SOLIFLUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN CANADIAN ROCKIES

Turf-banked solifluction lobes are common landforms of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Observations made 1980–3 at 45 sites reveal a wide range in the rate of solifluction. The most rapid rates occur on moderately sloping, northeast-facing sites, in close proximity to the local treeline. However, statistical comparison indicates these variations are insignificant and that the mean rate of solifluction is similar throughout the area. Solifluction has an average rate of surface movement of 0.61 ± 0.21 cm/year and is responsible for annually transporting 8.76 ± 3.57 cm³/cm of sediment in the southern Canadian Rockies .
La topographie des Rocheuses canadiennes prend souvent la forme de lobes de solifluxion gazonner. Des observations faites entre 1980 et 1 983 dans 45 sites de ces lobes révèlent que le processus de solifluxion varie grandement d'un endroit à l'autre dans cette région. Les taux les plus rapides se retrouvent dans des sites modérément inclinés et orientés vers le nord-ouest, situés à proximité de la lisière des bois. Pourtant, des comparaisons statistiques indiquent que ces variations sont d'importance minime et que le taux moyen de solifluxion recte semblable à travers toute la région. La solifluxion se faut à un taux moyen de mouvement à la surface de 0,61 cm ± 0,21 cm par année et on peut lui imputer le fait de transporter annuellement de 8,76 cm³/ cm ± 3,57 cm³/cm de sediments dans la partie sud des Rocheuses canadiennes .     

Ten compactness properties of circles: measuring shape in geography

This essay sheds new light on the meaning and measurement of compactness—one of the most intriguing and least‐understood properties of geographic shapes. We articulate a unified theoretical foundation for the study of shape compactness that rests on two simple observations: First, that the circle is the most compact of shapes. And second, that there are 10—and possibly more—distinct geometrical properties of the circle that make it the most compact of shapes. We introduce these 10 properties, illustrate them with real‐world examples and define indices associated with these properties that can be calculated using a geographic information system.     

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Recreational Angling Effort in a Warm‐Temperate Australian Estuary

Among the critical issues for the management of estuarine fish resources is the need to adequately identify the extent of use by recreational fishers, and the allocation of the resource between recreational and commercial users. Recreational anglers in estuaries often target a similar range of estuarine fish species to commercial fishers. Prior to the declaration of ‘recreational fishing havens’ (estuarine waters closed to commercial netting but remaining open to recreational angling) in many New South Wales (NSW) estuaries in May 2002, the estuary of the Manning River on the central NSW coast supported the tenth most productive commercial estuarine net fishery in the State. To quantify the recreational angling effort in the Manning River estuary, progressive counts were made of shore‐based and boat‐based anglers from a small power boat from June 2001 to May 2002. Sample days (eight per month) were chosen in a stratified random fashion, taking into account the proportions of weekends, public holidays and school holidays in each month. The total recreational angling effort exerted on the estuary for the 12‐month period was 144 892 ± 3248 angler‐hours, indicating a low to medium effort compared to other NSW estuaries of similar size. Over half of the effort was exerted in the section nearest the northern entrance at Harrington. There was relatively little variation in shore‐based angling effort throughout the year, whereas boat‐based fishing increased markedly in summer. Months that coincided with NSW school holidays were most popular, especially January. More recreational fishing effort was exerted in the afternoons than in the mornings during winter, but this trend was reversed in summer. Although daily effort was much higher on weekends than weekdays, the total cumulative effort was generally similar, due to the greater number of weekdays in the year. Pilot studies of catch per unit effort indicate that the recreational catch in the Manning River estuary is probably small compared to the pre‐closure commercial catch. Therefore management strategies aimed at limiting the recreational catch are likely to have minimal impact on fish stocks in the estuary when compared with regulation of the commercial sector.     

Mining amid armed conflict: nonferrous metals mining in the Philippines

In recent years the government of the Philippines has attempted to accelerate the growth of the nation's economy by encouraging the extraction of its mineral resources by multinational corporations. The Philippines is also a nation beset by armed violence carried out by anti-state groups. This article discusses how the presence, and activities, of these groups generate problems for a mining-based development paradigm. The article examines: the literature on the topic of natural resource abundance and conflict, how there have been attacks upon mines by armed groups, how mining companies have served as a target of extortion, how grievances related to mining can act as a source of conflict, how mining could disrupt the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and how mines are accompanied by a militarization of the area in their vicinity. Ultimately, violence is a manifestation of poverty and social exclusion inherent in Philippine society. Mining may not diminish, and indeed may increase, this poverty and social exclusion. Unless poverty and social exclusion is alleviated the violence will continue and alternative efforts to develop the Philippine economy will be precluded.     

Urban pattern and land cover variation in the greater Toronto area

Recent epistemological shifts in environmental geography have created a space to consider the interactions between ecological and urban systems more seriously. While openness to thinking about urban ecosystems has increased in recent years, there remain fundamental gaps in our knowledge. For example, recent research has examined the impact of urban–rural gradients on ecological conditions, but major voids exist regarding the relationship between urban development patterns and land cover heterogeneity, particularly for new forms of urbanization. This article attempts to address some of these gaps by examining the relationship between urban pattern and land cover in the greater Toronto area (GTA). In particular, measures of urban pattern that reflect aspects of development density, grain and function, as well as socio-economic characteristics, are systematically analyzed in relation to land cover heterogeneity. The regression analysis shows that multiple components of urban development pattern and socio-economic conditions are correlated with vegetated land covers, while urban density variables are not related. These results indicate more detailed representations of urban pattern should be incorporated into future human–environmental interaction studies in cities.     

The many faces of a rebel group: the Allied Democratic Forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This article discusses the case of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It shows how a variety of actors that have opposed the ADF group have framed the rebels to achieve a range of political and economic objectives, or in response to organizational and individual limitations. The DRC and Ugandan governments have each framed ADF in pursuit of regional, international and national goals separate from their stated desires to eliminate the armed group. The UN stabilization mission in Congo's (MONUSCO) understanding of the ADF was influenced by organizational limitations and the shortcomings of individual analysts, producing flawed assessments and ineffective policy decisions. Indeed, the many ‘faces’ of ADF tell us more about the ADF's adversaries than they do about the rebels themselves. The article shows how the policies towards the ADF may not be directly related to defeating a rebel threat, but rather enable the framers (e.g. DRC and Ugandan governments) to pursue various political and economic objectives, or lead the framers to pursue misguided operational plans (e.g. MONUSCO). In doing so, the article highlights more broadly the importance of the production of knowledge on conflicts and rebel groups: the way in which a rebel group is instrumentalized, or in which organizational structure impact on the understanding of the rebel group, are crucial not only in understanding the context, but also in understanding the interventions on the ground.     

Ecclesial opposition to nonferrous mining in Guatemala: neoliberalism meets the church of the poor in a shattered society

Guatemala, a nation plagued by the legacy of its brutal 36-year civil war, has, in recent years liberalized its mining law to encourage the entry of multinational mining corporations. These mining companies have included two Canadian companies, which have developed the two most prominent, and controversial, mining projects in Guatemala. Using the lens of political ecology to demonstrate how environmental analysis and policy can be reframed towards addressing the problems of the socially vulnerable, this article analyses the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church to mining in Guatemala. The article reviews the development of liberation theology in Latin America and how this has imparted empathy for the poor into the pastoral praxis of the church. The church is opposed to mining largely because of the potential implications of mining's environmental effects upon the livelihoods of the poor. The article postulates that the opposition of the church to mining is an example of an environmental issue connecting groups of people across class and ethnic lines to offset powerful global political and economic forces. The article concludes with a discussion of how this opposition to mining is a demonstration of the opposition of the progressive church to neoliberalism in general.