Culinary tourism can contribute to the economic development of many rural communities. Creating competitive advantage for a rural community by establishing a culinary cluster requires a strategy designed to leverage the economic, cultural and environmental qualities of a place in an attractive setting and within reach of interested markets. Accordingly, culinary tourism development occurs in places with a ‘local milieu’ that possesses a concentration (spatial agglomeration) of local culinary-related products and services produced by their clustered production of a number of inter-connected firms and service providers. This can attract visitors, new residents and investments and lead to more sustainable economic outcomes that increase the quality of life of residents. To take full advantage of such possibilities, a strategy for partnership and collaboration among various stakeholders involved in culinary tourism is required. This study provides a conceptual foundation for culinary tourism as a part of the creative food economy through place branding. It analyzes the formation of culinary clusters in place-based rural community development. A culinary cluster results from innovation in the production and consumption of local food. The research began with a review and assessment of literature on culinary tourism, economic geography and business/management that led to the definition of concepts that were combined in the creation of a conceptual model based on modification of Porter’s (1990) clustering model. The model consists of ‘four interdependent determinants’ and ‘four facilitators’ that influence the creation of a culinary cluster, and that require attention in building a creative food economy and an environmentally friendly taste of a place as a brand. A ‘terroir’ contributes to the formation of a successful culinary cluster. Tourism and agriculture are leading sectors in this process. Four broad elements specified in the model (‘environmentally friendly movement’, ‘leadership’, ‘stakeholder collaboration’ and ‘communication & information flows’) are the challenges that must be met for the successful transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism destination that provides the taste of a place and, eventually, contributes to the global green movement. The creation of the model is an important conceptual contribution of the study. The model is used in a variety of ways. First, it was used to guide the collection of information in field investigations of two selected case study sites in the province of Ontario, Canada (Savour Stratford and SAVOUR Muskoka). Second, it was used to structure the qualitative analyses in each case study. Third, it guided comparison of the case studies where it was also used as an evaluative tool to suggest what is working well and less well in the study clusters. It was also used prescriptively to suggest what elements require further attention to strengthen the performance of the clusters. The study focuses on the relatively new concepts of a creative food economy, environmentally friendly culinary tourism and place branding in the formation of a culinary cluster in place-based rural community development. These themes are obviously interrelated, but have not been explored together previously; and thus, the study provides conceptual coherence for addressing their relationships. The findings of the comparative case study suggest that the transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a taste of a place through place branding is based upon the identification of the strengths of a place through inventory of the culinary-related core resources, and the leading and supporting assets (e.g., hard factors of natural environment and soft factors of cultural heritage). Since these will be different from place to place, one should expect different outcomes as the comparative case study demonstrates. Success will depend upon the use of culinary-related resources, based on local things and knowledge, leadership, and stakeholder involvement through collaboration and partnership, to create a uniquely appealing identity and image (place brand). Thus, a synergistic relationship can be established between the primary sector (agriculture) and service sector (tourism) through innovative entrepreneurial activities. The study makes important contributions both conceptually and empirically by creating a model that addresses the conversion of ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism place, by demonstrating the utility of the model through application to two cases in a comparative format; and practically, by directing attention to items that need careful consideration if synergistic relationships are to be established between agriculture and tourism through the development of culinary clusters as part of place-based rural community development.

The purpose of this research study was to explore how the significance of place serves as a part of Indigenous—specifically Diné (Navajo)—education cultural responsiveness in the art classroom. Further, objectives of the study included learning how North American art teacher educators can more effectively weave Indigenous understandings of place into pre-service art teacher education to benefit Indigenous learners' needs. I employed a qualitative approach to this study using multiple methodologies: ethnography, phenomenology, an Indigenous research methodology, and arts-based research. Through personal interviews with six participants—two Diné artists, two art teacher educators, and two unfamiliar art teachers new to reservation-serving schools—I sought to locate culturally situated perspectives and values. The goal of the interviews was to gather ideas about the significance of place, about relationships between place and art, and about art teacher preparation for teaching in Diné-serving schools. The design of the study also included new unfamiliar non-Diné art teacher preconceptions and in-situ learning experiences of teaching on the reservation. Beyond the participant interviews, I engaged an arts-based exploration of my experiences with Diné people as an outsider/insider member of the Diné community. The artwork I created also helped weave together data from participant interviews. Findings from the Diné artist participants suggested that places hold significance in Diné culture, art making, and the display or use of art. According to Diné epistemological perspective, place is more than just a physical location, and different from some mainstream ideas about place. For Diné interviewees, place is a container of aspects of life such as energies, nature, spirits, people, and a multitude of other significances, some tangible and some intangible. Findings from interviews with art teacher educators of other Indigenous groups also indicated that place is significant to many Native American peoples, and the idea of that significance is difficult to transmit to Euro-American pre-service teachers. Interviews also indicate that focusing teaching education on social justice theories and employing Native American art and artists can assist in the preparation of pre-service art teachers to teach in reservation or pueblo communities. However, there are deeply rooted cultural concepts that come into play once the new teacher reaches her/his teaching assignment community. Lastly, findings revealed that new unfamiliar art teachers experience a number of obstacles upon entering Diné communities when their prior understandings about the place is limited. Challenges include understanding acceptable cultural observances, student proclivities, and art making practices. Understanding significance of place, stereotyping concerns, and positionality challenges are among the themes that arose as a result of cross-participant analyses. The implications of this research study advocate for: a) building further knowledge about educating pre-service teachers about cultural relevance, stereotyping, and positionality in Native American-serving art classrooms; b) the need for continued cultural learning and mentoring in-situ; and c) the need for unfamiliar art teachers to develop culturally relevant teaching practices with the help of people in the community.

Culinary tourism can contribute to the economic development of many rural communities. Creating competitive advantage for a rural community by establishing a culinary cluster requires a strategy designed to leverage the economic, cultural and environmental qualities of a place in an attractive setting and within reach of interested markets. Accordingly, culinary tourism development occurs in places with a ‘local milieu’ that possesses a concentration (spatial agglomeration) of local culinary-related products and services produced by their clustered production of a number of inter-connected firms and service providers. This can attract visitors, new residents and investments and lead to more sustainable economic outcomes that increase the quality of life of residents. To take full advantage of such possibilities, a strategy for partnership and collaboration among various stakeholders involved in culinary tourism is required. This study provides a conceptual foundation for culinary tourism as a part of the creative food economy through place branding. It analyzes the formation of culinary clusters in place-based rural community development. A culinary cluster results from innovation in the production and consumption of local food. The research began with a review and assessment of literature on culinary tourism, economic geography and business/management that led to the definition of concepts that were combined in the creation of a conceptual model based on modification of Porter’s (1990) clustering model. The model consists of ‘four interdependent determinants’ and ‘four facilitators’ that influence the creation of a culinary cluster, and that require attention in building a creative food economy and an environmentally friendly taste of a place as a brand. A ‘terroir’ contributes to the formation of a successful culinary cluster. Tourism and agriculture are leading sectors in this process. Four broad elements specified in the model (‘environmentally friendly movement’, ‘leadership’, ‘stakeholder collaboration’ and ‘communication & information flows’) are the challenges that must be met for the successful transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism destination that provides the taste of a place and, eventually, contributes to the global green movement. The creation of the model is an important conceptual contribution of the study. The model is used in a variety of ways. First, it was used to guide the collection of information in field investigations of two selected case study sites in the province of Ontario, Canada (Savour Stratford and SAVOUR Muskoka). Second, it was used to structure the qualitative analyses in each case study. Third, it guided comparison of the case studies where it was also used as an evaluative tool to suggest what is working well and less well in the study clusters. It was also used prescriptively to suggest what elements require further attention to strengthen the performance of the clusters. The study focuses on the relatively new concepts of a creative food economy, environmentally friendly culinary tourism and place branding in the formation of a culinary cluster in place-based rural community development. These themes are obviously interrelated, but have not been explored together previously; and thus, the study provides conceptual coherence for addressing their relationships. The findings of the comparative case study suggest that the transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a taste of a place through place branding is based upon the identification of the strengths of a place through inventory of the culinary-related core resources, and the leading and supporting assets (e.g., hard factors of natural environment and soft factors of cultural heritage). Since these will be different from place to place, one should expect different outcomes as the comparative case study demonstrates. Success will depend upon the use of culinary-related resources, based on local things and knowledge, leadership, and stakeholder involvement through collaboration and partnership, to create a uniquely appealing identity and image (place brand). Thus, a synergistic relationship can be established between the primary sector (agriculture) and service sector (tourism) through innovative entrepreneurial activities. The study makes important contributions both conceptually and empirically by creating a model that addresses the conversion of ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism place, by demonstrating the utility of the model through application to two cases in a comparative format; and practically, by directing attention to items that need careful consideration if synergistic relationships are to be established between agriculture and tourism through the development of culinary clusters as part of place-based rural community development.

The misuse of alcohol is well documented in Australia and has been associated with disorders and harms that often require police attention. The extent of alcohol-related incidents requiring police attention has been recorded as substantial in some Australian cities (Arro, Crook, & Fenton, 1992; Davey & French, 1995; Ireland & Thommeny, 1993). A significant proportion of harmful drinking occurs in and around licensed premises (Jochelson, 1997; Stockwell, Masters, Phillips, Daly, Gahegan, Midford, & Philp, 1998; Borges, Cherpitel, & Rosovsky, 1998) and most of these incidents are not reported to police (Bryant & Williams, 2000; Lister, Hobbs, Hall, & Winlow, 2000). Alcohol-related incidents have also been found to be concentrated in certain places at certain times (Jochelson, 1997) and therefore manipulating the context in which these incidents occur may provide a means to prevent and reduce the harm associated with alcohol misuse. One of the major objectives of the present program of research was to investigate the occurrence and resource impact of alcohol-related incidents on operational (general duties) policing across a large geographical area. A second objective of the thesis was to examine the characteristics and temporal/spatial dynamics of police attended alcohol incidents in the context of Place Based theories of crime. It was envisaged that this approach would reveal the patterns of the most prevalent offences and demonstrate the relevance of Place Based theories of crime to understanding these patterns. In addition, the role of alcohol, time and place were also explored in order to examine the association between non criminal traffic offences and other types of criminal offences. A final objective of the thesis was to examine the impact of a situational crime prevention strategy that had been initiated to reduce the violence and disorder associated with late-night liquor trading premises. The program of research in this doctorate thesis has been undertaken through the presentation of published papers. The research was conducted in three stages which produced six manuscripts, five of which were submitted to peer reviewed journals and one that was published in a peer reviewed conference proceedings. Stage One included two studies (Studies 1 & 2) both of which involved a cross sectional approach to examine the prevalence and characteristics of alcohol-related incidents requiring police attendance across three large geographical areas that included metropolitan cities, provincial regions and rural areas. Stage Two of the program of research also comprised two cross sectional quantitative studies (Studies 3 & 4) that investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of the major offence categories attended by operational police in a specific Police District (Gold Coast). Stage Three of the program of research involved two studies (Studies 5 & 6) that assessed the effectiveness of a situational crime prevention strategy. The studies employed a pre-post design to assess the impact on crime, disorder and violence by preventing patrons from entering late-night liquor trading premises between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. (lockout policy). Although Study Five was solely quantitative in nature, Study Six included both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The approach adopted in Study Six, therefore facilitated not only a quantative comparison of the impact of the lockout policy on different policing areas, but also enabled the processes related to the implementation of the lockout policy to be examined. The thesis reports a program of research involving a common data collection method which then involved a series of studies being conducted to explore different aspects of the data. The data was collected from three sources. Firstly a pilot phase was undertaken to provide participants with training. Secondly a main study period was undertaken immediately following the pilot phase. The first and second sources of data were collected between 29th March 2004 and 2nd May 2004. Thirdly, additional data was collected between the 1st April 2005 and 31st May 2005. Participants in the current program of research were first response operational police officers who completed a modified activity log over a 9 week period (4 week pilot phase & 5 week survey study phase), identifying the type, prevalence and characteristics of alcohol-related incidents that were attended. During the study period police officers attended 31,090 alcohol-related incidents. Studies One and Two revealed that a substantial proportion of current police work involves attendance at alcohol-related incidents (i.e., 25% largely involving young males aged between 17 and 24 years). The most common incidents police attended were vehicle and/or traffic matters, disturbances and offences against property. The major category of offences most likely to involve alcohol included vehicle/traffic matters, disturbances and offences against the person (e.g., common & serious assaults). These events were most likely to occur in the late evenings and early hours of the morning on the weekends, and importantly, usually took longer for police to complete than non alcohol-related incidents. The findings in Studies Three and Four suggest that serious traffic offences, disturbances and offences against the person share similar characteristics and occur in concentrated places at similar times. In addition, it was found that time, place and incident type all have an influence on whether an incident attended by a police officer is alcohol-related. Alcohol-related incidents are more likely to occur in particular locations in the late evenings and early mornings on the weekends. In particular, there was a strong association between the occurrence of alcohol-related disturbances and alcohol-related serious traffic offences in regards to place and time. In general, stealing and property offences were not alcohol-related and occurred in daylight hours during weekdays. The results of Studies Five and Six were mixed. A number of alcohol-related offences requiring police attention were significantly reduced for some policing areas and for some types of offences following the implementation of the lockout policy. However, in some locations the lockout policy appeared to have a negative or minimal impact. Interviews with licensees revealed that although all were initially opposed to the lockout policy as they believed it would have a negative impact on business, most perceived some benefits from its introduction. Some of the benefits included, improved patron safety and the development of better business strategies to increase patron numbers. In conclusion, the overall findings of the six studies highlight the pervasive nature of alcohol across a range of criminal incidents, demonstrating the tremendous impact alcohol-related incidents have on police. The findings also demonstrate the importance of time and place in predicting the occurrence of alcohol-related offences. Although this program of research did not set out to test Place Based theories of crime, these theories were used to inform the interpretation of findings. The findings in the current research program provide evidence for the relevance of Place Based theories of crime to understanding the factors contributing to violence and disorder, and designing relevant crime prevention strategies. For instance, the results in Studies Five and Six provide supportive evidence that this novel lockout initiative can be beneficial for public safety by reducing some types of offences in particular areas in and around late-night liquor trading premises. Finally, intelligent-led policing initiatives based on problem oriented policing, such as the lockout policy examined in this thesis, have potential as a major crime prevention technique to reduce specific types of alcohol-related offences.

Recent international scholarship has placed new emphasis on women’s formative role in the social, economic, political and cultural lives of their respective communities. Some researchers have suggested the greatest legacy of women’s organised contribution to those communities can be found in the history of their voluntary work. Others have urged greater recognition of that contribution through landmark recognition and historic preservation programs. To date, women’s voluntary work in Queensland has drawn limited scholarly interest and it is not well represented on the State Heritage Register. Attempts to establish links between cultural heritage and women’s history generally have been restricted to national heritage agencies in North America and Australia. However, methodologies tended to rely on existing historiography which was traditionally non-inclusive of women, and gaps in the record remained a problem. This thesis seeks to address these developments by undertaking a comprehensive gender-sensitive study of women’s voluntary work and its associated place-based dimensions, across ninety-four groups in Queensland between 1859 and 1959. A central hypothesis asserts women’s formative role as historical agents and community builders, and argues that participation in voluntary work provided opportunities to enrich and empower lives. A social history approach emphasises the diversity of women’s volunteer experiences over time and their manifestation in the built environment. The capacity of cultural heritage to effectively and comprehensively represent those experiences and map key contributions to building and shaping communities is also tested. Research confirms a direct correlation between broader historical developments and women’s volunteer responses in groups. Women reacted proactively, spontaneously and creatively to changing community needs. They committed their collective voluntary labour to address shortcomings in government policies and emerging inequalities in society, to support a nation at war and the work of various Church denominations. These findings validated women’s creative and progressive agency in volunteer-based groups to building and shaping communities, and confirmed their contribution was sustained and consistent over time. Although most volunteer experiences reflected traditional definitions of gender, more expansive opportunities were available to office-bearers, as well as those involved in self-development groups, the suffrage movement and mobilising for the war effort. Government policy did, however, attempt to restrict women’s voluntary wartime work to conventional roles, as did male-dominated ecclesiastical views within church-affiliated groups. Regardless of work or group type, evidence suggests that participation was nevertheless an empowering process. It enriched the lives of many women and facilitated their transition from the private domain of home and family to the public arena. The pioneering nature of women’s voluntary work, especially in nineteenth century Queensland, further enhanced that journey. While voluntary work over this period was dominated mostly by married upper- and middle-class women, single women were well represented. All groups benefitted from career volunteers, who displayed high levels of participation within and across groups. Many participants were motivated by strong altruist ideals, although patriotism and government propaganda played a major role during the war years, as did the influence of the Church and strong Christian beliefs for those involved in groups with a religious affiliation. A key outcome of the study is the identification of some 700 cultural heritages sites, just over half of which appear on an indicative list of places by theme. They reflect the diversity and development of women’s volunteer experiences in Queensland between 1859 and 1959 and provide tangible evidence of their sustained contribution in volunteer-based groups to processes that build and shape communities over time. Collectively, however, these sites tend to strengthen the conservative view of women’s roles, in that they were associated with services which often reflected concerns about issues impacting on home and family. Groups pursuing social or political reform were also disadvantaged in that their sites were restricted in number and frequently limited to public space and bureaucratic or ministerial offices. Likewise, the efforts of Church-based groups were diffused, given their sites of association were, in many cases, not their own. As the first of its kind in a Queensland setting, this study provides substantive findings in an area not well served by scholarly researchers in the past. It also offers an alternative gender-sensitive approach to establishing links between women’s history and cultural heritage. In addition, it has the potential to lift the visibility of women’s voluntary work through landmark recognition and historic preservation programs, whether as new entries on heritage registers, additional information for existing listings, plaque placement or memorial programs and heritage trails.

Recent international scholarship has placed new emphasis on women’s formative role in the social, economic, political and cultural lives of their respective communities. Some researchers have suggested the greatest legacy of women’s organised contribution to those communities can be found in the history of their voluntary work. Others have urged greater recognition of that contribution through landmark recognition and historic preservation programs. To date, women’s voluntary work in Queensland has drawn limited scholarly interest and it is not well represented on the State Heritage Register. Attempts to establish links between cultural heritage and women’s history generally have been restricted to national heritage agencies in North America and Australia. However, methodologies tended to rely on existing historiography which was traditionally non-inclusive of women, and gaps in the record remained a problem. This thesis seeks to address these developments by undertaking a comprehensive gender-sensitive study of women’s voluntary work and its associated place-based dimensions, across ninety-four groups in Queensland between 1859 and 1959. A central hypothesis asserts women’s formative role as historical agents and community builders, and argues that participation in voluntary work provided opportunities to enrich and empower lives. A social history approach emphasises the diversity of women’s volunteer experiences over time and their manifestation in the built environment. The capacity of cultural heritage to effectively and comprehensively represent those experiences and map key contributions to building and shaping communities is also tested. Research confirms a direct correlation between broader historical developments and women’s volunteer responses in groups. Women reacted proactively, spontaneously and creatively to changing community needs. They committed their collective voluntary labour to address shortcomings in government policies and emerging inequalities in society, to support a nation at war and the work of various Church denominations. These findings validated women’s creative and progressive agency in volunteer-based groups to building and shaping communities, and confirmed their contribution was sustained and consistent over time. Although most volunteer experiences reflected traditional definitions of gender, more expansive opportunities were available to office-bearers, as well as those involved in self-development groups, the suffrage movement and mobilising for the war effort. Government policy did, however, attempt to restrict women’s voluntary wartime work to conventional roles, as did male-dominated ecclesiastical views within church-affiliated groups. Regardless of work or group type, evidence suggests that participation was nevertheless an empowering process. It enriched the lives of many women and facilitated their transition from the private domain of home and family to the public arena. The pioneering nature of women’s voluntary work, especially in nineteenth century Queensland, further enhanced that journey. While voluntary work over this period was dominated mostly by married upper- and middle-class women, single women were well represented. All groups benefitted from career volunteers, who displayed high levels of participation within and across groups. Many participants were motivated by strong altruist ideals, although patriotism and government propaganda played a major role during the war years, as did the influence of the Church and strong Christian beliefs for those involved in groups with a religious affiliation. A key outcome of the study is the identification of some 700 cultural heritages sites, just over half of which appear on an indicative list of places by theme. They reflect the diversity and development of women’s volunteer experiences in Queensland between 1859 and 1959 and provide tangible evidence of their sustained contribution in volunteer-based groups to processes that build and shape communities over time. Collectively, however, these sites tend to strengthen the conservative view of women’s roles, in that they were associated with services which often reflected concerns about issues impacting on home and family. Groups pursuing social or political reform were also disadvantaged in that their sites were restricted in number and frequently limited to public space and bureaucratic or ministerial offices. Likewise, the efforts of Church-based groups were diffused, given their sites of association were, in many cases, not their own. As the first of its kind in a Queensland setting, this study provides substantive findings in an area not well served by scholarly researchers in the past. It also offers an alternative gender-sensitive approach to establishing links between women’s history and cultural heritage. In addition, it has the potential to lift the visibility of women’s voluntary work through landmark recognition and historic preservation programs, whether as new entries on heritage registers, additional information for existing listings, plaque placement or memorial programs and heritage trails.

This case study investigates sense of place of youth amidst a background of change in postapartheid South Africa. As used in this study, sense of place refers to the attachments made to both physical and social places, and the social and cultural interactions and meanings associated with such places. The research was conducted with a group of 13 young adults at Mary Waters Senior Secondary School in Grahamstown. The literature suggests that the changes that occur in the lives of the participants at school-leaving age such as new opportunities to identify with global aspirations, tend to influence their sense of place in local contexts. Social change that occurs due to globalising forces such as access to new technologies and improved personal mobility, also influences sense of place in this context. Another integral factor is the structural influence of changing cultural and educational norms. These notions form part of the backdrop of this study. The research project was developed in response to calls for learning approaches that are situated more in local contexts and which include the youth as intrinsic participants informing environmental education approaches. This research draws attention to the significance of finding sustainable ways that enhance opportunities for agency on the part of the youth in future local and global environmental care-taking. The study took place over a period of 15 months in which time the participants undertook place-based activities in their communities around self-identified environmental concerns. The study was intentionally generative in approach as this allowed the voices of the participants and their environmental perspectives to be considered in developing methods and activities that were suitable to their particular contexts and interests. The study highlights the relevance of particular social contexts, through the perspectives of people and in this case learners, as key to environmental education enquiries. The combination of approaches that consider: a) knowledge about social context, b) the educational intervention (place-based activities) and, c) the situated social capital of the participants, all form the basis of meaningful pedagogical engagements and serve to address my research question: How is learners' sense of place developed and articulated through place-based activities, and what are the implications for environmental education amidst a contemporary landscape of change in South Africa?

No description available.

Skolgården är en institutionell miljö med normer och regler som de flesta barn och ungdomar vistas i dagligen, då obligatorisk skolgång gäller i Sverige. Skolgårdsmiljöerna utgör del i infrastrukturen av lärandemiljöer utomhus som förekommer i barns och ungas vardag, och förknippas ofta med elevers rastaktiviteter och paus från undervisningen inomhus. Det har dock i mindre utsträckning bedrivits empirisk forskning om skolgården som socialt såväl som pedagogiskt rum och dess betydelse för elevers lärande kopplat till lokalsamhället. Vi avser att med denna studie bidra med kunskap till detta område genom att undersöka hur skolgårdar är utformade och huruvida skolgården tillsammans med det omgivande landskapet skapar förutsättningar för elevers lek och rörelse och för pedagogisk verksamhet, som exempelvis undervisning i växt- och matodling och naturmiljö. Studiens fokus riktas till undersökning av skolgårdars fysiska och materiella utformning. Datainsamling har skett genom observationstillfällen på sex geografiskt spridda grundskolegårdar i Uppsala kommun, innerstad, förort såväl som landsbygd. Bearbetningen av data skedde genom analysprotokoll utifrån en teoretisk tematisering samt bearbetning av fotografier tagna på skolgårdarna. Studiens resultat visade på vissa institutionaliserade värden om vad som ska ske på skolgården – friytor, fysisk aktivitet, sitt- och samlingsplatser, samt ytor för sportaktiviteter. Växtlighet och naturmiljöer var framträdande i varierande grad, och kunde utgöra olika funktioner i respektive skolgårdsrum, som avgränsningar mellan stadier, prydnader eller inramning av skolgården. Ingen av de undersökta skolgårdarna var belägna i naturmiljöer såsom skogsdungar, utan var byggda på utgrävda fundament och konstgjorda terränger, vissa kuperade och med konstgräs. I de fall där det fanns naturmiljöer i närheten fanns det tydliga avgränsningar mellan skolgård och naturmiljö. Vidare var endast en av de undersökta skolgårdarna som på skolgården verkade bedriva skolodlingsprojekt. / School grounds are institutional milieu with certain norms and rules and that most children and youth meet daily, due to mandatory schooling in Sweden. School ground environments are part of children’s and youth spaces of learning environments that occur in everyday life. The aim of this this study is to contribute with knowledge about the school grounds as social and pedagogical space and the school grounds potential to contribute to student learning connected to local community. This we intend by researching how school grounds are designed and how their potential institutional conditionings may convey values of play, physical activity and teaching. This includes pedagogical practices in natural environments as well as plant and food gardening. The focus of the study is directed toward the physical conditions and designs of school grounds, and not students’ interactions with the school grounds. The collection of data was managed through observations studies in six geographically scattered school grounds in the municipality of Uppsala, urban, suburban as well as rural. The processing of data was managed by an analysis protocol created by the theoretical framework of the study, which include aspects of play, physical activity and teaching, and of analysis of photos taken at the school grounds visited for this study. The results of the study showed some institutionalized values on what activities should take place in the school grounds – open spaces of asphalt, physical activity in sport areas were represented, but there were few open spaced with surrounding natural environment such as shrubbery or groves. Natural environments occurred with varying functions – as boundaries between areas intended for students with different ages, as ornaments, or framing of the school grounds facing the surroundings. None of the school grounds observed hade natural environments inside them, as they were built upon artificially made terrain, for example hills and grass. In the school grounds that had natural environments in their proximity, there were clear boundaries made by fences of different sorts. Furthermore there was only one of the observed school grounds that seemed to be conducting outdoor education in terms of gardening.

Place-based biological conservation planning and recovery delineates “places” – spatial extents with favourable conditions for the recovery and management of multiple species simultaneously. Places represent geographic areas where constituent species are more likely to benefit from a specific set of recovery and management actions. Currently, place-based conservation planning is focused on prioritizing already-identified places. Findlay and McKee (2016) propose an approach to identify and delineate places by grouping geographical units based on species-at-risk (SAR) co-localization in (a) geographical, and (b) threat space. The following research is a practical application of the Findlay-McKee Methodology (FMM), using southern Ontario as a case study. I develop a parameterized algorithm to operationalize the design principles laid out in the FMM. I first define metrics to characterize the variation in SAR overlap and the degree to which sets of SAR share common threats. Next, I explore how the spatial extent of places (place size) changes as a function of tolerance for dissimilarity in both measures. The case study allowed me to evaluate the benefits and limitations of the FMM. I conclude that the FMM has the potential to be a defensible method for characterizing places based on SAR community overlap and inter-species threat similarity. However, the FMM’s applicability is limited by the availability of datasets at an appropriate resolution for analysis; uncertainty in selecting appropriate thresholds of tolerance for dissimilarity; and the criteria used to designate seed planning units. Given the increasing popularity of multi-species and ecosystem level recovery and conservation management, developing an efficient and effective process to guide place selection is crucially important. I recommend further research focus on empirically determining the number of places in a planning region and identifying at what tolerance thresholds places lose their ability to delineate areas where a comparatively small number of recovery actions will confer widespread benefits.