Economic Effects of Riparian Corridors and Upland Wildlife Habitat

This study uses the hedonic price method to examine the relationship between the sale price of single-family residential properties in an urban watershed in Portland, Oregon and (1) the amount of riparian vegetation and upland wildlife habitat on a property, and (2) the amount and quality of riparian corridors within ½ mile of a property. Streams on a property are found to increase a property’s sale price while streams in the surrounding neighborhood have a negative effect. While increasing the overall percentage of riparian corridors and upland wildlife habitat is found to have a positive but declining effect on sale price, a more detailed analysis concludes that the effect depends on the type and quality of resources. The quality and quantity of riparian corridors within ½ mile of properties is being capitalized into the sale price of properties suggesting that restoration efforts will generate benefits to property owners in the study area

International perceptions of urban blue-green infrastructure: A comparison across four cities

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Blue-Green infrastructure (BGI) is recognised internationally as an approach for managing urban water challenges while enhancing society and the environment through the provision of multiple co-benefits. This research employed an online survey to investigate the perceptions of BGI held by professional stakeholders in four cities with established BGI programs: Newcastle (UK), Ningbo (China), Portland (Oregon USA), and Rotterdam (The Netherlands) (64 respondents). The results show that challenges associated with having too much water (e.g., pluvial and fluvial flood risk, water quality deterioration) are driving urban water management agendas. Perceptions of governance drivers for BGI implementation, BGI leaders, and strategies for improving BGI uptake, are markedly different in the four cities reflecting the varied local, regional and national responsibilities for BGI implementation. In addition to managing urban water, BGI is universally valued for its positive impact on residents’ quality of life; however, a transformative change in policy and practice towards truly multifunctional infrastructure is needed to optimise the delivery of multiple BGI benefits to address each city’s priorities and strategic objectives. Changes needed to improve BGI uptake, e.g., increasing the awareness of policy-makers to multifunctional BGI, has international relevance for other cities on their journeys to sustainable blue-green futures

The Effect of Environmental Zoning and Amenities on Property Values: Portland, Oregon

This study uses the hedonic-pricemethod to examine how environmental zoning and amenities are related to the price of single-family residential properties sold between 1999 and 2001 in Portland, Oregon. The impact of environmental zoning is found to vary with the type of environmental zoning and the property’s location. Amenities are found to influence a property’s sale price with the effect varying by amenity type and proximity. The net effect on a property’s sales price is dependent on the type of environmental zoning, location in the study area, amenities on the property, and amenities in the surrounding neighborhood.

Market and bargaining approaches to nonpoint source pollution abatement problems

This research focuses upon the use of market incentives for environmental protection, with specific reference to nonpoint source pollution from agricultural land. The case when polluters contribute recursively rather than additively to environmental damages is investigated. While an optimal solution is theoretically possible, there exist opportunities for strategic behavior. Hence, bargaining solutions under imperfect information are analyzed. From this analysis, it is concluded that the presence of imperfect information will not distort the level of discharges from the socially desirable quantity provided contracts between landowners are correctly specified.In addition to the theoretical work, our research proposes and empirically evaluates a transferable discharge permit system for sediment from agricultural land using data for a portion of the Long Creek watershed of Macon County, Illinois. This analysis is undertaken through the implementation of a market simulation program which allows us to calculate the quantity of sediment and the reduction in costs that would occur if bargaining and contracting is permitted between landowners restricted by regulations which reflect current national and state policies.The results of this analysis point to the ability of a market type mechanism to significantly reduce the compliance costs of each of the regulations investigated. The ability of such an institution when applied to a recursively produced pollutant such as sediment from agricultural land is, however, found to be extremely sensitive to the order in which contracts are executed.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio

THE EFFECT OF OPEN SPACES ON A HOME'S SALE PRICE

The relationship between a home's sale price and its proximity to different open spaces types is explored using a data set comprised of single-family home sales in the city of Portland, within Multnomah County, between 1990 and 1992. Homes located within 1,500 feet of a natural area park, where more than 50% of the park is preserved in native and/or natural vegetation, are found to experience, on average, the largest increase in sale price. The open space size that maximizes a home's sale price is calculated for each open space type. Natural area parks require the largest acreage to maximize sale price, and specialty parks are found to have the largest potential effect on a home's sale price. A zonal approach is used to examine the relationship between a home's sale price and its distance to an open space. Natural area parks and specialty parks are found to have a positive and statistically significant effect on a home's sale price for each zone studied. Homes located adjacent to golf courses (within 200 feet) are estimated to experience the largest increase in sale price due to open space proximity although the effect drops off quickly as distance from the golf course increases. Copyright 2001 Western Economic Association International.

Teaching Experiments: A Classroom Primer

The article focuses on a classroom primer for teachers who are interested in using experimentation as an educational aid. It is noted that incorporating experiments into the classroom improves student involvement with the material, develops interpersonal communication skills, sharpens critical thinking, and offers an alternative to standard lecture. Most experiments are flexible and can be tailored to reflect different course levels and instructor needs and preferences. The preparation of two experiments for the first semester is recommended

Resident Perceptions of Natural Resources between Cities and across Scales in the Pacific Northwest

As the global population becomes increasingly urban, research is needed to explore how local culture, land use, and policy will influence urban natural resource management. We used a broad-scale comparative approach and survey of residents within the Portland (Oregon)-Vancouver (Washington) metropolitan areas, USA, two states with similar geographical and ecological characteristics, but different approaches to land-use planning, to explore resident perceptions about natural resources at three scales of analysis: property level (“at or near my house”), neighborhood (“within a 20-minute walk from my house”), and metro level (“across the metro area”). At the metro-level scale, nonmetric multidimensional scaling revealed that the two cities were quite similar. However, affinity for particular landscape characteristics existed within each city with the greatest difference generally at the property-level scale. Portland respondents expressed affinity for large mature trees, tree-lined streets, public transportation, and proximity to stores and services. Vancouver respondents expressed affinity for plentiful accessible parking. We suggest three explanations that likely are not mutually exclusive. First, respondents are segmented based on preferences for particular amenities, such as convenience versus commuter needs. Second, historical land-use and tax policy legacies may influence individual decisions. Third, more environmentally attuned worldviews may influence an individual’s desire to produce environmentally friendly outcomes. Our findings highlight the importance of acknowledging variations in residents’ affinities for landscape characteristics across different scales and locations because these differences may influence future land-use policies about urban natural resources