Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Institutional claims of university-community engagement in support of the public good and planning for teaching, learning, and research have largely remained in the realm of rhetoric. This thesis analyzes the 2019-2021 Trent University Lands and Nature Areas Plan and public consultation process, which at times was marked by the complete absence of consultation and at other times, wholly… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The bringing together of Indigenous (IK) and Environmental science Knowledge (ESK) has garnered significant attention in environmental research. This intersection has been recognized for enhancing understanding of various contemporary environmental challenges. Despite its acknowledged importance, there remains a notable gap in understanding how these knowledge systems are brought… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Akter, Mohinur, Thesis advisor (ths): Kermani, Saeid SK, Thesis advisor (ths): Zohar, Asaf AZ, Degree committee member (dgc): Guzel, Gulay GG, Degree committee member (dgc): Dart, Ray RD, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The global shift toward sustainability has prompted brands to promote their sustainability initiatives on social media, aiming to connect with pro-environmental consumers. However, this strategy comes with risks, as social media allows for swift and widespread backlash if consumers perceive greenwashing. The present work examines the impact of social media backlash toward a brand's… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The study examines the adaptive reuse of historical and heritage industrial sites in Peterborough, Ontario. Industrial-heritage sites face several challenges when being subjected to adaptive reuse. These challenges are largely concerned with the contamination of sites and how industrial buildings and sites can be transformed into reusable sites. The study adopted a qualitative research… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for reducing transportation-related emissions and achieving sustainability goals. However, a significant research gap exists regarding specific consumer groups, such as university students, and their attitudes toward EV adoption, as they represent a demographic influential in shaping future adoption patterns. This research… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Sustainable housing is crucial for immigrant settlement and integration in their host countries. This research focuses on achieving sustainable housing for one racialized immigrant group in
Toronto. A concurrent mixed-method approach, which involves simultaneous collection and analysis
of quantitative and qualitative data, was used to explore how a racialized immigrant group, like… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Faced with the intersecting environmental crises of the 21st century, conservation organizations are searching for practices that produce better, more sustainable outcomes. However, they have often relied on forms of conservation which shore up rather than disrupt settler relationships to land in the form of fortress conservation and assumptions about the human-nature dualism. In this… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The seed oil of Carapa guianensis, known as Crabwood oil (CWO) and its fractionation was studied, focussing on chemical composition and physicochemical functionality. Compounds never reported before in CWO were identified, including limonoids such as Trichillin, ketostearic and hydroxyoleic acids. Yield of olein and stearin fractions correlated strongly with solvent polarity. Important… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Ecological restoration of grassland ecosystems is increasing in scope in Ontario, as a result the demand for genetically appropriate, high-quality seeds of native plants is also
increasing. This mixed methods study characterized fitness and seed quality traits using
genetic, demographic and growth trial data for a keystone tallgrass prairie species Big
bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Heated leaf extracts of Euphorbia neriifolia (sweet aloes) are used traditionally in Guyana for asthma therapy, but the phytoconstituents have not been studied and phytohormones are generally unexplored in Euphorbia species. Phytoconstituents in asthma-effective traditional heated extracts were analyzed and compared with unheated leaves and latex extracts as screens to identify candidate… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research aimed to capture the experiences of cities that have endeavored to localize the SDGs in their areas. Literature review and one-on-one interviews with SDG practitioners have been conducted to glean best practices and effective strategies to develop recommendations for how cities in Canada should plan to localize the SDGs in their areas. The research uncovered themes in… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This study used literature from the social and ecological sciences to look at the practice of seed saving in the Global North for adaptation in the face of climate change. The hypothesis is that small-scale gardeners and farmers are adapting seeds to the changing climate as they grow them, which is not the case for growers who grow only food. However seed savers face obstacles and are… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Hvenegaard, Carson, Thesis advisor (ths): Bocking, Stephen, Degree committee member (dgc): Hill, Stephen, Degree committee member (dgc): Rutherford, Stephanie, Degree committee member (dgc): Zohar, Asaf, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Local environmental initiatives can create visible and essential changes and inspire greater environmental action. Municipal governments and local environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) are important local actors, but their partnerships and relationships have not received much attention. This thesis examines what activities and relationships have been developed between… more Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Food waste (FW) disposal has negative implications for the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of communities. While some municipalities in Canada have made improvements to their FW management, others have not been successful. Considering the complexity of the issues integrated into municipal FW management (MFWM), a mixed methodological approach was used to understand the… more Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Addressing the issue of food insecurity effectively within a region in a way where interventions reflect the variability of food insecurity levels across subgroups of the population is important. It is a unique challenge and requires specific data. This study took in this direction by conducting an exploratory statistical analysis of a community-representative dataset of Inuit Seniors… more Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research evaluates the degree to which nutrients are included in forest management planning. First, the thesis evaluates forest management plans globally to determine the extent to which countries consider key nutrients (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) in their forest management plans. This is followed by a case study in Muskoka, Ontario, of a pilot wood ash recycling program with the goal of… more Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The notion that food insecurity only occurs in the absence of food is prevalent in society. This perception is too narrow and insufficient to capture the diverse manifestations and experiences of food insecurity. In this thesis, I adopt a more expansive approach to examine food (in)security through the lenses of adequacy, quality, and availability of culturally relevant food. I look… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the perceptions of human-bear interactions in Ontario, suggesting that they have been shaped by narratives that have roots in colonial perceptions of nonhuman animals. Further, I seek to consider how these interactions could unfold differently if we rethought our relationships and responsibilities to these beings, in particular through an embrace of Indigenous-led… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the history of the Indigenous child welfare system in Manitoba and the effects of the Millennium Scoop on children in care. My research question is: what was the experience of children in care in Manitoba from 1990 to 2015? A related question is: how do survivors find healing? The thesis begins with a discussion of the history of acts, policies, and practices that… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Arctic ecosystems are increasingly altered by climate change, and some wildlife species, like moose, are adapting to these new conditions. Indigenous knowledge and values, such as those held by Inuit, can provide insight into adaptive wildlife management and may improve ecosystem resiliency. This thesis seeks to address the following question: What is the potential role of Indigenous… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Wetland loss in southern Ontario, escalated by development, is putting pressure on planners as they struggle to meet development needs while maintaining a balance with regional natural heritage. Wetland offsetting, coupled with strategic environmental assessment and sustainable community planning, offers a potential solution. A combined approach of literature review, interviews, focus… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis aimed to determine what factors influence individual- and community-level shoreline stewardship attitudes and behaviours. Shoreline stewardship is part of the broader literature of environmental stewardship and place-based conservation. The needs and barriers limiting stewardship action were examined, as were the opportunities for increased impact. The Love Your Lake (LYL)… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis evaluates a multi-stakeholder participatory planning initiative, NeighbourPLAN, in Peterborough, Ontario, and the role of the third-party broker, GreenUP, in establishing connections and networks of capacity between marginalized members of the community and contributing organizations, city, and experts. Participatory approaches to engage residents disenfranchised by… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): McLaughlin, Adam, Thesis advisor (ths): Holdsworth, David, Degree committee member (dgc): Hutchinson, Tom C., Degree committee member (dgc): Rutherford, Stephanie, Degree committee member (dgc): Classens, Michael, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>This thesis re-imagines the social sustainability of civic agriculture. This entails critically examining the idea of sustainability and exposing why a tendency to undertheorize its social dimension is problematic for how we think about sustainability, and consequently for how we do sustainability. What is demonstrated is that we can overcome this tendency by adopting Stephen McKenzie… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Ecological restoration helps managers of protected areas respond to challenges presented by factors that threaten ecological integrity and respond to residual effects of previous land use. Many protected areas require restoration on sections of the property, due to previous land use. The objective of this thesis is to present criteria that assist ecological restoration professionals in… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Ohwén:tsia Entsionkwarihón:nien is a project that explores the intersection of Kanien'kéha immersion, Kanien'kehá:ka culture and the potential impacts of experiencing Rotinonhsón:ni knowledge on the land. Students at the Akwesasne Freedom School are fully immersed in the Kanien'kéha language and the "curriculum" is centered around four Rotinonhsón:ni systems of… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research evaluates the role of GreenUP, a non-profit in Peterborough, Ontario, as the intermediary organization for NeighbourPLAN. The project examines GreenUP's role in facilitating and managing NeighbourPLAN, a participatory planning project with multiple local partners and actors. Six critical success factors are used to understand and conceptualize intermediary success (… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In this thesis, I explore the question of what would make Peterborough a good or "age-friendly" place to grow old(er) from a diversity of perspectives within and outside the structures of Age-friendly Peterborough (AFP). This research further explores if and/or how AFP and the Age-friendly movement more broadly, can be used as a tool for visioning and enacting more just,… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Currier, Anna, Thesis advisor (ths): O'Manique, Colleen, Degree committee member (dgc): Attridge, Ian, Degree committee member (dgc): Seasons, Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Rutherford, Stephanie, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Using the Official Plan as the case study, this research examines the extent to which underrepresented groups are engaged in public consultation in the planning process for the City of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The Official Plan, along with the tools and secondary plans and policies which reinforce it, shape how people navigate and benefit from the built environment, such as access… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The contemporary denigration of poultry combined with the intensification of industrialized animal agriculture has deepened divides between humans and poultry, creating a disconnect that holds implications for both parties and the sustainability of North American food systems. This study explores how people with poultry keeping experience perceive these animals, how their views are… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Partnerships for management of public parks have a long history, but little attention has been given to the current models of partnerships during a period of municipal austerity in Ontario. Using a qualitative assessment of transcripts from representatives of 10 municipal partner groups, this research considers what some of the current models are, the impact that they may have, and how… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Dairy goat farming has become increasingly popular in recent years in Ontario. This qualitative study done by semi-structured interviews, examines the why and the wherefore of the opinions held by dairy goat farmers in Ontario in regards to sustainable agriculture. It was found that these farmers feel that sustainable agriculture is important. These farmers believed their farms to be… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This study identifies and examines interlinkages between climate change and sustainable development, environmental security, and adaptive capacity through a case study of two communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region: Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. It seeks to understand how these two communities perceive climate change and define sustainable development, particularly in relation to oil… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>There are many barriers facing new, sustainably-focused, agriculturalists in Canada including access to land, capital, markets and practical training. These challenges are compounded by the flawed but powerful figure of the industrial agriculture model, a rapidly aging farmer population, changing demographics, and subsequent loss of valuable, place-based agricultural knowledge. This… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Recent climate scientists, Indigenous resurgence scholars, and psychologists have variously indicated that we need a transformation of consciousness in order to address the cultural and spiritual forces at the root of our current environmental, interpersonal, and individual crises of disconnection. My research is in direct response to diverse calls for this paradigm shift, including the… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The "upfront" embodied carbon (EC) of building materials includes the accumulated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from harvesting, manufacturing and transportation processes, and is becoming more widely recognized as a major source of global GHGs. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the potential for buildings to go beyond reduced or zero GHG emissions and to… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The study sought to uncover the motivations influencing collectors when they buy recorded music. These motivations were analyzed through the lenses of environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability. Trent Radio Programmers were interviewed because of their frequent use of recorded music, sizable collections, and active participation in the local music scene. The study identified… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Hunger is a significant concern in Canada, and even more so in the North, with 52% of Inuit adults in Arctic regions experiencing some level of food insecurity in 2012. Policy deficiencies are argued to, at the least, be partly responsible for this issue. This qualitative exploratory project aimed to answer the question: What is the role of food-related policy(ies) in household food… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This case study contributes to scholarship surrounding the national conversation on Indigenous language sustainability in North America. Much of this scholarship provides insight on structuring language programs and policies for youth, leaving a tremendous research gap regarding sociolinguistic and cultural research with youth. Youth appear disinterested or otherwise set apart in current… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Blocking fossil fuel infrastructure projects like pipelines is increasingly being seen as a legitimate way for civil society groups to reduce global carbon emissions. This research project is an exploratory case study of the Trans Mountain pipeline in British Columbia and its opposition. My research question asks, 'What has each tactic/strategy of opposition in the campaign to stop… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Community-based research (CBR) is a method of discovery that can provide pragmatic methods of advocating for and enabling community change. CBR literature and practice has focused on securing educational and job skills training outcomes for students rather than the communities, and community outcomes CBR and partnership frameworks were truly meant to serve. This research evaluates the… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This qualitative study examines the applicability, impact, best practices, sustainability and livestock welfare implications of mobile processing service operation in central Ontario. Grounded theory concepts were utilized to analyze data generated from semi-structured interviews and a community focus group, supplemented by an initial exploratory literature review, and focused review… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In current knowledge-based economy, knowledge might be viewed as the most valuable organizational resource in sustaining any organization. Organizational knowledge originates from cognitive learning by individuals situated within organizations. In organizational learning, situated learning of knowledge by individuals is shared to create sustainable organizational competency. Yet, there… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>A consistent provincial approach to capacity planning for rehabilitative care had been </p><p>identified as a critical gap in the field of health care in Ontario (Rehabilitative Care </p><p>Alliance, 2015a). In response, the rehabilitative care alliance (RCA) developed a needs</p><p>based hip fracture capacity planning canvas together with persons and… more Year: 2018, 2018
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis centres on a series of intergenerational life history interviews with and about Jean Koning, a 95-year-old white Settler woman who has engaged in different forms of Indigenous-Settler solidarity work for over fifty years—work that is highly regarded by many Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in southwestern and central Ontario. I bring Jean's stories and perspectives… more Year: 2018, 2018
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>With regards to building knowledge about rural aging, there is a gap in understanding of the diversity of older rural people's experiences and the interaction between older rural people and the development trajectories of aging rural communities. One way to examine these experiences and interactions is through voluntarism; the activities of volunteers and voluntary organizations,… more Year: 2018, 2018
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores practitioner perceptions of operational and structural experiences of non-profit organizations (NPO) and platform projects (PP) to develop an understanding of how a shared platform governance model can build resiliency and sustainability in non-profit organizations. The objectives of this research are to 1) develop an understanding of NPO and PP operational and… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research explores cross-sector collaboration in universities' innovation initiatives. To understand the current roles of the higher education sector and the influences shaping innovation initiatives through cross-sector collaborative projects, this study is focused on a case study of the Trent University Research & Innovation Park (TRIP) project. The following three central… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The global food system has been criticized for being environmentally, economically and socially unsustainable. As part of a local food movement, farmers' markets (FM) are undergoing a revival in response to the escalating food system globalization of the past century. Despite the prevalence of FMs as formalized organizations, there remains a significant range in their operational… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the experiences of volunteers who came together to redevelop an</p><p>abandoned convent into The Mount Community Centre (The Mount) for the purpose of</p><p>sustainable community development. The goal of the research was to explore the</p><p>relational processes of place-making at The Mount, to be achieved through two</p><… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>My research explores potential motivators for social and health service providers to be more holistic and compassionate with those they serve. From previous research focused on spirituality, I identified seven additional concepts: faith, religion, community, culture, compassion, wellness, and wholeness. Using elements of Appreciative Inquiry, data was collected through a focus group and… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Urban agriculture (UA) is becoming increasingly prevalent in Canadian cities. Despite this municipal zoning by-laws often do not address UA explicitly. Using eleven interviews of urban agricultural participants a case study of the City of Peterborough's zoning by-laws and the barriers they might present to UA was conducted. Research suggests that UA can provide many benefits to… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research considers the historic context of power that planning operates within, and looks at the ways in which certain community members are marginalized by traditional planning processes. Participatory planning, which has theoretical roots in communicative planning theory, may have the potential to shift the legacy of power and marginalization within planning processes, resulting… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Sustainable development is normative - making decisions in the present that construct the experience of place for the future. It is primarily driven by global measures developed to meet the needs of the present while ensuring future generations can meet their own needs. These measures attempt to balance economic prosperity, social justice, and environmental stewardship in many nations.… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis sought to explore and evaluate perceptions of food needs and the role of a community freezer in addressing those needs, among Inuit in Hopedale, Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador). Research was carried out through an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. Phase 1 employed qualitative interviews with community members in Hopedale to explore the perceptions of food needs… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This study intervenes into the debate regarding the definition of pluralism in ecological economics and how that definition affects various characterizations of ecological economics. The methodological pluralist camp argue for the inclusion of neoclassical economics into the ecological economics fold, while the critical pluralist camp argue against the inclusion of neoclassical economics… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The primary research question of this study was to explore the key factors influencing Indigenous health through an investigation of Inuit health in Nunavik.</p><p>This research used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. The qualitative phase of this project employed interviews with Inuit health experts in Nunavik. The quantitative phase involved an analysis of the… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Car-sharing may have the potential to contribute to a more sustainable transportation system. The current research sought to answer the question: what are university-aged Millennials' perceptions and attitudes toward the adoption of vehicle sharing and private vehicle ownership? The research consisted of hosting six interactive focus group sessions with Millennial students, who… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis addresses the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability and economic sustainability. There is evidence from the Canadian experience that market economies are extremely dependent upon consumption - the most significant factor in determining the overall level of economic activity and economic growth. Therefore, from this perspective, several periods of declining… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The North American conservation movement and modern conservation model was created in part because of the exploitative commercial hunting industry that caused the collapse of species such as the bison and auk in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These historical actions continue to shape views today and the public perception of hunting can often be negative. This thesis engaged… more
