This work consists of an observation of the relative data to lands of Santa Maria's city, initially starting from 23 variables that went along the process being left of side and indeed being only used 8. These varied went being related amongst themselves, seeking to find equations to explain the value used by the city hall as market value which is the determinant of the values of the several taxes the they be collected of the taxpayer. Through the use of the software PC GIVE, after a lot of attempts, it was gotten, to obtain equations for the value of the lots of the plant of values, for each one of the orientations of the section 11 that is located downtown. Two equations present as changeable of regression the area of the land and the value of the tax, another one, the area and the value for square meter used for collection of IPTU. The last of the equations resulted in three variables, being the area, the value for square meter and a variable maid starting from the observation of the distribution of the areas and sub zone and of her relationship with the value for square meter for effects of IPTU, call of SZ3. The obtaining of the equations represents the beginning of observations on the existent plant of values, of the need of his understanding and updating starting from the intrinsic knowledge of their variables, of the liberation need of more relative variables to the property and speed in the supply on the part of the entrusted section. It is a study that can be used in the study of a fairer determination of the value of the taxes, as well as for verification of values of the mass of data / Este trabalho consiste numa observação dos dados relativos a terrenos da cidade de Santa Maria, inicialmente a partir de 23 variáveis que ao longo do processo foram sendo deixadas de lado e efetivamente sendo utilizadas apenas 8. Estas variáveis foram sendo relacionadas entre si, visando encontrar equações para explicar o valor utilizado pela prefeitura como valor venal o qual é o determinante dos valores das diversas taxas a serem cobradas do contribuinte. Através da utilização do software PC GIVE, após muitas tentativas, conseguiu-se, obter equações para o valor dos lotes da planta de valores, para cada uma das orientações do setor 11 que se localiza no centro da cidade. Duas equações apresentam como variáveis de regressão a área do terreno e o valor do imposto, uma outra, a área e o valor por metro quadrado utilizado para cobrança de IPTU. A última das equações resultou em três variáveis, sendo a área, o valor por metro quadrado e uma variável criada a partir da observação da distribuição das zonas e subzonas e da sua relação com o valor por metro quadrado para efeitos de IPTU, chamada de SZ3. A obtenção das equações representa o início de observações sobre a planta de valores existente, da necessidade de sua compreensão e atualização a partir do conhecimento intrínseco de suas variáveis, da necessidade de liberação de mais variáveis relativas ao imóvel e rapidez no fornecimento por parte do setor encarregado. É um estudo que pode ser utilizado no estudo de uma determinação mais justa do valor dos impostos, como também para verificação de valores da massa de dados

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / This dissertation looks at the problems associated with the mining industry and aims to find an architectural solution that is able to plug-in to the scenario in order to improve the current situation in the social realm and that can promote the empowerment of the communities in which mining occurs. The intention is the creation of a local identity In architecture through construction processes and through leaning from the local inhabitants of the place. The design and development of a jewellery school is envisaged as an appropriate intervention with the capacity to facilitate the strengthening of social ties and networks as well as to create a sense of belonging within the community. Important points of departure include: community involvement In the construction of the building; a focus on ergonomic design and attention to detail. The resulting findings were conducted in Manica, Manica Province, Mozambique,a town which is located 20 km from the Mashipanda Border post bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

M.Sc. / This study focuses on the rehabilitation of borrow pits on linear pipeline projects. In the past there have been many attempts to rehabilitate borrow pits to an ecological acceptable manner. Recently legislation has become more stringent regarding mine closure and rehabilitation. With the introduction of the new Mineral and Petroleum Development Act (MPRDA 28 of 2002), there has been an increase of awareness towards the immediate environment. As this project was a challenge in itself, there were no clear and concise methods in the Act that provide guidelines for final rehabilitation. Normally borrow pits as used on road concessions for material sourcing is left as different landforms like before excavation. The main reason for this is that materials are removed from the pits and not replaced, resulting in areas that are usually lower than their original ground levels. Some unwanted screened material will return to these borrow pits but will not complement what the original level should be. These borrow pits are usually clearly visible as low lying areas filled with water alongside roads. The Vaal River Eastern Subsection Augmentation Project (VRESAP) pipeline borrow pits were unique in the sense that not only material from screening activities were replaced, but also material excavated from the trench were replaced into the borrow pits. What makes this study unique is the fact that an opportunity was presented and clearly stipulated by the standard environmental management plan (SEMP) that borrow pits had to be filled back to their original ground levels or an acceptable level agreed on by the landowner. With this unique project, unique problems arose causing excess material amounting to 327 700 m³, available from the pipeline cavity. External spoil areas had to be promulgated and managed as part of site. This study through its various elements addresses some of the main problems encountered on VRESAP by looking at soil analysis, monitoring regimes, pre and post land use and other mechanisms from literature studies used on similar projects in the mining industry. vii The study also provides recommendations to the reader for future pipeline developments as well as conclusions made by the author. The recommendations made, include ways of rehabilitation planning through trials and errors made on site. Various conclusions were made that would substantiate this study in perspective to user-friendly and practical approaches.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the life and attitudes of members of the German Reich aristocratic family Schaumburg-Lippe, who owned the Náchod estate in the Czech lands between 1842-1945, and Czech-German coexistence in the first half of 20th century. The first chapter is focused on the 19th century and the person of prince Wilhelm. Its goal is to highlight prince's attitudes and actions, which played an important role in forming the Czech-German "symbiosis". The second chapter deals with the topic of Náchod estate and its owner prince Friedrich in the interwar period. The "symbiosis" is examined through the prism of the Land reform as the most important aspect of the 1920's and the beginning of 1930's. The main area of the interest of this thesis, which deals with the family's lives and Czech- German coexistence during Second World War, is addressed from the third chapter on. This part is focused on the question whether Schaumburgs used the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany and establishment the Protectorate for their benefit, whether they changed their behaviour towards the Czech people, how they experienced and described the events of the war and what was their relationship to the Nazi regime and the representatives of the occupation's administration. The last part of the...

Mine reclamation is a long-term process but few long-term (> 15 years) assessment studies are carried out. Considerable effort has gone into test-plot experiments to design revegetation programs prior to termination of mine production but little is known from the results of this work of the long-term effect of competitive interactions between seeded species themselves and between seeded and immigrating native species during the progression to a natural vegetation for that site. The present study revisited and repeated benchmark scientific studies carried out at five mine-sites during the period 1973-1978. The mine-sites were Bull River mine, Coal Creek mine, Cumberland No. 4 mine, Pinchi Lake mine and Texada Iron mines. They were in different biogeoclimatic locations and at each mine, sample sites were located on different waste materials. On-site studies carried out during the 1993 field season included substrate observation and sampling, and visual observation of plant species and percent cover. Substrate samples were later analysed in the laboratory for soil nutrients. The graphical presentation of data honours the original data and is an effective way of assessing the development of substrate health and plant succession. Results show that if sufficient attention is paid to improving land-form then over a long period natural regenerative processes can accomplish remarkable results. Moisture deficiency will restrict growth to deep rooting, drought tolerant species and result in slow encroachment. This may require intensive management if erosion is likely. This type of study performed by staff with interdisciplinary training or experience can be used to make economical long-term assessments of site rehabilitation. They would not in any way replace the detailed quantitative monitoring conducted at critical phases early in the decommissioning process. However, as a complement, such studies could provide data for predicting long-term development on newer sites. In addition, they are an ecologically acceptable alternative to assessments of "productivity" on sites where rehabilitation is slow. / Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies / Graduate

The development and production of Canadian offshore petroleum deposits raises three key sets of issues of interest to economists. First are questions relating to the impact of royalties and taxes on producer decisions, and hence on the level and efficiency of resource taxation. Other issues concern the impacts on the overall economy during both the construction and production phases. A third set of issues relates to the distribution of powers and resource revenues between federal and provincial governments, including the links between provincial resource revenues and equalization payments. This thesis develops a numerically tractable economic model designed to examine these issues. At the model's core is a one-to-one relationship between development plans and production profiles. This property is exploited in simulating the behaviour of a price-taking, net-present-value-maximizing producer under conditions of certainty. The model is linked with a macroeconometric model of the Canadian economy to study the potential consequences of Hibernia, a petroleum deposit located in the Eastern Canadian offshore region. This deposit was chosen for analysis because its size, location and low costs (relative to current world oil prices) combine to raise all of the issues listed above. In most cases studied, producer responses to government policies result in the dissipation of less than five percent of the deposit's net present value to society. Although cases are identified where these responses have more serious consequences, the resulting dissipation of potential net benefits never exceeds 15 percent. The extension of specific forms of royalty and tax relief to the producer generally reduces the distortionary effects of government policies. The simulated exploitation of Hibernia induces small but sympathetic changes in most macroeconomic variables. The net crowding-out effects on other industries are shown to be relatively small, and to be more prevalent during the construction period. The results suggest that the larger share of the net benefits accruing to governments flows to the provincial treasury under three of the revenue-sharing systems modelled. However, Newfoundland and Labrador would lose a substantial portion of its Hibernia revenues under all of the equalization systems modelled. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

This thesis examines the possibility of retaining, redesigning, and integrating existing farm and forestlands within the proposed South Campus community development at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The central tenant of my thesis is, given the importance of agriculture in the development of human culture and the UBC Point Grey Campus, and the vital role it will play in the 21st Century, agricultural lands and facilities should be conserved and given a place of importance within the UBC landscape. An explanation is provided on how such an integrative proposal for these lands, collectively known as the UBC South Campus Farm, would support the economic, ecological, and social interests and expectations of the University, and the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), while providing an exciting learning and living environment for students, faculty staff and community members. An alternative proposal for the South Campus Farm and the South Campus community is provided that supports the stated interests of the University and the GVRD. This is accomplished through a careful assessment of the cultural and biophysical features of the South Campus lands and the subsequent development and application of a regenerative design process applied within a fourfold framework based on the concepts of ecology, economy, integrity and beauty. The final design proposal is compared and evaluated against the current situation and the University development plans. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

Public involvement in decisions about mine reclamation presents challenges to government, industry and the public. Among them are inclusion of relevant interests, representation, dealing with ignorance and misconceptions, uncertain science and technology, conflicting values, and very long spans of time. Planning theory suggests there is no preferred method, "no ideal solution to the conflict among the legitimate demand for public participation, the need for technical and economic rationality, and the necessity of assuring accountability and responsibility of decision making bodies" (Renn et al., 1993). In the 1990s, public involvement was introduced into reclamation planning and decision making processes at three metal mines in British Columbia: Brenda, Sullivan and Island Copper. A review of them shows that different techniques have been used. At Brenda a public surveillance committee was formed to review and comment on reclamation options produced by the mine in co-operation with a technical committee comprised of regulatory officials. At Sullivan a single committee consisting of public representatives, mine staff and regulatory officials met to review a draft reclamation plan and recommend amendments. At Island Copper a round table was convened to examine the use of the site as a regional landfill. Based on unpublished primary documents (mainly minutes), supplemented by published material and informal interviews, the public involvement processes were first classified and then evaluated. Criteria for the classification and evaluation were drawn from planning literature. The classification focused on purpose and methods. Public involvement mainly functioned at a consultative or advisory level. Of the three processes reviewed, the single committee method developed at Sullivan comes closest to shared decision making (CORE, 1995). All three processes used consensus negotiations as the primary means for reaching decisions. Only at Island Copper was this formally defined and intentionally used. At the others, consensus was undefined and operated informally. The processes were also qualitatively evaluated in terms of whether they fulfilled their own goals, were equitable, efficient, effective, and representative, and whether they promoted good public participation and contributed to good decision making. The processes mostly, fulfilled their own goals (as defined by their terms of reference). The processes are rated about the same with respect to procedural and distributional equity, effectiveness of outcome, representation, and promoting good public involvement. The Sullivan and Island Copper processes are rated relatively better than the Brenda process with respect to administrative equity, efficiency and process effectiveness. The Sullivan process, with half the number of meetings and exchanging written answers to questions in advance of meetings, minimized demands on participants. All three processes were well structured with respect to promoting good public involvement. However, judged by the norms of decision literature, the processes were relatively weak with respect to decision making. Problems were not defined, nor were interests or objectives. Empirical measures for goals or objectives were not identified. Few alternatives were proposed; nor were they evaluated in a way that could lead to a clear understanding of the trade-offs involved. Although few decisions were actually reached in the processes, their quality may be inferior because of these shortcomings. Notwithstanding these theoretical and empirical shortcomings, public involvement in each case found general support among government, industry, and public participants. Consequently the processes received a high degree of approval. It remains uncertain, however, whether more public involvement processes will be undertaken. Although, the province's mines ministry is formally committed to greater public involvement in reclamation decision making (MEMPR, 1991b), the ministry seems stretched to support even the two processes now underway (Brenda and Sullivan). Additional processes would require more resources than are currently allotted. As well, staff training, participant funding, professional facilitation, and clerical services could be improved. Further research is suggested, in particular applying techniques of decision analysis to public involvement processes to facilitate the making of informed and insightful reclamation decisions. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Environmental factors affecting a topographic sequence of soils were examined on the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands. The soils and other landscape components were studied at four sites along a transect to provide information on those processes which are active in affecting site and soil development. Characterization of the water chemistry of precipitation, organic leachate, soil solution and groundwater; the magnitude of soil spatial variability and the influence of land use on the landscape were also evaluated. The landscape components considered to exert the greatest influence on soil and site development include topography, moisture regime, vegetation and parent material. The interrelationship between these components has resulted in the development of four podzol soils which differ in horizon differentiation and in the extent to which mobile constituents are redistributed in the pedon. Man, considered as an environmental factor, has indirectly influenced site and soil development through land use. The effects attributed to logging are reflected in the modification of the moisture regime along the lower portion of the transect. This appears to be the controlling factor in altering vegetation successional patterns and in affecting soil development. In these soils, soil development appears to be intensified, wiht the resultant increase in weathering and leaching processes in the surface mineral horizons and the initiation of the redistribution of mobile constituents within the pedon. Characterization of selected chemical components of precipitation (including crown wash), organic layer leachate, soil solution and groundwater was conducted to elucidate ion mobility and nutrient availability. The data presented suggest that: the weathering of soil minerals is the main source of ions to the soil-water system; the mineral weathering rates in the soils are fairly constant; the chemical concentrations in the groundwater are controlled to a great extent by the weathering of soil minerals; the input of ions from the atmosphere and organic leachates can be appreciable and may influence the exchange status in the surface mineral horizons; and the leaching of organic materials may be important in maintaining plant nutrient requirements in soils of inherent low fertility. Displacement techniques appear to be useful in providing data for the evaluation of water quality relationships between the atmosphere and the soil system and for assessing site-fertility. Spatial variability in the two soils was studied to elucidate soil chemical heterogeneity. Assessment of three sampling techniques in relation to sampling efficiency and intensity was made in light of the soil heterogeneity expressed by the soils. Spatial variability recorded for these soils, suggests that soil heterogeneity should be considered as an important soil characteristic as are the soils' inherent chemical and physical properties. The greatest extent of variation in soil chemical properties was found in the surface mineral layers where weathering and influences from environmental factor interactions are more pronounced. It is this portion of the soil that will regulate the sampling intensity required for soil field studies. The data presented suggest that the use of composite sampling schemes will allow for reasonable estimates of soil properties and reduce the probable disparites caused by non-representative samples. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

abstract: Drawn from a trio of manuscripts, this dissertation evaluates the sustainability contributions and implications of deploying underutilized spaces for alternative uses at multiple scales: urban, regional and continental. The first paper considers the use of underutilized spaces at the urban scale for urban agriculture (UA) to meet local sustainability goals in Phoenix, Arizona. Through a data-driven analysis, it demonstrates UA can meet 90% of annual demand for fresh produce, supply local produce in all food deserts, reduce areas underserved by public parks by 60%, and displace >50,000 tons of carbon-dioxide emissions from buildings. The second paper considers marginal agricultural land use for bioenergy crop cultivation to meet future liquid fuels demand from cellulosic biofuels sustainably and profitably. At a wholesale fuel price of $4 gallons-of-gasoline-equivalent, 30 to 90.7 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels can be supplied by converting 22 to 79.3 million hectares of marginal lands in the Eastern United States (U.S.). Displacing marginal croplands (9.4-13.7 million hectares) reduces stress on water resources by preserving soil moisture. This displacement is comparable to existing land use for first-generation biofuels, limiting food supply impacts. Coupled modeling reveals positive hydroclimate feedback on bioenergy crop yields that moderates the land footprint. The third paper examines the sustainability implications of expanding use of marginal lands for corn cultivation in the Western Corn Belt, a commercially important and environmentally sensitive U.S. region. Corn cultivation on lower quality lands, which tend to overlap with marginal agricultural lands, is shown to be nearly three times more sensitive to changes in crop prices. Therefore, corn cultivation disproportionately expanded into these lands following price spikes. Underutilized spaces can contribute towards sustainability at small and large scales in a complementary fashion. While supplying fresh produce locally and delivering other benefits in terms of energy use and public health, UA can also reduce pressures on croplands and complement non-urban food production. This complementarity can help diversify agricultural land use for meeting other goals, like supplying biofuels. However, understanding the role of market forces and economic linkages is critical to anticipate any unintended consequences due to such re-organization of land use. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Geography 2020