VIURRSpace
The Libraries of Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University collaboratively offer VIURRSpace to digitally preserve and showcase selected scholarly and creative works of the universities, together with special collections that represent the unique character of the region.
Recent Submissions
Item Land use and land cover classification using high-resolution ortho-imagery in Surrey, BC: A deep learning approach(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2026-05)High-resolution land use and land cover (LULC) mapping is increasingly required for operational applications in urban and peri-urban environments, where accurate and consistent classification outputs are needed for planning, monitoring, and environmental management. However, automated classification at very fine spatial scales remains challenging due to landscape heterogeneity, class ambiguity, and computational constraints. In the context of high-resolution urban imagery, this study evaluates the performance of two deep learning semantic segmentation models, U-Net and DeepLabV3, against a traditional Random Forest baseline for nine-class land cover classification in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.Item Interweaving the Strengths of Relationality and Hierarchy in Emergency Services: A First-Person Approach to Enhancing My Leadership Practice(2026)In the contemporary Western world, where hierarchies prevail, it can be hard to imagine what alternative leadership models might look like. This notwithstanding, relational leadership models have existed for time immemorial across North America, rooted in Indigenous community practices. With over a decade of progressive leadership experience in the emergency services sector, I have consistently experienced and observed a misalignment between the relational connection that drew me to the field and the command-and-control structures I have had to navigate. When it has been acknowledged that the hierarchical structures fall short in daily operations and personnel leadership, and there has been a call for emergency services to move towards more relational leadership, why does progress on this front feel slow, if not altogether stagnant? The call to serve is inherently relational; for me, it was a way to contribute to my community and align with a purpose and values larger than myself. So why have I often found myself so relationally disconnected, even having to suppress relational tendencies at times to feel I fit the hierarchical mould? Further, while some may label or attempt to empirically prove one leadership model as superior, is there space to create a pluralist vision of leadership that honours the strengths of both hierarchical and relational approaches? The purpose of this first-person research was to examine how I might enhance my ability to leverage the strengths and benefits of both relational approaches and the hierarchical structure of emergency services in my leadership practice, specifically by drawing on Indigenous governance models, land-based community practices and through the use of arts-based methods. Reflective of the tensions that exist between paradigms at each the individual, institutional, and societal level, the objectives of this leadership inquiry were (a) to enhance my capacity to bring out the strengths and benefits of relational approaches and the hierarchical structure of emergency services within my leadership practice (first person); (b) to inspire potential post-thesis, organizational-focused initiatives within my organization or sector, based on my research findings and recommendations (second person); (c) to generate ideas that may be relevant to other leaders in my sector and beyond through generating examples of alternative first-person leadership models and approaches that interweave hierarchical and relational practices within the larger emergency services community (second person); and (d) to contribute insights to academic and practitioner discussions and literatures around how relational and hierarchical practices and models might be brought together in new ways, and in ways that centre Indigenous leadership theory and practice (third person). Appreciating the significance of relationality in many Indigenous cultures and the call to decolonize academic and organizational structures, I also sought, through this research, to enhance my leadership capacities and my understanding of how Indigenist approaches offer insights into achieving homeostasis between these two leadership practices. Keywords: hierarchy, relational leadership, Two-eyed Seeing, Two Row Wampum, leadership, emergency services, hand-knowing, whole-person presencingItem Adopting Organic Agriculture in British Columbia as an Established Pathway to Regenerative Agriculture(2026)Organic agriculture is increasingly touted as an ecologically superior farming method, and as such, a pathway towards regenerative agriculture. This study is situated in British Columbia, where demand for organic produce continues to grow, yet local adoption of organic agriculture remains limited. The gap between market demand and farmers' uptake raises questions about the conditions that shape organic adoption. Additionally, the study considers the significance of organic farming for regenerative agriculture with a specific focus on soil health and reduction of synthetic inputs. It also examined awareness and support systems for organic agriculture in British Columbia. A qualitative research design was applied, using the Diffusion of Innovations and Social-Ecological systems frameworks. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with 10 conventional farmers, 10 certified organic farmers, and 10 affiliated professionals. Findings indicate that, despite high awareness of organic agriculture among conventional farmers, this awareness does not translate into adoption. Organic agriculture is also heavily dependent on an informal system of support rather than on formal institutional support. The institutional support is seen as limited and poorly focused on organic agriculture. This underscores the importance of implementing measures that actively support conventional farmers willing to adopt organic methods. Key strategies include strengthening organic-specific extension services and developing policies that reduce structural risks. Awareness-raising programs alone are not likely to achieve significant outcomes. This study, drawing on farmers’ and agricultural professionals’ perspectives, offers insights into the systemic conditions that could be implemented to encourage the adoption of organic agriculture in British Columbia.Item Evaluating Vegetation, Root, and Media Characteristics of a Bioretention Installation and their Influence on Stormwater Retention(2026)Bioretention manages stormwater through ecological processes which rely on complex interactions between vegetation, root dynamics, and growing media properties. Parameters of three growing media and three vegetation palates in a mature bioretention research facility were investigated in an arid, cold-climate region. Stormwater retention ranged from 0% to 67%, was highest in coarser media and demonstrated significant interactive effects of media and vegetation. Shrub dominated beds exhibited the highest root length density, however no clear connection between root length density and stormwater retention was found. Clay loam media improved the formation of water stable aggregates and vegetation recruitment. Vegetation that persisted demonstrated important adaptions to challenging environmental conditions. Bioretention design trade-offs must harmonize coarse media for stormwater retention, while incorporating clay and organics for pedogenesis and vegetation survival. Examining connections between stormwater retention, growing media, vegetation, and root parameters improves the overall understanding of the interactions influencing stormwater bioretention.Item Representation of persons with visible disabilities in social media of destination management organizations in British Columbia(Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University, 2026)Tourism has grown continuously over the past few decades, with digital marketing platforms, particularly social media, now playing a central role in shaping how destinations are perceived and influencing travel decisions. Tourism promotional materials, however, have historically excluded and underrepresented persons with disabilities, which reinforces barriers to inclusive participation. While accessibility in tourism infrastructure has received scholarly attention, the representation of persons with disabilities in tourism promotion materials remains largely unexplored in the Canadian context. This research addresses this gap by examining how five Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in British Columbia represent persons with visible disabilities in their social media content during May 1-31, 2024. A qualitative research approach was adopted to examine 226 social media posts published on Instagram and Facebook in May 2024. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. This analysis focused specifically on the presence, visibility, and representation of persons with visible disabilities. Findings reveal four themes: 1) “Exploring The Destination,” examining the types of tourism experiences promoted; 2) “Accessible Infrastructure Without Persons with Disabilities,” showing accessibility features without users, 3) “Selective Visibility: Representing Persons with Disabilities”, revealing minimal and uneven representation, and 4) “Lack of Diverse Representation,” highlighting limited diverse representation of disability alongside race, age, and 2SLGBTQ+ identities. These findings contribute to the growing body of inclusive tourism research and offer practical recommendations for DMOs seeking more equitable and representative destination marketing.
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