Digital Commons Network^™

Recovery Of The Css Pee Dee Armament From The Great Pee Dee River, James D. Spirek, Jonathan Leader

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Redwood Highway/Save The Redwoods Movement, Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

Susie Van Kirks research notes for the State Parks project. Resources includes books, web pages, newspaper references from various periodicals (1910-1970), timelines and more.

Examining Temporal Sample Scale And Model Choice With Spatial Capture-Recapture Models In The Common Leopard Panthera Pardus, Joshua F. Goldberg, Tshering Tempa, Nawang Norbu, Mark Hebblewhite, L. Scott Mills, Tshewang R. Wangchuk, Paul Lukacs

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Many large carnivores occupy a wide geographic distribution, and face treats from habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, prey depletion, and human wildlife-conflicts. Conservation requires robust techniques for estimating population densities and trends, but the elusive nature and low densities of many large carnivores make them difficult to detect. Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models provide a means for handling imperfect detectability, while linking population estimates to individual movement patterns to provide more accurate estimates than standard approaches. Within this framework, we investigate the effect of different sample interval lengths on density estimates, using simulations and a common leopard (Panthera pardus) …

Improving The Odds: Assessing Bait Availability Before Rodent Eradications To Aid In Selecting Bait Application Rates, Madeleine Pott, Alexander S. Wegmann, Richard Griffiths, Araceli Samaniego-Herrera, Richard J. Cuthbert, M. De L. Brooke, William C. Pitt, Are R. Berentsen, Nick D. Holmes, Gregg R. Howald, Karina Ramos-Rendon, James C. Russell

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodent eradications undertaken on tropical islands are more likely to fail than eradications undertaken at higher latitudes. We report on 12 independent rodent eradication projects undertaken on tropical islands that utilized the results of an in situ bait availability study prior to eradication to inform, a priori, the bait application rate selected for the eradication. These projects also monitored bait availability during the eradication. The results from our analysis verified the utility of bait availability studies to future rodent eradication campaigns and confirmed the influence of two environmental factors that can affect bait availability over time: precipitation prior to the …

Thermal Patterns Constrain Diurnal Behavior Of A Ground-Dwelling Bird, J. Matthew Carroll, Craig A. Davis, R. Dwayne Elmore, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Eric T. Thacker

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Recently, gaining knowledge about thermal refuges for vulnerable species has been a major focal point of ecological studies, and this focus has been heightened by predicted temperature increases associated with global climate change. To better understand how organisms respond to thermal landscapes and extremes, we investigated the thermal ecology of a gallinaceous bird species (northern bobwhite; Colinus virginianus, hereafter bobwhite) during a key life history period. Specifically, our study focused on the brood-rearing period of precocial bobwhite chicks associated with brood-attending adults. We measured site-specific black bulb temperatures (Tbb) and vegetation characteristics across 38 brood tracking days and 68 random …

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Preserving New Media Art For Posterity, Jennifer Bonnet

Library Staff Publications

Preserving works of creative expression in the digital age is notoriously difficult due to issues of technological obsolescence, the intangibility of dynamic media, and the interactive nature of digital art. This is of marked interest to libraries, museums, and cultural heritage institutions given the limitations of traditional forms of preservation that rely heavily on the storage of physical forms. The Re-Gift, a work of new media art by Buffalo-based artist Liz Rywelski, exemplifies many of the complexities of these emerging formats. This essay examines one of the potential approaches to preserving this type of work, with an eye toward …

Fluctuating Fire Regimes And Their Historical Effects On Genetic Variation In An Endangered Shrubland Specialist, Hernan Vázquez-Miranda, Kelly R. Barr, C. Craig Farquhar, Robert M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Pleistocene was characterized by worldwide shifts in community compositions. Some of these shifts were a result of changes in fire regimes, which influenced the distribution of species belonging to fire-dependent communities. We studied an endangered juniper–oak shrubland specialist, the black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla). This species was locally extirpated in parts of Texas and Oklahoma by the end of the 1980s as a result of habitat change and loss, predation, brood parasitism, and anthropogenic fire suppression. We sequenced multiple nuclear loci and used coalescence methods to obtain a deeper understanding of historical population trends than that typically available …

Planning A Greenway Network For The “Impressions From A Lost World” Exhibit, Kellie Fenton, Tasuku Kamei, Yue Li, Yanhua Lu, Maozhu Mao, Emilie Marques Jordao, James Prendergast, Michalagh C. Stoddard, Ruoying Tang, Jing Wang, Nelle Katharine Ward, Yuqing Yang, Yi Yang, Yu Yu

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This report describes a proposed multi-modal greenway network that links dinosaur-related sites in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The study conducted by the fall 2015 MLA studio at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst included assessment and design work at regional, sub-regional, and site scales. The proposed Dinosaur Trail Project greenway network was designed to incorporate the goals of the client, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, a historical and cultural organization based in Deerfield, Massachusetts. The project will help preserve, interpret, and highlight the rich history of dinosaur track discovery in the region for future generations.

Overview Of The 2007 Usda Farm Bill Proposals For Conservation, Otto Doering

Historical Documents of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service

No abstract provided.

Paddling Guide To The Presumpscot River, Final Report, Matt Craig, Carol Gay

Publications

From the proposal: The primary objective is to showcase the river as natural resource and recreational asset in support of: a) ongoing community efforts to revitalize riverfronts; b) recent efforts by industry, land trusts, and communities to increase hand carry boat access; c) ongoing efforts by agencies, industry, and NGOs to restore anadromous species to the river; and, d) recent work by local land trusts and towns to develop a regional set of land conservation priorities for the watershed. The map/guide will build upon and incorporate existing regional recreational assets such as the Sebago to the Sea trail.

Resilience Thinking And Structured Decision Making In Social-Ecological Systems, Noelle M. Hart

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Natural resource management may be improved by synthesizing approaches for framing and addressing complex social-ecological issues. This dissertation examines how structured decision making processes, including adaptive management, can incorporate resilience thinking. Structured decision making is a process for establishing a solid understanding of the problem, values, management options, and potential consequences. Adaptive management is a form of structured decision making in which uncertainty is reduced for iterative decisions through designed monitoring and review. Resilience thinking can help conceptualize complex social-ecological systems and draws attention to the risks of managing for narrowly-focused objectives.

This dissertation provides practical advice to managers and …

George W. Friedrich Park, Ann Marie Johnson

All Alumni Publications

In November 1934, St. Cloud State Teachers College (now St. Cloud State University) President George A. Selke announced the purchase of 51 acres of abandoned granite quarry land in southeast St. Cloud. Added to property the college already owned, the site became what is now known as George W. Friedrich Park. Though officially closed in 1976, the park has been used throughout its existence as was originally intended, as an outdoor education, recreation and conservation area. Located about one mile from campus on the east end of University Drive (then Michigan Avenue) the site has remained intact despite repeated threats …

Attracting Songbirds With Conspecific Playback: A Community Approach, Leanna N. Dejong, Samuel D. Cowell, Thuy Nhi Nguyen, Darren S. Proppe

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The presence of conspecifics is an indicator of good habitat for a number of songbird species; a cue positively associated with territory selection. Thus, conspecific playback may be a cost-effective tool for attracting songbirds to particular, preselected sites of high-quality habitat. Previous studies have used conspecific playback to encourage the establishment of a single species; however, few have researched the potential for the simultaneous attraction of multiple species. Furthermore, empirical studies on the effect of song playback for nonfocal species are sparse. We investigated whether 6 migratory songbird species are more likely to establish nesting territories in response to multispecies …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom

• Georgia Southern’s Garden of the Coastal Plain Named to Top 50 List
• Georgia Southern study shows overweight and obese teens think they’re ‘just fine’

For The Birds- Great Gull Island, Juliana Barrett

Wrack Lines

Good ideas are flying for tern habitat conservation at this very special island.

Slides: Gwc Review Report, Larry Macdonnell

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Larry MacDonnell, University of Colorado Law School

12 slides

Slides: The (Largely) Untold Success Story Of Urban Water Conservation, Peter Mayer

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Peter Mayer, P.E., Water Demand Management

20 slides

Slides: Perspectives On Water Management In Arizona, Kathy Jacobs

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Kathy Jacobs, Director, Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions (CCASS), Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona

25 slides

Slides: Moffat Collection System Project, Travis Bray

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Travis Bray, Project Manager, Moffat Collection System Project, Denver Water

45 slides

Slides: Urban Water Reliability And The Salton Sea: Can We Have Both?, Michael Cohen

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Michael Cohen, Senior Research Associate, Pacific Institute

29 slides

Slides: Six Decades Of Texas Water Planning, Ronald Kaiser

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Ronald Kaiser, Professor of Water Law and Policy, Chair of Graduate Water Degree Program, Texas A&M University

32 slides

Slides: Food Production: Technical Challenges In Agricultural Water Conservation, Perry Cabot

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Dr. Perry Cabot, Research Scientist and Extension Specialist, Colorado Water Institute, Colorado State University

35 slides

How Access To Plant & Animal Books Affects Participation In Conservation Activities, Dustin Ingram, Hassnaa Ingram

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Public libraries are an important resource for communities. Access to plant and animal books impacts a communities’ ability to learn about their environment. In this study, the number of plant and animal books available to people through local libraries in northern Kentucky, and neighboring counties in Ohio and Indiana were counted and a survey assessing one’s preferences and likeliness to participate in conservation activities was distributed to local residents. Based on the collected data, a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) was found between access to plant and animal books available at local libraries and the likelihood of people to participate in conservation activities. Further analysis was performed between the total number of shelved plant and animal books at local libraries, the total number of shelved juvenile plant and animal books and the shelved adult plant and animal books, and the total number of plant and animal books in libraries compared to the local household income and number of households near a library. This study found that people that read books about plants and animals were more likely to participate in conservation activities associated with their book preference. This study also found that people living in low-income communities with fewer households are less likely to participate in plant and animal conservation, as compared to higher-income communities with a higher number of households. Additionally, this study found that lower income areas have fewer plant and animal books on the library shelves than higher income areas. Consequently, study results suggest that if more plant and animal books were made available to low-income areas and areas of biological importance through libraries, people may be more likely to conserve the wildlife around them.

Analysis Of Seed Preference Trials Of Red Veld Rats And Smith's Bush Squirrels And Trap Effectiveness In The Lowveld Of South Africa, Brooke A. Barber

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Large tree species in South Africa face reproductive decline, especially older trees that provide ecosystem connectivity. Management of Balule Nature Reserve, an extensive private nature reserve in South Africa, wanted to investigate the roles rodents play in the recruitment and survival of select tree species. Two large tree species of concern, marula (Sclerocarya birrea) and knobthorn acacia (Acacia nigrescens) are dominant, habitat providers and red bushwillow (Combretum apiculatum) is a smaller and more common, prolific seed producer. I investigated whether rodents, specifically red veld rats and Smith’s bush squirrels, may play a detrimental role …

Land And Law In The Age Of Enterprise: A Legal History Of Railroad Land Grants In The Pacific Northwest, 1864-1916, Sean M. Kammer

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Federal land subsidies to railroad corporations comprised an important part of the federal government’s policies towards its western land domain in the middle decades of the nineteenth century. In all, Congress granted over a hundred million acres to railroad corporations to subsidize construction of a transcontinental railway network. Long after the last such grant in 1871, these land grants continued to incite political contests in Congress and state legislatures and legal disputes in communities across the West. By the end of the century, railroad corporations had become manifestations not just of the threatening growth of corporate power in the United …

Riparian Zone Protocol: A Necessary Addition To An Existing Program, Natalya Ares

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

As temperature trends increase on Earth and the negative effects of anthropogenically driven climate change become clearer, the diversity and health of our natural resources continue to be threatened at a growing rate. Riparian zones, or streamside zones, are one of these natural resources that under normal conditions, provides an enormous variety of ecosystem services. Not only do they provide habitat, food, and shelter for organisms in the area, but they also act as biological and physical buffers to pollution and sedimentation. Climate change threatens the health of this natural buffer. As temperatures increase, the patterns of the season change …

Recommendations For Conservation Easement Reform, Amy Murphy

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Virginia has a well-established easement program which offers landowners a state income tax credit in return for donating land rights such as development and subdivision rights. Currently, there are inefficiencies with easements which could be lessened with reform (Owley 2011, Rissman 2011). This paper proposes that Virginia establish statewide conservation priorities and switches from a flat rate credit for easement donations to a tiered system which provides greater incentives for easements on land with high conservation value (McLaughlin and Pidot 2013). Additionally, this paper proposes that Virginia require adaptive language in easement terms and standardizes monitoring procedures.

Poster session prepared …

City Of San Luis Obispo, Open Space Survey, William W. Riggs, Megyn Rugh, Camille Jackson, Kelsey Stefen, Lance Knox

City and Regional Planning Studios and Projects

The City of San Luis Obispo (SLO) has eleven official public open spaces. Managing these places presents a challenge in providing top-tier environmental stewardship, while also accommodating passive recreational use and access, in an era of fiscal limitations and competing priorities. Given that reality and the changing population dynamics in the US, providing equal access to these facilities is of increasing importance, whether by car, bike, on foot or via public transit. These open spaces provide value (environmental, economic and social) primarily to residents, as well as visitors, and gaining a data-driven understanding of that value was a primary goal …

San Luis Obispo Open Space Survey, William W. Riggs, Megyn Rugh, Camille Jackson, Kelsey Stefen, Lance Knox, Crp 425 Bicycle And Pedestrian Planning

City and Regional Planning Studios and Projects

The City of San Luis Obispo (SLO) has eleven official public open spaces. Managing these places presents a challenge in providing top-tier environmental stewardship, while also accommodating passive recreational use and access, in an era of fiscal limitations and competing priorities. Given that reality and the changing population dynamics in the US, providing equal access to these facilities is of increasing importance, whether by car, bike, on foot or via public transit. These open spaces provide value (environmental, economic and social) primarily to residents, as well as visitors, and gaining a data-driven understanding of that value was a primary goal …

Conservation And Hunting: Till Death Do They Part? A Legal Ethnography Of Deer Management, Irus Braverman

Journal Articles

Claims that hunters are exemplar conservationists would likely come as a surprise to many. Hunters, after all, kill animals. Isn’t there a better way to appreciate wildlife than to kill and consume it? Yet there is no mistake: wildlife managers frequently make the claim that hunters, in the United States at least, are in fact some of the greatest conservationists. This article explores the complex historical and contemporary entanglements between hunting and wildlife conservation in the United States from a regulatory perspective. Such entanglements are multifaceted: hunting provides substantial financial support for conservation and hunters are the state’s primary tools …