How planners and stakeholders learn with visualization tools: using learning sciences methods to examine planning processes

Planning researchers traditionally conceptualize learning as cognitive changes in individuals. In this tradition, scholars assess learning with pre- and post-measures of understandings or beliefs. While valuable for documenting individual change, such methods leave unexamined the social processes in which planners think, act, and learn in groups, which often involve the use of technical tools. The present interdisciplinary research program used Learning Sciences research methods, including conversation analysis, interaction analysis, and visualization of discourse codes, to understand how tools like agent-based models and geographic information systems mediate learning in planning groups. The objective was to understand how the use of these tools in participatory planning can help stakeholders learn about complex environmental problems, to make more informed judgments about the future. The paper provides three cases that illustrate the capacity of such research methods to provide insights into planning groups’ learning processes, and the mediating roles of planning tools.     

Evaluating consistency of stakeholder input into participatory GIS-based multiple criteria evaluation: a case study of ecotourism development in Kurdistan

Multiple criteria evaluation (MCE) is often used with GIS to identify suitable sites for multi-purpose development such as ecotourism. Typically, expert or stakeholder consultation is used to identify weights reflecting the relative importance of map layers representing different criteria. The objective of this study was to evaluate a new consultative approach to GIS-based MCE, using ecotourism development in Kurdistan, Iraq, as a case study. In an initial and follow-up consultation, stakeholders were asked not only to assess the relative importance of different map layers for ecotourism development, but also to identify specific sites suitable for ecotourism. Seventy-eight ecotourism destinations nominated by participants had significantly higher MCE scores than a set of 58 locations chosen without reference to stakeholders (t-test = 21.16; p < 0.001). The approach thus provides a straightforward means of assessing the consistency of stakeholder input into MCE and could be adapted for use in other site suitability assessments.     

关于推进浙江省规划环境影响评价的思考

推进规划环境影响评价,既是贯彻落实<中华人民共和国环境影响评价法>、促进生态文明建设的需要.也是环境保护行政主管部门加强污染源头控制、参与宏观决策的有效途径.在对江苏、云南、重庆等地进行实地调研的基础上,分析了中国当前规划环境影响评价工作所面临的形势,重点研究了浙江省在推进规划环境影响评价工作中需要重点关注的问题,并提出了浙江省推进规划环境影响评价的相关建议.     

The digital workshop: exploring the use of interactive and immersive visualisation tools in participatory planning

This paper examines the emerging role of digital tools in a collaborative planning process for British Columbia's Bowen Island. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 'digital workshop', combining the interactive CommunityViz tool with the immersive lab facilities at the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning (CALP). In support of the larger community planning process, two 3-h workshops were held at CALP's Landscape Immersion Lab. To facilitate collaborative exploration, the interactive landscape visualisation and real-time data analysis capabilities of CommunityViz were employed to illustrate the possible outcomes of residential density policies for Bowen Island's Snug Cove community. The community planning workshops were structured to provide the 14 semi-expert participants with the opportunity to explore and discuss the contentious residential density components of the draft Snug Cove Village Plan. The abilities to dynamically explore the visualisations of the planning proposals, and to see real-time changes in indicator metrics were considered particularly informative, and appeared to increase participants' understanding of the plan. Written and verbal responses indicated, however, that there was insufficient time to examine and interact with the information during the workshop, suggesting a need to examine in greater depth how and when these tools might best be employed in collaborative settings. Current and future research relating to this project is discussed.     

Differences in bioregional classifications among four aquatic biotic groups: Implications for conservation reserve design and monitoring programs

Bioregional classifications are used extensively for conservation management and monitoring programs. This study used generalised dissimilarity modelling (GDM) to test the ability of different regional classifications of four groups of aquatic biota to be used as surrogates for each other. Classifications were derived for aquatic macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, freshwater fish and frogs using community-level modelling, or GDM, which relates the biotic assemblage structure with environmental variables. Six regions were defined for each biotic group for the State of New South Wales. Regional classifications differed markedly between the different biotic groups because the environmental drivers that were related to species turnover throughout the region differed among groups. Altitude and rainfall were the strongest drivers of species turnover among the groups. Results suggest that physiographic variables should be incorporated in reserve design and monitoring programs to explicitly address differences in classifications between similar biotic groups.     

Environmental history: A piece in the puzzle for establishing plans for environmental management

Establishment of plans for environmental planning and management requires that a number of natural and societal factors must be taken into consideration. Insights into the inherent dynamics of nature as well as the role that past human activities have played for establishing the current condition of the landscape and the natural environment in general are essential. Many natural and man-made changes occur over time scales of decades or centuries, and these are difficult to comprehend without a historical perspective. Such a perspective can be obtained using palaeoecological studies, i.e. by geochemical and biological analyses of lake sediment and peat deposits. To illustrate the long-term dynamics of nature and particularly the role of man, we present here five case studies from Sweden concerning pollution, lake acidification, lake eutrophication, biodiversity, and landscape dynamics and conservation – topics of broad interests – and discuss benefits of including a longer time perspective in environmental management.     

Flood risk management in Dutch local spatial planning practices

Spatial planning is increasingly regarded as an important instrument to reduce flood consequences. Nevertheless, there are very few studies that show why local planning authorities do or do not systematically use spatial planning in advance to mitigate flood risks. This paper explores flood reduction strategies in local planning practices in the Netherlands. It also explores why spatial planning was or was not used to reduce flood consequences. The arguments for the use or non-use of planning mainly referred to requirements from other governmental bodies and the perceived role and the related responsibility of local planning authorities, previous disaster experience, and previous experience with spatial planning for flood risk management.     

河北省自然保护区现状调查与规划研究

在河北省自然保护区现状调查的基础上,探讨目前自然保护区建设中的主要问题,并对河北省自然保护区规划和对策进行研究。     

加强国家生物多样性数据管理和信息交流能力建设

我国现已收集整理了覆盖全国的各类生物多样性数据和信息,但生物多样性数据管理的技术水平和质量较低,信息交流的技术手段和机制尚不理想,数据管理和信息交流的整体能力建设还相当薄弱。在评述目前我国生物多样性数据管理和信息交流现状的基础上,提出加强我国生物多样性数据管理和信息交流的具体行动措施,即建立新型的国家生物多样性信息系统组织机构体系,建立电子网络化的生物多样性信息系统,建立信息共享机制,优先协调、完善和开发一批数据库,制定基础数据管理标准。     

城市绿地防灾规划建设和管理探讨——基于四川汶川大地震的思考

随着我国城市规模的急速扩张和人口密度的过度集中,健全城市防灾系统已成为刻不容缓的艰巨任务.城市绿地作为城市防灾系统的重要组成部分,不仅具有生态、景观、游憩和文化功能,还具有突出的防灾避险功能.通过分析成都、都江堰等四川汶川地震受灾城市绿地的使用情况,结合对北京市部分作为应急避难场所的公园建设和使用情况的实地调查,总结认为我国城市绿地防灾规划建设和管理现阶段存在的主要问题是:①对城市绿地的防灾避险功能认识不足;②适合用于防灾的城市绿地总量不足,分布不均;③用于防灾的城市绿地防灾配套设施及功能有待完善.最后从建立城市绿地防灾规划体系,明确城市绿地防灾建设工作重点和优化城市绿地防灾管理体制三个方面探讨如何对城市绿地防灾规划建设和管理进行优化,从而达到加强我国城市绿地防灾功能,完善城市防灾系统的目的.