This thesis proposes a strategy to capitalize on the abundance of derelict service stations in Vancouver, BC, as a means to address the current crisis of seniors’ housing and services. Vancouver’s glut of vacant service stations reflects a widespread trend of service station closures across North America. As former service stations, these sites are commonly contaminated and have to undergo remediation before they can be rezoned for other uses. However, this network of sites has great potential for long term development. The goal is to create an alternative to the homogeneous seniors’ home currently available and establish a network of ‘Community Stations’ spread throughout the city. These sites will act as nodes to provide housing and services for seniors in the local community. The design is a phased development which will allow time for the site to remediate as well as, through community involvement, establish value and ownership.

Mine reclamation is a long-term process but few long-term (> 15 years) assessment studies are carried out. Considerable effort has gone into test-plot experiments to design revegetation programs prior to termination of mine production but little is known from the results of this work of the long-term effect of competitive interactions between seeded species themselves and between seeded and immigrating native species during the progression to a natural vegetation for that site. The present study revisited and repeated benchmark scientific studies carried out at five mine-sites during the period 1973-1978. The mine-sites were Bull River mine, Coal Creek mine, Cumberland No. 4 mine, Pinchi Lake mine and Texada Iron mines. They were in different biogeoclimatic locations and at each mine, sample sites were located on different waste materials. On-site studies carried out during the 1993 field season included substrate observation and sampling, and visual observation of plant species and percent cover. Substrate samples were later analysed in the laboratory for soil nutrients. The graphical presentation of data honours the original data and is an effective way of assessing the development of substrate health and plant succession. Results show that if sufficient attention is paid to improving land-form then over a long period natural regenerative processes can accomplish remarkable results. Moisture deficiency will restrict growth to deep rooting, drought tolerant species and result in slow encroachment. This may require intensive management if erosion is likely. This type of study performed by staff with interdisciplinary training or experience can be used to make economical long-term assessments of site rehabilitation. They would not in any way replace the detailed quantitative monitoring conducted at critical phases early in the decommissioning process. However, as a complement, such studies could provide data for predicting long-term development on newer sites. In addition, they are an ecologically acceptable alternative to assessments of "productivity" on sites where rehabilitation is slow.

During oil-sands mining all vegetation cover, soil, overburden and oil-sand is removed, leaving pits several kilometres wide and hundreds of metres deep. These pits are reclaimed by a variety of treatments using mineral soil or a mixed peat and mineral soil as the capping layer and planted with trees with natural colonisation from adjacent sites. A number of reclamation treatments covering different age classes were compared with a range of natural forest ecotypes to identify the age at which the treatments become similar to a natural site with respect to vegetation composition and key soil attributes relevant to nutrient cycling. Ecosystem function was estimated from plant community composition, litter decomposition, development of an organic layer and bio-available nutrients. Key response variables including moisture, pH, C:N ratios, bio-available nutrients and ground-cover were analysed by non-metric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to discover which reclamation treatments were moving towards or merging with natural forest ecotypes and at what age this occurs. On reclaimed sites, bio-available nutrients including nitrate generally were above the natural range of variability but ammonium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and manganese were generally very low and limiting to ecosystem development. Plant diversity was similar to natural sites from 5 years to 30 years after reclamation, but declined as reclaimed sites approached canopy closure. Grass and forb leaf litters decomposed faster than aspen or pine in the first year, but decomposition on one reclamation treatment fell below the natural range of variability. Development of an organic layer appeared to be facilitated by the presence of shrubs, while forbs correlated negatively with first-year decomposition of aspen litter. The better restoration amendments for tailings sands involved repeated fertilisation of peat: mineral mixtures in the early years of plant establishment, these became similar to a target ecotype at about 25 years. Good results were also shown by subsoil laid over non-saline overburden and fertilised once, these became similar to a target ecotype at about 15 years. Other treatments receiving a single application of fertiliser remain entrenched in the early reclamation phase for up to 25 years.

Public involvement in decisions about mine reclamation presents challenges to government, industry and the public. Among them are inclusion of relevant interests, representation, dealing with ignorance and misconceptions, uncertain science and technology, conflicting values, and very long spans of time. Planning theory suggests there is no preferred method, "no ideal solution to the conflict among the legitimate demand for public participation, the need for technical and economic rationality, and the necessity of assuring accountability and responsibility of decision making bodies" (Renn et al., 1993). In the 1990s, public involvement was introduced into reclamation planning and decision making processes at three metal mines in British Columbia: Brenda, Sullivan and Island Copper. A review of them shows that different techniques have been used. At Brenda a public surveillance committee was formed to review and comment on reclamation options produced by the mine in co-operation with a technical committee comprised of regulatory officials. At Sullivan a single committee consisting of public representatives, mine staff and regulatory officials met to review a draft reclamation plan and recommend amendments. At Island Copper a round table was convened to examine the use of the site as a regional landfill. Based on unpublished primary documents (mainly minutes), supplemented by published material and informal interviews, the public involvement processes were first classified and then evaluated. Criteria for the classification and evaluation were drawn from planning literature. The classification focused on purpose and methods. Public involvement mainly functioned at a consultative or advisory level. Of the three processes reviewed, the single committee method developed at Sullivan comes closest to shared decision making (CORE, 1995). All three processes used consensus negotiations as the primary means for reaching decisions. Only at Island Copper was this formally defined and intentionally used. At the others, consensus was undefined and operated informally. The processes were also qualitatively evaluated in terms of whether they fulfilled their own goals, were equitable, efficient, effective, and representative, and whether they promoted good public participation and contributed to good decision making. The processes mostly, fulfilled their own goals (as defined by their terms of reference). The processes are rated about the same with respect to procedural and distributional equity, effectiveness of outcome, representation, and promoting good public involvement. The Sullivan and Island Copper processes are rated relatively better than the Brenda process with respect to administrative equity, efficiency and process effectiveness. The Sullivan process, with half the number of meetings and exchanging written answers to questions in advance of meetings, minimized demands on participants. All three processes were well structured with respect to promoting good public involvement. However, judged by the norms of decision literature, the processes were relatively weak with respect to decision making. Problems were not defined, nor were interests or objectives. Empirical measures for goals or objectives were not identified. Few alternatives were proposed; nor were they evaluated in a way that could lead to a clear understanding of the trade-offs involved. Although few decisions were actually reached in the processes, their quality may be inferior because of these shortcomings. Notwithstanding these theoretical and empirical shortcomings, public involvement in each case found general support among government, industry, and public participants. Consequently the processes received a high degree of approval. It remains uncertain, however, whether more public involvement processes will be undertaken. Although, the province's mines ministry is formally committed to greater public involvement in reclamation decision making (MEMPR, 1991b), the ministry seems stretched to support even the two processes now underway (Brenda and Sullivan). Additional processes would require more resources than are currently allotted. As well, staff training, participant funding, professional facilitation, and clerical services could be improved. Further research is suggested, in particular applying techniques of decision analysis to public involvement processes to facilitate the making of informed and insightful reclamation decisions.

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamajame darbe analizuojama Klaipėdos rajono melioruotų žemių ir melioracijos statinių būklė. Darbo apimtis 48 puslapiai kompiuteriu spausdinto teksto, įskaitant 2 lenteles ir 29 paveikslus. Naudotos literatūros sąrašą sudaro 21 literatūros šaltiniai. Darbo tikslas - atlikti melioruotų žemių ir melioracijos statinių būklės analizę. Nepriklausomybės metais, skiriant melioracijos darbams mažiau lėšų, melioracijos statinių būklė palaipsniui blogėjo. Remiantis naujausiais 2009 metų duomenimis, Klaipėdos rajone neveikiančio arba blogai veikiančio drenažo plotas sudarė 5579,28 ha, o išbrauktas iš apskaitos plotas sudarė 867,45 ha. Viso to pasekmė yra ta, kad melioruota žemė nebuvo dirbama, drenažo rinktuvai užsikimšo medžių ir augmenijos šaknimis, pamiškėje drenuoti plotai užaugo menkaverčiu mišku, krūmais. Šiuo metu magistralinių griovių ilgis Klaipėdos rajone yra 1280 km, iš kurių 70,87 km blogos būklės. Kaip ir visi melioraciniai statiniai, taip ir grioviai nėra amžini. Nuslinkus šlaitui, nusėdus dugne nešmenims, priaugus žolių, patekus įvairiems kliuviniams, sugriuvus pralaidoms ir drenažo žiotims, grioviai praranda savo paskirtį ir patvenkia drenažo sistemas, sumažina drenažo veikimo efektyvumą, pablogindami dirbamų žemių sausėjimą. Taigi, tvarkingas griovys sąlygoja normalų vandens ištekėjimą iš drenažo žiočių ir daugeliu atvejų padeda išvengti brangių drenažo sistemos rekonstrukcijos darbų. Lietuvoje yra 56808 pralaidų, iš kurių 23322 yra blogos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the final work of master studies, we analyse a state of reclaimed lands and reclaimation constructions in Klaipėda region. The work consists of 48 pages of printed text, including 2 tables and 29 pictures. Twenty-one references have been used. The aim of the final work is to analyse a state of reclaimed lands and reclaimation structures. During the years of independence, with less means being assigned for land reclamation works, the technical state of land reclamation structures gradually became worse. According to the newest inventory data of 2009, the area of badly functioning or non-functioning drainage made up 5579,28 ha, whereas the area deleted from the accounting made up 867,45 ha. Consequences of all that are: reclaimed lands were not cultivated, drainage manifolds became obstructed with roots of trees and vegetation, and the drained areas on the forest outskirts overgrew with not valuable forests and shrubs. At present the length of main ditches in Klaipėda district is 1280 km, 70,87 km of which are in bad state. All land reclamation structures, ditches as well, are not everlasting. Ditches lose their purpose due to slope slippage, sediment deposition, grass overgrowth, and culvert or drainage mouth collapse. They overflow drainage systems as well as decrease the efficiency of drainage systems and reduce the draining of cultivated lands. Thus, ditches that are in good condition determine the regular water outflow from the drainage mouth and, in many cases help to... [to full text]

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamajame darbe analizuojama griovių ir juose esančių statinių būklė Šakių rajone. Darbo apimtis 61 puslapis kompiuteriu spausdinto teksto, įskaitant 8 lenteles ir 29 paveikslus. Naudotos literatūros sąrašą sudaro 24 literatūros šaltiniai. Darbo tikslas – atlikti griovių ir juose esančių statinių būklės analizę Šakių rajone. Nepriklausomybės metais, skiriant melioracijos darbams mažiau lėšų, melioracijos statinių būklė palaipsniui blogėjo. Remiantis naujausiais 2007 metų inventorizavimo duomenimis, Šakių rajone neveikiančio arba blogai veikiančio drenažo plotas sudarė 5641,32 ha, o išbrauktas iš apskaitos plotas sudarė 144,7 ha. Viso to pasekmė yra ta, kad melioruota žemė nebuvo dirbama, drenažo rinktuvai užsikimšo medžių ir augmenijos šaknimis, pamiškėje drenuoti plotai užaugo menkaverčiu mišku, krūmais. Šiuo metu magistralinių griovių ilgis Šakių rajone yra 1239,30 km, iš kurių 613,77 km blogos būklės. Kaip ir visi melioraciniai statiniai, taip ir grioviai nėra amžini. Nuslinkus šlaitui, nusėdus dugne nešmenims, priaugus žolių, patekus įvairiems kliuviniams, sugriuvus pralaidoms ir drenažo žiotims, grioviai praranda savo paskirtį ir patvenkia drenažo sistemas, sumažina drenažo veikimo efektyvumą, pablogindami dirbamų žemių sausėjimą. Taigi, tvarkingas griovys sąlygoja normalų vandens ištekėjimą iš drenažo žiočių ir dageliu atveju padeda išvengti brangių drenažo sistemos rekonstrukcijos darbų. Lietuvoje yra 56808 pralaidų, iš kurių 23632 yra blogos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the final work of master studies is analysed the state of trenches and theirs constructions in Sakiai region. The work consists of 61 pages of printed text, including 8 tables and 29 pictures. 24 references have been used. The aim of the final work – to summarize the whole information about trenches and their existent buildings in Sakiai region. During the independent years, with less means being assigned for land reclamation works, the technical state of land reclamation structures worsened in time. According to the newest inventory data of 2007, the area of badly functioning or non-functioning drainage made up 5641,32 ha, whereas the area deleted from the accounting made up 144,7 ha. Such situation occurred because of the following facts: reclaimed lands were not cultivated, drain manifolds became obstructed with the roots of trees and vegetation, on the forest outskirts the drained areas overgrew with not valuable forests and shrubs. At present the length of the main ditches in Sakiai district is 1239,30 km, of which 613,77 km are in bad state. Ditches, as all land reclamation structures, are not imperishable. After the slope slipping, the depositing of sediments, the overgrowing with grasses, the collapse of culverts and drainage mouth ditches loose their purpose and overflow drainage systems as well as decrease the efficiency of drainage systems and worsen the draining of cultivated lands. So, ditches that are in good condition determine the regular water outflow from... [to full text]

Magistratūros studijų baigiamajame darbe analizuojama melioruotų žemių ir melioracijos statinių būklė. Tyrimai buvai atliekami Trakų rajone. Trakų rajono savivaldybės duomenimis 2007 m. sausio 1d., nusausintas plotas sudaro 13980,40 ha, iš jos drenažu- 9794,30 ha žemių. Pirmoji nusausinta žemės būklės inventorizacija Trakų rajono savivaldybėje buvo atliekama 1985 m. gegužės- lapkričio mėn.. Tuo metu rajone buvo nusausinta 17740 ha, iš jų drenažu 14292 ha. Inventorizacijos metu nustatyta, kad patenkinamos būklės 1265 ha, blogos būklės iš viso- 514 ha ir numatyta išbraukti iš apskaitos – 987 ha. Antroji nusausintų žemių inventorizacija 2000 m. balandžio- lapkričio mėn.. Tų metų duomenimis rajone nusausinamas plotas buvo 22250,5 ha, iš jos drenažu 17827,8 ha. 2001 m. įvykus administraciniam rajono padalijimui buvo įkurta Elektrėnų savivaldybė ir Trakų rajone liko nusausintos žemės 13830,7 ha, normalios techninės būklės- 11209,1 ha. Remiantis naujausiais 2006 metų inventorizavimo duomenimis, neveikiančio ar blogai veikiančio drenažo plotas- 687,68 ha, rekomenduojamas išbraukti iš apskaitos-287,17 ha. Šiuo metu magistralinių griovių ilgis Trakų rajone yra 487,88 km, iš kurių 403,63 km blogos būklės. Kaip ir visi melioraciniai statiniai, taip ir grioviai, nėra amžini. Nuslinkus šlaitams, nusėdus dugne nešmenims, priaugus žolių, patekus įvairiems kliuviniams, sugriuvus pralaidoms ir drenažo žiotims, grioviai praranda savo paskirtį ir patvenkia drenažo sistemas, sumažina drenažo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the article there is analyzed the condition state of drained lands and land reclamation structures in Trakai district. The area of drained lands in Trakai district by January 1st, 2007 facts covers 13980,40 ha and 9794,30 ha of the land with drainage. The first land structures in Trakai district was accomplished in May-November, 1985. at that point 17740 ha was drain and 14292 ha of the land with drainage in Trakai district. At the time of inventory satisfactory structures 1265 ha, in bad condition 514 ha and Schedule efface from the records 987 ha. The second specification of the land inventory was in April- November 2000. by that time records the area of drained lands was 22250,5 ha and 17827,8 ha of the land with drainage. In 2001 whaen accomplished administrative district partition was foundationed Elektrenai municipality and for the Trakai district leftover of drained lands 13830,7 ha with the good technical condition- 11209,1 ha. In 2006 the drained lands in bad condition was 687,68 ha and recommended efface from the records- 287,17 ha. Have no means for the proper use and maintenance of land reclamation structures arranged in their lands, therefore their technical condition is worsening repidly. Farmers, who do not want or are not able, to maintain or take care of drainage are doing much harm to neighbos‘s drained lands.

To evaluate the outcomes of reclamation design, soil and plant community changes on an unmanaged, 15-year-old certified-reclaimed site were analysed and compared with an undisturbed reference location. Patterns were analysed using MRPP while change was measured with rmANOVA. Plant species were poor predictors of selected soil properties. Percent soil organic carbon increased (p = 0.032), while soil pH did not change. Overall plant community composition did not change in proportion of cover between a priori groups of seeded/unseeded species or between native/introduced species. Individual species did vary in amount of cover change between 1993 and 2007. A linear regression of richness versus area covered by native species determined that the Shannon index is not a suitable measurement for monitoring plant community change towards the reference ecosystem. These findings highlight the importance of initial design, and the potential additive role of landscape architects as part of reclamation planning.

Anthropogenic disturbances to Alberta’s landscape have resulted in the widespread removal of indigenous plant communities. Steep slopes and limited topsoil are often barriers when trying to reestablish vegetation; however, native rhizomatous grass species have a number of traits that make them ideally suited to revegetate challenging sites. A field study evaluated the establishment of three species of native perennial rhizomatous grasses (Calamagrostis canadensis, Calamovilfa longifolia, and Hierochloe odorata) from three propagation methods. Initial results suggest that these species were able to establish and survive on these sites despite poor soil conditions. Establishment was poor in seeded plots (24.1%), but improved with root cuttings (75.9%) and nursery-grown plugs (96.3%). The use of vegetative establishment methods could increase the successful application of native grass species, and encourage their use in landscape design and restoration projects. / Thank you to Imperial Oil and the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation for providing financial and material support for this project.

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamasis darbas 50 puslapių, 36 paveikslų, 3 lentelės, 29 literatūros šaltiniai, lietuvių kalba. Tiriamojo darbo objektas: Marijampolės r. sausinimo sistemos, melioracijos statiniai. Tiriamojo darbo tikslas: ištirti naudojamų sausinimo sistemų efektyvumą, sausinamų žemių naudojimą ir eksploatacijos priemonių efektyvumą sąlygojančius pagrindinius veiksnius Marijampolės rajone. Pagal gautus tyrimų rezultatus sudaryti rodiklių sistemą naudojimo priemonių ekonominiam efektyvumui nustatyti. Tiriamojo darbo uždaviniai: 1. Atlikti dabartinių sausinimo sistemų techninio – ekonominio efektyvumo nustatymo metodų literatūrinę analizę, parengiant rodiklių sistemą sausinimo sistemų būklei bei jų eksploatacijos efektyvumui nustatyti; 2. Atlikti sausinimo sistemų techninės būklės, sausinimo efektyvumo tyrimus, nustatant įvertinimo rodiklių reikšmes bei skaičiavimo priklausomybes; 3. Atlikti sausinamų ariamų žemių derlingumo ir jo sumažėjimo dėl neefektyvaus sausinimo tyrimus, nustatant sausinimo sistemų naudojimo priemonių ekonominio efektyvumo rodiklių reikšmes bei skaičiavimo priklausomybes. Tiriamojo darbo metodika: tyrimai buvo atlikti Marijampolės rajone. Šiems tyrimams panaudoti matematinės statistikos metodai – duomenų grupavimas, sistemingumas, tyrimo duomenų grafinės išraiškos metodai. Tiriamojo darbo rezultatai: atlikus Marijampolės rajono sausinimo sistemų remonto efektyvumo tyrimus, buvo nustatyta kaip keičiasi sausinimo sistemų remonto... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Master Thesis: 50 pages, 36 pictures, 3 tables, 29 references, written in Lithuanian language. Main words: constructions, drainage, drain system, trenches. The subject of the research work: drain systems of Marijampole region, melioration constructions. The aim of the study: to investigate the efectivity of draining systems, usage of drainable lands and the main factors determinating the efectivity of exploitation of drainage devices in Marijamplole region. The specific aims of this study: 1. To perform the literary analysis of determination methods of technical – economical efectivity of present draining systems; 2. To accomplish the analysis of the technical condition of draining systems and drainage efectivity by estimating the index values and mathematical subjections; 3. To establish the investigation of richness of drained arable lands and the reduction of richness due to inefective draining, by determinating the values of economical efectivity rates of exploitation of drainage devices and mathematical subjections. The methodology of the study: the analysis was carried out in Marijampole region Mathematical methods (data grouping, mathematical organization, the methods of mathematical graph expression) of statistics were used in this study. Results: Determined the efectivity of drained lands by growing different agricultural plants; The highest efectivity index was estimated by growing potatoes and wheat. Slightly lower efectivity index obtained for buckwheat and... [to full text]