Environmental Management Project Research Articles

School Environmental Management Plan with Proposals for Environmental Education

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the environmental quality of an educational institution in order to draw up a School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP). Theoretical Framework: Studies on this subject have tended to investigate and diagnose the level of environmental sensitivity and perception through school environmental practices, with the intention of proposing intervention actions, but without using simplified environmental planning models. Method: In this work, the Environmental Committee was created and the Environmental Diagnosis of a rural school in Uberaba-MG was carried out using the following tools: photodiagnosis, floristic survey, questionnaires and checklist. Based on the results, the SEMP was drawn up, using the 5W2H tool, Environmental Education actions were proposed for inclusion in the school's Pedagogical Political Project. Results and Discussion: The environmental education carried out at the school could be characterized as occasional and isolated practices, often misunderstood by those who carry it out. As a result, a playful booklet was produced with the tools used and instructions on how to create an SEMP, which was distributed to all the schools in the municipal network. Research Implications: The SEMP was the product of collective and conscious action by the school community, and was not their sole responsibility, either in terms of preparation, execution or maintenance. Originality/Value: The method used to draw up the SEMP, when compared to other environmental management projects, proves to be an instrument for developing pro-environmental behavior, contributing to the sustainability of other school units.

An Optimized Method for BMI in Environmental Projects Based on the Value-Oriented AHP

Effective rural solid waste management (RSWM) is crucial for sustainable rural development, particularly in developing countries, which face dual challenges from economic growth and environmental protection. To build a more sustainable business model for RSWM, this study employs a value proposition analysis approach to systematically analyze the multi-level requirements of various stakeholders involved in the current models of RSWM. It then proposes a novel optimizing approach for RSWM models from the perspective of business model innovation (BMI) by integrating the value proposition (VP) theory with the algorithm of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to fill the research gap. In this study, an AHP-based evaluating algorithm is firstly proposed based on the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders’ value propositions. Using this method, four typical pilot RSWM models across China are assessed and ranked, followed by a comprehensive analysis of the results and the incorporation of hierarchical criteria from multiple value dimensions. Building on the analysis of the results, optimization strategies for a novel RSWM model are proposed by constructing a conceptual framework of the business model. In addition, the analysis also indicates that both phases of sorting and collection and transportation are the main factors for fulfilling the overall satisfaction of the RSWM models. Lastly, this paper concludes by summarizing the relevant theoretical and managerial implementations of the proposed approach, providing a foundation for the scientific development of appropriate RSWM models by providing a new idea for BMI especially for environmental management projects that include multiple stakeholders.

The Critical Social Processes for Standardising the Ecological Monitoring of Australian Landscapes

For a long time, ecological monitoring across Australia has utilised a wide variety of different methodologies resulting in data that is difficult to analyse across place or time. In response to these limitations, a new systematic approach to ecological monitoring has been developed in collaboration between the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - the Ecological Monitoring System Australia (EMSA). A qualitative approach involving focus groups and semi-structured interviews was undertaken to review perceptions of the introduction of the EMSA protocols amongst Natural Resource Management practitioners and other key stakeholders. We found that environmental management stakeholders recognise there will be many advantages from the standardisation of ecological monitoring. However, key concerns emerged regarding the capacity needed to implement the standard protocols, the utility of the resultant data for regional projects, and the scope for adaptive co-management under the EMSA. Stakeholders emphasised the need for autonomy and flexibility, so their participation in protocol development can facilitate regional adoption of the standards. Respondents’ concerns about a perceived lack of genuine consultation and acknowledgement of feedback revealed the importance of clear communication at all stages of an environmental management project aiming to standardise practices. Our findings indicate that reflexivity will be vital to address the complexity involved in standardisation of ecological monitoring. Formal processes of social learning will need to be integrated into environmental management approaches to account for the increasing complexity of socio-ecological systems as they are challenged by global change.

Shifting lakefronts: Alternative waterfront politics in Wuhan

ABSTRACT The transformation of lakefronts from spaces of privatization and contamination to vibrant public areas signifies a significant urban shift in Wuhan over the past 2 decades. This article explores a shift toward integrating bottom-up participatory approaches to sustainable environmental management with the top-down planning system amid this profound urban transition. By examining the unintended planning consequences and civic actions across Sha Lake and Dong Lake, this study uncovers a complex urban process marked by conflicts over waste management, property rights, and cultural identity issues at the water-land interface. In this process, new forms of civic participation emerged in Wuhan’s environmental management in the digital age, despite the lack of official participatory mechanisms. The study identifies parallels in the formalization of community engagements between Wuhan and other locales, notwithstanding China’s continued dominance of centralized governance, as middle-class activists increasingly play active roles in environmental management projects, utilizing skills, networks, and dedication.

Impact on urban river water quality and pollution control of water environmental management projects based on SMS-Mike21 coupled simulation

To explore the impact of expanding Nanyang Sewage Purification Center (NSPC) on the main sewage discharge area of Bai River, we constructed a 2D hydrodynamic-water quality model based on surface water modeling system (SMS) and Mike21. Simulating three sewage discharge conditions in wet, normal, and dry season, we evaluated three indicators (COD, NH3-N, and BOD5) by the single-factor pollution index and provided recommendations for water environment management. The results showed that, maximum absolute error of water level was 0.08 m, percentage bias coefficient of COD, NH3-N and BOD5 were 19.3%, 16.2% and 23.1%, indicating the SMS and Mike21 coupling model was applicable; water quality of the assessment section were upgraded from the original class IV, V, V (Condition 1) to class IV, III, II (Condition 2) and class IV, III, III (Condition 3) in the wet, normal and dry season, indicating that NSPC's expansion had improved the water quality of the assessment section; as the primary pollutant, BOD5 concentration in the downstream was lower than the upstream, which was due to the dilution effect of river. Therefore, on the basis of expanding NSPC, we recommend to remediation of BOD5 by physical, chemical, and biological methods. This study broadens new ideas for the application of Mike21, and provide a reference for the prevention and improvement of river water pollution in urban areas.

Estimating Total Suspended Matter and Analyzing Influencing Factors in the Pearl River Estuary (China)

This study on total suspended matter (TSM) in the Pearl River Estuary established a regression analysis model using Landsat 8 reflectance and measured TSM data, crucial for environmental management and engineering projects. High coefficients of determination (>0.6) were reported for the selected models. TSM concentration was notably high in 2013, peaking at 180 mg/L during the flood season and 80 mg/L in the dry season. In contrast, 2020 saw lower concentrations. Similar spatial distribution patterns were observed during dry and flood seasons, with high nearshore and low offshore TSM concentrations. Statistical analyses revealed natural factors (precipitation and runoff) as major influencers of the TSM distribution, with human activities presenting localized, limited impacts, except under long-term and large-scale conditions. Over time, the influence of large-scale water-based construction, such as the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, on TSM distribution became significant.

Does the Community-Driven Development Approach Enhance Livelihoods? Evidence from Tanzania

This article determines the impact of the community-driven development (CDD) approach of the second phase of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP II) on livelihood enhancement in Kwimba District, Tanzania. The paper specifically examines determinants and levels of participation; and the impact of participation in the CDD subprojects on income and asset accumulation, using a sample of 210 households. Data analysis employed Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and thematic content analysis for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Findings indicate that education level, matching grants, and membership in community groups determine participation in the CDD subprojects. There is a moderate level of participation in the CDD subprojects stages. Findings further show that households participating in the CDD subprojects were found to earn 6% more income and own 10% more assets than their non-participating counterparts. It is recommended that policymakers design and implement context focused CDD subprojects for them to have impact. How to cite this article using ASWNet style Kisusi, F. L. & Ndesanjo, R. B. (2023). Does the Community-Driven Development Approach Enhance Livelihoods? Evidence from Tanzania. People centred – The Journal of Development Administration (JDA), 8(4), 103-112. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jda.v8i4.2 Visit journal website: https://jda.africasocialwork.net

Prediction of the Turbidity Distribution Characteristics in a Semi-Enclosed Estuary Based on the Machine Learning

This study addresses the critical challenge of predicting sediment behavior in a semi-enclosed estuary, where the interplay between artificial freshwater discharge and seawater significantly impacts turbidity. Such environments are characterized by complex hydrodynamic interactions that lead to cycles of sediment settling and resuspension, influenced by tidal forces. To tackle this problem, we employed machine learning, leveraging its capability to analyze and predict complex non-linear phenomena. Our approach involved extensive transect observations conducted over two years, encompassing 11 ebb tide and 9 flood tide cycles. These observations were crucial for training the machine learning model, ensuring it captured the nuanced dynamics of sediment behavior under varying hydrodynamic conditions. The necessity of this research lies in its potential to enhance our understanding of sediment dynamics in estuaries, a vital aspect for environmental management and engineering projects. The findings demonstrate a promising alignment between the machine learning model’s predictions and the theoretically assumed sediment behavior, highlighting the model’s effectiveness in deciphering and predicting turbidity patterns in these challenging environments.

Troubled waters: Riparian ecosystem services and community opposition to the largest dam removal project in Europe, Vezins Dam, France

The largest Dam removal project in Europe occurred in 2019 with removal of the Vezins Dam on the Sélune River in Normandy, France. The French State ordered removal of the 36-m high Vezins Dam and the 16-m high la Roche-qui-Boit Dam along the Sélune River to restore ecological and longitudinal connectivity to improve riparian water quality, and especially to restore migratory species of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and eel (Anguilla anguilla). We examine community opposition to removal of the Vezins Dam through the lens of riparian ecosystem services and stakeholder values. Primary data sources includes fieldwork, interviews, and an online survey of local stakeholders. Text analysis and interview coding occurred with ATLAS.ti 22, and highlight themes related to federal-local communication and riparian ecosystem services. The French State ineffectively communicated with local communities regarding dam removal benefits and riparian stakeholder values. While the state focused on biophysical ecosystem services, experiential ecosystem services, such as place attachment, were more important to riparian stakeholders. Often portrayed as a positive benefit, here dam removal lacked community support. Failure of government authorities to effectively incorporate stakeholder values along a continuum of ecosystem services substantially compromises future large-scale federal environmental management projects dependent upon local community support. By examining how local actors experienced dam removal, study results increase understanding of environmental governance and the local consequences of national policy decisions, of use in future dam removal projects – including for large dams – in France and internationally.

MAPTkit: An environmental management decision‐tool for inclusive, equitable and representative stakeholder attribute mapping

Abstract Inclusive, comprehensive Stakeholder Identification and Mapping processes are vital for successful environmental management. This is relevant as multi‐disciplinary collaboration becomes increasingly popular, and the diversity of people influenced by, or involved in, the management of most projects is greater than ever before. Understanding how relevant parties are analysed in environmental management programmes is required to enable robust and considered methodologies as well as successful, just and equitable outcomes. The aim of this study was to improve the attribute mapping process, increasing transparency and ensuring representation is both comprehensive and equitable. A rapid scoping review of Scopus and Web of Science was undertaken to collate and analyse peer‐reviewed, published evidence on stakeholder analysis, with a focus on the mapping processes involved in identifying stakeholders and their attributes. Of the Initial 359 identified papers, 61 were included after three stages of screening. Our results indicate that there is little consistency among practitioners to ensure that Identifying and Mapping Stakeholders is representative: <20% of Case Studies (n = 9) checked the relevancy of their stakeholders after identification. Additionally, definitions at all stages of the stakeholder analysis process were inconsistent across the case studies. Fewer than half of the Case Studies included a definition of Stakeholder (n = 22) or of stakeholder analysis (n = 25). Capturing a representative sample of relevant parties, without compromising on efficiency, financial or practical constraints, is difficult. Having consistent definitions for the term Stakeholders and stakeholder analysis within environmental management is an important step. Based on the scoping review, we formalise the Analysis process into six stages. Through the scoping review findings, a decision support tool, MAPTkit (Mapped Attribute Profiling Toolkit) was developed to visualise the heterogeneity and representation of stakeholders across several user‐determined attributes. This tool is non‐prescriptive, drawing attention to potential issues with stakeholder analysis, such as misrepresentation of real‐world stakeholder communities. This ensures engagement across the full range of people to ensure that environmental management projects are multi‐disciplinary and collaborative, while promoting fair and equitable representation.

Vegetation dynamics influenced by climate change and human activities in the Hanjiang River Basin, central China

Assessing the dynamics of vegetation and its response to environmental changes is essential to understanding ecosystem changes and the sustainable use of natural resources. In this study, we investigated the impacts of climate change and human activities on vegetation growth in the Hanjiang River Basin. We classified the basin into the portion mainly affected by climate change (VClimate) and the portion affected by both climate change and anthropogenic activities (VClimate+Human). Using an improved residual trend method that considers both lag effect and nonlinear response, we analyzed the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to observed NDVI changes. Results suggest that the basin experienced a statistically significant increase in growing-season NDVI during 2001–2016 (0.047 decade-1). Precipitation was the dominant climatic factor for NDVI change in VClimate+Human, whereas precipitation and temperature were nearly equally important for NDVI change in VClimate. On average, both climate change and human activities promoted vegetation growth during the study period, and their average contributions were 41.4 % and 15.5 %, respectively. In particular, climate change and human activities in general enhanced vegetation growth in non-urban areas, while human activities mainly reduced vegetation growth in urban areas. The findings of this study can benefit regional ecological restoration and environmental management projects.

Lessons learned and challenges for environmental management in Colombia: The role of communication, education and participation strategies

Environmental management has increasingly focused on promoting social engagement in biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation as a way to foster sustainability. However, a critical challenge that still remains is the adequate implementation of strategies of communication, education, and participation (CEPA) oriented to reconnect the social and ecological dimensions in the systems. This study analyzed the main features and types of CEPA implemented by the Colombian Regional Autonomous Corporations in environmental management projects that consider ecosystem services. We found a variety of CEPA focused on a wide range of stakeholders. Communication and education were the most frequently implemented in the projects. Within communication, spreading information about the projects was the most common, while education focused on instrumental training of local communities. Participation, the less frequently implemented, mainly aimed to ensure government and decision-makers involved in the initial phases of the projects. We conclude that there is a need to increase and improve education strategies in conservation projects to make decisions based on critical and reflective thinking, and foster the engagement of a broader set of stakeholders in the processes.

Knowledge co‐production and researcher roles in transdisciplinary environmental management projects

AbstractCalls for transformative change and participatory modes of knowledge production demand researchers to assume new roles. This paper synthesizes the literature on knowledge co‐production and researcher roles to explore challenges for researchers involved in transdisciplinary environmental management projects. Our research methods combine a scoping review and reflections on personal experiences with three transdisciplinary projects. To conceptualize researcher roles in transdisciplinary knowledge co‐production, we distinguish between three spaces: knowledge, formal policy, and stakeholder. Knowledge co‐production requires collaboration between actors from different spaces and integration of diverse knowledge sources and types. Depending on whether researchers adopt knowledge‐oriented, change‐oriented or intermediating roles, they will experience different challenges. When researchers combine knowledge development with change‐oriented and/or intermediating roles, they encounter new challenges, such as, maintaining independence or objectivity. To assist researchers in transdisciplinary projects, we conclude with a checklist of four elements to reflect upon: orientation, norms and values, expectations and resources.

Basin-Scale Approach to Integration of Agro- and Hydroecological Monitoring for Sustainable Environmental Management: A Case Study of Belgorod Oblast, European Russia

The quantitative and qualitative depletion of water resources (both surface and groundwater) is closely related to the need to protect soils against degradation, rationalization of land use, and regulation of surface water runoff within the watershed area. Belgorod Oblast (27,100 km2), one of the administrative regions of European Russia, was chosen as the study area. It is characterized by a high activity of soil erosion (the share of eroded soils is about 48% of the total area of arable land). The development phase of the River Basin Environmental Management Projects (217 river basins from the fourth to seventh order) allowed for the proceeding of the development of an integrated monitoring system for river systems and river basin systems. The methods used to establish a geoecological network for regional monitoring include the selection and application of GIS techniques to quantify the main indicators of ecological state and predisposition of river basins to soil erosion (the share of cropland and forestland, the share of the south-oriented slopes, soil erodibility, Slope Length and Steepness (LS) factor, erosion index of precipitation, and the river network density) and the method of a hierarchical classification of cluster analysis for the grouping of river basins. An approach considering the typology of river basins is also used to expand the regional network of hydrological gauging stations to rationalize the national hydrological monitoring network. By establishing 16 additional gauging stations on rivers from the fourth to seventh order, this approach allows for an increase in the area of hydro-agroecological monitoring by 1.26 times (i.e., up to 77.5% of the total area of Belgorod Oblast). Some integrated indicators of agroecological (on the watershed surface) and hydroecological (in river water flow) monitoring are proposed to improve basin environmental management projects. Six-year monitoring showed the effectiveness of water quality control measures on an example of a decrease in the concentrations of five major pollutants in river waters.

Incorporating positive deviance into comprehensive remediation projects: A case study from artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the municipality of Andes, Colombia

Environmental remediation of polluted sites in developing communities often faces difficulties due to the misalignment of project objectives with the needs and interests of local communities, establishment of unrealistic expectations for the outcome of the project, and failure to account for the available resources in the community itself. Remediation decisions favor technical data and technical solutions as the main means of determining remediation options, requiring significant investment and local capacity that are often not found in developing communities. Often these systems fail to account for the social aspects in environmental management and remediation. In contrast, new approaches in local knowledge-based solutions focus on pre-existing environmental management initiatives to establish objectives that are meaningful to the community itself. “Positive deviance” – or the idea that there are solutions already in communities that are successful at addressing challenges despite the barriers that a community faces – are often overlooked during project design and implementation. Identifying examples of positive deviance and working with community members who are well versed in local challenges, available resources, and local capacity presents opportunities for community members to establish project objectives and provides the foundation for future environmental management projects in the area. We present a case study of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the Andes municipality, Antioquia, Colombia and local initiatives to overcome community-identified environmental pollutants. Through a series of semi-structured interviews, surveys, and site visits, we identified community perception of environmental pollutants, management techniques for mining waste, and grassroots initiatives that were locally developed to address them. Through key communication and interaction between innovators with identified positive deviance projects, technical experts, and other miners facing similar challenges, innovative projects that account for the social, political, and economic realities of a developing community can become widespread, leading to improved environmental and social conditions.

A Cautionary Tale of Environmental Management: Malaria, Water Management, and Land Reclamation in Twentieth-Century Guatemala

Abstract In the late 1920s, Guatemala embarked on environmental drainage projects aimed at eradicating mosquito breeding grounds. Designed to improve people’s lives, these efforts sometimes inadvertently undermined them, draining away water crucial to public hygiene campaigns. Although the goals of controlling malaria and expanding arable land were often in lockstep, the Guatemalan case of Lake Quinizilapa requires a more nuanced analysis. Bringing the historiographies of the environment and public health and medicine to bear on environmental management projects, this article demonstrates that environmental management and scientific medicine were as much about leveraging disease as eradicating it. Whereas Hispanic authorities could maintain theories disproven by entomology and parasitology without much criticism, indígenas (indigenous people) who articulated notions that contradicted science and challenged engineering’s supremacy were disparaged as ignorant inditos (little Indians). Intriguingly, the indigenous conception of the natural world more accurately predicted the outcome of the lake’s drainage prior to World War II. Political power and ethnicity determined the legitimacy of perspectives about the environment and disease.

ETHNOECOLOGY OF Mussismilia braziliensis (Verrill 1868) IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARAVELAS, BAHIA, BRAZIL

This work is the first record of the perception of fishers and artisanal fishers in the Caravela city- Bahia and its respective districts (Ponta de Areia and Barra de Caravelas) regarding the species Mussismilia braziliensis, its ethnozoological aspects and its socio-environmental importance. The main objective is to associate the knowledge of these artisanal fishers about this species with the ethnoconservation of the Abrolhos Marine National Park (PARNAM-Abrolhos). Data collection was conducted from March to August 2019 through semi-structured interviews with 14 fishers from each fishing communities (Caravelas, Ponta de Areia and Barra de Caravelas). An ethno-mapping was carried out with two focal groups in order to know if the fishing grounds have received their names due to the presence or absence of corals. Using morphological characteristics, the focus species is grouped together with other corals belonging to different families, which are all considered to be brain corals. Other studies are recommended to appreciate the knowledge of the Caravelas fishers and use it for future environmental education, management and conservation projects of the PARNAM-Abrolhos.

Project manager's perspectives on enhancing collaboration in multidisciplinary environmental management projects

The project management literature recognizes collaboration as being important to project success. However, clear guidance on how collaboration can be developed and maintained amongst key project stakeholders remains a gap in this literature. In parallel, the environmental management literature has examined collaboration for more than two decades in large, multi-disciplinary projects. This research sought to identify opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning. Adopting a projects-as-practice approach, qualitative interviews with practitioners undertaking project management for complex, multidisciplinary environmental projects were used to develop normative theory regarding strategies for encouraging successful collaboration in such settings. Findings highlight key differences in how collaboration is conceptualized within the project management and environmental management fields and identify opportunities (and boundaries) for cross-disciplinary learning. In addition, clear strategies are presented to guide practitioners in how collaboration can be encouraged in practice.

Bathymetric distribution of brachyuran crabs: Alpha and beta diversity variation in an upwelling area

AbstractBiodiversity studies might help to understand the ecological dynamics of regions under the influence of upwelling and serve as a baseline to conservation and management strategies. Here, we evaluated the alpha (species richness and Shannon‐Wienner index – H’) and beta (Bray Curtis index) diversities of a Brachyura assemblage within a depth gradient (5, 10, 15, 25, 35, and 45 m) in the Macaé region, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 1,221 decapod individuals were sampled, comprising 11 species .The highest diversity index was recorded at 5 m in depth and the lowest at 25 m. The ecological indexes (diversity and evenness indexes) were inversely proportional to the organic matter and phi (sediment texture). This finding suggests that the heterogeneous sediment of shallow areas increases habitat complexity, therefore increasing biodiversity. Since the study area is an upwelling zone, the coastal area is more affected by cold‐water masses, leading to a distinct biodiversity distribution when compared with regions that are not under the influence of upwelling. Considering these peculiarities, the importance of coastal areas to the biodiversity of regions affected by upwelling becomes evident. Such areas must have differential importance when conducting environmental conservation and management projects.

Construction risk analysis of water environment treatment project based on WBS-RBS and AHP in flood period --Take the EPC project of comprehensive treatment of water environment in the east of a city as an example

Basic environment construction is a livelihood project, especially water environment management is a hot topic in current engineering construction. There are more or fewer risks in the water environment treatment construction process, especially the black and smelly water treatment during the flood season. Hidden dangers, especially this year is the resumption of work and production after the epidemic, which coincides with the flood season. This article takes the EPC project of comprehensive water environment management in the east of a city as an example, and combines the WBS-RBS method and AHP analysis to analyze the risks of the water environment management project during the flood period. Analysis enables the project risk to be predicted in advance, and the risk is quantified, so that the risk coefficient is minimized and the project construction can proceed smoothly.