This study focused on economic and environmental equity in tourism and recreation dependent communities in the U. S. In the economic equity section, research was conducted to do an empirical analysis of the income distribution in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities. In the environmental equity section, this study evaluated conceptual and theoretical understanding dealing with tourism and the environment and addressed the importance of environmental equity issues. A key objective of this study is to examine economic equity across different income groups and race in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities. By comparing economic equity between nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities and other industry dependent nonmetropolitan communities, the differences of income inequality between those communities were explored. This study also assesses how tourism and recreation development contributes to economic equity in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation communities in the U. S. In particular, determinants of income inequality were investigated. Income distribution of nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities is more unequal than that of nonmetropolitan manufacturing dependent communities in the U. S. Tourism and recreation development contributes to increase income inequality while manufacturing related development is likely to reduce income inequality. The positive effect comes from the inequality of earnings in tourism and recreation employment. Race dualism shows a positive relationship with income inequality. This result suggests that the racial difference in income distribution plays an important role in increasing income inequality. There is a positive relationship between the south region and income inequality irrespective of community type and suggest that the regional variable is still an essential component for understanding income inequality in the U.S. This study addresses the need of an environmental justice framework for improving environmental equity across stakeholders in the process of tourism and recreation planning and development. Equity within/between social groups and inter and intra-generational equity should be taken into account for sustainable tourism and recreation development. The analytical framework for assessing environmental equity that this study suggested will be a good foundation for further development of environmental equity framework in the context with tourism and recreation development.

This study focused on economic and environmental equity in tourism and recreation dependent communities in the U. S. In the economic equity section, research was conducted to do an empirical analysis of the income distribution in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities. In the environmental equity section, this study evaluated conceptual and theoretical understanding dealing with tourism and the environment and addressed the importance of environmental equity issues. A key objective of this study is to examine economic equity across different income groups and race in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities. By comparing economic equity between nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities and other industry dependent nonmetropolitan communities, the differences of income inequality between those communities were explored. This study also assesses how tourism and recreation development contributes to economic equity in nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation communities in the U. S. In particular, determinants of income inequality were investigated. Income distribution of nonmetropolitan tourism and recreation dependent communities is more unequal than that of nonmetropolitan manufacturing dependent communities in the U. S. Tourism and recreation development contributes to increase income inequality while manufacturing related development is likely to reduce income inequality. The positive effect comes from the inequality of earnings in tourism and recreation employment. Race dualism shows a positive relationship with income inequality. This result suggests that the racial difference in income distribution plays an important role in increasing income inequality. There is a positive relationship between the south region and income inequality irrespective of community type and suggest that the regional variable is still an essential component for understanding income inequality in the U.S. This study addresses the need of an environmental justice framework for improving environmental equity across stakeholders in the process of tourism and recreation planning and development. Equity within/between social groups and inter and intra-generational equity should be taken into account for sustainable tourism and recreation development. The analytical framework for assessing environmental equity that this study suggested will be a good foundation for further development of environmental equity framework in the context with tourism and recreation development.

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified diesel exhaust as a carcinogen, and specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as probable carcinogens. Urban air pollution is one source of PAH exposure. These facts provided motivation to pursue three thesis objectives: 1) to critically review environmental inequity research in Canada and methods used in previous studies; 2) to determine associations between socio-demographic factors and residential traffic exposure; and, 3) to assess correlations between two PAH biomarkers and their relationship with a newer geographic information system (GIS) method (a proxy of PAH exposure measurement), and explore determinants of these two PAH biomarkers. Methods: The first objective was achieved through an extensive and critical literature review. The second and third objectives were achieved through conducting a cross-sectional study in Montreal where 107 female and 93 male volunteers completed a questionnaire and provided a urine sample for measurement of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG). GIS-based distance-weighted traffic density (DWTD) at participants’ residences and time- and distance-weighted traffic density (TDWTD) for all participants’ locations in the 48 hours before urine collection were calculated. Results: Participants with lower household income and unemployment/student status were more likely to be exposed to higher traffic density at their residence. DWTD was related to self-reported living within 100 meters of highway/major roads. Detection rates for the two biomarkers were over 95%, and females have higher 1-OHP and 1-OHPG levels (exp β: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.09; exp β: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.11, respectively) than males. Smoking in the 48-hour period before urine collection significantly predicted levels of biomarkers, and among non-smokers barbecued/grilled meat consumption was implicated in increases in 1-OHP. Conclusions: Those with lower household income and unemployment/student status experienced increased traffic exposure, while education, marital status and ethnicity were not associated with traffic exposure. While higher levels among females and an interaction with sex needs further study, PAH biomarkers are useful in capturing recent PAH exposure from smoking, and barbecued/grilled meat consumption. PAH biomarkers can be easily used in epidemiologic studies to assess general population exposures. / Thesis (Ph.D, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2013-07-30 10:41:50.321

Over the last few decades, thermal treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been strongly opposed in North America. The reasons for public opposition are complex and could vary from community to community. Typically, public antagonism towards thermal treatment option is clearly revealed during the planning process of energy-from-waste facilities. Concepts such as NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) have become synonymous with the siting of MSW thermal treatment facilities. Given the highly controversial nature of such projects, effective organization and conduct of the municipal planning process is of high importance. The literature suggests that public opposition can be fuelled by the perception of unfair outcome and unfair planning process. Therefore, the equity dimension of the planning process has gained importance. This research explores the planning processes surrounding the development of thermal treatment plants for MSW in the province of Ontario, Canada by focusing on the equity dimension. The research aims to reveal the role and the nature of substantive equity, procedural equity, and cost and time efficiency, as well as the role of contextual elements in planning processes. Additionally, the research intends to provide recommendations on the effective incorporation of the equity dimension into the waste management planning processes. Through a review of the literature on planning controversial facilities with a focus on waste disposal plants, it was revealed that the clear delineation of substantive and procedural equity as well as the identification of the main elements that fall under these notions are absent. Different studies present various elements of substantive and procedural equity, but they fall short in consolidation and analysis of linkages among the elements. In addition, it was revealed that the study of the contextual elements in relation to substantive and procedural equity has been quite limited. Three research questions were identified that were informed by two assumptions derived from the consulted literature. To answer the research questions, three cases of planning thermal treatment plants in Ontario were investigated using qualitative research methods. The first case studied the Halton region thermal treatment project that was initiated in 2006 but was soon dropped without reaching the stage of full environmental assessment. The second case study focused on the Niagara-Hamilton thermal treatment project that was a joint effort between the city of Hamilton and the regional municipality of Niagara to find a local solution to the waste problem. An environmental assessment was conducted; however, before its completion the parties decided to stop the project and concentrate on other waste management alternatives. Finally, the third case studied the Durham-York thermal treatment project that underwent a full environmental assessment process and is currently close to completion. This research contributes towards expanding the conceptual discourse about the role of equity in planning waste disposal facilities with a particular emphasis on thermal treatment plants. More specifically, the thesis contributes towards delineating the notions of substantive and procedural equity and distinguishing their elements. It introduces the notion of context and explores those contextual elements that influence substantive and procedural equity during planning processes for thermal treatment facilities. As a result, the thesis develops a comprehensive analytical framework that consolidates the major elements that fall under the domains of substantive equity, procedural equity, and context that have previously been dispersed in the literature. In addition, the research establishes linkages among the elements within each domain and across domains. Based on the findings of the case studies, the notion of distributional equity is reconsidered. Whereas the distributional aspect of the equity dimension is undoubtedly important, the thesis concludes that the substantive equity should go beyond the locational aspect of planning. The existence of cross-domain linkages and their importance and diversity confirms that the notion of equity should be studied and discussed in broader terms which acknowledge not only procedural or distributional issues, but also contextual elements and efficiency questions. The existing scholarship places particular emphasis on locational considerations (siting) and procedural issues; however, it fails to present a comprehensive and multidimensional view of equity and explain how this is embedded within the broader context. This research is an attempt to present equity with all its diversity and complexity and build a foundation upon which further work in this direction can be conducted. More broadly, this research contributes to the better understanding of the perceptions and motivations behind public opposition towards infrastructure projects, and particularly waste management facilities. Given the complex nature of public opposition phenomenon, the research addresses the need to build an in-depth understanding of public motivations and perceptions that shape attitudes towards proposed projects.

Over the last few decades, thermal treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been strongly opposed in North America. The reasons for public opposition are complex and could vary from community to community. Typically, public antagonism towards thermal treatment option is clearly revealed during the planning process of energy-from-waste facilities. Concepts such as NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) have become synonymous with the siting of MSW thermal treatment facilities. Given the highly controversial nature of such projects, effective organization and conduct of the municipal planning process is of high importance. The literature suggests that public opposition can be fuelled by the perception of unfair outcome and unfair planning process. Therefore, the equity dimension of the planning process has gained importance. This research explores the planning processes surrounding the development of thermal treatment plants for MSW in the province of Ontario, Canada by focusing on the equity dimension. The research aims to reveal the role and the nature of substantive equity, procedural equity, and cost and time efficiency, as well as the role of contextual elements in planning processes. Additionally, the research intends to provide recommendations on the effective incorporation of the equity dimension into the waste management planning processes. Through a review of the literature on planning controversial facilities with a focus on waste disposal plants, it was revealed that the clear delineation of substantive and procedural equity as well as the identification of the main elements that fall under these notions are absent. Different studies present various elements of substantive and procedural equity, but they fall short in consolidation and analysis of linkages among the elements. In addition, it was revealed that the study of the contextual elements in relation to substantive and procedural equity has been quite limited. Three research questions were identified that were informed by two assumptions derived from the consulted literature. To answer the research questions, three cases of planning thermal treatment plants in Ontario were investigated using qualitative research methods. The first case studied the Halton region thermal treatment project that was initiated in 2006 but was soon dropped without reaching the stage of full environmental assessment. The second case study focused on the Niagara-Hamilton thermal treatment project that was a joint effort between the city of Hamilton and the regional municipality of Niagara to find a local solution to the waste problem. An environmental assessment was conducted; however, before its completion the parties decided to stop the project and concentrate on other waste management alternatives. Finally, the third case studied the Durham-York thermal treatment project that underwent a full environmental assessment process and is currently close to completion. This research contributes towards expanding the conceptual discourse about the role of equity in planning waste disposal facilities with a particular emphasis on thermal treatment plants. More specifically, the thesis contributes towards delineating the notions of substantive and procedural equity and distinguishing their elements. It introduces the notion of context and explores those contextual elements that influence substantive and procedural equity during planning processes for thermal treatment facilities. As a result, the thesis develops a comprehensive analytical framework that consolidates the major elements that fall under the domains of substantive equity, procedural equity, and context that have previously been dispersed in the literature. In addition, the research establishes linkages among the elements within each domain and across domains. Based on the findings of the case studies, the notion of distributional equity is reconsidered. Whereas the distributional aspect of the equity dimension is undoubtedly important, the thesis concludes that the substantive equity should go beyond the locational aspect of planning. The existence of cross-domain linkages and their importance and diversity confirms that the notion of equity should be studied and discussed in broader terms which acknowledge not only procedural or distributional issues, but also contextual elements and efficiency questions. The existing scholarship places particular emphasis on locational considerations (siting) and procedural issues; however, it fails to present a comprehensive and multidimensional view of equity and explain how this is embedded within the broader context. This research is an attempt to present equity with all its diversity and complexity and build a foundation upon which further work in this direction can be conducted. More broadly, this research contributes to the better understanding of the perceptions and motivations behind public opposition towards infrastructure projects, and particularly waste management facilities. Given the complex nature of public opposition phenomenon, the research addresses the need to build an in-depth understanding of public motivations and perceptions that shape attitudes towards proposed projects.

nÃo hà / O sociometabolismo do capital à estruturalmente incompatÃvel com a busca por um ordenamento sÃcio-ecolÃgico democrÃtico e sustentÃvel. Entretanto, aÃÃes pÃblicas e privadas continuam a ser direcionadas para grandes projetos que se dizem de desenvolvimento sustentÃvel. Nesse sentido, nos Ãltimos 8 anos, o Brasil, tem passado por um perÃodo denominado por alguns como neodesenvolvimentista, devido à diversidade e nÃmero de projetos urbanos ou rurais de carÃter infraestrutural. No que se refere à infraestrutura hÃdrica, sobretudo a destinada à agricultura, o Estado do CearÃ, tem se constituÃdo numa expressÃo desse perÃodo. Dentre os estados do nordeste, à o que possui maior nÃmero de projetos de irrigaÃÃo implantados, quatorze no total, destinados à fruticultura para exportaÃÃo, sendo um deles, o PerÃmetro Irrigado Tabuleiro de Russas. Apesar de tais projetos difundirem em seus estudos tÃcnicos de impacto, a impressÃo de que suas repercussÃes negativas ou positivas afetam indistintamente os diferentes sujeitos sociais neles envolvidos, a justiÃa socioambiental tem se tornando uma demanda cada vez mais presente na pauta daqueles sujeitos sociais. Os camponeses, por exemplo, por sua condiÃÃo socioeconÃmica vulnerÃvel arcam desproporcionalmente com os riscos e incertezas resultantes dos impactos fÃsicos e socioculturais que tais projetos trazem para dentro dos seus territÃrios tradicionais. Assim, diante das limitaÃÃes que as AvaliaÃÃes de Impacto Ambiental tÃm demonstrado quanto à compreensÃo do princÃpio da equidade ambiental, o presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo analisar, a partir desse princÃpio, o impacto do Projeto de IrrigaÃÃo Tabuleiro de Russas sobre a comunidade rural de Lagoa dos Cavalos. Para tanto, buscou-se construir uma sequencia metodolÃgica para aferiÃÃo de um Ãndice de Equidade Ambiental, conforme a metodologia de indicadores de pressÃo, estado, impacto e resposta â PEIR, proposta pelo Programa das NaÃÃes Unidas para o Meio Ambiente â PNUMA. O baixo Ãndice de equidade aferido ao final deste estudo de caso corroborou o referencial teÃrico e as consideraÃÃes sobre a tendÃncia à subestimaÃÃo do principio de equidade ambiental por parte dos grandes projetos de desenvolvimento. / The social metabolism of capital is structurally incompatible with the search for a socio-ecological planning sustainable and democratic. However, public and private actions continue to be directed towards large projects that are spoken of sustainable development. Accordingly, in the last eight years, Brazil has gone through a period called by some as neodesenvolvimentista, by the diversity of projects urban or rural infrastructural character. With regard to water infrastructure, especially for agriculture, the state of CearÃ, has become an expression of this period. Among the northeastern states, which is the largest number of irrigation projects implemented, fourteen in total, for the fruit for export, being an example, the Irrigated Perimeter of Tabuleiro de Russas. Although such projects diffuse in their impact technical studies, the impression that negative externalities or positive affect indiscriminately the different social actors involved in them, the environmental justice has become a demand increasingly present on the agenda of those social actors. Farmers, for example, by their socioeconomic vulnerable bear disproportionately to the risks and uncertainties arising from the physical and socio-cultural impacts that such projects bring in their traditional territories.Thus, given the limitations that Environmental Impact Assessments have shown regarding the understanding of environmental equity principle, this work has as main objective to analyze, from this principle, the impact of Irrigation Project Tabuleiro de Russas on the rural community of Lagoa dos Cavalos. Therefore, it sought to construct a sequencemethodological for benchmarking Environmental Equity Index, according to the methodology of indicators of pressure, state, impact and response - PEIR, proposed by the United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP. The low level of equity measured at the end of the case study corroborated the above theoretical considerations and the tendency to underestimate the environmental principle of fairness on the part of major development projects.

No description available.

Street trees are an important component of the urban forest that can provide direct and indirect benefits to social and ecological sustainability in cities. Temporal and spatial interactions between human and non-human management agents determine the distribution and health of street tree populations in urban areas. This dissertation seeks to enhance our understanding of the spatial patterns and processes affecting street trees by investigating the agents and social-ecological determinants of changes to street tree distributions in urban residential neighborhoods. The research was guided by three primary questions: (1) Are recent changes to the spatial distribution of street trees influenced by socio-demographic household and neighborhood characteristics? (2) Which management agents are the strongest predictors of recent changes to street tree distributions and does the contribution of these agents vary in relationship to social-ecological patterns within a city? (3) To what extent are household street tree management decisions related to the built and bioecological material characteristics of the public right-of-way? These questions were investigated in a case study that examined street tree management and public right-of-way (PROW) canopy change associated with single-family residential areas in and near the City of Tampa, Florida. The methodological approach employed a multi-method design using a conceptual framework developed to capture the complexity of management within human ecosystems. Urban remote sensing and spatial analytical techniques were used to examine the geographic association between patterns of street tree change and socio-demographic characteristics. Household survey techniques were utilized to examine the determinants of street tree management; specifically planting, removal, and trimming. Interviews with key informants familiar with urban forest management provided additional insights to complement the location specific knowledge of household survey respondents. Street tree change was examined for the period of 2003 to 2006, and information about household management actions also included recent years (i.e., 2009-2011). A citywide pattern of street tree increases was disproportionately distributed with respect to socioeconomic status; with greater increases in affluent neighborhoods. Patterns of change within local portions of the study area revealed significant and spatially variable relationships with socioeconomic status, as well as race/ethnicity variables and indicators of lifestyle differences. The findings suggest that the citywide pattern of change associated with socioeconomic status may perpetuate an inequitable outcome in the distribution of street trees at the expense of less affluent neighborhoods. The local patterns of change indicate that the processes driving street tree distributions may also reflect differences in attitudes toward trees. The case study did not find sufficient evidence to link the actions of individual agents with street tree change. Street tree increases were more likely in areas where tree trimming had been reported and where property market values were greater, but less likely in PROW segments with overhead power lines. Households, public agencies and builders, but not neighborhoods, were the primary human street tree management agents. Past and ongoing land development and redevelopment decisions, including the configuration of PROW infrastructures, may be one of the most important factors affecting patterns of street tree change. Landscape decisions and practices influenced by household and neighborhood group dynamics also appear to be important factors affecting street tree change. Damages caused by storm event and differences in tree species lifecycle characteristics represent important non-human agents of street tree change. The findings indicated that public agencies are not the only managers of street trees and household tree management does not stop at the boundary of private property. There was no evidence of a relationship between household management actions and the material conditions of the PROW. However, there was a relationship between the presence of either power lines or sidewalks and household survey responses about who should bear responsibility for street tree management and the liability. Household respondents expressed an increased sense of personal responsibility for street tree management when a sidewalk was in front of their home. This dissertation addressed an important gap in understanding about the factors driving street tree change. Planting, removal, and trimming of street trees in Tampa is a shared responsibility with complex spatial patterns and multi-scalar drivers. An important conclusion is that the sustainability of street tree populations within the urban forest will require urban planners and managers to better understand how these management agents cooperate if they are to promote healthy, safe and beneficial street tree populations as a part of the urban forest.

MAIA, Carlos Roberto da Silva. Território e solidariedade: elementos para uma avaliação de equidade ambiental de projetos de desenvolvimento. 2013. 138 f. : Dissertação (mestradad0) Universidade Federal do Ceará. Universidade Federal do Ceará, Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Programa Regional de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, PRODEMA, Fortaleza-CE, 2013. / Submitted by demia Maia (demiamlm@gmail.com) on 2016-04-25T16:25:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_crsmaia.pdf: 1881858 bytes, checksum: 2a00192b8161bafe81fd974b40e3d24f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by demia Maia (demiamlm@gmail.com) on 2016-04-25T16:26:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_crsmaia.pdf: 1881858 bytes, checksum: 2a00192b8161bafe81fd974b40e3d24f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T16:26:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_crsmaia.pdf: 1881858 bytes, checksum: 2a00192b8161bafe81fd974b40e3d24f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / The social metabolism of capital is structurally incompatible with the search for a socio-ecological planning sustainable and democratic. However, public and private actions continue to be directed towards large projects that are spoken of sustainable development. Accordingly, in the last eight years, Brazil has gone through a period called by some as neodesenvolvimentista, by the diversity of projects urban or rural infrastructural character. With regard to water infrastructure, especially for agriculture, the state of Ceará, has become an expression of this period. Among the northeastern states, which is the largest number of irrigation projects implemented, fourteen in total, for the fruit for export, being an example, the Irrigated Perimeter of Tabuleiro de Russas. Although such projects diffuse in their impact technical studies, the impression that negative externalities or positive affect indiscriminately the different social actors involved in them, the environmental justice has become a demand increasingly present on the agenda of those social actors. Farmers, for example, by their socioeconomic vulnerable bear disproportionately to the risks and uncertainties arising from the physical and socio-cultural impacts that such projects bring in their traditional territories.Thus, given the limitations that Environmental Impact Assessments have shown regarding the understanding of environmental equity principle, this work has as main objective to analyze, from this principle, the impact of Irrigation Project Tabuleiro de Russas on the rural community of Lagoa dos Cavalos. Therefore, it sought to construct a sequencemethodological for benchmarking Environmental Equity Index, according to the methodology of indicators of pressure, state, impact and response - PEIR, proposed by the United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP. The low level of equity measured at the end of the case study corroborated the above theoretical considerations and the tendency to underestimate the environmental principle of fairness on the part of major development projects. / O sociometabolismo do capital é estruturalmente incompatível com a busca por um ordenamento sócio-ecológico democrático e sustentável. Entretanto, ações públicas e privadas continuam a ser direcionadas para grandes projetos que se dizem de desenvolvimento sustentável. Nesse sentido, nos últimos 8 anos, o Brasil, tem passado por um período denominado por alguns como neodesenvolvimentista, devido à diversidade e número de projetos urbanos ou rurais de caráter infraestrutural. No que se refere à infraestrutura hídrica, sobretudo a destinada à agricultura, o Estado do Ceará, tem se constituído numa expressão desse período. Dentre os estados do nordeste, é o que possui maior número de projetos de irrigação implantados, quatorze no total, destinados à fruticultura para exportação, sendo um deles, o Perímetro Irrigado Tabuleiro de Russas. Apesar de tais projetos difundirem em seus estudos técnicos de impacto, a impressão de que suas repercussões negativas ou positivas afetam indistintamente os diferentes sujeitos sociais neles envolvidos, a justiça socioambiental tem se tornando uma demanda cada vez mais presente na pauta daqueles sujeitos sociais. Os camponeses, por exemplo, por sua condição socioeconômica vulnerável arcam desproporcionalmente com os riscos e incertezas resultantes dos impactos físicos e socioculturais que tais projetos trazem para dentro dos seus territórios tradicionais. Assim, diante das limitações que as Avaliações de Impacto Ambiental têm demonstrado quanto à compreensão do princípio da equidade ambiental, o presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo analisar, a partir desse princípio, o impacto do Projeto de Irrigação Tabuleiro de Russas sobre a comunidade rural de Lagoa dos Cavalos. Para tanto, buscou-se construir uma sequencia metodológica para aferição de um Índice de Equidade Ambiental, conforme a metodologia de indicadores de pressão, estado, impacto e resposta – PEIR, proposta pelo Programa das Nações Unidas para o Meio Ambiente – PNUMA. O baixo índice de equidade aferido ao final deste estudo de caso corroborou o referencial teórico e as considerações sobre a tendência à subestimação do principio de equidade ambiental por parte dos grandes projetos de desenvolvimento.

With over 16,500 documented vacant commercial and residential units, roughly 20 miles of abandoned rail lines, a historic loss of approximately 330,000 residents, millions of gallons of annual surface water sewage discharges, and a decade-long failed water quality consent decree - Baltimore, Maryland lies at a crux of chronic challenges plaguing America’s formerly most economically and industrially powerful cities (Open Baltimore GIS [Vacancies Shapefile], 2017; “Harbor Water Alert” Blue Water Baltimore, 2017). Impending environmental threats in the “Anthropocene” (Crutzen, 2004) and increased attention to societal injustices warrant heightened inclusivity of social and natural urban functions. Socioecological inequities are often highly conspicuous in declining post-industrial American cities such as Baltimore. Chronic social, economic, and environmental perturbations have rendered some of once critical American infrastructure outdated, underutilized, and/or abandoned. Rivers, forests, rail corridors, as well as residential and industrial building stock are in significantly less demand than when America’s industrial age shaped urban landscapes in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries. Compounded by insensitive traditional urban development, these phenomena jeopardize urban social and ecological function. This thesis is an examination of contemporary urban ecology concepts as a systemic approach for revitalizing socially and ecologically marginalized urban areas, with an application in West Baltimore, Maryland neighborhoods. Through an examination of socioecological dilemmas and root causes, a conceptual procedure for urban blight mitigation along the Gwynns Falls corridor is proposed. Adopting an urban green infrastructure plan offers comprehensive alternative solutions for West Baltimore’s contemporary challenges. Master plans are proposed for the Shipley Hill, Carrollton Scott, and Mill Hill neighborhoods in West Baltimore. Site scale socioecological connections are suggested for the Shipley Hill neighborhood with contextual linkages in the surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, policy considerations are explored for revitalizing Baltimore’s most vulnerable landscapes. By transforming derelict industrial infrastructure to dynamic socioecological patches and corridors, this work aims to enhance socioecological equity and connectivity. Negative aspects of Baltimore’s contemporary urban condition such as blight, high vacancy rates, ecological damage, population decline, and other symptoms of shrinking cities are deeply rooted in a complex evolution of social, environmental, and economic management. Current challenges facing Baltimore can be directly linked to a long history, specifically including industrialization and systematic segregation of neighborhoods. As the United States entered a period of stability following the industrial revolution, domestic manufacturing dwindled, causing a once strong workforce population to leave industrial mega-cities such as Baltimore. This population exodus left behind prior workforce housing and industrial infrastructure, much of which now nonessential to Baltimore’s contemporary urban functions. Housing vacancies and abandoned infrastructure are most noticeable in Baltimore’s predominately minority neighborhoods. Historically marginalized by systematic segregation tactics, “redlined” neighborhoods largely continue to lack sufficient social and economic capital for adaptation to a transformative new era in Baltimore’s history. Disparities in these minority neighborhoods have shown lasting consequences and continue to suffer from financial, social, and ecological neglect. However, progressive urban planning processes pose significant opportunity for equitable inclusion of historically marginalized urban communities through the introduction of green infrastructure. Because socioecological disparities in Baltimore are incredibly complex, an equally complex solution is necessary to adequately alleviate symptoms of declining cities. Although much research and literature has been cited in systemic solutions aiming to address the totality of these issues, practical implication of these strategies remains limited. This thesis aims to identify primary drivers of socioecological inequity as well as recommend policy and spatial solutions to alleviate symptoms of shrinking cites specific to Baltimore. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning / With over 16,500 documented vacant commercial and residential units, roughly 20 miles of abandoned rail lines, a historic loss of approximately 330,000 residents, millions of gallons of annual sewage discharges, and continual annually self-reported “F’s” in surface water quality - Baltimore, Maryland lies at a crux of chronic challenges plaguing America’s formerly most economically and industrially powerful cities (Open Baltimore GIS [Vacancies Shapefile], 2017; “Harbor Water Alert” Blue Water Baltimore, 2017). Baltimore, Maryland has observed tremendous changes in social, environmental, and economic development since circa mid twentieth century. Baltimore has historically been known as an industrial powerhouse for American and global economies. However, industrial functions of port cities are in significant less demand than during the industrial revolution era. Consequently, job losses and suburbanization trends led to a population exodus from the city, leaving behind historic workforce housing and industrial infrastructure. With dramatically lower employment opportunities and nonessential railroads and streets, much of Baltimore’s initial urban development now lies vacancy, ruin, and decay. Quite simply, there is no longer a demand for some prior housing or infrastructure that served the once prosperous city nearly a century ago. Diminishment of private enterprise presence has hindered the city’s ability to maintain these vacant areas. Entire neighborhoods are sometimes like ghost towns, allowing for crime to flourish. This vagrancy is highly noticeable in West Baltimorean neighborhoods. Demographics in these neighborhoods are largely the result of segregation era politics. Historic discrimination has led to long-term marginalization and disinvestment. Significant opportunities are present in these areas for equitable redevelopment, namely green infrastructure. Vacancy and blight remediation in West Baltimore is a worthwhile cause. Adopting a green infrastructure plan offers opportunity to bolster social and environmental health. This thesis is an examination of contemporary urban ecology concepts as a systemic approach for revitalizing socially and ecologically marginalized urban areas, with an application in West Baltimore, Maryland neighborhoods. Through an examination of socioecological dilemmas and root causes, a conceptual procedure for urban blight mitigation along the Gwynns Falls corridor is proposed. Master plans are proposed for the Shipley Hill, Carrollton Scott, and Mill Hill neighborhoods in West Baltimore. Site scale socioecological connections are suggested for the Shipley Hill neighborhood with contextual linkages in the surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, policy considerations are explored for revitalizing Baltimore’s most vulnerable landscapes. By transforming derelict industrial infrastructure to dynamic socioecological patches and corridors, this work aims to enhance socioecological equity and connectivity in West Baltimore’s most vulnerable landscapes. Negative aspects of Baltimore’s contemporary urban condition such as blight, high vacancy rates, ecological damage, population decline, and other symptoms of shrinking cities are deeply rooted in a complex evolution of social, environmental, and economic management. Current challenges facing Baltimore can be directly linked to a long history, specifically including industrialization and systematic segregation of neighborhoods. As the United States entered a period of stability following the industrial revolution, domestic manufacturing dwindled, causing a once strong workforce population to leave industrial mega-cities such as Baltimore. This population exodus left behind prior workforce housing and industrial infrastructure, much of which now nonessential to Baltimore’s contemporary urban functions. Housing vacancies and abandoned infrastructure are most noticeable in Baltimore’s predominately minority neighborhoods. Historically marginalized by systematic segregation tactics, “redlined” neighborhoods largely continue to lack sufficient social and economic capital for adaptation to a transformative new era in Baltimore’s history. Disparities in these minority neighborhoods have shown lasting consequences and continue to suffer from financial, social, and ecological neglect. However, progressive urban planning processes pose significant opportunity for equitable inclusion of historically marginalized urban communities through the introduction of green infrastructure. Because socioecological disparities in Baltimore are incredibly complex, an equally complex solution is necessary to adequately alleviate symptoms of declining cities. Although much research and literature has been cited in systemic solutions aiming to address the totality of these issues, practical implication of these strategies remains limited. This thesis aims to identify primary drivers of socioecological inequity as well as recommend policy and spatial solutions to alleviate symptoms of shrinking cites specific to Baltimore.