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Keywords = watershed typology

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17 pages, 3691 KiB  
Article
Geographical Types and Driving Mechanisms of Rural Population Aging–Weakening in the Yellow River Basin
by Zhanhui Fu, Yahan Yang and Shuju Hu
Agriculture 2025, 15(10), 1093; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15101093 - 19 May 2025
Viewed by 485
Abstract
Population aging–weakening has become a critical constraint on rural sustainability in China’s Yellow River Basin (YRB), posing substantial challenges to ecological conservation and high-quality development. This study develops a multidimensional evaluation framework categorizing rural aging–weakening into four typologies: general development type (GDT), shallow [...] Read more.
Population aging–weakening has become a critical constraint on rural sustainability in China’s Yellow River Basin (YRB), posing substantial challenges to ecological conservation and high-quality development. This study develops a multidimensional evaluation framework categorizing rural aging–weakening into four typologies: general development type (GDT), shallow aging–weakening type (SAT), medium aging–weakening type (MAT), and deep aging–weakening type (DAT). Then, the XGBoost model is used to assess the factors influencing the spatial diversity of aging–weakening types in the rural population at different spatial and temporal scales. The key findings reveal the following: (1) The proportion of aging–weakening areas increased from 65% (2000) to 72% (2020), exhibiting distinct regional trajectories. Upper reaches demonstrate severe manifestations (34% combined MAT/DAT in 2020), contrasting with middle reaches dominated by GDT/SAT (>80%). Lower reaches show accelerated deterioration (MAT/DAT surged from 10% to 31%). (2) Spatial differentiation primarily arises from terrain-habitat conditions, industrial capacity, urbanization, and agricultural income. While most factors maintained stable directional effects, agricultural income transitioned from positive to negative correlation post-2010. Upper/middle reaches are predominantly influenced by geographical environment, with the role of socioeconomic factors gradually increasing. Lower reaches exhibit stronger economic–environmental interactions. (3) This research provides actionable insights for differentiated regional strategies: upper reaches require ecological migration programs, middle areas need industrial transition support, while lower regions demand coordinated economic–environmental governance. Our typological framework offers methodological advancements for assessing demographic challenges in vulnerable watersheds, with implications extending to similar developing regions globally. Full article
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20 pages, 1830 KiB  
Article
Identifying Priority Areas for Planning Urban Green Infrastructure: A Fuzzy Artificial Intelligence-Based Framework
by Leonardo Massato Nicacio Nomura, Adriano Bressane, Vitoria Valente Monteiro, Inara Vilas Boas de Oliveira, Graziele Ruas, Rogério Galante Negri and Alexandre Marco da Silva
Urban Sci. 2025, 9(4), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9040126 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1064
Abstract
Urban green infrastructure (UGI) plays a key role in fostering sustainability, resilience, and ecological balance in cities. However, the task of identifying priority areas for UGI implementation remains complex due to the multifactorial nature of urban systems and prevailing uncertainties. This study proposes [...] Read more.
Urban green infrastructure (UGI) plays a key role in fostering sustainability, resilience, and ecological balance in cities. However, the task of identifying priority areas for UGI implementation remains complex due to the multifactorial nature of urban systems and prevailing uncertainties. This study proposes a fuzzy inference system (FIS)-based framework composed of seven interconnected modules designed to assess diverse criteria, including flood vulnerability, water quality, habitat connectivity, vegetation condition, and social vulnerability. The model was applied in the urban watersheds of São José dos Campos, Brazil, a municipality recognized for its smart city initiatives and urban environmental complexity. Through the integration of multi-criteria spatial data, the framework effectively prioritized urban areas, highlighting critical zones for extreme event mitigation, water quality preservation, habitat conservation, and recreational space provision. The case study demonstrated that São José dos Campos, with an 11.73% urbanized area and 737,310 inhabitants, benefits from targeted UGI typologies, including sustainable drainage systems and green public spaces, aligning infrastructure interventions with specific spatial demands. Notably, the expert validation process involving 18 multidisciplinary specialists confirmed the model’s relevance and coherence, with the majority classifying the outcomes as “highly coherent”. The system’s modular structure, use of triangular membership functions, and incorporation of the gamma operator allow for adaptable prioritization across different planning horizons. By offering a transparent, expert-validated, and data-driven approach, the proposed method advances evidence-based decision-making and equips planners with a practical tool for UGI implementation in dynamic urban contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urbanization, Regional Planning and Development)
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22 pages, 3175 KiB  
Article
Flora and Typology of Wetlands of Haho River Watershed, Togo
by Fousséni Folega, Madjouma Kanda, Kossi Fandjinou, Eve Bohnett, Kperkouma Wala, Komlan Batawila and Koffi Akpagana
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2814; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032814 - 3 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2498
Abstract
Wetlands are recognized as hotspots of biodiversity and providers of several ecosystem services, including water purification, sediment stabilization, and flood, erosion, and climate regulation. This article aims to investigate the floristic diversity of the wetlands the Haho River watershed in southern Togo. Spatial [...] Read more.
Wetlands are recognized as hotspots of biodiversity and providers of several ecosystem services, including water purification, sediment stabilization, and flood, erosion, and climate regulation. This article aims to investigate the floristic diversity of the wetlands the Haho River watershed in southern Togo. Spatial data from Astrium service and Google Earth were collected, and phytosociological data were classified following the Braun–Blanquet approach. The findings indicate that 72 families in total have evolved in this environment, with Poaceae (14.95%) and Fabaceae (11.98%) dominating. The number of species was estimated to be 323; the three species that were most prevalent in the wetland’s habitats were Elaeis guineensis Jacq (2.44%), Panicum maximum Jacq (2.29%), and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir) H. B. K. (1.71%). The most prevalent and abundant life forms in these moist habitats were micro-phanerophytes (34.70%) and therophytes (23.50%). However, the most common and abundant chorological categories included pantropical (31.05%) and Guinean-Congolese species (21.46%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to examine how abiotic parameters, including depth/degree of immersion, influence the distribution of plant species in a wetland landscape. This research has the potential to be developed into a more robust action study for wetland classification and recognition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Forest Ecosystems)
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11 pages, 1776 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Effect of Land Use on Water Quality in a Peri-Urban Watershed in a Brazilian Metropolitan Region: An Approach Considering GEP-Based Artificial Intelligence
by Adriano Bressane, Anna Isabel Silva Loureiro, Raissa Caroline Gomes, Admilson Irio Ribeiro, Regina Marcia Longo and Rogério Galante Negri
Pollutants 2023, 3(1), 1-11; https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3010001 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2097
Abstract
The suppression of natural spaces due to urban sprawl and increases in built and agricultural environments has affected water resource quality, especially in areas with high population densities. Considering the advances in the Brazilian environmental legal framework, the present study aimed to verify [...] Read more.
The suppression of natural spaces due to urban sprawl and increases in built and agricultural environments has affected water resource quality, especially in areas with high population densities. Considering the advances in the Brazilian environmental legal framework, the present study aimed to verify whether land use has still affected water quality through a case study of a peri-urban watershed in a Brazilian metropolitan region. Analyses of physical–chemical indicators, collected at several sample points with various land-use parameters at different seasons of the year, were carried out based on an approach combining variance analysis and genetic programming. As a result, some statistically significant spatiotemporal effects on water quality associated with the land use, such as urban areas and thermotolerant coliform (R = −0.82, p < 0.01), mixed vegetation and dissolved oxygen (R = 0.80, p < 0.001), agriculture/pasture and biochemical oxygen demand (R = 0.40, p < 0.001), and sugarcane and turbidity (R = 0.65, p < 0.001), were verified. In turn, gene expression programming allowed for the computing of the importance of land-use typologies based on their capability to explain the variances of the water quality parameter. In conclusion, in spite of the advances in the Brazilian law, land use has still significantly affected water quality. Public policies and decisions are required to ensure effective compliance with legal guidelines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Urban Pollution)
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25 pages, 4764 KiB  
Article
Basin-Scale Approach to Integration of Agro- and Hydroecological Monitoring for Sustainable Environmental Management: A Case Study of Belgorod Oblast, European Russia
by Zhanna Buryak, Fedor Lisetskii, Artyom Gusarov, Anastasiya Narozhnyaya and Mikhail Kitov
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020927 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3245
Abstract
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), [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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16 pages, 304 KiB  
Review
Methodologies for the Sustainability Assessment of Agricultural Production Systems, with a Focus on Rice: A Review
by Olfa Gharsallah, Claudio Gandolfi and Arianna Facchi
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 11123; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911123 - 8 Oct 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5694
Abstract
The intensification of agricultural production is connected to the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation water, and energy. Among all cropping systems, rice cultivation is considered to be one of the most significant sources of environmental harm due to the flooding conditions in [...] Read more.
The intensification of agricultural production is connected to the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation water, and energy. Among all cropping systems, rice cultivation is considered to be one of the most significant sources of environmental harm due to the flooding conditions in which rice normally grows; at the same time, rice has important economic and social implications, especially in areas where it is a staple food. In the last 20 years, sustainable development of agricultural production has become a priority for scientific research and policy programs. Several studies proposed methodological frameworks to assess the impacts of different management practices adopted in agro-ecosystems and to identify strategies to mitigate the negative effects of agricultural intensification. Such methodologies are based on the use of particular indicators, which are increasingly seen as crucial tools in impact assessment studies and for decision making. This paper aims to review and analyze the most significant methodological frameworks developed to assess the sustainability of agricultural production systems, with a particular focus on rice cultivation. The analysis includes highlighting which dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, social, and governance) are covered by each method and identifying which indicators are used to describe the different dimensions. The spatial scale of the application of the indicators, their typology, the data needed for their implementation, and the criteria for formulating the overall sustainability judgment were then examined. The analysis highlighted the scarce availability of clear operational data for the calculation of the indicators and the often-limited involvement of stakeholders in the development and implementation of the methodologies. The exceptions to these limitations are represented by a few methodologies developed under the umbrella of important international organizations to promote sustainability and research efficiency in specific agricultural production systems, such as the SRP (sustainable rice platform) for rice. Finally, the analysis shows that there is a need to develop methodologies that are applicable not only to an individual farm or group of farms, but also at larger spatial scales (district, watershed, region), which are often those of greatest interest to decision makers. Full article
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29 pages, 2298 KiB  
Review
Advancing the Science of Environmental Flow Management for Protection of Temporarily Closed Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons
by Eric D. Stein, Eleanor M. Gee, Janine B. Adams, Katie Irving and Lara Van Niekerk
Water 2021, 13(5), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13050595 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5406
Abstract
The science needed to inform management of environmental flows to temporarily closed estuaries and coastal lagoons is decades behind the state of knowledge for rivers and large embayments. These globally ubiquitous small systems, which are often seasonally closed to the ocean’s influence, are [...] Read more.
The science needed to inform management of environmental flows to temporarily closed estuaries and coastal lagoons is decades behind the state of knowledge for rivers and large embayments. These globally ubiquitous small systems, which are often seasonally closed to the ocean’s influence, are under particular threat associated with hydrologic alteration because of changes in atershed land use, water use practices, and climate change. Managing environmental flows in these systems is complicated by their tight coupling with watershed processes, variable states because of intermittently closing mouths, and reliance on regional scale sediment transport and littoral processes. Here we synthesize our current understanding of ecohydrology in temporarily closed estuaries (TCEs) and coastal lagoons and propose a prioritized research agenda aimed at advancing understanding of ecological responses to altered flow regimes in TCEs. Key research needs include agreeing on a consistent typology, improving models that couple watershed and ocean forcing at appropriate spatial and temporal scales, quantifying stress–response relationships associated with hydrologic alteration, improving tools to establish desired conditions that account for climate change and consider cultural/indigenous objectives, improving tools to measure ecosystem function and social/cultural values, and developing monitoring and adaptive management programs that can inform environmental flow management in consideration of other stressors and across different habitat types. Coordinated global efforts to address the identified research gaps can help guide management actions aimed at reducing or mitigating potential impacts of hydrologic alteration and climate change through informed management of freshwater inflows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance)
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21 pages, 4905 KiB  
Article
How Climate Change and Land Use/Land Cover Change Affect Domestic Water Vulnerability in Yangambi Watersheds (D. R. Congo)
by David Ushindi Chishugi, Denis Jean Sonwa, Jean-Marie Kahindo, Destin Itunda, Josué Bahati Chishugi, Fiyo Losembe Félix and Muhindo Sahani
Land 2021, 10(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10020165 - 6 Feb 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4727
Abstract
In the tropics, the domestic water supply depends principally on ecosystem services, including the regulation and purification of water by humid, dense tropical forests. The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (YBR) landscape is situated within such forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Surprisingly, [...] Read more.
In the tropics, the domestic water supply depends principally on ecosystem services, including the regulation and purification of water by humid, dense tropical forests. The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (YBR) landscape is situated within such forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Surprisingly, given its proximity to the Congo River, the YBR is confronted with water issues. As part of its ecosystem function, the landscape is expected to reduce deterioration of water quality. However, environmental consequences are increasing due to conversion of its dense forest into other types of land use/land cover (LULC) in response to human activities. It is therefore important to check how the physicochemical quality parameters of water resources are influenced by landscape parameters—and to know if the population can adapt to this water vulnerability. To do this, we analyzed the watershed typology (including morphometric and LULC characteristics) and the physical and chemical parameters of water within the principal watershed’s rivers. We also analyzed data from surveys and the Yangambi meteorological station. We found that some landscape indices related to LULC significantly influence water quality deterioration in Yangambi. On average, each person in the Yangambi landscape uses 29–43 liters of water per day. Unfortunately, this falls short of World Health Organization standards regarding some parameters. The best fitted simple linear regression model explains the variation in pH as a function of edge density of perturbed forest, edge density of crop land and patch density of dense forest up to 94%, 92% and 90%, respectively. While many researchers have identified the consequences of climate change and human activities on these water resources, the population is not well-equipped to deal with them. These results suggest that water management policies should consider the specificities of the Yangambi landscape in order to develop better mitigation strategies for a rational management of water resources in the YBR in the context of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Land-Use Change on Water Resources)
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20 pages, 2429 KiB  
Article
Governance, Nature’s Contributions to People, and Investing in Conservation Influence the Valuation of Urban Green Areas
by Alexandra Pineda-Guerrero, Francisco J. Escobedo and Fernando Carriazo
Land 2021, 10(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10010014 - 27 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4299
Abstract
There is little information concerning how people in the Global South perceive the benefits and costs associated with urban green areas. There is even less information on how governance influences the way people value these highly complex socio-ecological systems. We used semi-structured surveys, [...] Read more.
There is little information concerning how people in the Global South perceive the benefits and costs associated with urban green areas. There is even less information on how governance influences the way people value these highly complex socio-ecological systems. We used semi-structured surveys, statistical analyses, and econometrics to explore the perceptions of users regarding governance and the benefits and costs, or Ecosystem Services (ES) and Ecosystem Disservices (ED), provided by Neotropical green areas and their willingness to invest, or not, for their conservation. The study area was the El Salitre sub-watershed in Bogota, Colombia, and 10 different sites representative of its wetlands, parks, green areas, and socioeconomic contexts. Using a context-specific approach and methods, we identified the most important benefits and costs of green areas and the influence of governance on how people valued these. Our modelling shows that air quality and biodiversity were highly important benefits, while water regulation was the least important; despite the sub-watershed’s acute problems with stormwater runoff. In terms of costs, the feeling of insecurity due to crime was related to poor levels of maintenance and infrastructure in the studied green areas. Perceived transparency, corruption, and performance of government institutions influenced people’s Unwillingness to Invest (UTI) in green space conservation. Results show that socioeconomic backgrounds, government performance, and environmental education will play a role in the value or importance people place on the benefits, costs, and UTI in conservation efforts in urban green areas. Similarly, care is warranted when directly applying frameworks and typologies developed in high income countries (i.e., ES) to the unique realities of cities in the Global South. Accordingly, alternative frameworks such as Nature’s Contributions to People is promising. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Ecosystem Services II: Toward a Sustainable Future)
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21 pages, 3486 KiB  
Article
Farm Typology in the Berambadi Watershed (India): Farming Systems Are Determined by Farm Size and Access to Groundwater
by Marion Robert, Alban Thomas, Muddu Sekhar, Shrinivas Badiger, Laurent Ruiz, Magali Willaume, Delphine Leenhardt and Jacques-Eric Bergez
Water 2017, 9(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9010051 - 13 Jan 2017
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 9324
Abstract
Farmers’ production decisions and agricultural practices directly and indirectly influence the quantity and quality of natural resources, some being depleted common resources such as groundwater. Representing farming systems while accounting for their flexibility is needed to evaluate targeted, regional water management policies. Farmers’ [...] Read more.
Farmers’ production decisions and agricultural practices directly and indirectly influence the quantity and quality of natural resources, some being depleted common resources such as groundwater. Representing farming systems while accounting for their flexibility is needed to evaluate targeted, regional water management policies. Farmers’ decisions regarding investing in irrigation and adopting cropping systems are inherently dynamic and must adapt to changes in climate and agronomic, economic and social, and institutional, conditions. To represent this diversity, we developed a typology of Indian farmers from a survey of 684 farms in Berambadi, an agricultural watershed in southern India (state of Karnataka). The survey provided information on farm structure, the cropping system and farm practices, water management for irrigation, and economic performances of the farm. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis (Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering) were used to analyze relationships between observed factors and establish the farm typology. We identified three main types of farms: (1) large diversified and productivist farms; (2) small and marginal rainfed farms, and (3) small irrigated marketing farms. This typology represents the heterogeneity of farms in the Berambadi watershed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources)
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16 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
Contemporary Water Governance: Navigating Crisis Response and Institutional Constraints through Pragmatism
by Julia Baird, Ryan Plummer, Ryan Bullock, Diane Dupont, Tim Heinmiller, Marilyne Jollineau, Wendee Kubik, Steven Renzetti and Liette Vasseur
Water 2016, 8(6), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8060224 - 26 May 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 9955
Abstract
Water has often been the source of crises and their frequency will intensify due to climate change impacts. The Niagara River Watershed provides an ideal case to study water crises as it is an international transboundary system (Canada-United States) and has both historical [...] Read more.
Water has often been the source of crises and their frequency will intensify due to climate change impacts. The Niagara River Watershed provides an ideal case to study water crises as it is an international transboundary system (Canada-United States) and has both historical and current challenges associated with water quantity and quality, which resonates broadly in water basins throughout the world. The aim of this study was to understand how stakeholders perceive ecosystems and the relationship with preferences for governance approaches in the context of water governance. An online survey instrument was employed to assess perceptions of the system in terms of resilience (engineering, ecological, social-ecological, or epistemic), preferences for governance approaches (state, citizen, market, and hybrid forms), and the most pressing issues in the watershed. Responses showed that, despite demographic differences and adherence to different resilience perspectives, support was strongest for governance approaches that focused on state or state-citizen hybrid forms. The validity of the resilience typology as a grouping variable is discussed. The roles of institutional constraints, pragmatism in governance approach preferences, and the influence of multiple crises are explored in relation to the context of the study site, as well as to water governance scholarship more broadly. Full article
28 pages, 2766 KiB  
Review
Nutrient Retention in Restored Streams and Rivers: A Global Review and Synthesis
by Tamara A. Newcomer Johnson, Sujay S. Kaushal, Paul M. Mayer, Rose M. Smith and Gwen M. Sivirichi
Water 2016, 8(4), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8040116 - 25 Mar 2016
Cited by 150 | Viewed by 17830
Abstract
Excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from human activities have contributed to degradation of coastal waters globally. A growing body of work suggests that hydrologically restoring streams and rivers in agricultural and urban watersheds has potential to increase N and P retention, but [...] Read more.
Excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from human activities have contributed to degradation of coastal waters globally. A growing body of work suggests that hydrologically restoring streams and rivers in agricultural and urban watersheds has potential to increase N and P retention, but rates and mechanisms have not yet been analyzed and compared across studies. We conducted a review of nutrient retention within hydrologically reconnected streams and rivers, including 79 studies. We developed a typology characterizing different forms of stream and river restoration, and we also analyzed nutrient retention across this typology. The studies we reviewed used a variety of methods to analyze nutrient cycling. We performed a further intensive meta-analysis on nutrient spiraling studies because this method was the most consistent and comparable between studies. A meta-analysis of 240 experimental additions of ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was synthesized from 15 nutrient spiraling studies. Our results showed statistically significant relationships between nutrient uptake in restored streams and specific watershed attributes. Nitrate uptake metrics were significantly related to watershed surface area, impervious surface cover, and average reach width (p < 0.05). Ammonium uptake metrics were significantly related to discharge, velocity, and transient storage (p < 0.05). SRP uptake metrics were significantly related to watershed area, discharge, SRP concentrations, and chl a concentrations (p < 0.05). Given that most studies were conducted during baseflow, more research is necessary to characterize nutrient uptake during high flow. Furthermore, long-term studies are needed to understand changes in nutrient dynamics as projects evolve over time. Overall analysis suggests the size of the stream restoration (surface area), hydrologic connectivity, and hydrologic residence time are key drivers influencing nutrient retention at broader watershed scales and along the urban watershed continuum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use, Climate, and Water Resources)
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26 pages, 1099 KiB  
Article
Overcoming Ex-Post Development Stagnation: Interventions with Continuity and Scaling in Mind
by Bradley T. Hiller, Peter M. Guthrie and Aled W. Jones
Sustainability 2016, 8(2), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8020155 - 6 Feb 2016
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5425
Abstract
Project interventions are important vehicles for development globally. However, while there is often allocation of resources for new and innovative (pilot) projects—with varying levels of success—there is seemingly less focus on consolidating and/or scaling the positive impacts of successful larger interventions. Assuming an [...] Read more.
Project interventions are important vehicles for development globally. However, while there is often allocation of resources for new and innovative (pilot) projects—with varying levels of success—there is seemingly less focus on consolidating and/or scaling the positive impacts of successful larger interventions. Assuming an overarching development goal to have long lasting impact at scale, this approach seems somewhat contradictory. Scaling is often not integrated into project planning, design and implementation and rarely pursued genuinely in the ex-post. However, where demand for further development remains outstanding beyond project completion, opportunities may exist to build upon project platforms and extend benefits in a cost effective manner. This paper examines existing scaling typologies, before introducing “scaling-within” as a concept to promote greater continuity of development to a wider range of stakeholders. Scaling-within offers the opportunity to “in-fill” intervention principles and practices to both project and non-project communities within a broader strategic framework to address disparities and to promote sustainable development. The authors draw on research from case studies of large-scale integrated watershed rehabilitation projects and assess scaling-within against a contemporary scaling framework drawn from the literature. While the concept is tested with watersheds as the administrative unit, the authors anticipate applications for other project management units. Full article
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