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Eureka, Ca Fishing Community Sustainability Plan, Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc., Humboldt State University

Local Reports and Publications

The Eureka Fishing Community Sustainability Plan (FCSP) is the product of years of planning, hard work, and collaboration among a wide range of interests, led by local commercial and charter fishermen, processors, representatives from the mariculture industry, fishing-related businesses, fishing families, civic leaders, elected officials, City of Eureka staff, academia, business owners and operators, and funding from the federal government.

An FCSP is a document outlined in the federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to address “the social development needs of coastal communities.” The word “Fishing” has been added at the community’s discretion to better represent the focus …

Identification Of Mined Areas That May Contribute To Water Quality Degradation At Hobet Coal Mine, West Virginia, Brian P. Murphy

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

No abstract provided.

Humboldt County Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Service Area And Gap Analysis, Chih-Wei Hsu

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

No abstract provided.

Ecopsychology Revisited, Jorge Conesa-Sevilla

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

Ecopsychology Revisited is a critique of and deconstructive approach to several trends termed “ecopsychology.” This work attempts to bring light to some of the misconceptions that have hardened as “ecopsychology,” as these ideas have been reinterpreted and sometimes oversimplified by the general public and some professionals outside mainstream psychology. Part of the confusion arose when “ecopsychology” became inadequately amalgamated with other ideas. Nevertheless, within the social and behavioral sciences, at least, there is great value in devising and applying evidence-based strategies that track the normative ramifications dealing with cognition, emotion and behavior, exploring how or why humans relate to natural …

Determining Spatial Distribution And Habitat Use For Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Hoopa Tribal Streams Using Occupancy Modeling To Inform Restoration, Ely D. Boone, Seamus C. Frazer-Newcomb, Brit A. Taylor

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Pacific salmonid populations have faced significant decline due to poor management and human disturbance. Habitat restoration and monitoring is essential to the ongoing survival of these fish. This study examines population abundance of juvenile Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) and steelhead trout (O. mykiss) in five tributaries of the Trinity River in Northern California to determine the success of recent restoration efforts. We used traditional snorkel survey methods paired with an occupancy model to compare populations of two restored streams and four unrestored streams. We found that despite Coho being detected …

Azalea State Reserve Vegetation Management Plan, Ethan Len Reibsome, Rosebelle Abuan Ines

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

This comprehensive vegetation management plan for Azalea State Reserve was produced by Humboldt State University students Ethan Reibsome and Rosebelle Ines in partnership with the California State Parks. As a capstone senior project within the Environmental Science and Management department, these students collaborated to map existing habitat types and invasive species, and created a species list. In addition, this document contains their observations and recommendations which will inform future management actions as well as the conservation of the Reserve.

Management Recommendations For Ecological Restoration On The Little River Parcel, Maya Sady Partain, Garitt Mathews

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Ecological restoration is an important aspect of land management. Data collection and ongoing monitoring help inform restoration decisions and determine their effectiveness. In this project, we followed a monitoring protocol provided by the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust to assess the 2019 status of their Little River parcel, a fifteen-acre area near the mouth of Little River in Trinidad, California. We performed a site analysis of invasive plant species and recorded their extent and location, as well as noting other observations of the ecology, topography, and biology of the site. After making our observations, we recommended land management methods woven together …

Recommendations For​ Wildfire Recovery Planning For The City Of Arcata, Samuel Griffard, Kiara Cuerpo-Hadsall, Olivia G. Barone, Conrad Tanyi, Emily Pearson, Wyatt Wilson

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Western landscapes are experiencing an increased scale and intensity of wildfires, due in part to climate change, fire suppression, and an expanding wildland-urban interface. The damage to human lives and property caused by wildfires has prompted all levels of government to galvanize planning efforts to better respond to and recover from wildfire. This report summarizes the need for effective wildfire recovery planning for the City of Arcata, California. The city is currently working on its Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible for funding under FEMA hazard mitigation grant programs. This report seeks to inform the city by highlighting the importance …

Wood Creek Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report 2019, Alex T. Morrison, Jett W. Hagerty, Claire M. Branson

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

The focus of this report was to monitor benthic macroinvertebrate communities on the Freshwater Farms Reserve, which underwent two phases of restoration as part of the Wood Creek Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project in 2009-2010 and 2016-2018. Objectives for the restoration activities were to increase winter rearing refugia habitat for several threatened/endangered fish species such as the tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi), Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The goals of this project were to (1) sample and identify BMIs along a salinity gradient in Wood Creek; (2) assess water quality; and (3) …

Modeling The Flow Of Hall Creek, Humboldt County, California Using Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (Velma) And Calculating The Channel Forming Flow Using The Effective Discharge Calculation, Ethan A. Luckens

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Due to wide spread stream degradation across the globe, there is great potential for restoring stream and riverine habitat. Land managers often lack necessary information about the stream discharges of ungauged watersheds. This lack of data makes designing stream restoration projects in ungauged watersheds more difficult. This is especially true when trying to determine the channel-forming flow, the discharge that will support a stable channel geometry. In this study, the channel-forming flow was approximated using effective flow. Effective flow is the level of flow that transports to the greatest amount of sediments. One method for calculating effective flow is to …

Predicting Spawning Habitat For Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch), Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha), And Steelhead (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Using Geospatially Constructed Stream Morphology From High-Resolution Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Model And Field Survey Data In The Indian Creek Watershed, Mendocino County, California, Justin Patrick Bissell Mr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Restoration of anadromous salmonid habitat is of primary importance to the economic, historical, and cultural geography of the Pacific Northwest. Derivation and use of geospatial habitat models as guides to pinpoint key areas where limited restoration funding can be cost-effectively employed is of great importance. To this purpose, 1 meter resolution lidar-derived Digital Elevation Model data was acquired for the Indian Creek and neighboring watersheds in Mendocino County, California, and used together with field-acquired geomorphic stream data to geospatially model stream widths, depths, and streambank morphology. These geospatial covariates were field-verified in selected locations and then used in conjunction with …

Exploring Community Knowledge And Perceptions Of Flooding And Sea-Level Rise In King Salmon, California, Kristina Kunkel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The coastal community of King Salmon, California could be at the highest risk of relative sea-level rise on the entire U.S. West Coast. In 2019, the community already experiences severe flooding at least annually and may be regularly inundated as early as 2050. Until this study, there had been no documented effort to reach out to the community to show them future sea-level rise projections, understand the context of life in King Salmon, and listen to their reactions and perceptions. This research utilized a mixed methods grounded theory approach integrating semi-structured interviews with King Salmon stakeholders, qualitative data analysis, public …

Relationship Between Habitat And Barn Owl Prey Delivery Rate And Composition In A Napa Valley Vineyard Agroecosystem, Dane A. R. St. George

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The provision of habitat for natural enemies of agricultural pests is common in integrated pest management approaches globally but has rarely been examined for vertebrate predators controlling vertebrate pests. To mitigate the economic and environmental costs of treating for rodent pests, winegrape producers in Napa Valley, California, have installed nest boxes to attract barn owls (Tyto alba) to their properties, but their effectiveness to control rodent pests in vineyards has not been thoroughly tested. A rigorous estimate of the number of rodents barn owls remove from the landscape is a necessary first step, and this study aimed to …

Beyond The Paradise Tax: Assessing The Potential For Rental Vehicle Electrification In Kaua'i County, Hawai'i, Derek K. Ichien

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rental car fleets have high potential to contribute to electric vehicle (EV) adoption within the Hawaiian Islands as part of the state’s efforts to fully decarbonize its ground transportation by 2045. Of the four main islands, Kauaʻi County’s small and simple road network, high penetration of renewable energy, and low speed limits make it an ideal candidate for a pilot EV rental program. This research seeks to accomplish three primary goals: a) quantify the relative economic and environmental benefits of rental electric vehicles over internal combustion rentals, b) identify crucial locations for additional charging infrastructure, and c) provide policy recommendations …

Mechanisms And Spatial Patterns Of Bark Beetle-Associated Mortality Following Variable Density Thinning Treatments In A Sierra Mixed-Conifer Forest, Alexis Bernal

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Long-term trends of tree mortality have increased over the last several decades, coinciding with above-average temperatures, high climatic water deficits, and bark beetle outbreaks. With the anticipation that drought and bark beetles may increase with climate change, uncertainty exists over the appropriate treatments that could ensure the future sustainability of forest resources and the ecosystem services that forests provide. Conventional thinning treatments are used to reduce stand density, with the assumption that reductions in competition can alleviate drought stress and enable trees to resist bark beetle attack. Alternative thinning treatments may also reduce stand density, but have a greater focus …

Distribution And Habitat Use Of A Recently Discovered Population Of Humboldt Martens In California, Holly E. Gamblin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) has declined from over 95% of its historic range in California, with only two populations remaining. In response to the forthcoming listing of the Humboldt marten a conservation assessment and strategy was developed to address the most important conservation needs for this species. This assessment identified an area near the California – Oregon border as the second extant population area in California based on a small number of recent detections. However little else was known of this population, and this prompted my investigation to determine 1) the distribution and potential population size …

Assessing The Technical, Economic, And Environmental Feasibility Of Floating Solar Power Generation On Water Reservoirs In Vietnam, Phuong Anh Bui

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Vietnam has been developing an energy path involving increased renewable energy use. With over 7,000 existing water reservoirs, Vietnam has great potential to install floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) plants that will protect productive lands, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce water evaporation rates. This study investigates the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of installing FPV in three reservoirs in Vietnam: Hoa Binh, Tri An, and Dau Tieng.

The capacities of the FPV plants assessed for three reservoirs range from 96 MW to 4,300 MW. The yearly solar generation from the three reservoirs ranges from 900 GWh to 13,700 GWh, and …

Understory Light, Regeneration, And Browsing Effects In Irregular Structures Created By Partial Harvesting In Coast Redwood Stands, Kurt Anthony Schneider

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Regeneration of commercial species is central to long-term success of multiaged management for wood production. We used a replicated uneven-aged silviculture experiment to study regeneration by stump sprouting (Chapter 1) and planted seedlings (Chapter 2). In Chapter 1, we present relationships between understory light, varying overstory tree retention, and growth of coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) stump sprouts initiated by group selection (GS) and single-tree selection harvesting. First, we quantified understory light throughout this 20 ha experiment comparing four different silvicultural treatments repeated at four sites. Then, we related understory light to post-treatment …

Ecosystem Services After A Major Ecological Disturbance: Did Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) Nest Box Occupancy And Hunting Habitat Selection Change In Response To Napa Valley Fires?, Allison E. Huysman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Wine producers in Napa Valley, California install barn owl (Tyto alba) nest boxes in vineyards with the goal of reducing rodent crop damage. Previous research has shown that the probability of attracting barn owls to nest boxes and encouraging them to hunt in vineyards is strongly influenced by the design of the nest box itself and the composition of the surrounding landscape. In 2017, wildfires in the Napa area burned nearly 60,000 ha, primarily affecting urban areas, which caused human devastation, and uncultivated habitats, which barn owls are known to select. Data collected before the fires on nest …