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Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Need For A More Stable Cacao Industry, Lauren Griffith
The Need For A More Stable Cacao Industry, Lauren Griffith
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The cacao industry is slowly growing in the region of Bocas del Toro, Panama. It is largely populated by indigenous farmers, but there are others who have invested in the business as well. With so many people becoming involved in the industry this study aimed to determine if the system represented a stable model. Through interviews and participant observation the stability of income, steadiness of demand, opportunity for growth, and the effect of organic certification were examined to determine the overall stability. It was found that very few farmers sell only cacao and rely on the sale of other crops, …
Balancing Conservation And Development: A Case Study Of Economic Efficiency In Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, Louisa Dunwiddie, R.Turner Shaw
Balancing Conservation And Development: A Case Study Of Economic Efficiency In Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, Louisa Dunwiddie, R.Turner Shaw
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This study is a comprehensive economic analysis of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s revenue and expenditures. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in Southwest Uganda. It is the most visited park in Uganda, welcoming over 34,000 visitors annually and generating more than $1,705,000 US per year in tourist expenditures. The researchers spent three weeks in the field at Queen Elizabeth National Park, and three weeks in the capital city of Kampala, Uganda to assemble a collection of literature, statistics, and interviews with all stakeholders to fully analyze the national park’s current level of economic efficiency. The study includes data on stakeholder …
Análisis Comparativo De Los Gobiernos Locales: La Política Del Medio Ambiente En Las Comunas De La Pintana Y Peñalolén, Nicolás Thorpe
Análisis Comparativo De Los Gobiernos Locales: La Política Del Medio Ambiente En Las Comunas De La Pintana Y Peñalolén, Nicolás Thorpe
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
With the approval of many international environmental agreements and the passage of national environmental laws, Chile has gradually created institutions at the national level that focus on environmental policy. However, given local government’s proximity to the people and their demands, local authorities also play an important role in environmental protection and sustainable development. This investigation answers the following question: What are the factors that influence a commune to have an environmental policy? After describing Chile’s national environmental policy and intergovernmental relations, this investigation will compare two communes in the metropolitan area of Santiago: La Pintana and Peñalolén, which both have …
Uganda’S Cotton And Textile Sectors: Current Production Challenges, Motivations And Effects On Development, Daniel Geiser Chell
Uganda’S Cotton And Textile Sectors: Current Production Challenges, Motivations And Effects On Development, Daniel Geiser Chell
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Current policies promote value addition industries and increased cotton yields. On the ground, however, cotton production and textile industries continue to lag behind previous rates of production. The study therefore sought to understand the conditions contributing to the current economic climate of the cotton industry. Once context was established, the researcher explored factors both promoting and discouraging cotton cultivation. Finally, the research explores the developmental consequences of increasing cotton and textile production in Uganda. In order to meet the aforementioned objectives, the researcher carried out a value chain analysis of the cotton and textile industry, taking note of the policies …
Traditional Boat Building: An Intersection Of Zanzibar’S Culture And Environment, Eric Levenson
Traditional Boat Building: An Intersection Of Zanzibar’S Culture And Environment, Eric Levenson
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This study examined traditional boat building on Uzi Island as a manifestation of Zanzibar’s relationship of environment and culture. Information was gathered about traditional boat building practices, the resource use and management pertaining to boats, the cultural reliance on boats, and local views on environment and conservation. This information showed that the people of Uzi Island were dependent on the use of traditional boats to maintain their livelihood, however the tree types used for boat building are being over-harvested. This tension of culture and environment exposed the need for conservation of Zanzibar’s natural resources in a manner that does not …
Vulnerability, Environmental Security, And Adaptation Awareness In Samoa, Katie Williams
Vulnerability, Environmental Security, And Adaptation Awareness In Samoa, Katie Williams
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Climate change remains a prevalent problem for today’s international community, particularly for Pacific Island countries. This study examines the current influence of climate change on Samoa by looking at the three tenets of vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. These aspects of climatic change correlate and build off one another, ultimately elucidating the basic vulnerability of any given region. It also analyzes how environmentally secure Samoa is and will be, using Thomas Homer- Dixon’s theory on climate change and conflict. Finally, this paper seeks to outline the current system of adaptation awareness that exists between government, community and foreign aid …
Las Raíces De La Deforestación En El Departamento Pando, Jeremy Levine-Drizin
Las Raíces De La Deforestación En El Departamento Pando, Jeremy Levine-Drizin
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This research paper examines the phenomenon of the recent trend of deforestation in the Pando department in northwestern Bolivia. Historically, the economy of Pando has always been based primarily in agro-forestal extraction activities that provided income to communities without the need to destroy the surrounding forests. The most important of these agro-forestal products have been rubber (primarily during the beginning of the 20th century) and more recently Castaña (Brazilian Nut). Recently however, as the result of various forces, the inhabitants of Pando have begun to cut down there forests at an alarming rate. The most relevant causes of this phenomenon …
Advocacy For Marine Management: Contributions To A Policy Advocacy Initiative In The Maldives, Neal Collins
Advocacy For Marine Management: Contributions To A Policy Advocacy Initiative In The Maldives, Neal Collins
Capstone Collection
On June 5, 2009 a 42-‐km2 area of coral reef situated in the Alif Dhaalu (South Ari) atoll of the Republic of Maldives was designated the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area (S.A. MPA) due to a globally significant whale shark aggregation site. The whale shark is notorious for its gargantuan size and docile nature, which has led to a burgeoning tourist industry that gives people the opportunity to swim with the gentle giants in tropical sites such as the Maldives. The S.A. MPA receives tens of thousands of visitors a year that engage in whale shark excursions, however, there …
An Evaluation Of Environmental Education Programs On Pemba Island, Lindsay Kingston
An Evaluation Of Environmental Education Programs On Pemba Island, Lindsay Kingston
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Pemba Island, a member of the Zanzibar archipelago, is intimately connected and highly dependent on their natural resources, which are rapidly deteriorating. How to sustain their agrarian-based economy whilst also conserving the environment is the current challenge facing this island. Key to overcoming this dilemma is the development of knowledgeable and effective environmental organizations, such as environmental clubs and NGOs. A small-scale assessment of the environmental education (EE) and associated clubs was established primarily through a student survey, on-site visits, and interviews. It focuses primarily on evaluating three schools and their associated clubs, but also provides information on the Island’s …
The Impact Of Syrian Refugees On Food Security In The Northern Badia, Jesse Schaffer
The Impact Of Syrian Refugees On Food Security In The Northern Badia, Jesse Schaffer
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The crisis in Syria has caused a massive influx of refugees into Jordan to the detriment of the Jordanian host communities. This research paper seeks to examine the direct impact of the Syrian Refugees on Jordanians’ food security. The researcher hypothesized that the large influx of refugees reduced the overall food security of Jordanian families in terms of food accessibility and availability. The methodology consisted of two major parts. First, field interviews were conducted with Jordanians in the Northern Badia and representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Amman. Second, forty-two families were surveyed in the Northern Badia about their food …
The Infinite And The Finite: An Analysis Of The United States’ Energy Future, Elise Voorhis
The Infinite And The Finite: An Analysis Of The United States’ Energy Future, Elise Voorhis
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Last year the New York Times published a newsworthy article stating that the United States could become “Energy Independent” from the tumultuous OPEC countries. This groundbreaking revelation, supported by statistics from the International Energy Agency, claimed that newfound energy resources were spread throughout North America in the form of shale oil and gas. Politicians and the public clung to this possibility in the face of strenuous relations with the Middle East as the Arab Spring and the War on Terror waged on. However, the consequences of becoming “energy independent” have not been considered. What are the geopolitical implications of pursuing …
Lara Ngom Ii Acoli: Identifying Root Causes And The Impact Of Cultural Cataclysm On Land Conflict Resolution In Nwoya District, Northern Uganda, Madison Stevens
Lara Ngom Ii Acoli: Identifying Root Causes And The Impact Of Cultural Cataclysm On Land Conflict Resolution In Nwoya District, Northern Uganda, Madison Stevens
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Endemic land insecurity is a critical aspect of the negative peace presently felt by the Acoli sub-region in the wake of two decades of conflict,2 as well over two thousand instances of land disputes have been recorded in the region since the cessation of hostilities in 2006.3 This study examines the dynamics of land conflicts in Nwoya district, Northern Uganda. The research was conducted over four weeks of independent research in Nwoya district, and incorporates the perspectives of various actors involved in land conflicts and the dispute resolution process. Findings incorporate field-based information gathered primarily from interviews with key stakeholders, …
Think Like A Mongolian: Cultivating Community Based Pasture Management, Karen Elizabeth Yoshida Weldon
Think Like A Mongolian: Cultivating Community Based Pasture Management, Karen Elizabeth Yoshida Weldon
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Since Mongolia’s democratization and move to a free market, the country has been grappling with the best approaches to deal with pasture degradation caused by both climate change and lifestyle changes of nomadic herders. International donors and NGOS have implemented community based natural resource management projects with the missions mitigating the effects of pasture degradation and livelihoods of herding families through building capacity. While studies have been done regarding the effectiveness of these community based conservation projects, minimal research has been done to understand how the traditions, values, and culture of Mongolia herders affect the success of these pastureland conservation …
Establishment Of The Coral Sea Marine Reserve: An In-Depth Analysis Of The Social And Environmental Impacts Of An Ecosystem-Based Management Approach To Conservation, Grace O’Connor
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve covers approximately 989,842 square kilometers and is in an area that is internationally recognized for rich biodiversity, unique species and important heritage values. The reserve was established to protect and maintain biodiversity and to contribute to international (UNCED) and national obligations (EPBC, NRSMPA). This spatial protection is an ecosystem-based management approach calling for ecologically sustainable use of marine resources, as well as protection of many vulnerable and endangered species. The zoning of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve will drastically limit human use, most notably prohibiting fishing in the majority of the area. Extensive research …
Agroforestry And Smallholder Farmers: Climate Change Adaptation Through Sustainable Land Use, Colin Mccabe
Agroforestry And Smallholder Farmers: Climate Change Adaptation Through Sustainable Land Use, Colin Mccabe
Capstone Collection
Agriculture in the developing world will be extremely hard hit by climate change, and smallholder farmers in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are among the most vulnerable to its impacts. There is a range of agricultural adaptations to climate change, and each context demands a unique appraisal of impacts and adaptations based on specific geography, local climate variability and expected change, and social conditions. The term “climate-smart agriculture” (CSA) has come to embody a set of practices in crop and livestock cultivation that 1) reduce greenhouse gas emissions (climate change mitigation), 2) build resilience to the impacts of climate change for …