A constant in all planning activities is interaction among stakeholders. Despite the involvement of many stakeholder groups, one faction is consistently overlooked in planning decisions: children. In the push to make decisions and consider the numerous viewpoints of the adult population, children are habitually left by the wayside. Planners all too often fail to acknowledge that local children may have insightful and creative ideas to address issues. This is particularly true when these issues affect local children, as is often the case with environmental planning decisions. How can planners incorporate children in the practice of environmental planning? Environmental education provides a unique approach through which planners can integrate childrenâ s ideas. This approach can be directed toward youth-initiated venues for bringing environmental planning into the classroom. By blending environmental education with the structure of a classroom setting, we can create a mutually beneficial setting where childrenâ s unique perspectives can be nurtured. By using environmental education to create a basis of knowledge about local issues and to provide a forum for childrenâ s participation, their ideas can be incorporated into planning. The following chapters discuss the importance of including children in environmental planning as well as how to use environmental education as an approach toward this end. Three case studies illustrate how programs in the United States are challenging youth to become active stewards of their local environments. Although environmental education can be utilized for children of all ages as well as adults, this paper focuses on grades four through nine. The unique perspective and dynamic that children possess is often undermined and overlooked. The benefits of involving children are numerous. They can provide creative insight, learn decision-making skills, and become stewards of their local environment. There are also challenges to involving children. Forefront among these challenges is that utilizing a child-initiated forum often requires more time from planners. By providing background education and a familiar forum for children, educators and planners could overcome traditional barriers to incorporating child-initiated planning. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

No description available.

Environmental problems occur where ecosystems and human social systems converge. As a result, they are not easily resolved by science or technology because they stem from the diversity in human perceptions, expectations, and values. A decisionmaking process known as collaboration offers a method of joint problem solving that is based upon an application of social learning theory. Collaboration is inspired by the concept of participatory democracy and advanced by the exchanges inherent in a civic discourse. It can involve individuals and representatives of agencies, organizations, and other groups in open discussions where the process participants share information and power as they take joint responsibility in attempting to make decisions, reach solutions, or resolve issues. This study identifies basic elements of collaborative environmental decisionmaking through an analysis of several collaborative processes. It then examines how these collaborative processes work and whether collaboration is an effective environmental decisionmaking process. Two case studies are examined: the Chesapeake Bay Program Community Watershed Initiative Workgroup, and the Elizabeth River Project Watershed Action Team. The case studies illustrate that the presence or absence of the identified elements of collaborative environmental decisionmaking affect the results of the process. They also illustrate that the participants in these processes incur changes in the manner in which they regard the issues. Collaborative environmental decisionmaking works by establishing a dialogue among people with disparate positions, concerns, and interests in an attempt to find common ground. The process can link formal, theoretical knowledge with informal, practical wisdom through face-to-face dialogue among contending parties. It can result in social learning and build social capital. / Ph. D.

Habitat conservation planning under the Endangered Species Act has been compared to ecosystem management by Secretary of Interior, Bruce Babbitt. Yet, ecosystem management, an emerging paradigm for public lands management, has not been defined or criteria established for determining if actions indeed follow it. This thesis addresses ecosystem management through the review of current literature and develops a set of criteria that fall into the following five topic areas: ecological orientation, time and spatial scales, human roles in management, management actions, and data collection. After a comparison of the criteria to five case studies of habitat conservation plans, it is determined that habitat conservation planning is not ecosystem management. A discussion of how habitat conservation planning could be more like ecosystem management further concludes that the Endangered Species Act may not be the only appropriate place for ecosystem management legislation to be. Local and state governments may be better suited to address ecosystem management in the context of habitat conservation planning. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

<p>  </p> <p>Environmental planning decisions are complex and influenced by many factors, such as federal, state, and local regulations, community values, and economic and environmental considerations. Across the United States, local elected and appointed boards and commissions are responsible for planning and implementing land use regulations. Using Indiana communities as a case study, this study focused on understanding the roles of environmental planning and community development in adopting local government policies related to sustainable development. Opportunities, challenges, and trends facing diverse Indiana communities were explored through focus groups and surveys, specifically focusing on local ordinances, comprehensive plans, and parks and recreation master plans as policy instruments. Factors of interest included environmental and sustainable development considerations in plans and ordinances, the engagement of residents, stakeholders, and other interested parties in local environmental planning processes and decision-making, the potential influence of collaboration and social capital in planning and decision-making, and technical assistance and resource needs for planners and parks and recreation staff. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Indiana communities are integrating environmental considerations into local ordinances and policies on a limited scale based on multiple factors such as local expertise, staff time, awareness, community and political acceptance, and immediate needs. Communities have little time allocated to incorporate voluntary efforts and rely most on peer groups and existing staff for models and information sharing with private consultants filling in gaps for plan and ordinance updates. There are multiple opportunities to expand environmental conservation and sustainable development efforts through increasing the diversity of local boards and commissions, enhancing community engagement, identifying and supporting succinct and targeted training for planning and parks and recreation professionals, and tapping into state and federal funding opportunities to build on local successes that build credibility and interest for broader adoption. Additional emphasis on communication and collaboration are also needed to move towards more engaged planning and policy development methods.</p>

Resumo: O uso da terra no alto curso da bacia do rio Claro foi consideravelmente modificado a partir da década de 1970, com a utilização dos Latossolos em relevos planos e suave ondulados pela agricultura mecanizada de grãos. Para compreender a dinâmica de ocupação da bacia hidrográfica e seus reflexos na qualidade e quantidade da água do rio Claro foram processados dados de uso da terra de 1963/67 e 2001, bem como dados físicos-ambientais por meio de ferramentas de geoprocessamento. Foram também utilizados dados de pluviosidade, vazão e balanço hídrico para verificar o comportamento hídrico do rio Claro e análises de alguns parâmetros para determinar a qualidade da água. As classes de capacidade de uso predominantes foram a III e VI, com 48,35% e 34,5%, respectivamente. O principal conflito de uso identificado foi a utilização de áreas muito susceptíveis a erosão com atividade pecuária. O comportamento das vazões indica ligeira queda dos volumes médios diários e mensais. Com relação à qualidade da água, os índices coliformes e turbidez são os mais preocupantes. São urgentes políticas e ações efetivas, governamentais e da sociedade, na busca de alternativas de uso do território que não sejam conflitantes com a capacidade de suporte dos ambientes e sejam, ao mesmo tempo, social e economicamente viáveis. / Abstract: The soil use in the high course on the watershed of Claro River has been considerably modified since the 1970-decade with the usage of the Latosoil and the plane and gentle-undulated relief waved by the mechanized agriculture of grains. In order to understand the dynamics of the watershed occupation and its effects on the quality and quantity in Claro River water data of soil usage was processed from 1963/67 and 2001, as well as, physical-environmental data through geoprocessing instruments. Also, pluviosity data, flow and hidric balance were utilized to verify the hidric conduct of Claro River and analysis of some parameters for determining its water quality. The predominant classes of land use capability were the III and IV kind, with 48,35% and 34,5% respectively. The main conflict of use identified was the usage of very susceptible erosion areas with cattle activity. The flow conduct shows brief decrease in the monthly and daily volumes. When it comes to water quality, coliformes and turbidity are facts with the deepest concern. Political, governmental and society effective actions are urgent to seek the alternatives of territorial use which are not disagreeing with the supportive capacity of the environment and are at the same time societal and economic practicable. / Orientador: Archimedes Perez Filho / Coorientador: Iraci Scopel / Banca: Miguel Cezar Sanchez / Banca: Gilberto José Garcia / Banca: Carlos Roberto Espindola / Banca: Salvador Carpi Junior / Doutor

A consideração da variável ambiental nos processos decisórios do planejamento tem sido um desafio para diversos países. Nesse sentido, a Avaliação Ambiental Estratégica (AAE), instrumento que tem por objetivo inserir questões ambientais no planejamento de políticas, planos e programas, vem se consolidando no cenário internacional e tem sido cada vez mais praticada, inclusive em países em desenvolvimento como o Brasil. Nesse contexto, essa dissertação compara a situação atual da AAE no Brasil em relação à situação apresentada em México, Espanha, Inglaterra, África do Sul e Brasil. Para isso, foi utilizado o método comparativo qualitativo, que avaliou cada um desses sistemas com base em categorias descritivas e seus respectivos critérios de análise. As categorias selecionadas para caracterizar os sistemas de AAE foram Formal/legal, Institucional, Acadêmica e Prática. Os resultados demonstraram que os sistemas de AAE estudados apresentaram padrões diferentes de desenvolvimento e evolução ao longo do tempo. África do Sul, México e Brasil apresentaram evidências de experiências práticas e também interesse institucional que têm motivado a implementação formal desse instrumento nesses países. Contudo ainda apresentam lacunas em relação à estruturação formal e institucional desta ferramenta, afetando a qualidade de suas experiências práticas. Por outro lado, apesar de algumas limitações, os sistemas de AAE de Espanha e Inglaterra se apresentaram mais estruturados e desenvolvidos, fornecendo evidências empíricas sobre a relevância das esferas institucionais e acadêmicas para o seu desenvolvimento. De maneira geral, a comparação realizada nesta pesquisa demonstrou que existem diferentes formatos de sistemas de AAE, de acordo com o país ou contexto no qual é aplicada. / The insertion of environmental issues in decision-making has been a challenge in many countries. Therefore, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), an instrument that aims to embed environmental issues in the planning of policies, plans and programs, has now been consolidated and increasingly practiced in the international arena, including developing countries, like Brazil. In this context, this dissertation compares the current status of SEA in Brazil in relation to the situation presented in Mexico, Spain, England and South Africa. A qualitative comparative method, which evaluated each system based on descriptive categories and their criteria was used for the analysis. The categories selected to characterize the SEA systems were formal/legal, administrative/institutional, academic/conceptual and practical/applied. The results have showed that the SEA systems studied present different patterns of development and evolution along time. South Africa, Mexico and Brazil have showed evidence of different practical experiences and also institutional interests, which have motivated the formal reception of this instrument in those countries. However they still present some gaps in relation to formal and institutional structure of SEA, which affect their practical experience. On the other hand, despite some limitations, the SEA systems of Spain and England are more structured and developed, providing empirical evidence of the relevance of institutional and academic spheres to their development. In general, the comparison conducted in this research has showed that there exist different system formats to SEA, depending on the country or context in which it is applied.

O Pantanal, área de estudo do presente trabalho, se encontra em bom estado de conservação e abriga uma biodiversidade intrinsecamente relacionada com sua dinâmica local, principalmente com o pulso de inundação. Seus atributos naturais revelam um cenário propício para o desenvolvimento da atividade turística, que vem crescendo desde a década de 90, apoiada no discurso de compatibilizar o crescimento econômico com a conservação ambiental. Porém, esta prática pode representar uma séria ameaça devido à transformação do meio natural e ao estabelecimento de infraestrutura em locais selvagens. Neste sentido a pesquisa estabelece uma análise das dinâmicas territoriais influenciadas pelo turismo em quatro municípios pantaneiros: Aquidauana, Corumbá, Poconé e Cáceres. Foram levantadas as principais características destes locais, estudadas suas áreas urbanas e periurbanas, e identificados os usos do complexo pantaneiro pelo setor turístico. Os principais impactos ambientais ocasionados pelo turismo também foram analisados, além dos instrumentos de planejamento capazes de minimizar tais impactos e as políticas públicas que se relacionam com a temática. O estudo destes instrumentos e das políticas - analisadas em âmbito mundial, federal, estadual e municipal demonstrou necessidade de que a questão seja tratada em escala regional. Isto significa condicionar as ações individuais dos municípios e fortalecer decisões que considerem todo o complexo pantaneiro, e não apenas as que beneficiam os limites administrativos estabelecidos sem uma lógica natural. Caso tais condições estejam contempladas, o turismo poderá ser um aliado na conservação do Pantanal, pois depende do bom estado de seu meio natural para atrair os visitantes. / Pantanal wetland, study area of the present work, is in a good state of conservation and has a biodiversity strictly related to its local dynamic, especially due to the flood pulse. The natural attributes reveal a favorable scenario for the development of tourism activity, which has been growing since 90s. Though, this practice may represent a serious threat due to the changes in the natural environment and to the establishment of infrastructure in wild locations. In this way, this research has established an analysis of the territorial dynamics influenced by the tourism in four municipalities of Pantanal: Aquidauana, Corumbá, Poconé and Cáceres. The main characteristics of these municipalities were identified, also the urban and periurban areas of each municipality were studied and the uses of Pantanal by the tourism sector were identified. The main environmental impacts were analyzed, besides the planning instruments capable to diminish these impacts and the policies that are related to the theme. The study of the instruments and policies analyzed in global, federal, state and municipality scales has shown a strong necessity that this issue be addressed in regional scale. In the meaning of constrain the individual actions of municipalities and, in the other hand, to strength the decisions that consider the whole Pantanal wetland and not only those that benefit the administrative boundaries without a natural logic. In case of consideration of these conditions, the tourism could be an allied for the Pantanals conservation, as this activity depends on a good state of the natural environment to the attraction of tourists.

O trabalho procura sistematizar de forma metodológica a análise da inserção de uma usina termoelétrica no contexto do planejamento, no âmbito regional, sob o ponto de vista de impacto ambiental atmosférico. O método de previsão indica a primeira estimativa da condição regional, alternativo ao método convencional de medição, sobretudo em regiões carentes de informações. Baseado em informações disponíveis em banco de dados e uma análise preliminar da região de influência do empreendimento, é estimada a carga de poluentes atmosféricos existentes (poluição de fundo). As taxas de emissão por fonte são obtidas através de fatores de emissão, enquanto que a qualidade do ar é obtida por modelo de dispersão. O impacto da nova usina é incluído no modelo para avaliar o acréscimo. O modelo foi aplicado na análise de emissão e dispersão de NOx, sendo desenvolvido um estudo de caso para a região de Paulínia em São Paulo. / This paper intends to introduce a methodology to analyze the insertion of a Thermal Power Plant (TPP ) within a planning environmental phase from the viewpoint of air pollution impact, focusing the regional ambiance. The prediction methodology indicates the first regional condition estimative, as an alternative to the monitoring conventional one, mainly in region without information. Based on available data basis information and preliminary analysis of the region affected by the TPP, the local pollutants are estimated (background pollution). The source emission rates are calculated through emission factors while the air quality is obtained by using a dispersion model. The impact of the new TPP is added to the model to evaluate the emission growth. The predictive and dispersion model for NOx is synthesized and applied in a case study that considers Paulínia region in State of São Paulo.

Um dos problemas ambientais das cidades contemporâneas é a geração excessiva de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU), tais como os restos orgânicos, as embalagens que envolvem os produtos, pneus, garrafas, latas de refrigerante, papel, entre outros resíduos. A crescente quantidade de resíduos gerados nas diversas atividades humanas, residências, comércio, serviços e na manutenção das cidades, tem sido causada pelo modelo atual de desenvolvimento econômico, pelo crescimento acelerado da população, sua concentração em cidades e na mudança de padrão de consumo ocorrida nas últimas décadas. A gestão inadequada desses resíduos tem causado impactos negativos ao meio ambiente, porque causa danos desastrosos ao solo, ao ar e às águas superficiais carreando agentes poluentes presentes nesses resíduos, os quais infiltram no solo e podem atingir as águas subterrâneas. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a gestão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos gerados no Município de Coronel Fabriciano, localizado na Região do Vale do Aço do Estado de Minas Gerais, através de análise da situação encontrada e a trajetória municipal do inicio desta pesquisa em setembro de 2004 a dezembro de 2006. Para tal, foi elaborado e utilizado como instrumento de trabalho, o Diagnóstico Situacional de RSU para a coleta de dados da situação da Gestão Urbana Municipal, análise dos Serviços de Limpeza Urbana prestado pela Secretaria Municipal de Obras e Serviços Urbanos e, também, pelas empresas prestadoras de serviços, contratadas por essa Prefeitura e avaliação gravimétrica destes RSU. Foi escolhido este instrumento por constituir-se em uma avaliação e planejamento que objetiva direcionar as ações a serem realizadas pelo poder público e assim definir a importância e posteriormente prevenir, ou mesmo reduzir, os efeitos gerados ao meio ambiente em decorrência de falha na gestão municipal. Os resultados ambientais foram mensurados tendo como princípio norteador a Gestão de RSU, considerando alternativas de viabilidade política, econômico-financeira e institucional-administrativa e por fim, apresentar uma proposta de Política de Gestão de RSU, tendo como instrumento o Plano de Gerenciamento Integrado de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (PGIRSU), que busca a preservação da saúde pública, proteção e melhoria da qualidade do meio ambiente, recuperação de áreas degradada e assegurando a utilização adequada e racional dos recursos naturais para a área de deposição final a ser construída. Foram identificados avanços na gestão de RSU em Coronel Fabriciano, contudo ainda muito se tem o que fazer nessa área, objetivando minimizar os impactos negativos causados, como também atores sociais que têm cooperado com algumas das ações do poder público municipal na gestão dos RSU e atuam junto à Secretaria Municipal de Obras e Serviços Urbanos e à Secretaria Municipal de Assistência Social, a exemplo do Centro Universitário do Leste de Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), responsável pelo projeto extensionista de Educação Ambiental. / One of the environment issues of contemporary residues is the over generation of solid urban residues (SUR), like organic remains, the packing around the products, tires, bottle, soft drink cans, paper and other residues. The increasing amount of residues produced in many human activities, residences, commerce, services and in the maintenance of the cities, has been caused by the current model of economical development, by the fast population growth, its concentration inside the cities and in the consumption pattern change occurred in the last decades. The inadequate management of these residues has caused negative impact in the environment because it causes outrageous damage to the soil, air and to the superficial water, carrying polluting agents present in these residues, which permeate the soil and can reach the underground waters. Therefore, the current study had as a goal, to evaluate the management of solid urban residues produced in Coronel Fabriciano Town, located in the Region of Vale do Aço in Minas Gerais State, through the analysis of the situation found and the municipal path from the beginning of this research in September 2004 to December 2006. To have it done, a Situational Diagnosis of SUR was elaborated and used as work tool for the data collecting of the Urban Municipal Management, of the Urban Cleaning Services analysis done by the Building and Urban Service Municipal General Office and also by the installment service companies, contracted by the City Hall and gravimetric evaluation of these SUR. This tool was chosen because for been in an evaluation and planning that aim to direct the actions to be done by the public authority, then define the importance and after all prevent or even reduce the effects to the environment due to the lack of municipal management. The environmental results were measured having as a guidance principle the SUR management, considering choices of political’s, economic-financial’s and institutional-administrative’s viability and finally, to present a SUR Management Politics offer, having the Integrated Management of Solid Urban Residue Plan (IMSURP) as a tool that looks up to the public health preservation, protection and improvement of the environment’s quality, recuperation of the degraded areas and guaranteeing the appropriated and rationalized using of the natural resources to the area of final deposition to be built. Advances in the SUR Management in Coronel Fabriciano were identified but there is a lot to be done in this area, aiming to minimize the negative impacts caused and the social agents as well who have cooperated with some of the actions of the municipal public authority in the SUR management and acted together with the Building and Urban Service Municipal General Office, like Centro Universitário do Leste de Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), responsible for the extension project of Environmental Education.