Land is a composite good, the price of which varies with its characteristics, including proximity to amenities. Analysis of data from sales of land near Green Mountain National Forest wilderness areas in a hedonic price model reveals a positive relationship between proximity to protected wilderness and market values for residential properties. The applications of this result include improved consideration of the positive economic impacts of land conservation in political deliberations over public land management and new mechanisms for financing land conservation, local planning and development efforts, and maintenance of affordable housing in high-amenity/high-cost areas. / Ph. D.

A contemporary understanding of site is integral towards the proper implementation of an architectural intervention which reconciles itself amongst the landscape. This thesis is situated at the convergence of technology and nature, investigating a constructive engagement of site in order to inform an architecture embedded into rural Appalachia. An integration of drone avionics, advanced imaging and sensing technologies, and traditional means of site-observation fosters the opportunity for a more holistic understanding of place. The corresponding architectural intervention thus manifests itself as a contemporary rendition of the fire tower, a US Forest Service outpost monitoring changing wildlife populations and behaviors within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Dubbed The Aviary, the construct functions as a wilderness drone-port, supporting a large, integrated network of conservation-drone activity over the vast surrounding mountain-scape. / Master of Architecture / This thesis investigates the role of our built environment in relation to concurrent trends in drone technology and wildlife conservation. The thesis is broken up into two parts, the first exploring new methodologies of site-investigation, and the second exploring architecture as tool for ecological conservation and preservation. The architecutral site-exploration process is redifined using drone mapping and data visualization, in hopes of achieving a more holistic understanding of our rural and wilderness landscapes, with the goal of further utilizing this understanding to inform an architecture that resides harmoneously within it's "place." The eventual designed construct can be viewed as a modern reinterpretation of the American fire-tower, a declining typology tradtionally used to safeguard our natural and wilderness resources and landscapes. This new construct takes a dynamically diffent approach, and functions as a wilderness drone-port that facilitates a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor the changes of behaviors and populations in Virginia's wildlife, advancing our methodologies of local conservation and ecological studies.

Past research has shown that interpretive tour visitors at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge do no better than other visitors on knowledge and value questions about federal wilderness areas and national wildlife refuges. Tours into the Okefenokee Swamp Wilderness are conducted by a National Wildlife Refuge concessionaire. Interpretive tour guides participated in a training session on the purposes and values of wilderness and wildlife refuges. Visitors who took guided interpretive tours in the spring of 2001 with trained and untrained guides completed knowledge surveys immediately after taking the boat tour. Results indicate that there were no differences in visitor knowledge scores with trained versus untrained guides. A small sample of interpretive tour visitors was also interviewed in an effort to understand the meanings they ascribe to wilderness. Visitors were able to describe and articulate their views of wilderness with considerable clarity. Recommendations for future research include monitoring the guides' interpretive messages, conducting more in-depth interviews with visitors and guides, assessing visitors' and guides' prior knowledge of wilderness and wildlife refuge purposes and values, and developing guide training based on the principles of persuasive communication. / Master of Science

Increasingly popular methods for managing impacts of tourism in nature-based settings include collaborative and voluntary codes of conduct. In southeast Alaska, for example, the Tourism Best Management Practices (TBMP) in Juneau and Wilderness Best Management Practices (WBMP) in Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness have been created to address shore and marine based tourism (e.g., cruise ships). This thesis contains three articles examining stakeholder: (a) definitions of wilderness and their influence on perceptions of the WBMP process, (b) motivations for collaboration in the WBMP and effects of this process on stakeholder relations, and (c) perceptions of indicators in the WBMP and motivations for compliance. Data were obtained from 28 interviews with tour operators, cruise industry representatives, US Forest Service personnel, and local residents. Findings in the first article showed that most respondents had some degree of purism in their definitions of wilderness (e.g., solitude, minimal impact), although cruise industry personnel had less purist definitions. With the exception of cruise representatives, most respondents felt that the wilderness character of this wilderness area was being threatened by vessel traffic, especially cruise ships. Most interviewees supported the WBMP as an alternative to regulations because it allowed for personal freedom and input into rulemaking, but many felt that the WBMP may be unable to address some future effects of tourism in the area. Many of the smaller and more purist operators felt that if the pristine character of this area was threatened, they might support regulations. Most stakeholders, however, displayed a type of cognitive dissonance by expressing concern over threats to the wilderness character of this area, yet rejecting formal regulations that may be needed for protecting the wilderness experiences they value most. Results from the second article demonstrated that the WBMP has enhanced stakeholder relations by improving communication and dialogue, and instilling an ethic of compromise and sharing. Lack of trust, however, was a concern, especially between smaller tour operators and cruise lines due to a perception that cruise lines are not following all of the WBMP guidelines. There was concern regarding how inclusive the WBMP should be, as many cruise representatives felt that local residents should not participate. Respondents also stated some concerns with Juneau's TBMP that could be used as lessons for improving the WBMP (e.g., noncompliance, incentives, monitoring). Findings covered in the third article showed that stakeholders considered the most contentious guideline in the WBMP to be the preservation of solitude, but they felt that the most important guidelines involved environmental factors such as impacts of tourism on seals. Compliance with the WBMP guidelines was motivated by altruism, peer pressure, and self-interest. Noncompliance was attributed to a lack of awareness of the WBMP and effects of noncompliant behavior, and perceptions that the WBMP was an example of government interference in private business operations. These findings may help agencies continue facilitating the WBMP and similar collaborative processes in other locales. / Graduation date: 2012

Com a iminência da construção de mais um trecho do Rodoanel Mário Covas, seu Trecho Norte, tem fechamento um ciclo longo de acumulação de capital na metrópole paulista, de mais de 150 anos, caracterizado pela expansão metropolitana (desigual e combinada) impulsionada pela especulação imobiliária baseada na verticalização do centro expandido e na horizontalização da cidade via loteamentos periféricos. Nesse um século e meio, seu motor foi à crescente financeirização do espaço urbano, tendo como principal conseqüência terrível, a produção de um ambiente construído agressor para sua própria população metropolitana. Como num roteiro de Tarantino, esse presente denota uma sarcástica imagem: hoje, as deseconomias metropolitanas, como as enchentes, o congestionamento e a poluição, tomam o lugar que um dia foi da garoa, de Adoniran Barbosa e dos bairros tradicionais de imigrantes, na produção da identidade paulistana. O novo ciclo de acumulação de capital em gestação não tem como objetivo resgatar essas memórias paulistanas. Ironicamente, esse novo modelo, baseado na suburbanização de alto padrão e no congelamento/urbanização das áreas de loteamento periférico precário e irregular, tem como objetivo construir uma plataforma logística metropolitana apropriada para o que Karl Manheim e tantos outros chamam de fuga do urbano. Pois, o que está em questão é a clara mudança de um padrão de urbanização brasileira (subdesenvolvimento de tipo cepalino) para o do tipo estadunidense, caracterizado por highways que ligam os luxuosos subúrbios ajardinados e as grandes aglomerações médias e populares aos centros degradados das cidades. O presente estudo tem por objetivo, apresentar três dinâmicas espaciais urbanas provisórias dessa fuga do urbano, vetorizadas por três grupos de capital urbano (proprietários da terra/intermediadores financeiros; empresas de construção/incorporação; grupos sociais em geral). A exposição da investigação parte do método dialético e da idéia de espaço geográfico composto por forma, função, estrutura e processo. / With the imminent construction of a Rodoanel Mario Covas, its your Trecho Norte thern section, is closing a long cycle of capital accumulation of more than 150 years, characterized by metropolitan expansion (uneven and combined) driven by speculation based on the vertical expanded center and flattening the town allotments via peripherals. In a century and a half, its engine was the growing financial character of urban space, with the primary tremendous consequence, the production of a built environment aggressor for its own metropolitan population. Like a Tarantino script, the most appropriate image is less promising and more disgustingly sarcastic: today, diseconomies metropolitan areas, such as flooding, congestion and pollution, take the place that was once the garoa of Adoniran Barbosa and the traditional neighborhoods of immigrants in the production of identity in São Paulo. The new cycle of capital accumulation in pregnancy is not meant to recover these memories from São Paulo. Ironically, this new model, based on the suburbanization of high standard and the freeze / urbanizing areas of poor and irregular peripheral housing estate, is to build a logistics hub for the metropolitan appropriate that Karl Manheim and many others call urban trail. For what is at issue is the clear shift from a pattern of urbanization in Brazil (underdevelopment CEPAL type) for the U.S. type, characterized by highways that link the luxurious surroundings and landscaped large clumps and popular medium degraded the centers of cities. This study aims to submit three spatial dynamics of urban temporary escape from the urban, vectorized by three groups of urban capital (owners of the land / financial intermediaries, companies of construction / incorporation; social groups in general). Exposure of the research part of the dialectical method and the idea of geographic space composed of form, function, structure and process.

No description available.

The issue of fixed anchors in wilderness challenges modern interpretations of the Wilderness Act. The Wilderness Act can be interpreted to allow or preclude the placement of fixed anchors in designated wilderness areas depending on whether the interpreter chooses a literal or general interpretation of the law's meaning. Place-based management options, supported by descriptive and evaluative study results, may be more closely aligned to Wilderness Act directives than nationwide, blanket policy. This research is focused on understanding the role of fixed anchors in designated wilderness in order to develop management options that protect wilderness values without hindering wilderness users. The unique nature of each wilderness area and climbing resource, in combination with distinct preferences and motivations of different climber populations, lends itself to managing fixed anchors through place-based policy that considers the landscape and the preferences of individual visitors.Joshua Tree National Park [JTNP] was chosen as the location for this case study because it has committed to establishing fixed anchor management that accommodates rock climbing and protects wilderness resources. JTNP has prohibited the placement of fixed anchors in wilderness since February 1993. By combining resource inventories, spatial modeling, and wilderness climber profiles, study results reveal that wilderness visitor destination choice is not dependent on the location of fixed anchors, but the quality, difficulty, and distance to destinations. These results can be used as the basis for a wilderness fixed anchor permit system and demonstrate that fixed anchors can fit within the confines of the Wilderness Act. Place-based management options, relative to national policies, can minimize administrative burdens and limit the geographic extent of unintended regulatory effects. The Wilderness Act's minimum administrative requirement mandate promotes this type of management style. This study of the benign fixed anchor at JTNP illustrates the power of the scientific method to neutralize wilderness recreation conflict and support streamlined wilderness management, while at the same time highlighting the shortcomings, and strengths, of the Wilderness Act as it is applied to a new era of wilderness recreation management.

Taking into consideration outdoor experiential learning's popularity as an effective method for the improvement of personal and group related skills (locus of control (Hans, 2000), self-esteem (Romi & Kohan, 2004), organizational abilities (Russell et al., 2000), social abilities (Meyer, 2000; Hui & Cheung, 2004; Dent, 2006), trust, communication, decision making and group dynamics (Ewert & McAvoy, 2000), there exists much uncertainty how program components relate to outcomes (Russell & Phillips-Miller, 2002; Sibthorp; 2003; Gass & Priest, 2006). Sibthorp et al. (2007:1) and Paisley et al. (2008:201-202) state that too much attention is directed at what participants learn and not how learning takes place. Outdoor experiential learning is mainly centre-based and wilderness-based (Hinkle, 1999:190; Hans, 2000:35), and due to the interchangeable use of these two methods, this confusion has occurred (Gillis & Gass, 2004:601; Epstein, 2004:107-108). In order to develop more successful programs a need has arisen to determine exactly how program components relate to program outcomes (Hans, 2000:33; Russell, 2000:170; Russell & Phillips-Miller, 2002:415; Gass & Priest, 2006:79). Taking this into consideration, Beringer and Martin (2003:30) state that change is usually only attributed to action and experience. In this regard Miner (2003:6), Cole (2005:23), Berger and McLeod (2006:82) and Hill (2007:339) believe that the symbolic meaning of wilderness and its therapeutic role is largely being overlooked or ignored compared to the ecological and experiential values thereof. Although many suggest that the physical environment is important for achieving program outcomes, future research could focus more on the difference of programs in wilderness, unfamiliar non-wilderness environments (such as rope courses) and familiar environments such as classrooms and workplaces (McKenzie, 2000:20). For a clearer understanding on how program components relate to outcomes, Priest (1996) (also see Priest, 1998 and Williams, 2000) indicates by using a comparative study that if group initiatives are more successful than rope courses for the improvement of organizational effectiveness, it can give valuable insight of what specific method should be used for achieving specific outcomes (Priest, 1996:37). Taking this into consideration it is the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of a centre-based adventure program with an expedition-based wilderness program with regard to personal and group effectiveness, and to determine if the personal experience of restoration (Kaplan, 1995:172-173; Laumann et al., 2001:31-32), physical self (Berger & McLeod, 2006:91; Caulkins et al., 2006:21), prfmitiveness, humility, timelessness (Cole, 2005:26; Johnson et al., 2005:7), solitude, privacy, freedom of choice (Borrie & Roggenbuck, 2001:7), personal self (Russell & Farnum, 2004:39) and spiritual upliftment (Irvine & Warber, 2002:80; Berger & McLeod, 2006:91) are symbolically unique to wilderness participation. This study made use of a crossover design with a mixed-method approach which De Vos (2005:360) refers to as a combination of quantitative and qualitative research in a single study. In a crossover design all the participants take part in both interventions (Simon, 2002:1), which is, in this case, the centre-based adventure programme and expedition-based wilderness programme. There were 28 third year students (14 men and 14 women), aged 20-23 (x= 21.6 ± 0.7) from the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) who took part in this study. The participants were identified using an availability sample and were randomly divided into two experimental groups (7 men and 7 women). The research instrument used to measure personal effectiveness was the Review of Personal Effectiveness and Locus of Control (ROPELOC) developed and piloted by Richards et al. (2002). This questionnaire measures personal effectiveness through seven major components. This questionnaire was administered in the form of a quantitative pre-and post-test to both groups. For the measurement of group effectiveness an improved version of the one,found in Herselman (1998) was used. This questionnaire measures group effectiveness through several factors, such as communication, team spirit, decision making and planning, which are considered important for effective group functioning. In combination with this questionnaire an improved version of the Recreation Experience Preference Scales (Manfredo et al., 1996) was used. This research instrument is developed to determine why people engage in recreation, what people want from it and how people might benefit from it. Both of these questionnaires (group effectiveness and Recreation Experience Preference Scales) were administered in the form of a quantitative post-test to both groups. In combination with the quantitative procedure, one-on-one and focus group interviews were conducted with each participant after every test. With regard to personal effectiveness results indicated that most of the ROPELOC components changed significantly. Between the two programs differences with medium effect (d=0.5) were found in self-confidence (d=0.53), stress management (d=0.42), quality seeking (d=0.62) and coping with change (d=0.49), all in favour of the expedition-based wilderness program. Even though both programs are very effective for the improvement of personal effectiveness, it is strongly recommended that an expedition-based wilderness program should be used. This is mainly attributed to the effect of the wilderness environment. The experience of solitude, privacy and freedom of choice, spiritual upliftment and restoration proved to be the most powerful. In terms of group effectiveness results indicated medium (d=0.5) to significant (d>0.8) differences mostly in favour of the centre-based adventure program in communication abilities (d=0.52), competition within the group (d=0.83) and productiveness (d=0.68). Although both programmes are rated very effective for the improvement of group effectiveness, it is strongly recommended that a centre-based adventure program should be used. This is mainly attributed to active involvement, intense social interaction and continuous group discussions. Furthermore, a significant sequence effect in favour of first attending the centre-based adventure program and thereafter the expedition-based wilderness program was documented, which lead to the conclusion that the two programmes should be used in combination. For a meaningful adventure experience results showed that the personal experience of restoration, physical self, primitiveness, humility, timelessness, solitude, privacy, freedom of choice, personal self and spiritual upliftment made the most important contribution during the expedition-based wilderness program and that this program is most effective in creating this. However, it is possible to experience these components during a centre-based adventure program, but to a lesser extent and with different meaning. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Taking into consideration outdoor experiential learning's popularity as an effective method for the improvement of personal and group related skills (locus of control (Hans, 2000), self-esteem (Romi & Kohan, 2004), organizational abilities (Russell et al., 2000), social abilities (Meyer, 2000; Hui & Cheung, 2004; Dent, 2006), trust, communication, decision making and group dynamics (Ewert & McAvoy, 2000), there exists much uncertainty how program components relate to outcomes (Russell & Phillips-Miller, 2002; Sibthorp; 2003; Gass & Priest, 2006). Sibthorp et al. (2007:1) and Paisley et al. (2008:201-202) state that too much attention is directed at what participants learn and not how learning takes place. Outdoor experiential learning is mainly centre-based and wilderness-based (Hinkle, 1999:190; Hans, 2000:35), and due to the interchangeable use of these two methods, this confusion has occurred (Gillis & Gass, 2004:601; Epstein, 2004:107-108). In order to develop more successful programs a need has arisen to determine exactly how program components relate to program outcomes (Hans, 2000:33; Russell, 2000:170; Russell & Phillips-Miller, 2002:415; Gass & Priest, 2006:79). Taking this into consideration, Beringer and Martin (2003:30) state that change is usually only attributed to action and experience. In this regard Miner (2003:6), Cole (2005:23), Berger and McLeod (2006:82) and Hill (2007:339) believe that the symbolic meaning of wilderness and its therapeutic role is largely being overlooked or ignored compared to the ecological and experiential values thereof. Although many suggest that the physical environment is important for achieving program outcomes, future research could focus more on the difference of programs in wilderness, unfamiliar non-wilderness environments (such as rope courses) and familiar environments such as classrooms and workplaces (McKenzie, 2000:20). For a clearer understanding on how program components relate to outcomes, Priest (1996) (also see Priest, 1998 and Williams, 2000) indicates by using a comparative study that if group initiatives are more successful than rope courses for the improvement of organizational effectiveness, it can give valuable insight of what specific method should be used for achieving specific outcomes (Priest, 1996:37). Taking this into consideration it is the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of a centre-based adventure program with an expedition-based wilderness program with regard to personal and group effectiveness, and to determine if the personal experience of restoration (Kaplan, 1995:172-173; Laumann et al., 2001:31-32), physical self (Berger & McLeod, 2006:91; Caulkins et al., 2006:21), prfmitiveness, humility, timelessness (Cole, 2005:26; Johnson et al., 2005:7), solitude, privacy, freedom of choice (Borrie & Roggenbuck, 2001:7), personal self (Russell & Farnum, 2004:39) and spiritual upliftment (Irvine & Warber, 2002:80; Berger & McLeod, 2006:91) are symbolically unique to wilderness participation. This study made use of a crossover design with a mixed-method approach which De Vos (2005:360) refers to as a combination of quantitative and qualitative research in a single study. In a crossover design all the participants take part in both interventions (Simon, 2002:1), which is, in this case, the centre-based adventure programme and expedition-based wilderness programme. There were 28 third year students (14 men and 14 women), aged 20-23 (x= 21.6 ± 0.7) from the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) who took part in this study. The participants were identified using an availability sample and were randomly divided into two experimental groups (7 men and 7 women). The research instrument used to measure personal effectiveness was the Review of Personal Effectiveness and Locus of Control (ROPELOC) developed and piloted by Richards et al. (2002). This questionnaire measures personal effectiveness through seven major components. This questionnaire was administered in the form of a quantitative pre-and post-test to both groups. For the measurement of group effectiveness an improved version of the one,found in Herselman (1998) was used. This questionnaire measures group effectiveness through several factors, such as communication, team spirit, decision making and planning, which are considered important for effective group functioning. In combination with this questionnaire an improved version of the Recreation Experience Preference Scales (Manfredo et al., 1996) was used. This research instrument is developed to determine why people engage in recreation, what people want from it and how people might benefit from it. Both of these questionnaires (group effectiveness and Recreation Experience Preference Scales) were administered in the form of a quantitative post-test to both groups. In combination with the quantitative procedure, one-on-one and focus group interviews were conducted with each participant after every test. With regard to personal effectiveness results indicated that most of the ROPELOC components changed significantly. Between the two programs differences with medium effect (d=0.5) were found in self-confidence (d=0.53), stress management (d=0.42), quality seeking (d=0.62) and coping with change (d=0.49), all in favour of the expedition-based wilderness program. Even though both programs are very effective for the improvement of personal effectiveness, it is strongly recommended that an expedition-based wilderness program should be used. This is mainly attributed to the effect of the wilderness environment. The experience of solitude, privacy and freedom of choice, spiritual upliftment and restoration proved to be the most powerful. In terms of group effectiveness results indicated medium (d=0.5) to significant (d>0.8) differences mostly in favour of the centre-based adventure program in communication abilities (d=0.52), competition within the group (d=0.83) and productiveness (d=0.68). Although both programmes are rated very effective for the improvement of group effectiveness, it is strongly recommended that a centre-based adventure program should be used. This is mainly attributed to active involvement, intense social interaction and continuous group discussions. Furthermore, a significant sequence effect in favour of first attending the centre-based adventure program and thereafter the expedition-based wilderness program was documented, which lead to the conclusion that the two programmes should be used in combination. For a meaningful adventure experience results showed that the personal experience of restoration, physical self, primitiveness, humility, timelessness, solitude, privacy, freedom of choice, personal self and spiritual upliftment made the most important contribution during the expedition-based wilderness program and that this program is most effective in creating this. However, it is possible to experience these components during a centre-based adventure program, but to a lesser extent and with different meaning. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jian-yi Liu. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-116).