This dissertation has two primary objectives. First, through an analysis of empirical data, it presents a systematic, in-depth analysis of how rural populations react and adjust to adversity within specific socio-economic and institutional contexts. The analysis applies a vulnerability framework to understand the complex relationships between households, communities, and larger environmental, socio-economic, and political factors and how they influence drought impacts on the population. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to look at issues of overall well-being, resource access, and livelihood and risk management strategies, the results provide insights into why most households are unable to successfully mitigate the impacts of drought. The analytical framework also provides a mechanism for making policy-relevant recommendations. In this vein, the dissertation explores the need for a new approach to the status quo of public policy making and presents an applied model for participatory planning to reduce drought vulnerability in Ceará. The pilot program, Projeto MAPLAN, is an effort, based on an empirical understanding of the public and private sides of vulnerability, to redefine the way that politics as usual are carried out. It challenges the way in which decisions are made by stimulating public participation and providing tools for accountability. On the public side it works to institutionalize effective participation through citizen input and governmental recognition of that input. On the private side the model works to increase the availability of resources and improve access to resources in order to expand the range of opportunities and strategies and to help households flourish in a semi-arid region.

Geodiversity describes the abiotic features and processes on Earth. Understanding an area's geodiversity is essential for a complete conservation management plan. To better evaluate geodiversity for conservation purposes, understanding an individual's perception of place and environmental values gives land managers the ability to assess the significance of local abiotic resources. Here, I present a novel approach to understanding geodiversity values through public participatory mapping in Grayson County, Virginia. Objectives of this research were to: 1) map and model geodiversity using lithology, topography, hydrology, and microclimatic data; 2) design and implement a survey on geodiversity values and the perception of geodiversity using public-participatory mapping and Likert style surveys; and 3) use the survey results to integrate geodiversity values with a geodiversity index value to create a geodiversity-geosystem services hotspot map. Results from the geodiversity map show that there is higher geodiversity along the ridges in elevated mountainous areas, especially in the Buck Mountain region. A total of n=30 participants were surveyed, and 318 geodiversity value markers were collected from 10 different geoservices categories. Top three values identified were aesthetic (32%), artistic (22%), and educational (15%). Major findings of this study were 1) Aesthetic values are most commonly identified by respondents 2.) Geodiversity values were clustered around population centers and currently protected areas 3.) Geodiversity scores contrast the survey values. This research supports the need for a more holistic conservation plan that considers abiotic features, place values, and sense of place, to better understand the relationship people have to the abiotic environment. / Master of Science / All of earth's materials (rocks, fossils, minerals, soils), landforms, and processes make up the planet's geodiversity. Various landscapes have different geodiversity elements, and it is possible to quantify them as to compare their importance. One way to compare geodiversity's importance is to calculate the value of the resources we use, and the feelings or knowledge we obtain from them. These generated values are called geosystem services. Knowing where high geodiversity exists on the landscape, and places people value for its geosystem services, it is possible to create a conservation plan that will help protect places that are meaningful. Grayson County, Virginia is an excellent place to study these relationships due to its varying topography of large mountains, rolling hills, and rivers along with its unique land-use history. To identify geodiversity, I created a geodiversity map using geomorphic, geologic, hydrogeologic, soil, and climate data. To understand places where Grayson County locals value geodiversity, I surveyed 30 people using online public participatory mapping and descriptive surveys to map data points for 10 distinct geosystem services. I then compared both maps to generate values that allowed me to understand which marked locations had high geodiversity and were significant culturally and generated a geodiversity-geosystem services hotspot map. Results show that aesthetic, artistic, educational values were most selected by participants. Geodiversity values were clustered around population centers and currently protected areas. Finally, the geodiversity-geosystem services hotspot map showed that potential conservation areas should take place around Grayson Highlands State Park, and Fries, Virginia, and lesser priority near Mouth of Wilson, and Independence, Virginia.

Implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in a developing country can improve spatial planning and decision-making. Utilizing a Participatory GIS framework of maximizing community empowerment and limiting marginalization, this thesis research explores the barriers associated with implementing GIS in Dangriga, Belize and how to overcome those barriers. The research included the identification of local needs that could benefit from the use of GIS, the collection of local data through group and individual data collections, and the utilization of locally collected data to conduct GIS training sessions. It was learned that Dangriga faces many barriers found in other developing countries: institutional inertia, resource and technical availabilities, and a lack of trained personnel. Through the collection of local data and training sessions utilizing the data, the barriers of implementing GIS in Dangriga can be minimized.

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The ecosystem service (ES) approach to conservation normally uses economic or biophysical assessments for valuating nature's services. In contrast, even though ES are required for human well-being, the actual uses of services by differing interest groups are rarely considered, nor are intangible cultural ES. The aim of this research was to quantify different uses for 15 cultural and provisioning ES indicators across seven groups on a regional scale, as well assess spatial differences in ES across eight groups using participatory GIS. Results demonstrate that different interest groups use ES differently; in terms of ES type, frequency of use, as well as spatial location of ES use. In particular, this work highlights the importance of considering cultural ES (e.g. aesthetic/scenic, sense-of-place) during decision making processes. Spatial locations of ES hotspots were also shown to correspond with established areas of high biodiversity, both required for effective and legitimate decisions regarding land use.

Participatory Action Mapping (PAM) as a methodology strives to fill the gaps created by participatory and critical mapping methodologies. Public participatory GIS (PPGIS), which often fails to elicit a bottom up approach to mapping, and community mapping, which typically produces critical mappings that often fail to be taken seriously by decision makers both fall short in offering members of the public meaningful opportunities to make claims about particular places. Through the implementation of a critical mapping methodology that utilizes professional cartography techniques, PAM offers community organizations the ability to assert their claims through maps. Using a critical cartography lens, this case study focuses on PAM with a community-based organization in west Atlanta and reveals how this methodology can be successful in engaging professional mapping practices to communicate the truths of, and subsequently inspire action among, community members.

Water-associated diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and are a barrier to sustainable development in many regions. Human pressures on the environment resulting in large-scale changes to land and water resources have been implicated in these health challenges. In this context, developing sustainable interventions requires a more integrative understanding of the complexity and relationships between these processes, as well as policy-relevant research that supports decision-makers. By applying a vulnerability framework to water-associated disease, this dissertation explored social and ecological determinants that mediate transmission at different scales. Vulnerability was conceptualized as the propensity of a system to be adversely impacted by a water-associated disease, described by dimensions of exposure, susceptibility and resilience. Based on this framework, a water-associated disease index (WADI) and mapping approach was developed, and applied to the case of dengue at a national level in Malaysia. The findings identified heterogeneous patterns of vulnerability, including regions experiencing consistently low and high vulnerability, as well as areas with changing conditions due to strong seasonal exposure. The WADI was further applied to assess the dynamic nature of vulnerability to water-associated disease in northeastern Brazil. Changes across the region due to short-term seasonal trends as well as long-term trends between time periods 2000 and 2010 were identified. These findings illustrated the importance of long-term global environmental changes such as land use intensification and growing urban population density, as well as short-term seasonal changes. In addition to the WADI analysis, qualitative research at a local level was conducted to investigate spatial perceptions of vulnerable places within a community. Findings illustrated different understanding of mosquito breeding sites among residents in the study areas, suggesting potential differences in susceptibility to dengue despite similar levels of exposure on a large scale. Overall, this dissertation highlights the need for a comprehensive understanding of vulnerability to water-associated disease, achieved by considering complex spatiotemporal relationships as well as local perspectives. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Community forestry is now a popular approach in forest management globally. Although local communities have previously been involved in forest management in various minor ways, community-based forestry is very new in the Australian context. Because of the multiple interests of forest users and other community interest groups, a wider range of up-to-date information is being requested in community forestry, than has been used in ‘conventional’ government-based forest management in the past. The overall aim of this research was to explore the potential and constraints for the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in community forest management in Australia and to relate the results also to Nepal. Specific objectives were to: (i) review the applications of GIS in forestry and community forestry worldwide, (ii) determine stakeholders’ views on their requirements for the use of GIS in community-based forest management, (iii) prepare and demonstrate various practical applications of GIS requested by community groups in the Wombat State Forest, (iv) identify the strengths and limitations of GIS in community forestry, and (v) relate findings on GIS applications in Australia to community forestry in Nepal. This study involved a combination of three approaches: review of global literature on GIS, use of GIS and related technologies, and participatory action research. A wide variety of spatial information was identified through community groups as important for community forest planning and management.