Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wyoming, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 5, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-42).

Thesis (M.S.)--Marshall University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains vi, 113 p. Includes bibliographical references p. 42-47.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 196-201). Also available via the Internet.

The differing objectives of the public in managing and using both wildlife habitat and the wildlife resource create problems for wildlife managers who must find socially acceptable solutions. How should the resource be allocated among alternative uses such as hunting and observation? Should particular species be given priority in the management of the wildlife resource and, if so, which ones? What tradeoffs should be made to arrive at solutions which appropriately reflect the public's legitimate interest and concern with the management of this resource? The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the management system established as a means of arriving at socially acceptable solutions in the management of wildlife at the Pitt Wildlife Management Area (PWMA). The study focuses on the effectiveness of the PWMA Advisory Committee as a forum for incorporating public input into policy and management decisions at the PWMA. While the "Proposed Wetlands Policy" for the Provincial Government calls for the establishment of public advisory committees, the PWMA Advisory Committee is the first public advisory committee established in B.C. for the purpose of advising the F&WB on issues relating to wildlife management in a specific area. Normative criteria have been derived for evaluating the performance of an ideal process for wildlife management decision-making. These criteria follow logically from social values inherent in a liberal democratic system. A basic assumption behind these criteria is that socially acceptable solutions can be elicited through a process which reflects social values. The normative criteria used for evaluating the decision-making process are: (1) all interests affected by decisions should be represented; (2) decisions should be based on adequate information; (3) interaction should take place among participants; (4) participants' efforts should be of value; and (5) the system should be efficient. This study documents the planning process for four issues pertaining to the PWMA - the formation of a management plan, the allocation of a Sandhill Crane reserve, the waterfowl hunting policy, and the formation of a recreation plan. The PWMA Advisory Committee has opened up the wildlife management decision process a great deal. However, the results of the evaluation indicate a number of weaknesses in the process. Representation of Legitimate Interests; Four categories of interests affected by the management of the PWMA were identified: those who use the PWMA, those who do not regularly use the area but are interested in enhancing wildlife populations in the area, those who don't use the area but are interested in preserving the diversity of wildlife species, and those affected by the external effects of managing the area. The evaluation revealed that a good cross-section of interests is represented on the committee except for those interested in certain recreational uses of the area. Five stages of a typical resource allocation process include issue formulation, plan conceptualization, evaluation, decision-making, and implementation. In order for affected interests to be adequately represented, they must be able to participate at all stages of the process. This has not been the case with the Advisory Committee. Because of the general lack of a systematic process, none of the interests have been well represented in the planning process for all issues. Adequacy of Information: Alternative planning and management strategies were not generated for most issues. In fact, for the most controversial issue (pertaining to the hunting regime), no alternatives were formally discussed for either of the two changes which were made. Because of the absence of management alternatives, very little information has been produced for evaluating management strategies. Interaction: Bargaining is a common method for resolving differences. Although the F&WB has encouraged debate among committee members, very little bargaining or compromise has occurred on issues where differences of opinion have existed. This appears to be related to the absence of many of the planning stages at which bargaining could have taken place. All government agencies have shown co-operation in their willingness to discuss issues of concern to the public interest groups. Effectiveness: Almost every public interest group qualified the extent to which their participation had been of value to the planning process.. Most of these members felt that, on at least one issue, their contribution was disregarded or that they were not given adequate opportunity to participate. Efficiency: All government agencies indicated that the time and resources spent on committee activities were very productive. The evaluation has indicated that there are a number of weaknesses in the management system as revealed by the planning process. The following recommendations are made to strengthen the process in terms of the normative elements of the decisionmaking process and in light of theories of political-administrative behavior: (1) There should be better representation by public groups affected by recreational developments at the PWMA; (2) There should be structural changes to the management system involving a long-range plan which is updated annually, the production of annual plans which coincide with the F&WB budgetary process, and the establishment of a budget for the management of the PWMA; and (3) There should be rule changes in the terms of reference of the Advisory Committee which would ensure the production of detailed agendas, information and problem statements regarding the most important items on the agendas, alternative solutions in the resolution of all issues, and information pertaining to the consequences of alternatives. If the operation of the PWMA Advisory Committee is reorganized to incorporate these recommendations, this management system should serve as a useful model for public involvement in wildlife management in other areas of B.C. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The Department of Correctional Services (Johannesburg Management Area) is established in the South of Johannesburg in Gauteng Province. It was founded in 1982. According to the Annual Report of the Department of Correctional Services 2009, the institution was initially developed to house 2630 offenders. Presently it accommodates 10130 offenders. These offenders are dependent on the number of facilities and officials for rehabilitation purpose. The discrepancy in the number of officials to that of offenders is a challenge within the Department of Correctional Services with regard to skills development. The study was based on the hypothesis that “effective implementation of skills development within Johannesburg Management Area may lead to a successful social reintegration of offenders”. The empirical research was conducted to support the hypothesis. Questionnaire was distributed and interviews were conducted to obtain responses. the findings reveal that offenders who are skilled are easy to be reintegrated and at the same time skilled officials are able to play a vital role in facilitating the social reintegration of offenders Study further reveals that skilled officials are able to network on behalf of offenders with ease and are able to increase job opportunities for offenders who are already on social reintegration programme. The study recommends that the Johannesburg Management area need to restructure its human resource development office, ensure that experienced and qualified facilitators are employed. Each correctional centre should have qualified facilitators who are experienced in adult education to skill offenders in various areas of development. The study leaves a scope for future research stating that Department of Correctional Services do further analysis on skills development and Social reintegration of offenders nationally to find a common and standard approach that will assist in the full reintegration of offenders / M, Development and Management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The Department of Correctional Services (Johannesburg Management Area) is established in the South of Johannesburg in Gauteng Province. It was founded in 1982. According to the Annual Report of the Department of Correctional Services 2009, the institution was initially developed to house 2630 offenders. Presently it accommodates 10130 offenders. These offenders are dependent on the number of facilities and officials for rehabilitation purpose. The discrepancy in the number of officials to that of offenders is a challenge within the Department of Correctional Services with regard to skills development. The study was based on the hypothesis that “effective implementation of skills development within Johannesburg Management Area may lead to a successful social reintegration of offenders”. The empirical research was conducted to support the hypothesis. Questionnaire was distributed and interviews were conducted to obtain responses. the findings reveal that offenders who are skilled are easy to be reintegrated and at the same time skilled officials are able to play a vital role in facilitating the social reintegration of offenders Study further reveals that skilled officials are able to network on behalf of offenders with ease and are able to increase job opportunities for offenders who are already on social reintegration programme. The study recommends that the Johannesburg Management area need to restructure its human resource development office, ensure that experienced and qualified facilitators are employed. Each correctional centre should have qualified facilitators who are experienced in adult education to skill offenders in various areas of development. The study leaves a scope for future research stating that Department of Correctional Services do further analysis on skills development and Social reintegration of offenders nationally to find a common and standard approach that will assist in the full reintegration of offenders / M, Development and Management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Over the past three decades, there has been a global paradigm shift in biodiversity conservation approaches from exclusive protected areas (PAs) towards people-centred conservation. This has encouraged the development of community-based conservation across the world, promoting reconciliation between livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation. However, there is a growing body of literature that demonstrates mixed outcomes of community-based conservation approaches in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods, especially to the communities neighbouring PAs in Africa. This dissertation examines the experience of implementing one community wildlife management area (WMA) in Tanzania, with a particular focus on the effectiveness of Ikona WMA in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods in Western Serengeti. Specifically, the study investigates livelihood benefits and conservation impacts attributed to Ikona WMA in the study area. It also explores the success and challenges of implementing Ikona WMA and suggests areas for improvement. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through field-based research in Nyichoka and Robanda villages, which participate in Ikona WMA, and Rwamchanga village, which does not. Research methods employed in this study include interviews, focus group discussions, and household surveys. With regard to livelihood benefits attributed to Ikona WMA, results show benefits to the communities participating in WMA at the community level, especially improvement of social infrastructure, while few or no benefits were realized at the household level. In addition, findings show variation in perceptions between and among the communities participating in Ikona WMA and the community not participating, and among conservation experts about community access to natural resources and benefits experienced at the household level in the study area. Findings show that the communities participating in the WMA had more positive perceptions of Ikona WMA, and perceived more conservation impact than did the community not participating in the WMA. Both community members and WMA administrators perceived a decline of illegal activities, improvement of habitat, increase of wild animals, and increase of wildlife protection as the major conservation impacts attributable to Ikona WMA. Ikona WMA demonstrates some success in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods at the community level. However, the study reveals a number of challenges hindering effective implementation of Ikona WMA, including insufficient power over crucial decision making and ownership of wildlife resources, insufficient involvement of community members, unequal distribution of benefits at the village level, and insufficient transparency, accountability, and monitoring of village development projects. In addition, respondents identified low levels of education among community members and WMA staff members, weak collaboration with other conservation actors, and increases in both livestock and human populations as challenges to the WMA in the study area. The study suggests that broad level participation of community members in decision making about wildlife conservation, empowerment of the local community, particularly with regard to financial resources, skills training, and true devolution of power over wildlife to the community, as well as fostering equity in benefit sharing at the village level, could help to cultivate community interest in wildlife conservation. / Graduate / 0768 / 0478 / 0368

Theses (M.S.)--Marshall University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains ix, 111 p. Bibliography: p. 103-106.

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-35). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Storing almost a third of the global soil carbon pool, wetlands are an essential component of the carbon cycle, and carbon-rich peat soil accumulates when carbon input through primary productivity exceeds output through decomposition. However, woody shrub encroachment in herbaceous wetlands can alter soil carbon processes, potentially diminishing stored carbon. To examine the effects of shrub encroachment on soil carbon, I compared soil carbon input through litterfall and fine root production, output through decomposition, and below-canopy microclimate conditions between Carolina willow shrub (Salix caroliniana) and herbaceous sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) in the Blue Cypress Marsh Conservation Area (BCMCA), FL. To assess the level of production and its response to water level, I compared aboveground green biomass by measuring normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and photosynthetic stress by measuring photochemical reflectance index (PRI) between sawgrass and willow. I collected willow litterfall using litter traps and measured sawgrass and willow fine root production with fine root ingrowth bags. Litter decomposition was measured with decomposition bags deployed using a reciprocal litter placement design at BCMCA and incubated in a greenhouse to examine the effects of char and water level on decomposition. Above and belowground microclimate conditions were measured using sensors installed within sawgrass and willow canopies. Despite experiencing more photosynthetic stress, willow produced more green biomass than sawgrass. However, willow produced fewer fine roots than sawgrass and these roots were deeper within the soil. Willow litter decomposed faster even though sawgrass decomposition increased under drier conditions. Compared to the sawgrass canopy, the willow canopy had greater light availability, lower evaporative demand plus warmer and drier soils; however, litter decomposition did not differ between the canopies. These results suggest that willow encroachment can reduce the amount and alter the distribution of carbon within an herbaceous wetland, likely resulting in a net loss of soil carbon. Although willow encroachment may increase aboveground biomass carbon stocks, these stocks will likely be offset by a loss of soil carbon due to reduced fine root production and increased decomposition. Therefore, the transition from herbaceous wetland to shrub wetland will likely result in a loss of stored soil carbon. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection