Dissertations / Theses: 'Of Environmental Conservation'

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Weiss, Jill L. "Collaboration in Conservation Networks: Regional Conservation Partnerships in New England." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1468416493.

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Beattie, James John, and james beattie@stonebow otago ac nz. "Environmental anxiety in New Zealand, 1850-1920 : settlers, climate, conservation, health, environment." University of Otago. School of Liberal Arts, 2004. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20051020.183413.

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Using a series of interlocking case-studies, this thesis investigates environmental anxieties in New Zealand�s settler society in the period 1830-1920. A central premise of this study is that the rapid environmental transformation of New Zealand stimulated widespread anxieties and reforms within settler society. These anxieties focussed as much on the changes already begun as on apprehensions of the results of these changes. Applying the concept of environmental anxiety to settler New Zealand expands understandings about colonial culture and its environmental history. It moves debate beyond simple narratives of colonial environmental destruction. Instead, this thesis highlights the ambiguities and complexities of colonial views of the natural world. This thesis points to the insecurities behind seeming Victorian confidence, even arrogance, in the ability of science and technology to bring constant material improvement. Europeans recognised that modern living brought material advantages but that the rapid environmental changes that underpinned these improvements also brought and threatened to bring unwanted outcomes. A diverse range of settlers worried about the effects of environmental changes. Individuals, institutions, committees, councils, doctors, scientists, artists, governments, engineers and politicians expressed environmental anxieties of one kind or another. Some farmers, politicians and scientists held that deforestation decreased rainfall but increased temperatures. Other scientists and politicians feared that it brought devastating floods and soil erosion. Some Maori, travellers, politicians and scientists held that it destabilised sand that would inundate fertile fields. Councillors, engineers and doctors constantly debated ways of improving the healthiness of towns and cities, areas seen as particularly dangerous places in which to live. Doctors� and settlers� anxieties focused on the effects of New Zealand�s climate on health and racial development. The impact of environmental change on the healthiness of certain areas, as well as the role played by humans in climate change, also provoked lively discussion. The effects of these anxieties are evident in some of the land policies, artworks, legislation, parliamentary and scientific debates, and writings of this period. Settlers believed curbing pollution, laying out parks, planting trees and restricting the construction of unhealthy properties improved living conditions in cities. Some scientists and politicians thought setting aside forest �climate reserves� in highland areas, tree-planting legislation and sustainable forestry practices prevented flooding and climate change. Individuals and authorities also established sanatoria and spas in particularly healthy spots, such as at the seaside and in high, dry places. In investigating these topics, this thesis expands the discipline of environmental history, bringing to light the importance of studying urban environments, aesthetics, climate change, desertification and health. It expands the largely �national� narratives of New Zealand�s environmental histories by acknowledging that local environments, events and attitudes as well as global environments, events and attitudes shaped anxieties and policies. Global ideas, often operating at a local level, played a role in reinforcing and providing solutions to New Zealand�s environmental anxieties. This thesis also acknowledges the on-going significance of Christianity in under-girding ideas about improvement and environmental protection. Most significantly, perhaps, this study underlines both that many settlers displayed an emotional attachment to the New Zealand environment and that most colonists wanted to ensure the long-term productivity of its lands.

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Felts, Anne Phillips Ronald G. "Home energy conservation psychological and environmental worldviews /." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/5746.

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The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on September 22, 2009). Thesis advisor: Ronald G. Phillips. Includes bibliographical references.

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Jardine, Christine Leone. "The proposed Gariep Transfrontier Conservation Area : conservation overlay evaluation of the South African section." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9570.

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Bibliography: leaves 82-88.
The Gariep Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) was identified by the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) as one of seven potential TFCAs in southern Africa. Conservation of the Gariep TFCA would provide protection to the Nama-karoo biome, thereby improving the representativeness of South Africa's reserve network, a national conservation goal. However, the land in the Gariep TFCA is privately owned and land purchases or contractual agreements with landowners will be required before conservation activity can be carried out. With limited resources available for conservation, and competition between conservation and other activities for a limited supply of land, it is necessary to focus conservation efforts on land with the greatest value to conservation. Creation of the Gariep TFCA should therefore be the outcome of a deliberate and rational planning process which is based on all relevant available information. Accordingly, the aim of this dissertation is to produce a decisionsupport instrument which can be used for planning of the Gariep TFCA. The COVER evaluation is a rapid, coarse-filter approach, necessitated by the level of detailed environmental information available. The main source of environmental data for the evaluation was the biophysical and socio-economic information collected for the Feasibility Study (1998). This was supplemented by first-hand knowledge of the Gariep area, a literature review, and interviews with conservationists. The overlay method used for the evaluation is a means of including environmental factors into land use planning. A conservation overlay (COVER) approach was used to evaluate the Gariep area for Because an integrated approach to conservation was adopted, both scientific and socio-political criteria were selected for the evaluation. The scientific criteria evaluate biodiversity, while the socio-political criteria evaluate land availability and tourism potential, and the threat to present conservation value. These criteria were used to evaluate eight environmental factors for conservation. The results of the evaluation are displayed on a series of maps showing the geographic location and extent of the various value zones. The separate maps show the biological conservation value, tourism value, the threat which human activity poses to conservation, and the social cost of conserving the Gariep area.

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Spash, Clive L. "Environmental Values in Conservation: Ethics, Economics and Pragmatism." WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, 2017. http://epub.wu.ac.at/5499/1/sre%2Ddisc%2D2017_01.pdf.

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Wright, Pamela A. "Perceived structure of the environmental/conservation organization market /." The Ohio State University, 1992. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487760357823173.

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Cook, Barbara Katherine. "Environmental education curriculum for the California Conservation Corps." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2007. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3137.

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This project was developed to provide curriculum for young adults in the California Conservation Corps to help them connect to their employment with attitude and knowledge acquisition related to the outdoors.

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Sporne, Ilva. "Institutional Dimension of Biodiversity Conservation." Thesis, Griffith University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367591.

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This thesis makes a contribution to the growing body of literature examining the institutional dimension of human-environment interactions. It has been guided by an interest in the problem of loss of terrestrial biodiversity in the state of Queensland, Australia and its institutional determinants. The study explored two research questions: • How to conceptualise and evaluate the effectiveness of institutions contributing to the resolution of environmental problems? • How effective is the Queensland land use planning and development assessment system in achieving biodiversity protection outcomes? The first part of the study established a theoretical and analytical foundation for the effectiveness assessment of institutional environmental performance, by examining a wide range of theoretical, conceptual and analytical questions regarding the conceptualisation of institutions, their causal role and evaluation. The study was built on an understanding of institutions as systems of rules that structure social interactions, and it defined institutional ‘performance’ as an institutional influence on, or contribution to, the behavioural response of targeted actors. It argued that institutions play a significant role in social interactions, and are an important explanatory factor for many behavioural phenomena. Building on the literature review, the study established that biodiversity protection is a highly complex and multi-faceted problem. Institutional designs are required to address a range of problem attributes, such as the existing knowledge base, value and incentive systems, distribution of decision-making authorities, and coordination of interactions among a large number of actors. In this context, the study examined two analytical problems. The first was how to approach a large diversity of problem attributes that may contribute to the resolution or creation of complex environmental problems. The second was how to examine diverse and complex institutional designs.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith School of Environment
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Stamelman, Adin. "Contested conservation : past and present conservation praxis in the Great Lakes region of Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8118.

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Includes bibliographical references.
Describing the history of Semuliki National Park from the late 19th century till the presentday, this study elucidates the origins of conservation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.Using post-colonial and border studies as a theoretical framework, and using a combination of archival and qualitative data, the study questions how and why conservation praxis and policy has changed since the colonial era. The research presented here reveals that the conservation status of Semuliki Forest, as a forest estate on the Uganda - Congo border (and originally administered by the Uganda Forest Department) arose primarily because of geographical and logistical impediments that hindered commercial exploitation, and secondly in recognition of the unique ecological phenomena that occur within the protected area. However, over time, the physical boundaries of the forest were successfully contested by local inhabitants to accommodate population growth and increased agricultural production. The study reveals the flexible nature of the borders of Semuliki National Park (both national and international) and describes how these borders were constructed and subsequently challenged. It also reveals the enduring legacy of colonial border-making in that current conservationstratagems in the region (exemplified by Transboundary Natural Resource Management) aim to find ways of addressing conservation imperatives at locations such as Semuliki where important ecological areas are naturally contiguous but divided by international borders.

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Wiesner, Barry. "Conservation options and development plan for a private conservation initiative on the West Coast." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4818.

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Bibliography: leaves 56-58.
The primary aim of the project is to consider conservation options for the area. Furthermore, to provide a preliminary environmental overview of the area, based largely on existing data and make recommendations outlining the measures that would need to be considered and implemented for the establishment of a nature reserve in the area including financial models and potential sources of funding.

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Roberts, Michaela Holly. "Environmental conservation across ecosystem boundaries : connecting management and funding." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12052.

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Environmental degradation is accelerating worldwide, yet environmental conservation remains limited by funding. Tackling this limitation requires not only absolute increases in funding, but improved prioritisation of actions. On a global scale island ecosystems are of high priority, with invasive species one of their most significant threats. In this thesis I investigate prioritisation of invasive grazing species control, incorporating ecological, economic, and social concerns, on the island of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. To enable the trade-off of potential grazer control options for their ecological impacts I modelled the relationship between of grazer density and vegetation, and watershed vegetation and the coral reef. I found negative relationships for goat and pig grazing with grass presence, and for donkey grazing with ground cover. Coral cover below 10m showed a positive relationship to ground cover, and, surprisingly, a negative relationship to tree biomass. Because conservation action is most likely to be sustainable when connected to funding, I conducted choice experiments with SCUBA divers, which estimated a positive willingness to pay for reef health improvements achieved using terrestrial grazer control. Through communication with local policy makers and practitioners I identified three options for grazer control, eradication, population reduction, or fencing, and estimated costs and social acceptability for each option. Though the ecological models predicted eradication to have the highest impacts on the terrestrial and marine ecosystem, lower costs and higher social acceptability identified fencing as the most suitable option for grazer control on Bonaire in the short term, with the potential to be funded through a fee on SCUBA divers. Through linking ecological, economic, and social considerations within a real world conservation context I illustrate the importance of looking beyond only ecological improvements when prioritising conservation action. This research is directly applicable to policy and practise on Bonaire.

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Duke, Tyler Norman. "The role of conservation films within the environmental debate." Thesis, Montana State University, 2006. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2006/duke/DukeT1206.pdf.

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Lee, Po-kwan Edmund, and 李寶均. "The role of the private sector in environmental conservation." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1993. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B3125830X.

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Lee, Po-kwan Edmund. "The role of the private sector in environmental conservation /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1993. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B19740165.

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Brown, Lynette B. "Sand plain fynbos conservation : the Kenilworth Racecourse case study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17061.

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Bibliography: pages 114-122.
The current extent of Sand Plain Fynbos and threats to its survival are examined, with a view to proposing effective means of managing areas of high conservation priority. Extensive depletion of Sand Plain Fynbos has resulted from agricultural development, urbanisation and its susceptibility to invasion by introduced woody plant species. The need to conserve this veld type is apparent in that only 0.05% of the original Cape Flats Sand Plain Fynbos still survives within scattered refugia. A mere 3.8% of this already minute fraction is represented in proclaimed nature reserves, clearly illustrating the neglected conservation status of this veld type. The majority of the remaining habitat owes its survival, albeit in various stages of degradation, to low impact land uses not related to conservation per se. The in-fields of the three racecourses on the Cape Flats in total comprise the land use supporting the largest area of Sand Plain Fynbos. This suggests the potential compatibility of such a land use with conservation in the longer term. Of the three racecourses, Kenilworth is the most important in terms of area, diversity and unprecedented numbers of threatened flora and fauna of the fynbos it supports. This provides a case study on which to base an assessment of the trends in species survival on small remnants. A historical backdrop to the isolation and degradation of the Kenilworth Racecourse and neighbouring remnants is provided. The predictions of conservation theory for the long-term viability of such small and isolated remnants are then reviewed. To determine the effects of recent events and processes on the conservation merits of Kenilworth Racecourse, species extinctions and turnover from 1950 to the present are determined for the flora and avifauna respectively. Past and current species checklists form the basis of this analysis. Causes of species loss are investigated by comparing the physical attributes and habitat preferences of the species present with those which have apparently become extinct locally. The influence of private landownership on the conservation security of Kenilworth Racecourse is of fundamental importance to its future conservation. In this respect, the likelihood of change in land use of the in-field fynbos, as well as the Racecourse area as a whole, is a crucial factor addressed in this study. The present and future operating requirements of the Racecourse Management are also determined and their likely effects on the natural system are assessed. The study establishes a need for conservation management at Kenilworth Racecourse. The approach adopted to achieve the ongoing conservation of the area is through the development of a Conservation Management Plan. The latter has been derived through reasoned and personal interaction with the Racecourse Management and is aimed towards integrating the needs of the Management with the ecological requirements for the natural system under its control. The creation of corridors to facilitate migration of biota, as well as the reintroduction of those species which have become extinct locally, are described as an adjunct to these proposals. The implementation of an organised burn programme is proposed as a management procedure to counteract species loss. Evaluation of initial success resulting from the Management Plan reveals that there is now an improved communication channel with the Management. This encompasses moral obligations for eradication of alien vegetation, abstention from further drainage of wetlands, prevention of future encroachment of parking within the natural system and an agreement to cease indiscriminate dumping of refuse material. A major constraint facing the conservation of the area is the reluctance of the Management to allow public interest groups direct involvement with monitoring and implementation of proposals presented within the Management Plan. The research findings and conservation management approach generated by the study are important because they have potential for promoting the long term conservation of analogous remnants, not only within the fynbos biome, but in other similar systems further afield. Although threats exist to the ongoing survival of Sand Plain Fynbos remnants, these should not prejudice their selection as areas worthy of sound conservation management. Remnants have inherent value as refugia. They are also of potential importance as sites for reintroduction of species that have become extinct locally, as educational resources and as relatively low-maintenance open spaces within the urban landscape.

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Rastogi, Archi. "Understanding the social dimensions of tiger conservation in India." Thesis, McGill University, 2013. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=119600.

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Tiger conservation represents many of the challenges facing biodiversity conservation internationally. It requires the protection of a potentially-dangerous predator in forested ecosystems, which are also utilized by some of the poorest human populations for survival and livelihoods. In such contexts, establishing exclusive protected areas for tiger conservation can antagonize local stakeholders, yet their support is crucial to successfully managing the protected areas. This thesis presents exploratory research into the social dimensions of tiger conservation in India, and ultimately informs policy and management of biodiversity conservation in a variety of contexts.Conservation policy and management is known to be affected by the viewpoints of professionals, often realized through advocacy coalitions. A quantitative study combining the Q-Method with a traditional survey of conservation professionals in India revealed five dominant viewpoints of tiger conservation: 1) community-centered; 2) tiger-centered; 3) science and tourism-led; 4) instrumental approach; and 5) moral-centred. The results offer insight on areas where conservation professionals agree, and may help to frame more effective tiger conservation policy discourse in India. Focussing on Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, a qualitative study explores the socio-political process through which local stakeholders articulate their concerns regarding tiger conservation, in order to elicit desired reactions from park management. The results provide insight to the local-level socio-political processes which make tiger conservation outcomes susceptible to local pressures.A quantitative assessment of the social capital that exists within three villages located around Corbett Tiger Reserve offers important insights on the ways in which social capital is affected by tiger conservation, and the extent to which this can affect the potential for collective action for, or against, tiger conservation objectives.A qualitative study into the social and ecological impacts associated with intensive wildlife tourism on a village bordering Corbett Tiger Reserve sheds light on the linkages between the ecological, socio-economic and institutional aspects affecting tiger conservation objectives. Rapid and unplanned tourism expansion has created financial disparity among the village residents, affecting their solidarity and creating perverse challenges for village institutions seeking to reduce conflict, highlighting the local-level complexity of tiger conservation.This research considers the politics, policy and practice of tiger conservation in India. The results will be useful in both administering short-term solutions within the existing policy framework, and in devising long-term trajectories for tiger conservation policy and management in India. The results may also assist policy makers to frame more appropriate conservation policies, by better projecting the potential socio-political implications of tiger conservation.
La conservation du tigre présente de nombreux défis qui sont ceux de la conservation de la biodiversité au niveau international. Elle exige la protection d'un prédateur potentiellement dangereux dans des écosystèmes forestiers, qui sont également utilisés par certaines des populations les plus pauvres pour leur survie et leurs moyens de subsistance. Dans de tels contextes, l'établissement de zones protégées exclusives pour la conservation du tigre peut contrarier les parties prenantes locales. Néanmoins leur soutien est crucial pour réussir à gérer ces zones protégées. Cette thèse présente une recherche exploratoire sur les dimensions sociales de la conservation du tigre en Inde, puis illustre comment les prendre en comptes dans la politique et la gestion de la conservation de la biodiversité dans une variété de contextes. La politique de conservation et de gestion souvent réalisée par des coalitions de plaidoyer est connue pour être affectée par les points de vue des professionnels. Une étude quantitative, combinant la Q-Méthode avec une enquête traditionnelle de professionnels de la conservation en Inde, a révélé cinq points de vue dominants concernant la conservation du tigre: 1) centrée sur la communauté, 2) centré sur le tigre, 3) dirigé par la science et le tourisme, 4) approche instrumentale; et 5) centrée sur la morale. Les résultats permettent de comprendre les aspects sur lesquels s'accordent les professionnels de la conservation, et peuvent ainsi aider à encadrer davantage le discours d'une politique efficace de conservation du tigre en Inde.En prenant l'exemple de Corbett Tiger Reserve en Inde, une étude qualitative explore le processus socio-politique par lequel les parties prenantes locales exprime leurs préoccupations en ce qui concerne la conservation du tigre, afin de susciter les réactions souhaitées dans la gestion du parc. Les résultats permettent de saisir des processus socio-politiques au niveau local qui rendent les résultats de la conservation du tigre sensibles aux pressions locales.Une évaluation quantitative du capital social qui existe dans les trois villages situés autour de Corbett Tiger Reserve offre des renseignements importants sur la manière dont le capital social est affecté par la conservation du tigre, et dans quelle mesure cela peut affecter le potentiel de l'action collective en faveur ou contre les objectifs de conservation du tigre.Une étude qualitative sur les impacts sociaux et écologiques associés au tourisme intensif de la faune sur un village bordant Corbett Tiger Reserve met en lumière les liens entre les aspects écologiques, socio-économiques et institutionnels affectant les objectifs de conservation du tigre. L'expansion du tourisme rapide et non planifiée a créé une disparité financière entre les habitants du village qui affecte leur solidarité et engendre des défis pervers pour les institutions villageoises qui cherchent à réduire les conflits, soulignant la complexité au niveau local de la conservation du tigre.Cette recherche examine la politique et la pratique de la conservation du tigre en Inde. Les résultats seront utiles à la fois pour la mise en œuvre de solutions à court terme dans le cadre de la politique existante, et pour concevoir des trajectoires à long terme concernant la politique de conservation et de gestion du tigre en Inde. Les résultats peuvent aussi aider les décideurs à élaborer des politiques de conservation plus appropriées, par une meilleure prise en compte des potentielles implications socio-politiques dans la conservation du tigre.

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Wardle, Cassandra J. "Conservation Contributions of Ecotourism Enterprises." Thesis, Griffith University, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/389697.

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Context: Non-traditional means of environmental protection are being used with increasing frequency to address the global conservation crisis and make up the shortfall in government conservation spending. Ecotourism is one such mechanism that has been adopted widely for community development and conservation purposes in both practice and policy, particularly in developing nations due to the potential to combine social and commercial benefits with conservation goals. However, evaluations of how ecotourism enterprises fit into the ecotourism-conservation relationship are a relatively recent trend. Findings from the literature review of this thesis reveal that our current understanding of this relationship is limited to (1) hand-picked sites located primarily in developing nations; (2) a narrow group of predominantly visitor and community focused conservation activities; and (3) inconsistent evaluation approaches that often lack repeatability and transferability. As such, the evidence base for this relationship is currently insufficient. Aim: This thesis addressed this gap through a multidisciplinary mixed methods approach to identify and explore the conservation practices of ecotourism enterprises at both a broad global scale and a detailed national scale within Australia. Approach: An evaluation framework incorporating a matrix of 27 feasible actions and 26 potential conservation outcomes was constructed through data mining, qualitative content analysis and iterative inductive coding of sources from a range of disciplines and sectors. This framework was used to guide an assessment of the conservation activities of 86 fixed-site eco-certified enterprises in Australia and evaluate their contributions to national conservation priorities. Certification by the national industry association, Ecotourism Australia, is pervasive in Australia, so these 86 sites are likely to represent the highest performing enterprises and their aggregate achievements provide a good approximation to continental scale contributions. Finally, the conservation practices of these 86 sites and the content of the national certification program were compared with the national conservation policy landscape to identify key overlaps and gaps for progressing the ecotourism-conservation relationship in Australia. Findings: Findings demonstrate that this group of Australian ecotourism enterprises generate a myriad of conservation gains through social and ecological actions. However, the significance of the conservation practices of these sites varied greatly, with some sites making important contributions to threatened species or ecosystems, and others simply listing actions with little focus on their extent or outcomes. All sites took some action to revegetate cleared land and remove non-native flora, and 75% of sites targeted non-native fauna. However, only 54% of sites reported improved habitat; only 7% successfully eradicated at least one weed species; and just 6% eradicated at least one introduced fauna species (including feral cats, foxes and rabbits). Legally binding conservation agreements were established by 63% of sites covering 2,400km2 in total; however, these are in-perpetuity agreements for just 25 sites covering 1,550km2. Nevertheless, 41% of sites share a border with a public protected area, effectively extending the public protected area network by an additional 650km2. Specific conservation actions such as threat management and nest provision were reported for 61 threatened plant and animal species. These include 27 bird species, 15 mammals, 8 plants, 4 reptiles, 2 rays, and a single monotreme, amphibian, crustacean, freshwater fish, and insect. Fifteen of these species are covered by National Recovery Plans or Priority Plans including 4 mammals: the woylie bettong, 2 species of quoll, and 1 subspecies of bandicoot. How many individuals of each of these species occur on each of these ecotourism sites, however, is generally not specified, so these contributions cannot currently be quantified. Conclusions: Many of these certified ecotourism enterprises claim a range of contributions to conservation. The emphasis in the reporting practices of enterprises, however, is on: actions taken rather than ecologically quantified outcomes; achievements reported qualitatively rather than quantitatively; and unspecified contributions to larger-scale efforts, such as National Recovery Plans for threatened species. One reason for this is that the eco-certification program relies only on a tick-box list of actions rather than a set of quantified, monitored, and ecologically significant conservation outcomes. It appears that some of these ecotourism enterprises do indeed make ecologically significant contributions, commensurate with their relatively small scale; but in its current form, the certification program neither encourages nor rewards these. For this program to progress beyond “a commitment to nature conservation” and contribute meaningfully to conservation goals, it will need substantial reworking. Additionally, findings demonstrate several areas where the conservation activities of ecotourism sites overlap with national conservation priorities, highlighting the collaboration potential between these sectors. However, this study also reveals that tourism is predominantly acknowledged by national conservation policy in Australia as a driver for environmental protection as well as an impact that must be managed, and is not yet widely acknowledged as an industry that can contribute to conservation goals. By (1) developing a framework for systematically evaluating the conservation impacts of ecotourism enterprises; (2) providing a contribution to the evidence base necessary for the substantiated use of ecotourism as a conservation mechanism; (3) identifying key opportunities for conservation-ecotourism collaborations and strategic investments; and (4) highlighting priority improvement areas for ecotourism sites and Ecotourism Australia to increase their eligibility and attractiveness as investment options for government grants and programs, this thesis has important implications for operators, researchers, policymakers, and eco-certification bodies.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Environment and Sc
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Wesolek, Christina M. "Using Environmental Identity To Promote Environmental Concern and Willingness To Participate In Endangered Species Conservation." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1588092850873134.

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Meschini, Marta <1990&gt. "Collective actions for environmental monitoring and conservation: citizen science, informal environmental education, and participatory approach." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2022. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/10305/1/PhD-thesis_Marta%20Meschini.pdf.

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This PhD was driven by an interest for inclusive and participatory approaches. The methodology that bridges science and society is known as 'citizen science' and is experiencing a huge upsurge worldwide, in the scientific and humanities fields. In this thesis, I have focused on three topics: i) assessing the reliability of data collected by volunteers; ii) evaluating the impact of environmental education activities in tourist facilities; and iii) monitoring marine biodiversity through citizen science. In addition to these topics, during my research stay abroad, I developed a questionnaire to investigate people's perceptions of natural areas to promote the implementation of co-management. The results showed that volunteers are not only able to collect sufficiently reliable data, but that during their participation in this type of project, they can also increase their knowledge of marine biology and ecology and their awareness of the impact of human behaviour on the environment. The short-term analysis has shown that volunteers are able to retain what they have learned. In the long term, knowledge is usually forgotten, but awareness is retained. Increased awareness could lead to a change in behaviour and in this case a more environmentally friendly attitude. This aspect could be of interest for the development of environmental education projects in tourism facilities to reduce the impact of tourism on the environment while adding a valuable service to the tourism offer. We also found that nature experiences in childhood are important to connect to nature in adulthood. The results also suggest that membership or volunteering in an environmental education association could be a predictor of people's interest in more participatory approaches to nature management. In most cases, the COVID -19 pandemic had not changed participants' perceptions of the natural environment.

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Peterson, St-Laurent Guillaume. "Colonist farmers and REDD+: Perceptions of land -use and conservation." Thesis, McGill University, 2012. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=110542.

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Deforestation in the tropics is believed to account for 9-12% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. In this context, a decision on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD), with the inclusion of the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+), was adopted at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun, Mexico. It has been proposed that REDD+, if effectively and equitably implemented, could provide considerable co-benefits (e.g., poverty reduction, capacity building, improved forest governance) for local communities. However, despite rhetoric at the international level on promoting the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities, some fear that REDD+ could undermine livelihoods and territorial governance at the local level. In order for REDD+ to attain positive social and environmental outcomes, the interests of a broad range of stakeholders, including local communities and forest-dependent people, will have to be taken into account. Much of the attention of REDD+ to date has been focussed on its consequences for indigenous communities. This thesis draws attention to another key sector, the colonist farmers, who are associated with the agricultural frontier throughout much of Latin America. Chapter 1 documents land-use, perceptions, needs and aspirations of colonist farmers to comprehend their significance for REDD+ policies. To do so, I worked in an active frontier region, viz., eastern Panama, where I considered three colonist areas differing in their accessibility to market as a case study of agricultural frontier dynamics. I mainly evaluated the effect of remoteness and preferences on land-use and deforestation, and have reported colonists' interests, doubts and perceptions of land-use and REDD+. Forest scarcity and dependency, inequalities, and colonists' cultural and technical knowledge are key components that emerge as possible barriers to the equitable implementation of REDD+. Chapter 2 considers the multiple actors' perspectives, goals and issues as important in the development of a conservation strategy. It thus evaluates the perceptions that colonist and non-colonist actors, who are coming from different organizations working in the region, have of the colonist sector and REDD+ in eastern Panama. Further, a detailed study of a colonist-organized association suggests that REDD+ early initiatives in eastern Panama should target groups that possess strong social capital and proposes characteristics and practices that are believed to facilitate collective efforts.
Il est estimé que les émissions liées à la déforestation dans les tropiques représentent entre 9 et 12% des émissions mondiales de gaz à effet de serre. Dans ce contexte, une décision sur la réduction des émissions résultant du déboisement et de la dégradation des forêts dans les pays en développement (REDD); et le rôle de la préservation et de la gestion durable des forêts et du renforcement des stocks de carbone forestiers dans les pays en développement (REDD+), a été adoptée lors de la 16e Conférence des Parties (COP 16) à la Convention-cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC), qui s'est tenue à Cancun, au Mexique. Il a été proposé que la mise en œuvre efficace et équitable d'un mécanisme de la REDD+ pourrait générer des co-bénéfices considérables (par ex. réduction de la pauvreté, renforcement des capacités, meilleur gouvernance forestière) pour les communautés locales. Néanmoins, malgré une rhétorique, au niveau international, faisant la promotion de la participation des peuples autochtones et des communautés locales, plusieurs auteurs ont exprimées des craintes quant à la possibilité que la REDD+ mette en péril les moyens de subsistance de ces populations de même que certaines formes de gouvernance. Pour que la REDD+ génère des bénéfices sociaux et environnementaux, les intérêts de parties prenantes, entre autres des communautés locales et populations tributaires des ressources forestières, devront donc être pris en compte. Ce mémoire de maîtrise étudie un secteur clé dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre de REDD+, celui des agriculteurs colons si souvent associés avec la frontière agricole en Amérique Latine. Le chapitre 1 vise à documenter l'utilisation des terres, les perceptions, les besoins et les aspirations des colons. Pour y arriver, j'ai effectuée une étude de cas à la frontière agricole de l'est du Panama en considérant des colons de trois localités ayant une accessibilité variable au marché. Principalement, j'évalue l'effet des préférences pour les différentes activités économiques et de l'éloignement sur l'utilisation des terres et la déforestation et je rapporte les intérêts, doutes et perceptions des colons sur l'utilisation du territoire sur la REDD+. Mes résultats indiquent que la rareté de la forêt et la dépendance des colons par rapport à celle-ci, le contexte culturel favorisant l'élevage, les connaissances techniques en agroforesterie de même que les inégalités économiques et sociales, sont des éléments clés qui seraient des barrières à la mise en œuvre de la REDD+. Le chapitre 2 apporte une perspective complémentaire en considérant les objectifs et problématiques soulevés par plusieurs acteurs des milieux gouvernementaux ou de la société civile quant à l'éventuel développement d'une stratégie REDD+. J'évalue les perceptions d'acteurs colons et non-colons, provenant de différentes institutions et organisations travaillant dans la région ainsi que d'une organisation locale de colons. Mes résultats suggèrent que l'initiative de la REDD+ devrait s'appuyer sur des groupes qui possèdent un solide capital social car l'individualisme serait une importante barrière à la mise en œuvre. Je propose une série des caractéristiques et pratiques perçues comme facilitant l'effort collectif.

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Bailey, Jodi L. "The limits of largess international environmental NGOs, philanthropy and conservation /." Berkeley, CA : University of California, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1216729481&sid=2&Fmt=2&clientId=78006&RQT=309&VName=PQD.

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Bin, Lin, Yue Cao, and Li Liang. "Environmental protection and energy conservation : Hybrid vehicles and combustion vehicles." Thesis, Högskolan Kristianstad, Sektionen för hälsa och samhälle, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hkr:diva-10890.

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Purpose/aim This study is about environmental protection and energy conservation in the China vehicle market. Based on that, we focus on and comparison of combustion vehicles with hybrid vehicles.Design/method/approach Data was collected through questionnaire. The analysis includes a description of the sample and chi-square tests. We analyze two different particular engines (combustion engine vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles) and our single environment. We compare these two engine vehicles, and analyze the trends of the market. We use scientific data and existing theories to analyze the vehicles, including “lifecycle costs” “CO2 emissions”, “Greenhouse gas”, “Consumers perception”, “Full Costing”, “PPC (Production Possibilities Curve)”, “Supply Demand Curve”, and “Green Taxes”.Findings We conclude that hybrid engine vehicles are environmentally friendly and energy conserving, but they have higher lifecycle costs. The analysis also shows that different ages, education levels and regions affect the customers’ preferences for these two kinds of vehicles.Originality/value Our original idea is the problems of hybrid vehicles and how to support and popularize hybrid vehicles depends on the exact national conditions and policies implemented. However, consumers might not be able to accept the “environmental protection and energy conservation” concept immediately, because it’s difficult to change the consumption concept of a generation or culture. Therefore, the government should carry out policies that are suitable for their local region to update the consumption concepts of the consumers and promote the new energy vehicles. Thus, the goal of environmental protection and energy conservation can be reached.

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Peppinck, Jon A. "Merging virtual reality with statistical modelling to improve environmental conservation." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2022. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/228754/1/Jon_Peppinck_Thesis.pdf.

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Environmental scientists are often interested in providing conservation insights on endangered species. Combining Virtual Reality with statistical modelling can help to achieve this. This thesis focuses on the development of new R2VR software, which allows researchers to conduct VR experiments within the R statistical software environment. This approach is demonstrated via a case study of crowd-sourced classification of underwater images of coral reefs. It is shown that R2VR has the potential to be combined with citizen science to make the image classification and analysis process more efficient and more accessible to both researchers and the community.

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Dias, D'Jenane. "Renewed promises conservation for development in the Kaza, Angola." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10354.

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Includes bibliographical references.
Since the end of white minority rule in southern Africa in the 1990s, transfrontier conservation initiatives have become the dominant conservation strategy in the region and have received international support. This dissertation focuses on the Kavango Zambezi TFCA involving Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The general objectives of TFCAs - conservation of biodiversity, socio-economic and tourism development and peaceful political cooperation - have been under scrutiny. Literature has paid attention to these TFCAs because of the promises made by supporters of these initiatives on the one hand, and reports and experiences on the ground that suggests that there are political and economic interests in TFCAs, on the other hand. Critical literature has highlighted the effects of TFCAs on local populations. This dissertation addresses two research questions, the first being the rationale for Angola's involvement in the Kavango Zambezi TFCA initiative and the country's modes of participation. Second, it seeks to highlight the place of local communities in this initiative and how it affects these populations.

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Lee, Caroline Worthen. "What difference does local participation make? contexts of engagement in regional conservation planning /." Diss., Connect to a 24 p. preview or request complete full text in PDF format. Access restricted to UC IP addresses, 2006. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p3207063.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2006.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed May 10, 2006). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 378-398).

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Athorn, Marie. "Conservation value of constructed reedbeds." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52317/.

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Natural reedbed habitat in the UK has suffered severe declines in the last few centuries. With only 5,000 ha remaining and much of what remains is highly fragmented and degraded. The loss and fragmentation of reedbed habitat in the UK has had a profound effect on the species associated with it. Constructed reedbeds are artificial wetlands dominated by Phragmites australis designed to treat wastewater. They have been widespread in the UK because they are perceived to be a green solution, but their conservation value has never been assessed. This project aims to determine how they contribute to biodiversity. This study surveyed 24 sites, 12 constructed sites paired to 12 natural sites, for small mammals, moths and stem-dwelling invertebrates. Results show that there is no difference between constructed and natural sites. The indication is that constructed reedbeds, despite their small size, young age and contamination, are just as diverse as natural reedbeds. The implications of this for reedbed and wetland conservation are potentially substantial. There are over 1,000 constructed reedbeds in the UK that are just as diverse as their natural equivalents, which could provide connectivity across unsuitable agricultural and urban landscapes.

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Zunckel, Kevan. "The ecology and management of the Kaapsehoop cycad (Encephalartos laevifolius Stapf and Burtt Davy)." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14718.

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Bibliography: p. 182-190.
The Kaapsehoop Cycad (Encephalartos laevifolius Stapf and Burtt Davy) has the international, national, and provincial status of "endangered" by virtue of a number of factors which threaten it with extinction. It occurs in only three disjunct populations in southern Africa, of which two are very small and have only adult plants. This situation suggested the need for specific action to ensure the conservation of the plant within its natural habitat. This study was initiated in an attempt to respond to this call for action. The aims of the study were set at gaining an understanding of the ecology of the cycad, establishing the exact nature and extent of the factors threatening it with extinction, and presenting management guidelines as to how the plant and its habitat may be managed to ensure their conservation. Chapter One includes a background to the botanical significance of cycads in general, the reasons for the endangered status of E. laevifolius and a list of aims and objectives. The latter are briefly; to develop. an understanding of the ecology of this cycad, determine the nature and extent of the threats which have placed it in the ''endangered" category, and establish means of managing the plants and their habitat so as to mitigate these threats . The methodology followed to achieve the latter is presented in Chapter Two. The results achieved from work carried out by the author are presented In Chapter Three, and they are then discussed in Chapter Four, together with those obtained from other researchers and experts in the field of cycad ecology and management. From this it becomes apparent that the major factor threatening the plants continued existence in nature, is its illegal removal by unscrupulous collectors. The use of fire as a management tool may cause the loss of sexually propagated off-spring if not based on ecological principals. This would be tragic as the percentage of fertile seed being produced at present is extremely low. Besides the latter two abiotic threats, there are two biotic threats which are also .cause for concern. They are the rotting of the female cones and seed by a pathogenic infection, and the destruction of newly growing tissue by the caterpillars of the Leopard Moth. The insights gained from the study are drawn together as conclusions in Chapter Five. Where these indicate specific management measures or directions for further research, recommendations are made. It must be emphasized that although this study has been used for the enhancement of the author's academic qualification, it is vitally important that the recommendations made be seriously reviewed by those responsible for the conservation of this cycad. If this study is simply put on the shelf after it has achieved its academic goal, the possibility of E. laevifolius becoming extinct is very real.

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Hackett, P. M. W. "Environmental and nature conservation : a facet study of concern for the quality of the natural environment." Thesis, Aston University, 1989. http://publications.aston.ac.uk/10915/.

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A multi-variate descriptive model of environmental and nature conservation attitudes and values is proposed and empirically supported. A mapping sentence is developed out of analysis of data from a series of Repertory Grid interviews addressing conservation employees' attitudes towards their profession's activities. The research is carried out within the meta-theoretical framework of Facet Theory. A mapping sentence is developed consisting of 9 facets. From the mapping sentence 3 questionnaires were constructed viewing the selective orientations towards environmental concern. A mapping sentence and facet model is developed for each study. Once the internal structure of this model had been established using Similarity Structure Analysis, the elements of the facets are subjected to Partial Order Scalogram Analysis with base coordinates. A questionnaire was statistically analysed to assess the relationship between facet elements and 4 measures of attitudes towards, and involvement with, conservation. This enabled the comparison of the relative strengths of attitudes associated with each facet element and each measure of conservation attitude. In general, the relationship between the social value of conservation and involvement pledges to conservation were monotonic; perceived importance of a conservation issue appearing predictive of personal involvement. Furthermore, the elements of the life area and scale facets were differentially related to attitude measures. The multi-variate descriptive model of environmental conservation values and attitudes is discussed in relation to its implications for psychological research into environmental concern and for environmental and nature conservation.

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Cartwright, Kelly Sue. "Exploring the Human Dimension of Conservation Gardening." Thesis, Prescott College, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10113610.

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Conservation gardening incorporates environmentally friendly techniques into the care of urban landscapes. Prior research has demonstrated an ecological benefit of this approach to residential land management. This research was undertaken to better understand the individuals who partake in conservation gardening. A mail questionnaire was developed that included several connection to nature indicators, an outdoor recreation inventory, and demographic questions. Participants (n = 180) included individuals from three regional conservation gardening certification programs in the US. Study participants demonstrated high connection to nature across multiple indicators, and environmental concern was motivated by non-human species and other people as opposed to personal benefit. The connection to nature indicators employed in the study demonstrated high correlation with each other. Conservation gardeners were active in outdoor recreation; high participation rates were documented in the categories of bird watching, gardening, and hiking, with moderate participation rates in kayaking, and cycling. Several demographic trends were evident in the study population. Participants tended to be older, well-educated, above-average earners, pet owners, and the majority of individuals were female. Employment status of participants was divided equally among being a homemaker, working full-time or being self-employed, and being retired, and over half of the individuals in the survey were volunteers. This research established baseline data for the conservation gardening population, identified avenues for future research, and provided suggestions for reaching populations not currently represented in the conservation gardening community.

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Borg, Laura Anne. "Impact of environmental expo on eight graders' self-perceived environmental behaviors." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2007. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3218.

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Sathapornvajana, Kuakul. "Improving community water conservation behavior in Chachoengsao, Thailand." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2008. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1607.

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The issue of water supply throughout the world is of concern for many reasons. It is projected that by the year 2025 two-thirds of the world's population will encounter moderate to severe water shortages. As a result of unsustainable development over the past decade, Thailand has faced pollution problems as well as the depletion of many natural resources. These problems have impacted on the country's main rivers (Chaopraya River, Thachine River, and the Bangpakong River), that are crucial to a sustainable economy, society, and culture. There needs to be a concentrated effort at all levels (individual to community) to address this problem. This thesis reports on a collaborative water conservation project undertaken in the Banmai and Bone market communities located on the banks of the Bangpakong River in Chachoengsao province, Thailand. In the first phase a qualitative research paradigm was used to gain an understanding of sixteen Bangpakong River stakeholders' perceptions of the river and to determine the factors motivating or constraining their water conservation behaviour. Information obtained in this phase was used to construct a questionnaire to measure a range of variables associated with water conservation behaviours and to provide a framework for the subsequent phases of the study. The second phase used the information accumulated in phase one and involved twenty community leaders in partial participant action research in order to obtain solutions for solving the water pollution problem, plan an appropriate Water Conservation Campaign and empower the leaders to mobilise community members. The third phase, the community-based Water Conservation Campaign planned by the community leaders in phase two was implemented over a six month period. Prior to the campaign, immediately following the campaign and three months after the completion of the campaign a sample of 110 community members completed a questionnaire designed to assess the effectiveness of the campaign and to determine the factors predicting their intention to conserve water. An additional 109 participants from Bang-Wua, and Bangkhla market community which was not involved in the campaign also completed the questionnaire as a control group. Multiple Regressions and repeated MANCOVA indicated that the Water Conservation Campaign had a significant effect on the participants in the experimental group across times in six aspects; namely Knowledge, Attitudes, Past Behaviour, Perceived Behaviour Control, Situational Supporters, and also the Intention to Conserve Water. However it did not have a significant effect on Subjective Norm or Sense of Community. With the exception of Situational Supporters, similar results were obtained when the leaders were excluded from the analysis. In comparison to the control group, the experimental group scored significantly higher on Water Conservation Knowledge, Intention to Conserve Water, Attitude towards Water Conservation, Subjective Norm, Past Behaviour, Perceived Behavioural Control and Situational Supporters immediately after the campaign. The same results were obtained when leaders were excluded from the analysis. However, three months later, the experimental group (with and without leaders) scored significantly higher only on Water Conservation Knowledge, Subjective Norm and Past Behaviour, and significantly lower on Situational Supporters. These results suggest that community involvement in a water conservation campaign is an effective, empowering and useful approach to address the issue of water pollution in the Bangpakong River.

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Cheung, chi-ming. "Improving environmental sustainability in Hong Kong : the role of biodiversity /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2002. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B2524789x.

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Fleury, Gabriela. "Environmental change in Riemvasmaak, Northern Cape, South Africa twenty years after resettlement." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20992.

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The 75,000 ha area of Riemvasmaak, located north of the Orange River within the Northern Cape Province, is an important case study with regard to land restitution and livestock impacts upon arid rangelands hypothesized to be at disequilibrium. As part of a 'black spot' removal program during apartheid, about 1,500 people from Riemvasmaak were forcibly moved off their land in 1974. With many returning to the area in January 1995, Riemvasmaak represented the first successful land restitution case in post-apartheid South Africa. This study follows up on a long-term environmental monitoring project set up in 1995 and revisited in 2005 and early 2015 to determine the impact of the returnees on the vegetation and ecology of the region. It builds upon the repeat photography methodology utilized by Hoffman et al. (1995) and Hoffman and Todd (2010) in order to provide a robust and accessible measure of change in the herbaceous and woody components of the vegetation. The percentage cover of herbaceous and woody vegetation was visually estimated in repeat photographs from 27 photo stations for the years 1995, 2005, and 2015. The results of a linear mixed-effects model suggest that herbaceous vegetation decreased significantly from 1995 to 2005 (p< 0.001) and increased significantly from 2005 to 2015 (p< 0.001) while woody cover did not change significantly from 1995-2015. There was no difference in these trends between the three landform units assessed (rivers, sandy pediments and rocky slopes). Linear regressions utilizing size class and density of individuals for Acacia erioloba (Vachellia erioloba) indicated that there had been little recruitment over the period 1995-2015 in comparison to the period prior to the initial survey in 1995. Fifteen face-to-face interviews with livestock owners, herders, and the local Agricultural Collective in 2015 outlined the socioeconomic and cultural changes that had occurred in Riemvasmaak since 1995. One such change, a directive issued by the Riemvasmaak Municipality in 2009, that ownership of livestock would no longer be allowed within Municipality boundaries, resulted in the removal of livestock from Riemvasmaak in the years directly before 2015 and corresponded temporally with the rise in herbaceous cover seen in 2015.

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Law-Jackson, Danielle. "An examination of the facilitatory role for environmental education of conservancies." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003411.

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This study examines the possibilities within the conservancy movement for the facilitation of environmental education. By means of a case study approach, a conservancy in the Northern Cape and the conservancy movement within the Free State provinces are compared with a view to elucidating factors militating against and promoting the success of environmental education programmes. The current lack of research in isolated rural areas is discussed. Re-orientation of perspectives regarding the value of conservancy-based environmental education within governmental, academic and local circles is recommended.

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Corcoran, B. J. "Sustainable rural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in Swaziland : an integrated conservation and Natural Resource Management approach as an alternative livelihood strategy for Swazi Nation Land." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4839.

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Bibliography : p.111-114.
This dissertation, in taking a holistic approach, seeks to use the Shewula community initiative as a pilot project for establishing more effective biodiversity conservation and natural resource management initiatives/programmes on Swazi Nation Land (SNL). A new conceptual framework is proposed for integrating community-based conservation (CBC) and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) on SNL Swaziland, namely Managed Natural Environments (MNEs). The dissertation concludes that an integrated CBC-CBNRM programme should be promoted as an innovative and essential aspect of the Swaziland Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP).

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Cook, Jeffrey M. "Residential Water Conservation: A Cross Comparative Analysis." DigitalCommons@CalPoly, 2011. https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/673.

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This thesis will explore different water conservation strategies and systems in the residential home, using the city of Irvine as a basis. The thesis will compare the financial implications between the different systems and as a return on investment. The analysis will also account for ecological and social implications on the occupants, in particular their standard of living and lifestyle changes. The thesis will explore the ability to conserve water in new residential construction and will provide a sustainable and conscientious schematic water design for the particular area of concern. This thesis will act as a preliminary case study for a water system in a California residential home. It will address the entire lifecycle of water after it arrives on site, to the use of the water and eventual expenditure. A comprehensive design solution will be proposed, based on the body of knowledge in the field and the research findings. The design will also evaluate the alternatives of different systems, in terms of: catchment, treatment, filtering, reuse, and for returning the used water back into nature (sometimes through a municipal system). It is expected that the proposed system will inform the occupants of their water usage, and simultaneously control and reduce water usage levels. As part of the final proposal, a detailed analysis will be provided of the entire water system. It will involve a critical analysis of existing systems as well as the application of the new design. The thesis will highlight how decisions were made based on the criteria that would affect the occupants, allowing for future adaptations of the solution to projects or case studies with different standards. The end-product of the research will be a baseline development that can be further explored as technology and demand change in the future, and when on-site water systems become more abundant and better understood.

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Korfel, Chelsea Anne. "Distribution and environmental correlates between amphibians and the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1350573649.

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McGregor, Tanya. "Conservation on a Regional Scale: Assessing the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative." Thesis, Waterloo, Ont. : University of Waterloo, [Dept. of Environment and Resource Studies], 2003. http://etd.uwaterloo.ca/etd/tmcgrego2003.pdf.

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Thesis (MES)--University of Waterloo, 2003.
"A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Environmental Studies in Environment and Resource Studies." Includes bibliographical references.

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Reisner, Gunilla. "Conflicting Environmental Management Tools : Grazing of Semi-natural Grasslands vs. Wetland Conservation." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-22674.

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The study explores the possibility of conflicts between conservation of wetlands and semi-natural grasslands in the county of Stockholm. Both habitats are important to protect from a biodiversity perspective. The species rich semi-natural grasslands have been created by agricultural practices like grazing and mowing. At the same time, wetlands have diminished due to earlier drainage in order to increase the area of arable land. Both habitats are incorporated in the Swedish Environmental Objectives and are parts of the EU’s Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES), where farmers get financial support to maintain or restore valuable habitats. Wetland conservation/restoration often requires raised water tables, but also maintenance with cattle grazing in certain areas. On the other hand, raised water tables can act as hinder for grazing animals and lead to conflict situations. Using a mixed method approach, this study scrutinized if the use of different management tools can result in conflicts between actors and objectives. The study is based on a literature review, interviews and the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Institutionalism and the Institutional Analysis and Development framework are used to analyze and evaluate the situation in the county of Stockholm. The quantitative results reveal that 12,8 % of all semi-natural grasslands of high biological value intersects with wetlands. However, these areas are maintained with environmental support to a larger extent than semi-natural grasslands outside wetlands. This indicates there is no conflict between wetland and semi-natural grassland conservation, a perception shared by authorities. From farmers’ perspective the situation is described differently, rule compliance for environmental support is hard to obtain specifically in wet areas. Increased dialogue between authorities and farmers rather than harsh inspections would be preferable as the county of Stockholm needs more farmers and grazing cattle to maintain biologically important habitats. Grazing in wetlands is needed from a biodiversity perspective but can at the same time disturb the wetlands functioning of nutrient reduction. There is a risk of authorities prioritizing water quality in front of biodiversity in conflicting situations. Water, as a common-pool recourse, is surrounded by stricter regulation and also easier to monitor.

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Du, Preez D. "Conservation priorities and management recommendations for the Erongo Region Coastal Zone, Namibia." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17943.

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Includes bibliographical references.
The most intensively used part of the Namib Coastline, the area between Walvis Bay and the Ugab river, contains some of the most important and most sensitive natural habitats. Apart from their ecological value, these habitats also attract large numbers of tourists. Tourism is one of the main sources of income in the coastal area of the Erongo Region, therefore it is in the interest of Namibians that these habitats are utilised in a sustainable way. The Department of Resource Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is responsible for managing the West Coast Tourist Recreation Area as well as the wildlife in all of Namibia. Conservation managers from this Department have identified sites in the study area that are important for maintaining healthy populations of rare, threatened or endemic species or species of international and regional importance. These sites must be managed in such a way that their conservation and tourism value is not detrimentally reduced. In order to assist conservation managers with the allocation of resources, the sites that were identified are divided into three priority groups, namely imperative, urgent and desirable. The evaluation for priority rating was done according to the criteria of conservation value, tourism value and threats. Sites were compared using pair-wise comparison, and groupings were obtained through cluster analysis. The sites that were identified, their main reason for conservation, most important threats and management recommendations are listed below according to the priority groupings. Management recommendations are only done for the two highest groupings, namely the imperative and important sites.

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Kabiri, Ngeta Newbury Catharine. "Global environmental governance and community-based conservation in Kenya and Tanzania." Chapel Hill, N.C. : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007. http://dc.lib.unc.edu/u?/etd,1450.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007.
Title from electronic title page (viewed Apr. 25, 2008). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Political Science." Discipline: Political Science; Department/School: Political Science.

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Lee, Moira Elizabeth. "Is Wealth Green? Examining the Relationship Between Wealth and Environmental Conservation." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/31753.

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This study tests an aspect of the environmental theory of Peter Huber outlined in his book Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Environmentalists: A Conservative Manifesto (1999). Huber's thesis is that wealth leads to environmental conservation in two ways: 1) that wealthy nations develop and implement technologies to maximize the efficiency of land use, and 2) that wealthy individuals pour their wealth into the conservation of nature. Using secondary data analysis, I test the first national-level hypothesis with regressions of the variables "Gross National Income" and "ecological footprint," and test the second individual-level hypothesis with logistic regressions of the variables "income" and "donation to environmental groups," from both the General Social Survey and the World Values Survey. The results strongly refute Huber's national-level theory, with evidence that wealthy nations are actually less efficient at using land, but on an individual level the evidence suggests that the wealthy are indeed more likely to donate money to environmental groups.
Master of Science

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Calegari, Valerie Rose. "Environmental perceptions and local conservation efforts in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, México /." Access online version, 1997. http://www.desertfishes.org/cuatroc/lit/calegari/thesis.html.

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Rutabagisha, Rosine. "Environmental conservation and the right to natural resources of indigenous people." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46233.

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Wadden, Peter R. "Instilling a Sense of Place and Commitment to Conservation through a Habitat Monitoring Internship." Thesis, Prescott College, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1538859.

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This thesis seeks to understand the impacts and outcomes of a six-week wildlife habitat monitoring internship on the 12 adolescent students who participated. The opportunity for this project sprung from my involvement in the design and implementation of this internship at Walking Mountains Science Center in Avon, Colorado. The interns spent six-weeks performing field data collection for the United States Forest Service, learning about ecology, botany, and environmental ethics, and earning college credit for their work. Inductive analysis was used to analyze data from a variety of sources. The results indicated that this internship was an effective model for instilling a sense of place, commitment to conservation, and increased sense of self-efficacy among its participants. Hands-on field research of this type has potential to increase sense of place, commitment to conservation, and a sense of self-efficacy, thereby augmenting a student's engagement in science, and improving performance in advanced science courses.

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Twohey, Rebecca Jean. "Strategically Integrating Human Dimensions into Marine Conservation Decision Making." Thesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10937297.

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There is a broad perception that many of the greatest knowledge gaps in marine conservation are in understanding and integrating human dimensions. Marine governance must go beyond the rhetoric that conservation will benefit from including human dimensions, and dig deeper into social science disciplines to find specific tools that may be useful. Bennett et al. (2017) advocate for “fostering knowledge on the scope and contributions of the social sciences to conservation” from the inception of conservation projects, during all stages of planning and implementation and at all scales, and encourage the mainstreaming of social science into conservation. However, the fractured nature of literature pointing to the importance of social science has left many unsure what is really important or what to do. This dissertation seeks to remedy this, first by mainstreaming how to strategically consider social equity, and second by learning from collective action studies.

Social equity is increasingly included in conservation mission statements – either because it is an intrinsic goal or because it is believed to have functional value to help reach other objectives. Until now, social equity has been vaguely defined, and therefore been difficult to include, monitor and evaluate in environmental governance. Chapter 1 presents a theoretical foundation for defining and distinguishing between different types of social equity and considering social equity’s role in conservation outcomes. First, we introduce the equity landscape as a way to describe the distributions of resources and participation rights in a society supported by social norms in a given community. We use case studies to illustrate how environmental management can benefit from considering the equity landscape in both short- and long-term strategy. Through collaborative efforts, we also describe social equity to include several dimensions – including participation (or input to conservation interventions), and spatial, access, and financial outcomes of a conservation intervention (Klein et al. 2015). Chapter 1 motivates collecting empirical evidence of how different types of equity are experienced in a community and their influence on stakeholder behavior.

Therefore, in Chapter 2 we investigate how fishers perceive and experience these different dimensions of equity, and how different dimensions of equity influence fisher compliance with social norms and willingness to punish defectors. Our interdisciplinary approach combines a behavioral experiment and surveys, and informs important decisions on critical design elements, such as should the intervention focus on participation, or outcomes of the intervention, such as access or financial benefits? Should equity objectives be equal or fair? And, how should managers measure these objectives? This research provides important empirical insight on how equity and conservation outcomes are interlinked and how management actions may influence stakeholder cooperation, thus presenting a unique insight into equity that is applicable to a wide range of settings.

Second, this dissertation highlights the potential benefits of integrating collective action literature in fisheries management. Most problems in fisheries management are rooted in some sort of tragedy of the commons. Understanding the conditions under which cooperation can emerge and how to create policies around those conditions is extremely important for successful fisheries governance. The collective action literature contains a wealth of knowledge on how diverse types of societies can solve cooperation problems and real-world management questions.

Chapter 3 investigates two such applied questions: Do self-assembled or randomly assigned groups cooperate better? And, if there are costs to random assignment, what strategies might help offset some of these costs? We show that self-assembly and the ability to communicate face-to-face both increase compliance with rules and punishment of defectors, although self-assembly has a greater effect.

This work is specific to artisanal fishing communities in Tañon Strait, Philippines, but provides an approach to solving questions managers have to make on a range of key issues that likely have big consequences on conservation outcomes. By combining interdisciplinary theory and methods, my dissertation highlights how social science can both integrate into and aid conservation efforts.

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Sethusha, Mantsose Jane. "How primary school learners conceptualize the environment and environmental education." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2006. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10022007-134249/.

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Benton, Christine S. "Corridors in Conservation and Philosophy." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2003. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4346/.

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My thesis focuses on philosophical themes implicit in corridor conservation, using the Big Thicket National Preserve as an example. The way in which corridors, boundaries and communities are ambiguous, as both limits and connections, is dealt with. Corridor-patch matrices assemble ecological and human groups into temporary communities, often with conflicting interests. Such constellations foreground how a foreigner's boundary crossing is a notion important to both conservation and a philosophical study of being, seen as being always in relation with otherness. In this context, the notion of foreignness and Jean-Luc Nancy's idea of being-with is explored. Understanding the complex network of relations in which an entity exists leads to an awareness of its ambiguous nature. To facilitate judgment with such ambiguity, one needs a contextual understanding of a situation.

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Brannon, Pamela A. "The Oakhurst Historic House and Environment Center : opportunities for environmental education." Virtual Press, 1988. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/546127.

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The goals of the report were to present: 1) the rich historical, cultural, and George A. Ball estate environmental education Incorporating thisheritage; context of environmental education at the Oakhurst Historic House and Environmental Center; and 4) design guidelines for the physical manifestation of site experiences which will occur to meet environmental education objectives.Chapters One and Two begin with the history of the Ball Brothers in Muncie and their development of Minnetrista Boulevard. Oakhurst, the George A. Ball estate, is discussed at greater length including its architectural history and physical setting and development over the years to its probable future as the Oakhurst Historic House and Environmental Center.Chapter Three discusses the opportunity to facilitate use of the Oakhurst Historic House and Environmental Center by special populations, such as the elderly, the young, and the handicapped and their special characteristics, needs, and interpretive orientations. Chapter Four discusses environmental education and suggests three approaches while Chapter Five details specific activities incorporating the three methods of environmental education. Chapters Six and Seven discuss appropriate methods of interpreting historic landscapes for educational purposes and suggest design guidelines for the physical development of the property as the Oakhurst Historic House and Environmental Center.
Department of Landscape Architecture

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Nishihara, Tetsuya. "Social and systemic obstacles to nature conservation policy in Hong Kong and Japan." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk:8888/cgi-bin/hkuto%5Ftoc%5Fpdf?B23425738.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Of Environmental Conservation'

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