Crowdsourcing The National Map

Using crowdsourcing techniques, the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) project known as “The National Map Corps (TNMCorps)” encourages citizen scientists to collect and edit data about man-made structures in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative map data for the USGS National Geospatial Program’s web-based The National Map. VGI is not new to the USGS, but past efforts have been hampered by available technologies. Building on lessons learned, TNMCorps volunteers are successfully editing 10 different structure types in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.     

The State of Geography Education Research

Abstract

College enrollment and Association of American Geographers membership data reveal a significant deficit in minority participation in geography and environmental science. The author asserts that this dearth may have its origin at the K-12 level, where science subjects are presented in a manner that alienates socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils. With recent research indicating that low-income and nonwhite communities are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation, it is pertinent that methods be developed to increase the number of minority students choosing to pursue environmental careers. Involving students directly in projects investigating the pollution in their communities aids in enhancing student interest. By participating in a lead (Pb) contamination study, students are introduced to several geographic subdisciplines including cartography, demography, and environmental geography. Students also acquire skills in spatial analysis, map interpretation, and graphic design. Complementing basic lead-soil field investigations with geographic information systems, spreadsheet, and/or computer mapping software, offers students a valuable high-tech learning experience.     

Glacier characteristics and sediment transfer system of Longyearbreen and Larsbreen,western Spitsbergen

Two small high-Arctic glaciers (Longyearbreen and Larsbreen) on Svalbard (78°N 15°E) were studied with respect to glaciological and hydrological characteristics. Fieldwork during the melting season of 1993 and 1994 was coupled with digital map analysis based on high-resolution digital elevation models (DEM) to reveal the dynamics and temperature regime of small glaciers in a high-Arctic environment, and its relationship to the material transport and sedimentation of these glaciers. The study showed Longyearbreen and Larsbreen to be low activity glaciers, cold-based with temperate patches, and thus having a low potential of basal erosion. The transport of ions and suspended solids in the glacial meltwater implies storage of material in and around the glacier which comes into contact with the meltwater. The study suggests that small Arctic glaciers couple the slope system with the fluvial system and therefore build a highly effective denudation system. Small polythermal glaciers are therefore important in understanding Pleistocene and Holocene landform development in cold regions.     

Finnskogene I Norge

Recently, increased attention has been paid to the importance of everyday landscapes in the Western world, and a stronger political will to involve local participation in planning processes has emerged. The authors discuss the implementation of the political will to engage the Norwegian public in local heritage planning and whether or not this new role can have a mobilising effect on heritage protection. In Norway, cultural heritage managers have established methods for identifying valuable heritage assets in cultural historic landscapes. As increased responsibility for cultural heritage management is given to municipalities, more municipalities are making their own heritage plans to improve local heritage management. The article investigates how cultural heritage management in everyday landscapes is taking place, how heritage plans are developed, how local knowledge is involved, and what assets local residents appreciate in their environment, based on an in-depth study of two medium-sized Norwegian regional towns. The results show that local stakeholders were often invited to participate in planning processes, but that their contributions were largely kept out of official plans at the final stage. Further, the study revealed that memories and personal histories related to heritage appreciations are important elements in building identity, both at a personal level and at a local level.     

Fostering women's participation in development through non-governmental efforts in Cameroon

Women constitute 52 per cent of the population of Cameroon and play a very crucial role in the development of society at all levels. Unfortunately, they function from a subordinate position inherent in both traditional and state institutions. Women's empowerment is currently an issue of national concern and both state and international efforts at mainstreaming women in development have so far produced mixed results. The 'grassroots' approach of NGOs has been effective in reaching women at all levels. Activities of NGOs have had far reaching but mixed effects in meeting both practical and strategic gender needs. This paper examines case studies of NGOs and women's empowerment in Cameroon, and highlights their successes, with regard to improved access and welfare and their limitations, with regard to conscientisation, participation and control.     

Disaster Management and Community Planning, and Public Participation: How to Achieve Sustainable Hazard Mitigation

The paper offers first a brief historical overview of disaster management planning. Second, it reviews Australian and American research findings and show that they urge the field of disaster management to shift its focus from response and recovery to sustainable hazard mitigation. It is argued that in order for this shift to occur, it is necessary to integrate disaster management and community planning. Current practice seldom reflects such a synthesis, and this is one of the reasons why hazard awareness is absent from local decision-making processes. Third, it is asserted that if mitigative strategies are to be successfully implemented, then the disaster management process must incorporate public participation at the local decision-making level. The paper concludes with a case study of California's Portola Valley, which demonstrates that when public participation is integrated into disaster management planning and community planning, the result is sustainable hazard mitigation.     

农业文化遗产社区角色认同对旅游参与的影响研究——以浙江省青田县龙现村为例

探究居民作为农业文化遗产传承者的角色认同是否影响其参与旅游,是农业文化遗产地可持续旅游研究的重要问题。基于角色认同理论,以全球重要农业文化遗产保护试点项目浙江青田稻鱼共生系统为例,利用时间日志法和半结构式访谈法获取当地居民时间利用数据,并从时间利用视角出发就居民角色认同对其旅游参与的影响进行质性探讨,以期深度挖掘居民的态度和心理感知。结果表明:居民作为农业文化遗产传承者,其角色认同对旅游参与具有一定的影响。以居民角色认同程度和旅游参与程度作为分类变量加以交互组合,形成4种常见的旅游社区参与类型,即高角色认同-深度参与旅游型居民、高角色认同-浅度(未)参与旅游型居民、低角色认同-浅度(未)参与旅游型居民、低角色认同-深度参与旅游型居民。从而针对不同类型居民,提出农业文化遗产旅游参与和遗产保护的可行性建议。     

A spatiotemporal analysis of aggregate labour force behaviour by sex and age across the European Union

This study investigates the causes of variation in age-specific male and female labour force participation rates using annual data from 154 regions across ten European Union member states for the period 1983–1997. Regional participation rates appear to be strongly correlated in time, weakly correlated in space and to parallel their national counterparts. An econometric model is designed consistent with these empirical findings. To control for potential endogeneity of the explanatory variables, we use an instrumental variables estimation scheme based on a matrix exponential spatial specification of the error terms. Many empirical studies of aggregate labour force behaviour have ignored population distribution effects, relying instead on the representative-agent paradigm. In order for representative-agent models to accurately describe aggregate behaviour, all marginal reactions of individuals to changes in aggregate variables must be identical. It turns out that this condition cannot apply to individuals across different sex/age groups.

Practicing Sociogeomorphology: Relationships and Dialog in River Research and Management

Sustainable river management requires strong participation from technical and nontechnical experts. However, in many cases, the nontechnical element is lacking. This paper explores possibilities for participation that can emerge from a reorientation toward dialog. This reorientation is supported by a sociogeomorphological approach, which encourages recognition of the physical and social coproduction of a fluvial landscape, including a history of colonization and landscape degradation. Recognition of this sociogeomorphic context invited dialog with stakeholders involved in river management, which revealed opportunities for improving relationships in river management. The paper argues that dialog supports building interpersonal relationships as a basis for river management, where relationships could replace “stakes” as a structure for participation. Following reorientation, relationship development and maintenance, through dialog, emerges as a key activity of environmental management. Because dialog happens at the interpersonal scale, a relational approach has potential implications for researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders in many fields of environmental management.     

公众参与型环境规制的时空格局及驱动因子研究——以长江经济带为例

以长江经济带公众参与型环境规制为研究对象,运用空间分析方法研究其时空格局,通过地理探测器筛选其主导驱动因子,基于GWR（Geographically Weighted Regression）模型揭示主导驱动因子空间异质性。结果表明：① 各年份公众参与型环境规制均呈显著空间正相关,但集聚程度逐年下降;② 公众参与型环境规制空间分异格局基本稳定;③ 地理探测器剔除地均固定资产投资和万人在校大学生数两个初选因子;④ 公众参与型环境规制驱动因子作用力由大到小依次为环境风险、人地压力、排放强度、信息化水平、经济水平、产业结构;⑤ 各驱动因子存在特征不同的空间异质性,为制定针对性政策提供理论依据。