Over the past thirty years, China’s transition to a semi-open market economy has manifested as a process of rapid urban development. Low-income, migrant populations who arrive in the city in search of better work opportunities are being integrated into a class of new urban poor and must contend with limited housing options. Urban villages, which are recognized as rural, collectively owned land located within the urban boundary, are now becoming targeted for government supported urban renewal. Because the urban villages’ land lies outside the regulatory reach of the municipal government, these areas tend to develop in an informal manner and attract low-income migrant tenants. However, urban village tenants are being excluded from the renewal process. The aim of this research is to examine these widely debated concerns within the case of the ongoing Caiwuwei urban village renewal project in Shenzhen. Through this research, I reconsider the functionality of power relations within China’s rapid economic growth, particularly between the urban development decision makers and the marginalized migrant tenant groups. These groups of migrant workers who rent housing units in urban villages have a stake in the urban renewal process because they participate in the urban village social network supporting the need of cheaper supply from the surrounding area. By applying theories of public participation to the process of giving avenue to speak up what they need, which is empowering from the urban village tenant groups, I identify challenges and possibilities for the inclusion of public voices in future government processes in China. I suggest that the project finance model of a public-private partnership could be structured around this collaborative process of renewal, in order to develop a platform for ongoing public participation, particularly in the provision of social services and institutions within the urban village community. Such an arrangement for urban redevelopment will facilitate the balancing of influence among disparate income groups. / text

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.

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.

India is the largest user of groundwater in the world with an estimated utilization of 230 cubic kilometers per year which is over a quarter of the global total. More than 60% of irrigated agriculture is dependent on groundwater and when there is no adequate recharge of groundwater due to over exploitation and lesser rainfall, water scarcity and thus drought occurs. This study aims at proposing water conservation and management methods that are economically viable, socially acceptable, and practically possible in rural Indian farming landscapes which requires understanding the socio-economic and hydrogeological context of the region. The case of the village Pullalacheruvu is studied using surveys, focus group interviews, expert interviews, and field visits to understand the farmers’ perspectives and the local conditions. These results are then inferred to propose suitable water conservation and management methods. Based on the local context, ideas are proposed on how to implement these measures. It is noted that bringing awareness, community mobilization and building farm level infrastructure are important to achieve stable water availability in this region. Thus, this study acts as a reference for regions with similar hydrogeological and socio-economic contexts and also aids policy makers to understand the region.

Providing citizens with the robust and suitable tools to effectively participate in the planning process is a necessity nowadays. Also, changes in the capabilities and popularity of new technologies have dramatically raised the number of technology-based tools that are potentially available for enhancing public participation in the planning process. This study explores both the theoretical aspect of collaborative planning and the effects that Web-based Public Participatory GIS (WPPGIS) applications and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has on the planning process. Findings indicate that the WPPGIS applications have the potential for increasing participation. It is also found that besides the contextual elements like the attitudes of planners and decision makers, the technological features such as proper user interface, price of software, technical and literacy skills are seen as crucial hindrances to bridging the planning process and technology-based solutions. This research also attempts to combine IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum and technological functionalities into a single framework to understand the implementation of WPPGIS applications in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Finally, based on the given criteria and assessment of the reviewed applications, this study concludes with the design and implementation of a prototype WPPGIS application using Open-Source Technologies (OST).