Digital Commons Network^™

Eminent Domain: Unconstitutional, Unjust, And Unnecessary, Ashley Norris

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Perhaps the most important undertaking of our time is the ubiquity of sustainable energy vital for the continuation and improvement of living conditions worldwide. The utmost care must be taken with the means used to achieve this feat. The fossil fuel industry has used and abused eminent domain since its inception. Ironically, environmental advocates now propose the same means to a cleaner, greener end. The taking of private land for private development, regardless of intent, is unconstitutional, unjust, and unnecessary. The Fifth Amendment states: “…nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

As stated by the …

The Accessibility And Sustainability Of Local Foods: A Snapshot From The Food Hubs Of Lincoln, Nebraska, Tess Foxall

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The current state of agriculture in the United States utilizes industrial practices that pose a myriad of risks to both human and environmental health. By focusing on smaller farms and local food systems that utilize more sustainable agriculture practices, communities can benefit in terms of economic, environmental, and social health. Food hubs can play a key role in local food systems to connect local producers with consumers and increase access to local food. The goal of the research was to analyze the accessibility and sustainability of local food from food hubs in Lincoln, Nebraska to find the key barriers to …

The Design Of An Agricultural Youth-Centered Rural Development Program In Rwanda, Laetitia Igiraneza Sinyigenga

Honors Theses

Rwanda is primarily a rural, young, and agriculture-based country. The referred variables- agriculture, rural population, and youth- can be creatively merged to engage and empower youth for rural development. This paper indicates the utilization of cross-disciplinary knowledge to design an agricultural youth-centered rural development program in Rwanda. The program uses the interdependence of economic sectors (agriculture and education) with resources (environmental & natural resources and human resources) to boost rural community development. The program’s main activities- mentorship, agribusiness training, tutoring, exposure visits, and community work- highly reflect the requirement for advancing the selected main economic sectors and resources. There is …

Distribution Of Green Spaces In Omaha, Nebraska, Sofia Gavia

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The distribution of parks often depends on the races, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class of a community’s households. Parks and green spaces provides community residents recreational opportunities, economic benefits, and improves community public health. The unequal distribution of parks and green spaces in a city is a social issue found across the country. Limited research has been done on the relationship between green spaces and park access and social justice in Omaha, Nebraska. This study discusses whether there is a difference in how parks are distributed in Omaha, NE in terms of social justice and equitable distribution. Research is done using …

Designing A Mobile App And Online Directory To Increase The Visibility Of Environmental Organizations In A Community, Kayla Vondracek

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Concern for environmental degradation, natural resource depletion, and public health has long been a necessary part of a strongly developed and sophisticated society. Humans are primarily responsible for the depletion of the natural environment as it supplies the commodities required to ensure the long-term survival of civilizations. As cultures continue to evolve, so does the practice of land stewardship and protection of resources. With the necessary expansion of industry and housing needed to support a rising human population, the management of natural resources, pollution control, and the environment has become increasingly important to people worldwide. Bernstein and Szuster (2019) suggest …

The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy Graduates’ Influence On Community Capitals And Community Capacity, Dakota W. Staggs, Mark E. Burbach, Gina S. Matkin, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

An overarching goal of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy is to prepare a diverse group of Nebraskans from across the state to impact change in their communities by working together to solve wicked water problems. With 136 graduates from across Nebraska there is potential for graduates to effect change and impact their communities’ capitals (i.e., Built, Financial, Political, Social, Human, Cultural, and Natural). This study explored the impact of Academy graduates on their communities’ capitals and community capacity to prepare for future challenges from the perspective of graduates and community members. Findings show that Academy graduates are impacting their communities …

Arjen Y. Hoekstra 1967–2019, Davy Vanham, Mesfin Mekonnen, Ashok K. Chapagain

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Arjen Hoekstra introduced the water footprint in 20021, building on the concept of virtual water Tony Allan to discuss the role of trade in alleviating water scarcity in the Middle East. He thereby opened a new dimension in the debate around fair and sustainable allocation of freshwater resources. He laid the foundations to show the role of indirect water (that is, water used elsewhere to produce goods we consume) in our daily life beyond our direct use for drinking, cooking or washing. The water footprint is an indicator of direct and indirect water use by a producer or consumer, showing …

Analysis Of Trees Damaged From Flooding And Ice In Columbus, Nebraska, Alaina Kapla

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In the spring of 2019, an intense storm system came through eastern Nebraska resulting in a historic flooding event. This flood caused many trees throughout the state to be uprooted, broken, or scarred. This study looks at trees on the Quail Run golf course in Columbus, Nebraska to determine the extent of damage on trees caused by flooding and recommend tree care solutions to ensure safety. The cottonwood trees endured the most damage compared to other species on the property. All of the trees showed wound wood meaning that the trees were recovering from their injuries. Dead and broken branches …

Ecological Drought: Accounting For The Non-Human Impacts Of Water Shortage In The Upper Missouri Headwaters Basin, Montana, Usa, Jamie Mcevoy, Deborah J. Bathke, Nina Burkardt, Amanda E. Cravens, Tonya Haigh, Kimberly R. Hall, Michael J. Hayes, Theresa Jedd, Marketa Podebradska, Elliot Wickham

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Water laws and drought plans are used to prioritize and allocate scarce water resources. Both have historically been human-centric, failing to account for non-human water needs. In this paper, we examine the development of instream flow legislation and the evolution of drought planning to highlight the growing concern for the non-human impacts of water scarcity. Utilizing a new framework for ecological drought, we analyzed five watershed-scale drought plans in southwestern Montana, USA to understand if, and how, the ecological impacts of drought are currently being assessed. We found that while these plans do account for some ecological impacts, it is …

Building Resilience In Social-Ecological Food Systems In Vermont, Kristine Lien Skog, Stine Elisabeth Eriksen, Christy Anderson Brekken, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

There is an expanding interest in Local Food Systems (LFSs) in Vermont, United States, along with a growing effort to create adaptive governance to facilitate action. In this case study, we investigate how adaptive governance of LFS can provide ideas and act as a catalyst for creating resilience in other social-ecological systems (SESs). By participating in meetings and interviewing stakeholders inside and outside the Vermont LFS network, we found that consumers were highly motivated to participate by supporting environmental issues, the local economy, and interactive communities, as well as building social relationships. Farmers experienced better income and increased respect in …

The Future Of Earth Observation In Hydrology, Matthew F. Mccabe, Matthew Rodell, Douglas E. Alsdorf, Remko Uijlenhoet, Wolfgang Wagner, Arko Lucieer, Rasmus Houborg, Niko E. C. Verhoest, Trenton E. Franz, Jiancheng Shi, Huilin Gao, Eric F. Wood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In just the past 5 years, the field of Earth observation has progressed beyond the offerings of conventional space-agency-based platforms to include a plethora of sensing opportunities afforded by CubeSats, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and smartphone technologies that are being embraced by both for-profit companies and individual researchers. Over the previous decades, space agency efforts have brought forth well-known and immensely useful satellites such as the Landsat series and the Gravity Research and Climate Experiment (GRACE) system, with costs typically of the order of 1 billion dollars per satellite and with concept-to-launch timelines of the order of 2 decades (for …

Public Perception Of Leadership In The Municipal Solid Waste Sector, Allison Creeger

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

The Prairie Post Quarterly Newsletter Of The High Plains Regional Climate Center- April 2016, Natalie A. Umphlett, Bill Sorensen, Jamie Lahowetz, Crystal J. Stiles

HPRCC Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Message from the interim director........................................1

Staff spotlight...........................1

Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Program............2

Tribal work highlight..............2

Product highlight....................3

Partnership spotlight.............3

AWDN information.................4

Update on regional climate conditions..................................4

Outreach/engagement.........5

Recent and upcoming travel and activities.............................6

Support For Drought Response And Community Preparedness: Filling The Gaps Between Plans And Action, Kelly Helm Smith, Crystal J. Stiles, Michael Hayes, Christopher Carparelli

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

This chapter examines which levels of government handle various aspects of drought, as well as interactions between levels of government, providing examples from states across the western United States. It also takes a look at aspects of drought that fall outside traditional lines of authority and disciplinary boundaries. As part of a discussion on how states support local drought response, the chapter details and contrasts how California and Colorado track public water supply restrictions, and describes Colorado’s process for incorporating input from river basins across the state into its water plan. Case studies focus on drought planning in the Klamath …

The Prairie Post Quarterly Newsletter Of The High Plains Regional Climate Center- October 2015, Martha Shulski, Natalie Umphlett, Bill Sorensen, Glen Roebke, Crystal J. Stiles

HPRCC Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Message from the director........................................1

Staff spotlight...........................1

New website design and products.....................................2

Training workshops................3

AWDN information.................4

Update on regional climate conditions and El Niño..........4

Research highlight..................5

Outreach/engagement.........5

Recent and upcoming travel and activities.............................6

The Prairie Post Quarterly Newsletter Of The High Plains Regional Climate Center- July 2015, Martha Shulski, Natalie Umphlett, Bill Sorensen, E. Hunt, Crystal J. Stiles

HPRCC Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Message from the director........................................1

Staff spotlight...........................1

Visit from Office of Science and Technology Policy...........2

Partnership spotlight.............2

AWDN information.................3

Update on regional climate conditions..................................3

Product highlight....................4

Research highlight..................4

Outreach/engagement.........5

Recent and upcoming travel and activities.............................6

Structural Equation Models Of Vmt Growth In Us Urbanised Areas, Reid Ewing, Shima Hamidi, Frank Gallivan, Arthur C. Nelson, James B. Grace

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Vehicle miles travelled (VMT) is a primary performance indicator for land use and transportation, bringing with it both positive and negative externalities. This study updates and refines previous work on VMT in urbanised areas, using recent data, additional metrics and structural equation modelling (SEM). In a cross-sectional model for 2010, population, income and freeway capacity are positively related to VMT, while gasoline prices, development density and transit service levels are negatively related. Findings of the cross-sectional model are generally confirmed in a more tightly controlled longitudinal study of changes in VMT between 2000 and 2010, the first model of its …

The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program: A History And Overview Of The First Projects, Courtney A. Schultz, Theresa Jedd

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Factors The Cause Growth And Development In The City Of Lincoln, Ne, Kaylene Tegtmeier

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This qualitative study looks at what factors may contribute to the outward growth and development of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska. The two main factors the study discusses are the Lincoln Public School planners and their placement of schools in the city, and the “American dream” of the people, looking at where the people of Lincoln want to be living throughout the city and what some of their daily habits are. This study also discusses some of the main visions of the city of Lincoln’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan how the plan’s ambitions may affect the two factors looked at in …

Ecological Revival And Sustainable Living In The Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest Of Tamil Nadu: A Measurement Of Residential Perception In Sadhana Forest, Elizabeth Collette Mcguire

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Since 1970, the role and function of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been to promote environmental quality and to form strategies for carrying out environmental policy¹. The EPA has committed to sustainability as the next level of environmental protection. The agency states that sustainability calls for policies and strategies that meet society’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs². Presently, society’s requirements have resulted in natural resource exploitation and population distention- projected to reach 10 billion people within two human generations³. These paired occurrences are …

Developing A Sustainable Business Plan At The Shopping Center Of Southpointe Mall In Lincoln, Nebraska, Jessica Marie Hanson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This project consists of creating sustainable business plans for a group of diverse retail stores at the mall of SouthPointe Pavilions in Lincoln, Nebraska. A series of interviews took place with five managers at the businesses including: Scheels, Old Chicago, Bed Bath and Beyond, Von Maur, and Barnes and Noble. The questions were based around five different topics including: Technological, Environment, Socio-Cultural, Economic, and Public Policy. The Technological area includes processes with the product (or service) that occur before it arrives, during, and after it is sold. The Public Policy area includes if the business has an environmental policy, how …

Building A Sustainable Network Of Drought Communities, Deborah J. Bathke, Nicole Wall, Jeff Nothwehr, Kelly Helm Smith, Donna L. Woudenberg, Tonya K. Bernadt, Crystal Bergman, Joseph P. Robine, Michael Hayes, Mark Svoboda, Lisa Darby, Roger S. Pulwarty, The National Drought Mitigation Center, The National Integrated Drought Information System Program Office

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

The first step in managing large-scale (national) collaborations and networks is to consider and address how a group and a potential partnership may match up (Luther, 2005). To explore this concept and many other collaborative concepts, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) hosted a workshop, “Building a Sustainable Network of Drought Communities,” which was facilitated by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) in Chicago, IL, June 8-9, 2011.

The workshop explored current examples of good communication and lessons learned within the realm of drought planning in order to address a future NIDIS Engaging Preparedness Communities (EPC) working group that …

The Role Of Adaptive Capacity In Creating Fire-Adapted Human Communities, Pamela J. Jakes, Matthew S. Carroll, Travis B. Paveglio, Soren Newman

JFSP Research Project Reports

In this research we sought answers to the question: What are the social characteristics and conditions of human communities that promote adaptive capacity for wildfire? The Quadrennial Fire Review (USDA and USDI 2009) promotes a goal of “achieving fire-adapted communities” in the wildland urban interface (WUI), and identifies metrics for determining whether a community is fire-adapted. While these metrics address some of the biophysical conditions necessary for fire-adapted human communities, they offer little insight into the social elements that promote or sustain adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacity refers to the individual and collective resources, capabilities, and actions that alleviate the risk …

Community Wildfire Protection Plans: Enhancing Collaboration And Building Social Capacity, Daniel R. Williams, Pamela J. Jakes, Sam Burns, Antony Cheng, Kristen Nelson, Victoria Sturtevant, Alex Bujak, Rachel Brummel, Stephanie Grayzeck Souter, Emily Saeli Staychock

JFSP Research Project Reports

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA) was enacted to reduce wildfire risk to communities and other at-risk lands through a collaborative process of planning, prioritizing and implementing hazardous fuel reduction projects. One of the key features of HFRA is the development of community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs). We studied the development of CWPPs in order to identify those factors and processes that consistently lead to effective collaborative fire and fuels management as defined by HFRA, and enhance local social capacity to sustain wildfire protection activities into the future. Findings from this research highlight the importance of: (1) drawing …

Conflicts Between Local Villagers And Tibetan Brown Bears Threaten Conservation Of Bears In A Remote Region Of The Tibetan Plateau, Fiona R. Worthy, J. Marc Foggin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Tibetan brown bears (Ursus arctos pruinosus) are rare across most of the Tibetan Plateau (Schaller 1998, Harris 2008). Yet, contacts between bears and local herders are increasing. Unlike other countries where nuisance bears may be shot or relocated (Peine 2001, Gunther et al. 2004), China forbids these practices, and most hunting is forbidden. In addition, all firearms were confiscated from local herders in 2000. Thus, despite their increasing threats to Tibetan communities, Tibetan brown bears generally are safe from retaliatory killings by local villagers.

Accelerating Adoption Of Fire Science And Related Research, Jamie Barbour

JFSP Research Project Reports

Since its inception in 1998, the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) has funded over 350 projects. The Joint Fire Science Program has long recognized that the investments made in wildland fire science need to be accompanied by an emphasis on science interpretation and delivery. Program success is ultimately measured by how well information from research efforts is being conveyed to resource managers and end users, and whether this information is improving management decisions. This project introduced a conceptual model for an adaptive process to improve the delivery of scientific information. We developed this process through these steps: 1. Creating a …

Multifunctional Rural Landscapes: Economic, Environmental, Policy, And Social Impacts Of Land Use Changes In Nebraska, Twyla M. Hansen, Charles A. Francis, J. Dixon Esseks, J. Allen Williams Jr.

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The conversion of farmland near cities to other human uses is a global trend that challenges our long-term capacity to provide food, fiber, and ecosystem services to a growing world population. If current trends continue in the United States, the population will reach 450 million by the year 2050. At the same time, an accelerating change in land use will reduce today’s two acres per person of farmland to less than one acre per person. This is scarcely enough to produce food for our domestic population, without any food available for export – even assuming advances in technology. We need …

With One Stroke Of The Pen: How Can Wildlife Extension Specialists Involve Developers And Policy-Makers In Wildlife Conservation?, Mark Hostetler

11th Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference (2006)

Residential developments have a huge impact on natural resources and wildlife, and sustainable or “green” communities are beginning to be built throughout the United States with goals to conserve wildlife habitat, to create healthy lifestyles, and to promote a sense of community. Buzzwords can be heard in the media and in town meetings: sustainability, smart growth, new urbanism, low impact development, and conservation subdivisions. Ultimately, with one stroke of a pen, developers and policymakers can determine how a community will look and feel for many years to come. Plus, citizens make day-to-day decisions that determine whether a community operates as …

First-Stop Planning And Communication For Landhelp, Delwin E. Benson

11th Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference (2006)

I developed an Internet-based, planning and communication system for professional and private users to make plans for their lands, which is branded as LandHelp (www.LandHelp.info). The project was funded by grants from the Renewable Resources Extension Act, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wildlife Habitat Management Institute, Colorado State Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA SARE) from the Western Region, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agro-forestry program with the NRCS. Currently, LandHelp contains links to 31 broad categories of information that then link to 2,613 more resources. Major topics include, but …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 22, Number 1 (April 2006), Michael J. Yabsley

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

Avian Influenza Update - May 2006: 207 human cases, 115 fatalities. HPAI H5N1 virus has been detected in wild birds in Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and other European countries.
SCWDS remains actively involved in several field and laboratory studies investigating the ecology of avian influenza virus (AIV), including both high pathogenicity viruses (HPAI) and low pathogenicity viruses (LPAI).
A plan to conduct a survey of avian influenza (AI) viruses in wild birds in Canada was developed late in 2004 by the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) in consultation with a wide range of federal and provincial …