The evaluation of production alternatives in agriculture requires a close examination of their economic and environmental impacts. This study was conducted to identify the crops with the highest profit potential given terminal market prices over the last five years, evaluate the feasibility of adopting new crop alternatives, given historical price information and limited production resources, and determine the potential environmental impacts of adopting new cropping strategies in Accomack and Northampton Counties on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. A database of daily terminal price information was created to identify the market windows for specific commodities, their respective high, median and low prices, and their price variability over the last five years. A linear programming model was used to determine optimal farming operations for those farmers that grow only wheat and soybean versus farmers who are willing and able to include vegetables in their crop mix. PLANETOR, an environmental impact computer program, was used to estimate the potential soil erosion, pesticide leaching and runoff, nitrogen leaching, and phosphorous runoff for different scenarios. The model shows that some of the new vegetable commodities could substantially increase the net returns of the farming operations in question. Romaine and Boston Lettuce were consistently selected as the most profitable alternatives while the region's traditional crops offered little competition. Wheat and soybean production showed acceptable levels of soil erosion, as defined by the T-values for the region, and low potential for nitrogen leaching. They did, however, exhibit a higher potential for water contamination, through leaching, or runoff, of high toxicity chemicals. Although lettuce production had higher than recommended soil losses, a well-diversified crop mix offsets its negative impacts at the farm level. Lettuce also uses low toxicity chemicals, decreasing potential health hazard from their leaching or runoff. The introduction of the new vegetable commodities is recommended on the basis of the high profits that they offer, as well as the more positive pesticide leaching and runoff potential. Their final adoption, however, should take place only after establishing a well defined marketing strategy and resolving potential marketing problems. No crop exists that could offer both high profits and have no impact on the environment. Kenaf was thought to be one, but it was soon eliminated on both grounds. This study showed, however, that the new vegetable crops considered may offer better net returns, while they do not necessarily translate into environmental disasters. / Master of Science

This project investigates the effect of plasticulture and copper-based crop protectants on water quality on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Water and sediment copper concentrations in both plasticulture and non-plasticulture containing watersheds were measured to determine the scope of copper in Eastern Shore tidal creeks. Runoff from a variety of land-uses including agricultural, plasticultural, residential and natural areas were collected and measured for copper to determine where copper-containing runoff originates. Copper concentrations in plasticulture impacted tidal creeks were higher than background (0 - 3 ug/L) only in spikes, during or immediately after runoff-producing rainfall events. These spikes registered as high as 263 ug/L total copper, or 127 ug/L dissolved copper. Plasticulture and copper-based crop protectants were affirmed as the cause of these spikes because control watersheds indicated no high copper spikes. Runoff from different land-uses verify that copper is present in high concentrations only in runoff from fields engaged in plasticulture and using copper-based crop protectants. Sediment copper concentrations were found to be within the natural range, but exhibited some variability based on proximity to agricultural copper inputs. / Master of Science

This thesis develops a philosophy for management, preservation, and interpretation of Woodlands Farm and Thomas's Wharf in Northampton County on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service methodology for historic properties, including cultural landscapes, is used to complete this study. The National Park Service method includes four interrelated steps: (1) historical research, and (2) inventory and documentation of existing conditions, (3) site analysis and evaluation of significance and integrity, and (4) recommendations for future management. Essential to the future of Woodlands Farm and Thomas's Wharf is continued use of the property while retaining character defining features that make them significant. The most suitable management philosophy for a historic property that allows for protection and maintenance of significant features, as well as future use and development, is Rehabilitation. Thomas's Wharf's significance is derived from fragments of many periods and histories can be read on the landscape; a palimpsest. The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service evaluates a landscape much as one evaluates a historic building, defining it as a type or from a specific time period. The U.S. Department of the Interior's criteria for significance does not address a landscape, like Thomas's Wharf, as part of the continuum of history. Rather the study of landscapes is limited and the criteria does not acknowledge a site's broader continuum of significance. Landscapes that are records of change and evolution, palimpsests of a people, culture, and place, need to be identified and deemed significant for that quality. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Due to the popularity of settlement in coastal areas, measures need to be taken in the form of rules and guidelines for construction close to beaches in order to achieve a more ecologically sustainable construction and contribute to sustainable social development.In Sweden, shore protection is used, which aims to protect the public's access to shores, which the right public advocates according to Chapter 2. Section 15, The form of government. Today, shore protection is regulated in the Environmental Code (MB), and a general rule is that it must not be built within 100 meters from the shoreline on land and in water according to MB.A municipality can revoke shore protection if one of the particular reasons in chap-ter 7. Section 18c of the MB is fulfilled. Municipalities' decision on cancellation can be appealed to the County Administrative Board, then to the Land and Environment Court (MMD) and then to the Land and Environment Court of Appeal (MOD).The purpose of the study is to investigate what is considered valid and invalid rea-sons for cancelling shore protection in a detailed development plan, this through a legal case study. The goal is that this study will lead to more equitable and fair man-agement when repealing shore protection within the detailed development plan.A quantitative and qualitative analysis forms the basis of the results presented in this study. The quantitative method consists of categorization of detailed plans that are examined. Through this categorization, it can be deduced which reasons municipali-ties with different population conditions demand when cancelling shore protection within the detailed development plan. The detailed development plan study was de-limited to Ostergotland County at the beginning, after which the study was supple-mented with Kalmar County. It's because Ostergotland did not fill up the quota for the requested number of detailed plans. The qualitative method of the case study makes it possible for a report to clarify which reasons are legally sustainable based on the judgments that are being studied.The results highlighted by the study have shown that there are differences between the interval sizes, that is, that the municipalities interpret and handle the shore pro-tection legislation differently in connection with the shore protection being repealed within the detailed development plan. Thus, the County Administrative Board should check the municipalities more closely, as their task is to monitor the objec-tives of the shore protection. / På grund av den popularitet som råder vad gäller bosättning i strandnära områden behöver åtgärder vidtas i form av regler och riktlinjer vid byggnation nära stränder för att uppnå ett mer ekologiskt hållbart byggande och bidra till en hållbar samhälls-utveckling.I Sverige används strandskydd som syftar till att skydda allmänhetens tillgång till stränder vilket allemansrätten förespråkar enligt 2 kap. 15 § Regeringsformen. Idag regleras strandskydd i miljöbalken (MB) och en generell regel är att det inte får byggas inom 100 meter från strandlinjen på land och i vatten enligt MB.En kommun kan upphäva strandskydd om ett av de särskilda skälen i 7 kap. 18c § i MB är uppfyllda. Kommuners beslut om upphävande kan överklagas hos länsstyrel-sen, därefter vidare till mark- och miljödomstolen (MMD) och sedan till mark- och miljödomstolen (MÖD).Syftet med studien är att undersöka vad som anses vara giltiga och ogiltiga skäl till att upphäva strandskydd i en detaljplan, detta med hjälp av en rättsfallsstudie. Målet är att denna studie ska leda till en mer jämlik och rättvis hantering vid upphävande av strandskydd inom detaljplan.En kvantitativ- och kvalitativ analys ligger till grund för de resultat som presenteras i denna studie. Den kvantitativa metoden består av en kategorisering av detaljplaner som granskas. Genom denna kategorisering kan det utläsas vilka skäl kommuner med olika befolkningsförutsättningar yrkar på vid upphävande av strandskydd inom detaljplan. Detaljplanestudien avgränsades till Östergötlands län till en början, där-efter kompletterades studien med Kalmar län. Detta eftersom att Östergötland inte fyllde upp kvoten för det efterfrågade antalet detaljplaner. Den kvalitativa metoden av rättsfallsstudien möjliggör för en redogörelse som ska klargöra vilka skäl som är juridiskt hållbara utifrån de domslut som studeras.Det resultat som framhålls av studien har visat att det förekommer skillnader sinse-mellan intervallstorlekarna, det vill säga att kommunerna tolkar samt hanterar strandskyddslagstiftningen olika i samband med att strandskydd upphävs inom detalj-plan. Därmed bör Länsstyrelsen kontrollera kommunerna noggrannare eftersom att deras uppgift är att bevaka strandskyddets syften.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 249-270).

xi, 153 leaves : ill. Typescript. (Another copy on microfilm is located in Archives) Thesis (PhD.) -- University of Oregon Includes vita and abstract Bibliography: leaves 145-153 University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Biology, Ph.D., 1981

Strandområdens attraktivitet skapar intressekonflikter mellan allmänhetens rätt till stranden och privata intressens vilja att bygga vid vatten. Detta skapar ett behov av en fungerande lagstiftning som tillgodoser det olika intressena. Argentina har en lång tradition av att skydda stranden med syftet att lämna utrymme för bogsering och arbete med båtar längs stranden, kallad dragvägen, där längden ursprungligen varit 35 meter men som sedan minskat till 15 meter. Syftet med studien är att undersöka generella problemställningar som bör beaktas i skyddet av strandområden, genom en fallstudie i San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Målet i studien är att ta fram ett underlag för en förbättrad strandskyddslagstiftning i Argentina. Metoderna för studien utgjordes av fyra steg. Steg ett och två var skriftliga intervjuer med tjänstemän och forskare inom juridik i San Carlos de Bariloche där den första besvarade frågor kring nuvarande lagstiftning och den andra kring förbättringar av lagstiftningen. I steg tre gjordes en flygbildsanalys över sjön Nahuel Huapi för att få en översikt över bebyggelse- och grönstruktur. I steg fyra skickades dessutom en enkät ut till allmänheten i San Carlos de Bariloche för att få svar på hur allmänheten upplever tillgängligheten till strandområden och om det finns hinder längs stranden. Resultatet visade att biodiversitet och skyddet av naturen samt översvämningsrisker bör prioriteras högst. Avståndet från strandlinjen till närmaste byggnad för strandskyddet bör bedömas utifrån varje strands förutsättningar och därför bör inte en längd gälla för alla fall. Stranden bör initialt vara fri från byggnation och endast användas för rekreation, men i vissa fall bör dispens kunna ges. Därför har studien tagit fram kriterier för att ge dispens utifrån vad som anses viktigt för strandskyddets syfte. Svaren från enkäten visade att allmänheten upplever problem med tillgången till stranden, främst i form av privatisering av strandremsan och det finns markägare som exkluderar allmänheten från den. Resultatet indikerar att allmänna intressen har fått ge vika för ekonomiska intressen under åren och därför bör detta motverkas. Lagen om dragvägen har fortfarande en viktig funktion att skydda allmänhetens rätt till stranden men bör uppdateras till ett mer aktuellt syfte med fokus på rekreation, sportfiske och turism samt en längd som passar för dessa syften. / The attractiveness of coastal areas creates conflicts between the public’s right to the shore and the private interest’s desire to build close to water. This creates a need for a functioning legislation that accommodate the different interests. Argentina has a long tradition of protecting the shore with the purpose of leaving space for towing work with boats along the shore, called the towpath, where the length originally was 35 meters but then later reduced to 15 meters. The purpose of the study is to study general problems occurring in protection of the shore, through a case study in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. The aim of the study is to produce a basis for an improved shore protection legislation. The method in this study was conducted in four steps. Step one and two were written interviews with officials of the municipality and a researcher in law in San Carlos de Bariloche where the first one answered questions about the current legislation and the second about improvements of the legislation. In step three an aerial photo analysis was conducted over the lake Nahuel Huapi to get an overlook over building- and green structure. Additionally a survey was sent to the public in step four to receive answers about how the public experience the accessibility to shore areas and if there is obstacles along the shore. The result showed that biodiversity and protection of the nature as well as flood risks should be a priority. The length of the shore protection should be judged based on every shore’s condition and that is why there should not be one length for all cases. The shore should initially be free from constructions and only be used for recreation, but in some cases could exemption be made. Therefore, this study has developed criteria for exemptions based on what is considered important for the purpose of the shore protection legislations. The answers from the survey showed that the public’s major problem with access to the shore is mainly privatization of the shore and the landowners that exclude the public. The result indicate that the economic interest has been prioritized over the public interest over the years and must therefore countered. The law of the towpath still has an important function in protecting the public’s right to the shore, but should be updated to a more current purpose with focus on recreation, sports fishing and tourism and also a length that’s appropriate for these purposes.

I studied the piping plover on Assateague Island during the 1986 and 1987 breeding seasons. In 1987, I estimated the population to be 69 pairs. During both years, plovers nested on only a few portions of the island. I think that this pattern of nesting was determined by the distribution of three types of foraging habitats: bayside mud and sand flats, saltwater pools formed by storm tides, and a drawn down waterfowl impoundment. Reproductive rates were lower than two recent estimates of the level necessary to maintain a stable population. The primary problem was poor nest success and the leading cause of nest loss was nest predation by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoons (Procyon Iotor). I was not able to identify factors responsible for chick mortality, but my data show a relationship between chick survival and foraging habitat. Broods feeding on bayside foraging areas had a much higher survival rate than broods which did not have access to these areas. Management efforts should focus on reducing nest predation. Recent experiments have indicated that predator exclosures constructed around individual nests can be used to reduce nest predation. These exclosures should be tested on Assateague. Future research efforts should focus on the role of foraging habitat in breeding site selection and the relationship between chick survival and the type of foraging used. / Master of Science

The Port of Gävle is one of the most important harbours in Sweden as far as size and freight capacity is concerned. Marine traffic is increasing greatly, thus environmental pollution as well as noise and vibrations are of major concern in port cities. Shore to ship power supply systems might be a feasible solution to curtail emissions because the Auxiliary Engines are instead shut down while the ship stays alongside the quay. The literature review shows they are reliable and very appealing in all respects, thereby contributing to sustainable development. Taking into account the kind of vessels that call at the Port of Gävle, a High Voltage Shore Connection is recommendable, in compliance with the International Standards. An own technical survey is developed to gather all the information, as well as personal interviews to collect first-hand data. Technical issues such as the synchronisation procedure and the ground system with regard to safety are briefly discussed. Due to the lack of data, calculations consist of average values: peak and average demand, and fuel consumption during a typical call. Considering updated energy prices for both electricity and fuel, results show that an on‑shore power supply system make energy costs decrease by 71% at berth in comparison with burning marine fuel, which is saved by around 4 tonnes per call. Additionally, up to 5126 tonnes of CO2 are avoided per year, among other pollutants. Shore‑side power has proven to be profitable and appealing to the Port of Gävle; however, vessels need to be retrofitted, which implies relatively high investments. Collaboration agreements and shipping companies’ willingness to undergo changes are key issues that still need to be solved.

Near shore hydrodynamics has been an important research area dealing with coastal processes. The nearshore coastal region is the region between the shoreline and a fictive offshore limit which usually is defined as the limit where the depth becomes so large that it no longer influences the waves. This spatially limited but highly energetic zone is where water waves shoal, break and transmit energy to the shoreline and are governed by highly dispersive and non-linear effects. An accurate understanding of this phenomena is extremely useful, especially in emergency situations during hurricanes and storms. While the shallow water assumption is valid in regions where the characteristic wavelength exceeds a typical depth by orders of magnitude, Boussinesq-type equations have been used to model near-shore wave motion. Unfortunately these equations are complex system of coupled non-linear and dispersive differential equations that have made the developement of numerical approximations extremely challenging. In this dissertation, a local discontinuous Galerkin method for Boussinesq-Green Naghdi Equations is presented and validated against experimental results. Currently Green-Naghdi equations have many variants. We develop a numerical method in one horizontal dimension for the Green-Naghdi equations based on rotational characteristics in the velocity field. Stability criterion is also established for the linearized Green-Naghdi equations and a careful proof of linear stability of the numerical method is carried out. Verification is done against a linearized standing wave problem in flat bathymetry and h,p (denoted by K in this thesis) error rates are plotted. The numerical method is validated with experimental data from dispersive and non-linear test cases. / text