The National Park Service (NPS) is currently contemplating the implementation of a system-wide traffic monitoring program. While several of the national parks within this network collect continuous vehicle data at multiple stations within each park, these programs have not been examined for their efficiency and cost effectiveness. Therefore, as the NPS looks to expand their count program, this thesis investigates potential improvements using a sample set of five parks. To determine whether the national park seasonal and day-of-week traffic patterns exhibit consistency from one year to the next, the seasonal and day-of-week factors were compared across all five years. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, it was determined that the seasonal and day-of-week factors were not statistically different from 2002 to 2006 for all five national parks. Therefore, it is recommended that the NPS consider reducing the amount of data that they collect by using short-duration counts in conjunction with a modest number of permanent counts. To determine whether data collection efforts can be shared amongst various entities, the national park traffic counts for 2002 to 2006 were compared to those of nearby state highway automatic traffic recorder (ATR) locations using correlation analyses. While the correlation values ranged from “high” to “negligible”, the distance between the park and ATR location had a direct effect on the magnitude of the value. Therefore, in order to achieve the greatest probability that the correlation will be “high”, it is suggested that the NPS share data collection efforts using ATR locations within 20 miles of the park. To determine which design volume calculation method was most appropriate for the parks, design volumes were computed using two methods. Using the traditional Kfactor plot, it was determined that the 30th highest hourly volumes should be used for urban parks as this is where the “knee” occurs. Although this is not the case for rural parks, there is no compelling evidence to suggest a more appropriate design hour. Additionally, the method recommended by AASHTO for recreational roadways resulted in volumes that were frequently exceeded. Therefore, the K-factor plot method is most appropriate for both the urban and rural parks.

Parks provide a multitude of benefits to communities that, while intuitive and easy to describe, are difficult to quantify. With public park departments being increasingly scrutinized in terms of dollars spent rather than merit value contributed to communities, the difficulty in quantifying those benefits presents a problem. Finding a method to apply monetary values to the contributions of parks in a community has become a prominent need for public parks departments. One way to measure the monetary value of parks to a community is by examining the effects of those parks on the values of surrounding properties. This method assumes that the benefits offered by parks are capitalized into home prices such that prospective buyers are willing to pay premiums on properties that offer easy access to the parks and their benefits. This study utilizes hedonic price modeling and multiple regression analyses to isolate the incremental value conferred on a home based on its proximity to a park. Parks were separated into three categories (regional, community, and neighborhood). Their spatial proximity to homes was measured by Geographic Information Systems and included in regressions along with structural, time, and neighborhood variables for each property. A golf course was also examined so that its effect on proximate home values could be compared to that of the parks. Results suggested the most substantial impact of parks on home values was caused by the regional nature park, followed by the community parks. Neighborhood parks in the aggregate yielded no significant results. Even when these data were disaggregated so parks which had positive and negative influences were analyzed independently, there were no significant results. However, there was some suggestion that positive influences were associated with higher income level and a lower proportion of rental homes in an area. The golf course showed higher premiums than any of the parks, however, homes which were in the overlap of the influence zones of the regional park and golf course had the highest premiums, suggesting a compounding effect.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Title from opening screen (viewed June 14, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanA (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.L.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes special study report entitled: Landscape applications of detention and retention facilities. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-107).

This thesis sets out to explain the establishment and., . protection of United States federal-' heritage '. land, --throughsome 200 years of conflict and `change. ý. It uses concepts,. like preservation, conservation and --exploitation. As US has .- the-- grown in area and population, pressures on land and natural resources have also intensified, particularly at times of external + and -internal strife: wars, the Depression, etc. As the exploitative pressures grew, a counterbalancing response arose from the preservationists. Various federal agencies have a role in protecting heritage land, none more so than the National Park Service since Its founding in 1916. Its achievements and problems, and Its relations with the other agencies, are discussed in some detail. From one point of view, heritage land Is a location for recreation or contemplation. Others regard It as a potential source of exploitable wealth, specially in its timber mineral and water resources. These opposed positions may be understood in terms of a theory that the countervailing forces of land exploitation and land protection were (and are) expressed politically in the conflict and Interdependence of heritage land protection. More recently, environmental problems have arisen at a global level, suggesting that the preservation : exploitation symbiosis is of relevance there as well. It Is possible that large, though comparatively local, environmental issues in the United States could be resolved through the Interplay of local and global politics.

Globally, mining and protected areas are both vital to our way of life. Mining provides the resources on which modern society depends, while protected areas help preserve the planet’s biological diversity by helping to ensure life’s essentials such as clean air and fresh water. The relationship between protected area management and mineral exploration and extraction is an issue of global and national significance. Many of Canada’s 42 national parks occur in close proximity to mining activities (AXYS, 2002) and the challenge becomes balancing development objectives with conservation values. Despite a historic perception that mining operations and protected areas are mutually exclusive, opportunities for partnerships exist and allowing mineral activities to occur within national park boundaries under certain limited circumstances could result in increased collaboration with the mineral industry and ultimately enable Canada to more quickly expand and better protect its national parks. Using the proposed expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve (NNPR) in the NWT as a case study, this thesis explores the merits of a hypothetical amendment to Canada’s National Parks Act, which would permit metal mining within national park boundaries under certain limited circumstances. Using a case study research strategy and based on available written sources of information, the social, economic and environmental ramifications of allowing metal mining operations to continue within the extended boundaries of NNPR (i.e. policy option #1) were considered. Results were evaluated against the advantages and disadvantageous of expanding NNPR around existing mineral interests (policy option #2), as well as against the alternate option of maintaining Nahanni’s existing boundaries (policy option #3). Results suggest that including existing mineral permit, claim and lease holders within an expanded NNPR is the favored approach of the three policy options in terms of its potential economic and environmental benefits and therefore, policy option #1 could be the preferred approach for most stakeholders. It is recommended that the proposed amendment be presented to concerned parties to determine stakeholder support and, if favored by a majority, the amendment should be tabled to Parliament so that its merits can be debated at the national level. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-10 18:29:48.612

A New Community Park for Wellness presents a new vision for parks. It proposes a new era of park programming, the ‘Community Wellness and Holistic Health Era’ in order to improve our communities with design that highlights natural phenomena. Today, health is no longer about disease or death; it’s about maintenance - getting outside, having access to fresh food and living a balanced lifestyle. Drawing on historical and contemporary wellness precedents, this practicum aims to create a community destination that promotes health and prevents disease in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It documents investigations into park programming and design, current trends in health and wellness, potential roles of light and water in landscape architecture, and light in modern and post-modern Scandinavian architecture. The final design emphasizes natural phenomena and processes related to light, water and energy in order to promote health and reconnect urban residents with time, place and the changing seasons.