Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / Over 90 percent of presettlement wetlands in Illinois have been destroyed or impacted, yet wetlands continue to diminish. Sizable, public stretches of Illinois wetlands are lacking. Wetlands are an environmentally and economically valuable amenity, but can also enhance the quality of life of communities of people and organisms. Conservation efforts should be made to preserve natural services wetlands provide. Southwest Illinois was the focus of the study, which encompassed the counties of Jackson, Madison, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington. Critical areas suitable to sustain wetlands were identified through a suitability analysis utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Factors that influenced the analysis included soils, hydrology, existing wetlands, natural areas, and infrastructure. Areas ranked most suitable were in close proximity to existing wetlands or hydrologic features, contained hydric soils, and had minimal roadway infrastructure impact. Proximity to wetland and natural areas were informed by the home ranges of endangered and threatened species of Southwest Illinois. Potential suitable wetland areas for palustrine, lacustrine, and riverine wetlands were delineated on individual maps. With suitable areas known, site visits could further verify the suitability of the areas. The state of Illinois can use the specific areas to begin to focus efforts on conservation and rehabilitation to reconnect habitat and provide natural open space for a sustainable community amenity.

Houston is one of the fastest growing metropolis’ in the country. Driving this growth is the oil and gas industry and also the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center. With such growth comes various problems. One of the leading problems according to its citizens in 2014 was traffic and the lack of access to public transportation. This project aims to help find solutions to this problem by locating areas that could help improve public transportation access and take a look at Houston’s accessibility via roadways. Using datasets from various Houston agencies such as the City of Houston and the Houston-Galveston Area Council, overlay analysis was used to help find prime areas that could be improved. Using ESRI ArcMap, models were completed in order to automate the analysis process. Tools such as raster conversion, Euclidean distance, zonal stats as table, and reclassify were used. In order to analyze Houston accessibility via the roadways, ArcGIS Online was used. Several Proximity analyses were run in order to view various types of dating dealing with the accessibility of Houston using roadways. The results show areas that do not currently have access to public transportation and areas that would be suitable locations for improvements based on different criteria. For roadway access, the results show average commute times, drive-time accessibility, and freeway access. This will allow for the accessibility of Houston to be shown whether it is by public transportation or by roadway.

Current transportation methods within the Central Arizona region revolve primarily around automobiles. In order for the region to become more economically resilient and environmentally sustainable, alternative transportation methods must be considered. One such alternative that has shown great promise in other regions of the United States is rail transport. Rail transport, including commuter rail or high speed rail, has proven to not only be an effective alternative to automobile transport, but also as a more environmentally sustainable transportation option. The I-11 Super Corridor study, a part of the University of Arizona’s Sustainable City Project 2014, applied next generation urban planning design ideas to the planned Interstate 11 corridor, a major transportation artery that will connect Mexico and Canada. This study inspired this project’s focus on the concept of identifying suitable routes for new transportation infrastructure within the central and southern Arizona regions. Through the incorporation of commuter or high speed rail within central and southern Arizona, a more resilient regional economy and environment can be created. The previous I-11 Super Corridor study presented the incorporation of different regional factors, including population density and economic statistics, to determine suitable routes for future transportation corridors. This project integrates the utilization of specific local and regional data and advanced GIS analysis to determine suitable routes for new rail transport corridors within Maricopa, Pinal and Pima Counties.

With more and more countries transforming their energy focus onto renewable energy, the growth of wind energy is at its all-time high. Despite being a relatively new technology, offshore wind has thrived rapidly in the past decade. Sweden has been incorporating offshore wind energy into marine spatial planning (MSP) and national interest in energy production with a view to realizing the national goals of 100% renewable electricity generation by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2045. The goal of this study is to identify locations that are suitable for harvesting wind energy resources in nearshore sea areas of Sweden, with the consideration of social, environmental, economic, and technical criteria. The spatial analysis was performed by the combination of Geographical Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was the MCDA method adopted, where the criteria, including 11 constraints and 5 factors, were identified and examined by processes of weighted linear overlay (WLC) and Boolean overlay respectively. Then, the suitability index (SI) was computed and a suitability map, showing 4 classes of suitability, was generated.The results show that less than half of the Swedish coastal sea areas are highly or fairly suitable for offshore wind power development, while the rest was unsuitable. The unsuitable areas were mainly a consequence of the constraints of protected areas and military-related claims. The results were also compared to the areas indicated in the municipal plans for wind power, the national interest for wind energy production, as well as the existing and rejected wind turbines. This indicated that the study results correspond well with them and that the space for offshore wind energy is still plentiful despite the large exclusion area. The applied methodology and results of this study can be a stepping stone to planning authorities and developers in the planning decision-making process.

Master of Urban and Regional Planning

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Laurence A. Clement, Jr. / Increasing population in Manhattan, Kansas and rising enrollment at Kansas State University have increased the interest in establishing new residences and commercial businesses within the city limits. Locations for development include the revitalization of Manhattan’s south end and sites adjacent to Seth Child Road, US Highway 24, and K-177. Recent development patterns in Manhattan, such as residential development near Wildcat Creek, have resulted in severe environmental impacts. While most development enhances existing land use patterns, undeveloped natural areas along K-177 present several environmental opportunities and restraints that must be assessed and well-planned for to accommodate projected growth in a sustainable way. Topography, existing vegetation, drainage networks, wildlife habitats, and proximity to the Kansas River contribute to limitations in development along and extending from K-177. This proximity and resulting development could reduce existing wildlife habitat, plant species, and the overall health of Manhattan’s and the surrounding area’s air, soil and water quality. Developmental strategies are needed to ensure the conservation of sensitive ecosystems and to direct development to the most suitable areas. After conducting an inventory of the land’s natural resources and land use patterns, two suitability models were created to express areas most suitable for development based on two sets of values; conservation-minded and developer-minded. As sites for development were located and assessed, a trail suitability model was then created to express potential connections between new and old development and to show links to other significant destinations. This trail system also establishes greenway selection criteria, aiming to further protect remaining natural areas while providing a public amenity. Fulfillment of the goals and objectives of the Gateway to Manhattan Plan (GMP), establishes development suitability through a conservationist approach to ensure significant preservation of land. Such an approach and related conservation strategies are then discussed to act as a platform for decision making as lands along K-177 are developed. The trail suitability study and proposed greenway network provide solutions for meeting the GMP’s goals of establishing multi-modal connectivity along and across K-177 while conserving environmental resources. In addition to controlling development patterns, these greenways will act as conduits for wildlife, help maintain or enhance air, soil and water quality, protect endangered flora and fauna, and provide recreational amenities while minimizing overall negative environmental impacts.

Thesis (PhD (Geography and Environmental Studies))—Stellenbosch University, 2008. / GIS has revolutionized geographic analysis and spatial decision support and has greatly enhanced our understanding of the real world though it’s mapping and spatial modelling capabilities. Although GIS software is becoming more powerful, less expensive and more userfriendly, GIS still remains the domain of a selected few who can operate and afford these systems. Since the introduction of web mapping tools such as Google Earth, accessibility to geographic information has escalated. Such tools enable anyone with access to a computer and the Internet to explore geographic data online and produce maps on demand. Web mapping products have, however, a very narrow range of functionality. In contrast to GIS that focuses on spatial data capture, storage, manipulation, analysis and presentation, the function of web mapping tools is to visualize and communicate geographical data. The positive impact of web mapping tools suggests, however, that GIS has not yet developed to a level where anyone can use the technology to support spatial decisions and enhance productivity. A possible solution is to close the functional gap between web mapping tools and GIS to make spatial analysis more accessible, thereby promoting geographical awareness and supporting better spatial decisions.