Fully optical fiber networks that transmit large quantities of information due to multiple applications or because they serve large urban areas (big and small local telephone exchanges), need to be maintained fault-free at all times of their operation. The protection and restoration strategies are critical. In this paper the modeling method and simulation tool are described that have been used ...

This paper aims to outline challenging issues of urban biodiversity in order to address yardsticks related to ecohydrology, and with a complementary approach to eutrophication impacts. The vision of environmental services, urbanization's consequences and management aspects of water governance are also depicted. Factors of river restoration, environmental tradeoffs and socio-cultural constrains ...

According to its advocates, an ecosystem-services-based approach to conservation will engender greater public support and produce more durable victories. Here, we identify three potential opportunity costs associated with such an approach: (1) diminished attention to protecting rare, localized species (the night parrot effect); (2) diminished attention to protecting wild, remote areas (the prox...

This paper employs the discrete choice experiment method to estimate the benefits of improved wastewater treatment programs to mitigate the impacts of water pollution in Nairobi, Kenya. Urban and peri-urban farmers who use wastewater for irrigation from Motoine to Ngong River in Nairobi were randomly selected for the study. A random parameter logit model was used to estimate the individual leve...

Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (1995) suggests that exposure to nature, even in the form of pictures, helps to restore depleted attention. Previous studies have found that adults’ executive functions (attention, inhibitory control, and working memory) often improve after viewing nature scenes, but not after viewing urban scenes. The current study assessed whether pictures of nature also ...

Physical settings can play a role in coping with stress; in particular experimental research has found strong evidence between exposure to natural environments and recovery from physiological stress and mental fatigue, giving support to both Stress Recovery Theory and Attention Restoration Theory. In fact, exposure to natural environments protects people against the impact of environmental stre...

Kane County is located on the western fringe of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Development pressures there have caused rapid increases in land consumption and property values. The county’s Forest Preserve District is actively purchasing land for conservation, but it is important to understand the long-term costs associated with current conservation goals. We developed 18 future scenario...

The schedule of urban road network recovery caused by rainstorms, snow, and other bad weather conditions, traffic incidents, and other daily events is essential. However, limited studies have been conducted to investigate this problem. We fill this research gap by proposing an optimal schedule for urban road network repair with limited repair resources based on the greedy algorithm. Critical li...