Τα GIS αποτελούν σημαντικά εργαλεία στη διαχείριση των φυσικών περιοχών καθώς έχουν την δυνατότητα καταγραφής, ανάλυσης, παρουσίασης χωρικών και άλλων δεδομένων. Επίσης, η Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση αποτελεί μια σημαντική πρόταση για την επίτευξη σωστής διαχείρισης των φυσικών περιοχών και μπορεί να συμβάλει στην προστασία του περιβάλλοντος. Καθώς η Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση είναι άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με παράγοντες που αφορούν το περιβάλλον, τα GIS μπορούν να αποτελέσουν ένα εργαλείο για την επίτευξη των στόχων της. Η συλλογή δεδομένων από φορείς που εφαρμόζουν προγράμματα μη τυπικής Περιβαλλοντικής Εκπαίδευσης (Φορείς Διαχείρισης και Κέντρα Περιβαλλοντικής Εκπαίδευσης), ως προς τα προγράμματα και το εκπαιδευτικό υλικό που χρησιμοποιούν, οδήγησε στη δημιουργία θεματικών χαρτών με την βοήθεια των GIS. Οι θεματικοί χάρτες μπορούν να επεκταθούν και με άλλα θεματικά πεδία, ανά διαστήματα δε να ενημερώνονται και να επικαιροποιούνται. Επιπλέον, μπορούν να προστεθούν και στοιχεία που αφορούν τις ΜΚΟ. Ως περιοχή εστιασμένης έρευνας επιλέχθηκε ο ποταμός Χάραδρος ( μέσος και κάτω ρους) που βρίσκεται στην ευρύτερη περιοχή των Πατρών. Ο Χάραδρος διατηρεί ακόμα μέρος της φυσικότητάς του με χαρακτηριστική παρόχθια βλάστηση κατά τόπους, παρά τις έντονες πιέσεις και τροποποιήσεις που δέχεται. Σημαντική είναι επίσης η παρουσία του πλατανοδάσους κοντά στις εκβολές, με το μοναδικό εξελισσόμενο Δέλτα στη βόρεια Πελοπόννησο. Την μελέτη της περιοχής και τον προσδιορισμό των κύριων μονάδων βλάστησης και των ανθρωπογενών επιδράσεων στην περιοχή ακολούθησε η δημιουργία θεματικών χαρτών με την βοήθεια των GIS, για την εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων ως προς την οικολογική κατάσταση του ποταμού. Τέλος δημιουργήθηκε ένα πρόγραμμα Περιβαλλοντικής Εκπαίδευσης για τον ποταμό Χάραδρο όπου τα GIS χρησιμοποιούνται ως εργαλείο, με βασικό στόχο την ευαισθητοποίηση της τοπικής κοινωνίας και την απόκτηση ενεργού στάσης και τάσης για συμμετοχή σε δράσεις που αφορούν την προστασία του. Το πρόγραμμα συνοδεύεται από ένα πλήρες πρωτότυπο εκπαιδευτικό υλικό (φύλλα εργασίας, χάρτες, ενημερωτικό υλικό για τα ποτάμια οικοσυστήματα και τον Χάραδρο, κλείδες) που αποτελεί προϊόν της μελέτης στην περιοχή. Τόσο η Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση όσο και τα GIS, μεμονωμένα ή σε συνδυασμό, μπορούν να αποτελέσουν χρήσιμα εργαλεία για την διαχείριση των φυσικών περιοχών. / GIS are important tools in the management of natural areas as they have the ability to record, analyse and present spatial and other type of data. Environmental Education is an important proposal in order to achieve the right management of natural areas and can be helpful in the protection of the environment. As Environmental Education is strongly connected to factors that concern the environment, GIS may be used as a tool to achieve its objectives. We collected data from organizations applying programmes of non-formal environmental education (Management Agencies for protected areas and Centres for Environmental Education), about the programmes and educational materials that they use and we have created thematic maps by using GIS. These maps may be extended to other thematic fields, informed and updated at certain intervals. Moreover, data related to NGOs may can be added later on. The chosen case study area is the river Charadros (middle and lower river course), located in the broader area of the city of Patras. Despite the intense pressure and modifications that it sustains, Charadros still maintains part of its naturalness with typical riparian vegetation in some places. The presence of the plane forest near the river’s estuaries with its unique evolving Delta in northern Peloponnese is also an important reason to choose this as our study area. Our study included identification of the main vegetation units and the man induced impacts on them, was followed by the creation of thematic maps with the use of GIS, in order to assess the ecological status of the river. Finally, we have created an Environmental Education program for the river Charadros, where GIS are used as a tool. The principal aim of the program is to raise the awareness of the local community and help it to adopt an active participate in actions concerning the protection of the area. This programme also includes a complete and original educational material (worksheets, maps, information material for river ecosystems and Charadros speciffically, and photos serving as keys to identify plant species). Environmental Education and GIS, individually or in combination, can be useful as tools for the management of natural areas.

Ο σκοπός της εργασίας είναι η ανάλυση της χωρικής κατανομής των κατολισθητικών φαινομένων στην υδρολογική λεκάνη του Βουραϊκού ποταμού. Απώτερος σκοπός είναι η δημιουργία ενός χάρτη ευστάθειας πρανών (χάρτης επικινδυνότητας) ο οποίος θα μπορεί να παρέχει σημαντικές πληροφορίες για περιοχές επιδεκτικές σε κατολίσθηση. / -

No description available.

This research aims at evaluating the level at which GIS is currently performing as a Decision Support Tool in Land Use Management Systems in KwaZulu Natal. Research was conducted amongst all ofthe district municipalities (in survey format, with a seventy percent response rate), as well as amongst representatives of three local municipalities, and representatives of the only Metropolitan municipality (all in the form of in-depth inten1iews). The results of the research were certainly revealing, and at points, significantly concerning. This research illustrates that despite the fact that the municipal LUMS should be in place, in most instances, the local municipalities have not completed their LUMS, and many districts have not finalised their specific components of the LUMS (namely the Land Use Framework, or LUF). Reasons for the difficulties experienced in developing the municipal LUMS were mainly capacity related, although there were a few additional impediments worth noting. Due to this, it was difficult to successfully evaluate the role that GIS is playing in LUMS as a Decision Support Tool. Despite this difficulty, it was still possible to evaluate the current use of GIS in the development of LUMS, as well as its perceived use in the future. Furthermore, the general perceptions regarding GIS as a Decision Support Tool were open for examination, along with how it will be used as such in LUMS This research confirms that GIS has been used to some extent in the development of the municipal LUMS, and that it will be used extensively in the future, particularly in Decision Support. This research concludes by offering various solutions or recommendations to the problems being experienced by the municipalities. These solutions originate both from points mentioned in the literature review, as well as from the responses to the questionnaires and interviews; and could assist in resolving the noteworthy problems revealed during the research. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

The field of crime mapping has an extensive history, yet it has managed to remain an effective tool for policing even in modern times. This success can be attributed in part to the field’s willingness to adapt to newer technologies as they have become available. A current trend that is occurring internationally is the practice of online crime mapping. Many police services from around the world have recognized the importance of using the Internet to connect with the public that they serve. To this end, while most police services have an online presence in the form of a Web site, some have opted to go further and to publish their crime data spatially in the form of an interactive Web-based mapping application. Presently, the City of Toronto has opted not to engage in interactive Web mapping and has limited their online publications to only static maps and written crime reports. This thesis attempts to build upon the capabilities that are offered by Web GIS tools for crime mapping applications in the City of Toronto. To achieve this, two Web applications were developed to help facilitate the process of reporting crime incidents and gang-related graffiti. The services in these Web applications were developed using ArcGIS for Desktop 10.1 and hosted using ArcGIS for Server 10.1, while the Web applications themselves were developed using the ArcGIS API for JavaScript. Each application was designed to support interactive incident mapping, as well as anonymous incident reporting. In addition, the Graffiti Tagger application utilized a mobile-themed interface and image attachments to promote on-the-go graffiti incident reporting. By doing this, it was hypothesized that the overall quality and quantity of data contributed to the Toronto Police Service would increase. To test this hypothesis, a survey was developed and released to a number of participants with varying backgrounds and technical skill levels. The results of this survey showed that a public desire did exist for both of these Web applications, along with a willingness from the majority of participants to voluntarily participate in using these applications. These results suggest that adopting the use of Web mapping applications has the potential to increase the quantity, and potentially the quality, of crime data that is reported.

River restoration is believed to have the greatest chance of success when action is considered in the broader context of the riverscape. However, methods are lacking to fully integrate systemic connectivity into decision-making. Optimisation, a method of prioritisation, is capable of accounting for longitudinal connectivity, spatial interdependence, and cumulative effects of anthropogenic barriers such as dams and culverts. In addition, optimisation can help ensure that limited restoration funds are efficiently allocated. Despite these advantages, it remains under-employed. I present optimisation models for maximising connectivity within a river network (i.e., undirected connectivity) and connectivity between the network and its outflow (i.e., directed connectivity) and demonstrate their application on three river networks in Nova Scotia, Canada. Non-additive cumulative effects of barriers and key budget thresholds that yielded better returns on investment were observed. The methods and models address current challenges in implementation of the optimisation approach to systematic river restoration planning. / Master's Thesis

No description available.

Hydrology is a multi-disciplinary science, and therefore derives data from diverse sources, with the data often of a spatio-temporal nature. A recent trend has been to combine these data with GIS, due to the data’s geographic origin, and inherently requires an abstraction of reality in order to deal with the multitude of data that would otherwise result. Consequently, data models have been developed for this purpose, and these require a generalisation of processes and variables, while offering a simplified structure for their storage. The purpose of this study was to develop a data model for the storage and dissemination of hydrological variables and associated data used in hydrological modelling. Data would be of a spatial and temporal nature, and thus the design of the new data model needed to provide for this. A number of existing geographic data models were therefore reviewed, including the geodatabase model. This data model and the object-relational database model upon which it was built, were ascertained as being the most suitable for the study, and were therefore included in the design of the new data model. The related Arc Hydro data model was subsequently reviewed, since it offered an established means by which to model geographic features associated with surface hydrology. Following this, an investigation into time series storage methods was carried out, as it was important that the new data model be able to store large time series datasets in an efficient manner. Thus a number of methods were identified and evaluated as to their advantages and disadvantages. A new data model was thereby conceived, using the geodatabase as its foundation, and was developed in order to offer efficient storage of hydrological data. The data model developed was subsequently tested by populating it with data from the Quaternary Catchments database which supports the ACRU model. Finally, additional functionality was added to the data model, in the form of export options. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

According to the National Water Act No. 36 of 1998 (DWAF 1999), classification of the water resources in South Africa is the initial step towards the implementation of protection or management programmes. This study reviews different methods and systems of classifying river environments, in order to recommend a convenient, efficient and flexible classification scheme for describing the conditions of river environments. To meet this challenge, the study proposes the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) as a tool to link different controlling variables of river environments and thereafter analyse their spatial relationships. The study supports the use of GIS in river environment classification, with special emphasis on its functionalities that make it possible to explore and manipulate data interactively and easily. The GIS allows the user a flexible way to analyse the geomorphologic and ecological controlling variables of the river system. Thus , it enables different arrangements of these controlling variables for a number of classification purposes. The methodology used involves the GIS (database) analyses and map analyses to explore the relationships between geomorphologic and ecological controlling-variables of the river ecosystem. A case study of the KwaZulu-Natal Rivers demonstrates that valuable information for river environments could be derived from available geomorphologic and ecological datasets using methods of analyses within the GIS. In addition, the case study illustrates that it is possible to develop a working classification scheme for a particular purpose. The developed classification scheme can be improved by considering influential factors such as, the use of up-to-date datasets, consistent projection parameters and relevant scale. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

A suitable methodology for mapping wetlands in South Africa has not been agreed upon. This investigation aimed at developing a methodology for the accurate and efficient delineation of wetland areas using satellite imagery and other relevant spatial datasets. Both summer and winter LANDSAT ETM+ satellite imagery covering the study area of the Midmar sub-catchment were processed using various image classification techniques. These included the supervised, unsupervised and level slicing classifications. The accuracy of each technique was tested against the only existing verified wetland dataset that covers the study area. A ground truthing exercise was also undertaken. The different classification techniques resulted in different classification accuracies when compared to the verified wetland dataset. Accuracies for the different classification techniques were as follows: unsupervised 20 class classification (summer) 55%, (winter) 39%, unsupervised 255 class classification (summer) 71%, (winter) 47%; supervised classification (summer) 65%, (winter) 41%; level slicing classification (summer) 65%, (winter) 45%. The inaccuracies could mostly be attributed to a change in land cover as there seems to be an overall loss of wetland areas. However, the ground truthing exercise resulted in higher classification accuracies especially with unsupervised 255 class classification. This study concluded that LANDSAT ETM+ satellite imagery was useful for detecting wetlands areas during summer by using a fine classification technique (255 class). A finer classification technique is also suited for the detection of both large and small wetland areas. Major recommendations include: the use of summer imagery in a high rainfall period; the unsuitability of using winter imagery due to the spectral confusions created; the use of high resolution satellite sensors (SPOT) for monitoring purposes while lower resolution sensors (LANDSAT) should be used for mapping; the increased use of topographical modelling for wetland detection; the use of an appropriate scaled land cover database and the use of field verification exercises for comparing classifications. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.