In recent years, the published objectives of international aid organizations have called for the expertise of landscape architects. Projects with attention to sustainability, environment, and land use have become a major emphasis for many organizations. Landscape architecture, a profession which involves physical science, social science, humanities, art and land, is an appropriate profession to participate in aid projects. As a result of their unique training and experience, landscape architects have an unusual opportunity to make a substantial contribution in the planning, design and development of places for people in developing countries. This case study documents the activities and explains a process of involvement by which the author, through the School of Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University, became involved in the Cerro Verde National Park, El Salvador. Sponsored by the Louisiana Partners of the Americas, the author uses his research and observations as a participant in the project to examine the potential role of the profession of landscape architecture in the improvement of land stewardship developing countries. In order to understand our process of involvement, the author gives background in the following areas: aid organizations, Latin America, El Salvador, traditional park planning, and the Cerro Verde National Park, El Salvador.

The city of Lafayette, Louisiana is on the threshold of developing a major transportation artery (the I-49 corridor) that will allow non-stop traffic flow through the city. The southern boundary of Lafayette, which is currently inhabited by industrial based business (oil service companies, storage yards, restaurants, and truck lines), will be intersected by this interstate. The area is not visually pleasing and needs direction to create a setting that reflects the unique personality of Lafayette. In recent years, landscape architects and planners have begun to employ a method of zoning called overlay district landscape ordinances and overlay zoning districts to help supplement zoning in already developed areas. The standards found in overlay ordinances work to encourage thoughtful design and land use compatibility. This thesis has two purposes. The first was to develop a model landscape overlay zoning district ordinance for the six-mile area along US Highway 90 between Albertsons Drive, in Broussard, Louisiana and Kaliste Saloom Road, in Lafayette, Louisiana. Through consulting other similar ordinances, site exploration, and study, a model ordinance was formulated. The primary goal of the landscape overlay ordinance was to unify several different land use types found in the project area into a green gateway to welcome visitors to the area. The second objective of this thesis work was to document the process followed in creating the landscape overlay zoning district ordinance. This process will be useful for other cities working to formulate similar overlay ordinances of their own. The resultant material produced by this project includes a model landscape overlay zoning district ordinance and the process of design employed during its creation. The ordinance is a four-part document that includes the purpose, intent, applicability, design standards, and administrative procedures to be followed in the project corridor. Careful documentation of the process of data gathering and ensuing analysis for the project area are included as well. When combined, this information works to create a written design process for others to use in designing their own landscape overlay zoning district ordinances.

Acid bogs, one of the rare plant communities, are on the brink of extinction in the southeastern United States. This study uncovers what issues are at stake in land use, land development, and regulations of two specific areas in south Louisiana that contain this type of wetland. This is an educational project oriented toward development of methods and information related to planning and design for the use of wetland sites while still protecting them. A hypothesis is presented that a combination of education with land use guidelines, helpful resources and regulatory incentives may help slow the eradication of bogs in the southern United States and increase the awareness of the importance of these small isolated wetlands. Although small in size, acid bogs function in important ways to help society and surrounding natural ecosystems. Land use practices and attitudes towards building on sensitive inland wetland sites were investigated to discover what role developers and homeowners play in their destruction. Case studies of several Louisiana home sites found homeowner awareness of the wetland, but not of its value and consequently little effort being put into acid bog preservation. Property rights issues, plus the complete lack of market value recognition for the benefits of small inland wetland sites, were found to be at the root of the conservation problem. Likewise, a survey of developers in south Louisiana uncovered a disinterest in plant community preservation. Results point towards attitudes that seem to be governed by short-term monetary gain from wetland land use. Outdated development practices (draining and filling) in sensitive sites contribute heavily to acid bog destruction. More importantly, wetlands are being destroyed due to a slow and confusing regulatory process as the regulations for them are being followed. Guidelines and helpful resources are presented in order to lower development costs and facilitate acid bog conservation on individual sites. Moreover, findings indicate that an area wide effort is needed due to the unique connections that acid bogs have with underground water systems. Not only can improved design opportunities and higher property values be enjoyed through acid bog conservation, but cleaner and more available water for communities can also be achieved by developing properties in such a way as to protect the unique acid bog habitat.

During January and February of 2002, a group of 15 marinas on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain was surveyed to identify what environmental management practices they employed. The objectives of this study were to find out what was being done by these facilities in Louisiana, what these and other marina owners and operators could do to improve environmental conditions, and what recommendations could be made for future marina designers and operators. An additional objective was to suggest what role government could play in helping present and future marinas in implementing best management practices (BMPs). A questionnaire and evaluation form was developed, and the 15 marinas were visited. In addition, three large marinas in New Orleans were also visited and evaluated. While not included in the study group, it was felt several relevant comparisons could be made from information found at these three marinas. After the marinas were visited, the data was summarized and evaluated based on the 15 management measures covered in the questionnaire. Results ranged widely, generally depending on the size and type of marina. Based on the questions and observations made in the study, the North Shore marinas were generally found to not be as environmentally progressive as the New Orleans marinas, primarily due to differences in management ability and philosophy, and also to financing. As the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain continues to be the fastest growing area of Louisiana, existing and proposed marinas will come under increased public scrutiny and pressure to improve management practices. Marina owners and operators need assistance and guidelines to help them adopt and implement good management practices, and government must find ways to encourage and assist these businesses. Landscape architects and other designers can be an important part of this process and this thesis will help clarify their potential role.

Golf course community developments present a unique opportunity to preserve and create wildlife habitat. Golf course management and development industries have become particularly cognizant of their environmental responsibilities in recent times and are responsive to new research. The specific focus of this thesis research is to provide guidance and encouragement for landscape architects designing wildlife habitat areas within golf course community developments. Specifically, I analyze the size, shape, and orientation of a selected number of wildlife habitat areas within the unique context of golf course community land usage. My hypothesis is that the spatial characteristics of a habitat area influence the resulting wildlife habitation. Therefore, designers can influence the habitation of designated wildlife habitat through design decisions. This thesis produces a set of guidelines for the design of wildlife habitat areas within golf course communities in addition to substantiating the importance of incorporating wildlife habitat within large-scale developments, especially golf course communities.

Crime cannot be understood as a single-solution problem. Participation of the community is important to complement and make more efficient any program of crime control by police authorities or any other law enforcement agency. This thesis is intended to create consciousness among designers of the urban environment of their social role. Cities must include places to promote community interaction and formation of social bonds. As social bonds among residents increase, and bonds with the place begin building a sense of territoriality in the community, the residents become active defenders of the place against crime. A theory summary presents different and complementary points of view, some focused directly to urban and landscape design such as those stated by Jane Jacobs, Clare Cooper Marcus, Donald Appleyard, and Oscar Newman. Others focused to social and psychological aspects of the relation between humans and environment, for example those presented by Erving Goffman, Edward Hall, Amos Rapaport, Irwin Altman, and Setha Low. A field study is presented to complement the theory review. It was based on two inner city neighborhoods in Orlando, Florida. The data used came from Orlando Police Department, FBI, and U.S. Department of Justice crime and victimization reports. The population characteristics were analyzed based on the 2000 U.S. Census. From the study, a general conclusion is that social characteristics of the population in any given neighborhood such as poverty, high percentage of broken families, unemployment, social heterogeneity, large numbers of young population, and large proportion of rented homes create environments highly susceptible of crime. But social characteristics are not the only aspects determining crime. Physical layout of the neighborhood plays also an important role in preventing or promoting crime. In spite of the fact that both neighborhoods had similar social characteristics, crime was considerably higher in the neighborhood where the physical structure neglected possibilities for neighbors to interact and use public areas. Theories and other information presented is finally synthesized into design guidelines, which are related specifically to the function of landscape architects and other designers as shapers of cities and societies.

A public university that is perceived as being physically open and accessible to the general public can help promote a better relationship between the city and the university. Public urban universities have a responsibility to provide usable, accessible open space for the public. Universities and designers recognize the importance of integrating their campus into the community and creating spaces for students that allow for outdoor and social activities. However, little attention has been given to the need to provide spaces that allow for outdoor and social activities for the public. The public urban university was used as a model because as a public institution it has an obligation to provide usable open space for the public and it has a captive audience in its immediate surroundings. Two types of spaces were evaluated: entrances/gateways and park-like spaces. Nine characteristics were established, from site visits and readings, as a framework in which to evaluate the accessibility and usability of each space for the public. The methods for this thesis were established to observe, evaluate, and understand outdoor spaces using literature, site visits, and personal interviews. The nine characteristics were applied to each space and were then evaluated their effectiveness in creating an accessible space. Each campus space was analyzed and I determined why or why not the space is perceived as accessible to the public.

Our everyday movement is reflected by those individuals who design the world in which we live. Ninety percent of the people who shape our everyday lives are right handed. Individuals perceive life differently, especially left and right handed individuals. One reason left and right-handed individuals interpret differently is due to the brains two hemispheres processing information separately. Can this difference in interpretation result in varying abilities of performance? Research has proven that those individuals who are right hemisphere dominant process and comprehend shapes better than left hemisphere dominant individuals. Golf is an activity that is exhibits the constant changing of visual shapes. With this knowledge, the derived conclusion would imply that the right hemisphere dominant individuals should interpret the curvilinear shapes presented on a golf course better than the left hemispheric dominant individual. This thesis tests for the differing abilities in performance between the left and right hemispheres on two curvilinear holes.

One of the major problems that my country, Cyprus, faces is water scarcity. In the last five to ten years, the problem has become more serious because of a series of droughts that have left the island with limited water. As a result, Cypriots keep their gardens to a minimum or they abandon their gardens due to water shortage. This attitude of Cypriots toward their gardens was the inspiration of this thesis topic. The idea of Xeriscape and the seven guidelines of Xeriscape that were first introduced and organized by the Denver Water Department in Colorado are directly related to water conservation and landscaping, which is the focus of this thesis. First, I researched books, articles, and the Web on related topics with water conservation and landscaping in the United States and in Cyprus. After that, I did interviews with professional and non-professional Cypriots on related topics with water conservation in gardens. Based on this research and interviews, I tested the Xeriscape guidelines, which originated with the Denver Water Department, to see how they work in Cyprus. I used two sites of Cyprus as case studies to evaluate these guidelines. According to this testing of guidelines on case studies, I adapted the Xeriscape guidelines to Cyprus. The cultural environment of Cyprus, which is different than in the United States, affects how I adapted the guidelines. Also, the natural differences in Cyprus affect the application of the guidelines. In addition, graphic and other informative data are included in my own guidelines to provide a more detail explanation of important terms related with Xeriscape.

Undeveloped lands are inherently capable of handling the precipitation rates and severe storm events of a given area. As our communities continue to grow and expand, the stormwater management capabilities of an areas natural systems will be impacted. Without thoughtful intervention, existing natural systems will be overwhelmed to the point of dysfunction, an unfortunate circumstance that has been the case in some of this countrys more urbanized areas. The main objective of this thesis is to demonstrate the process of applying an integrated greenway stormwater management system as an alternative approach to managing the present and future stormwater needs of a developing coastal community. Research gathered from this investigation is applied to the coastal community of Bay County, Florida in the form of a case study. A greenway system for Bay County is defined as the preservation of existing and connected undeveloped areas, particularly wetlands, shorelines, and natural drainage ways, in order to conserve and protect the natural systems that are inherently capable of handling normal stormwater occurrences. Structural, nonstructural, and natural engineering stormwater best management practices are recommended as supplements to the capabilities of the greenway systems preserved areas. These best management practices are alternative approaches to the conventional concrete and steel method of stormwater management. An important outcome of this study is the development of a three-step process for creating an integrated greenway stormwater management system. The first step is the preservation of natural systems and their inherent stormwater management capabilities. The second step is the application of appropriate greenway planning and stormwater management techniques to assist impacted or overburdened natural systems. The third step is the development of a stormwater utility as a means of implementing an integrated greenway stormwater management system on a comprehensive scale. An integrated approach to stormwater management that incorporates the principles of greenway planning supplemented with stormwater best management practices will enable an given areas remaining natural systems to function more efficiently, thereby reducing a communitys long-term costs associated with the construction and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure.