ABSTRACT Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman is an important medicinal plant regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The socio-economic impacts of informal logging and trade in this species on forest communities are poorly documented. The aim of this study is to identify the local value chain of P. africana in North Kivu in eastern DR Congo and assess its contribution to the livelihoods of forest communities. Between July 2022 and August 2023, questionnaires were administered to 58 farmers in four forest areas in North Kivu. An ethnographic method was used to understand the organisation of the sector. Snowball sampling was used to identify informal actors. The results show that the local value chain is characterised by the dominance of men (94.8%) who participate in informal exploitation in two ways: the sale of standing trees (11.58 ± 5.89 USD/tree/year) and the sale of dry bark (0.78 ± 0.45 USD/kg). The annual gross margins range from 604.4 USD for bark harvesters to 7745.5 USD for middlemen. This income enables households living below the poverty line (USD 0.40/person/day) to buy property (motorbikes: 61.8%, housing: 50.9%) and send their children to school (21.8%). Although 76% of farmers are in favour of agroforestry, land scarcity and lack of technical resources limit its use. The study shows that the utilisation of P. africana contributes significantly to the livelihoods of forest communities, but its sustainability requires better structuring of the sector and support for agroforestry initiatives based on this species.

ABSTRACT Urban tree research has become a significant research topic in Indian megacities, which face difficulties from growing urbanisation, climate change, and biodiversity loss. This study undertakes a bibliometric review of 76 articles (2000–2024) from 6 Indian megacities, representing 240 unique authors with an annual publication growth rate of 3.9%. The maximum number of papers (9) was published in 2021 and Nagendra, H. emerged as the most productive author (12 publications, 854 citations). Prominent journals included the Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences (6 papers) and Urban Forestry & Urban Greening (464 citations). Key institutions were the University of Delhi and the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (eight papers), sponsored by funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Based on centrality and relevance, four key research themes were identified, with most terms categorised under emerging or declining themes. Geographically, Delhi accounted for the highest number of studies. Most research studies (36 papers) were observational, employing surveys and city-wide assessments centred on whole-tree evaluations. The most frequently investigated areas were diversity and pollution (major themes), species diversity, land-use change, and carbon sequestration (minor themes). Urban tree management in India is administered by national schemes, state governments, and municipal entities, but it suffers from fragmented planning and inadequate monitoring. Cities exhibit opposing trends: Delhi and Hyderabad pursue large-scale plantings, whereas Mumbai and Chennai struggle with space and ecological constraints, and Kolkata remains low in tree cover. Despite significant funding from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA) and allied initiatives, uneven execution limits results. Adapting global ideas like climate-adaptive planting, community-driven monitoring, and nature-based urban design can help Indian megacities improve resilience, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

ABSTRACT This study introduced the potentials of two new genotypes of pistachio named URΙ (University of Rafsanjan Ι) and URΠ (University of Rafsanjan Π) resulting from a breeding programme in Iran. These genotypes were selected from Banehbaghi seedlings (P. vera × P. mutica) in 2009 and compared in terms of appearance and growth characteristics with 12 genotypes of P. khinjuk and P. mutica in 2022–2023. Based on the results, growth habit in P. khinjuk and P. mutica were erect, semi-erect or semi-spreading but this characteristic was erect with rounded crown in URΙ and URΠ. Leaf colour in most of the genotypes was green or light green, while dark green in URΙ and grey green in URΠ. Trunk colour was greying brownish in P. mutica, while grey in P. khinjuk, URΙ and URΠ. The highest chlorophyll index, Fv/Fm and Ch a were observed in URΙ. The appearance and growth characteristics of URΙ and URΠ such as rounded crown, grey trunk colour, dark green and grey green leaf colour and also high Fv/Fm and thick leaves with leathery texture, create a valuable potential for using URΙ and URΠ in urban forestry in urban and suburban landscapes as xerophytic genotypes.

ABSTRACT Urban green spaces are essential for fostering sustainable urban development, enhancing environmental quality, and improving residents’ well-being. This study explores the driving factors of household preferences for improved urban green spaces in Bahir Dar City, amidst challenges of rapid urbanisation and environmental degradation. Using a probability sampling technique, data were collected from 242 households to analyse socio-economic and demographic factors influencing the willingness to pay for enhanced green spaces. A binary logistic regression model was employed to analyse the data. The results reveal that awareness, access to green areas, household income, education, age, and homeownership significantly increase the likelihood of preferences for improved green spaces. In contrast, marital status, larger family sizes, and higher household expenditures negatively influence preferences. Notably, 57.9% of respondents indicated a willingness to pay for green space enhancements, highlighting substantial support for urban greening initiatives. However, gaps in awareness and access remain significant, with 68.6% of respondents unaware of existing green spaces and 57.9% lacking access to them. Policy recommendations emphasise the need for awareness campaigns, improving accessibility, and designing family-friendly green spaces. Integrating environmental education into schools, fostering public-private partnerships, and tailoring strategies to diverse demographic groups are crucial for promoting equitable green space development. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners aiming to incorporate green spaces into urban planning frameworks, addressing environmental challenges, and improving urban liveability.

ABSTRACT Nogal (Juglans neotropica Diels) is a tree species native to South America. It belongs to the Juglandaceae family, which has seven genera and about 60 species of monecious and deciduous trees. Nogal is an economically important timber and ornamental species that has great potential for restoration, reforestation, enrichment, and management of wild and urban places. It is endangered (Endangered A1acd +2 cd) based on the IUCN Red List Category and Criteria. This is due to logging, wood harvesting, and habitat loss. J. neotropica exploitation has been banned in South America. The only uses are for research purposes and to establish plantations. It has been selected as a flagship species in some cities. Nogal has been planted in Bogotá, Colombia, a city within its native range. This has important conservation implications due to the establishment of tree stands in the urban forest.

ABSTRACT One key ecosystem service widely known and attributed to trees in the urban environment is their ability to provide shade through their canopies and undertake evapotranspiration cooling. These in turn contribute to reduced atmospheric temperatures. A lesser-known aspect with little quantitative data is the heterogeneous temperature environment beneath the canopies at pedestrian or street level where the cooling will benefit thermal comfort. This study was conducted throughout 2022. It collected data where air temperature was measured under the canopies of two urban tropical tree species, Samanea saman and Peltophotum pterocarpum, at three different heights, which were 1, 3 and 5 m, respectively, from the ground. This was to investigate whether crown architectures and the associated shade and cooling effects via transpiration can have a significant change in the surrounding temperature. The study observed surface and air temperatures coupled with meteorological data across cool, warm, and hot periods of the year. It was observed that soil temperature increased alongside increases in atmospheric temperatures with a more significant rise observed for P. pterocarpum despite the observation of greater wind speeds for both night and day at the site where this species was situated. The soil moisture potential data indicated the reverse where S. saman showed more negative values with the greatest increase under warm conditions. Interestingly, sap flow rates also indicated that P. pterocarpum had more efficient rates whether conditions were cool, warm, or hot, suggestive of more active transpirational cooling. This was despite a lower leaf area index, smaller crown volume and sap wood area for this species. Relationship analyses between sap flow and air temperatures at different heights under the canopies showed a positive correlation. This demonstrates that apart from shade provided by the canopies, transpiration is also an important parameter for cooling. The mean daytime air temperature indicated that the greatest cooling effect was experienced at the lowest level from the ground (at 1 m), and this was consistent for both species across cool, warm, and hot conditions with a significant cooling effect of between 2.3 and 4°C. Temperature data under the canopy (1 to 5 m from the ground) compared to the air temperature of the grass that was shaded indicated temperature differences of between 2.3 and 7.9°C at 5 m and between 1.9 and 5.6°C at 1 m (for both species) with a bigger reduction attributed to S. saman.