by Lay Chik Chuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1980. / Bibliography: leaves 273-276.

This thesis was undertaken with the express purpose off developing an undergraduate curriculum in recreation and park administration for Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. The methodology employed by this investigator included a curriculum response survey of ten selected professional educators in recreation and park administration, a curriculum survey analysis of ten selected colleges and universities in recreation administration, an interview with four selected academic departments at Ball State University, and the employment of national standards for professional education in recreation and park administration.In addition, the methodology employed provided criterion for the selection of the professional academic course offerings in recreation and park administration and the general education emphasis of the undergraduate major.

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Chan Chung Shing. / Thesis submitted in: June 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-110). / Abstracts and questionnaires in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / List of Tables --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.x / List of Appendices --- p.xi / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Urban park management in Hong Kong --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Conceptual framework of the study --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives of the study --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Scope and significance of the study --- p.6 / Chapter 1.5 --- Organization of the thesis --- p.8 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1 --- Definitions and typologies of urban parks --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- Multi-dimensional functions of urban parks to livable and sustainable cities --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3 --- The need for recreation management frameworks and indicators of urban parks --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4 --- Definition and functions of indicators in recreation management --- p.18 / Chapter 2.5 --- Studies of indicators in park management and their implications --- p.20 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.25 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- BACKGROUND OF STUDY AREA --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1 --- History and management of urban parks in Hong Kong --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2 --- Classifications of the major parks in Hong Kong --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3 --- Site selection of the study --- p.33 / Chapter 3.4 --- Baseline data of urban parks --- p.34 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.36 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- METHODOLOGY --- p.37 / Chapter 4.1 --- Methods of data and information collection --- p.37 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- First stage (In-depth interviews and questionnaire survey) --- p.38 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Second stage (Questionnaire surveys) --- p.40 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Modified Delphi approach --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods of data analysis --- p.42 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Matrix frameworks --- p.42 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Importance-performance (I-P) analysis --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Factor analysis --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Driving force-State-Response (DSR) framework --- p.45 / Chapter 4.3 --- Summary --- p.46 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS I - Indicators for Sustainable Urban Parks in Hong Kong --- p.48 / Chapter 5.1 --- Results --- p.48 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Characteristics of park managers and park users --- p.48 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Visitation characteristics of park users --- p.51 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Core indicators extracted based on the perception of park users --- p.52 / Chapter 5.2 --- Discussions --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Characteristics of respondents and implications on park management --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Components of urban park management selected in studies --- p.55 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Components extracted for frequent and non-frequent park users --- p.57 / Chapter 5.3 --- Recommendations --- p.58 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Development and implementation of urban park indicators --- p.58 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- DSR Framework for sustainable urban park management --- p.61 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.64 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS II - Indicator Ratings between Park Managers and Park Users --- p.65 / Chapter 6.1 --- Results --- p.65 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Rankings of importance of indicators by park managers and park users --- p.65 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Rankings of performance of indicators by park managers and park users --- p.67 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Ranking of indicators by frequent and non-frequent park users --- p.69 / Chapter 6.2 --- Discussions --- p.70 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Discrepancies between the perceptions of park managers and park users --- p.70 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Park management problems caused by discrepancies between stakeholders --- p.72 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Causes of discrepancies --- p.73 / Chapter 6.2.4 --- Park users' perception of urban parks' performance --- p.73 / Chapter 6.3 --- Recommendations --- p.74 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Public participation of urban park management issues --- p.74 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Multi-stakeholders' approach in urban park management --- p.75 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary --- p.76 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS III - Importance-Performance of Indicators in Urban Parks --- p.77 / Chapter 7.1 --- Results --- p.77 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Importance-Performance (I-P) graph based on park managers' responses --- p.79 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Importance-Performance (I-P) graph based on park users' responses --- p.81 / Chapter 7.2 --- Discussions --- p.82 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Importance-Performance (I-P) Analyses of urban parks in Hong Kong --- p.82 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Comparisons between responses of park managers and park users --- p.84 / Chapter 7.3 --- Recommendations --- p.85 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Condition of urban parks in Hong Kong --- p.85 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- Resource allocation of urban parks --- p.86 / Chapter 7.3.3 --- Marketing methodology in public recreation management --- p.87 / Chapter 7.4 --- Summary --- p.88 / Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- CONCLUSION --- p.89 / Chapter 8.1 --- Summary of findings --- p.89 / Chapter 8.2 --- Implications of the study --- p.92 / Chapter 8.2.1 --- Indicator development and implementation in urban parks --- p.92 / Chapter 8.2.2 --- Multi-stakeholder approach in urban park management --- p.93 / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Adoption of marketing research methodology in recreation studies --- p.94 / Chapter 8.3 --- Limitations of the study --- p.94 / Chapter 8.4 --- Suggestions for future study --- p.96 / Bibliography --- p.99 / Appendices --- p.111

Remote ecosystems in Canadian Rocky Mountain parks and protected areas are being pressured by indirect impacts of human activities across the landscape. Ecological impacts can result from a variety of stressors such as climate change, fire suppression and prescription, visitor use, invasive species, and surrounding land-uses. With intensified challenges relating to logistics and moral issues inherent in remote ecosystem management (Higgs and Hobbs, 2010; Higgs and Roush, 2011), managers of these landscapes continue to struggle with questions of "what do we do here?" For ecological restoration and conservation management, historical landscape changes (predominantly following years of fire suppression and rapid climate change) are complicating decisions and our understanding of ecological processes. While intervention may become increasingly necessary for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services under conditions of rapid change (Hobbs et al., 2011), direct action may not be the most appropriate tactic, especially when lacking adequate information and foresight (Harris et al., 2006; Higgs and Roush, 2011). This study investigates observable historical remote landscape change in two protected areas in the Canadian Rockies, and examines the resulting implications for management and restoration. Present conditions in Willmore Wilderness Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park were evaluated in a comparative case-study approach. The influence of factors such as jurisdiction, climate, socioeconomics and settlement history were seen to strongly shape how environmental changes impacted management efforts and decisions. Long-term landscape changes were observed through repeat photography with the Mountain Legacy Project. Through focus groups using photo-elicitation with park managers, repeat photo pairs guided discussion. I pursued this research question: "how do long-term landscape changes influence conservation and restoration objectives in remote mountain ecosystems?" This also incorporated subsidiary questions: "what are the inherent challenges in managing (and restoring) remote ecosystems?” and “how could managers of remote ecosystems best approach these issues in the face of rapid ecological change?” Significant landscape changes are observed in both parks and include glacier retreat, forest stand aging, valley infill (encroachment) and upward movement of the treeline ecotone. While ecological changes are seen as significant and as threatening to various park values and public safety, efforts to better understand these changes or address them are limited. The majority of remote ecosystem management efforts in both parks are indirect (passive), with the exception of fire management. This is largely due to capacity and resource constraints, and agency recreation mandates and visitor needs monopolizing manager focus. Suggested restoration efforts would assist climate adaptation and reduce indirect impacts without placing notable pressure on remote ecosystems. The use of repeat photography for monitoring of ecological change is a strong possibility for parks management, particularly if public engagement through citizen science was implemented to minimize dependence on management resources. / Graduate / 0368 / 0768 / jlfalk@uvic.ca

Remote ecosystems in Canadian Rocky Mountain parks and protected areas are being pressured by indirect impacts of human activities across the landscape. Ecological impacts can result from a variety of stressors such as climate change, fire suppression and prescription, visitor use, invasive species, and surrounding land-uses. With intensified challenges relating to logistics and moral issues inherent in remote ecosystem management (Higgs and Hobbs, 2010; Higgs and Roush, 2011), managers of these landscapes continue to struggle with questions of "what do we do here?" For ecological restoration and conservation management, historical landscape changes (predominantly following years of fire suppression and rapid climate change) are complicating decisions and our understanding of ecological processes. While intervention may become increasingly necessary for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services under conditions of rapid change (Hobbs et al., 2011), direct action may not be the most appropriate tactic, especially when lacking adequate information and foresight (Harris et al., 2006; Higgs and Roush, 2011). This study investigates observable historical remote landscape change in two protected areas in the Canadian Rockies, and examines the resulting implications for management and restoration. Present conditions in Willmore Wilderness Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park were evaluated in a comparative case-study approach. The influence of factors such as jurisdiction, climate, socioeconomics and settlement history were seen to strongly shape how environmental changes impacted management efforts and decisions. Long-term landscape changes were observed through repeat photography with the Mountain Legacy Project. Through focus groups using photo-elicitation with park managers, repeat photo pairs guided discussion. I pursued this research question: "how do long-term landscape changes influence conservation and restoration objectives in remote mountain ecosystems?" This also incorporated subsidiary questions: "what are the inherent challenges in managing (and restoring) remote ecosystems?” and “how could managers of remote ecosystems best approach these issues in the face of rapid ecological change?” Significant landscape changes are observed in both parks and include glacier retreat, forest stand aging, valley infill (encroachment) and upward movement of the treeline ecotone. While ecological changes are seen as significant and as threatening to various park values and public safety, efforts to better understand these changes or address them are limited. The majority of remote ecosystem management efforts in both parks are indirect (passive), with the exception of fire management. This is largely due to capacity and resource constraints, and agency recreation mandates and visitor needs monopolizing manager focus. Suggested restoration efforts would assist climate adaptation and reduce indirect impacts without placing notable pressure on remote ecosystems. The use of repeat photography for monitoring of ecological change is a strong possibility for parks management, particularly if public engagement through citizen science was implemented to minimize dependence on management resources. / Graduate / 0368 / 0768 / jlfalk@uvic.ca

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between computer experience and selected demographic variables to knowledge about computers; knowledge of computers, experience with computers and selected demographic variables and attitudes towards computers to perceived computer helplessness. The study utilized two samples. Questionnaires were hand delivered to 68 out of 81 students enrolled in recreation classes at North Texas State University and questionnaires were sent to 130 Dallas Park and Recreation professionals via their inter-department mail (115 surveys returned). The data analysis indicated that the knowledge, attitude, and helplessness scales were highly reliable. Regression analysis indicated that knowledge, experience, attitudes, sex, age, and occupation were significant predictors of helplessness.

Vegetation management techniques have only recently been applied to the preservation of historic designed landscapes mainly because vegetation was not previously recognized as an important component of the historic sites. An example of a lack of vegetation management planning is seen as Hills and Dales Park in Dayton, Ohio. This Olmsted Brothers site design reveals several strong levels of historic significance. Resource managers predominately deal with budget constraints and maintenance priorities which emphasize public health and safety before preservation concerns. The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology to capture the historic character of the Hills and Dales Park and subsequently translate it into a preservation vegetation management plan (PVM). This strategy may be adapted by other researchers for use on additional sites.The primary data sources used in this study originated with historic photographs and digitally captured topographical and early 1900 survey maps. The data were appraised using previous verbal site descriptions documented by (Vernon 1987, 1988), and on site field reconnaissance. Analytical models were developed based on topography, soil, slope/aspect, disturbance, and boundary edge data. Random samples were taken using a variable plot method and a ten factor basal area prism. Field data were collected and used to determine plant species composition, forest types, tree basal area, tree diameter breast height, vegetation physical condition and aesthetic composition of plant groupings. Data were synthesized into recommendations for the Hills and Dales Park vegetation management strategy. Analysis and the proposed PVM scheme were undertaken using Intergraph's Geographic Information Systems spatial modeling software.The PVM strategy for Hills and Dales Park was developed from the above methodology for evaluating vegetation on historic landscapes. Once the site was inventoried and assessed, a sustainable vegetation management strategy was proposed based on proven ecological and silvicultural techniques. This scheme's main objective was to protect the park's historic integrity, sense of place, and historic vegetation composition. / Department of Landscape Architecture

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning