Riparian areas in Arizona have been centers for man's activities such as farming, cattle grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, water, and cities, since the early 1800's. Representing less than one percent of Arizona's land resource base, riparian areas have received a disproportionately high amount of use and abuse. Public and private awareness of the necessity to preserve and manage riparian areas was aroused in the late 1960's by the Arizona Fish and Game Department and United States Forest Service with a study documenting that clearing of riparian areas was detrimental to wildlife habitats. Since the early 1970's national conferences, studies, and legislation concerning protection, preservation, and management of riparian areas have demonstrated the increasing public interest for riparian areas. Proper management of riparian areas requires land managers to have information on the environmental parameters active in these areas. Riparian areas have been studied since the 1930's, but early studies looked mainly at how to increase water yields from riparian areas through vegetation management. It has only been since the 1970's that studies have been aimed at protection and preservation of riparian areas. This dissertation documents an added effort to broaden the existing knowledge on riparian areas in the southwest. A riparian area bordering Paige Creek in southeastern Arizona was monitored for 24 months. Environmental data (e.g. precipitation, streamflow, watertable levels, soils, soil water status, and vegetation) were collected and analyzed with the objective, to determine if soil moisture content could be used as an indicator of a riparian area in the absence of typical riparian vegetation. Statistical tests indicated soil moisture in the upper 48 inches of soil could not be used to indicate the riparian area. The position of existing riparian vegetation was controlled by the location of the watertable. Unless the location of the free water supply is known, soil moisture readings alone could prove misleading.

Prepared by the Arid Lands Information Center, Office of Arid Lands Studies, University of Arizona ; Steven L. Hilty, compiler.

There is currently widespread concern about the impact of continuing climate change on the distribution, and ultimately persistence of species across all the major taxa. While much previous work has focussed on using climate envelope models to make projections of the location of potential future suitable climate space for a variety of species, these can at best give an indication of the likely direction and potential magnitude of distributional change. They lack information on spatial population dynamics, dispersal, habitat suitability, local adaptation and inter-specific interactions. The aim of this thesis was to explore how some of these other factors might alter projections regarding species’ distributional change in response to climate change, using both theoretical models, and garden warbler (Sylvia borin) as a model system. A key aspect which has been largely over-looked until very recently is the complex range dynamics which can result from spatial variation in population dynamics, and the impacts of inter-annual variability rather than simply mean climate, both of which can impact extinction risk. Much insight into future impacts of climate change can also be gained through studies of past distributional changes, such as that observed in the British breeding population of garden warbler in the last three decades. In many cases, studies at smaller-scales are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of climate change impacts and further explore potential synergies with other drivers of ecosystem change such as habitat loss and species invasions. The particular combination of factors which should be included to make projections of distributional change will be species-specific and scale-dependent, therefore modelling exercises should be carefully designed depending on the intended outcome for conservation.

In recent years ideas about connectivity have become increasingly influential in theories pertaining to wildlife conservation. These ideas range from concerns with spatial habitat linkages or species' movements, to the forms of connection existing between 'people' and 'nature'. This thesis is concerned with how these various forms of connectivity are enacted in wildlife conservation through varied spatial practices. Following Mol (2002), I suggest that these modes of connectivity are enacted not separately but as a multiple. Indeed, through tracing how connectivity is enacted in a series of conservation situations relating to woodland mammals in England and Wales (red squirrels, pine martens, and wild/feral boar), I suggest that these multiple spatial practices of connectivity shape the biopolitical possibilities for living with non-human life. Since the connectivity multiple is composed, following Latour (2010) I further argue that it can be recomposed. Thus, I make the normative suggestion that contemporary trends in conservation policy (towards larger-scale action, process-based objectives, and neoliberal modes of governance) might be rethought and differently articulated through a conceptual and practical approach I term <strong>revitalizing conservation</strong>. This thesis thus makes several important contributions to geographic literatures. Following a widespread (re)affirmation of nonhuman agency in social science (e.g. Latour, 2005; Callon et al, 2009; Braun &amp; Whatmore, 2010), and particularly the agential capacities of animals (Wolch &amp; Emel, 1998; Philo &amp; Wilbert, 2000), it foregrounds the role of woodland mammals in enacting connectivity through developing the concept of animal mobilities. Furthermore, it engages with existing work tracing affirmative possibilities for conservation (bio)politics (Whatmore, 2002; Lulka, 2009; Hinchliffe et al, 2005; Hinchliffe, 2008; J.Lorimer, 2010, 2012, 2015), by illuminating the intersection of spatial practices of connectivity, and the potential these offer for alternative modes of 'living with' more-than-human lives.

Loss of biodiversity has been in the forefront of conservation issues worldwide since the last century. Biodiversity conservation through restoring degraded habitats or creating new habitats is advocated in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Newly created grasslands on restored landfill sites are semi-natural habitats that could support a number of species. However, it is unknown whether these re-created habitats represent a significant resource in terms of biodiversity conservation though poor quality soil was being used for restoration. A multi-taxon approach was applied to examine the biodiversity potential of these novel habitats. Plants (vascular plants and bryophytes), invertebrates (carabid beetles and land snails), and vertebrates (birds) were studied on nine restored landfill sites and paired reference sites in the East Midlands region of the UK during 2007 and 2008. Plant species data were collected by random quadrats along two 100m transects from each site; carabid beetles were censused by pitfall traps; land snails were investigated by hand searches along the transects; and bird species were assessed using point counts. Effects of restoration were investigated by examining species richness, diversity or abundance of studied taxa and also how habitat quality and landscape factors determined species composition on restored landfill sites. A total of 170 plant species (162 vascular plants and 8 bryophytes), 37 carabid beetle, 17 land snail and 12 bird species were found in the studied sites. Species richness and diversity or abundance of studied taxa on restored landfill sites were found to be equal to or above that of reference sites. Compositional differences were found between taxa on restored landfill sites and their corresponding reference sites. Though vegetation composition including NVC plant communities on restored landfill sites was rather homogeneous compared to reference sites, restored landfill sites were found to support a number of nationally decreasing native plant species and of common species of other taxa and also a number of Red List bird species such as Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Grey partridge (Perdix perdix), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Tree sparrow (Passer montanus) and Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Habitat quality and landscape variables were found to be significant predictors for different species. Underlying soils were found to be an important factor in determining the heterogeneity of the plant communities within the study area which in turn dictates suitability of habitat for other taxonomic groups. A lack of congruency between taxa supports the incorporation of a multi-taxa approach into restoration plans. Management in terms of cutting or mowing of these landfill sites were found to have varying influences on different taxa. Moreover, restored landfill sites had less disturbance than reference sites as there was restricted access to dog walkers and for recreational purposes. This may be one of the main factors that could enhance the richness and abundance of a number of taxa, especially bird species. Management of these landfill sites should be targeted on species-specific goals as these sites can play a significant role in Local Biodiversity Action Plans. Overall, this study indicates that restored landfill sites have potential biodiversity conservation value in a complex modified human landscape.

This diploma thesis deals with legal regulation of creation and protection of Natura 2000 network. Natura 2000 is a system of protected areas created in Member States of the European Union which is aimed at preservation and potential renewal of natural habitats and rare and threatened species of wild fauna and flora. The objective of the creation of Natura 2000 network is to ensure the diversity of species and ecosystems, primarily the rare and threatened ones. The network is composed of the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated on the basis of the Birds Directive and of the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated according to the Habitats Directive. The introductory chapter deals with historical development of the nature conservation on the Czech territory up to the present and as follows it gives an explanation of the term the Natura 2000 network. The chapter 2 is devoted to the most significant international conventions related to Natura 2000. The Bern Convention has even inspired some articles of the regulation included in the Directives. The chapter 3 is focused on the European legal regulation of nature and biodiversity protection. The nature conservation area comes under the EU environmental policy and it is related to other policies as well. The legal basis is contained in the...

Thesis "Didactic approaches in teaching the preservation of nature in the Czech Republic" consist of five major chapters. The fourth chapter introduces important legal standards relating to conservation and landscape protection with emphasis on Law 114/92 Coll.,on Nature and Landscape. The fifth chapter deals with curricula documents, their structure and implementation of nature protection in these documents. The sixth chapter provides insight into the issue of school textbooks. The subject of iscussion are textbooks properties, their genesis and current research. In the seventh chapter the analysis of natural history and biology textbooks is introduced with regard to processing the topic of conservation in the Czech Republic. These textbooks were examined through content analysis with regards to the topic of conservation in the Czech Republic. Eight selected parameters were used for evaluating those textbooks that contain the above topic. In the last chapter a survey carried out on students of Prague high schools is processed. The presented results indicate the students' acquuaintance with conservation in the Czech Republic, their knowledge of the topic, and also the differences between the first- and fourth-graders. From the results of the survey some didactic approaches are derived for teaching...

This thesis deals with the historical development and the positive law of the territorial protection of nature. A lot of treaties and other documents were made on the international and the European level. The legislation of the European Union is also very important in Europe, especially two directives, that gives a basis to the creation of the Natura 2000 network. The Czech Act on the Protection of Nature and the Landscape regulates the general territorial protection of nature, the system of six catagories of the special territorial protection of nature and other related institutions of law.

Essa dissertação tem como objeto de estudo as relações entre o desenho urbano concebido por Francisco Rodrigues Saturnino de Brito para a expansão da cidade de Vitória o Novo Arrabalde e o meio natural onde se desenvolve este projeto. Especificamente, o estudo busca identificar os componentes que de alguma forma fundamentam a inovação da proposta em relação ao padrão de ocupação característico da cidade de Vitória até fins do século XIX, especialmente a opção de se manter os morros preservados da ocupação. No contexto dessas possibilidades, duas questões são mais relevantes: a ideia de que os morros, da mesma forma que as planícies, façam parte da espacialidade almejada; e a hipótese de que um viés conservacionista possa ter também orientado a concepção do projeto. / This thesis object of study is the relationship between the urban design conceived by Francisco Rodrigues Saturnino de Brito for the expansion of the city of Vitoria Novo Arrabalde - and the natural environment where the project was placed. Specifically, the study aims to identify the components that somehow underlie the innovation of the proposal in relation to the characteristic pattern of occupation of Vitoria to the late nineteenth century, especially the option to keep the hills preserved from occupation. In the context of these possibilities, two issues are most relevant: the idea that the hills, just as the plains, are part of the desired spatiality, and the hypothesis that a conservationist bias may also have oriented the project design.

Orientador: Silvio Jorge Coelho Simões / Banca: Hélio Nobile Diniz / Banca: Tatiana Sussel Gonçalves Mendes / Resumo: As unidades de conservação da natureza, criadas com o objetivo de preservar o patrimônio natural, cultural e as belezas cênicas, prestam uma série de serviços ambientais para a sociedade. A qualidade e continuidade destes serviços dependem da integridade do ambiente, o que por sua vez está relacionado aos esforços empregados na proteção. Em função dos altos custos da proteção, em maioria arcados pelo Estado, o quel tem o dever constitucional de exercer este papel, torna-se altamente desejável a participação da sociedade como coadjuvante no processo. O Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais (PSA) é um conceito que vem se firmando ao longo das últimas décadas da mesma forma que o princípio do Protetor-Recebedor. Este trabalho é um estudo de caso sobre o serviço ambiental hídrico prestado pelo Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM) ao promover a regularização do fluxo dos mananciais e garantir o suprimento de água para adensadas regiões urbanas do Estado. O estudo foi realizado através da interação de informação do meio físico, disponíveis em planilhas eletrônicas, com a base cartográfica disponível em formato shapefile e geodatabase apropriada para programas de geoprocessamento. Foram utilizados dados de outorga de água fornecidos pelo Departamento de Água e Energia Elétrica (DAEE), dados populacionais dos censos demográficos realizados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) e dados georeferenciados dos limites do PESM e sua Zona de Amortecimento. Para a região de estudo quantificou-se o volume de água outorgado em diversas categorias de uso e a população residente, bem como suas formas de captação de água. Constatou-se que mais de dois milhões de habitantes dependem da água proveniente do PESM, como também realizou-se um exercício de cálculo para quantificar o valor de uma eventual contribuição financeira por parte de empresas responsáveis pelo abastecimento de água ou... / Abstract: Protected areas of nature, created with the goal of preserving the natural, cultural heritage and scenic beauty, providing a range of environmental services to society. The quality and continuity of these services depend on the integrity of the environment, which, in turn, is related to efforts to protect it. Due to the high costs of protection, the best part by the state, which has a constitutional duty to exercise this role, it becomes highly desirable participation of society as a support in the process. Payment for environmental services (PES) is a concept that has established itself over the past decades in the same way that the principles of Shield - Ship. This work is a case study on water environmental service provided by the Serra do Mar State Park (PESM) to promote the regularization of the flow of water sources and ensure the supply of water to densely city regions of the State. It was carried out through the interaction available in spreadsheets, with cartographic base available in shapefile and geodatabase appropriate for geoprocessing programs. According data of water provided by the Department of Water and Power (DAEE), population data of demographic census conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and geo-referenced of limits data of PESM and its Buffer Zone. For the region of study quantified the volume of water granted in several categories of use and resident population as well as their ways of water harvesting. It was found that more than two million people depend of water from the PESM, and an exercise of calculation to quantify the value of any financial contribution from responsible companies for water supply or making use of their water resources / Mestre