Pat Crawford

Quantitative Methods in Environmental and Visual Quality Mapping and Assessment: A Muskegon, Michigan Watershed Case Study with Urban Planning Implications

For generations, people have been in pursuit of at least two conflicting goals. On one hand, people seek to make life physically easier. Especially during the past few centuries, the results include the development of new products, ease of transportation, and ease of communications. On the other hand, people have growing concerns about the condition of the natural environment, including water, air, soil, plants, and animals. These concerns even include perceptual values about the quality of the environment such as aesthetics/visual quality. As the human population grows, these competing concerns require thoughtful planning, design, and management to efficiently and effectively facilitate the use and protection of the environment. However, it has been at times, difficult for professionals, governmental agencies, and citizens to develop thoughtful measures and means concerning peoples perception and reaction associated with the environment.

Creating climate change adaptation plans for rural coastal communities using Deliberation with Analysis as public participation for social learning

Public participation can foster social learning, creating environments where diverse groups can come together to dialogue about multifaceted societal and environmental issues and values. The case study uses Deliberation with Analysis, a process to integrate local residents’ knowledge and values with local climate data, to create climate adaptation plans with two rural coastal Michigan communities. Iteration of the deliberative dialogue process is critical for allowing enough time for meaningful change and constructive communication to occur. Understanding where the community is starting from is important when tensions are high or deeply held values are challenged. Older techniques may need to be used to prepare the community for full participation in a deliberative process. Case highlights include the importance of community identity; potential negative impacts of climate change proposals on land-use rights; and the importance of multiple public engagement opportunities, or iterative learning loops, in cl...