Local Community Planning Research Articles

Forest carbon removal potential and sustainable development in Japan

Forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change and reducing emissions as a major carbon sink. However, its value in removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is always underestimated in natural capital (NC) accounting and sustainability assessments. This study predicted Japan’s forest CO2 removal by afforestation and forest management and its monetary value until 2042 from national to gridded level, with statistical data and complementary satellite data products, and explored how that CO2 removal will contribute to sustainable development under the inclusive wealth (IW) framework. The results show that: (1) the annual CO2 removal by forests has the potential to offset 15.3% of the emission and increase NC by 6.8% in Japan, significantly contributing to carbon neutrality and IW growth; (2) the total CO2 removal in exiting forests will peak at around 2030 and then decrease, but expanding afforestation could offset that decrease in later years; (3) the spatial distribution patterns of IW and forest CO2 removal are opposite. This indicates a national carbon trading market could create new wealth for rural communities where vast forests exist, and then effectively balance the inequal urban–rural development in Japan. The explicit spatial information of this study could provide valuable information for differentiating policy priorities of forestry planning and sustainable development in different local communities.

The Image and Mission of Geographical Science in Ukraine

The image of Ukrainian geography is formed in the difficult conditions of the establishment of statehood, deep political and economic reforms, and geopolitical and military resistance to russian aggression. Geographical science still does not sufficiently respond to the contemporary demands of society for geographical information and geographical knowledge. The reformation of national science and education presents geographers with many new problems that need to be considered and solved. The latest information technology revolution, along with new technical capabilities, means more and deep complex requests for geographic information. The paper considers the mentioned issues. The authors focus attention on the features of the transformation of the functions of geographical science in the conditions of post-industrial society and new people’s interaction with natural systems. The technological findings created by modern society are a prospect for the implementation of many solutions in the sphere of sustainable economic, social, and ecological development, as well as the transition to new models of production and consumption, and adaptation to climate change. The paper mentioned that geography plays a significant role in the development of organizational plans and business models in EU countries in such areas as regional and local development, urban and community planning and development, emergency risk management, and transition to a circular economy. In Ukraine, unfortunately, geography, like other sciences such as mathematics and physics, is increasingly perceived as part of basic education. Public demand and the market for projects are practically not formed, which causes both gaps in the implementation of numerous EU directives and international standards, as well as the decline of the discipline. Currently, the war with Russia is definitely the one of the bitter phenomena that requires the involvement of geographers. The first reaction of scholars took place as early as 2014, which was reflected in the adjustment of several educational programs, including human geography, political geography, urban geography, landscape ecology, spatial planning and development, cartographic modeling and GIS, geography of transport systems, population settlement, etc. Simultaneously, today Ukrainian geographers talk about large-scale changes in research priorities, focusing on the assessment of losses and the potential for the restoration of territories, the sustainable development of cities and regions, and geostrategization.

Building a Community’s Adaptive Capacity for Post-Mining Plans Based on Important Performance Analysis: Case Study from Indonesia

Preparing communities around mines to face the impacts of mine closures is crucial in order to reduce disruptions to their livelihoods. Building the adaptive capacity of these communities will alleviate the burden on governments or mining companies in the future. Unfortunately, adaptive capacity has not yet been integrated into post-mining planning policies. This research aims to develop an adaptive capacity framework for post-mining planning in local communities, focusing on a case study conducted in Indonesia. We developed this framework using the Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method. The findings indicate that the adaptive capacity framework provides a comprehensive approach to building the capacity to adapt and thrive in post-mining situations. This highlights the importance of continuing to disseminate post-mining plan information, prioritizing access to capital and former mine sites, fostering collaboration, and creating job opportunities. Simultaneously, efforts to increase skills should be reduced, and reallocation of efforts towards community institution building, establishing information centers, and improving community bonds should be prioritized in more important fields and programs. By adopting this framework, communities around mines in Indonesia are expected to enhance their resilience and ability to effectively respond to changing circumstances.

Collaboration between Chiefs and Local Government Actors in Combating Climate Change: Evidence from New Juaben, Ghana

Institutional barriers remain a constraint to efficient adaptation to climate change in many countries. Therefore, there is much to be desired regarding knowledge on the capacity and roles of local institutions in responding to climate change across sectors and locales. Drawing evidence from randomly selected chiefs and local government actors, and purposively selected officials of the Municipal Assembly, we examined how partnership between local government actors and informal institutions such as chieftaincy could enhance coordinated and integrated climate action and adaptation planning in local communities. All interviews were transcribed and analysed in themes generated from deductive codes. Participants demonstrated varied levels of knowledge on the causes and impacts of climate change. We observed the implementation of several unstructured climate change activities in local communities as actors of the two institutions individually and collaboratively implemented some adaptation and mitigation actions. We therefore conclude that when given the right attention, by addressing the problems which include financial allocation, low capacity of personnel, and the lack of coordination between units that confront the local institutions, informal institutions and local government actors, could spearhead lasting climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes, and produce equity and sustainability at the national level.

Knowledge Gaps Update to the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere: Prospects to Refine Coastal Flood Hazard Assessments and Adaptation Strategies With At-Risk Communities of Alaska

This article reviews the status of knowledge gaps and co-production process challenges that impede coastal flood hazard resilience planning in communities of northwestern Alaska, where threat levels are high. Discussion focuses on the state of knowledge arising after preparation of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate and highlights prospects to address urgent needs. The intent is to identify some key steps necessary to advance the integration of relevant multidisciplinary observations with flood modeling and infrastructure mapping to co-produce new online hazard and risk assessment tools that inform local community planning and improve science collaboration among Federal, state, and regional partners for enhanced pre-storm preparations and post-storm recovery, including partial or complete relocation. By focusing coastal data integration for delivery of priority geospatial hazard map products through a consistent yet customized approach to adaptation planning, the broad collaborative effort in Alaska may yield a path of stakeholder service delivery that can be applied to many Arctic communities and other vulnerable regions of the world.

The active participation in a community transformation project in China: constructing new forums for expert-citizen interaction

The call for citizen participation is a prominent theme in academic, public, and political discussions. Taking the S Village transformation project in Guangzhou City as a case study, this article examines how urban planners, as experts, contributed to improving citizen participation in local community planning. The planners constructed forums for expert-citizen interaction in which they provided residents with professional knowledge, performed multiple roles as both experts and communicators, and promoted capacity building; citizens were largely mobilized to perform active participation in this transformation project. The findings show that planners reframed the transformation plan based on villagers’ community identity towards the village history, which played an important role in reaching a mutual agreement regarding community development. The article echoes the argument that such professional groups have, as planners, emerged as mediators linking the government and citizens in Chinese community governance and discovers their role as an engine for promoting villagers’ innovation and self-development capacity. However, the study reveals that experts’ role in supporting citizens’ participation is restricted due to such factors as a lack of institutional support and high operating costs. More research needs to be done to explore how experts could better facilitate civic participation in different contexts.

An investigation of Driver Attitudes Towards Road Safety in Oman

The Summary: Nowadays, road safety and associated behaviors received a lot of attention. Road Traffic Accident (RTA) is a combination of many factors comprising roads designs, vehicle and environmental conditions and human behavior. Human behavior is the most prevalent contributing factor for road traffic accidents. This study aims to identify accident risk factors associated with driving behaviors among the drivers in Oman and its risk perception. The study comprised the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative method included interviews with focus group from the Ministry of Transportation in Oman. The quantitative approach included analysis of road traffic accidents in Oman, followed by a survey questionnaire distributed to a random selection drivers in Oman. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using constant comparative and statistical techniques. The results showed that gender, age, and experience have significant influence on attitude towards the commission of traffic violations and risk behavior. The young and male drivers were found to be significantly more involved in road accidents, and the 26-33 years age group and those with minimal driving experience of 1-5 years constitute the risk-taking attitudes group. The results of this study will be of interest to the local community and transport planning in the Sultanate of Oman and it will help reduce traffic accidents and improve driver behavior.

Rise (and Decline) of European Migrants in Greece: Exploring Spatial Determinants of Residential Mobility (1988–2017), with Special Focus on Older Ages

Aging, European Union consolidation, and human mobility across countries are three entangled processes making the Mediterranean region of Europe an attractive retirement place thanks to mild climate and lower costs of living. Residential mobility of retired workers in Europe has grown rapidly since the 1980s because of increased wealth, transportation improvements, and flexibility of working lives. However, residential mobility after retirement was occasionally investigated in relation with economic cycles; recession was hypothesized to negatively impact residential mobility from Northern/Western/Central Europe to Mediterranean countries. Considering economic and population dynamics over the last three decades, the present work documents the drastic reduction in the number of European immigrants in Greece after the 2007 recession, with the exception of retirees. Job shortage and worse socioeconomic conditions were demonstrated to alter settlement patterns and location preferences of migrants at both younger and older ages. Results of our study suggest a rethinking of the role of spatial planning and developmental measures in local communities less organized to host increasing flows of retirees from Northern Europe. Being increasingly required to provide services for aging population, social policies should reconcile retirement migration with internal demographic dynamics and the specificity of local contexts, promoting finely tuned taxation systems and appropriate spatial infrastructures.

The role of trust in shaping urban planning in local communities: The case of Hammarkullen, Sweden

Abstract Urban planning is increasingly focusing on the social aspect of sustainability. The 2014 report Differences in Living Conditions and Health in Gothenburg shows important and increasing inequalities between different parts of the city, a development seen in cities across the world. The city of Gothenburg has set as its goal the decrease in inequalities by joining forces with civil society, the private sector, academia and people living in the city. Participation and inclusion become important tools in city planning processes for the authorities to understand local conditions, particularly to understand the living conditions of people in socio-economically marginalised areas, whose voices are rarely listened to, and to enable their active participation in shaping outcomes. In this article, we explore the role of trust in improving urban planning, and in shaping possibilities for participation that is positively experienced, in the sense that it increases people’s sense of control over their neighbourhoods. Based on empirical work in Hammarkullen, a socio-economically marginalised area in Gothenburg, the article shows how specific local configurations of trust have an impact on local development plans. It further shows how participatory practices coarticulate with the local social situation to shape outcomes in a certain way. Grounded in the empirical study, the paper argues for the importance of understanding the local conditions of trust and how they interact with planning processes in shaping outcomes and future possibilities of cooperation. Further, the paper argues for the need to take the local conditions of trust into account early in the planning phase.

Identifying Strategic Priorities for the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas Based on Local Community Planning

Purpose: Iran has about 60000 villages with a wide variety of issues and problems. The aim of this study was to understand the real situation, development needs, and priorities of rural communities through local community participation in the planning process. The main questions of this research are: What are the most important issues of the rural communities and the main priorities for their rural development of the local community?; What are the strategies for the development of rural communities and resolving their problems? Methods: The statistical population comprised all rural areas of Iran. The research method was Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) meetings conducted in 120 villages in different provinces of Iran, representing random distribution of the rural communities. In addition to group meetings, field observation, completing questionnaires, and holding interviews with representatives of local community groups have been conducted. Eventually, the obtained data have been prioritized through a questionnaire with 20 experts in this field. Results: The results show that all rural community issues can be grouped into 5 and the most important issues are related to the management problems of the local community, in other words, the role of government institutions as the main authority, engaging in a centralized and top-down development programs.Conclusion: Achieving sustainable development of rural areas and local communities, is only possible through the establishment of a system of governance based on local community planning as they are the main beneficiaries of development programs.

Transforming children's futures: the challenges and benefits of using data linkage to improve the planning of children's services within Scotland

ABSTRACT
 BackgroundRealigning Children’s Services is a programme which aims to improve the commissioning and planning of children’s services through the use of evidence and implementation science. A key focus of this is an ambitious data linkage project which links two sets of survey data with local administrative data from Education and Social Work in local Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) within Scotland. The initial tranche for the programme worked with three CPPs in 2015/16 and has involved work at a national and local level.
 AimsThe data linkage component to the project has been closely aligned to local need and interest with continued collaboration with professionals in local areas from strategic managers to schools. The data resulting from the linkage will allow for a series of reports tailored to local priorities and will also inform a data visualisation tool which will help professionals to look closely at the data. It has also prompted discussion and reflection within the local areas around what data is currently used in each locality, how evidence can inform their planning and what gaps exist within their knowledge base which could be filled through the data linkage.
 ApproachContribution Analysis was used as a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of the Realigning Children’s Services programme. This allowed a focus on far reaching outcome measures alongside process measures through a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Data from this evaluation will inform future linkage projects and evaluate the use of linked data in strategic planning in children’s services.
 ConclusionThe Realigning Children’s Services programme has shown that data linkage within a children and families context can be complex and ethically challenging. However it also offers professionals access to critical data which can otherwise go overlooked. This presentation will discuss these challenges and consider how this work has been used to help local areas improve their planning of their services for children and families within a multidisciplinary setting.

Low Compliance of Urgent Care Centers in the United States With Recommendations for Office-Based Disaster Preparedness

The aim of the study was to determine the compliance of urgent care centers in the United States with published recommendations for office-based disaster preparedness. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to urgent care center administrators as identified by the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine directory. One hundred twenty-two questionnaires of the 872 distributed were available for analysis (14% usable response rate). Twenty-seven percent of centers have an established disaster plan for events that involve their establishment and surrounding community; 49% practice the plan at least once a year, 19% less frequent than once a year, and 32% never practice. Forty-seven percent of centers are familiar with designated emergency shelters and community evacuation plans. Seventeen percent of centers function as part of a surveillance system to provide early detection of any biologic/chemical/nuclear agents. Twenty-two percent of centers take part in local community and hospital disaster planning, exercises, and drills through emergency medical services and public health systems. Five percent of centers aid schools, child care centers, camps, and other child congregate facilities in disaster planning. Twenty-eight percent of centers have an assembled emergency/disaster kit, containing such items as water, first aid supplies, radios, flashlights, batteries, heavy-duty gloves, food, and sanitation supplies. Areas for improvement in urgent care center disaster preparedness were identified, such as developing an office disaster plan that is practiced at least yearly, becoming familiar with designated emergency shelters and community evacuation plans, providing surveillance to detect potential acts of terrorism, assisting community organizations (hospitals, schools, child care centers, etc) in disaster planning, and assembling office emergency/disaster kits.

Limiting disaster assistance to enhance community resilience

Funding response to natural disasters in the USA currently hinders communities from becoming more disaster-resilient. With economic resources nearing exhaustion, new approaches are needed that promote disaster-resilient communities. This article examines implications of a lifetime-limited model as an innovative idea for community disaster funding. Approached as a thought experiment, weaknesses of the present model are contrasted with inherent stabilities of an idealised model. The limited model integrates resilience planning, comprehensive planning and investment programmes in local communities. It changes the critical roles that federal and local officials, academic and private sectors play in favour of an innovative integrated planning process. This model is expected to: (1) stabilise federal spending through community lifetime limits; (2) shift political actions to local and long-term disaster resilience; (3) stimulate community innovations that encourage proactive natural hazards planning; and (4) build more resilient and sustainable communities by shifting responsibility to local officials.

The Local Community Planning (Case Study: Narmak Neighborhood of Tehran)

Approach to urban development of the new millennium an important shift in paradigm has the experience. Models centralized deficiencies of urban planning caused in change from command to the attitude of the partnership. This new pattern of urban sustainable development principles is that fundamental emphasis on the role of local communities. Indeed the face and problems solve That modern cities are involved As population growth, traffic problems, pollution and the environment, immigration, poverty, marginalization, health problems and dozens more with Change methods of planning from macro and subjective to micro and objective (local scale) is the be achievable. The aim of this study is that rather than macro Attitude in national scale to the micro planning to be one of the neighborhoods in Tehran. Methodology in this research is a descriptive – analytical and for mapping is used of GIS software. Data collection have been conducted base on field and library studies. The results of this research through a neighborhood of Tehran Narmak case study and outlining the desirable position of neighborhood land use indicates that With the transition from state circuit urban planning with the general attitude Toward community-based planning can be hoped that move towards City sustainability.

Statistics for Community Governance: The Yawuru Indigenous Population Survey, Western Australia

This article presents a case study of an exercise in Aboriginal community governance in Australia. It sets out the background events that led the Yawuru Native Title Holders Aboriginal Corporation in the town of Broome on Australia’s northwest coast to secure information for its own needs as an act of self-determination and essential governance, and it presents some of the key findings from that exercise. As the Indigenous rights agenda shifts from the pursuit of restitution to the management and implementation of benefits, those with proprietary rights are finding it increasingly necessary to build internal capacity for post-native title governance and community planning, including in the area of information retrieval and application. As an incorporated land-holding group, the Yawuru people of Broome are amongst the first in Australia to move in this area of information gathering, certainly in terms of the degree of local control, participation, and conceptual thinking around the logistics and rationale for such an exercise. An innovative addition has been the incorporation of survey output data into a Geographic Information System to provide for spatial analysis and a decision support mechanism for local community planning. In launching and administering the "Knowing our Community" household survey in Broome, the Yawuru have set a precedent in the acquisition and application of demographic information for internal planning and community development in the post-native title determination era.

Metrics for local community planning and evaluation: the case for observational measurement of high risk rural sub-populations in occupant safety.

Introduction:The purpose of this study is to examine the relevance of non-specific safety belt use data for interventions to rural teens and to pilot a data collection project to provide more specific data to traffic safety stakeholders and educators in rural areas.Methods:Twelve high schools in Southeast Georgia were used for observed safety belt data collection over a 16 month period. Observational surveys were conducted at the entrance to student parking lots of the studied schools in the morning or afternoon. Observers were trained and survey methods were standardized to maintain comparability between results.Results:Observational surveys revealed a safety belt usage rate of 38.6% among high schools teens at the studied high schools. Safety belt usage rates ranged from 9.5% to 66.9%. Observed safety belt use for female vehicle occupants was 48.4% compared to 35.6% for males.Conclusion:The observational survey results from this study support research showing that rural teens have lower safety belt usage rates than adults or urban teens. Despite efforts to target rural areas, programs must specifically target sub populations, especially rural male teens, in order to hold any traction. Because of the wide gap between measured safety belt use in rural Georgia (79.9%) and the studied rural high schools (38.6%), local program planners must assess actual safety belt usage in their high risk rural teen population in order to use accurate metrics for intervention and education efforts.

Unpredictable Consequences of Sámi Self-determination: Rethinking the legal protection of Sámi cultural heritage in Norway

Sámi cultural heritage is protected in Norway by the Cultural Heritage Act. A 1978 amendment to this Act provides automatic protection to all Sámi cultural heritage sites and buildings older than 100 years. Strong legal protection has in a very positive and constructive way contributed to Sámi identity and cultural self-determination for more than 30 years. This article discusses the current level of protection and different scenarios for future management of Sámi cultural heritage sites and buildings. Background material includes The Norwegian National Sites and Monuments Record, relevant policy documents, and interviews with Sámi cultural heritage management and three Sámi municipalities. Our results demonstrate that strong legislation for protection of Sámi cultural heritage, and thus in favour of Sámi cultural rights, can contribute to severe restrictions on future planning and development in local communities. The intent to protect Sámi cultural heritage sites, paradoxically, may in future threaten traditional Sámi land use. Keywords: Sámi, cultural heritage, cultural heritage management, Norwegian Cultural Heritage Act (1978), protected sites, Nordland, Troms, Finnmark.Citation: Arctic Review on Law and Politics, vol. 3, 1/2012 p. 30–50. ISSN 1891-6252

Processes involved in assessing priorities for local level Lepidoptera conservation programmes that aim to achieve global conservation impact

Identifying viable conservation projects for Lepidoptera that target threatened species depends upon effective identification and execution within a framework of events. This process requires information gathering and analysis, stakeholder discussion and local community involvement, planning, action, monitoring and review. Published working examples from four continents are drawn upon to illustrate all the key stages, focusing on methods for identifying priority areas (complementarity, biodiversity hotspots, habitat distribution, irreplaceability) for conserving threatened Lepidoptera, whilst considering other conservation issues.

The Development and Implementation of a User-Friendly Priority Setting Tool for HIV Care and Treatment Services in New York City

The Ryan White Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Program is the largest federal program designed to provide medical and social support services for HIV infected persons who are uninsured or underinsured. In 2008, the Ryan White budget was $2.2 billion, of which over $100 million went to the New York City (NYC) eligible metropolitan area (EMA), which receives the largest Ryan White allocation targeted to any EMA. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is the grantee for the EMA. To implement HIV care and treatment programs funded by this grant, the DOHMH works closely with the NYC Ryan White Planning Council, a local community planning body that assesses needs, plans for service delivery and sets priorities for funds. This article describes priority setting principles, practices, findings and lessons learned. It also outlines how the legislatively mandated community planning body has developed and implemented a user-friendly priority setting process and tool.

Community involvement in land regularization for informal settlements in Tanzania: A strategy for enhancing security of tenure in residential neighborhoods

This paper documents and analyzes how landholders managed to uplift status of their neighborhood from hazard land as designated by the 1978 master plan to a regularized residential settlement through land regularization in Dar es Salaam city. Specifically, explores policy framework governing land regularization and how the local community explored the opportunities it offers. Documents the local community planning and land regularization processes undertaken focusing on land use planning, drainage construction, and cadastral survey and discuses how financial resources were raised, trust was built as well as factors which sustained community involvement towards meeting their interests of securing tenure. The paper also, draws challenges facing land regularization policy and recommends areas for further interventions commensurate with the human dimension challenges in securing tenure. Underlying community involvement, those aspects of community, which have been connected to the idea of social capital namely existence of committed leadership in land development matters, embracing mechanism for participatory decision making process and educational background to local leaders were particularly important in determining success for the case. Others include economic ability to contribute, high proportion of landholder settlers, land conflict task force formulation, local consensus to solve commonly felt problems, existence of strong community organization, and unwritten norms put in place to regulate individual behavior in building construction. Weak legal recognition of informal settlement, lengthy and bureaucratic procedures in planning and approval of regularization plans, weak knowledge on land management matters, short-term title deeds with low financial betterments, political popularity are identified critical challenges. Some of recommendations put forward include formalization of the grass-roots role in decision-making, decentralizing some of land development control functions to sub-ward leaders and training the same in basic land management matters. Others include definition of norms; by-laws and government facilitation of informal land parceling. Besides community support should be sought so as to create partnership in the promotion of security of tenure in informal areas. The study concludes that, unless land development activities ongoing in informal settlements are closely monitored and regulated as the settlement grow, it will be too costly socially and economically to retrofit once the settlement have identified.