Never before have humans wielded a greater ability to alter and disrupt planetary processes. Our impact is becoming so noticeable that a new geological epoch has been proposed – the Anthropocene – in which Earth systems might no longer maintain the stable and predictable conditions of the past 12 millennia. This is particularly evident in the rapid expansion of urban areas, where a majority of humans now live and where environmental changes such as rising temperatures and habitat loss are happening faster than elsewhere.  In light of this, questions have been raised about what a more responsible relationship between humans and the rest of the planet might look like. Scholars in sustainability science employ the concept of ‘stewardship’ in searching for an answer; however, with multiple different applications and definitions, there is a need to better understand what stewardship is or what novelty it might add to sustainability research. This thesis investigates stewardship empirically through two case studies of civic engagement for protecting nature in cities – Bengaluru, India and New York City, USA. Further, the thesis also proposes a conceptual framework for how to understand stewardship as a relation between humans and the rest of nature, based on three dimensions: care, knowledge and agency. This investigation into stewardship in the urban context uses a social–ecological systems approach to guide the use of mixed theory and methods from social and natural sciences. The thesis is organized in five papers. Paper I reviews defining challenges in managing urban social–ecological systems and proposes that these can more effectively be addressed by collaborative networks where public, civic, other actors contribute unique skills and abilities. Paper II and Paper III study water resource governance in Bengaluru, a city that has become dependent on external sources while its own water bodies become degraded and depleted.Paper II analyzes how locally based ‘lake groups’ are able to affect change through co-management arrangements, reversing decades of centralization and neglect of lakes’ role in Bengaluru’s water supply.Paper III uses social–ecological network analysis to analyze how patterns in lake groups’ engagements and collaborations show better fit with ecological connectivity of lakes.Paper IV employs sense of place methods to explore how personal bonds to a site shapes motivation and goals in waterfront stewardship in New York City. Finally,Paper V reviews literature on stewardship and proposes a conceptual framework to understand and relate different uses and underlying epistemological approaches in the field. In summary, this thesis presents an empirically grounded contribution to how stewardship can be understood as a human–nature relation emergent from a deep sense ofcare and responsibility, knowledge and learning about how to understand social–ecological dynamics, and theagency and skills needed to influence these dynamics in a way that benefits a greater community of humans as others. Here, the care dimension is particularly important as an underappreciated aspect of social–ecological relations, and asset for addressing spatial and temporal misalignment between management institutions and ecosystem. This thesis shows that care for nature does not erode just because green spaces are degraded by human activities – which may be crucial for promoting stewardship in the Anthropocene. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Mobilité, désir d’accéder à une meilleure qualité de vie, attraction de la campagne s’accélèrent depuis une trentaine d’années au Québec, comme ailleurs en occident. La campagne et les usages que l’on en fait se diversifient et se complexifient, à l’instar des populations qui l’habitent. Dans ce contexte, cette thèse se penche sur l’expérience géographique de la campagne, en tant qu’espace social. Elle met en lumière l’expérience géographique des ruraux, plus particulièrement les modalités de leur rencontre dans divers lieux qui marquent leur quotidien. Le matériel empirique de la thèse consiste surtout en des témoignages recueillis lors d’entrevues qualitatives menées auprès de nouveaux résidents et des ruraux de longue date dans deux municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) contrastées au Québec : Brome-Missisquoi et Arthabaska. La démarche privilégiée et les principales contributions qui en découlent se déclinent en trois temps. D’abord, une comparaison directe des deux populations rurales étudiées fait ressortir que leurs pratiques de mobilité et leurs sens des lieux se rejoignent dans une certaine mesure, mais affichent aussi des différences. Par exemple, elles partagent toutes deux un sentiment d’appartenance marqué à leur milieu de vie, mais pas nécessairement avec la même intensité et pour les mêmes raisons. En outre, leurs pratiques d’engagement local convergent, favorisées par un même désir de contribuer au bien-être de leur milieu. La thèse démontre aussi que certains lieux de sociabilité rapprochent ces deux groupes au quotidien, quoique subsistent des tensions notamment liées à leurs origines rurale ou urbaine, leur classe sociale, leurs expériences antérieures des lieux, la durée vécue dans leur milieu de vie, leur historique familial, leurs représentations et usages de la campagne... Se décèle aussi un effet de milieu entre les deux MRC à cet égard. Dans l’ensemble, leur rencontre s’avère timide et surtout réservée à l’espace public. Enfin, en se basant sur leurs représentations de l’avenir, la thèse illustre que l’espace de leur rencontre représente un espace d’opportunités pour le dialogue sur la campagne, bien que celui-ci ne se produise pas sans affrontements et heurts. Ainsi, au-delà du binarisme traditionnel et antagonique lié aux statuts de « nouveaux » et « anciens » ruraux, l’espace de rencontre, celui à l’intérieur duquel s’opèrent à la fois tensions, négociations, compromis et nouvelles alliances, participe à construire la nouvelle ruralité contemporaine.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / In an increasingly changing world, the attributes of human and physical environments are critical in assessing human quality of life (HQoL). The research sources consulted for this thesis point to specific relationships between urban change, ecosystem services and the HQoL. A variety of models have been developed in the global North to assist urban planners to manage the benefits and stressors related to urban shrinkage, ecosystems and HQoL. In the global South the trend is urban growth rather than shrinkage and few models are available for this context. Based on a mixed-method case-study approach, the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, located in the rapidly-growing urban peripheral zone between the Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metropolitan areas in the Gauteng province of South Africa, was selected to assess the benefits and stressors of localised urban development, conservation and sense of place. The purpose of the assessment was to develop a Greenspace Stress Model of Urban Impact (GSMUI) that would be of value to local authorities in managing the interplay of the varied functions of a nature reserve as a greenspace in the global South. Land-use changes were analysed using remote-sensing images. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively-selected key informants to evaluate the functions of the Reserve and the objectives of the Ecological Management Plan for the Reserve. The benefits and risks to the Reserve, as well as the sense-of-place aspects, were identified through semi-structured interviews with 18 purposively-selected key informants, 181 on-site face-to-face semi-structured interviews with visitors to the Reserve, group discussions with interest groups and electronic surveys involving 365 respondents. Data were also collected through the researcher’s own observations and her participation in activities at the Reserve. The empirical results of the research were verified by 14 purposively-selected key specialist informants, who evaluated and ranked the identified benefits and stressors. Benefits and stressors were not ranked the same from different perspectives. Using the results of the empirical research, the researcher was able to merge and adapt a number of models developed for the management of greenspaces in the global North in order to develop the GSMUI specifically for the Rietvlei Reserve. Guidelines were also developed for the application of the GSMUI in geographically similar greenspaces in the global South. / In ‘n toenemend veranderende wêreld, is die eienskappe van menslike en fisiese omgewings krities vir die evaluering van menslike lewenskwaliteit (HQoL). Die navorsing wat geraadpleeg is, het spesifieke verwantskappe tussen stedelike verandering, ekosisteemdienste en HQoL aangedui ‘n Verskeidenheid modelle is in die globale Noorde ontwikkel om stedelike beplanners te help om die voordele en stressors verwant aan ontwikkeling (stedelike inkrimping), ekosisteme en menslike lewenskwaliteit, te bestuur. Onvoldoende modelle is nog ontwikkel vir die om die teenoorgestelde neigings in die globale Suide te bestuur. ’n Gemengdemetodes-gevallestudie-benadering is gevolg om die voordele en stressors van stedelike ontwikkeling, bewaring en sin vir plek in die Rietvlei Natuurreservaat (geleë in die snelgroeiende stedelike randgebiedsone tussen die Tshwane en Ekurhuleni Metropolitaanse gebiede in die Gauteng Provinsie van Suid-Afrika) te ondersoek. Verandering in grondgebruik is deur afstandwaarnemingsbeelde ontleed. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met doelbewus-geselekteerde sleutelinformante gevoer om die funksies van die Reservaat, sowel as die doelwitte van die Reservaat se ekologiese bestuursplan, te evalueer. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met 18 doelbewus-geselekteerde sleutelinformante, 181 semi-gestruktureerde persoonlike onderhoude met besoekers aan die Reservaat en groepbesprekings is met ereveldwagters en belangegroepe gevoer, en 365 elektroniese vraelyste is ontleed ten einde die voordele en risiko’s vir die Reservaat en ook die pleksin te identifiseer. Data is ook deur middel van waarneming en deelname aan aktiwiteite in die Reservaat ingesamel. Die empiriese resultate van die navorsing is geverifieer deur 14 doelbewus-geselekteerde sleutelinformante wat die geïdentifiseerde voordele en stressors geëvalueer en geklassifiseer het. Voordele en stressors is verskillend evalueer uit verskillende oogpunte. Die gebruik van die empiriese navorsing het die navorser in staat gestel om ’n aantal modelle aan te pas wat vir die bestuur van groenruimtes in die globale Noorde ontwikkel is en te integreer ten einde die GSMUI te skep. Die CSMUI is spesifiek op die bestuur van die Rietvlei Natuurreservaat gemik. Die navorsing bied ook ‘n generiese GSMUI met implementeringsriglyne vir geografies-gelyksoortige groenruimtes in die globale Suide. / Kumhlaba oguquka njalo, isimo sabantu nesemvelo kubalulekile ekuhloleni iqophelo lempilo yabantu i-Human quality of life (HQoL). Ucwaningo oluhloliwe lukhombise ukuthi kukhona ubudlelwane obuthile phakathi kokuncipha/ukwanda, inkonzo yobudlelwane babantu nemvelo kanye ne HqoL. Lokhu kuxhumana kwehlukile kancane ezindaweni zaseNyakatho nomhlaba (ukungcipha kwedolobha) nezindawo zaseNingizimu nomhlaba lapho ukwanda kwamadolobha kugqame khona. Kwakhiwe amamodeli ahlukahlukile khona eNyakatho nomhlaba ukusiza abahleli bamadolobha ukuphatha izinzuzo nokuhluphayo okuhambisana nentuthuko (ukuncipha kwedolobha), kanye nesimo sendawo kanye neHQol. Awekho amamodeli awenziweyo ukusiza ukuphatha isimo esehlukile eNingizimi yomhlaba. Ngokusebenzisa inqubo exubile, inqubo ye-case study, iRietvlei Nature Reserve (etholakala lapho kwanda khona ngokushesha amadolobha phakathi kweTshwane neEKurhuleni kwiprovinsi laseGauteng eNingizima Afrika), yakhethwa ukuhlola izinzuzo nezingcindezi zokuthuthuka kwamadolobha, nokugcina isimo semvelo kanye nobunjalo obuthile bendawo. Injongo yalolu hlolo bekuwukwenza indawo ebizwa iGreenspace Stress Model of Urban Impact (GSMUI) ezosiza iziphathimandla zendawo ukuphatha ukuxhumana okukhona phakathi kwezinhloso ezihlukahlukene zeReserve njengendawo eluhlaza kwiNingizimu neAfrika yomhlaba. Kwahlaziywa indlela eguqukayo yokusetshenziswa komhlaba ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso ebheka ikude etholakala kuma mepi akhombisa indikimba (thematic map). Kwenziwa ama-semi-structured interviews nababambiqhaza bolwazi ababalulekile ukuhlola ukusebenza kweReserve kanye nezinhloso zohlelo olubizwa i-Ecological Management Plan for the Reserve. Izinzuzo nezingcindezi zale-Reserve, kanye nobunjalo obuthile bendawo, kwaphawulwa, ngokwenza ama-semi-structured interview nabathile ababalulekile abakhethwa abayi 18 ukuxoxa nabo, futhi kwenziwa nama-semi-structured interview ngokubhekana ubuso nobuso nezivakashi ze-Reserve ezingama 181, kanye nezingxoxo nabaqaphi abathile besiqiwi (rangers) kanye namanye amaqembu athintekayo. Ulwazi lwaqokelelwa futhi ngokuthi abacwaningi babheke lokho okwenzekayo kanye nokubamba iqhaza kwimisebenzi ye-Reserve. Imiphumela yobufakazi bocwaningo yaqinisekiswa ngosolwazi ababalulekile bobuchwepheshe abangu 14 ababekhethelwe le nhloso, abahlola babuya babeka ngamazinga izinzuzo nezingcindezi ukwenzela ukuthi abacwaningi babuye baphinde bakwazi ukwenza enye i-GSMUI. Ngokusebenzisa imiphumela yobufakazi bocwaningo, umcwaningi wakwazi ukuhlela kabusha amamodeli amaningana athile enziwe ukuphatha izindawo eziluhlaza eNyakatho lomhlaba, ukuze enze GSMUI eqondene nokuphatha iReserve laseRietvlei. Ucwaningo lubuye lwahlinzeka futhi i-GSMUI enabile engasetshenziswa njengemikhombandlela yezinye izindawo eziluhlaza ezifana nalezi khona eNingizimu yomhlaba. / Geography / Ph.D. (Geography)

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This thesis for the Bachelor of Arts in Information Design with a focus on Spatial Design has examined and identified exterior places and their characteristics that contribute to a strong sense of place among residents in Katrineholm Municipality. The aim has been to create a design proposal for a hospital park, which currently functions as a walkway and has several shortcomings relative to its potential and the needs and criticisms of the residents. The study is based on theories and previous research on place attachment and topophilia. Through interviews, site observations and notations, as well as a survey, types of exterior spaces, materials, and activities that promote mental well-being and the factors that contribute to a sense of place and place attachment have been identified. The findings show that both place attachment and topophilic values have subjective qualities and that more factors than a place's aesthetics affect the experience. The empirical data has identified specific characteristics that recreational exterior places should consider and implement in their design. The design proposal presents a conceptual hospital park with the aim of informing about optional activities that users can engage in to promote mental well-being and recovery through spatialities. This is achieved by illustrating how spatial designs through spatial organization, form, and disposition can be perceived and used.

This paper interweaves narrativized readings and experiential narratives as personal and cultural resources for counterhegemonic cultural critique within our historical context of globalization and ecological crisis. Framed by perspectives on epistemology, everyday life, and place, these reflections seek to engage and revitalize our notions of community, creativity, and the individual, towards visioning the human art of community as a counternarrative to globalization. Such a task involves confronting the meanings we have come to ascribe to work and economy which so deeply determine our social fabric. Encountering the thought of key 19th and 20th century social theorists ranging from William Morris, Gregory Bateson, and Raymond Williams, to Murray Bookchin, Martin Buber, and Wendell Berry, these reflections mark the indivisible web of culture in the face of our insistent divisions, and further, iterate our innate creativity as the source for a vital, sustainable culture that might reflect, in Bateson’s terms, the pattern that connects.