Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on July 14, 2009. Major professor: Paul Wack, AICP. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of City and Regional Planning "May 2009." Includes bibliographical references. Will also be available on microfiche.

Wildlife conservation in England is in transition because nature reserve based conservation has three weaknesses. They have not reversed biodiversity decline, nor do they provide the means for species to move across the landscape in response to climate change, and most reserves are too small to be part of an ecosystem approach to conservation. Landscape scale conservation (LSC) addresses these deficiencies. Therefore, the purpose of my thesis was to understand the meaning of LSC as implemented in the Living Landscapes schemes of The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) movement in England. My research also examined the governance and management of these schemes. I used a constructivist approach to investigate the institutions and discourses of Living Landscapes. To do this, I conducted an email survey of the 36 Trusts in England and then studied the available documentation that describes Living Landscapes. Then I carried out a series of in-depth interviews with stakeholders associated with five Wildlife Trusts. The purpose of these interviews was to understand what their Living Landscape schemes meant to these stakeholders. The email survey and subsequent document study revealed the range and type of Living Landscapes across England. LSC is complex, suggesting that ecosystem services are too intricate a typography to assign to these schemes. I developed an understanding of what is meant by LSC through the lens of stakeholders in Living Landscapes. I examined TWT’s LSC vision which revealed the discourses and formal and informal institutions of Living Landscapes. I also examined Lockwood’s framework for LSC governance, one of LSC’s institutions. My research examined the Wildlife Trust movement’s approach to delivering LSC. Two types of institutions are evident, informal institutions define the physical attributes of Living Landscapes, whilst formal institutions are characteristic of their governance and management. Its key discourses of conservation, education and community engagement define Living Landscapes, whilst ecosystem services emerged as a new discourse to reflect the multifaceted cultural and historical elements in the landscape. TWT’s once insular approach to governance is in transition to a pluralistic model that encourages greater community involvement. Therefore, if LSC is to be a template for successful conservation it must embrace a wider definition of both conservation and governance.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第20435号 / 農博第2220号 / 新制||農||1049(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H29||N5056(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科生物資源経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 栗山 浩一, 教授 福井 清一, 教授 伊藤 順一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Bottomland hardwood forests and pine forests in the southern United States provide valuable ecosystem services such as timber, recreation, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, floodwater storage, and sediment and nutrient retention. However, these forest ecosystems are threatened because of intensive forest management, forest land conversion, and urbanization. As private landownership dominates in this region, landowner participation is crucial for success of conservation programs facilitating ecosystem services. This research focused on three different aspects of private land conservation programs. First, it estimated the impact of environmental contextual factors, private land attributes and sociodemographic characteristics on landowner concern about environmental issues. Second, it determined the influence of private land attributes, environmental concerns, frequency of contacts with federal agencies and socioeconomic characteristics on landowner satisfaction with available conservation programs. Third, it estimated the monetary compensation required by landowners to implement conservation practices focused on increasing provision of ecosystem services. Data were collected using a mail survey and from online sources. Data were analyzed using seemingly unrelated regression and logistic regression models. Results indicated that private land attributes, particularly size of agricultural land owned, and landownership goals such as providing ecosystem services and profitability, had a greater magnitude of positive association with landowner concerns about environmental issues than other factors. Similarly, size of agricultural land owned, landownership goals such as profitability and personal recreation, concerns about wildlife habitat losses and frequent contacts with federal agencies were positively related to landowner satisfaction with conservation programs. Landowner willingness to participate in a conservation program was positively related to payment amount, concerns about wildlife habitat losses, frequency of contact with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and education level. Similarly, provision of clean water as landownership objective, concerns about hurricanes and tornadoes, and landowner age were negatively associated with landowner interests to participate in conservation programs. This research also quantified landowner median willingness to accept (WTA) compensation which was $229.98 ha-1 yr-1 for participation in a conservation program related to bottomland hardwood or pine forests. The findings help identify likely participants or landowners for conservation programs facilitating ecosystem services and determine actual conservation costs at a regional level.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第23241号 / 農博第2448号 / 新制||農||1084(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R3||N5331(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科生物資源経済学専攻 / (主査)准教授 三谷 羊平, 教授 伊藤 順一, 教授 梅津 千恵子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Laurence A. Clement, Jr. / Increasing population in Manhattan, Kansas and rising enrollment at Kansas State University have increased the interest in establishing new residences and commercial businesses within the city limits. Locations for development include the revitalization of Manhattan’s south end and sites adjacent to Seth Child Road, US Highway 24, and K-177. Recent development patterns in Manhattan, such as residential development near Wildcat Creek, have resulted in severe environmental impacts. While most development enhances existing land use patterns, undeveloped natural areas along K-177 present several environmental opportunities and restraints that must be assessed and well-planned for to accommodate projected growth in a sustainable way. Topography, existing vegetation, drainage networks, wildlife habitats, and proximity to the Kansas River contribute to limitations in development along and extending from K-177. This proximity and resulting development could reduce existing wildlife habitat, plant species, and the overall health of Manhattan’s and the surrounding area’s air, soil and water quality. Developmental strategies are needed to ensure the conservation of sensitive ecosystems and to direct development to the most suitable areas. After conducting an inventory of the land’s natural resources and land use patterns, two suitability models were created to express areas most suitable for development based on two sets of values; conservation-minded and developer-minded. As sites for development were located and assessed, a trail suitability model was then created to express potential connections between new and old development and to show links to other significant destinations. This trail system also establishes greenway selection criteria, aiming to further protect remaining natural areas while providing a public amenity. Fulfillment of the goals and objectives of the Gateway to Manhattan Plan (GMP), establishes development suitability through a conservationist approach to ensure significant preservation of land. Such an approach and related conservation strategies are then discussed to act as a platform for decision making as lands along K-177 are developed. The trail suitability study and proposed greenway network provide solutions for meeting the GMP’s goals of establishing multi-modal connectivity along and across K-177 while conserving environmental resources. In addition to controlling development patterns, these greenways will act as conduits for wildlife, help maintain or enhance air, soil and water quality, protect endangered flora and fauna, and provide recreational amenities while minimizing overall negative environmental impacts.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional & Community Planning / Huston Gibson / As a legislative technique, the application of initiative or referendum is considered unconventional, yet frequently utilized to address local conservation issues throughout most of the United States. The subject of its appropriateness continues to remain under debate, especially in the field of planning. This longitudinal study employs a descriptive trend analysis on conservation measures conducted by local governments between 1996 and 2012, in order to identify any changes or consistencies in application. Subsequently, personal interviews were conducted with experienced local government officials to facilitate an understanding of current perceptions, specific experiences, and the outcomes relationship to comprehensive and capital improvement plans. Some key findings from this study include numerous relationships between ballot box conservation and election cycles, and a misperception by local governments of the passage capabilities of ballot box conservation. The inferences from this study will aid local governments and planners to consider or reconsider their stance on the use of ballot box conservation. Additionally, if local communities and governments do choose to practice or continue to practice the use of ballot box conservation, this study’s key findings will assist them in making their measures more successful.

The purposes of this research were 1) to understand what stakeholders in one nature center are "thinking"about the focus of their center and the niche it occupies; 2) to characterize the role of one nature center in its local community; 3) to examine the nature center in terms of established characteristics of a "best" nature center; 4) to compare stakeholder perceptions with perceptions of directors of exemplar nature centers and environmental education organizations; and 5) to characterize visitor and member stakeholder perceptions and motivations in terms of the extrinsic value of ecosystem services, bioeconomics, versus the intrinsic value of nature, biophilia. This research was conducted utilizing case study methodology with mixed method data collection. Ijams Nature Center visitors and members were surveyed concerning the value of nature; structured interviews were administered to Ijams Nature Center employees, nationally recognized nature center and environmental organization directors. Visitors‘ perceptions of nature focused on the natural surroundings of the nature center, providing opportunities to watch wild animals, appreciate nature, and feel at peace. Nature center member perceptions of nature reflected the concepts of stewardship and advocacy fostered by the Center‘s conservation mission, education programs, and preservation activities. Participants shared common thematic concepts for the role of nature centers and the characteristics of a best nature center. A best nature center was characterized as a composite of factors, practices, and perspectives that merge to form a business plan reflective of best practice guidelines. Participants highlighted the unique quality of centers and the passion and vision that guides development and the roles played by nature centers in their local communities, as identified in this study, i.e., education, advocacy, and immediacy. Ijams Nature Center visitors and members valued nature differently in terms of bioeconomics and biophilia, but both groups rated the biophilic value of nature of greater importance, with differing constructs reflective of that value.

Over the past several decades conservation easements have seen immense growth in their popularity. There are now over 40 million acres of easement land in the United States, up from only 1.4 million in 1998. A significant body of research exists on easements, factors that lead to their adoption, their consequences and effectiveness, and problems that arise from their use, among other topics. Our study contributes to this literature by exploring community and system-level effects on easement adoption, using Virginia as a case study, and applying a novel approach that incorporates spatial analysis and the insights of conservation professionals. The purpose of our research was to explore whether community-level factors affect easement adoption decisions, and what those factors are. Previously established variables were investigated to gauge their relationship to easement occurrence when scaled up to the community level, as well as to test our ability to make predictions about where easements should be most likely to occur. Spatial market segmentation data was also incorporated into this analysis to determine whether it could augment our understanding of community-level factors and predictive ability. Statistical models produced were reasonably predictive. However, we suspect that this was the case for different reasons at our community scale of analysis than at the individual landowner level examined in previous research. We used surveys and interviews with easement professionals to further explore additional variables that might explain adoption patterns. Results indicate the importance of system-level factors including change agents, opinion leaders, and local government and land-use planning. / Master of Science

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land for agricultural development gets scarcer as more and more agricultural land is being transformed by non-agricultural uses. The increased agricultural land use change in the Western Cape Province results in transformation, fragmentation and loss of productive agricultural land. With the A2 planning area of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP), in the Boland region of the Western Cape, as its study area, this study investigates the role of legislative control measures on changes of land use from agriculture to a different form of development, by analysing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) applications for the change of agricultural land use and agriculture applications for the conversion of undeveloped land for the period 1 January 1998 to 3 July 2006. The study examines the role that the relevant legislation plays in agricultural land use control; considers the nature, extent and reasons for agricultural land use change in the study area (under the Environment Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989) (ECA)); determines the impacts associated with the transformation of agricultural land use in the study area by assessing transformation of undeveloped land applications (captured under the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act 43 of 1983) (CARA)); and measures the amount of agricultural land potentially lost to development through EIA change of land use applications (according to the DEADP database) opposed to the amount of agricultural land potentially gained through conversion of undeveloped land (according to the DoA database). Two databases were created, based on variables obtained from EIA change of agricultural land use applications authorised by DEADP [DEADP’s database] and conversion of undeveloped land for agricultural use, authorised by the Department of Agriculture (DoA)[DoA’s database]. The variables used to create DEADP’s database are the applicant, property owner, type of property, development function, year of authorisation, municipality, town, size of property, permanent and temporary jobs created, percentage of property developed, footprint of development, existing land use and unique source. The variables used to create DoA’s database are the year of authorisation, new and existing land use, year of authorisation, municipal area, property owner, percentage of property converted and footprint of development. The variables in the two databases are analysed using cross tabulations, with the variables measured against each other using pivot tables. The final tables are investigated through interpretation of the results and making recommendations for better management and planning in the future, based on relevant literature. The main findings are that DEADP gave authorisation for 416 agricultural land use change developments between 1 January 1998 and 3 July 2006, resulting in 2855 hectares of agricultural land potentially being developed. It was also found that DoA gave approval for 118 undeveloped land conversion applications, converting a total of 2589 hectares for agricultural purposes. The findings also revealed that 1707ha of this undeveloped land were covered with indigenous vegetation, while only 299ha were covered with alien vegetation. The challenge is to use valuable agricultural land optimally and sustainably for agricultural purposes. Non-agricultural developments should be kept within the urban edge and away from valuable agricultural land. If such development must take place on agricultural land, it must be done on the poorest soils and should not jeopardise agricultural activities. Keywords: land use change, undeveloped land, applicant, property owner, type of property, development function, year of authorisation, municipality, town, size of property, permanent jobs, temporary jobs, percentage of property developed, footprint of development, existing land use, new land use and unique source. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grond vir landbou ontwikkeling word al hoe skaarser namate meer en meer landbougrond omskep word vir ander grondgebruike. Die gevolg is dat meer landbougrond in die Wes-Kaap omskep word vir ander ontwikkelingsdoeleindes, wat lei tot transformasie, fragmentering en verlies van produktiewe landbougrond. Met die A2 beplanningsgebied van die Departement van Omgewingsake en Ontwikkelingsbeplanning (DOeOB), wat geleë is in die Boland streek van die Wes-Kaap, as studiegebied, ondersoek hierdie studie die rol van wetgewende beheermatreëls op grondgebruiksverandering vir die periode 1 Januarie 1998 tot 3 Julie 2006, deur Omgewingsimpakbepalings (OIB) aansoeke wat ‘n verandering van landbougrondgebruik insluit, asook landbou aansoeke wat die omskepping van onontwikkelde grond insluit, te ontleed. Die studie ondersoek die rol wat relevante wetgewing in landbougrondgebruikskontrole speel; analiseer die aard, omvang en redes vir landbougrondgebruiksverandering in die studiegebied soos voor aansoek gedoen in terme van die Wet op Omgewingsbewaring (Wet 73 van 1989); die impakte wat geassosieer word met transformasie van landbougrond deur verandering van landbougrondgebruik soos voor aansoek gedoen in terme van die Wet op Bewaring van Landbouhulpbronne (Wet 43 van 1983); en vergelyk die hoeveelheid landbougrond wat potensieel omskep is vir ontwikkeling deur middel van OIB verandering van grondgebruik aansoeke (volgens DOeOB databasis) teenoor die hoeveelheid nuwe landbou grond wat potensieel geskep is deur onontwikkelde grond te omskep vir landbou (volgens DvL databasis). Twee databasisse is geskep, gebaseer op veranderlikes wat verkry is uit OIB-aansoeke wat ‘n verandering van landbougrondgebruik ingesluit het en deur DOeOB goedgekeur is [DOeOB databasis] en aansoeke wat ‘n verandering van onontwikkelde grond vir landboudoeleindes insluit, goedgekeur deur die Departement van Landbou (DvL) [DvL databasis]. Die veranderlikes in die DOeOB databasis te skep sluit die volgende in: aansoeker, eienaar, tipe eiendom, tipe ontwikkeling, jaar van goedkeuring, munisipale area, dorp, groote van eiendom, permanente en tydelike werksgeleenthede geskep, proporsie van grond ontwikkel, voetspoor van ontwikkeling, bestaande grondgebruik, nuwe grondgebruik en unieke bron. Die veranderlikes in die DvL databas is: jaar van goedkeuring, nuwe en bestaande grondgebruik, munisipale area, dorp, grondeienaar, proporsie van grond ontwikkel en voetspoor van ontwikkeling. Die veranderlikes in die twee databasisse is ontleed deur kruistabelle. Die finale tabelle word geanaliseer deur die resultate te interpreteer en voorstelle te maak vir beter bestuur en beplanning in die toekoms, gebaseerd op relevante literatuur. Die hoof resultate van die studie toon dat DOeOB goedkeuring gegee het vir 416 landbougrondgebruiksveranderingontwikkelings tussen 1 Januarie 1998 en 3 Julie 2006, wat moontlik veroorsaak het dat 2855 hektaar landbougrond ontwikkel is. Die resultate dui ook dat DvL goedkeuring uitgereik het vir 118 ontwikkeling van onontwikkelde grond aansoeke, wat ’n totaal van 2589 hektaar grond potensieel omskep het vir landbou doeleindes. Die bevindinge bevestig ook dat 1707 hektaar van die onontwikkelde grond bedek was met inheemse plantegroei, terwyl slegs 299 hekaar bedek was met uitheemse plantegroei. Die uitdaging vir die toekoms is om vrugbare landbougrond optimaal en volhoubaar te gebruik vir landbou. Nie-landbou ontwikkelings moet binne die stedelike grens geskied, weg van vrugbare landbougrond. Indien ontwikkeling op landbougrond plaasvind, moet dit op lae-potensiaal landbou grond geskied en geensins landbou aktiwiteite benadeel nie. Kernwoorde: grondgebruiksverandering, onontwikkelde grond, aansoeker, eiendoms eienaar, tipe eiendom, tipe ontwikkeling, jaar van goedkeuring, munisipale area, dorp, groote van eiendom, permanente werksgeleenthede, tydeike werksgeleenthede geskep, persentasie van grond ontwikkel, voetspoor van ontwikkeling, bestaande grondgebruik, nuwe grond gebruik en unieke bron.