Our climate and our cities are changing. Though their changes are not completely dependent upon one another, there is still a coupling effect between them. This study assesses the role of urban form as it pertains to elements of climate change. It is comprised of two essays intended for publication. The first of these essays addresses the feedbacks between urban form, energy consumption, and rising global temperatures. The second essay looks at one particular factor of urban form--tree type--as it pertains to air pollution and urban heat island mitigation. Both papers use the analytical approaches necessary to answer the questions they pose, not ubiquitous over-generalizing modeling software or methods found often in the literature. As seen in the analyses, this practice--known as geocomputation--allows for a deeper and more accurate description of complex spatial relationships.

Seasonally, in 1998 and 1999, I examined spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblages of agricultural, forested, and acid mine drainage tributaries within the Wayne National Forest (WNF) in southern Ohio. Land use and natural disturbance explained patterns in stream fish assemblages. Creek chub and green sunfish were present in all land use types. Generally, with the exception of creek chub and green sunfish, species most abundant in one land use type occurred infrequently in the other land use types sampled. For example, redbelly dace and blacknose dace dominated forested assemblages but rarely occurred in mining or agricultural assemblages. Agricultural sites consisted of higher order streams, located at lower elevations with reduced canopy cover. Forested sites included intermittent streams associated with higher elevation, low stream order, and high canopy cover. Acidic conditions characterized mining sites, which otherwise remained physically similar to forested sites. Stream order, elevation, and canopy cover explained the majority of the variance in assemblage structure within 1998, and pH was also important. In 1999, water quality, specifically dissolved oxygen, and seasonal variation became important. Assemblages changed following drought in 1999. Forested assemblages remained most similar following drought, while agricultural assemblages exhibited less similarity (i.e., greater variability). These results suggest that large-scale reach characteristics and chemical signals related to land use are important to fish assemblage structure, but in times of environmental fluctuation, water chemistry of other site-specific variables may be of even greater importance due to physiological tolerances and limitations of fishes. / Graduation date: 2002

Hazelmere Dam situated on the Mdloti River in KwaZulu-Natal has, since its completion in 1977, lost 25 % of its original design capacity through sedimentation. This storage loss has brought about an environmental concern as well as a socio -economic threat to the region. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of land use change on the sedimentation rate in the catchment. This was undertaken to obtain a better understanding of the processes and leads towards an integrated catchment management strategy. Geographical information systems afforded the opportunity to determine land use change from a number of sequential land use maps and to run statistical analyses and overlays. It was determined that a large change in land use had taken place between subsistence cultivation/small-scale agriculture and subsistence grazing. The rainfall, soil and slope conditions cause the catchment to have a naturally high erosion potential. As a result of the interrelated nature of all these factors in the catchment the most effective manner in which to deal with the sedimentation problem is through a multidisciplinary approach such as is afforded by integrated catchment management strategies. In terms of controlling the sedimentation problem in the Hazelmere Dam recommendations concerning conservation practices necessary in minimising the impact of the land use practices and changes are made for inclusion in such a management approach. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

The Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) Programme in Zimbabwe has developed a process for use by schools in planning for the sustainable management of their land. The process is called Integrated Land-Use Design (ILUD) and is based on Permaculture principles. The ILUD process has so far been implemented in 54 pilot schools where it has been used to facilitate the re-design of the school grounds through the active participation of the students, staff and parents. The aim of this research was to investigate what environmental learning takes place during the implementation of the ILUD process and related activities, with a view to informing the improvement of the process. The research was conducted within the interpretive paradigm with particular use being made of the Symbolic Interactionist theoretical framework to explore the social situations in which the ILUD process has been applied. A purposive sample of two schools and five form 4 (grade 11) pupils from each school was selected for the study. The main data collection method was the structured interview. Other data were collected from nonparticipant observations and the analysis of documents, particularly photographs. The data was analysed using the constant comparative method. The findings point towards a significant contribution from the Permaculture activities to the environmental knowledge, environmental management skills and the positive environmental attitudes of the pupils. The work done at the two schools indicates the usefulness of the ILUD process as a tool for environmental action in the schools but its application in the communities was found to be limited by constraints such as lack of resources and the limited capacity of teachers to work in the field of adult education and training. It is recommended that Permaculture should be integrated into the secondary school curriculum if the momentum of the progress made so far is to be maintained. The SCOPE Programme itself needs to be strengthened for its work with communities. There is, for example, a need for adult education and training methods if the introduction of ILUD to the communities is to be successful.

Os trabalhos de planejamento e gerenciamento ambiental requerem informações de recursos naturais como: litologia, relevo, água; vegetação e uso de solos para identificar aptidões ou limitações de classes de solos. A integração dessas informações, bem como o processamento desses dados, pode ser realizada através do uso de Sistemas de Informações Geográficas. O presente trabalho objetivou, um estudo de classes devulnerabilidade à erosão e proposta de adequação de uso à aptidão agrícola do solo de uma área localizada no Municipio de Paiçandu, região noroeste do Paraná, Sul do Brasil, através de geoprocessamento. Na pesquisa, foram utilizadas arquivos digitais no formato matricial referente a imagens orbitais, na identificação da cobertura vegetal; e em fontes secundárias obtiveram-se dados, relativos as temáticas: geologia, geomorfologia, pedologia; e planilhas de índices pluviométricos. A edição dos arquivos vetoriais, cruzamento de dados alfanuméricos cartográficos e edição dos mapas finais foram organizados em planos de informação e processados em ambiente computacional empregando como ferramenta recursos de um Sistema de Informações Geográficas. Na atualização e validação das informações processadas, as informações produzidas foram averiguadas em campo, especialmente das características de classes de solos, uso do solo e da hidrografia. Constatou se que o estudo, na proposta metodológica utilizada, para áreas com explorações consolidadas, possibilitou identificar e mensurar diferentes graus de vulnerabilidades a erosão dos solos conferindo ao ferramental eficiência e relativa rapidez na integração e processamento de dados espaciais e alfanuméricos no diagnóstico ambiental. No estudo realizado foram identificadas e quantificadas áreas de vulnerabilidade à erosão e respectivos valores: Muito Baixa - 0,22%; Baixa - 29,16%; Média - 62,84%; e Forte - 7,79%. Quanto à aptidão agrícola das terras identificaram-se e quantificaram-se: os Subgrupos de terras Boas, Regulares e Restritas, para culturas temporárias, em 69,71%; terras Boas, para pastagens cultivadas e/ou culturas permanentes, em 9,49%; terras Regulares, para pastagens cultivadas e/ou culturas permanentes e terras Boas para silvicultura, em 15,20%; terras Restritas, para pastagens e terras Regulares para silvicultura, em 0,26%; e terras Sem aptidão agrícola em 5,33%. Com base nos resultados deste estudo, foi efetuada avaliação da intensidade de uso e recomendação de adequação de uso / ocupação de acordo com os parâmetros de aptidão agrícola das terras. / Work planning and management of natural resources require information rocks, relief, class, and use of soil, water and vegetation. The integration of this information be as rapid processing of data, can be realizedwith the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This study aimed a study of classes of vulnerability to erosion and proposal of usability to agricultural soil suitability of an area located in the City Paiçandu, northwest of Paraná, southern Brazil, through GIS. In the survey, digital files were used in matrix format referring to satellite images, the identification of vegetation cover, and secondary sources yielded data on the themes: geology, geomorphology, pedology, and spreadsheets rainfall. The editing of vector files, employed alphanumeric mapping data and editing of the final maps. The information ware organized and processed using computational environment as a tool features a Geographic Information System. For updating and validation of information processed, the new information were verified in the field, especially the characteristics of soil types, land use and hydrology. Noted that the study, the methodological approach used for areas with consolidated holdings, enabled us to identify and measure different degrees of vulnerability to erosion, giving the tooling on efficiency and speed in the processing and integration of spatial and alphanumeric data in environmental assessment. were identified and quantified areas of vulnerability to erosion and their values: Very Low - 0.22%; Low - 29.16%; Average - 62.84%; and Strong - 7.79%. In the study for land suitability were identified and quantified the space agricultural. Subgroups of the land Good , Regular and Restricted to temporary crops, 69.71%; Good land to cultivated and/or permanent crops, 9.49% pasture ; Regular land to cultivated and/or permanent crops and pasture lands Good for forestry, in 15.20% ; Restricted land , land for pasture and forestry Regular, 0.26%; Without land and agricultural suitability in 5.33 %. Based on the results of this study, was conducted assessing the intensity of use and recommendation of suitability of use / occupancy in accordance with the parameters of agricultural land suitability.

With the emergence of the new field of resource economics, one now has the ability to value and to include natural resources in decision making. This thesis aims to explore the valuation of natural resources by reviewing the economic values, techniques, methods and ecological aspects of restoration. Assegaaibos mountain catchment in the Western Cape Province has been used as a case-study example. A cost-benefit analysis of the restoration of the mountain catchment, in terms of the direct benefits of water and tourism, has been performed. The costs of restoration were observed to see whether they outweighed the benefits (income) derived (water and tourism). The results show that the water and tourism benefits did outweigh the costs of a basic restoration scenario. However, the basic restoration scenario did not fulfil the ecological requirements of the project. The results also illustrated that in the moderate restoration scenario, costs only outweighed the benefits when a three percent discount rate was applied. With the optimistic restoration scenario, costs outweighed benefits only when an eight percent discount rate was used. In the comprehensive restoration scenario, costs were shown to outweigh by far the water and tourism benefits over a thirty-year time frame. However, it should be noted that the deterioration of the environment (accelerated erosion, reinvasion, reduced water quality) was not factored into the costs of failure to rehabilitate.

This dissertation explores policy-relevant questions related to climate change, agriculture, land use, and water from an environmental economics perspective. The first chapter investigates the impact of pesticides on human health and welfare using using cicada emergence as a ecologically-driven natural experiment. The second analyzes the relationship between irrigation and climate change, showing how adaptive measures can create negative externalities. The third chapter provides an estimate of the value of wetlands for flood mitigation, an important topic in relation to the Clean Water Act. Overall, these chapters explore both how humans affect the land and the reverse feedback of how land use decisions affect human welfare.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study investigated nutrient export during three spring storm events in two different land use watersheds (agricultural and mixed land use) in a glacial till landscape of the Midwestern, USA. The objectives of the study were: (1) to determine how land use affects water, nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) delivery (timing, amount) to streams during spring storms in two central Indiana watersheds with contrasting land use; and (2) to determine nitrate, SRP and DOC flow pathways to streams during spring storms. High frequency stream sampling of nutrients and cations, coupled with hydrograph separations using δ18O, was used to identify water flow pathways and event and pre-event water contributions to the streams. Data indicate land use and storm characteristics play a role in the export of water and nutrients. In the agricultural watershed (Watershed A), the storm hydrograph is dominated by pre-event water, whereas the mixed land use watershed (Watershed M) storm hydrograph is more event water dominated. Watershed A also contains higher nutrient concentrations, especially nitrate. High bulk precipitation and greater maximum intensity export more nitrate, SRP, and DOC to the streams. Results also indicate nitrate, DOC, and SRP concentrations display distinct temporal patterns during spring storm events. DOC concentration increased with stormflow and peaked on the rising limb/with maximum discharge regardless of land use or storm event. In Watershed A, SRP concentration followed a similar pattern to DOC during small storms; therefore they are believed to be exported together with flushing of saturated near-surface soil waters via macropores/overland flow. However, SRP likely has multiple flowpaths, one dominated over another depending on the storm. Nitrate concentrations matched Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ trajectories and decreased with stormflow, suggesting a tile drain/subsurface flowpath. Nitrate and SRP peak concentrations are delayed relative to DOC in Watershed M. The wet retention ponds in the headwaters are believed to delay the stormflow response, and therefore, the delivery of nutrients to the stream.

This thesis addresses the conditions experienced by a farm working community living on Meerlust Bosbou in the Cape Winelands, Western Cape. The programme includes a winery, a restaurant, tasting room, exhibition hall, therapy rooms, digital library, daycare centre, greenhouse and laboratories, extensive programmed public space, an outdoor gym as well as a future housing scheme. This programme enables the community to reconnect to their land, heritage and traditions. The benefits of designing the building as a form of ‘living machine’, where nature and building begin to blur were examined as a means of providing these reconnections. This methodology ensures a mutually beneficial relationship between man and nature, rather than an unbalanced dependency and impact on the land. This intervention will enable the preservation of heritage, endangered fynbos species, the education and up-skilling of community members and visitors and reestablishing a sense of place for the present community, and securing a stable future for future generations.

Recent evidence of widespread environmental degradation and global changes resulting from human activities have revived a debate about the sustainability of the progress of human welfare that began at least 200 years ago. In this renewed debate, the seriousness and causes of environmental degradation are subject to widely divergent interpretations. There are many conceivable sustainable futures; the most important differences among them are not technical but political and ideological. The practice of environmental planning is concerned with a wide variety of contexts and situations at the human-environment interface. Because land use is at the root of many of the problems of environmental degradation (e.g., habitat destruction, air pollution, water pollution), land use planning is an appropriate focus for consideration of the role of environmental planning in sustainable development. Planning as a profession, with its inherent future orientation and focus on public values, is well situated to deal with the kinds of problems raised in the discourse regarding sustainability. Examination of mainstream land use planning practices, however, reveals a reactive, reformist incrementalism that responds to environmental degradation caused by growth, but that addresses neither its causes nor its dynamics. Mainstream land use planning approaches have attempted to resolve conflicts between development and environment through spatial solutions at various scales. The need to plan for ecological sustainability is difficult to reconcile with the democratic ideal of local self-determination. Many alternative approaches to land use planning for sustainable development focus on design solutions. The requirements of sustainability are not merely technical, however. There are both emancipatory possibilities and their opposite in sustainability. Implementing sustainability offers planners a number of choices. They can act as mediators, demystifyers of technical information, exposers of hidden ideological assumptions, and advocates. They can strengthen existing authority, or work towards an enlightened self-determination at the local level. / Ph. D.