If you have problems in joining, using or leaving the list, please
contact Mr. Hannu Niemi in email address:
hannu.niemi@reg.fi (or hannu.niemi@kuntaliitto.fi)
__________________________________________________________________
2. The Grid Method
2.1. The idea and its progress so far
The idea of our Grid Method is simply to place different types of GIS
data into same square. We may for example split area data and add
together point data to compare them in squares. With this method we can
do fast database calculations, find explanatory factors and make new
conclusions for the land-use purposes. We can even utilize descriptive
information with this method. At least we are trying to do so.
Up to the present we have used the Grid Method mainly in these
analyses:
- access ability of centres
- gravity potential of centres
- appropriate location of the new settlement
- the most potential new employment areas
- the economy of infrastructure in land-use scenarios
EconoGrid (economic grid model) is a nickname of the tool we developed
for analysis last mentioned. The size of our region is about 90 km x 120
km, so we mostly use squares at sizes 250 m x 250 m and 500 m x 500 m.
You are welcome to visit our Internet Grid pages in address
http://www.reg.fi/phame/grid/dir2.htm.
2.2. About hardware and software
We are working with 486-PC:s and a Finnish GIS application "As2" in
Windows 3.x environment, but that is not the point. You can use the Grid
Method with different equipment. What you need are GIS data, database
application and/or spreadsheet application and a GIS application that
can use your database or spreadsheet as a source of information. We do
most of calculations in database, because we are using GIS-data with
number of records up to 300 000.
2.3. Need of EnviGrid
One of the widely known paradoxes of Finland's regional planning system
is that in spite of its integrating duty the tasks are shattered. Among
other things also environmental tasks have detached to one
"environmental sector", with the result that environmental aspects can't
be seen clear enough in other planning sectors. It is a problem of
collaboration and lack of methods. We know that many environmental
indicators exists, but we don't know how to make notable conclusions of
them in land-use planning. What we need are a new kind of integrative
thinking and new kind of methods.
We found out that with the help of grids we can combine GIS-data more
versatile than before. We have been able to make new inspiring
conclusions through combinations. If we will manage to link together
environmental indicators and our economical grid model, we can prepare
our regional scenarios on more sustainable basis than perhaps ever
before. We understand that our idea doesn't bring solution for managing
of environment in regional planning as a whole, but we believe that we
are trying to take a step to the right direction.
3. EnviGrid-project
3.1. Short description of contents
The EnviGrid-project is one part of the development of our Grid Method.
The Grid Method is a way to analyse and illustrate GIS-data. It could be
also internationally useful. At first we will deliberate upon
relationships between nature, society and infrastructure using following
visual angles: community, economy, ecology and health. SWOT-analysis is
the method to apply, very freely to be sure. We hope that this will lead
us close to the right type of environmental indicators.
The substance of the project will be to unite the indicator analysis
with our Grid Method. We will intend to prepare our next Regional Plan
with the results of the EnviGrid. In short, our goal, objects and ways
to realize them are as follows:
The environmental part of the Grid Method is the goal of our project.
The first object is the appropriate environmental indicator list for
regional planning purposes in our region. The second object is the
method for grid analysis and illustration of environmental indicators
for use of regional planning. The means:
- to clarify the needs for changing methods of environmental management
in Finland's regional planning (object 1)
- to study existing environmental indicator lists (object 1)
- to clarify the possibilities to utilize environmental indicators
(object 1)
- to clarify existing methods in environmental indicator analyses
(object 2)
- to test the suitability of the indicators for grid analysis (object 2)
- to join environmental grid with economical grid (object 2)
We are going to examine environment through wide concept associating
with object 1, because of the following reasons:
- Finland's Building and Planning Act presupposes it
- the Principle of Sustainable Development and the Local Agenda 21
presupposes it
- by doing so we can utilize our results better also in strategic
planning
- by doing so we can later widen the object 2 to include the environment
more extensive ("SocioGrid" for example)
In this project we will try to carry out only the nature environment
part of object 2.
The EnviGrid-project is administratively our own. Finland's Ministry of
the Environment is financing it, because it is responsible for the
national land-use strategies, and is interested in planning methods with
wider usefulness. The project has been put into practice by ourselves.
We have called the following institutions to co-operate mainly in the
acquiring of GIS-data:
- The Finnish Environment Agency
- The Geological Survey of Finland
The third co-operator is the regional Environment Centre of Hame,
because their project slightly associates with ours. We collaborate also
with the personnel of Lahti Environmental Forum (Local Agenda 21 in the
City of Lahti). This call for mailing list is our attempt to broaden the
discussion to international level.
3.2. The international mailing list
3.2.1. Justification
We took part in EU-Directoria in Brussels last December. We found out
there that planners around Europe are deliberating upon same things as
we, but from varying points of view. We presented our Grid Method to
many delegations who considered it interesting. This success gave us
courage to carry on with international contacts.
We are hoping now that with the help of this mailing list we would be
able to establish an international network of people, who in a way or
another are familiar with this kind of environmental problematics. The
idea is that every person committed could get benefits through
exchanging of experiences and knowledge. What we can offer is our
experiences and knowledge in regional planning and grid analysis and we
are compliant to recycle them. We feel also that this mailing list would
be a good starter for new joint EU-proposals.
3.2.2. Some wishes for topics
It would be very useful for us, if the discussion would begin with
topics focused in environmental indicators and general methodological
matters in spatial planning scene. Of course we are also ready to talk
over more specialised computer technics. The following is a short list
about the things we are now especially interested in:
- what is an environmental indicator, definitions
- expediency of e. indicators in spatial planning, opinions
- variation of e. indicators between areas, findings
- lists of already used e. indicators, experiences
- problems with the use of e. indicators, experiences
- methods used in analysis of e. indicators, descriptions
- all the above-mentioned from the angle of regional and local level
land-use planning
4. The region and the Council of Paijat-Hame
The Paijat-Hame region is located in the southern part of Finland's Lake
District. Our Council is one of the nineteen Regional Councils on the
mainland of Finland. The Council is owned by thirteen municipalities,
biggest of them the City of Lahti with 95 000 inhabitants. Lahti is
located 100 km north from Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The
population of the region is 200 000 in total.
We have currently sixteen permanent officials and a few provisional ones
in the Councils Office, about which seven in the regional planning unit.
Our main tasks in the planning unit are preparation of the region's
structural and physical plans. This is our contact information:
Hameenkatu 9
PL 50, 15111 LAHTI
FINLAND
Tel. +358 18 7830235, fax +358 18 7830240
Internet e-mail:
forename.familyname@phame.reg.reg.elisa.fi
You can also visit our www-pages in address
http://www.reg.fi/phame/welcome.htm". They are mostly in Finnish as yet
and heavily under construction, but we are working on it. The City of
Lahti has English pages in address http://www.php.fi/lahti/.
EnviGrid personnel:
Leo Barman, leader of the regional planning unit
Erkki Rope, regional planning engineer
Riitta Laitinen, regional development planner
Jukka Mikkonen, regional development planner
5. Regional Councils in Finland
5.1. Organization
Regional Councils are joint municipal authorities formed and principally
funded by their member municipalities. The Central Council is the
highest decision making body of the Regional Council. Member
municipalities elect representatives to the Central Council for a
four-year term. Representation and voting rights are proportionate to
the population of the member municipalities and are stipulated in the
Council's charter. The Board is the Regional Council's executive and
administrative organ. Its members are elected by the Central Council
along party lines to be politically representative of the region. The
Office of the Regional Council assists the Board in its administrative
tasks. The names and the accurate tasks of the units or sections of the
Offices are varying between regions.
5.2. Activity in brief
Regional Councils have statutory responsibility for regional development
and planning through the Regional Development Act and the Building and
Planning Act. The Councils also promote the interests of their regions
and perform a broad variety of voluntary tasks, including international
relations.
5.3. General tasks in land-use planning
Regional land use planning reconciles the different land-use objectives
and interests of the national, regional, and local level. Regional plans
provide the framework for planning at the municipal level and for all
land-use plans. Regional planning also strives to achieve an efficient
regional and urban infrastructure and to determine the best possible
locations for crucial functions. Planning in accordance with the
principle of sustainable development involves creating a safe and
rewarding living environment, using natural resources in a sustainable
manner and preserving ecological diversity and other values for future
generations. Regional land-use planning involves a variety of tasks,
such as locating service functions and facilities, designing built-up
and industrial areas, planning traffic networks, waste and sewage
disposal and energy supply systems and allocating land for farming,
forestry and recreational purposes.
5.4. Further information
You can get further information about Regional Councils and other local
authorities in Finland from the Association of Finnish Local
Authorities:
Toinen Linja 14
FIN-00530 HELSINKI, FINLAND
Tel. +358 0 7711, fax +358 0 771 2535
Brussels Office:
Rue Belliard 199, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel. 322 231 1107, fax 322 231 1087
You can also visit their www-sides in address
http://www.kuntaliitto.fi/homepage.html
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