Environmental management agencies make efforts to reduce pollution loading in streams and rivers by promoting vegetated buffer zones between human activity and water. Most of these efforts do not mesh water quality-based buffer zone width requirements with conservation and wildlife values, specifically, the use of these riparian forest corridors for wildlife dispersal between habitats in highly fragmented landscapes. Forest interior birds are of the most concern to management in riparian forests due to their population declines across much of their breeding range. This dissertation investigates the role that landscape-level and habitat-level factors play on the presence of breeding birds in riparian forests, particularly the landscape and habitat factors that are influenced by human-caused fragmentation. This study describes research at the Ray Roberts Greenbelt, Denton, Texas, that explores the relationships between the landscape and forest habitats of the Greenbelt with its breeding bird community. The major findings of this study are that bird communities in the corridor forests are associated with a greater array of factors than are bird communities in patches, suggesting that the birds of patch forests are somewhat insulated from landscape-scale effects. Also, habitat values can be maintained in corridors, but there does not seem to be a significant relationship between the bird communities and the habitat. Forest factors are the primary influences (as inferred from the number of associations and the relative strength of these associations) on the bird communities of the Ray Roberts Greenbelt. Thresholds of richness or abundance in the amount of forest as compared with the forest interior bird community suggest that patches are better than corridors to support this community, and that the more interior forest available, the better for forest interior birds. The suggested minimum amount of forest derived from these thresholds is 35% of the amount of forest within 1 kilometer of any given part of the Greenbelt. Thresholds in forest width for avian communities suggest a minimum width of 200 m for any corridor. Thresholds in distance from interior forest suggest that the forest interior bird community can be best supported by shorter corridors that connect larger patches, with a suggested maximum corridor length of 125 m.

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers the possibility of using special management areas at metropolitan level as a measure to control urban sprawl in South Africa, and specifically in the greater Cape Town area. Important issues included in the study are: international and local measures currently and previously used, relevant South African legislation that support urban edge protection, economic and ethical theories regarding urban edge protection, the measures currently implemented in Stellenbosch, an examination of special management areas and recommendations. International attempts in curbing urban sprawl dates back to post-Industrial Revolution Europe (1800s). British and American measures are compared, mostly differing in the level of public support of sustainable development. Local attempts have been limited and have not been implemented at the scale of international measures. Recently developed policies such as the Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework (1996) and the Bioregional Planning Framework (2000) are more directly focussed on sustainable development than previous policies (e.g. guide plans and structure plans) have been. The Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework proposes the demarcation of urban edges in the Cape Metropolitan Region, while the Bioregional Planning Framework is intent on dividing the Western Cape Province into bioregions. The Bioregional Planning Framework originated the use of special management areas to control development in rural (agricultural and natural) areas. The idea of this study is to measure the feasibility of using special management areas at metropolitan level, in conjunction with both the Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework and the Bioregional Planning Framework, to protect the urban edge. This study concludes by disproving its hypothesis: special management areas have limited applicability as a general urban edge control measure at metropolitan level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie oorweeg die moontlike gebruik van spesiale bestuursareas in Suid-Afrika, en spesifiek in die groter Kaapstad gebied as maatreël vir die bekamping van stadskruip. Belangrike kwessies wat in hierdie studie ingesluit word is: internasionale en plaaslike maatreëls wat tans en in die verlede gebruik is om stadsgrense the beskerm, relevante Suid- Afrikaanse wetgewing wat die beskerming van stadsgrense ondersteun, toepaslike ekonomiese en etiese teorieë, maatreëls wat tans deur Stellenbosch geïmplementeer word, 'n ondersoek na spesiale bestuursareas, en voorstelle vir toekomstige beleid. Internasionale pogings om stadskruip te bekamp dateer uit die post-Industriële Revolusie era in Europa (1800s). Britse en Amerikaanse maatreëls is vergelyk. Die mees merkbare verskil tussen dié twee lande lê in die vlak van openbare steun vir volhoubare ontwikkeling. Die omvang van plaaslike pogings was in die verlede beperk tot gids- en struktuurplanne, wat nie veel beskerming aan die rand van die stad gebied het nie. Beleide wat onlangs ontwikkel is (die Metropolitaanse Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk en die Biostreekbeplanningsraamwerk) fokus meer direk op volhoubare ontwikkeling as hul voorgangers. Die Metropolitaanse Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk (1996) stel die afbakening van stadsgrense voor, terwyl die Biostreekbeplanningsraamwerk (2000) voorstel dat die Wes- Kaapse Provinsie in biostreke verdeel word. Die Biostreekbeplanningsraamwerk het oorspronklik die gebruik van spesiale bestuursareas voorgestel om ontwikkeling in landelike (landbou en natuurlike) gebiede te beheer. Die idee van hierdie studie is om die uitvoerbaarheid van die gebruik van spesiale bestuursareas op metropolitaanse vlak, saam met die Metropolitaanse Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk en die Biostreekbeplanningsraamwerk, te bepaal. Hierdie studie sluit af deur die hipotese verkeerd te bewys: spesiale bestuursareas het beperkte toepaslikheid as algemene stadsgrens beheermaatreëlop metropolitaanse vlak.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the problems associated with open spaces and nature areas in Paarl. The attitudes and needs of Paarlites towards these open spaces were also assessed. A comparison was then made with area specific crime statistics to assess the actual safety of these problem areas. The needs of the community are stated according to the needs assessment. This study was conducted to ensure the sustained conservation of open spaces and nature areas, and to ensure that the needs of the community are met. The public use of these areas should also jusitfy the financial input required for maintenance and up grading of these areas. This study tried by means of an investigation into the needs, patterns of use and attitudes of Paarlites, and a comparison with the true crime statistics of the relevant areas to ascertain whether these areas are truly problematic. If public opinion about the safety of these areas cannot be substantiated, people can be lured back into using these areas. The open spaces and nature areas in Paarl is underutilized. This is due to the inadequate nature of the areas in terms of the needs of the respondents, the discontentment of the respondents because of their perceptions about the poor maintenance of the areas, the activities that take place there, and the general perception of the areas as unsafe. There were only two areas that could be perceived as unsafe after research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie lewer 'n ondersoek na die probleme geassosieer met oopruimtes en natuurgebiede in die Paarl. Daar is ook onder Paarliete 'n houdings- en behoeftebepaling aangaande hulle oopruimtes gedoen en 'n vergelyking is met area spesifieke misdaadstatistieke getref om sodoende 'n gevolgtrekking te maak oor die areas se daadwerklike veiligheid. Die gemeenskap se behoeftes is na aanleiding van die behoeftebepaling weergegee. Hierdie studie is gedoen om die volhoubaarheid en bewaring van oopruimtes en natuurgebiede te verseker, en te sorg dat die gemeenskap se behoeftes bevredig word. Die benutting van die areas moet, relatief tot die finansiële insette verbonde aan die instandhouding en voortbestaan van die areas, voldoende wees. Hierdie werkstuk poog om deur middel van 'n ondersoek na die Paarliete se gebruike, houdings en behoeftes 'n vergelyking met die beskikbare statistieke van oopruimtes en natuurgebiede te tref om sodoende te bepaal of die areas werklik probleemareas is. As die openbare mening oor die areas se veiligheid nie gesubstansieer word nie, kan mense teruggelok word om hierdie areas te benut. Die ondersoek het bevind dat die Paarlse oopruimtes en natuurgebiede onderbenut word. Dit kan daaraan toegeskryf word dat die areas nie in die respondente se behoeftes voldoen nie; die respondente ontevrede is as gevolg van hulle persepsies oor die swak instandhouding van die areas; die aktiwiteite wat daarop plaasvind, asook die algemene persepsie dat die areas onveilig is. Die navorsing toon egter dat daar slegs twee areas is wat as onveilig beskou kan word.

This thesis is a contribution to the work of the Texas Environmental Observatory (TEO), which provides environmental information from the Greenbelt Corridor (GBC) of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The motivation of this research is to analyze the short-term water dynamic of soil in response to the substantial rainfall events that occurred in North Texas in 2007. Data collected during that year by a TEO soil and weather station located at the GBC includes precipitation, and soil moisture levels at various depths. In addition to these field measurements there is soil texture data obtained from lab experiments. By comparing existing water dynamic models, water balance equations were selected for the study as they reflect the water movement of the soil without complicated interrelation between parameters. Estimations of water flow between soil layers, infiltration rate, runoff, evapotranspiration, water potential, hydraulic conductivity, and field capacity are all obtained by direct and indirect methods. The response of the soil at field scale to rainfall event is interpreted in form of flow and change of soil moisture at each layer. Additionally, the analysis demonstrates that the accuracy of soil characteristic measurement is the main factor that effect physical description. Suggestions for model improvement are proposed. With the implementation of similar measurements over a watershed area, this study would help the understanding of basin-scale rainfall-runoff modeling.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Crocodile River Greenbelt area, located along the northern edge of Nelspruit, is a unique ecological system that must be protected from encroaching urbanization and invasive alien vegetation. The writer has attempted through policy intervention to achieve this goal. A policy for a greenbelt was compiled to allow for limited development along the Crocodile River Greenbelt area. The first step was to compile a policy for the Crocodile River Greenbelt area, and to contextualise the legislative requirements to compile such a policy. The second step was to discuss the State of Environment Report, which was compiled for the Crocodile River Greenbelt area and reflects directly the physical environment of the policy area. The third step was to lay the foundation of the policy by discussing guiding principles for open space systems. These principles form the basis of the policy. The fourth step was the compilation of the policy itself, which is underpinned by a spatial framework to guide the future physical development of the area. As conservation of the Crocodile River Greenbelt area is the main objective of the policy as well as allowing for limited development within the urban area, a management structure was proposed as Step 5 to achieve these objectives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Krokodilrivier-groengordelgebied is in die noordelike deel van Nelspruit geleë en is 'n unieke ekologiese stelsel wat beskerm moet word teen verstedeliking en indringer plante. Die skrywer poog deur 'n beleidsintervensie om hierdie doel te bereik. Die beleid vir 'n groengordel is saamgestelom voorsiening te maak vir beperkte ontwikkeling in die Krokodilrivier-groengordelgebied. Die eerste stap om so 'n beleid saam te stel vir die Krokodilrivier-groengordelgebied was om dit te kontekstualiseer binne die wetlike vereistes vir so 'n beleid. Die tweede stap was om die resultate van die Omgewings-toestandsverslag, wat vir die Krokodilrivier-groengordelgebied opgestel is en die fisiese omgewing van die beleidsgebied opsom, te bepreek. Die derde stap was om die rigtingewende beginsels van oopruimtes te bespreek wat die grondslag van die beleid vorm. Die vierde stap was die saamstel van die beleid self, wat gerugsteun word deur die grondgebruik plan wat toekomstige fisiese ontwikkeling van die gebied rig. Omdat bewaring van die Krokodilrivier-groengordelgebied die hoofdoel van die beleid is, tesame met beperkte ontwikkeling binne die stedelike gebied, is in Stap 5 'n bestuurstruktuur voorgestelom hierdie doel te bereik.

In this research, hyperspectral and multispectral images were utilized for vegetation studies in the greenbelt corridor near Denton. EO-1 Hyperion was the hyperspectral image and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) was the multispectral image used for this research. In the first part of the research, both the images were classified for land cover mapping (after necessary atmospheric correction and geometric registration) using supervised classification method with maximum likelihood algorithm and accuracy of the classification was also assessed for comparison. Hyperspectral image was preprocessed for classification through principal component analysis (PCA), segmented principal component analysis and minimum noise fraction (MNF) transform. Three different images were achieved after these pre-processing of the hyperspectral image. Therefore, a total of four images were classified and assessed the accuracy. In the second part, a more precise and improved land cover study was done on hyperspectral image using linear spectral unmixing method. Finally, several vegetation constituents like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, caroteoids were distinguished from the hyperspectral image using feature-oriented principal component analysis (FOPCA) method and which component dominates which type of land cover particularly vegetation were correlated.

The forest avian community of the Ray Roberts Greenbelt (Denton Co., Texas) was characterized for two years using point count station sampling, from fall 1998 to summer 2000. Richness data for both breeding seasons were correlated with two-spatial metrics: width of the riparian forest and distance to the nearest edge. There were significant correlations between forest interior species richness and both spatial metrics, for both breeding seasons. Based on these data, a minimum riparian forest width threshold of 400-meters is suggested to provide habitat for forest interior species, which have lost considerable habitat through forest fragmentation. Partners in Flight breeding bird priority concern scores were used to create a habitat priority index for the Trinity River bottomland hardwood forest system

After South Africa’s democratisation in 1994, the areas which had been deemed “only for whites” within the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (CoJ) were opened to all citizens. These changes attracted a high in-migration of people seeking better living in the CoJ. This influx not only challenged the provision of employment but also impacted negatively on the availability of land and housing and on the maintenance of safety and security by the police. Lack of accommodation forced immigrants to squat in the open spaces (including in the greenbelts) within the CoJ. A literature review provided an understanding of this problem locally and internationally. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the affected stakeholders. The findings showed that the measures needed to combat the causes of illegal squatting are beyond police control. The involvement of departments such as Human Development, Labour, Home Affairs and Environmental Management is needed for a successful solution to the problem. / Police Practice / M. Tech.(Policing)