bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experiments in Regional Environmental Planning
Authors: Felling William E. 
Published: August 2009

The deterioration of the physical environment in many metropolitan areas is a fact of modern life. In the United States the traditional alignment of power and institutions have proved to be ineffective in coping with environmental problems. Obvious as is this disparity between the nature of regional environmental management problems and the administrative machinery established to remedy it, too little serious effort has been made so far to do better.The six experiments described here represent an effort to expand the environmental data-base, to improve the capacity of elected officials and their civil servants to anticipate better the consequences of a variety of environmental decisions, and to provide the broadest possible range of contributing citizens—so that environmental decision-making can become truly participatory. All of the regions involved have so far enjoyed more success technically than in the matters of transfer of information and improving citizen participation.
Gravity-flow Irrigation and the Spread of Aquatic Weeds in Sudan
Authors: Beshir M. E. 
Published: August 2009

The distribution of rainfall in Sudan, despite its generally low value, is also highly seasonal in character. The country is therefore dependent on its river system for perennial irrigation for reliable agricultural production. At present about 4.6 million acres (1.9 million ha) are under irrigated agriculture. In all these areas, the system of irrigation is achieved by a gravity-flow method based on hydraulic principles which take maximum advantage of land contours. It consists of hierarchies of supply and distributive canals. The lower stages of these hierarchies, called Minor-canals, produce ponding conditions and are thus very favourable for extensive growth of aquatic weeds (macrophytes).Because future agricultural development will be based on gravity-flow, and for economic reasons, attention is focused on the increasing extent of this man-made aquatic habitat in the arid region of central Sudan.
Relationship Between Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Pelagic Tar in the Mediterranean Sea, 1974–75
Authors: Zsolnay Adam , Morris Byron F. , Butler James N. 
Published: August 2009

During the winter of 1974–75, both tar and aromatic hydrocarbons were sampled in the Mediterranean Sea. A detailed report of the tar findings were given in a previous paper (Morris et al., 1975). Aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations at a depth of 1 m averaged 167 ng/1 (expressed as phenanthrene equivalents). This is only about 60% as great as the average aromatic hydrocarbon concentration found in the Baltic Sea, but is 5 times greater than what was found in the north-west Atlantic—including the Sargasso Sea (Zsolnay, 1977).No relationship was found between tar and aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations. This would indicate that the concentration of the latter is dependent upon other factors—such as the presence of other organic compounds that are capable of keeping the hydrophobic hydrocarbons in the water column by ‘solubilization.’
Comparing National Park and Related Reserve Policy in Hinterland Areas: Alaska, Northern Canada, and Northern Australia
Authors: Gardner J. E. , Nelson J. G. 
Published: August 2009

This is a comparative study of national park and related reserve policies and institutional arrangements in three hinterland areas undergoing rising pressure from mineral projects. The areas are the Canadian Northern Territories and Alaska (where interest lies in oil and gas exploitation) and the Australian Northern Territory (where the focus is on uranium extraction). Five elements of policy and institutional arrangements—management field, comprehensive planning and management, system planning, public inquiries, and uses—have been closely studied, with the following conclusions:1. With respect to the management field, a major problem has been division of responsibility among federal and state or territorial agencies.2. Overall comprehensive planning has not been seriously attempted in Canada and Australia, and has not yet met with success in Alaska.3. A system planning approach provides rationale in Alaska and Canada, but is lacking in Australia.4. Local comprehensive planning has been undertaken in the Kakadu National Park area of Australia, and a start has been made in this direction in Canada's northern Yukon.5. Two uses, mining and native activities, pose special problems for national parks and related reserve policy, which is ambiguous on these issues in all cases.6. All three systems represented by these parks in different countries are changing rapidly, and more suitable adaptive arrangements may be made for them in the coming years.
Environmental Repercussions of Irrigation Development in Hot Climates
Authors: Diamant B. Z. 
Published: August 2009

A consistently declining rate in the production of local foodstuffs has been noted in recent years in many third-world countries. One of the measures taken by the governments concerned in attempting to stop this alarming trend, has been the accelerated development of modern agricultural practices based on irrigation and the use of fertilizers.Unfortunately, the environmental aspects have, too often, been overlooked in the development of modern irrigation programmes during the second half of the present century. This has, seemingly inevitably, resulted in a severe spread of water-borne diseases among people living in the areas that were so developed.
Renewable Resources — What are the Options?
Authors: Ekins Paul 
Published: August 2009

This paper first identifies the main trends which have operated in the countryside of Great Britain since 1950, assessing the costs and benefits of these to different countryside interest-groups. This section concludes that the British countryside since World War II has been more or less willingly sacrificed for material affluence.The paper then relates this process to economic activity, and in particular to the linear-model of such activity which is posited as currently dominant, together with the principal objectives which it is used to promote. This situation is compared with a circular economic model with different objectives. The comparison yields the conclusion that such a model would yield significant improvements over the linear model in terms of countryside diversity, amenity, and sustainability. The paper then moves on to a consideration of resources, and contrasts the different values given to different resources depending on the economic model which is being employed.The final conclusion of the paper is that while renewable resources — many of them located in or deriving from the countryside — would seem to have much economic potential, the extent to which that potential will be sustainably realized will depend on the extent to which the circular economic model, and the values and objectives underlying it, replace the linear model in economic decision-making.
Bushmeat in Nigeria as a Natural Resource with Environmental Implications
Authors: Martin G.H.G. 
Published: August 2009

The value of protein from wild animals (‘bushmeat’) in Nigeria was examined, especially with respect to the consumer market. Surveys were made of roadside sales, meat prices in markets, and bushmeat consumption by the general public. The results showed that, in the 1970s, over 50% of the population ate bushmeat regularly, and that bushmeat was popular with all income-groups. The results have wide environmental implications.The case is made for investigating in more detail than hitherto the potential for domestication and game-cropping. In addition to economic advantages resulting from careful management of animal wildlife as a renewable resource, there appear to be others—including major environmental ones through the maintenance of large-scale reserves.
Evaluating the Federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process with Special Reference to South Davis Strait, Northeastern Canada
Authors: King Janet E. , Nelson J. Gordon 
Published: August 2009

A study of the 1978 application for permission to undertake exploratory drilling in South Davis Strait, northeastern Canada, resulted in the identification of problems with the federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process (EARP). These problems have recurred in other environmental impact assessments since 1978 in other parts of northern Canada, and some improvements have been made in approaches to them. However, further progress is needed if the EARP process is to become a more widely accepted method than at present of conducting evaluations of development impacts and the means of managing them in northern Canada.This paper focuses on the procedural rather than the scientific aspects of EARP in northeastern Canada. Recommendations include: 1) applying environmental impact assessment to policies as well as development activities; 2) strengthening socio-economic expertise and approaches; 3) financing of interveners and support for a more balanced range of interests than was displayed in this case; 4) provision of sufficient notification and adequate information; 5) documentation of rationale for decisions; and 6) monitoring and evaluation by the Canadian Federal Environmental Assessment and Review Office (FEARO) to ensure compliance with set conditions and to facilitate the tackling of unforeseen problems.
Environmental Issues of Liquid Transportation Fuels from Coal
Authors: Chartock Michael A. , Devine Micahel D. , Cines Martin R. , Plotkin Steven E. 
Published: August 2009

Coal liquefaction processes provide a basis to transform a solid into liquid fuels that are suitable for transportation purposes but release a wide range of air emissions, water effluents, and solid wastes, with considerable potential for locally reducing environmental quality. Compared with other major sources of emissions such as coal-fired power-plants, liquefaction plants release relatively low levels of emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides for an equivalent quantity of coal-feed. However, coal liquefaction processes potentially release hydrocarbons to air, water, and land. The ‘direct’ coal liquefaction processes, which hydrogenate coal under high temperature and pressure, may release potentially more hazardous hydrocarbons than ‘indirect’ processes, which break down coal by partial combustion and then synthesize liquid fuel. The presence of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in process streams of ‘direct’ processes, and their heavy fuel products, may require special processing to minimize environmental intrusion.Environmental issues in the US are dependent on where coal resources are developed. Plants located in the humid eastern US are likely to have discharges to receiving streams, many of which are already ‘water quality limited.’ Thus eastern locations are more likely to have water quality-related problems and issues than western US locations. However, because of water consumption requirements of the coal liquefaction processes, arid western locations are more likely to experience water availability issues. These more arid regions may also experience greater potential effects on terrestrial environments, as the assimilative capacity and regrowth of vegetation is typically lower in arid than in humid environments.
A Cost-evaluation Technique for Restoration of Seagrass and Other Plant Communities
Authors: Fonseca Mark S. , Kenworthy W. Judson , Phillips Ronald C. 
Published: August 2009

Coastal habitat loss must be reduced either through conservation or mitigative efforts. Implementation of mitigation depends largely on accurate cost-assessment of the projects that are involved. We centre our discussion here on seagrass transplanting as an exemplary mitigative tool.The technology of restoring seagrass communities has received increasing attention in recent years. However, the methods used have had varying degrees of success, a largely unknown factor being the cost of the technique that is used.In this paper is presented a universal format that includes consideration of the essential factors in our costanalysis, such as planning, planting, and monitoring activities, geographic location, tidal influence, labour, and materials (both expendable and non-expendable). Cost per (successfully established) shoot or seed or fruit is recommended as the best indicator of cost effectiveness for a given technique. Incorporation and presentation of this information is urged in future projects to motivate wider application of seagrass and other essential plantcommunity restoration.
A Theoretical Basis for Managing Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Authors: Jennings Michael D. , Reganold John P. 
Published: August 2009

While there has been considerable research and development in management of specific natural resources and public lands containing multiple resources, relatively little progress has been made concerning management of privately-owned resources through land-use planning at the local level of government. This paper examines the issue of local government policies and capabilities in land-use planning for privately-owned, environmentally-sensitive areas (ESAs) in the Pacific Northwest of North America. ESAs are defined as landscape elements that are vital to long-term maintenance of biological diversity, soil, water, and other natural resources—especially as they relate to human health, safety, and welfare, both on-site and in a regional context.A three-steps' approach of different geographical scales (i.e. watershed, state, and region) was used in a series of studies to facilitate examination of the relationship between political structure and ecological theory. When viewed collectively these studies showed that, while there is a political basis for regulating ESAs, attempts at regulation lack a theoretical and applied basis in systems-thinking and ecological science. To begin forging a stronger linkage between the political and scientific basis for ESA planning, two major ecological theories relevant to ESA management—hierarchy and subsidy–stress—were reviewed. These theories, when used in concert, were shown to be applicable in making objective choices concerning privately-held ESAs in the Pacific North-west. They can be used as a theoretical scientific basis for ESA planning, providing both qualitative and quantitative models. Hierarchy theory can provide guidelines for ESA planning by linking biophysical processes and patterns directly to appropriate scales of political jurisdiction. Subsidy–stress theory can be used to set specific performance standards that are needed in regulation of ESAs.As a result of our three-steps' approach at different geographical scales, four requisites for improving ESA planning were found: (1) definitions for natural resources should be standardized between regional districts, countries, states, and provinces; (2) replicative methods for ESA inventories, including natural communities and ecosystem processes, should be used; (3) a common environmental information system should be available to land-use planners; and (4) the expertise to apply such information should be available. The basis for these four items is found in the ecological systems theories of hierarchy and subsidy–stress.
Environmentally-sensitive Area Planning in Ontario: Status and Problems in Implementation
Authors: Rasmussen Tove , Mulamoottil George G. 
Published: August 2009

Increasing public awareness of the need to protect Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs), as well as the establishment of regional municipalities, provided the impetus for local governments to initiate ESA planning in Ontario. As of 1981, twenty municipalities—primarily regional municipalities and counties—had adopted ESA programmes.This paper examines the current status of ESA-protection planning in Ontario and the problems encountered by municipalities in adopting and implementing ESA programmes. Using a questionnaire survey, data were collected concerning 66 municipalities, and a review was carried out of the ESA policies in 36 Official Plans. The results show that an additional 11 municipalities have adopted ESA programmes since 1981, and that most of these have been designated cities. The primary problems encountered by municipalities in implementing ESA-protection programmes have been a lack of landowner support, weakness of any provincial policy-directive, and shortness of funding. These problems are also faced by uninvolved municipalities, and play an important role in preventing them from adopting ESA programmes.If a wider municipal adoption of ESA programmes is to be achieved, a stronger commitment will be needed from the Provincial Government in the form of guiding policies, financial assistance, and incentives to landowners who wish to protect their sensitive lands. A greater emphasis on landowner contact and public education programmes will also be required. Municipalities should cooperate with other conservation agencies and organizations in working towards this end.
Conservation Awareness through an Environmental Education Programme in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil
Authors: Padua Suzana M. 
Published: August 2009

Few environmental education programmes established in parks in Brazil have been formally evaluated. This paper describes the study of a school programme that was established to use formative evaluation to select and improve programme strategies, and employs summative evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the programme as a whole. The programme consisted of pre-visit strategies, such as a slide show and information given to teachers; on-site activities, which comprised Nature trails and a visitor centre; and post-visit materials furnished to the students at their schools. For the evaluation procedure, child students (N=144) from fifth to eighth grades were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups and answered a written questionnaire on three different occasions — pre-test, post-test, and memory-retention test. The results were statistically analysed and significant differences were assessed between the two groups (F=98.29, p≤0.05). A Scheffé Test demonstrated correlations and located significant differences among the variables. A reliability test was done on the written questionnaire (r=.77). Informally, the programme contributed to the conservation of the Park as it encouraged community involvement in helping to solve specific problems.The results of the Black Lion-tamarin environmental education programme suggest that such programmes in Nature parks and reserves can be effective and should be established far more widely. Awareness education programmes should be encouraged, especially in underdeveloped countries which still hold great portions of the planet's biodiversity. This education programme was beneficial to both students and members of the local community, who learned about the Park and became proud of it as their natural legacy, as well as to the Park itself of which the protection became enhanced through awareness and community involvement. The Black Liontamarin programme serves as an effective example to other sites with similar contexts and constraints.
Reconnaissance Mapping for Land-use Planning in the Natal Drakensberg, South Africa
Authors: Garland Gerald G. , Chisholm J. Pelham , Christian Colin R. 
Published: August 2009

Changes in land-use can have an important effect on rates of erosion and denudation. In order to avoid accelerating erosion rates, decision makers in land-use planning require adequate information on the contemporary geomorphological processes and hydrology of areas where modifications in the land-use pattern are envisaged. The first phase in the acquisition of the information is the reconnaissance survey, which shows where and how the erosional status of an area is likely to be affected, and also acts as a foundation on which to base more detailed work in the future.The Solitude area is an active erosional system, dominated by mass movement and fluvial processes. The rate of removal of material is likely to be increased by modifications in land-use which, from other points of view, would be considered entirely suitable for the area. Therefore, if accelerated denudation is to be avoided, projects involving land-use changes should be implemented only by those having an adequate understanding of the mechanism of geomorphological processes operating in the area.
A Method of Investigating the Importance of Wildlife to Countyside Visitors
Authors: Everett Rodney D. 
Published: August 2009

A total of 2,816 questionnaires were completed in the Dalby Forest Area in the period from March 1975 to March 1976. The answers to six questions were combined into a wildlife interest index. These questions were concerned with: (1) the interviewees' commitments to a wildlife organization, (2) the interviewees’ activities in the Area, (3) the elements of the Area which increased the interviewees' enjoyment, (4) benefits that the interviewees felt from visiting the Area, (5) the wildlife that interviewees has seen or hoped to see, and (6) the interviewees' desire to use a hide.The interviewees' interest in wildlife was made up of an appreciation of the aesthetic, emotive, and psychological, elements of wildlife, as well as a purely active pursuit in nature study. These attributes of wildlife are all aspects which should be taken into consideration when assessing the role of wildlife in the recreational qualities of an area.
Cost—Benefit Aspects of Coastal Vegetation Establishment in Tampa Bay, Florida
Authors: Hoffman William E. , Rodgers James A. 
Published: August 2009

Between late 1978 and mid-1979, two major coastal vegetation plantings were completed on dredge material in Tampa Bay, Florida. On the dredge material extension of Sunken Island, 1.64 ha of Smooth Cordgrass was planted via 12-cm ‘plugs’ on 1-m centres, in rows 2 m apart. After 14 months, this planting is showing 93.4% survival. On dredge-material island CDA-D, 0.52 ha of mangroves (63% Black and 37% White) was planted via 0.3–1.9 m transplants on 2-m centres. After 13 months, this planting is showing 73.3% survival.The nature of these two plantings permits a comparison of their cost and man-power requirements. The labour requirements for Smooth Cordgrass were 995 man-hours/ha as opposed to 2,541 man-hours for mangrove transplanting. Smooth Cordgrass requires $4,566/ ha for plugs ($1.03/plug) while mangrove transplants cost $11,459/ha ($3.92/transplant). These costs are for comparison only, as they entail primarily labour and neglect most of the indirect costs that may be experienced.An analysis of benefits for both salt-marsh and mangrove planting indicates that Smooth Cordgrass provides greater primary production on a g C/m2 basis than mangroves. Both plantings serve as colonial waterbird nesting habitat and source-areas for further planting, but Cordgrass does so in a shorter time-frame. When weighing the positive and negative aspects of both, Spartina alterniflora is preferred over mangroves where both are present.