in order to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

- Creation of state and local laws;

- Promotion of projects, initiatives and financing in the waste sector by Brazil;

- Promotion of national and international investments in the sector.

Documentation and dissemination of results

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Recurso_Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos

Recurso_Lei dos grandes geradores

SIGESCOOP - Integrated Management System for Recycling Cooperatives

Among the differentials of the cooperative's success is the digital system that is being developed for the management of administrative, financial and operational control. SIGESCOOP allows the monitoring of the entire operation of the cooperative, control of the stock of materials, gravimetry, production by cooperative, among other functionalities that are currently performed in spreadsheet format.

To use the system strategically, to approach the relations with its stakeholders and to support to contribute to the maximum for an integrated waste management.

The acquisition of the system facilitated all recorded operations, the flow of information and monitored activities. The integrated management of all areas, helping decision making with the use of dashboards, as it allows visualizing each task to be executed in the cooperative.

In this way, a control panel makes it possible to visualize what is being done in each department: this allows a broader view of the business and facilitates the control of processes and whether the goals will be achieved in each period.

The system is still in the development phase, so lessons learned in relation to SIGESCOOP have not yet been identified.

Local

Integration between the public and private sectors

In order for the solution to fulfill its role in collaboration with the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), it is necessary to articulate the public and private sectors so that new business models can be produced.

For this, it is necessary to identify the local scenario in which the activities are incorporated (legislation, environmental education, modal collection system, selective collection, operational structure of segregation, political context, public policies, among others).

It also makes it necessary to create an action plan, involving all the actors with direct competencies in the feasibility of a selective collection system in the municipality. Identify the leaders who have the power to transform, either by holding a position with decision-making power or by their actions in the community.

Articulation and participation of the public and private sectors regarding selective collection, to encourage and generate opportunities in relation to the issue of urban solid waste.

Diagnosis in relation to environmental components, such as selective collection, final destination and legislation in this context, of the municipalities in which new activities are intended to be carried out. Thus, there is a macro vision of the needs and opportunities in each region.

At its foundation, the cooperative had strong private support, but it was concluded that only the participation of this sector was not enough, society and the public power needed to play their role and participate more effectively. So, in addition to the internal, Cooperlínia began its work of developing strategic relationships, exchanging experiences and helping them in their competencies.

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Structuring/ formalization of the cooperative

The cooperative has a differentiated management format formalized by an administrative council, formed by a board of directors with 3 directors, and a fiscal council, aimed at assisting the financial processes of Cooperlínea. In addition, the cooperative defined in assembly a career plan for the collaborators, thus establishing different positions and remunerations according to each function exercised in the cooperative. With this, benefits for employees were also defined, such as life insurance, member guarantee fund, paid breaks, Christmas bonus and professional training.

For the emergence of new cooperatives and/or for the success of existing ones, the participation of other sectors and associations is important so that adequate income can be generated for the cooperative and its collaborators. In addition, it is necessary that the issue of solid waste be discussed in the municipalities, and with this, the need for both waste separation and selective collection arises and, therefore, the structuring of cooperatives and workers involved in this issue.

Since this work depends on factors such as the performance of selective collection and the supply of this material to the cooperative, the processes are not always carried out in a planned manner, nor are the payments for these services. This ends up being an obstacle for the proper functioning of the cooperative and directly affects the workers' remuneration.

To achieve better results and also improve the working conditions of the workers, it is always necessary to improve the technologies used for waste separation, for example, the mechanization of the mats at the time of waste separation.

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