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Miami-Dade Task Force: A Content Analysis of How Coastal Communities View Sea Level Rise as a Threat
Title
Miami-Dade Task Force: A Content Analysis of How Coastal Communities View Sea Level Rise as a Threat.
Creator
Alvaro, Francisco, Jacques, Peter, Knox, Claire, Hinkle, Ross, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Sea level rise (SLR) has become a serious threat for coastal communities in recent years. Many communities, including South Florida, are already having the security of their daily lives impacted as climate change causes SLR and other environmental impacts to worsen. This study reviews the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force Report to determine how this coastal county government views SLR as a threat. Using mixed content analysis to analyze the report qualitatively and quantitatively, the...
Show moreSea level rise (SLR) has become a serious threat for coastal communities in recent years. Many communities, including South Florida, are already having the security of their daily lives impacted as climate change causes SLR and other environmental impacts to worsen. This study reviews the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force Report to determine how this coastal county government views SLR as a threat. Using mixed content analysis to analyze the report qualitatively and quantitatively, the Task Force's recommendations are categorized based on their focus on security, infrastructure, economics, and the environment. One finds the concerns of the people to maintain their property and infrastructure, as well as their access to water and other basic needs, as insurance costs spike and funding becomes more difficult to obtain. Policies will have to be revised using updated scientific studies, modeling, and mapping to mitigate against the worse-case scenarios.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007427, ucf:52705
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007427
The Use of Crisis Communication Strategies to Build Community Resilience: Evidence from Emergency Managers
Title
The Use of Crisis Communication Strategies to Build Community Resilience: Evidence from Emergency Managers.
Creator
Haupt, Brittany, Kapucu, Naim, Knox, Claire, Emrich, Christopher, Sellnow, Timothy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
As public administration evolved to encompass a strong focus on supporting safe growth and development for communities, the role and responsibilities of government became increasingly complex with aspects of emergency management becoming quintessential. The ability to assess resilience plays a strong role in understanding the capability of a community to face a range of threats. Additionally, issues with communication uncovered the need to understand how administrators collect, disseminate,...
Show moreAs public administration evolved to encompass a strong focus on supporting safe growth and development for communities, the role and responsibilities of government became increasingly complex with aspects of emergency management becoming quintessential. The ability to assess resilience plays a strong role in understanding the capability of a community to face a range of threats. Additionally, issues with communication uncovered the need to understand how administrators collect, disseminate, and adapt critical information through understanding crisis type and local community needs. This dissertation discusses the connection between public administration and emergency management, the evolution of crisis communication and strategies, resilience and its measurement, along with Situational Crisis Communication Theory. This study conducted an online-survey of county, and county-equivalent, emergency managers across the United States. Results of Structural Equation Modeling included statistically significant relationships between Crisis Type and Local Community Needs on Crisis Communication Strategies as well as between strategies onto Community Resilience. Comparative analysis with the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities showed stark contrast in perceived resilience capacity. Follow-up, semi-structured interviews were conducted with voluntary respondents and analyzed via axial, deductive coding. Comparing quantitative and qualitative analysis highlighted the importance of county characteristics, critical relationships, overcoming obstacles, need for learning and adaptation, and importance of communication.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007013, ucf:52046
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007013
Community Participation and Travel Choice: An Analysis of Central Florida New Urban and Conventional Suburban Residents
Title
Community Participation and Travel Choice: An Analysis of Central Florida New Urban and Conventional Suburban Residents.
Creator
Mikovsky, Laura, Korosec, Ronnie, Hawkins, Christopher, Knox, Claire, Beitsch, Owen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between the built environment and social and transportation outcomes when comparing traditional and conventional suburban neighborhoods, but much remains to be learned about whether New Urbanism can produce similar results. Among studies where new urban neighborhoods have been assessed, most have centered on regions with highly-utilized public transit systems and with climates that are amenable to utilitarian physical activity. This research...
Show morePrevious research has demonstrated a relationship between the built environment and social and transportation outcomes when comparing traditional and conventional suburban neighborhoods, but much remains to be learned about whether New Urbanism can produce similar results. Among studies where new urban neighborhoods have been assessed, most have centered on regions with highly-utilized public transit systems and with climates that are amenable to utilitarian physical activity. This research sought to build on the existing research base through direct comparison of new urban and conventional suburban neighborhoods in central Florida, a region with an under-developed transit system and a climate that renders utilitarian physical activity impractical. Further, this research sought to lend greater insights into neighborhood selection factors across neighborhood types.(<)p(>)(<)p(>)A mixed-methods, single-case design was utilized to evaluate one new urban and one conventional suburban neighborhood in the central Florida region. Regional new urban neighborhoods were subjectively rated for adherence to tenets of the Charter of the New Urbanism, with the neighborhood (Celebration, in Osceola County, FL) found to most closely adhere to these tenets selected as the experimental group for the study. A socio-demographically comparable conventional suburban neighborhood (Sweetwater, in Seminole County, FL) was selected as the control group. Quantitative methods consisted of a household survey issued to 250 randomly- and convenience-sampled addresses in each neighborhood, followed by regression analysis to evaluate study hypotheses. Qualitative methods employed analysis of open-ended survey responses, detailed case studies of selected neighborhoods, and resident interviews. The household survey yielded net response rates of 15.79 percent and 25.50 percent for experimental and control neighborhoods, respectively, and a mean cross-neighborhood response rate of 20.64 percent. Twenty resident interviews (10 per neighborhood) were conducted. Quantitative and qualitative findings were compared to collectively address research questions.(<)p(>)(<)p(>)Regression results indicated no statistically significant difference between neighborhoods in attitudinal and behavioral components of community participation, in vehicle miles driven per week, or utilitarian physical activity frequency. However, results indicated that new urban residents had more positive attitudes toward utilitarian physical activity than conventional suburban residents and that attitudes toward community participation and utilitarian physical activity were positively correlated with associated behaviors. Qualitative findings provided substantial individual- and environmental-level insights to factors impacting evaluated attitudes and behaviors, and supported some quantitative findings while not aligning with others. Neighborhood selection factors were found to be quite different across neighborhoods: Celebration residents identified neighborhood social atmosphere and connection to the Walt Disney Company brand as top contributors to their selection decision, while Sweetwater residents expressed that access to quality schools was the most important factor in their selection decision. Qualitative findings indicated that car culture and climate within the central Florida region diminished both attitudinal and behavioral components of utilitarian physical activity across neighborhood types.(<)p(>)(<)p(>)This research expanded the understanding of the social and transportation outcomes of New Urbanism, particularly with respect to the central Florida region. While case and quantitative limitations may have impeded the ability of this study to draw decisive conclusions about research questions, distinctive themes regarding social and transportation outcomes were identified. Findings of this research supported those of some prior studies while contradicting others, indicating that further exploration is needed to establish a firm understanding of the capabilities of new urban development to achieve desired outcomes, and of regional characteristics that may influence these outcomes.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004413, ucf:49376
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004413
Risk Perceptions of Climate Change in International Environmental Negotiations
Title
Risk Perceptions of Climate Change in International Environmental Negotiations.
Creator
Dellert, Christine, Jacques, Peter, Knox, Claire, Hamann, Kerstin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Climate change poses an unprecedented risk to global human security and future generations. Yet actions to mitigate or adapt to the changing climate system vary greatly among countries and their constituencies. Despite mounting evidence detailing the economic, social, and ecological risks of climate change, many scholars agree that the greatest threats associated with climate change involve delaying or ignoring necessary action. Using theorizing of (")risk society(") from Ulrich Beck and...
Show moreClimate change poses an unprecedented risk to global human security and future generations. Yet actions to mitigate or adapt to the changing climate system vary greatly among countries and their constituencies. Despite mounting evidence detailing the economic, social, and ecological risks of climate change, many scholars agree that the greatest threats associated with climate change involve delaying or ignoring necessary action. Using theorizing of (")risk society(") from Ulrich Beck and others, this thesis examines how countries, environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and business interests construct the risk of climate change and how their respective discourses conflict in international environmental negotiations. This research uses computer-assisted qualitative data analysis to explore statements submitted by each of these constituencies to the sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010. Analysis of these texts identifies climate change discourse as crisis or opportunity, in addition to discourses of development, environmentalism, and rights or responsibilities to provide us a better understanding of how we perceive and respond to ecological risk.
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Date Issued
2015
Identifier
CFE0005602, ucf:50252
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005602
Examining multi-level and inter-organizational collaborative response to disasters: The case of Pakistan Floods in 2010
Title
Examining multi-level and inter-organizational collaborative response to disasters: The case of Pakistan Floods in 2010.
Creator
Khosa, Sana, Kapucu, Naim, Wan, Thomas, Knox, Claire, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Catastrophic disasters are different than routine disasters and managing them requires the mobilization of inter-organizational, inter-governmental, cross-sectoral and international humanitarian support. The role of the international community through International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), and multi-lateral organizations such as the United Nations (UN) becomes imperative when the scale of the disaster is unprecedented and difficult for a country to manage on its own. The...
Show moreCatastrophic disasters are different than routine disasters and managing them requires the mobilization of inter-organizational, inter-governmental, cross-sectoral and international humanitarian support. The role of the international community through International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), and multi-lateral organizations such as the United Nations (UN) becomes imperative when the scale of the disaster is unprecedented and difficult for a country to manage on its own. The initial response and relief phase of managing disasters is one in which many agencies with different expertise, capacities, working mandates, resources, skills, working cultures and norms come together to coordinate and collaborate to provide timely response and relief services. Thus, the terrain of managing catastrophic disasters is complex and requires a deeper study to understand and delineate the factors shaping and facilitating collaborative response and relief efforts.This study examines the multi-level and multi-layered collaborative response networks present at the national-international level, provincial and district/local level of disaster response and interactions. In this research the nature and effectiveness of collaboration is being studied through a relevant case study of a catastrophic natural disaster, the 2010 Pakistan Floods. The phase of immediate response is explored primarily through Network Theory perspectives including supportive theoretical perspectives such as Social Capital, Resource Dependency, and Institutional Collective Action Theory perspectives that help to explain collaborative interactions in disaster response networks. This study explores and describes factors that influence (either facilitate or hinder) collaboration is disaster response networks.The key research questions for this study are: What factors facilitate and impede collaborative response to catastrophic disasters at the local, provincial, national and international levels? What are the differences and similarities in response systems at different levels? Additional questions address how leadership support (attributed to government and political leaders and organizations), institutional support (in the form of plans, international appeals of response, and development of relief funds to manage aid), network capacity of different organizations (programmatic and relational), nature of resource dependencies between responding agencies, and structural configurations of response systems impact the collaborative response in disasters.A case study method has been applied in this research. The 2010 Pakistan Floods response network/system is identified through content analysis of various newspapers, situation reports and after-action reports using the Social Network Analysis (SNA) method via UCINET Software 6.1. The actual response network is analyzed and compared with existing national disaster response plans to examine the effectiveness of collaborative response through centrality measures, clique analysis and visual display. This approach is supplemented with semi-structured interviews of key institutional representatives that responded to the 2010 Floods. These organizations and institutions were primarily identified through the networks formulated via SNA.Findings and results from the analysis reflect that the response networks at each level of analysis differ both in structural aspects and also in functional aspects. The nature of the international-national response system is focused on mobilizing donor support and receiving and managing aid, both in-kind and cash. Also a major role at the international and national level is to mobilize the UN cluster approach and focus on broader aims of response such as providing shelter and food to affected areas. Some of the factors identified as facilitating collaborative response were leadership of both national and international leaders, and availability of donor support and funds.At the provincial level of analysis, the Chief Minister of Punjab is playing a central and influential role and is partnering closely with the Armed Forces and local district administration. Interviews conducted of provincial level officials help to support the hypotheses concerning leadership support's influence on collaborative response and also the role of institutional support in the form of creation of plans, and policies that help to mobilize quick funds and resources for relief. At the local level of response, networks are highly influenced by local conditions and local capacities of the district administration. Thus, there are diverse factors impacting each level of collaborative disaster response. All in all, leadership support, institutional support and network structural aspects are important variables that impact the effectiveness of collaborative response.Today policy makers are trying to figure out ways to collaborate successfully across sector boundaries for better and effective service delivery, both in the mundane operational tasks and in uncertain and complex situations such as disasters and catastrophic events. Thus, this research helps in expanding the literature on collaborative public management, collaborative emergency management, and network management. Also the frequency of natural disasters throughout the world demonstrate the need to study and examine factors that contribute to or hinder the effectiveness of inter-organizational response in disasters
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0005361, ucf:50496
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005361
Government Responsiveness in Matters of Racial Sensitivity
Title
Government Responsiveness in Matters of Racial Sensitivity.
Creator
Carnegie, Vickie, Bryer, Thomas, Knox, Claire, Kapucu, Naim, Burg, Mary Ann, Fine, Terri, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study assesses factors influencing the responsiveness of government officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina regarding the public display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds in the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting. The purpose of this dissertation research is to understand the factors influencing how government officials make decisions during racially/culturally sensitive events. Two research questions frame this study: 1) What factors are relevant...
Show moreThis study assesses factors influencing the responsiveness of government officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina regarding the public display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds in the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting. The purpose of this dissertation research is to understand the factors influencing how government officials make decisions during racially/culturally sensitive events. Two research questions frame this study: 1) What factors are relevant to understanding state government officials' decision- making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on public grounds? 2) Under what conditions of public decision making regarding the Confederate flag is executive authority, vote/referendum, or legislative processes used? Employing grounded theory across newspaper content in Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi, 117 articles were examined to provide insight into the research questions. The themes which emerged from this analysis are: 1)Key factors in the decision-making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds are: a.The response to a triggering crisis event b.A desire for inclusiveness c.A perception of outside attention or scrutiny d.A concern for the economic well-being of the State e.The political agency of the decision maker 2)Economics, standing law, and political expediency influence decisions of whether executive authority, vote/referendum, or legislative processes are used in decision-making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on public grounds. This study introduces a detailed model of decision-making for public officials in racially/culturally sensitive matters to navigate the handling of issues with similar schema-forming symbols which can call forth dynamic and polarizing responses. The findings from this research study can be used to foster improved government efforts at responding to matters of a highly charged emotional nature.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007439, ucf:52734
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007439
Community Responses to Mass Casualty Events: A Mixed Method Approach
Title
Community Responses to Mass Casualty Events: A Mixed Method Approach.
Creator
Payne, Jeffrey, Handberg, Roger, Dolan, Thomas, Kang, Kyungkook, Knox, Claire, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This dissertation explores how traits of a mass casualty event and community institutionalization affect how a community demonstrates solidarity after a mass casualty event. A systematic examination of mass casualty events along these lines has not been conducted before. Theoretically, individual helping behaviors like altruism help explain individual involvement in demonstrations of solidarity while solidarity and resilience help in explaining group behaviors. A typology is proposed that...
Show moreThis dissertation explores how traits of a mass casualty event and community institutionalization affect how a community demonstrates solidarity after a mass casualty event. A systematic examination of mass casualty events along these lines has not been conducted before. Theoretically, individual helping behaviors like altruism help explain individual involvement in demonstrations of solidarity while solidarity and resilience help in explaining group behaviors. A typology is proposed that breaks up mass casualty events into four different types: terrorism, criminal, weather and accidents. These types of events make up the majority of non-war mass casualty events. Experimentally a sample of students is used to assess how individuals are likely to respond to mass casualty events by gauging how they would respond using five different types of demonstrations of solidarity. Findings suggest that victim type positively influences demonstrations of solidarity while casualty number and event type are only selectively influential. Two cases (Orlando, FL 2016 and San Bernardino, CA 2015) are used to test three hypotheses that are related to how a community demonstrates solidarity after a mass casualty event. Results indicate that victim type positively influences demonstrations of solidarity, particularly through the specific institutions within vulnerable communities that increased access to demonstrations. Additionally, increased institutionalization within the victim community also positively influences demonstrations of solidarity. Furthermore, results suggest that event specific traits do influence demonstrations of solidarity under certain circumstances. However, more empirical research is needed to examine how individuals respond and the exact processes available to communities that would aid in their recovery from such an event.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007850, ucf:52778
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007850
Risk in Privacy Breach Determination: The Application of Prospect Theory to Healthcare Privacy Officers
Title
Risk in Privacy Breach Determination: The Application of Prospect Theory to Healthcare Privacy Officers.
Creator
Walden, Amanda, Cortelyou-Ward, Kendall, Noblin, Alice, Gabriel, Meghan, Knox, Claire, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
A significant concern in healthcare is that of patient privacy and how organizations protect against unauthorized access to protected health information. The federal government has responded by instituting policies and guidelines on requirements for protection. However, the policy language leaves areas open to interpretation by those following the guidelines. Reporting to the Office for Civil Rights and/or the patient can open an organization to risk of financial and possible criminal...
Show moreA significant concern in healthcare is that of patient privacy and how organizations protect against unauthorized access to protected health information. The federal government has responded by instituting policies and guidelines on requirements for protection. However, the policy language leaves areas open to interpretation by those following the guidelines. Reporting to the Office for Civil Rights and/or the patient can open an organization to risk of financial and possible criminal penalties. There is a risk of harm to their reputation which could impact patient visits and market share. Therefore, Privacy Officers might view risk in different ways and therefore handle breach reporting differently. Privacy Officers are responsible for determining an individual organization's breach reportability status. Their processes may vary dependent on their knowledge of the policy, the status of previous reported breaches, and their framing of an incident. This research aims to explore the following factors: (1) personal and organizational knowledge, (2) prior breach status, (3) and scenario framing, to explore if Prospect Theory is applicable to the choices a Privacy Officer makes regarding breach determination. The study uses primary data collection through a survey that includes loss and gain scenarios in accordance with Prospect Theory. Individuals listed as Privacy Officers within the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) were the target audience for the survey. Univariate, Bivariate, Multivariate, and Post Regression techniques were used to analyze the data collected. The findings of the study supported the theoretical framework and provided industry and public affairs implications. These findings show that there is a gap where Privacy Officers have to make their own decisions and there is a difference in the types of decisions they are making on a day to day basis. Future guidance and policies need to address these gaps and can use the insight provided by this study.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007382, ucf:52076
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007382
Cross-Sector And Inter-Organizational Collaborative Capacity In Community Disaster Resilience And Sustainability: Evidence From Central Florida Counties
Title
Cross-Sector And Inter-Organizational Collaborative Capacity In Community Disaster Resilience And Sustainability: Evidence From Central Florida Counties.
Creator
Demiroz, Fatih, Kapucu, Naim, Hawkins, Christopher, Knox, Claire, Wan, Thomas, Rivera, Fernando, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study examines the relationships between interorganizational network development and sustainability, organizational capacity for emergency management, technology utilization, and community disaster resiliency. It is proposed that cross sector and interorganizational collaboration (i.e., network development and sustainability), information communication technology (ICT) utilization, and organizational capacity have a positive impact on disaster resiliency. Disaster resiliency is measured...
Show moreThis study examines the relationships between interorganizational network development and sustainability, organizational capacity for emergency management, technology utilization, and community disaster resiliency. It is proposed that cross sector and interorganizational collaboration (i.e., network development and sustainability), information communication technology (ICT) utilization, and organizational capacity have a positive impact on disaster resiliency. Disaster resiliency is measured with a three dimensional metric which includes effectiveness of disaster response, effectiveness of disaster recovery, and adaptive capacities.A questionnaire was sent to organizations that are part of the emergency management system in 11 counties in Central Florida. These organizations were identified by each county's comprehensive emergency management plans. County emergency managers served as the liaison people to reach organizations. They distributed the questionnaire and sent reminders to participants. The study aimed to reach an entire population of 855 emergency management affiliated organizations. The survey had a 25.28% response rate. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the impact of interorganizational network development, interorganizational network sustainability, information communication technology utilization, and organizational capacity on community disaster resiliency. The results of the study show that one third of the total variation in disaster resiliency was explained with the exogenous variables in the structural equation model (R2=.31). There was no statistically significant relationship between network development and disaster resiliency. Also, a correlation was hypothesized between organizational capacity and ICT utilization, according to the study findings no correlation was found between these two variables. Network development, organizational capacity, and ICT utilization were found to be positively associated with disaster resiliency. Among all the variables, organizational capacity had the highest impact on disaster resiliency (?=.36). ICT utilization and network development had almost equal regression weights (?=.25, ?=.26 respectively). A correlation was also found between network development and ICT utilization with ?=.23.The results suggest that organizations that are part of emergency management systems in Central Florida counties could enhance disaster resiliency of their communities by focusing on interorganizational and cross-sector network development, information communication technology utilization, and organizational capacity. Managerial craft has a critical role in developing relationship as most of the interorganizational ties are established with informal connections and mutual trust. Building relationship, installing technological systems, and carrying out joint trainings often exceeds financial capacities of organizations. Enabling more funding for these initiatives is another key point to which policy makers may pay attention.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004505, ucf:49286
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004505
Implementing Sustainability Initiatives: A Study of U.S. Local Governments
Title
Implementing Sustainability Initiatives: A Study of U.S. Local Governments.
Creator
Lebredo, Nick, Kapucu, Naim, Wang, Xiaohu, Hawkins, Christopher, Knox, Claire, Rivera, Fernando, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Sustainability has been framed by the World Commission on Environment and Development as a fundamental concept in human society and by Fiorino (2010) as a critical conceptual focus for public administration over the next decade. A large number of U.S. local governments have implemented sustainability initiatives. Nevertheless, relatively few studies have comprehensively examined sustainability implementation by local governments.This study makes a concerted effort to examine sustainability...
Show moreSustainability has been framed by the World Commission on Environment and Development as a fundamental concept in human society and by Fiorino (2010) as a critical conceptual focus for public administration over the next decade. A large number of U.S. local governments have implemented sustainability initiatives. Nevertheless, relatively few studies have comprehensively examined sustainability implementation by local governments.This study makes a concerted effort to examine sustainability implementation in U.S. local governments, which have taken the lead in many areas of sustainability. This study also develops a capacity building model to empirically evaluate how organizational strategies and capacities influence sustainability practices at the local level of government through a national survey of U.S. cities with populations over 50,000.The results show that cities are most successful in implementing sustainability initiatives if they develop proper technical, financial, and, particularly, managerial capacities and if they pursue primarily external, bottom-up, more participative, citizen or stakeholder driven strategies. These results suggest a public manager road map for sustainability implementation. From a theoretical perspective, the capacity building model adopted in this study provides a relatively powerful explanation of sustainability implementation, which demonstrates the value of a capacity building model in further studying sustainability implementation.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004337, ucf:49444
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004337
Florida Local Government Conservation Planning: Variability, Drivers, and Policy Implications
Title
Florida Local Government Conservation Planning: Variability, Drivers, and Policy Implications.
Creator
Pannozzo, Pamela, Noss, Reed, Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro, Hinkle, Charles, Knox, Claire, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study examined the quality of Florida county government conservation planning. To assess conservation planning quality, a theoretical model of conservation planning as prescribed by the conservation science literature was first developed. A plan evaluation coding protocol was applied to local comprehensive plan Conservation Elements to determine the extent to which county-level conservation planning met the theoretical model. A high degree of variability in conservation planning quality...
Show moreThis study examined the quality of Florida county government conservation planning. To assess conservation planning quality, a theoretical model of conservation planning as prescribed by the conservation science literature was first developed. A plan evaluation coding protocol was applied to local comprehensive plan Conservation Elements to determine the extent to which county-level conservation planning met the theoretical model. A high degree of variability in conservation planning quality was found. Highest quality conservation planning occurred in the Gulf coast counties of southwest Florida. Lowest conservation planning quality occurred in the Florida Panhandle counties. The quality of conservation planning of coastal counties was significantly higher than that of inland counties. Significant regional differences were also found, where conservation planning quality in South Florida counties was significantly higher than conservation planning quality in Panhandle counties. Geographic differences in conservation planning quality were likely attributable to significant differences in socioeconomic variables among counties, including differences in education, wealth, and urbanization. Multiple regression analysis using an information theoretic approach was employed to develop a predictive model of conservation planning quality of Florida local governments. The two most plausible predictors in the model were education level of the public and total resources. Local and global spatial autocorrelation analysis were next applied to county conservation planning scores to investigate spatial patterns of conservation planning quality, which were found to be related to the policy process of diffusion. Lastly, current local government conservation planning policy was analyzed for effectiveness and policy recommendations were made. Improving the effectiveness of local conservation planning will require changes in statutory provisions of the state Florida Forever and Growth Management statutes. It will also require a greater commitment on the part of the state of Florida to protect the state's biological resources over the long term.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0005041, ucf:49971
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005041