The local peoples’ dependence on Dinder National Park, Sudan, for their livelihoods and economic and conservation implications of the livelihood activities were analyzed. Our study attempted to answer major questions about the main livelihood strategies, their economic and conservation implications as well as the perceptions of local people and park administration on the use and management of the park and cooperation for TBPA management. A mixed research method was employed in this study in data collection Households’ livelihood strategies are ranked according to their share in households’ total income. Accordingly, 92% of respondents ranked agriculture as a primary source of livelihood in the rank 1 category, and 33% of respondents ranked livestock rearing as the primary source in the rank 2 category important source of livelihood. The ranking of second and third options varied across both households and villages. Households collect forest products to supplement their livelihoods and the collection of other environmental goods is irregular and difficult to quantify. Further human activities in the area are compiled from different publication and annual reports. Agricultural expansion into the park and livestock trespassing are the major threats to Dinder and neighboring Alatish National Park. A cooperative transboundary response will be helpful to cope with these challenges.

Biochar has attracted significantly growing attention due to its effectiveness in terms of both cost and environmental safety in removing trace metals from soil and water. Its metal sorption capacity depends on its properties, which are in turn governed by pyrolysis temperature and type of biomass. Therefore, this study examines the role of pyrolysis temperature and biomass in biochars sorption capacity of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+. Biochars produced by pyrolysis of maize (Zea mays L.) cobs at different temperatures were used to assess the effect of temperature, whereas evergreen oak (Quercus ilex L.) pyrolyzed at 500 °C was used to assess the effect of biomass. Sorption isotherms were constructed by batch method and compared with Langmuir and Freundlich models. Most of the sorption isotherms displayed irregular curves and not all of the isotherms fitted the models. Therefore, sorption distribution coefficients and metal removal percentages were used to determine sorption capacities biochars for studied metals. Accordingly, Quercus ilex L. was most effective in sorbing all studied metals, which indicates the role of biomass. The maize biochar pyrolyzed at 500 °C was most effective among maize cob biochars, which revealed the influence pyrolysis temperature. The concentrations of added sorption solutions also played significant role in sorption, and consequently biochar pyrolyzed 350 °C was least effective. The targeted metals also affected the sorption as they compete for sorption sites. Thus, their selective sequence was in the order of Pb2+ ˃ Cu2+ ˃ Zn2+.

Abandoned mines pose potential risks to the environment and human health, and the reclamation of these areas is difficult. Soils from mining areas are usually characterised by degraded structure, high concentration of potentially toxic elements and deficiencies in nutrients. A greenhouse experiment was carried out in cylinders with the mine soil from the settling pond of the depleted copper mine of Touro (Galicia, Northwest Spain) amended with compost or technosol made from organic and inorganic wastes, and planted with <em>Brassica juncea</em> for 11 months. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of compost and technosol amendments on nutrient concentrations at different depths in a mine soil planted with <em>Brassica juncea</em>. The results revealed that at depths 0-15 and 15-30 cm, soil+technosol+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (STP) and soil+compost+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (SCP) treatments had higher pH than untreated mine soil S at the end of experimental. At depths 0-15 and 15-30 cm, SCP had the highest carbon total content. The nitrogen was only detected at depth 0–15 cm and only in the treated settling pond soil. STP and SCP had higher percentage of base saturation (V%) and lower percentage of aluminum saturation (Al%) than S and SS (sand). At depth 0-15 cm, soil+technosol+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (STP) and soil+compost+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (SCP) did not show generally significant differences on the nutrients values. At time 3, <em>Brassica juncea</em> plants cultivated in soil+compost+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (SCP) had the highest biomass. Soil+technosol+<em>Brassica juncea</em> (STP) treatment was the most effective increasing soil pH. Soil+compost+<em>Brassica juncea</em> treatment was the one that produced the greatest increase in total carbon. The treatments increased the cation exchange capacity (CEC) at depth 0-15 cm. Both treatments corrected the CEC by increasing the V% and decreasing the Al%. The application of technosol and <em>Brassica juncea</em> plants, or compost and <em>Brassica juncea</em> to a mine soil improved the soil quality.