environment Sürdürülebilir Çevre Dergisi 2791-7444 Çevre Vakfı 10.62816/cevder.1525914 Environmental Management (Other) Çevre Yönetimi (Diğer) CAN TRAIL BRIDGES PROMOTE BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETIC VALUE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS? EVIDENCE IN NORTHERN PROVINCE OF RWANDA CAN TRAIL BRIDGES PROMOTE BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETIC VALUE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS? EVIDENCE IN NORTHERN PROVINCE OF RWANDA https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3429-2536 Diane Ntaganzwa Sine University of Lay Adventists of Kigali https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7700-6215 Pancras Ndokoye University of Technology and Arts of Byumba https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1377-328X Alexis Manishimwe University of Technology and Arts of Byumba 01 21 2025 4 2 112 123 08 01 2024 01 06 2025 Copyright © 2021, Journal of Sustainable Environment 2021 Journal of Sustainable Environment

In this study we analysed the influence of the trail bridges on the aesthetic value of the environment, and on the economic development of the rural areas alongside with the functionality of trail bridges in northern province of Rwanda. The beneficiaries of the trail bridge and the local leaders were sampled randomly (local bridges beneficiaries) and purposively (local leaders). 12500 households and local leaders were our target population from whom 267 households’ representatives and 11leaders were used as sample.It was found that Gakenke and Rulindo districts are the districts that has the most trail bridges built so far, totalling 75% of all the bridges built in the Northern province. There is a significant increase in building trail bridges with years; 65% of the total trail bridges were built in only two years (2021 and 2022). The trail bridge sustains the crossing of pedestrians of all categories and is also designed to allow the crossing of animals, motorcycles and bicycles. The sustainability and full functionality of a trail bridge are influenced by several factors such as, the materials used in construction, the regularity of the maintenance and the efficient use of the bridge. Therefore, trail bridges that are decked with steel structures are in very good conditions, while those decked with timbers are in bad conditions. Regression Statistics indicated that trail bridges shortened travel time and speeded economic activities by boosting jobs. On one side the value of R square (0.62806) it means 62% of the change in new economic activities is driven by the travel time and the correlation is strong, as shown by the value of Multiple R=0.79. This means that the longer the travel time, the less the possibility of new economic activities. On the other hand, the value of R square (0.654), it means 65% of the change in new job is driven by the travel time, and the value of Multiple R=0.808 shows a strong correlation.The promotion of trail bridges in hilly countries with deep valley could accelerate sustainable socio economic development.

In this study we analysed the influence of the trail bridges on the aesthetic value of the environment, and on the economic development of the rural areas alongside with the functionality of trail bridges in northern province of Rwanda. The beneficiaries of the trail bridge and the local leaders were sampled randomly (local bridges beneficiaries) and purposively (local leaders). 12500 households and local leaders were our target population from whom 267 households’ representatives and 11leaders were used as sample.It was found that Gakenke and Rulindo districts are the districts that has the most trail bridges built so far, totalling 75% of all the bridges built in the Northern province. There is a significant increase in building trail bridges with years; 65% of the total trail bridges were built in only two years (2021 and 2022). The trail bridge sustains the crossing of pedestrians of all categories and is also designed to allow the crossing of animals, motorcycles and bicycles. The sustainability and full functionality of a trail bridge are influenced by several factors such as, the materials used in construction, the regularity of the maintenance and the efficient use of the bridge. Therefore, trail bridges that are decked with steel structures are in very good conditions, while those decked with timbers are in bad conditions. Regression Statistics indicated that trail bridges shortened travel time and speeded economic activities by boosting jobs. On one side the value of R square (0.62806) it means 62% of the change in new economic activities is driven by the travel time and the correlation is strong, as shown by the value of Multiple R=0.79. This means that the longer the travel time, the less the possibility of new economic activities. On the other hand, the value of R square (0.654), it means 65% of the change in new job is driven by the travel time, and the value of Multiple R=0.808 shows a strong correlation.The promotion of trail bridges in hilly countries with deep valley could accelerate sustainable socio economic development.

 Environmental aesthetics Trail bridge Economic development environmental aesthetic value rural area Trail bridge Environmental aesthetic value Rural areas Environmental aesthetics Economic development No financial support was received (n.d.). Retrieved 03 11, 2023, from California Association for Local Economic Development: https://caled.org/economic-development-basics/ Rolston, III, H. (1981). Values in Nature. Environmental Ethics, 3, 113-128. (NISR), N. I. (2023). Fifth Rwanda Population and Housing Census, Main Indicators Report. Brady, E., & Prior, J. (2020). Environmental aesthetics: A synthetic review. People and Nature, 2, 251-508. DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10089 Budha, P. B., & Joshi, B. R. (2022, June 1). An Assessment of Operation and Maintenance of Trail Bridges for Sustainable Mobility in Nepal. Himalayan Journal of Applied Science and Engineering (HiJASE), 3, 1-7. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3126/hijase.v3i1.46940 Budha, P. B., & Joshi, B. R. (2022, June 1). An Assessment of Operation and Maintenance of Trail Bridges for Sustainable Mobility in Nepal. Himalayan Journal of Applied Science and Engineering (HiJASE), 3. CALED . (n.d.). What is economic development? Retrieved 07 11, 2023, from California Association for Local Economic Development: https://caled.org/economic-development-basics/ Corrigan, J. R., Downing, J., & Egan, K. (2007, July). Aesthetic Values of Lakes and Rivers. ResearchGate. DOI: 10.1016/B978-012370626-3.00003-X · Source: RePEc Gatare, E., Zenon, M., & Oduor, J. (2017, March). Factors Affecting Market Access in Agricultural Based Projects in Rwanda: A Case of Home Grown School Feeding (Hgsf) Project in Nyaruguru District. International Journal of Civil Engineering, Construction and Estate Management, 27-37. Helvetas. (2010). Towards Safer River Crossings: Trail Bridge Capacity Building Project in Ethiopia. addis Ababa. Ismael, Z. A., Mohson, Z. H., & shalal, S. S. (2021, October). Criteria for designing pedestrian bridges to achieve the aesthetic value in Iraqi cities. Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, 4, 715-728. Kayiranga, E. (2017). RULINDO district development strategy 2018-2024. Lieuw-Kie-Song, M., Abebe, H., Sempundu, T., & Bynens, E. (2019). Employment Impact Assessments: Analysis of the employment effects of infrastructure investment in Rwanda using multiplier analysis of construction subsectors. International Labor Organization. Macharia, D., MacDonald, L., Mugabo, L., Donovan, K., Brooks, W., Gudissa, S., Noriega, A., Barstow, C., Dickinson, K., Thomas, E. (2022). Mixed methods study design, pre-analysis plan, process evaluation and baseline results of trailbridges in rural Rwanda. Science of The Total Environment, 838. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156546 National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). (2023). Fifth Rwanda Population and Housing Census, Main Indicators Report. Kigali. Ndayambaje, F. (2017). Gicumbi district development strategy 2018-2024. Nepal, G. O. (2006). Trail Bridge Strategy. Nsabuwera, V., Hedt-Gauthier, B., Khogali, M., Edginton, M., Hinderaker, S. G., Nisingizwe, M. P., . . . Drobac, P. (2015). Making progress towards food security: evidence from an intervention in three rural districts of Rwanda. Public Health Nutrition. Nzabuheraheza, F. D., & Nyiramugwera, A. N. (2017). Food security status in developing countries: a case study of Burera and Musanze districts of Rwanda. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 17(3), 12413-12426. Nzamwita, D. (2019). GAKENKE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2018/2024. Othman, N., Mohamed, N., & Ariffin, M. (2015). Landscape Aesthetic Values and Visiting Performance in Natural. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 330 – 339. Rajack-Talley, T. A. (2016). Rural employment and rural development in the Caribbean. International Labour Organization. Romano, A. (2019, December 1). The Most Beautiful Bridges in the World. Retrieved from https://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/architecture-design/most-beautiful-bridges-around-the-world. Ruzima, M., Boachie, M. K., Põlajeva, T., & Iddrisu, A.-A. (2022). Does the Fisher effect hold in Rwanda? Springer Link, 2657–2672. Sandra L. Siedlecki, P. (2020). Understanding Descriptive Research Designs and Methods. Clinical Nurse Specialist. 34(1):8-12. DOI: 10.1097/NUR.0000000000000493. Shrestha, J. K. (2016). Effect of Modification of Deck Properties on Suspension Bridges. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 39-50. Thomas, E., Bradshaw, A., Mugabo, L., MacDonald, L., Brooks, W., Dickinson, K., & Donovan, K. (2021). Engineering environmental resilience: A matched cohort study of the community benefits of trailbridges in rural Rwanda. Science of The Total Environment, 771. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145275. Thomas, E., Bradshaw, A., Mugabo, L., MacDonald, L., Brooks, W., Dickinson, K., & Donovan, K. (2021). Engineering environmental resilience: A matched cohort study of the community benefits of trailbridges in rural Rwanda. Westerink, H., & Barco, M. A. (2016). Reducing rural isolation: a tale of two bridges. Civil Engineering, 169, 1-16.