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Rural communities play a significant role in the State of Texas economy. The economic success of these communities depends heavily on maintaining adequate public infrastructure systems. This report examines the infrastructure needs of 11 rural Texas cities to identify gaps in funding resources available through state and federal grant and loan programs for infrastructure improvements. Primary findings conclude that inadequate funding support for rural infrastructure improvements through state and federal grant and loan programs exists primarily for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements and street and sidewalk improvements. In addition, the report outlines limitations specific to rural communities in obtaining various forms of capital financing that include a limited tax base, limited access to borrowing and lack of economies of scale as well as various demographic characteristics that contribute to these limitations. / text

Little research has focused on the diversity of experiences and outcomes faced by young rural single mothers in achieving their work and educational aspirations. The focus of this study was the stories of these young mothers as understood and voiced by the women themselves. Six participants residing in a rural community on the west coast of Vancouver Island were interviewed using a narrative interview in conjunction with Possible Selves Mapping. Individual interview themes were identified for each participant. Common categories that were identified included work, education, supports, money, becoming a mother, living in a small town, and concerns about violence. The findings indicated that despite the challenges they face, young rural mothers are motivated to better their lives for themselves and their children. Implications for future research and counselling practice are provided.

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Rural Development Forestry (RDF) is being widely promoted in Scotland by both policy makers and pressure groups alike. The idea behind RDF is to recognise and respond to the needs and demands of local communities for forests and forest products. Despite publications and discussion regarding the relative merits of the adoption of an RDF-style of forest management, there is a lack of empirical studies on the subject. This study develops an appraisal technique to investigate forest benefits currently provided by forestry to local communities in Scotland. It examines the future benefits which these same local communities would like to see delivered by the forest and the level of participation in forest management and decision making which they would like, in order for this to be achieved. The appraisal was achieved through surveys, conducted at four different study sites throughout Scotland. The questionnaires utilised during the surveys explored the current benefits which individual respondents derive from their local forests and those delivered to the whole community. In most cases, these were benefits associated with recreational use or amenity values of the forests. For the majority of respondents the most important benefit for the forests to provide in the future is locally based employment. However, the recreational and amenity benefits are also afforded high priority for provision in the future. A contingent valuation survey was utilised to establish the level of demand for participation in forest management and decision-making by rural residents. The results demonstrate that although a number of respondents value the idea of being consulted and having some input into this process, the majority are not in favour of the community taking on responsibility for the forests. However, there is marked variation between the localities. The study highlights a number of implications for future forest policy, if RDF is to be carried forward. One of the most significant findings of the study is the heterogeneity within and between communities and thus the flexible approach which is required for the promotion of RDF.

A critically rationalist approach to ever changing environments, the scheme questions current policies that negatively affect locals with regards to a dam development in a remote area of Lesotho. In so, it proposes a framework in which the various communities affected by the dam can utilize new and existing resources to realign their livelihoods to one that ties in with the development. Within this framework, a hotel/lodge is proposed as an income generating initiative that capitalizes on the new dam and the Maluti Mountains as tourist attractions. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted

This study was conducted with the recognition that adolescence is a developmental stage in the human life cycle and that during this stage adolescents have unique outdoor needs and preferences. In general, the social and emotional needs of adolescents require that their environments provide opportunity for companionship. Within this context, the purpose of this study was to provide designers with information that can be used to assess environmental preferences. With this information at hand, a landscape architect can begin to understand the intricacies of designing a place for adolescents that supports their developmental needs and will be a place that they enjoy. This study was a partial replication of a study Venues and Values conducted by Patsy Eubanks Owens (1987) in which the valued spaces of suburban teens in California were explored. Rather than studying suburban adolescents, this study focuses on rural adolescents in a southwest Virginia town. Adolescents at a local high school are used as the subjects for this study. They were asked to take photographs of their two most valued outdoor spaces. A questionnaire was then given to each student to gain information about characteristics of each valued space. This study was a partial replication of a study Venues and Values conducted by Patsy Eubanks Owens (1987) in which the valued spaces of suburban teens in California were explored. Rather than studying suburban adolescents, this study focuses on rural adolescents in a southwest Virginia town. Adolescents at a local high school are used as the subjects for this study. They were asked to take photographs of their two most valued outdoor spaces. A questionnaire was then given to each student to gain information about characteristics of each valued space. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Sustainable energy services aim to meet the energy demands and to improve the living standards of rural communities with the utilization of sustainable energy technologies. Such services are becoming increasingly important due to the reduction of traditional energy resources and the ongoing increase in the demands. The demands are mainly due to the growth of population, domestic consumptions and industrial uses. In addition, increasing awareness of issues such as global warming, carbon emission, peak oil and the need for a sustainable environment has kindled keen interests in sustainable energy around the world. Many projects on sustainable energy services have been launched and particularly in developing countries. In most areas, at least one type of sustainable energy resources is available. In the case of Thailand, in additional to resources such as solar and wind, there are other sustainable energy resources in the forms of biomass and waste residue from agricultural products. However, there exist practical problems hindering the success of many sustainable energy projects. Two key reasons are the lack of in depth knowledge regarding the sustainable energy systems among the local users, and the limited budgets for planning, research and development. Therefore, the need to promote better understanding of sustainable energy technologies is necessary in order to gain better utilization of the energy services and acceptance by the community. One possible solution is the use of a Knowledge Management System (KMS). Based on advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the integration of knowledge management and web technologies has enabled KMS to be developed as an effective tool for the sharing, management and dissemination of valuable knowledge on any particular subject. This combination has the potential to promote the knowledge and initiate relevant activities thereby enabling the acquisition and management of diverse types of information and data. Typical functions and services which could be provided are: checking updated information on sustainable energy resources around a particular area; teaching of sustainable energy systems development and maintenance processes; sharing of best practices and lessons learned…etc. With the availability of the internet, a Web-based KMS will be a valuable channel for the gathering, sharing, extracting and dissemination of knowledge about the sustainable energy services for the Thai communities. This thesis presents the research and development of a knowledge management (KM) platform for sustainable energy technologies. The system is implemented with web GIS server-side application and it is installed at the School of Renewable Energy Technology, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of the developed system, surveys in the form of pre-questionnaires and post-questionnaires from the users are used. Such information is used to determine the effectiveness of the system and to measure the improvement of the participants’ knowledge on the subject. There are three groups of participants involved in this study: local government administrators, researchers and general users. The overall results of the questionnaires reveal that the participants are satisfied with the performance of the KM platform. The results also indicated that the KM platform provides adequate knowledge on the subject and it has a high level of user friendliness. It was found that the participants’ knowledge is also increased and the increase is in proportion to the time they engaged with the KM platform. A linear regression analysis of the researchers and local government administrators has shown that the increment of the participants’ knowledge has a linear relationship with the learning period on the KM platform with statistical significance. Findings from this study can be used as a guideline and for further development on improving the local Thai communities’ knowledge on sustainable energy technologies.

This is a qualitative study forming half of a coursework/thesis MA in Community Education (HRD). It investigates some of the influences affecting gay men growing up in rural communities. It provides material that may be useful in developing education programs for gay men themselves, for the general community and particularly for health educators. The study illustrates and highlights these issues by presenting extracts and case studies from twenty indepth interviews with rural homosexually active men. It looks at factors affecting homosexual identity formation in rural communities and finds there are common influences of family, religion, school and role models. It also identifies and examines other influences of a rural nature, including concepts of masculinity, heterosexism and homophobia, which may have a very restrictive effect on an emerging homosexual identity. The effects of such influences are explored, revealing common issues of isolation, loneliness and lack of self esteem. The study reveals some of the particular difficulties faced by young men becoming aware of and dealing with their emerging homosexuality particularly in a rural community. Resultant behaviour is investigated and found to include for some a fairly successful integration of homosexuality into their lives, but for others there are common behaviours of denial, moving away from the community, or contemplation of suicide. The study highlights the importance of contacts with gay-identified men for support and the need to be exposed to role models with whom gay men can identify. In this respect, the influence on smaller communities of the mass media is found to be having an increasing significance Unfortunately, the study also postulates that broader and positive changes in the wider community may have served to heighten difficulties faced by rural men if such changes are not mirrored at the local level. An awareness of increasing acceptance and support for gay men in the wider community may be frustrating at least, if local support has not also developed. In fact the study finds support for the assertions by other researchers that there are links between sexuality and recent increases in rural male youth suicide. The findings support the view that sexuality may play a significant part in the contemplation of suicide by young gay men. The particular value of the study is in exploring the issues through the words of the men themselves. The extracts and case studies offer rich and varied illustrations of growing up gay in the country.