College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/1598

The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.

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    Spreading the Seeds of a Solidarity Landscape: Co-creating a Biophilic Landscape and Training Curriculum in Northern Italy
    (2024) Christensen, Mary Elizabeth; Ruggeri, Deni; Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA); Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    A wealth of research explores the link between biophilia, access to nature, health, well-being, and quality of life (Wilson, 1984; Kellert, 1997; Louv, 2008; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Cooper Marcus & Sachs, 2013). Drawing on this body of research, nature-based interventions employed by social work professionals promote positive connections to nature and improve health and well-being for vulnerable populations (Obeng et al., 2023; Overbey et al., 2021). This thesis explores a participatory action research project using the case study of Villaggio Solidale, a charitable co-housing community in Northern Italy. Following the use of participatory methods, including co-creation, listening, observation, and prototyping, researchers are co-designing a Solidarity Landscape and co-creating a training curriculum with community social workers and educators to integrate nature-based interventions, biophilia, and well-being into the larger ecosystem surrounding Villaggio Solidale, ensuring that the landscape will become a central tool to support community solidarity, health, and well-being.
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    MICROCLIMATIC EFFECTS AND BIOPHILIC PROPERTIES OF LIVING UMBRELLAS
    (2017) Cloyd, Nicholas Renzi; Tilley, David; Environmental Science and Technology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The living umbrella is resembling of a traditional patio umbrella but with a canopy made of a layer of plants rather than fabric or metal. It is thought to provide comfort and shade to users while increasing nature in hardscaped areas. The study aimed to compare the microclimates of metal canopy umbrella to that of living umbrellas. Metrics used were Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), UV transmittance, solar transmittance, air temperature, canopy temperature, and humidity. Compared to ambient conditions, the living umbrella reduced WBGT by 1.5˚C, and UV and solar transmittance by 24.2% and 18%, respectively. The metal umbrella reduced UV and solar transmittance more than the living umbrella, but not WBGT. A second aim was to determine whether there was a Biophilic connection between the living umbrella and its users, which was explored through surveys. The Biophilic connection is exemplified by people who experience feelings of comfort when they are close to nature. The majority of respondents felt strong positive emotions towards the living umbrella, while 81% preferred a living umbrella over a metal umbrella. The research showed that an innovative green technology can improve the microclimate experienced by people while making them feel better.