Digital Commons Network^™

Neighborhood Air Quality Impact From Construction Site Emissions In Portland, Or, Lyndsey Boyle

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Research has shown that diesel particulate matter, including black carbon, is harmful to human health and has climate warming properties. Emissions from off-road engines, specifically construction, are a major source of diesel particulate matter in Portland, OR. There has been little done to manage the impact that construction has on local air quality. This project included a review of recent literature on the health and climate warming effects of particulate matter and black carbon, a modeling study to better understand what the major sources of diesel particulate matter are in Oregon, and a review of current research on construction site …

Trail Impact Monitoring In Forest Park, James Mitchell

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Forest Park is an appropriately named 5,200 acre natural area located in northwest Portland, Oregon. A recent study estimated park usage near half a million annual visits and found "trails" to be the park’s most highly valued feature. Unfortunately, many trails were not designed for such traffic as evidenced by slipping hazards, erosion and other ecological impacts. In response to these observations, I partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation to conduct an objective trail impact assessment prescribed by the Forest Park Natural Resource Management Plan. I modified methods from past studies to expand on a recently completed trail condition class …

Eagle Creek Post-Fire Monitoring For Water Temperature & Water Stage, Sylas Daughtrey

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

When investigating forested watersheds devastated by wildfire, the wide range of disturbance can lead to altering hydrological effects through the loss in ground cover vegetation, canopy cover, while also disrupting soil characteristics. Within the Pacific Northwest, forested drainages affected by post-fire disturbance are further altered in areas that experience seasonal rainfall and snow melt events. When looking at the post-fire sloped areas of Eagle Creek and Tanner Creek within the Columbia Gorge of Oregon, the loss of ground cover and organic matter throughout these two watersheds pose a legitimate concern for erosion events as well as hydrological changes due to …

A Framework For Incorporating Benefits From Urban Forests Into Planning For Livable Cities: A Case Study Of Forest Park, Carole Hardy

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Urban forests provide an escape from the noise and chaos of cities. Other services can be overlooked and under-valued. Urban forests cool and filter the air, sequester carbon, filter water removing toxins and sediments from urban runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and improve human health and well-being. Commonly urban forests in the United States (US) lack funds for restoration and research because there is lack of understanding of the need to actively manage what are perceived as wild lands. Generally urban forests are highly disturbed and novel ecosystems that require ongoing active management to remove invasive species, replant native species …

A Multi-Scale Assessment Of The Relationship Between The Riparian Landscape And The Health Of Streams In Portland, Oregon, Dylan Esmonde

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The riparian areas adjacent to streams are sensitive and important environments that have a great deal of influence on the overall health of the streams they border. In cities, riparian areas are routinely impacted and degraded by property developments, urban infrastructure, and other alterations to the natural environment. In this study, I worked with the City of Portland to determine how a wide range of landscape features occurring in riparian areas affect the overall health of streams at multiple scales. Data were collected from buffer areas of widths ranging from 15 ft to 500 ft that were digitally generated around …

Soil Nitrogen Cycling Over Two Decades Following Calcium Treatment In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Nh, Angelina Uribe

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

A watershed-scale calcium addition experiment at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, was performed in 1999 to better understand how forest ecosystem function and biogeochemistry are affected by changes in pH. Significant increases in forest growth and acid neutralizing capacity of the soil and stream water were reported in the six years following the calcium addition, but the expected stimulation of the nitrogen cycle was not observed. The aims of this study were to 1) examine the 20-year dataset of soil nitrogen dynamics following the experimental calcium addition in the treated watershed and paired reference area to understand longer term …

Collecting Plant Phenology Data In Imperiled Oregon White Oak Ecosystems: Analysis And Recommendations For Metro, Kirsten Wright

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Imperiled Oregon white oak ecosystems are a regional conservation priority due to the rich biodiversity they support, including rare and endemic species such as Oregon state-listed endangered pale larkspur (Delphinium leucophaeum). Previously dominant in the Pacific Northwest, upland prairie and oak woodlands are now under significant threat, with only 2% remaining in the Willamette Valley in small fragments.

Over the past 150 years, conversion to agriculture, urban development and fire suppression have dramatically reduced and degraded Oregon white oak habitat. Climate change has now emerged as an additional threat, causing observable shifts in plant phenology. In fragile oak …

Effectiveness Of Focused Water Conservation Messaging In The Clackamas River, Or, Rikki Carroll Oden

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The Clackamas River in Oregon is a drinking water source for upwards of 300,000 people living in the Portland metro region. This river experiences seasonal low flow during the annual dry season throughout summer and early fall when endangered salmon species return to the river to spawn. This dry season also coincides with the highest period of urban water use. Since precipitation is minimal at this time, water users choose to water their lawns to make up for the lack of rain which contributes to water use tripling during the driest part of the year. To promote local water conservation, …

Strategies For Urban Pollinator Management Using Habitat Monitoring And Restoration Planning In Portland Oregon, Fiona Smeaton

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Loss of habitat is a major factor in the decline of insect pollinators. Much of this loss can be attributed to monoculture farming, which is prevalent in Oregon. Depending on the crop, this approach to agriculture can create food deserts for native pollinators and presents dangerous exposures to pesticides. The resulting loss of habitat creates an opportunity for research on urban pollinator restoration. Many untapped land sources in urban environments may be improved to support a diverse abundance of pollinators. In this case study I wanted to understand what native bees and other insect pollinators could be observed at varied …