Planners in British Columbia must adapt to climate change by preparing for expected and unexpected changes in their communities. The results of survey and workshop research conducted at the Planning Institute of BC conference indicate that planners do not have a high level of knowledge of climate change adaptation. Planners feel that the impacts that will affect BC the most in 50 years will be related to forests, agriculture, river flooding, transportation and water. Different regions in the province will be affected in different ways, and adaptation strategies must be created for the specific needs and attributes of a community. Open-structured workshops are a good method to educate planners about climate change adaptation however, they should not be expected to yield results that can be incorporated into planning documents. Global climate models are a valuable tool that decision makers can use to help determine appropriate planning actions. --P. ii.
Moose (Alces alces)-vehicle collisions (MVC) can result in large ecological and socio-economic costs. The increasing number of MVC across Canada are resulting in population-level effects for moose, greater numbers of human injury and mortality, and increased costs to motorists and insurance companies. In my thesis I developed a set of predictive models to better understand MVC and the locations where they might occur on the Trans Canada Highway bisecting Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks in British Columbia, Canada.--P.2.
This study examines the wind energy planning frameworks from ten North American jurisdictions, drawing important lessons that British Columbia could use to build on its current model which has been criticized for its limited scope and restriction of local government powers. This study contributes to similar studies conducted by Kimrey (2006), Longston (2006), and Eriksen (2009). This study concludes that inclusion of wind resource zones delineated through strategic environmental assessment, programme assessment, and conducting research-oriented studies could improve the current British Columbia planning framework. The framework should also strengthen its bat impact assessment practices and incorporate habitat compensation. This research also builds upon Rosenberg's (2008) wind energy planning framework typologies. I conclude that the typology utilized in Texas should be employed in British Columbia in order to facilitate utilizing wind power. The only adaption needed is the establishment of a cross-jurisdictional review committee for project assessment to address concerns about local involvement and site-specific environmental and social concerns. --P.ii.
The purpose of Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) is to use the practices of GIS and mapping to promote knowledge production and efficient decision-making. PPGIS has the ability to empower potentially marginalized populations, who have limited ability to express themselves in the public arena, using geographic technology education and participation. PPGIS is being increasingly recognized as a valuable method for gathering public knowledge and opinions. This study evaluates the usefulness of a PPGIS tool compared with a traditional participatory method in an environmental planning case study within north-western British Columbia (BC), Canada. Attitudes of lay public and expert planners were surveyed on the usefulness of the PPGIS tool and paper PP (Public Participation) method. The results of this study suggest that the PPGIS tool has the ability to be used, in certain situations, as a means of providing and collecting public information. However, its use is limited for certain public groups as it requires a certain level of computer literacy and technological infrastructure. As a result, the simplicity and familiarity of traditional participatory methods need to be integrated with GIS-based participatory methods.
