Trends in environmental and resource management point to a more collaborative, integrated and regional approach, discussed in terms of concepts such as ecosystem management and collaborative planning. Such an approach has the potential to address some of the shortfalls previously encountered in environmental management and nature conservation, and has been the focus of considerable discussion in the literature. While a number of efforts are underway, there remains a need to identify how a regional approach can best be undertaken in practice. This research assessed the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), a recent regional conservation initiative in western North America, which has been the focus of considerable attention in the conservation community. This research assessed the strengths and limitations of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative in terms of its contribution to regional conservation planning, aiming to gain an understanding of implications for similar regional conservation efforts. Literature relating to regional conservation was examined to derive principles for effective regional conservation planning, as a basis for comparison with Y2Y. Drawing from needs of ecosystem management, collaborative planning, and related concepts, criteria were developed to assess the formative stages of a regional approach, emphasising capacity building measures and preconditions for success. In order to assess the strengths and limitations of Y2Y at a regional scale, this research attempted to obtain an understanding of how the Y2Y initiative was perceived by multiple stakeholders in regional conservation, as a basis for interpreting multi-stakeholder involvement and buy-in. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse range of individuals involved (directly and indirectly) in conservation planning, in two communities in the Y2Y region, Canmore and Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. These communities were selected to provide a degree of representation of areas within the Alberta portion of the Y2Y region. Perceptions of successes and obstacles of the initiative were compared with the criteria for effective regional conservation planning. Findings pointed to three recurring themes that influenced the initiative's ability to meet the criteria. These were the need to address both ecological and social components of conservation, the need to include diverse participants, and the need to operate at regional and local scales. These themes are consistent with limitations of traditional conservation and management practices critiqued in the literature, and suggest some substantial obstacles for employing a truly collaborative regional approach to conservation. Reflecting on the findings revealed that the Y2Y initiative was primarily understood as a vision. The Y2Y vision is one that has garnered a great deal of support and momentum, although there is a need to progress beyond the vision to address its potential and apply the ideals it puts forward. Recommendations of this study for Y2Y and similar initiatives included the need to build partnerships with more diverse groups, and the need for the Y2Y vision to be promoted in terms of some tangible, more specific goals. This study identified a need for biophysical, social science, and stakeholder information needs to be assessed and prioritised at the start of an initiative. Additionally, a vision was recognised as an effective rallying point from which to develop a regional conservation planning initiative.

The quality of the human experience depends on a dramatic change in how we think about economics and, more specifically, about the relationship between human economic activity and the natural world. The continued pursuit of a growth agenda threatens the health and stability of global ecological systems, jeopardizes the wellbeing of many people, and undermines opportunities for future generations. In an era of sustainability challenges, we must measure the impacts of economic activity and use that information toward designing more sustainable human systems. This dissertation supports an ecological economic worldview by extending biophysical based measures to local scale applications to improve understanding of environmental impact at the urban and sub-regional scale. To account for environmental impact, I test two calculation approaches: one to estimate municipal ecological footprint values and one to measure environmental impact at a neighbourhood level. The novel calculation approaches account for environmental impact at finer scales of resolution than has traditionally been applied. I also explore drivers of environmental impact using Halifax Regional Municipality as a case study. I examine the relationship between direct GHG emissions and socio-economic and wellbeing variables using a multivariate model. Those reporting to be married, young, low income, and living in households with more people have correspondingly lower direct GHG emissions than other categories in respective groupings. Respondents with lifestyles that generate higher GHG emissions did not report to be healthier, happier or more connected to their communities, suggesting that individuals can experience similar degrees of wellbeing largely independent of their GHG emissions. I explored whether where we live influences direct GHG emissions. Findings indicate that individuals living in the suburbs generate similar GHG emissions to those living in the inner city, challenging a widely held assumption that living in the inner city is better for sustainability. These results underscore the importance of understanding the spatial distribution of GHG emissions at the sub-regional scale. The research offers new insights to measure and understand environmental impact at the local level toward supporting ecologically informed decision-making.

Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / Existing literature offers various definitions of sustainable development, yet very few efforts have thus far been made to move specific communities to such a state of development. Popularised by the Brundland report, the concept of sustainable development is understood to be that which "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs". However, the abstract concept of sustainable development raises various of questions concerning, for example, intergenerational implications of patterns of resources use and equitable resource allocations as highlighted in this study. This research indicates that the principles of sustainable development posed a veritable challenge to development projects. Hence, the confusion surrounding the concept, often leads to disagreement and misunderstanding in the demarcation of specific projects.

In 1987, Gro Harlem Bruntland formally introduced and popularized the concept of sustainable development. She defined it as being “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Several cities, including the City of Hamilton have adopted certain environmental practices and technologies in an endeavor to improve their level of urban sustainability and achieve Bruntland’s goal of sustainable development. These practices include the support of individuals and city organizations that investigate new sustainable design alternatives for current infrastructure development. Such sustainable alternatives include the consumption of locally grown produce to avoid the detrimental effects associated with the transportation of imported foods via transport trucks, the installation of Rooftop Gardens as a viable option of ‘greening’ modern urban landscapes, and the construction of R-2000 Homes to reduce energy consumption rates and decrease the levels of harmful emissions that would normally be produced by conventional homes. The implications and/or benefits associated with any of the aforementioned designs were calculated using an environmental assessment tool developed by a professor at the University of British Columbia: Ecological Footprint (EF) Analysis. The final results of this study indicated that consuming locally grown produce, installing Rooftop Gardens, and living in R-2000 homes have the potential to enhance the state of the environment by improving air quality, reducing energy consumption, reducing water consumption, improving storm water retention, or by enhancing the biodiversity of a city’s landscape. However, in order to reap the benefits of any or all of the above ‘green’ practices or technologies and begin to establish a sustainable community, the fundamental doctrines that have influenced modern development practices, particularly those that place economic progress in front of the conservation and preservation of the environment, will need to be changed. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

This study explored the meaning of community engagement of older adults, within a social capital framework, in a community noted for its relatively high concentration of active, older adults. The multiple meanings of community engagement within the creation of a place of age were investigated using concepts derived from a social capital framework. A place of age is where older adults are integral to family life, participate in community life, and bring collective life experiences and wisdom to civic life. This research addresses gaps in the current literature about suburban places and the meanings of community engagement for an aging population within these places. The importance of this research lies with expanding the understanding of the multiple meanings of community engagement and the potential for reinforcing, through public policy, these meanings through the development and support of the social capital created by older adults in places of age. The research methodology was an in-depth case study analysis of West Saint Paul, Minnesota. In-person, semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals, aged 65 years and older, who had been residents of West Saint Paul for at least 25 years. Findings of this study revealed multiple meanings of community and community engagement for study participants, but all had a strong sense of community relative to their neighborhoods and the city of West Saint Paul. All had well-developed social networks that involved family members, friends, and neighbors. Nearly all engaged in neighboring behaviors of helping out when needed and generally looking out for one another. All participants expressed a feeling of trust of others within their own neighborhoods, and most did not feel trusting of others beyond their neighborhoods. All participants had consistently voted, and all engaged in formal civic activities at some point in their lives. All participants, lifelong volunteers, were members of a Christian church, and much of their volunteer time was given to church activities. The key finding from this study was the important role of neighboring behaviors, faith-based affiliation, and family in the meaning of community engagement within each participant's life. / Ph. D.

This thesis explores the meaning of sustainability, in both philosophical and practical terms, as it applies to community design. It clarifies the meaning of "sustainable development" and discusses the philosophies of certain landscape design paradigms associated with postmodern environmental ethics and the concept of eco-development. Information from the literature is synthesized into design goals and objectives grounded in postmodern environmental ethics and eco-development These objectives are used as criteria with which to determine the relative sustainability of selected urban fringe communities: Cerro Gordo, Oregon; The Fields of Long Grove, Illinois; Golden, Colorado; Kentlands, Maryland; Laguna West, California; Village Homes, California; and The Woodlands, Texas. In addition, the philosophies, goals, and characteristics of the community design strategies associated with each of these projects are reviewed. A rating system is developed and employed in the community design evaluation process. / Master of Landscape Architecture

No description available.

This thesis introduces the concept of Online Mediated Commensality (OMC) as an example of contemporary hospitality provision. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century an increase of exchanges of hospitality being mediated using online technologies has changed the way in which individuals interact and challenges the traditional boundaries between strangers. While some research has been done on accommodation, little has been researched on the interactions around the meal and the online mediation of experiences. The aim of this research is to explore the role and significance of OMC and its place in contemporary hospitality provision. Through a detailed review of academic literature on concepts relating to commensality, hospitality, alternative economies and home, a conceptual understanding of the phenomenon was achieved. Due to the paucity of research on the OMC phenomenon, a review of recent non-academic and anecdotal sources (newspaper articles, reviews, books relating to experiences of OMC) was used scope the phenomenon's contemporary significance. Due to the exploratory nature of this research, and the social nature of the phenomenon, a qualitative approach to research is used to gain insight into the interactions, behaviours and social practices of those participating. Two stages of research material collection are used (Autoethnographic Participant Observation and Discussion-style Interviews) to critically understand and interpret the phenomenon. The findings identified a number of social practices around the shared meal. Interpretations of the phenomenon resulted in the identification of the ‘Home-food Economy', in which OMC is placed, which embodies and embraces ethical, shared and innovative dimensions of an alternative economy. Attractions of the phenomenon are identified as being that it is different to mainstream hospitality provision and is strongly associated with ‘traditional' norms and values relating to family, background, nationality and identity. Interactions and social practices are identified as being fleeting, transient, momentary experiences of hospitality which rarely transcend the setting of the meal. These interactions are conceptualised within a proposed ‘Social Interaction Capital', which represents the nature of social interactions experienced as well as its presence within a liquid, fluidly mobile contemporary society. The study has identified a social phenomenon which is constructed within the confines, conditions or thresholds of hospitality. In terms of future implications, this thesis suggests that while OMC will not achieve prominence over mainstream hospitality provision, it will continue to develop and grow in popularity for those who are interested in the more alternative, socially orientated experiences of hospitality and the meal. Further research on OMC could take a global perspective and highlight any cultural/social differences relating to commensality and its online mediation. Similarly, Social Interaction Capital could be further elaborated on in a range of hospitality settings to articulate its reach and contextualisation within hospitality studies and its place within contemporary society.

This study uses Processwork as a lens to evaluate the facilitation of social change and related design projects at all levels of scale. Social change processes are deconstructed and explored in terms of awareness of signals, roles, dimensions of rank and power, belief systems, and phenomenological experience within the analytical structure of deep democracy and eldership. Data is collected for the case studies from workshops, interviews with practitioners and participants, relevant texts and field experiences. The Bolivian case studies involved 24 rural indigenous farmers (men of varying ages) and 16 women (aged 16 - 54), all from situations of extreme urban poverty and shows the application of Processwork in empowering participants to facilitate social change. The Zaragoza case study was a part-time multi-module two-year course involving 38 male and female lawyers. They gained the confidence to design, and in some cases implement, a parallel mediation training, based on a whole systems design. The Thai case study consisted of 3 week-long workshops with Buddhist monks and nuns, university professors, community leader, consultants and trainers. The results suggest the emphasis on eldership, group process structure, rank, power, and double signals was extremely useful, even for those already experienced in awareness-based practices. The Ecovillage case study focuses on one female facilitator working in an extremely diverse cultural setting and demonstrates the importance of working with inner diversity and the value of both inner and outer awareness Processwork exercises. In choosing this broad spectrum of applications, the similarities and differences of Processwork in diverse cultural and social contexts is illustrated. The case studies and my experience suggest that Processwork can contribute to a shift in perspective required to build a more sustainable civilization with its capacity to broaden perspective and increase awareness at the worldview level. Processwork facilitates a process of meta-design, that encourages participants to see the larger, complex context of their projects as well as the details and momentary interactions and can be very helpful to all those working with complex systems, including facilitators and designers.

abstract: This study argues for Indigenous-led community development as a salient field of study whereby both theory and practice would be held to the goals of decolonizing entrenched systems that suppress indigeneity, as well as embodying processes to rediscover, regain, and reimage aspects integral to Indigenous well-being and sustainability. Building on fieldwork with Cherokee youth in Stilwell, OK using community mapping and photovoice methods, it is argued that holistic and culturally relevant frameworks that fully situate such salient factors are needed when examining topics related to sustainability, well-being, and resurgence in Native American communities. Utilizing youth narratives, the study proposes a starting point for a Cherokee-led community development framework. / Dissertation/Thesis / Project Booklet / Doctoral Dissertation Community Resources and Development 2016