THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN

Transcription

1 THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES REDEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING: EVIDENCE OF THE EMERGENCE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN PLANNING FOR THE SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM By MICHAEL R. BOSWELL A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2000

2 The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Michael R. Boswell defended on August 11, Robert E. Deyle Professor Directing Dissertation Earl J. Baker Outside Committee Member Bruce Stiftel Committee Member

3 To WK, who taught me to blaze my own trail. iii

4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank the staff members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District; the South Florida Water Management District; the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for their cooperation in data collection. I thank Dr. Robert E. Deyle, my major professor, for his wisdom, guidance, support, and patience; I would be less of a scholar without his mentorship. I thank Dr. Bruce Stiftel, Dr. E. Jay Baker, Dr. Robert Walker, Dr. Paul Beaumont, and the faculty of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning for their guidance and support of my education. I thank Larry Christiansen and Mike Ross for their commiseration and the road miles. I thank my parents for their loving support and dedication to my education. And most of all, I thank Tammy Seale for her love, patience, spirit, and ability to keep me sane and whole. iv

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables... viii Abstract... x Chapter Page 1. INTRODUCTION...2 Study Question...2 The Emergence of Sustainable Development and Ecosystem Management...3 Previous Research...7 Importance of the Study...12 Study Framework...13 Dissertation Overview UNDERSTANDING PARADIGMS...19 What is a Paradigm?...19 Dimensions of Planning Paradigms ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING...39 Defining the Existing Environmental Planning Paradigm (EEPP)...39 Defining the Competing Environmental Planning Paradigm (CEPP)...59 Comparison of the Environmental Planning Paradigms...87 v

6 4. THE SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM CASE...89 The History of the South Florida Ecosystem...89 Contemporary Environmental Planning in the South Florida Ecosystem RESEARCH METHOD Units of Analysis Research Design Techniques of Analysis and Interpretation Validity of Findings KISSIMMEE RIVER RESTORATION PLANNING Background Analysis Discussion EVERGLADES/C&SF PROJECT PLANNING Background Analysis Discussion FLORIDA KEYS MARINE SANCTUARY PLANNING Background Analysis Discussion FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION Findings Conclusion Recommendations for Further Research Epilogue vi

7 APPENDIX A: ANALYTIC QUESTIONS APPENDIX B: DEFINITION OF LOCAL END NOTES REFERENCES BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH vii

8 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. The Public s Roles in Planning Existing Environmental Planning Paradigm Summary Competing Environmental Planning Paradigm Summary Comparison of the Environmental Planning Paradigms History of the South Florida Ecosystem Significant Environmental Planning Events in the South Florida Ecosystem Interpretation of Results Case Study Tactics for Four Research Design Tests Kissimmee River Restoration Planning Timeline Kissimmee River Restoration Planning: Comparison of the Environmental Planning Paradigms Everglades/C&SF Project Planning Timeline Everglades/C&SF Planning: Comparison of the Environmental Planning Paradigms Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary Planning Timeline Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary Planning: Comparison of the Environmental Planning Paradigms viii

9 15. Hypothesis 1-3 Testing--Philosophical Dimension Hypothesis 4-8 Testing--Methodological Dimension Summary of Hypothesis Testing Results Hypothesis 9 Testing Hypothesis 1-3 Sensitivity Analysis--Philosophical Dimension Hypothesis 4-8 Sensitivity Analysis--Methodological Dimension Summary of Hypothesis Testing Results for the Sensitivity Analysis Hypothesis 9 Sensitivity Analysis Paradigm Dimension-Analytic Questions Reference Table Analytic Questions Matrix Definition of Local ix

10 ABSTRACT This study examines, through case study analysis, the influence of the emerging concepts of sustainable development and ecosystem management on environmental planning in the south Florida ecosystem. These new concepts are offered as the solution to most problems associated with human interaction with the natural environment, and numerous government agencies are moving forward with programs intended to implement these new concepts. The theory behind these concepts challenges many tenets of our current system; therefore, environmental planning must respond with a critical self analysis. The primary study question is: To what extent is environmental planning being redefined by the emerging frameworks of sustainable development and ecosystem management? The study contains a two-part analysis to answer the research question: (1) a theoretical analysis of whether sustainable development and ecosystem management constitute a new environmental planning paradigm, and (2) an empirical analysis of whether environmental planning practice shows evidence of adoption of the new paradigm. The theoretical analysis begins with an examination of planning theory and the philosophical and methodological dimensions that define planning. These dimensions include: questions of knowledge, conception of nature, ethical foundations, object of planning, public participation, decision method, planner role, and questions of action. The theoretical analysis shows that the attributes of the planning dimensions for sustainable development and ecosystem management are x

11 sufficiently different from those of the existing environmental planning paradigm that they constitute a new, competing environmental planning paradigm. The empirical analysis is a case study using pattern-matching as the analytic tool. Patternmatching is used to compare empirical evidence against the two environmental planning paradigms. Data is gathered from three sources: documentation, archival records, and interviews of the participants in the planning process. The units of analysis include the significant environmental planning events in the south Florida ecosystem from 1970 to 1998; these are primarily ecosystem restoration plans. The empirical analysis shows that environmental planning in the south Florida ecosystem is being substantially redefined by the emerging frameworks of sustainable development and ecosystem management. Despite this substantial redefinition of environmental planning, however, the theoretical principles of sustainable development and ecosystem management have not been fully adopted. xi