Reconnecting River and Region: Blueway Network Design Guidelines for Socio-Ecological Resilience along the James River Corridor
dc.contributor.author | Pritchard, Sarah Nicole | en |
dc.contributor.committeechair | Engelke, Jennifer Ann | en |
dc.contributor.committeemember | Clements, Terry Lynn | en |
dc.contributor.committeemember | Kim, Mintai | en |
dc.contributor.department | Landscape Architecture | en |
dc.date.accessioned | 2025-06-18T08:00:15Z | en |
dc.date.available | 2025-06-18T08:00:15Z | en |
dc.date.issued | 2025-06-17 | en |
dc.description.abstract | This thesis investigates the foundational principles that inform the strategic planning of blueways and examines their practical application within the James River corridor in Virginia. By positioning the corridor from Richmond to Williamsburg as a case study, the research articulates a replicable framework for blueway development aimed at enhancing recreational access, connectivity, and socio-ecological resilience. In contrast to the well-established network of greenways across the United States, blueways remain underdeveloped and lack a cohesive design methodology. This absence of standardized frameworks inhibits the integration of river systems into the cultural and ecological fabric of adjacent communities, perpetuating a historical disconnection from waterways that once functioned as vital community arteries. The project proposes a reimagined narrative for the James River corridor, guided by research-based and experimental design strategies that cultivate dynamic interactions between human and non-human systems. Through a series of design interventions and policy-driven recommendations, this study outlines how a strategically implemented blueway can activate the river as both a recreational resource and a socio-ecological catalyst. Ultimately, the thesis contributes a set of transferable design guidelines and planning insights that address a significant gap in the discourse and practice of blueway development, offering a model for other riverine landscapes looking to foster resilience, access, and connectivity. | en |
dc.description.abstractgeneral | This paper explores and cultivates guidelines needed for strategically planned blueways, then how they can be specifically applied to the James River corridor through Richmond to Williamsburg, Virginia. Through precedent projects and a variety of trailway guidelines, new guidelines were created to address barriers in recreational accessibility, connectivity of beyond-humans and humans to the river, and socio-ecological benefits that are not present without intentional connection. The project aimed to use, test, and refine the new guidelines by applying them to the development of a blueway trail on the James River. One that highlights the unique natural and cultural characteristics of this area while increasing recreational opportunities that have been hindered by various factors, such as private development along the riverine coast, erosional conditions, inaccessibility, and lack of public space, among others. This project uses existing research and a design experimentation process through the use of guidelines to implement a blueway masterplan that will create a new way of approaching blueway and trail design in the field of landscape architecture. | en |
dc.description.degree | Master of Landscape Architecture | en |
dc.format.medium | ETD | en |
dc.identifier.other | vt_gsexam:44266 | en |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10919/135535 | en |
dc.language.iso | en | en |
dc.publisher | Virginia Tech | en |
dc.rights | In Copyright | en |
dc.rights.uri | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | en |
dc.subject | Landscape Architecture | en |
dc.subject | Blueway Networks | en |
dc.subject | James River | en |
dc.subject | Blueway Design | en |
dc.subject | Resiliency | en |
dc.subject | Socio-Ecological | en |
dc.subject | Connectivity | en |
dc.subject | Ecological Engagement | en |
dc.subject | Design Guidelines | en |
dc.subject | and Water-Based Recreation | en |
dc.title | Reconnecting River and Region: Blueway Network Design Guidelines for Socio-Ecological Resilience along the James River Corridor | en |
dc.type | Thesis | en |
thesis.degree.discipline | Landscape Architecture | en |
thesis.degree.grantor | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | en |
thesis.degree.level | masters | en |
thesis.degree.name | Master of Landscape Architecture | en |
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