Kathryn I. Frank

The Potential of Youth Participation in Planning

The field of planning is increasingly recognizing youth as an important stakeholder group, and there are calls to directly involve youth in planning processes. Because youth are in many respects different from adults, the practice of youth participation needs special consideration. This article summarizes the findings from empirical studies of youth participation in terms of the impacts on the young participants and their communities, the capacity of youth to participate, and five lessons for effective practice. The literature review will help planners create meaningful opportunities for youth to have a voice in community and environmental affairs.

Sea-Level Rise, Inundation, and Marsh Migration: Simulating Impacts on Developed Lands and Environmental Systems

ABSTRACT Linhoss, A.C.; Kiker, G.; Shirley M., and Frank K., 2015. Sea-level rise, inundation, and marsh migration: simulating impacts on developed lands and environmental systems. Sea-level rise is expected to affect natural and urban areas by shifting habitats and inundating infrastructure. To plan for a sustainable future, it is important to identify both human and ecological vulnerabilities to sea-level rise. Here, we simulate impacts to urban, developed lands and environmental systems from sea-level rise by analyzing land cover (surface cover) and land use (land purpose) in the Matanzas River study area in NE Florida. The Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) simulated land-cover change through wetland migration under three sea-level rise scenarios. Parcel data, including land use classification and land valuation, was overlaid on the simulated, future land cover. Our analysis describes a 2- to 5-km-wide longitudinal band along the NE coast of Florida of expected land-cover change where sea-level rise will likely cause inundation and wetland migration. Under a 0.9-m scenario by 2100, 5,332 ha of land (5% of the study area) will be threatened by some type of land-cover change, and inundation was estimated to affect approximately US

The Rural Planning Perspective at an Opportune Time

177 million in present property value. The migration of wetlands out of current areas and into new areas is of particular concern because (1) those wetlands will have to keep pace with sea-level rise, and (2) accommodation space must be available for new wetlands to move into. Developed lands have the possibility of hindering up to 6% of the area that wetlands may migrate into. These methods and findings are important for sustainable planning under future climate change.

The conservation value of elevation data accuracy and model sophistication in reserve design under sea-level rise

An integrated, community-based perspective of “rural planning” is slowly emerging, and other fields, such as rural development, are showing interest. This review of over 240 references presents a current view of rural planning at this opportune time to propel the field to new heights. After summarizing literature statistics, the review synthesizes the rural planning perspective, knowledge from “rural studies,” and the practices of rural planning and development, and makes recommendations for the planning profession. Key findings include the diversity and dynamics of rural areas, advantages, and challenges of rural planning, cutting-edge techniques and designs, and the relationship with institutions.

Production, consumption, and protection: perspectives from North America on the multifunctional transition in rural planning

Abstract Many studies have explored the value of using more sophisticated coastal impact models and higher resolution elevation data in sea‐level rise (SLR) adaptation planning. However, we know little about to what extent the improved models and data could actually lead to better conservation outcomes under SLR. This is important to know because high‐resolution data are likely to not be available in some data‐poor coastal areas in the world and running more complicated coastal impact models is relatively time‐consuming, expensive, and requires assistance by qualified experts and technicians. We address this research question in the context of identifying conservation priorities in response to SLR. Specifically, we investigated the conservation value of using more accurate light detection and ranging (Lidar)‐based digital elevation data and process‐based coastal land‐cover change models (Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model, SLAMM) to identify conservation priorities versus simple “bathtub” models based on the relatively coarse National Elevation Dataset (NED) in a coastal region of northeast Florida. We compared conservation outcomes identified by reserve design software (Zonation) using three different model dataset combinations (Bathtub–NED, Bathtub–Lidar, and SLAMM–Lidar). The comparisons show that the conservation priorities are significantly different with different combinations of coastal impact models and elevation dataset inputs. The research suggests that it is valuable to invest in more accurate coastal impact models and elevation datasets in SLR adaptive conservation planning because this model–dataset combination could improve conservation outcomes under SLR. Less accurate coastal impact models, including ones created using coarser Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data can still be useful when better data and models are not available or feasible, but results need to be appropriately assessed and communicated. A future research priority is to investigate how conservation priorities may vary among different SLR scenarios when different combinations of model‐data inputs are used.

Rural Planning in the Twenty-First Century: Context-Appropriate Practices in a Connected World

ABSTRACT Rural areas encompass landscapes that range from peri-urban to very isolated ‘deep rural’ areas; from rapidly growing high amenity retirement and second home communities to dilapidated near-ghost towns; from those with strong economies in agriculture, natural resource extraction, tourism, and high tech to those with shrinking economies. In addition, such global issues as climate change, food security, and future energy supply have enormous implications for rural places. In these circumstances planning thought and action are confronted – often simultaneously – with physical development – planning for growth and change; production – of traditional agricultural and natural resource outputs but also new outputs such as renewable energy and ecosystem services; and protection – of the natural environment, cultural resources, and social systems. This article draws from the literature and interviews of rural specialists to explore the current tensions between production, consumption, and protection and emerging responses to them, through an exploration of North American rural planning.

Spatial conservation prioritization to conserve biodiversity in response to sea level rise and land use change in the Matanzas River Basin, Northeast Florida

Rural regions and their communities are principal locations for a range of crucial planning issues, yet the practice of rural planning has remained at the margins. In response to growing interest, we explored the current state and future possibilities of rural planning by conducting interviews with ten highly experienced US and Canadian rural specialists. Inductive analysis of their responses, which we supplemented with relevant literature, yielded contemporary definitions of “rural” and “rural planning and development.” The study highlights the major rural planning challenges, and opportunities in terms of “context-appropriate” practices attuned to rural communities and regions, globalization, and multilevel governance.