eBird, a citizen-science program developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon, allows users to enter bird sightings from around the world in order to develop a large scale data set for research. This study seeks to analyze eBird data and methods in order to determine if the data collected is robust enough to be usable as a basis for habitat management and, if so, to what extent. This is accomplished through a comparison of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) (a threatened shorebird of management concern) counts, trends, and methodologies made through a survey following a strict protocol versus data collected by eBird in three different areas (Bolivar Flats, Apfel Park, and San Luis Pass). Using descriptive statistics such as mean counts, counts adjusted for effort, and frequency, and confirming with Kruskal-Wallis tests, variation was found between eBird and survey data. eBird contained lower counts of Piping Plovers and a lower sighting frequency than survey data. When adjusting counts as a function of effort, similar results were found. Piping Plovers were found not to occur frequently at Bolivar Flats (9 birds over 2 surveys), while Apfel Park and San Luis Pass showed similar but inconclusive results. This study ultimately determined that, while of great use on large scales, use of eBird data on the local level, should be used with caution. Further study should be done to investigate sources of variation and methods to increase the effectiveness of eBird on small scales.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur makt konstrueras inom hockeyinformationsflödet på Twitter. Genom att ta utgångspunkt i hockeyjournalisters utsagor är målet med uppsatsen att belysa rådande maktstrukturer mellan journalister och citizen journalists på Twitter. Jag vill även undersöka hur nya informationsteknologier har förändrat journalisternas yrkesroll och yrkespraktik, med ett stort fokus på den förändrade interaktionen med de olika typerna av användare (journalister, citizen journalists och ”vanliga” medieanvändare). För att ta reda på detta har uppsatsen analyserat relationen mellan citizen journalists och journalister ur ett maktperspektiv. För att undersöka hur makt konstrueras inom Twitter har jag utgått ifrån Manuel Castells diskussion kring makt och värdeskapande i nätverkssamhället. Jag har även valt att använda journalistikens ideologi och praktik i förändring samt citizen journalists och dess förhållande med journalister som teoretiska utgångspunkter för att undersöka hur nya informationsteknologier och den förändrade interaktionen med användarna har påverkat journalisternas yrkesroll och yrkespraktik. Genom kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer med fem hockeyjournalister på rikstäckande mediebolag visar de resultat jag fått fram att det har skett en maktförskjutning mellan citizen journalists och hockeyjournalisterna. Relationen verkar utåt sätt präglas av en demokratisk dialog och större informationsutväxling de två emellan, men hockeyjournalisterna verkar fortfarande befästa makt kring nyhetsprocessen genom att referera till den journalistiska ideologin. Detta gör att det fortfarande finns en tydlig hierarkisk ställning inom hockeyinformationsflödet. Resultatet visade även att hockeyjournalisternas yrkespraktik präglas av en mycket högre hastighet än tidigare vilket har förändrat journalisternas sociala praktik, där det stora informationsflödet har omvandlat deras tillvägagångssätt att hämta och distribuera nyheter och information. Till skillnad från vad andra studier visat så pekar min studie på att hockeyjournalisternas yrkesroll blivit mer individualiserad, med högre krav på tekniskt kunnande och kunskaper inom flera olika medieområden till följd av en mer krävande och kunnig publik.

This research looks at some of the different methods of validation used in the growing phenomenon citizen science. Citizen science is discussed and a small range of different typologies is used to define it. To find some of the common themes of validation six case studies are performed. The case studies examine the following six citizen science projects: GLOBE at Night, eBird, Citclops, Foldit, Galaxy Zoo and EyeWire. These projects a divided equally in to two types based on previous typological research: data collection projects and analysis projects. All projects are international in scope but differ greatly in actions and so in what type of validation they use. It is showed that some validation is made in comparison to data made by professionals or machine data or some other external source. In two cases the results of the project are self-validating and one case validation is made by experts on data that seems out of the ordinary. A few projects use consensus data i.e. the average of observations or analyses made by the citizen scientists either for validation or as a measure of probable correctness. A short discussion of the results and some suggestions of future research finishes of this research.

This study investigated the extent and scope of citizen voice in public decision-making in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) from two theoretical perspectives. It is structured around three components; an in-depth exposition of the literature on citizen participation, application of two theoretical frameworks applied to the scope of citizen voice in the GPL and an applied case study approach. This study found that the literature ascribes multiple meanings to citizen participation and that there are incongruities in the manner in which the literature conceptualises, describes the mechanisms, and outlines the intentions, and outcomes of citizen participation. Citizen voice in the GPL is deemed to be contextual to and influenced by the interplay of the socio-political environment, multiple interests, values and sub-systems. The case study approach allows for an expanded analysis of the implicit power dynamics in the GPL and the institutional political processes on the nature and extent of citizen voice. In this study citizen voice is regarded as an opportunity for direct, representational and/or institutional expression of citizen interests in public decisions consolidating democracy, citizenship and legitimate government.The GPL’s policy documents point to a stated intent of democratic public participation conceived and pursued as citizen control, empowerment and partnership. However the conclusion is that this participation vacillates between information sharing and consultations, but not decisionmaking control. The study asserts that the theory on citizen voice in public decision-making is under-developed and there is a disconnection between the literature and citizen experiences.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2017. / Public participation in environmental impact assessments has been the subject of many studies around the world. The effectiveness of the public participation process in a South African context has however not been tackled by many authours. A study was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of the public participation for environmental impact assessments in South Africa. In order to achieve this, 20 environmental impact reports were scrutinised, key informant interviews were conducted and analysis of legislation, regulation as well as applicable Guidelines was carried out. Results indicated that public participation in environmental impact assessment regulation fall short of addressing what the principles of the law states. Consequently, there is a need for the review of regulation to prescribe the involvement of marginalised groups through additional participation such as public meetings in the appropriate language as well as ensuring skills development to aid in effective participation. The inclusion of the monitoring of the implementation of the environmental management programmes as well as the inclusion of public participation in this process and therefore the life cycle of the project will aid in ensuring that the public has access to decision making. / XL2018

Wan Hing-po. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1981. / Bibliography: leaves i-ix.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

For Maori, the management fo New Zealand�s coast and its resources is fundamental to their cultural identity. Iwi and hapu throughout New Zealand have close relationships with the coast and unique rights and responsibilities for its future management. However, there does not appear to be wide recognition of the crucial role of Maori in New Zealand�s coastal management regime. Co-management initiatives in coastal management, particularly under the Conservation Act 1987, Resource Management Act 1991 and several legislative initiatives controlling fisheries management, are explored and critiqued. Overall, the initiatives demonstrate that progress is being made in coastal management for better protection of Maori coastal values. Nevertheless, there is scope for further improvements concerning greater Maori involvement in coastal management. Recommendations for genuine co-management systems in New Zealand�s coastal management regime include effective communication between iwi and Government; appreciation of the unique nature of each iwi in New Zealand; involvement of a third party communicating between iwi and Government representatives; appropriate funding and resources to maintain the co-management system, and encouragement and motivation from the Government to initiate and maintain the co-management system.

This thesis examines the concepts of power and participation and how they are intertwined in the examination of the urban planning systems in Curitiba, Brazil. Power is identified as both the planning system's ability to affect the daily lives of the city's residents and the power of individuals and groups to influence the planning process. Participation relates to how individuals, groups and communities are involved in the planning process. As a case study, Curitiba presents an example of how power gradients within the city influence participation in planning and how the power of planning impacts the daily lives of citizens. To explore these two themes, ethnographic research was conducted using ten key informants and more than twenty supporting informants. Additionally, participant observation methods and demographic data supplemented the respondents' statements. Three main aspects of the city's planning system -- transportation, land-use and education -- are examined. The discussion of these systems focuses on four main themes -- public participation, the role of government, the unequal provision, access and use of social services, and power relationships. The final three chapters examine the theoretical implications of this work and the application of the results to planning elsewhere. Planning in Curitiba demonstrates the inability of modernization theory to explain the multidirectional influences of planning concepts. Dependency theory and the world-systems perspectives are shown to offer better explanations of the dominance of multinational corporate interests in planning and the role Curitiba's planning systems play in incorporating residents into the broader world. Furthermore, the planning system in Curitiba shows the inability of elitist and pluralists perspectives of community power structures to capture the complexity of planning decisions. On the individual level, the resistance of shanty town residents to planning is viewed as a form of participation. Curitiba's planning systems show the importance of including the whole community in the process. Planners must encourage citizen participation and work to mobilize diverse community groups. Planning must be depoliticizing and supported through innovative leveraging of the city's resources. In promoting a city's planning identity, planners must identify the individual interests that motivate involvement in the planning process. / Graduation date: 1998