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The purpose of this study is to provide a geographical and multi-criteria vulnerability assessment method to quantify the impacts of extreme earthquakes on road networks. The method is applied to two US cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which are susceptible to severe seismic activities. Aided by the recent proliferation of data and the wide adoption of Geography Information Systems (GIS), we use a data-driven approach using USGS ShakeMaps to determine vulnerable locations in road networks. To simulate the extreme earthquake, we remove road sections within “very strong” intensities provided by USGS. Subsequently, we measure vulnerability as a percentage drop in four families of metrics: overall properties (length of remaining system); topological indicators (betweenness centrality); accessibility; and travel demand using Longitudinal Employment Household Dynamics (LEHD) data. The various metrics are then plotted on a Vulnerability Surface (VS), from which the area can be assimilated to an overall vulnerability indicator. This VS approach offers a simple and pertinent method to capture the impacts of extreme earthquake. It can also be useful to planners to assess the robustness of various alternative scenarios in their plans to ensure that cities located in seismic areas are better prepared to face severe earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The planning process in a planning studio demonstrates a microcosm of diverse concepts of ideologies and identities seeking acknowledgment and spatial recognition. In the modern world of multiple and dynamic identities and ideologies, aspiring for the self-recognition of regions, towns, and communities, a place-based identity has become a core aspect that needs to be taken into planning consideration. The analytic planning method used is iterative of both top–down and bottom–up approaches, thereby creating multi-dimension and coherent planning alternatives where spatial solutions arise from communities along their changing processes. We present two spatial alternative plans that were developed in the studio course and are based on this line of thinking. Results were very dynamic aspiring complex plans, which are also highly applicable and flexible, thereby addressing a wide range of ideologies and identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greater Cairo Metropolitan Region (GCMR) in its seeking to sustainable development (SD) by the year of 2050 facing the serious challenge of around 65 percent of Cairenes live in unplanned settlements. In this respect, the authors examined the effect of urban characteristics of unplanned settlements on SD in the Egyptian context, focusing on the type of unplanned growth on agricultural land. The output of the analysis were fourfold. First of all, we provide a brief overview of previous research on the main types of unplanned settlements in GCMR and the sustainability definition according to the Egyptian context. Secondly, we had a discussion with the local government during our field survey in GCMR to determine the study samples, the main urban characteristics, and the sustainability evaluation criteria in the Egyptian context. Thirdly, through the comparative analysis and geographic information system (GIS), we examined how the character of urban development affected per capita four urban measures in a cross-section of two settlements, one represented the unplanned settlements and other as a comparative planned sample to determine the real gap. Finally, by using the evaluation matrix, the help and block items are estimated for each measure of urban characteristics, providing substantive evidence on how the four measures of urban characteristics have been affected by the urban sprawl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power has seen a remarkable growth in China since the Renewable Energy Law came into force in the beginning of 2006. However, the contribution and the economic cost of wind power development to reduce carbon emission at the provincial level are still unclear. This research combined geographic information system analysis and levelized production cost calculation to provide provincial-level supply curve of carbon dioxide ( CO2) mitigation by wind power in China. The results showed that wind power could be a very competitive mitigation option in China, with a potential to contribute 500 million tons of CO2 emission mitigation at an average abatement cost of 75 RMB/t of CO2 mitigation. The emission abatement cost and the potential to reduce carbon emission in different provinces may be used for national planning as well as for the allocation of investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special approaches and algorithms for studying the response of zonal soils and the soil cover of the forest-steppe zone to climate fluctuations were developed on the basis of data of repeated soil surveys. They made it possible to analyze the particular transformations of the soil cover as indicators of short-term climate fluctuations in the southern forest-steppe of the Central Russian Upland. Vector soil maps and related databases on soil polygons were developed using GIS technologies. Changes in the climatic conditions between two rounds of large-scale soil surveys in 1971 and 1991 reflecting the so-called Brückner cycles were identified. A characteristic feature of climate change during that period was the rise in the mean annual air temperature by 0.2°C and an increase in the mean annual precipitation by 83 mm. In response to this change, the area of leached chernozems (Luvic Chernozems) on the interfluves somewhat increased, whereas the area of typical chernozems (Haplic Chernozems) decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being the sole emerging district town of Malda, English Bazar Municipality (area: 13.25 km2) is highly populated (total population=216,083), severely suffering from insufficient safe drinking water. It has attempted to supply purified safe drinking water through some water service centres (locally called Jaladhar) from where most of the people collect the necessary drinking water. There are 72 such service centres, spatially distributed in 29 wards of this municipality. Due to unequal population distribution and varying growth of population, it is essential to review whether the existing distribution is rational. Therefore, we attempted to find out some suitable sites, where additional water service centres are required, based on six demand parameters (population density, public service centre, existing water supply centres, location of bus stand, centroid of the ward/mouzas, land use as accessible point). From this purpose, both knowledge based and objective weighted composite index based spatial models have been prepared. Slightly different results have been yielded by the two models but the trends of site selection proved to be almost identical. About 4.29% out of total area, covering wards number 9, 15 and 19, have proved to be in high demand of high water service centres, mainly located in the core area of the municipality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Kutná Hora was a centre of medieval mining and remains an important contamination source in the present day. Surprisingly, very little attention has been paid to the associated contamination. Although some studies have been performed, the majority of information regarding contamination is only accessible in the archives and no overview has been published. The purpose of this study is to perform a meta-analysis of all accessible data and to shed light on this topic. Materials and methods: The data mainly come from analyses of HNO solutions of sediments. We used statistical analyses (exploratory data analysis, PCA). The results were visualised and evaluated in the GIS environment. Results and discussion: The complex of heavy metals As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, V, and Zn can be divided into three main groups of different interpretation: (1) uninfluenced by mining activities-Be, Co, Cr, Hg, and V; (2) smelting processes-Cu, Pb, and Zn; and (3) mining-As and Cd. These groups also show different spatial distribution patterns, absolute concentration values and binding with different environmental types-landscape features. Conclusions: The contamination of Kutná Hora can be characterised by element grouping and also by spatial diversification. This could be used in future research as a bearer of proxy information. Surprisingly, it also seems that the spatial range of contamination of sediments could be shorter than is generally presumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of natural hazards and the expansion of human impact are likely to threaten the cultural heritage of a region. The multidisciplinary approach identifies the flood susceptible areas, it relates them to the cultural heritage sites and it also provides the flood risks mitigation measures for these monuments. The Sucevita catchment is unique considering certain important landmarks of the national heritage and the UNESCO World heritage (monasteries). The flood risk maps are considered important tools to determine the vulnerability of the heritage monuments in developing the protection and the conservation strategies. The GIS technique and the comparative assessment of the risk factors allowed the identification of the heritage monuments that belong to the highest flood susceptibility area by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This area corresponds to the localities that are situated near the main course of the Sucevita river. In order to preserve the cultural heritage, it is necessary to implement some strategies and activities of flood risk management through structural and non-structural measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy plays an important role in mitigating dangerous climate change and will therefore most likely have to further expand substantially. With 50% of the global population living in urban areas, cities are transforming into hotspots for future sustainable energy systems in the context of a low-carbon society. Bioenergy feedstock from urban forests could contribute substantially to low-carbon energy supply, yet urban ecosystems also provide other services that have to be balanced against future energy needs. This study conducts a geo-spatial analysis of urban forests with respect to its potential of increasing feedstock production for urban bioenergy generation. At the same time, social and environmental constraints are considered and co-benefits discussed. In order to test the wider applicability of the methodology, the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve is chosen as a case study to determine the feedstock potential for local bioenergy provided to Viennese households. The theoretical biomass potential is modeled using biophysical growth and yield tables for individual tree species and then compared to the existing production area using GIS tools. Results show that the biomass use within the biosphere reserve can be increased by about 60% without violating any national or international law that protects multiple ecosystem services provided by the reserve, nor sustainability criteria of forest management. This indicates a high potential of peri-urban forest ecosystems to contribute to urban resilience – i.e. with respect to energy security and emissions reduction. The study concludes that urban forests require sensible management in order to minimize conflicts of multiple environmental, economic and social uses of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism in Spain has evolved from being a residual sector in the economy during the 1950s to become at present the main source of wealth in the country. The Spanish Law of Centres and National Tourist Interest Areas of 1963 created numerous new resorts on the coast whose life cycle is now over 50 years. On the Mediterranean coast, urban development and tourism model processes have been developed with major feedback to each other. In this context, it is particularly interesting to evaluate the results obtained since the decade of the 1960s in order to achieve sustainable tourism. This paper analyses a paradigmatic case study located on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. A diagnosis that explains the evolution of the life cycle tourist destination as a consumer product is carried out using geographic information system analysis of the urban plot. The mutation of the target customer, the real estate overcrowding, or the seasonality of demand will be the variables to be evaluated in order to assess the final return of the managed product. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the issue of perception and delimitation of Central Europe (CE). The first part discusses basic concepts and conceptions of CE, which are crucial in this respect. Attention is then paid to differences in the perception of CE by individual nations and their reasons. The following empirical part of the study compares theoretical knowledge with conclusions from the research. This research was carried out through a questionnaire survey collecting mental maps of selected individuals. The respondents were senior high school students and first year university students from eight CE countries. Their task was to mark the boundaries of CE based on their subjective perception on a map of Europe. A total of 490 mental maps were received, analysed and aggregated to GIS map outputs. The final part compares and interprets the results and reflects on how and why the results differ in individual countries and to which extent they match hypothetical assumptions of 'national' perceptions of CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface erosion represents, for the territory of Transylvanian Depression and especially for the contact area with the mountains, one of the major processes of degradation of land, along with landslides, which imprints a reduction of the quality of the soil and also for the agricultural production. Thereby, in studies, it is represented by the estimation of the quantity of degraded soil by surface erosion using models and methods which include integrated analysis of the factors that lead to the appearance of erosional processes. The new methods and techniques of spatial analysis in GIS environment for the analysis of the unique influence of each factor, as well as the integrated manifestation of the factors in the framework of the complex process of surface erosion. This are materialized in date bases which represent specific coefficient as: the erodability coefficient of soil, coverage of ground vegetation, slope degree, slope length, the pluvial erosion coefficient and so on. This were analyzed also through spatial distribution and the degree of influence among the erosion of the whole area in study, at the subunits level of hydrographic basins from Some. Mare hills, as well as through the level of the administrative territorial units space identified in the study area. Identifying the areas with high vulnerability for surface erosion represents the first step regarding the identification of areas with degraded lands, aimed mainly the rehabilitation of this areas through establishment of pilot forest resorts, which will aloud after words their inclusion in the economic circuit by sustainable exploitation of the obtained timber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the land use pattern and in the land cover structure for the time interval 1995-2012 in Thailand are considered by using, as an example, Nan Province located in the northern mountainous part of the country. Interpretation of satellite images and vector data that were provided by the Land Development Department (Thailand) revealed the main directions of change in the region's land use: deforestation, expansion of areas under crops, transition from slash and burn cultivation to permanent cultivation, and intensive utilization of agrochemicals. In spite of a decrease in the deforestation rate across Thailand in general, it is shown that for the period under review the proportion of natural forests in Nan Province decreased by nearly one half. On the other hand, the agricultural lands increased for the same period by more than 50%. The highest deforestation rates were recorded during 2009-2012. It was found that the changes in the land use pattern disturbed the existing centuries-old balance of man-natural environment interaction within the framework of the traditional system of slash and burn agriculture which is well adapted to local conditions. The study revealed the chief causes for such changes: an ineffective monitoring of forests; an unclear character of the boundaries separating lands of rural communities and protected territories, and possibilities for sales of commercial products (maize, cassava, etc.) cultivated in illegal fields. It is shown that rapid changes in land cover due to deforestation and plowing of mountainous areas for cultivation of commercial crops led to an intensification of slope processes (landslides and solifluction), an increase in overland runoff, and to an enhanced hazard of heavy floods during the monsoon season. To keep track of deforestation and deal with nature management conflicts requires a continuous monitoring of the land cover dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, natural areas have become a preferred recreation area for people looking to escape their busy urban lives. The world has become so complicated that people now seek solace in areas of nature. Recreational activities conducted in natural areas, such as Ilgaz Mountain National Park, should be respectful of the environment to ensure balance and no negative environmental impact. This balance should safeguard environmental protection and only be used with the right to establish recreation planning. National parks are protected areas where the most beautiful wonders of nature exist. Thus, urban planning for recreation, and demand for recreation areas, must demonstrate both the potential of recreation resources and the protection of Ilgaz Mountain National Park. Urban open and green spaces have an important function, and in this study, it has been looked at Ilgaz Mountain National Park to examine the current situation. The aim of this study is to ensure the sustainability of natural and cultural resources via an evaluation to reveal the necessary practices and precautions regarding the area’s recreational potential. As a result, Ilgaz Mountain National Park’s recreation potential was found to be 72 %, and thus, it is considered to be an area of high recreation potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some European regions, particularly in mountainous areas, the demand for energy is evolving due to the decrease of resident population and the adoption of energy efficiency measures. Such changes are rapid enough to significantly impact on the planning process of wood-to-energy chains that are supposed to work for the following 20-25 years. The paper summarizes a study in an Italian pre-alpine district where some municipality shows a declining resident population together with increasing summer tourism. The planning of conversion plants to exploit the local availability of wood is formulated as a mathematical programming problem that maximizes the economic return of the investment, under time-varying parameters that account for the demand evolution. Such a demand is estimated from current trends, while biomass availability and transport is computed from the local cartography, through standard GIS operations. Altogether, the mixed integer optimization problem has 11 possible plant locations of different sizes and technologies taking their feedstock from about 200 parcels. The problem is solved with a commercial software package and shows that the optimal plan changes if one considers the foreseen evolution of the energy demand. As it always happen in this type of biomass-based plants, while the problem formulation is general and may be applied to other cases, the solution obtained is strongly dependent on local values and thus cannot be extrapolated to different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study introduces a multi-criteria index to assess flood hazard areas in a regional scale. Accordingly, a Flood Hazard Index (FHI) has been defined and a spatial analysis in a GIS environment has been applied for the estimation of its value. The developed methodology processes information of seven parameters namely flow accumulation, distance from the drainage network, elevation, land use, rainfall intensity and geology. The initials of these criteria gave the name to the developed method: “FIGUSED”. The relative importance of each parameter for the occurrence and severity of flood has been connected to weight values. These values are calculated following an “Analytical Hierarchy Process”, a method originally developed for the solution of Operational Research problems. According to their weight values, information of the different parameters is superimposed, resulting to flood hazard mapping. The accuracy of the method has been supported by a sensitivity analysis that examines a range for the weights' values and corresponding to alternative scenarios. The presented methodology has been applied to an area in north-eastern Greece, where recurring flood events have appeared. Initially FIGUSED method resulted to a Flood Hazard Index (FHI) and a corresponding flood map. A sensitivity analysis on the parameters' values revealed some interesting information on the relative importance of each criterion, presented and commented in the Discussion section. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis concluded to a revised index FHIS (methodology named FIGUSED-S) and flood mapping, supporting the robustness of FIGUSED methodology. A comparison of the outcome with records of historical flood events confirmed that the proposed methodology provides valid results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-fuels are a sustainable solution to face increasing global energy consumptions and GHG emissions. This work was firstly focused on available renewables assessment linked to a local dimension. Furthermore, identifying the potential Eco-fuels capability, it was discussed how the capital expenditure for infrastructures is associated with carbon avoidance costs. A coastal municipality and an inland one, located in Central Italy, are selected as case studies. In order to assess PV and agro-forestry residues availability, a GIS-based analysis was performed. In this framework, a new energy scenario, based on H 2 NG blends use and ligneous biomass conversion, was presented. Specifically, the hydrogen for NG enrichment was produced by renewable electricity, while biomass energy content was evaluated considering gasification process. Finally, the governmental incentive schemes incidence (in force for bioenergy and hypothesized for hydrogen) on investments economic sustainability and on infrastructure deployment was compared in terms of carbon avoidance costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We described in this report the essential geographic layers used as landscape drivers for the Marco Polo Argali habitat in the eastern Tajik Pamirs. Using remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems (GIS), individual layers were generated in order to acquire more information on argali patterns and habitat suitability and to make the dataset available online. We introduced an improved object-based image analysis in our mapping of the vegetation cover by utilizing spectral, topographic, and texture variables. We exhausted every Landsat image band and texture feature combination to select the best pairing of band-texture components. For vegetation class alone, the producer's accuracy was 90.8% and the user's accuracy was 91.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at assessing the geo-climatic potential applicability of controlled natural ventilation (CNV) as a natural ventilative cooling (NVC) technique in the Mediterranean area. This assessment was carried following two approaches: (1) a climate-dependent evaluation of the NVC potential of different locations considering a “virtual space”; (2) a calculation of the NVC potential of different locations considering a “real” building through dynamic energy simulations. According to the first approach, a method to assess the potential cooling energy demand as well as NVC was developed though a parametrical analysis of the typical meteorological year (TMY) related to 50 reference cities representing the variety of climate zones of the Mediterranean area. Based on the second approach, the influence of local climate as well as building characteristics on NVC potential was assessed through dynamic energy simulations on an office building unit located in the 50 reference cities. The software Design Builder with EnergyPlus code was used to simulate the cooling energy reduction due to NVC over an extended period (May–October), varying building envelop physical parameters and AC/CNV configurations in a reduced sample of locations (8) selected amid the overall sample on the basis of Köppen–Geiger climate classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage (CH) sites are threatened from a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Innovative and cost effective tools for systematic monitoring of landscapes and CH sites are needed to protect them. Towards this direction, the article presents a multidisciplinary approach, based on remote sensing techniques and Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, in order to assess the overall risk in the Paphos district (Cyprus). Paphos region has a great deal of archaeological sites and isolated monuments, which reflect the long history of the area, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. Several natural and anthropogenic hazards have been mapped using different remote sensing data and methodologies. All data were gathered from satellite images and satellite products. The results from each hazard were imported into a GIS environment in order to examine the overall risk assessment based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results found that the methodology applied was effective enough in the understanding of the current conservation circumstances of the monuments in relation to their environment as well as predicting the future development of the present hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It should be possible, for a city, to achieve a healthy environment, an active green space, and an urban distribution of the size of a systematic planning of functional and aesthetic qualities, and it will be possible with the development of an urban design concept. The adequacy of the standard value of green space is usually specified in the relevant legislation, and the current per capita of the city is identified by comparing it to the amount of green space. In this study, the distribution and amount of green space in Kutahya is examined as well as the distribution of green areas on a neighbourhood scale. Size and per capita rates are evaluated. Even distribution of the distance and accessibility of green areas throughout the city are closely related to the provision of recreational needs. Different sizes of green area, recreational activities, and accessibility standards vary depending on the city unit they serve. According to the digitization of parks composed of polygons in the ArcGIS attribute table for calculation, parks in the study area consist of 167 different parcels, 48 of which (28%) are 1500 m2or less in area. Most small parklands were 306 m2; the largest urban park is at the southern entrance of the city, with an area of 109.214 m2. Parks in the study area cover a total area of 614.272 m2. Functionally linked, an integrated system of green spaces will allow the city to develop this natural potential in a sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Improving road safety through proper pavement maintenance is one of the goals of pavement management. Many studies have found that pavement conditions significantly influence traffic safety. Although several studies have explored the relationship between pavement conditions and crash occurrence, the effect of poor pavement conditions on crash severity levels has not been investigated, especially by using a discrete model that can handle ordered data. This paper focuses on the development of the relationship between poor pavement conditions and crash severity levels using a series of Bayesian ordered logistic models for low/medium/high speed roads and single/multiple collision cases. The Bayesian ordered logistic regression models indicated that the poor pavement condition decreases the severity of singlevehicle collisions on low-speed roads whereas it increases their severity on high-speed roads. On the other hand, the poor pavement condition increases the severity of multiple-vehicle crashes on all roads. Findings of this study can assist transportation agencies at the federal, state, and local levels to select appropriate pavement maintenance and rehabilitation strategies to reduce traffic crash severity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyperus polystachyosis a hygrophilous, thermophilous and heliophilous plant with a punctiform distribution in southern Italy, where it is almost exclusively found on Ischia, an island in the Bay of Naples characterized by widespread volcanic hydrothermal activity. This species is a native of tropical and subtropical areas and there is evidence for ancient isolation events in the creation of its current distribution pattern. We have studied the historical literature available for this plant since 1800 and collected temporal and spatial presence data of this species in order to develop a habitat suitability map based on a GIS approach and using a multiple linear regression model. Moreover, we have used univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. The results show the importance of the environmental mosaic around fumaroles to preserve the species; urbanization and geothermal energy use of fumaroles in the past and the combination of abandonment of the typical agricultural system and the natural occurrence of reforestation in the present are the main causes of the decline in the number of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Geographical information systems as a methodology is a relatively new technology in scientific research and finding practical solutions for geographical problems. One of those problems is the complex over categorical set [1] known as environment. It is a very actual and complex problematic, hard for organizing and optimization when it has to set about the needs of humanity. Therefore, this article deals with the application of geographic information systems as one of the latest scientific techniques and technologies through which one can analyze and define the most optimal solutions in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. The aim is to highlight the quantitative and qualitative aspects of GIS technology in function of the environment on the one hand, and through concrete examples to point out to the power of these technologies in the process of finding optimal solutions. It is briefly pointed out to some general criteria that are inevitable in the process of creating databases in GIS necessary for adequate and suitable GIS analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of wildfires in the Republic of Croatia occur in coastal and island areas, so the Šibenik-Knin County was studied in this research. This research was based upon spatial and temporal analyses of past fires in the Šibenik-Knin County using GIS tools in order to identify potential locations for seasonal dislocation of fire stations. The research resulted in cartographic visualization of areas within reach of existing fire brigades within the standard intervention time and potential locations for seasonal dislocation of fire stations. The results obtained using spatial GIS analysis can be used as a basis for future spatial planning and seasonal dislocation of fire stations in the Šibenik-Knin County, as well as a basis for determining dislocation of fire stations in other Croatian counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban contexts, accessibility measures are often utilized to represent the interactions among land use, transport and people’s trips to services and other facilities. Accessibility is generally evaluated using conventional traffic measures such as travel time and distance, but traffic volume, which is a product of the travel trips induced by people’s needs, may also be positively related to accessibility. This study tests the hypothesis “can freeway traffic volume information facilitate urban accessibility assessment?” Traffic volume based accessibility models are proposed to investigate this relationship and test the hypothesis. The results indicate that the answer to this question is a qualified “yes”, as there is a statistically significant relationship between traffic volume differences and accessibility. The coefficients of the models can potentially be used as a reference to guide the urban planning process. The limitations of the proposed models can be addressed by deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) traffic sensors on ramps and arterial roadways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resilience and revitalisation of taro/kalo agriculture in the Hawaiian contact period is analysed in Waipi'o Valley, on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Historic work has demonstrated the effects of colonial contact on the people of Waipi'o. Documents from the Mahele period, census information and missionary records are combined to paint a picture of how life unfolded in Waipi'o Valley over time. What is alluded to, and yet unexplored, is the changing production system and an overall trend of decreasing and fluctuating wetland taro production, where traditional cultivation is transformed by the introduction of rice farming. Later in time this too fades out, when taro again becomes dominant. Interestingly, wetland taro cultivation in Waipi'o is still practiced today, with interest in revitalising the capacity of a once intensively cultivated valley. Here, the impact of rice, and other crop introductions, is explored in terms of revitalising these wetland traditions. This was done by generating "snapshots" of the landscape through time. Information detailing traditional owners, plot locations and pondfields metrics were derived from digitised historic survey maps, and modem remote sensing techniques such as high resolution LiDAR (Light detection and ranging) imagery. Combining this information not only catalogued the historic trend of declining wetland irrigation, but directly illustrates the influence of past agricultural choices on modern wetland revitalisation agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observed urban growth leads to rapid changes in landscape and environment, increase of demands on sources, education and social services, etc. causing both positive results as well as considerable threats. In the era of modern technology development, including the commonness of GIS tools, obtaining geospatial data sets and their visualisation become easier. Their application allow for quick and advanced analyses of the current needs and prediction of the future ones. The present article discusses the problem of spatial accessibility of educational services in the city. This issue is very important from the perspective of the changes that took place along with the educational reform and the absence of urban planning regulations pertaining to the location of primary schools within a residential unit. Using 6 parameters and 3 indicators, as well as the example of the network of primary schools in the district of Bemowo, Warsaw the Authors of the paper showed the positive and negative features of spatial accessibility of those facilities and proposed methodology for analysis of spatial accessibility of educational services which was validated with Huff's theory. The aim of the study was to obtain maps of the accessibility of educational institutions and to identify on their basis the areas that are educationally excluded. A Huff's relative gravity model was developed for the school sites, and the probability of the area of influence from each school was determined. Locations where the location of schools does not meet the demand of residents were identified. At the same time, they demonstrated the usefulness of GIS tools for geospatial analyses in terms of meeting the residents' needs. • The proper arrangement of space, including adequate provision of services, is a vital matter in sustainable development. • The application of GIS tools allows for quick and advanced analyses of current needs and prediction of the future ones. • Analyses of spatial accessibility of services are valid in view of changes caused by reforms and urban planning rules. • The spatial accessibility was analyzed, and a methodology for the procedure was proposed, then validated with Huff's theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel GIS-based multi-criteria decision support model was developed. • Siting e-scooter charging stations and identifying optimal routes were analyzed. • 35 suitable locations were determined for siting e-scooter charging stations. • An optimal connectivity network between the stations were identified. • Replacing dockless systems to charging stations is key to gain environmental benefits. E-scooters are considered a new type of micromobility that promotes sustainable transportation modes by shifting the private car mode to a Mobility as a Service. Irregular parking and high life cycle global warming impacts of e-scooters due to dockless operating system cause a tendency from dockless systems to charging stations. This article presents one of the first comprehensive spatial analysis studies aiming to develop a novel GIS-based multi-criteria decision support model for: (1) siting optimum e-scooter charging station locations that will integrate e-scooter system with the existing public transportation systems and point of interests, and (2) finding the most secure and convenient road network to connect the charging stations. Identifying the optimum road network for connecting the charging stations and developing a raster based spatial method for this purpose distinguish this study from the previous studies. The developed model was implemented by performing a case study in Karsiyaka, Izmir, Turkey. 35 suitable locations were determined for siting e-scooter charging stations and the optimal connectivity network connecting each station with its neighboring stations were identified. The model can be reproduced for other locations and used to develop innovative policies and plans for environmentally more sustainable and operationally effective shared e-scooter systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]