Mixed-use at the landscape scale : integrating agriculture and water management as a case study for interdisciplinary planning

Abstract

Mixed-use planning is now a standard practice in city design and development. It is believed to support diverse and mutually reinforcing elements within a neighborhood. Agricultural landscapes present an analogous opportunity for mixed-use planning in order to capitalize on the synergies between food production, economic development, water management, biodiversity, energy production, and cultural preservation. This thesis develops a model specifically for integrating agriculture and water management in the United States context. The model is derived from an in-depth case study of a payment for ecosystem services program being tested in central Florida and a review of background literature from a variety of disciplines. The case study is the Florida Ranchlands for Environmental Services Project, currently in its pilot phase, which aims to design a program in which ranchers are paid to retain water on their pastures and reduce phosphorous levels in the Everglades. The thesis begins with a discussion of the challenges and prior attempts to integrate agriculture and water management as well as a summary of the case study's context. Next, it presents the model for integrated management, supported by findings from the case study and contextualized within current literature on payment for ecosystem services. It also investigates the financial feasibility and regional benefits of a scaled-up program. A future research agenda is then suggested, followed by a summary of key findings and implications for planning practice.