The importance of Global Change research and Land-Use and Land-Cover Change (LUCC) studies reflects concerns about the need to understand the influence of human activities on the biogeochemical foundation of the biosphere as well as their impacts on climate change. Nowadays, since 1995, it is assumed the importance of LUCC as a substantial agent of change with great significance in climate change, loss of biodiversity, use of natural resources, human health and quality of life. Therefore we must perceive the influences of land-use and land-cover changes as a significant driving-force for Global Change.

The importance of Global Change research and Land-Use and Land-Cover Change (LUCC) studies reflects concerns about the need to understand the influence of human activities on the biogeochemical foundation of the biosphere as well as their impacts on climate change. Nowadays, since 1995, it is assumed the importance of LUCC as a substantial agent of change with great significance in climate change, loss of biodiversity, use of natural resources, human health and quality of life. Therefore we must perceive the influences of land-use and land-cover changes as a significant driving-force for Global Change.

The conversion of forestland to other land uses has resulted in substantial loss of biodiversity and other potential economic values to the community. However, the potential economic values of forest resources have been largely ignored by policy makers and land use planners. An economic valuation of forest resources of AyerHitam Forest (AHFR), Puchong, Selangor was carried out to determine its economic value and its impact on land use changes. The study focused on valuation of timber resources, recreation, community roles and wildlife conservation. The results show that the economic value of AHFR is substantial and ignoring this value in land use development would provide a wrong signal to policy makers. Future land use planning should consider not only market-based economic returns but also its non-market and other environmental benefits.

"This volume presents a comparison of rural land-use change and landscape pattern dynamics in different parts of Europefrom the field level (where techniques and practices are applied in respect to a given land use), to the household level (where decisions are taken), to the broader regional and country levels (where policies are shaped and implemented)." "Issues addressed include the flow of nutrients, water and other materials in the agricultural landscape, the driving forces of change under different natural and socio-economic conditions, the stability and sustainability of rural land-use systems, and the impact of such systems on biodiversity, water pollution and soil erosion."--Jacket.

Pollen analyses were carried out at two sites with contrasting land‐use histories (in‐field and out‐land) within a single estate. The aim was to distinguish the relative importance of natural processes and cultural influence on the development of vegetation and biodiversity. The estate lies in the boreo‐nemoral zone of southern Sweden, and attention is focused on the distribution of coniferous and deciduous trees. The in‐fields. which lie close to the estate buildings, are currently dominated by deciduous trees, and have a documented history as fields and hay meadows. The more distant out‐lands were primarily used as grazing land in the past, and support coniferous forest at present. The study covers the last 4000 yr, 2000-1000 BC: the out‐lands site supported natural, dense forests consisting of Quercus, Betula, Tilia, Alnus and Corylus. 1000 BC-AD 1100: several events are best interpreted as an increased cultural activity in the area. Agriculture was based on animal husbandry and the recorded cereals probably originate from a kind of shifting cultivation. AD 1000-1800: agriculture intensified on the in‐fields with cereal cultivation of increased importance, while the out‐fields were used for slash‐and‐burn agriculture and forest grazing. The forests became more open in structure but the composition remained unchanged. An increase in Colluna was a possible consequence of over‐exploitation, AD 1800 onwards: the out‐field deciduous forests were rapidly replaced by Picea‐Pinus coniferous forests during the l800's. The in‐fields retained deciduous forest with a continuity of Quercus and other species. There is a close, positive relationship between floristic diversity and cultural influence during the last 4000 yr. A comparison is made with a similar investigation on another estate in the region, revealing small differences between the estates, but striking similarities in the effects of land‐use types on the development of vegetation. The significance of former in‐fields for nature conservation is discussed, particularly as a potential source for increasing the deciduous component in commercial forestry practice.

P Burgers, 'Indigenous fallow management and biodiversity: in line with nature', Proceedings of workshop the management of agrobiodiversity in Indonesia for sustainable land use and global environmental benefits. Workshop held on August 19-20, 1999, in Bogor, Indones, pp.103-110, ASB-Indonesia and International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, SEA Regional Research Programme, 1999

Scenario planning was used to develop a consensus-based, multi-stakeholder management planning process for a 114000 ha land base in New Brunswick, Canada. This is part of the Fundy Model Forest, which involves four major landowner groups, along with 26 other Partnership organizations. Public consultation and Partnership input were used to define 25 scenarios, determining effects of alternative means of riparian strip management, road construction, vegetation and insect control, harvesting, maintenance of biodiversity, and plantation establishment. The Woodstock forest modelling software was used to determine effects of each scenario on timber supply, forest structure, measures of biodiversity and ecological integrity, areas of mature forest, and wildlife habitat. In a series of workshops, the Partners were successful in reaching consensus on a Fundy Model Forest "preferred" management scenario, which was conveyed to the land managers for implementation. Development of the management planning process and the use of scenario planning procedures in the Fundy Model Forest are described.

L Joshi, 'Knowledge-based systems (KBS) approach to access farmers' local knowledge about ecology and biodiversity', Proceedings of workshop the management of agrobiodiversity in Indonesia for sustainable land use and global environmental benefits. Workshop held on August 19-20, 1999, in Bogor, Indonesia, pp.111-126, ASB-Indonesia and International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, SEA Regional Research Programme, 1999

T.P Tomich, 'Biodiversity loss, agricultural development, and sustainability', Toward Sustainable Agriculture in Humid Tropics Facing 21st Century: Proceedings of international seminar, 27-28 September 1999, Lampung, Indonesia, pp.36-52, 1999 | Research by the Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn (ASB) Consortium in Sumatra provides little support for the original perception 'poverty causes people to migrate to the forests, but they don't know how to manage the soils, which forces them to move on and open new forest, leaving a trail of degraded lands behind'. However, ASB research also shows that the land use systems that follow forest conversion differ significantly in the profitability and impacts on biodiversity. For example, farmers have developed agroforests, based on rubber, damar and other local or introduced trees, as sustainable and profitable alternatives to shifting cultivation, but these opportunities have stimulated rather than slowed down forest conversion in the absence of active boundary enforcement mechanisms for natural areas. Although agroforests can maintain part of the biodiversity of the originsl forests, they are no substitute for full protection of biodiversity in dedicated natural areas and conservation reserves