Relevant data and information for a comprehensive conservation planning in small islands

The present report analyses the problematic of conservation planning and management in small central Atlantic islands, developing Conservation planning and management approaches that can bring to this particular context. Particular attention is given to the ways of development of feasible governance systems, particularly trough the development of comprehensible environmental characterization and evaluation tolls, able to compare and display alternative development scenarios and model their relative advantages and disadvantages, and base processes of contratualization and trade-offs involving all stakeholders in an active participatory way. An application to the island of Pico (Azores) is presented

Development Scenarios of Sustainability for Golf: The Algarve Case

Golf is becoming a major industry worldwide. The majority of the Portuguese golf courses are located in the Algarve region. Golf tourism has a great economic impact on the Algarve and is regarded by local tourism developers as a vehicle for tackling the seasonal patterns of “mass tourism”. In consideration of the concerns of those involved in regional tourism and golf, the University of Algarve has developed a prospective study on the sustainability paths of this activity, starting from an integrated analysis of the reference conditions of golf in the Algarve, with respect to environmental, economic and social dimensions. This paper presents the sustainability assessment framework developed in this study and the results from its application to the Algarve’s golf courses through the definition and evaluation of three alternative development scenarios and their associated impacts. The application of economic, social and environmental indicators was a key tool for the construction of the “baseline”, “moderate” and “intensive scenarios”. It was concluded that the development of further golf activity in the Algarve should be framed within high service and environmental quality standards. The sustainability area for golf course development should vary between 29 and 41 gold courses (equivalent of 18 holes).

Nature-Based and Cultural-Heritage Tourism in Piscataquis County: Survey Analysis

In the summer of 2003, researchers from the University of Maine and community leaders from Piscataquis County, Maine, conducted a survey to assess local attitudes toward nature-based and cultural-heritage tourism and elicit feedback on alternative development scenarios. One phase of that process was surveys of residents and businesses operators in Piscataquis County. This report provides an overview of the survey responses. In addition, the report summarizes the methods used in conducting the surveys. The appendices to this report present the survey questionnaires and aggregate survey responses

VISÖ - Visualization of Infrastructure and Sustainable development in Öresund

Sustainable growth is a shared goal and challenge for policy-makers at local, regional, national as well as European levels of government. However, due to the complexity and interplay of the driving forces it is often difficult for decision-makers to predict the lasting effects of large infrastructure investments and other significant changes to the land use structure and transport system. In cross-border regions, the difficulties facing decision-makers are even more demanding due to shortage of joint planning tools and institutions. Substantial research literature confirms the hypothesis that analysis aimed at decision-support in general has limited impact on actual decision-making. One reason might be that effects and results often are evaluated based on complex system analyses and mathematically derived formulas which are often only understood by experts. This, combined with the lack of coordinated facts, maps and tools on which alternative development scenarios are formulated and long term planning decisions are ultimately based, constitutes a considerable difficulty for decision-makers at all levels, whether politicians or civil servants. Project VISÖ - Visualization of Infrastructure and Sustainable development in Öresund is a joint Swedish and Danish research collaboration to develop a coordinated planning tool and methodology – from which alternative development scenarios and strategic infrastructure choices and their effects can be better understood, communicated and visualized in pedagogic illustrations and purposeful dialogues in a cross- border region context. The new platform will ultimate enable planning authorities, politicians and affected communities to better understand and shape decisions regarding the development within a cross-border region in a positive, smarter and greener direction. Project VISÖ is financially supported by EU Interreg IVA. Partners are the Swedish Transport Administration, the Danish Road Directorate, Region Hovedstaden, Region Själland and Region Skåne

Assessment of the Potential Changes in Wellbeing of Key Interest Groups in the Fitzroy River Catchment Under Alternative Development Scenarios: Traditional Owners' workshop

This report presents the preliminary results of a workshop held on 10 and 11 September 2019 with Traditional Owner groups in Fitzroy Crossing, aiming to develop a way to identify and assess the positive and negative effects of different future scenarios on the wellbeing of Traditional Owners across the Fitzroy River catchment. Participants discussed how several categories of wellbeing are currently satisfied in the Fitzroy catchment; and then assessed scenarios 1, 2 and 4 against those categories. Participants’ ratings generally had scenario 1 with the most positive ratings and scenarios 2 and 4 with mostly negative ratings. The negative ratings seem to be linked with an aversion to large-scale irrigated agriculture and its perceived potential impacts, especially the withdrawal of water, pollution, and limited access to Country. Participants perceived positively an increase in ranger jobs and the potential for Indigenous-owned enterprises in scenarios 1 and 2. However, many emphasised that making these jobs satisfactory required training initiatives to build Traditional Owners' capacity. The next steps include a more comprehensive analysis of participants' comments, reporting back to participants and to a broader audience

Institutionalizing alternative economic spaces? An interpretivist perspective on diverse economies

This article offers an approach that helps geographers and others to carefully and critically reexamine prospects for diverse economies. We propose an interpretative institutionalist perspective is useful for elucidating overlooked opportunities for creating alternative economic visions and practices by revealing the process of ‘meaning making’ undertaken by actors in the process of developing policy responses to various dilemmas. We explore this notion in the context of de-growth or post-growth. De-growth is a way of thinking about the economy in ways that are not growth oriented, or fixated on GDP, but on the redistribution of wealth and living within the Earth’s ecosystems

Panel discussion: U.S. EPA using modeling and ecosystem services to enhance coastal decision making

This panel will discuss the research being conducted, and the models being used in three current coastal EPA studies being conducted on ecosystem services in Tampa Bay, the Chesapeake Bay and the Coastal Carolinas. These studies are intended to provide a broader and more comprehensive approach to policy and decision-making affecting coastal ecosystems as well as provide an account of valued services that have heretofore been largely unrecognized. Interim research products, including updated and integrated spatial data, models and model frameworks, and interactive decision support systems will be demonstrated to engage potential users and to elicit feedback. It is anticipated that the near-term impact of the projects will be to increase the awareness by coastal communities and coastal managers of the implications of their actions and to foster partnerships for ecosystem services research and applications. (PDF contains 4 pages

Shacklefords Commercial Development Analysis

King and Queen County believes that economic development is crucial to ensuring a stable economy and high quality of life for residents of the county. With an out-commuting rate of 71% for the entire Middle Peninsula region, residents and businesses are spending their money outside of the region due to a lack of job opportunities and commercial development. However, the intersection of Route 33 and The Trail at Shacklefords within King and Queen County provides a major economic development opportunity for King and Queen County and the Middle Peninsula region. Through a one-semester research project, students in a VCU Commercial Revitalization course were invited by King and Queen County Administrator, Thomas Swartzwelder, to complete research on King and Queen County’s opportunity to attract the commuting traffic passing Shacklefords each day, as well as meet the desires of the community and the existing plans for this site. A VDOT Smart Scale funded development, currently in the design phase, will create a telecommuting center at the Shacklefords site, and relocate the offices of the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (PDC) to the same development. On a separate site at the same intersection, a privately established craft brewery site represents a convergence of new development that could spur additional commercial opportunities

Assessment of the Potential Changes in Wellbeing of Key Interest Groups in the Fitzroy River Catchment Under alternative Development Scenarios: scenario team's workshop 3, Broome, Western Australia, 15–16 October

This report presents the preliminary results of a workshop held on 15 and 16 October 2019 in Broome, aiming to develop a way to identify and assess the likely positive and negative effects of different future development scenarios on the wellbeing of key interest groups in the Fitzroy River catchment. Participants discussed how several categories of wellbeing are currently satisfied in the Fitzroy catchment and then assessed a set of future scenarios against those categories. Participants’ ratings followed a similar pattern, with scenarios 1A, 1B and 2 (strong policies) being rated positively by the majority of participants, and scenarios 3 and 4 (weak policies) being rated mostly negatively. The common pattern reflects a recurrent theme in participants’ comments regarding the need for good governance, strong policies, and regulation of economic activities so that residents can benefit from such new development initiatives. Conversely, in weak policy scenarios, there could be negative social and environmental impacts that would affect residents and the eventual economic benefits could be reaped by fewer locals, or by non-residents (e.g. corporations and temporary workers)