Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

University Of Richmond Climate Action Plan, University Of Richmond

Plans

The Climate Action Plan for the University of Richmond establishes the framework for achieving the University’s climate action goals under the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The University of Richmond’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2020 and 100% by 2050. In addition to emissions reduction, the Climate Action Plan articulates goals for embedding sustainability into the curricular and co-curricular aspects of a Richmond education. The plan has been developed under the leadership of the Sustainability Working Group and the University’s Sustainability Coordinator. Climate Action Plan subgroups, with representation of staff, faculty, and students, drafted …

Ua1b1/3 University Lecture Series, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the University Lecture Series committee which invites distinguished and prominent individuals to lecture at the university. The records include correspondence with potential speakers and programs, posters and recordings of lectures.

Twenty-Eight Years Of The Us-Lter Program: Experience, Results, And Research Questions, James R. Gosz, Robert B. Waide, John J. Magnuson

Long Term Ecological Research Network

The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research program (hereafter US-LTER) concentrates on ecological processes that play out at the time scales spanning decades to centuries. This focuses US-LTER research between the most common time scales for ecological studies (1-3 years; Tilman 1989; Figure 1) and the much longer temporal fact of disciplines such as paleoecology. The importance of the decade-to-century time scale is particularly evident in light of the rapid changes in ecological forcing functions that are occurring at a broad range of spatial scales (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007). Long-term data sets from programs such …

Roger Bass, Roger Bass, Arthur Bednar, Charles Closmann

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Roger Bass, environmentalist and a founding member of the St. Johns Riverkeeper, interviewed by Arthur Bednar and Charles Closmann on November 19, 2010.

Bob And Kae Andry, Bob Andry, Kae Andry, Chris Brooks, Clayton Galloway

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Bob and Kae Andry, co-founders of Save Rodman Reservoir, interviewed by Chris Brooks and Clayton Galloway on November 13, 2010

A Multi-Scale And Multi-Approach Investigation Of Sediment Yield And Runoff Flux In The Mara River Basin, Kenya, Mengistu Balew Defersha

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to identify the current potential sediment source areas and quantify rate of erosion and runoff. Runoff plots were established at three sites and the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) and Erosion 3D models were applied at watershed scale. The highest total sediment yield was observed on cultivated land (162.38 g/m2) in the Nyangores sub-watershed and the lowest sediment yield (29.95 g/m²) was observed on grassland, in Amala downstream. The model evaluation indicated that both of the models perform well in estimation of runoff, however, the WEPP model performs better than Erosion …

Robert Knight, Robert Knight, Margaret Devore

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Robert Knight, leading expert and scientist working on protection of Florida springs and executive director of the Florida Springs Institute, interviewed by Margaret Devore on November 10, 2010.

Accumulation, Excess, Childhood: Toward A Countertopography Of Risk And Waste, Cindi Katz

Publications and Research

This piece grows out of my on-going project, ‘Childhood as Spectacle’, and my enduring concern with social reproduction and what it does for and to Marxist and other critical political-economic analyses. After more than 30 years of Marxist-feminist interventions around these issues, symptomatic silences around social reproduction remain all too common in analyses of capitalism. Working through these issues and their occlusion, I offer what I hope is a useful and vibrant theoretical framework for examining geographies of children, youth, and families. Building this framework calls into play three overlapping issues; neoliberal capitalism in crisis and David Harvey’s notion of …

Frankie Pacetti, E.J. Pacetti And Sandie Stratton, Frankie Pacetti, E.J. Pacetti, Sandie Stratton, Jennifer Warren, Melissa Williams

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Frankie Pacetti, a noted sports and commercial fisherwoman, E.J. Pacetti, an experienced commercial crabber in the region and Sandie Stratton, interviewed by Jennifer Warren and Melissa Williams on October 30, 2010.

Ron Littlepage, Ron Littlepage, Robert Mcdermott

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Ron Littlepage, staff columnist at the Florida Times Union, interviewed by Robert McDermott on October 26, 2010.

Vince Seibold, Vince Seibold

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Vince Seibold, division chief of the City of Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division, interviewed by Charles Cold on October 25, 2010.

Neil A. Armingeon, Neil A. Armingeon, Katie Tofano

Voices from the Stream: An Environmental History of the St. Johns River

Neil A. Armingeon, St. Johns Riverkeeper (at the time of the interview), interviewed by Katie Tofano on October 22, and November 18, 2010.

What Does The Desert Say?: A Rhetorical Analysis Of "Desert Solitaire", John S. Farnsworth

Environmental Studies and Sciences

While Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire has suffered no dearth of critical at tention since its publication in 1968, most of the discourse concerning this work has taken the form of literary criticism, with an increasingly ecocritical focus having been attended to over the course of the past decade. Little, if anything, however, has been published critiquing Abbey's masterwork from the perspec tive of rhetorical analysis. Such analysis, I will contend in what follows, casts new light on the work, and is instrumental in appreciating the more polemic elements of the text. I begin, therefore, with the observation that the author …

Writing The Island, John S. Farnsworth

Environmental Studies and Sciences

The historians may call this a failed expedition. For the first time, we didn’t complete a circumnavigation of Isla Espiritu Santo, an accomplishment that usually entails 50 miles of epic paddling in sea kayaks so loaded with food, water, and gear that it takes eight students to lift one. But in March 2010 it was not to be; El Norte, the bully of the Sea of Cortez, had nearly blown us off the beach, and we’d had to remain on the lee side of the island, roaming the canyons and diving the reefs because we couldn’t safely kayak the windward …

Feminist Aesthetics And The Neglect Of Natural Beauty, Sheila Lintott

Faculty Journal Articles

Feminist philosophy has taken too long to engage seriously with aesthetics and has been even slower in confronting natural beauty in particular. There are various possible reasons for this neglect, including the relative youth of feminist aesthetics, the possibility that feminist philosophy is not relevant to nature aesthetics, the claim that natural beauty is not a serious topic, hesitation among feminists to perpetuate women's associations with beauty and nature, and that the neglect may be merely apparent. Discussing each of these possibilities affords a better understanding of, but none justify the neglect of natural beauty in feminist aesthetics.

Climate Change And Globalization In The Americas: Case Studies Of Mitigation And Adaptation, Mary Finley-Brook, Melissa Haeffner, Charmaine Heslop-Thomas, Elma Montaña, Leah Sprain

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Robin Leichenko and Karen O‘Brien have proposed ―double exposure‖ as a conceptual framework to demonstrate how processes of globalization and global environmental change (GEC) redefine risk and encourage new, interrelated responses to social and ecological transitions (O‘Brien and Leichenko, 2000; Leichenko and O'Brien, 2008). In particular, the concept encourages researchers and policy makers to consider interplay between global climate change and globalization and how this is expressed unevenly across space. After reviewing the ways double exposure has been used in the literature, we consider four case studies to investigate the utility of the framework for analyzing and understanding climate change …

Community Attitudes Toward Wildlife And Protected Areas In Ethiopia, Mekbeb E. Tessema, Robert J. Lilieholm, Zelealem T. Ashenafi, Nigel Leader-Williams

Publications

Across Africa, national policies that established protected areas (PAs) typically limited local use of wildlife and other resources. Over time, these policies have raised tensions with rural communities and today threaten to undermine conservation goals. This article examines community–PA relationships at four important sites in Ethiopia—a country of rich tradition with an unusual colonial past. Using focus groups and household surveys, we found that despite local tensions, most respondents held positive views toward wildlife and nearby PAs. Factors influencing positive views included receiving PA benefits, good relations with PA staff, higher education levels, being older, having a large family, diversified …

Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphis) Occurrence In The Moray Firth, North-East Scotland, Kevin P. Robinson, Sonja Eisfeld, Marina Costa, Mark P. Simmonds

Ecology Collection

The short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is regarded as notably rare or absent from the northern North Sea, but recent evidence suggests a rising frequency of the species in these waters with increasing regional sea temperatures. The following paper documents the presence of D. delphis in the Moray Firth in north-east Scotland and provides the first evidence for the sustained occurrence of these delphinids in this region during the warmer summer months at least. Sightings were collated during systematic surveys of the outer Moray Firth between 2001 and 2009 by independent research teams from the CRRU and WDCS. A total …

Fire Effects On Wildlife In Tallgrass Prairie, Maria Gaetani, Kayla Cook, Sherry Leis

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In the tallgrass prairie region of North America, grasslands are often burned on a rotational schedule to prevent the encroachment of woody species and maintain the vigor of plant communities. Although prescribed fire practitioners often consider the effects of fire on plant communities, the effects of fire on wildlife are also important. Practitioners as well as park visitors inquire about the effects of fire on birds, deer, and other animals of interest. Many wildlife species focus on vegetation structure in choosing suitable habitats, and fire can temporarily alter that structure. Wildlife species have varying habitat needs, and therefore, a …

A Species-Based Approach To Transboundary Marine Conservation In The Caribbean Region, Carolyn Doherty

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The basic theory of peace parks is applied to transboundary marine environments in this paper. Emphasizing connections across different scales, the ultimate goal of this paper is to resolve a specific ecological conflict: international conservation of migratory marine species in the Caribbean region. Migratory marine species like the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) create a unique dilemma for conservationists. Migratory species require diverse eco-regions for different stages of essential life processes. In the Caribbean region, these life processes occur regardless of political and economic boundaries, creating a predicament for marine conservation. Linking marine turtle harvest and conservation laws of the nations …

Scalar Interactions In The Mekong River Basin: Dam Incentives And Outcomes, Cloe Franko

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The Mekong River plays an intricate and dynamic role in the environmental, social, economic, and cultural systems of the 70 million people throughout its basin and the more than 300 million people in the six Mekong nations. The river is both a necessity for millions of individuals with livelihoods centered on its resources and, in the eyes of large-scale actors, a tool for regional development and industrialization. Policies throughout the Mekong River Basin have long dealt with international issues and often center on large-scale outcomes, such as the promotion of regional economic development and intergovernmental cooperation, but have neglected to …

The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Joshua Flynn

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The concept of a peace park is one that goes back more than seventy-five years with the creation of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park at the border between Montana and Alberta. The park was originally viewed as a symbol of friendship and goodwill but over the years has become an example of a successful transboundary wilderness park. The park thrives due to high levels of cooperation and collaboration between all stakeholders involved, including those involved in the Crown Managers Partnership. The park has survived amidst threats to its sovereignty. The biggest challenge the park and its managers have faced is …

The Positive And Negative Impacts Of Transboundary Protected Areas On The Environment And The Social Makeup Of A Region, Kelsey Rdzanek

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

A Transboundary Protected Area (TBPA) is an area of land and/or sea that crosses one or more borders, whose area is dedicated to the protection of biological diversity and resources, and managed cooperatively by government, local communities and non-governmental organizations. This type of protected area is a fairly new concept that has not had much research conducted on whether or not it achieves the goals it has set out to meet. This paper will focus on the positive and negative impacts of TBPA’s on the environment and the social makeup of a region. TBPA’s do a great job of increasing …

Where Do We Draw The Line? Conserving Biodiversity In The Amazon Through Transboundary Protected Areas, Megan Sebasky

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The concept of borders brings up many complex issues, especially in regard to the creation of protected areas. International boundaries are not consistent with ecosystem borders, and conservation needs to be targeted at protecting ecoregions rather than areas ending at arbitrary international borders. When assessing the creation of a protected area, it is necessary to use an ecological approach in addition to a social perspective. Home ranges and locations of keystone species are important, as well as the use of a protected area as an ecological corridor. Buffer zones are also imperative for protected areas. This paper shows that Peru’s …

Northern Great Plains Network Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, Robert A. Gitzen, Marcia Wilson, United States National Park Service, Northern Great Plains Inventory And Monitoring Network, Mike Bynum, John Wrede, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Kara J. Paintner

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

The condition of natural resources in parks and other units of the National Park Service (NPS) is fundamental to this agency’s mission to manage park resources “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Park managers are increasingly confronted with complex and challenging resource management issues and need a broad-based understanding of the status and trends of park resources for the long-term protection of park ecosystems. The National Park Service has initiated a long-term ecological “Vital Signs” monitoring program to provide the minimum infrastructure needed to track the overall condition of natural resources in parks and to provide early …

A Climate Action Plan For Bucknell University, Wendy Chou, Dina El-Mogazi, Dennis Hawley

Technical Reports

The accelerating pace of human-influenced climate change and our growing awareness of its negative public-health, environmental, and economic consequences compel decisive action. In recent years, many institutions of higher education have taken leadership roles to promote sustainability and climate neutrality at the campus level. In January 2008, Bucknell University became a signatory to the American Colleges and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Under this agreement, Bucknell is required to prepare a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions by May 2009, to update the inventory every other year thereafter, and to implement tangible emissions-reducing actions in the short-term (two years). The …

Revised Relative Abundance Estimates And Temporal Activity Of Bats At Three Great Lakes National Parks Based On Acoustic Data, Bruce W. Miller

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In this study, Miller re-analyzed acoustic bat data collected from June-August 2003 that was part of a baseline inventory of bat species in three national parks in the Lake Superior region. While the original study presented base-line data on the presence/absence of bat species in these parks, this reanalysis provides estimates of relative abundance and temporal activity of the identified species. Using a suite of recently developed acoustic analysis tools, Miller created species specific filters. This allowed parsing of calls from non-fragmented sequences and differentiate between two species, Myotis septentrionalis and Myotis lucifugus, that were combined into a …

Building A Resilient Coast. Climate Variability And Coastal Community Resilience: Developing And Testing A National Model Of State-Based Outreach, Susan K. White, Kristen Grant, Kathleen Leyden, Esperanza Stancioff

Maine Sea Grant Publications

The Maine Sea Grant College Program, in partnership with the Oregon Sea Grant College Program, conducted a two-year NOAA-funded project: 1) to explore how climate variability and coastal hazards may be affecting our coastal regions and how these relate to coastal development in the two states; 2) to encourage and facilitate collaboration among and between decision makers and coastal property owners to determine and implement appropriate responses to climate variability on short and longer timescales; 3) to discover the barriers that targeted audiences in the states have to taking action to either prepare for or mitigate the effects of climate …

Niobrara National Scenic River Condition Assessment, Sunil Narumalani, Gary D. Willson, Christine K. Lockert, Paul B. T. Merani

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

Niobrara National Scenic River spans a 122-km (76-mile) long reach of the Niobrara River in rural, north-central Nebraska. The scenic river encompasses 9,338 ha (23,074 acres) of land and water, all of which is in private ownership, except for about 320 ha (790 acres). Because the scenic river does not own land, it achieves management goals by coordinating and collaborating with federal, state, and local jurisdictions and private landowners.

The central Niobrara River Valley is often referred to as a “biological crossroads” with plant and animal species representative of northern boreal forest, eastern deciduous forest, rocky mountain coniferous …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: The Impact Of Animal Agriculture On The Environment And Climate Change In India: A Focus On Methane, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Animal agriculture inefficiently consumes natural resources, contributes to deforestation, and produces immense quantities of animal waste, threatening water and air quality and contributing to climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimated in 2006 that animal agriculture was responsible for 18% of global, anthropogenic, or human-induced, greenhouse gas emissions and was ―by far the single largest anthropogenic user of land. Climate change poses significant challenges to India‘s agricultural sector, which is already facing increased competition for land and water.