Matching Items (29)
Description
This study addresses the landscape connectivity pattern at two different scales. The county-level analysis aims to understand how urban ecosystem structure is likely to evolve in response to the proposed development plans in Maricopa County, Arizona. To identify the spatio-temporal land pattern change, six key landscape metrics were quantified in relative to the urban development scenarios based on the certainty of the proposed urban plans with different level of urban footprints. The effects of future development plans from municipalities on landscape connectivity were then analyzed in the scaled temporal and spatial frame to identify in which urban condition the connectivity value would most likely to decrease. The results demonstrated that tremendous amount of lands will be dedicated to future urbanization, and especially urban agricultural lands will be likely to be vulnerable. The metro-level analysis focuses on a group of species that represent urban desert landscape and have different degrees of fragmentation sensitivity and habitat type requirement. It hypothesizes that the urban habitat patch connectivity is impacted upon by urban density. Two underlying propositions were set: first, lower connectivity is predominant in areas with high urbanization cover; second, landscape connectivity will be impacted largely on the interfaces between urban, suburban, and rural areas. To test this, a GIS-based connectivity modeling was employed. The resultant change in connectivity values was examined for exploring the spatial relation to predefined spatial frames, such as urban, suburban, and rural zones of which boundaries were delineated by buffering method with two criteria of human population density and urban cover proportion. The study outcomes provide a practical guidance to minimize connectivity loss and degradation by informing planners with more optimal alternatives among various policy decisions and implementation. It also gives an inspiration for ecological landscape planning in urbanized or urbanizing regions which can ultimately leads urban landscape sustainability.
ContributorsPak, So-hyŏn (Author) / Cook, Edward (Thesis advisor) / Crewe, Katherine (Committee member) / Wu, Jianguo (Jingle) (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
As a significant level of the reformation and transformation of our society has been provoked by environmental deterioration, ecological approaches in environmental design have drawn much attention from professionals as an alternative world view and also as a practical design approach. Particularly in landscape architecture, ecological understanding has been at the very core of the profession since its emergence and plays an important role in the decision making processes. While ecology supports the profession with an objective rationale, aesthetics plays another major role in providing various understandings about the aesthetic experience of people, which is rather subjective. However, the ways to seek the balance between them are still controversial. Furthermore, the conventional aesthetic value system of landscape appears to have limitations for guiding us to an appropriate appreciation, especially in dealing with newly emerging urban landscape patterns such as regeneration of post-industrial landscapes. Understanding these issues, there have been continuous attempts to describe the relation between ecology and aesthetics, suggesting that a new approach known as "ecological aesthetics," can bring us a new set of viewpoints seeking a reunion of nature and culture, and science and art. It asserts that "there is a type of beauty" in the landscape associated with its ecological health which people could aesthetically appreciate; and therefore, revealing the "hidden" beauty of nature in more visible ways should be the primary concern of today's ecological designers. This research mainly consists of extensive literature research and a case study on two landscape restructuring projects of post-industrial landscapes in Seoul, Korea. The literature research redefines the tasks of landscape architecture based on the idea of ecological aesthetics, and the case study seeks the potentials and limitations of current design projects. This research proposes a framework for landscape perception and reflects on the lessons that would be useful for better practice and research.
ContributorsMin, Byoung Wook (Author) / Cook, Edward (Thesis advisor) / Crewe, Katherine (Committee member) / Pijawka, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Growing concerns over climate change and the lack of a federal climate policy have prompted many sub-national organizations to undertake greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions on their own. However, the interventions associated with these efforts are typically selected in a top-down and ad hoc manner, and have not created the desired GHG emissions reductions. Accordingly, new approaches are needed to identify, select, develop, and coordinate effective climate change mitigation interventions in local and regional contexts. This thesis develops a process to create a governance system for negotiating local and regional climate interventions. The process consists of four phases: 1) mapping the overall transition, 2) reconstructing the current intervention selection system, 3) assessing the system against principles identified in the literature, and 4) creating an improved system based on the assessment. This process gives users a detailed understanding of how the overall transition has progressed, how and why interventions are currently selected, what changes are needed to improve the selection system, and how to re-structure the system to create more desirable outcomes. The process results in an improved system that relies on participation, coordination, and accountability to proactively select evidence-based interventions that incorporate the interests of stakeholders and achieve system-level goals. The process was applied to climate change mitigation efforts underway in Sonoma County, California to explore the implications of real-world application, and demonstrate its utility for current climate change mitigation efforts. Note that results and analysis from interviews with Sonoma County climate actors are included as a supplementary file.
ContributorsCulotta, Daniel Scott (Author) / Wiek, Arnim (Thesis advisor) / Basile, George (Committee member) / Shrestha, Milan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Despite public demand for climate change mitigation and natural open space conservancy, existing political and design efforts are only beginning to address the declining efficacy of the biotic carbon pool (C-pool) to sequester carbon. Advances in understanding of biogeochemical processes have provided methods for estimating carbon embodied in natural open spaces and enhancing carbon sequestration efficacy. In this study, the benefits of carbon embodied in dryland open spaces are determined by estimating carbon flux and analyzing ecological, social, and economic benefits provided by sequestered carbon. Understanding the ecological processes and derived benefits of carbon exchange in dryland open spaces will provide insight into enhancing carbon sequestration efficacy. Open space carbon is estimated by calculating the amount of carbon sequestration (estimated in Mg C / ha / y) in dryland open space C-pools. Carbon sequestration in dryland open spaces can be summarized in five open space typologies: hydric, mesic, aridic, biomass for energy agriculture, and traditional agriculture. Hydric (wetland) systems receive a significant amount of moisture; mesic (riparian) systems receive a moderate amount of moisture; and aridic (dry) systems receive low amounts of moisture. Biomass for energy production (perennial biomass) and traditional agriculture (annual / traditional biomass) can be more effective carbon sinks if managed appropriately. Impacts of design interventions to the carbon capacity of dryland open space systems are calculated by estimating carbon exchange in existing open space (base case) compared to projections of carbon sequestered in a modified system (prototype design). A demonstration project at the Lower San Pedro River Watershed highlights the potential for enhancing carbon sequestration. The site-scale demonstration project takes into account a number of limiting factors and opportunities including: availability of water and ability to manipulate its course, existing and potential vegetation, soil types and use of carbon additives, and land-use (particularly agriculture). Specific design challenges to overcome included: restoring perennial water to the Lower San Pedro River, reestablishing hydric and mesic systems, linking fragmented vegetation, and establishing agricultural systems that provide economic opportunities and act as carbon sinks. The prototype design showed enhancing carbon sequestration efficacy by 128-133% is possible with conservative design interventions.
ContributorsHuck, Erick (Author) / Cook, Edward (Thesis advisor) / Green, Douglas (Committee member) / Brooks, Kenneth (Committee member) / Montemayor, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Now dry and broken, the Salt River once supplied a great legacy of Riparian vegetation through the Sonoran desert. This verdant landscape flourished from perennial flows of a river fed by high mountain snowmelt. However, multiple dams within those mountain canyons and channelization for the purpose of flood protection have nearly dried up the Salt. Through the process of design I examined the potential to repair, restore, and redevelop the river, choosing a site within the reach of the Salt River that currently includes an artificial retention area called Tempe Town Lake. Since 1999 a two mile portion of the river channel has contained the reservoir for the purpose of recreation and development within the city of Tempe. As I investigated the viability of restoring an urban desert river to a more natural riparian condition, I developed a master plan that merges ecological river restoration with sustainable urban development. Research into the vegetative communities historically occurring along the river's edge guided me to create a project based in ecological principles. Expanding the concrete channel to a wider river presence followed examples set by case studies and the historic character of the Salt River. A new braided low flow channel, allowed to meander with the natural currents of the river, is terraced upwards in a gentle slope that maintains current 500-year flow plains. The vegetation communities I propose to establish along the new terraced elevations are adapted from Charles H. Lowe's profile of a foothill canyon and archival research specific to this portion of the Salt River. As a way to support the reintroduction of Arizona's lost riparian plant communities, the master plan incorporates the use of greywater and A/C condensate collection from proposed developments along the river's edge. These new water systems would be substantial enough to sustain riparian vegetation creation and in addition, provide for ground water recharge. Additional developments continue the City of Tempe's goal to expand development along the river and adjacent to the downtown core. Providing for increased recreational opportunity in a river setting improves the quality of life in Tempe and sets the community apart from surrounding desert cities. By applying ecological and sustainable design and planning principles, the Salt River Diaries master plan repairs the river's flow, restores the riparian vegetation, and redevelops the edge between the city and river.
ContributorsBruckner, Coby Ryan (Author) / Fish Ewan, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Cook, Edward (Committee member) / Sykes, Astrid (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This paper was born of the researcher's personal interest. As someone who commutes by bike and plans to continue to do so for the foreseeable future, the researcher was intrigued by the growing bicycle culture in Phoenix, Arizona, a city that can sometimes make commuting without a car quite difficult. The researcher aimed to uncover why cycling is becoming more popular as a mode of transportation in a city that can often be hostile towards cyclists. This paper first reviews some previous studies done on alternative commuting. Next, it details a commute-shed analysis conducted with the help of the US Census Bureau's On The Map program. After that, the researcher describes the methods used to gather qualitative data about attitudes from local commuters and discusses the results. Finally, suggestions and speculations are made about ways to improve the bikeability of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The research found that cyclists in the area are motivated to commute by bike by factors including cost-savings, health benefits, and others. This data is important because it shows that the target demographic, who are able to exert their desires politically, feel strongly enough about commuting by bicycle to go out of their way to do it.
ContributorsParma, Alexander John (Author) / Kelley, Jason (Thesis director) / Shrestha, Milan (Committee member) / Valandra, Patrick (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Stormwater run-off control is emerging as one of the key sustainability challenges for the cities around the world, especially the coastal and flood-prone cities. Sustainable management of stormwater run-off is important because urban infrastructures (e.g., buildings, roads, and parking) effectively seal the land surface and disrupt the natural hydrological cycle, often disproportionately burdening the poor and disfranchised communities inhabiting the flood zones. The devastating results of flooding have pushed urban designers to actively consider "green infrastructure" as a more effective option to mitigate flooding risks and to enhance urban resilience. Green infrastructure connects nature-based solutions to effectively manage stormwater run-offs and provides several social, economic, and environmental benefits. Focusing on the use and governance of green infrastructure, this study addresses two key research questions: What are the ways green infrastructure helps urban stormwater management and overall urban sustainability in the developing countries? What are the challenges Lantin American cities face in comparison to the cities in the developed countries? This study applies a case study analysis approach to compare three Latin American cities: 1) Bogota (Columbia), Curitiba (Brazil), and Santiago (Chile), as those are representative of rapid urbanization trends occurring in the developing countries, and they have already green infrastructure in their urban design. The results of this study suggest that green infrastructure has significant benefits for the cities in developing countries, but it is also important to focus on the governance aspects that allow for a city to properly implement green infrastructure and create more adaptive and resilient cities.
ContributorsVillalobos, Vanessa (Author) / Shrestha, Milan (Thesis director) / Hagen, Bjoern (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Campus sustainability and the goal of reaching carbon neutrality have become a major trend among many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) globally, and many of them have taken public pledges to reach carbon neutrality as early as 2025. Despite this push and apparent eagerness to make campuses greener, the simple fact remains that HEIs account for very little of the global carbon footprint, and achieving carbon neutrality does very little to combat climate change in the grand scheme of things. It is widely held that HEIs seek to use carbon neutrality goals to demonstrate their strong commitment to sustainability and also to educate the next generation of thinkers and leaders in the hopes that graduates from these institutions apply these methods to higher levels of society thereby decarbonizing communities’ level by level. However, since carbon neutrality took center stage in campus sustainability goals, it is imperative to scrutinize and audit the past and current energy portfolio and analyze any meaningful changes to see their year-by-year progress and what methods have been most successful in reaching carbon neutrality. Not only that, but carbon neutrality seemingly means different things to different institutions. This research asks what is the role of a campus energy portfolio in terms of achieving carbon neutrality? Using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, this research utilizes a case study analysis of Arizona State University which was one of the first universities in the United States to achieve carbon neutrality. The results of this study suggest that a campus energy portfolio is integral in understanding the role of carbon neutrality and that becoming carbon neutral is not always the “green standard” indicator many HEIs want others to think it is.
ContributorsSingh, Sukhmani Kaur (Author) / Shrestha, Milan (Thesis director) / Parker, Nathan (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
The history of agricultural industrialization, a complex transition with global and local drivers and effects, is enhanced when local participants in the transition--farm households--contribute to the narrative. This thesis presents an in-depth case study of the household-level motivations and ecological impacts of agriculture during industrialization in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, c. 1960s-present. After a review of the theoretical frameworks for agricultural change studies, the historical context of PEI’s agricultural industrialization and the province-wide ecological effects are analyzed by interpreting historical, scientific, and grey literature. Then, a discussion of farm households’ role in connecting large-scale (often exogenous) factors with small-scale factors provides the background to the novel study, “The Back 50 Project”. Using a public participatory historical GIS (PPHGIS) online survey, this study invited PEI’s agricultural community to use historical maps to describe the agricultural land use change (ALUC) they have engaged in and observed since the start of industrialization. This study found that the strongest motivations for ALUC were proximate causes—namely, households’ resources and goals—rather than high-level historical drivers. The reported agroecological effects tended to concern on-farm ecosystems more than off-farm ecosystems, and they ranged in their harm or benefit, with harmful impacts following the historical contexts. Finally, the synthesis of these historical and ecological contexts with this household-level study aims to create a holistic narrative of PEI’s agricultural change over the past fifty years and provide recommendations for PEI’s future sustainable agricultural development.
ContributorsNeumann, Alexandra (Author) / Shrestha, Milan (Thesis director) / MacFadyen, Joshua (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
DescriptionThe goal of this creative thesis is to construct and implement an outdoor learning environment for the students who currently attend AIM's homework club. The project is underway and will be undergoing construction over the next few months.
ContributorsPeralta, Crystal Diane (Author) / Coseo, Paul (Thesis director) / Cook, Edward (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05