The potential of integrating E-participation in planning support systems

The increasing complexity of spatial planning issues and pressure from citizens to takepart in designing and deciding on spatial plans result in a need for improved methods to aidcommunication between governmental actors and citizens. These developments put high demands onparticipatory Planning Support Systems (PSS); instruments that can aid planners in doing theirplanning tasks. By using the accessibility of the internet, e-participation offers opportunities as a PSS.Although many advantages are attributed to participatory PSS, its use in the planning practice remainsmarginal until now. It is argued here that this is partly caused by the lack of empirical studies thatdemonstrate potential benefits and problems when applying PSS. This paper provides guidelines fororganizations that contemplate on using a participatory PSS. In order to do so, a framework isdeveloped, identifying obstacles that could block effective participation in a PSS. Three planningprocesses are evaluated to investigate the importance of these obstacles. It is demonstrated that,although e-participation has potential as PSS, the lack of political will blocks effective participationand a more profound link between the citizen input and the decision-making is neede

De digitale wichelroede en haar gebruikers : interactieve location based services voor cultuur-historische landschapsbeleving

Project de Digitale Wichelroede onderzoekt hoe op innovatieve wijze cultuurhistorische kennis beschikbaar gemaakt kan worden via een PDA met GPS en UMTS-transmissie voor de wandelaar of fietser die zijn omgeving fysiek en virtueel wil beleven, en via de Volksmondfunctie op interactieve wijze informatie kan toevoegen. Circa 70% van de deelnemers oordeelt positief over de Digitale Wichelroede. De belangrijkste conclusie is dat een wandel- of fietstocht met de digitale wichelroede een meerwaarde bevat ten opzichte van een “gewone” wandel- of fietstoch

Vrede-, Bevrijding- en Vrijheid-verhalen op locatie – augmented reality en navigatie applicatie op smart phones

In de periode december 2009 - mei 2010 is de applicatie Vrede, Bevrijding en Vrijheid ontwikkeld. Deze applicatie biedt gebruikers van smart phones met draadloos internet, zoals Android-phones en iPhones, de mogelijkheid om op locatie verhalen te luisteren, te lezen en te bekijken. Dit verslag rapporteert summier de ontwikkeling en de belangrijkste gebruikskenmerken van de applicatie. Tevens zijn suggesties voor een vervolg gegeven

Pathways to the Future: Community Dialogues on Adaptive Environmental Management Through Scenario Projection in Google Maps

This paper presents research on the potential of interactive media for regional community dialogues on future uncertainties and complexities in coupled human and natural systems. More adaptive perspectives on natural resources management are needed to respond to rapid environmental and social change. Scenarios are a useful tool for participatory explorations of future issues that are high on uncertainties and complexities. We explore how scenarios can bank on the communicatory effectiveness of interactive media to increase their impact. We present a method, the Scenario Communities project, currently in testing phase, that combines strategies from serious gaming, landscape visualization and web 2.0 technology. We also present a number of visual tests that we use to analyse the effects of the scenario communication

The phenology and population dynamics of Culicoides spp. in different ecosystems in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has enjoyed a relatively free state of vector-borne diseases of economic importance for more than one century. Emerging infectious diseases may change this situation, threatening the health of humans, domestic livestock and wildlife. In order to be prepared for the potential outbreak of vector-borne diseases, a study was undertaken to investigate the distribution and seasonal dynamics of candidate vectors of infectious diseases with emphasis on bluetongue vectors (Culicoides spp.). The study focused primarily on the relationship between characteristic ecosystems suitable for bluetongue vectors and climate, as well as on the phenology and population dynamics of these vectors. Twelve locations were selected, distributed over four distinct habitats: a wetland area, three riverine systems, four peat land areas and four livestock farms. Culicoides populations were sampled continuously using CO2-baited counterflow traps from July 2005 until August 2006, with an interruption from November 2005 to March 2006. All vectors were identified to species level. Meteorological and environmental data were collected at each location. Culicoides species were found in all four different habitat types studied. Wetland areas and peat bogs were rich in Culicoides spp. The taxonomic groups Culicoides obsoletus (Meigen) and Culicoides pulicaris (Linnaeus) were strongly associated with farms. Eighty-eight percent of all Culicoides consisted of the taxon C. obsoletus/Culicoides scoticus. On the livestock farms, 3% of Culicoides existed of the alleged bluetongue vector Culicoides dewulfi Goetghebuer. Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer was strongly associated with wetland and peat bog. Many Culicoides species were found until late in the phenological season and their activity was strongly associated with climate throughout the year. High annual variations in population dynamics were observed within the same study areas, which were probably caused by annual variations in environmental conditions. The study demonstrates that candidate vectors of bluetongue virus are present in natural and livestock-farm habitats in the Netherlands, distributed widely across the country. Under favourable climatic conditions, following virus introduction, bluetongue can spread among livestock (cattle, sheep and goats), depending on the nature of the viral serotype. The question now arises whether the virus can survive the winter conditions in north-western Europe and whether measures can be taken that effectively halt further spread of the disease

Google Earth based visualization of Dutch land use scenarios: beyond usability

This contribution describes GESO, a tool to prepare a Google Earth visualization of the Dutch land use scenarios as created by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. This Google Earth (GE) for the Sustainable Outlook tool, named GESO aims to be an effective, easy and low cost way to study Sustainable Outlook data via an interactive 3D visualization that integrates the land use icon and landscape feature approach as presented in the VisualScan study. The concept, implementation and usability of GESO are explained, concluded and discussed. The paper starts to explain the context of GESO and the intention to visualize 3-dimensionally land use changes (Al-Kodmany, 2001; Borsboom- van Beurden, 2006; Lammeren, 2004). Out of this context the concept of GESO is presented (architecture). It combines two Dutch authorized datasets (AHN and Top10Vec) into a semi-3D dataset. The impact of the tiling of these data is discussed as well. Secondly the tool transforms these semi 3D data and the Sustainable Outlook results, as created via LUMOS, and linked with 2D- and 3D-objects, into KML files. The KML files, to be viewed by GE, offer the user different levels of detail and combinations of current and future land use to be presented 2D and 3D (visualization). The usability (Sheppard, 2001, Hudson-Smith, 2005) of GESO is explained via the questionnaire that has been offered to many policy makers on different administration levels. The preliminary outcomes of this questionnaire will be presented as well. The type of application and its results will be discussed with reference to comparable approaches. References: Al Kodmany, K. (2001) Supporting imageability on the World Wide Web: Lynch's five elements of the city in community planning. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design. 2001;, 28, 805-832. Borsboom,-van Beurden, J.A.M. (2006), Linking land use modelling and 3D visualisation. A mission impossible In: J. van Leeuwen and H. Timmermans, Innovations in Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning, pp. 85-102. Hudson-Smith, A., S. Evans and M. Batty, 2005, Building the Virtual City: Public Participation through e-Democracy, Knowledge, Technology & policy, (18)1, pp.62-85. Lammeren, R. van, R. Olde Loohuis, A. Momot, and S. Ottens, 2004,, VisualScan: 3D visualisations of 2D scenarios, CGI-report 2004-09, ISSN 1568-1874, Wageningen Sheppard, S.R.J., 2001. Guidance for crystal ball gazers: developing a code of ethics for landscape visualisation. Landscape and Urban Planning 54 (1-4): 183-199

Integrated analysis of the demand for and supply of geospatial education and training : Results of the GI-N2K Surveys

This report describes the situation in 2014 with regard to the demand for and the supply of education and training in the domain of geographic information (“GI”). It is the outcome of an analysis of the results of two simultaneous internet surveys, directed at two target groups in 25 European countries. The first target group, the demand side, consisted of organisations and companies with a need for geographic information competences. At the supply side the survey was directed at organisations that offer teaching in this field. The analysis focused on three aspects: the awareness and use of the GIS&T BoK, the GI knowledge domain reference document; the possible gap between needed competences and teaching on offer; and the incompleteness of the GIS&T BoK. The conclusions are as follows. Awareness and use of the GIS&T BoK are limited at the supply side and even more limited at the demand side. With regard to a possible teaching gap: indications were found but no conclusive evidence of its existence. The incompleteness of the GIS&T BoK was substantiated by the respondents providing dozens of subjects not included in the first edition. These results are to be used in subsequent work packages of the GI-N2K project, heading for an improved version of the GIS&T BoK in 2016