Browsing by Author "Healy, Robert"
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Item Open Access Can Chinese Tourists Support Nature-Based Tourism?(2022-11) Xu, DiNature-based tourism is an important form of tourism, which uses natural resources as the basis for the development of tourism projects and attracts tourists to watch or interact with nature for the purpose of relaxation, education, and pleasure. Since China is now the largest single source of tourists for the world’s tourism industry, understanding Chinese tourists’ perception of nature and their behaviors and preferences when participating in nature-based tourism is helpful for the further development of nature-based tourism. This paper first reviews the theories created by Chinese literati on the relationship between humans and nature and their development in history, then analyzes Chinese tourists’ use, attitudes, and feedback on natural attractions through direct and indirect measures. Then this paper uses SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to explore the advantages and disadvantages of developing nature-based tourism in China, and finally proposes policy recommendations based on the above research.Item Open Access Co-location Opportunities for Dynamic Use of Existing and Proposed School Buildings(2022-04-13) Etin, BozhenaWe have, on average, 1,098 to 2,168 annual school closures per year. That means thousands of school buildings need to be repurposed every year or they will stand vacant, become vandalized, and bring blight and a sense of abandonment to their neighborhoods. However, at the same time, there is an ever-growing need for affordable housing, community centers, meeting and workspaces, childcare facilities, parks and recreation areas, and other community spaces that can be accommodated within these structures. In this paper, I analyze the typology of the school building through history, and through some notable examples, demonstrate how school buildings can be adapted to other uses in the community. I also present examples of schools and community spaces sharing common buildings and the unique opportunities this co-location provides for the students as well as community members. The ultimate takeaway for this paper is to show that a school building is not just a place we send our kids to get an education. It can and should be a place for all people in the community to feel a part of and welcomedItem Open Access Eco-Industrial Parks in the Mexico-US Border Region: A feasibility study(2007-05) Perez, SaulThis project focuses on finding the feasibility for Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) in the Mexico-U.S. Border Region. EIPs are communities of businesses, from different sectors of industry, that cooperate with each other to efficiently share resources (information, materials, water, energy, infrastructure and, specially, residual materials that would otherwise enter as waste streams or be released as pollution), leading to economic gains, improved environmental quality, and enhancement of human resources for business and local community (PCSD, 1997). The project analyzes potential opportunities of material exchange with a variety of wasted resources generated by industrial plants on the Mexico-US border (maquiladoras), using a by-product exchange representation of an EIP. It concentrates on the region of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the sister-border town of El Paso, Texas, one of the most industrialized border cities with high maquiladora activity. The methods used to gather data for the study consisted of interviews that identified the most prominent material flows from different sectors of maquiladoras of Ciudad Juarez, and a literature search on existing EIPs around the world to gather data on the most common by-products utilized through their exchanges. The project then considered the economic and environmental benefits, and regulatory and industrial issues surrounding a potential EIP By- Product Station. The study shows that there is not a good match between current waste-streams and by-product utilization potential of existing plants.Item Open Access Jordan Lake: Biography of a Multi-Purpose North Carolina Reservoir 1945-2024 and Beyond(2024-04-01) Raynor, GarrettIn 1945, the last numbered hurricane in the United States caused significant devastation along the New Hope River in Central North Carolina, flooding and marooning the city of Fayetteville. In response, the decision was made to dam and flood the New Hope Valley, to create a multi- purpose reservoir called Jordan Lake. The project would not be without controversy however, as concerns arose that it would not fulfill its purpose, alongside complaints about the utilization of eminent domain to provide almost 50,000 acres of land needed. This paper tells the story of the lake, beginning with what was planned for it, and the criticisms from the public, with the subsequent responses from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Then it describes the situation since the reservoir pool was filled in 1982, and whether or not it met the expectations set initially, regarding wildlife habitat, flood management, recreational benefits and provision of drinking water. Costs and benefits will be assessed up to the present (2024). Finally, the last chapter forecasts the Lake’s future, as a major automotive firm begins to establish its manufacturing plant 10 miles away from Jordan Lake, using eminent domain to construct it and as major housing developments draw water from the lake.Item Open Access Opportunity Zones: Potential Economic and Community Impacts in Durham and Johnston Counties, North Carolina(2021-11-19) Delgado, RandyThe 2017 Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included a provision for creating "Opportunity Zones" to spur investment in disadvantaged communities. The Act provided that funds invested in these zones (plus an additional amount of "new money") will enable investors to postpone taxes on capital gains from other investments, and also reduce their tax rate if the investment is kept for more than ten years. What is the possible economic and social impact of these Opportunity Zones both nationally and in North Carolina? This paper reviews hundreds of investment funds and projects that have been created to channel private capital into Opportunity Zones. It then looks at zones in Durham County (7 zones) and in Johnston County, North Carolina (4 zones). In Johnston County the opportunity tracts will likely attract investors seeking market-rate returns, result in more temporary economic impact and little to no social impact. In Durham County the opportunity tracts will likely attract investors seeking equitable development and have the potential to achieve longer term social impacts. It will be important to consider how the Opportunity Zone program interacts with other government subsidies (e.g., New Market Tax Credits) available to investors.Item Open Access Politics, Mass Media, and Policy Change: Recreational Water Rights in Colorado Communities(2008-04-02) Crow, Deserai AndersonThis study looks at the process of local policy change in environmental policy decisions. It employs a comparative case study research design to analyze the creation of a new recreational water right in Colorado to support whitewater boating. It compared the 12 communities that have applied for the new water right to 6 non-adopter communities. Factors including stakeholder groups, citizens, policy entrepreneurs, mass media, policy knowledge, policy timing, and politicians' motivations are analyzed to determine their role in local policy decisions. This research also considers how policy change in local communities promoted new state laws, and was in turn influenced by them. The dataset includes interviews with 75 Colorado water experts and community decision makers, mass media coverage of the policy process, and legal and legislative documentation of the process. These data were then analyzed within cases and across cases to create a model of community policy change. This research found that three elements were present when a community's policies changed regarding the use of natural resources. First, the community was dependent on the resource, either economically or socially. Second, a policy entrepreneur was present to influence the community's decision makers to enact a new policy regarding natural resource use. These policy entrepreneurs were most often experts in water law or management. Finally, the community had access to accurate information regarding the new policy. The case study analysis found that neither mass media coverage of the issue nor citizen participation influenced policy change. This may have occurred primarily because water rights were viewed as a technical detail to be handled by experts. Citizens usually became engaged in the process only after the decision to file for the water right had been made. Similarly, media coverage of recreational water rights was present in most cases only after the policy decision had been made. This study provides an understanding of the processes that communities go through in deciding to change policies to account for new non-consumptive uses and the factors that influence those decisions. This research is not only relevant to water law in Colorado, but also to environmental policy in general.Item Open Access Projeto Costa Oeste Impact Assessment: Analysis and Recommendations for Associacao dos Moradores do Litoral Oeste(2007-05) Korol, WilsonThis paper examines an infrastructure road project in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, within the local context of a small favela, Colonia. This road project, called Projeto Costa Oeste, has a dual purpose of development and increased transportation. This project is done for my client, a local NGO called Associacao dos Moradores do Litoral Oeste (AMLO) and seeks to provide recommendations so that the NGO can work to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs. This paper draws on fieldwork and a wide body of literature in developmental economics, political participation, transportation, road impacts and environmental impact. After outlining these possible and perceived impacts, it assesses Costa Oeste’s viability, desirability and effectiveness. The primary finding is that neighborhood residents are unable to realize the attendant rise in property values assocastio4ed with Costa Oeste due to their insecure property rights regime. Therefore, the two primary recommendations to my client are, first, a house registration drive kin which residents take advantage of a Brazilian legal mechanism for registering a house that has been built in a favela such as Colônia. The second recommendation is for AMLO to consolidate the numerous associations working for social change in the neighborhood, thereby focusing their efforts and amplifying their resources.Item Open Access The Lure of the Northwest Passage: From Heroic Explorers to Modern Cruise Tourists(2020-04) Riley, Sharon E.For centuries, explorers sought a marine shortcut from Europe to Asia, across the top of North America, to expedite trade. This longed-for sea route, known as the Northwest Passage (NWP), became a sort of “holy grail” of ocean navigation, but attempts to traverse it were repeatedly blocked by ice and harsh conditions, resulting in lost lives and ships. Today the Arctic is the fastest warming part of the planet. As longer, warmer summers decrease sea ice and open the passage, cruise tourism has increased significantly. Why are so many drawn to this remote region, and does the experience live up to their expectations? This project examines the lure of the NWP, both historic and current, the evolution and marketing of NWP cruises, the motivations of passengers, and the risks of traversing the passage. It also draws on personal observations from a partial transit cruise I took in September 2019.Item Open Access The Rebirth of a Medieval Pilgrimage Route: A Study of the Modern-day Via Francigena Pilgrims(2018-08-03) Daily, KathrynToday, the long-neglected Via Francigena, a 1,180-mile medieval pilgrimage route between Canterbury, England, and Rome, is attracting an increasing number of 21st-century visitors. Between the 4th and 16th centuries, streams of pilgrims traveled this path to the Eternal City; however, after the 17th century, pilgrim travel waned. In contrast to the situation 500 years ago, during the past 20 years, a significant number of trekkers and cyclists have followed the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims. Surprisingly, little research has been conducted on the profiles of the contemporary Via Francigena travelers and their motives for undertaking a pilgrimage. Incorporating quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study explores the modern-day Via Francigena travelers’ demographics and their reasons for embarking on such a journey. The Autoethnographic research explored the experience of today’s pilgrim, as the author walked 200 miles (322 km) of the route in the fall of 2017 and the spring of 2018. The results of a survey (N = 208) conducted for this study suggests that the pilgrims of today are connected spiritually with the route; however, the majority did not consider themselves religious. Since the vast majority of the study subjects confirmed that their Via Francigena journey was a positive experience, the Council of Europe and the Via Francigena’s governing councils within the route’s 29 stages should incorporate these travelers’ motives and their profiles in future development and promotion planning.Item Open Access Urban Growth and Water Quality: Applying GIS to identify vulnerable areas in the Sandhills region of NC(2007-05) Soroko, TatyanaThe Sandhills region, located in central North Carolina, is expected to experience dramatic population growth in the next 5 years. Population growth triggers urbanization, which may result in impairment of local water bodies. This study applied GIS analysis and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Analytical Tools Interface for Landscape Assessments (ATtILA) to investigate the effects of alternative patterns of future urban development on water quality in the Sandhills region. GIS tools, along with considerations for population growth and future planned roads, were used to develop two scenarios for future land use: “Less Sprawl” and “More Sprawl.” The “Less Sprawl” refers to a case of land cover associated with high housing density, 9 units per acre, and new developments occurring near existing urban developments and major roads. The “More Sprawl” scenario is represented by lower housing densities and more dispersed new developments. Then ATtILA was applied to model relative changes for nitrogen and phosphorus area loadings in 12-digit hydrologic units between each scenario. Finally, the site ranking was developed to identify areas of the highest concern. The ranking was based on the projected level of impact of urban growth on the water quality and the amount of conservation areas in each hydrologic unit.