Environmental Studies Commons^™

Creating The Chesapeake Bay Marine Protected Area, Emma Thomson

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

The Chesapeake Bay provides economic benefits to its surrounding states in the form of tourism, fishing, recreation, and ecosystem services. However it is not sufficiently protected by these states and is suffering the consequences. This precious habitat needs more protection to ensure the long-term survival of the wildlife and services it provides. Creating a Marine Protected Area (MPA) at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and extending out in to the Atlantic Ocean will protect multiple habitats and fish populations, which will in turn improve the health of the Bay (Narula 2014). This MPA will restrict harmful fishing, drilling, dumping, …

Life Cycle Cost Assessment: A Win-Win For Virginia Wetlands, Austen Kelso

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Virginia shorelines are facing some of the highest rates of sea level rise seen over the last 5 millennia and are among the most vulnerable coastlines in the country to the effects of sea level rise such as flooding and storm surge (Down et al. 1994). In the face of these rising sea levels, coastal wetland habitats will be forced to migrate inland to avoid inundation (Akumu et al. 2011). However, increased development on the Virginia coast threatens these critical wetland habitats by blocking their inland movement as the try to avoid rapidly rising sea levels. Without a clear migratory …

Virginia's Chesapeake Bay, An Oyster Sanctuary, C. Andrew Denney

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

The Crassostrea virginica population in the Chesapeake Bay is now % of what it was during the 19^th century (Kimmel et al. 2007). This decline is the result of various harmful effects such as disease, nutrient pollution, acidification, hydrological change, habitat loss and over-harvesting (Ermgassen et al. 2013). The Eastern Oyster is particularly threatened by three threats, disease, acidification, and reduced water quality. C. virginicais negatively affected by these problems but is also capable of combating and/or mitigating these injuries toward the health and biodiversity of the Chesapeake Bay. The biodiversity of the bay is directly correlated with oyster …

Changes To Shoreline Hardening Process In The Face Of Climate Change, George Appling

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

As a result of global climate change, sea level has risen and will continue to rise throughout the 21st century. Sea level rise has been higher in Virginia than any other state over the past 100 years (US Climate Change Science Program 2009). Varied projections show that sea level could rise 1.2 to 5.5 feet above 1992 levels by 2100 (Boon et al. 2010; Ezer and Corlette 2012; Sallengar et al. 2012). Sea level rise threatens to drown intertidal wetlands (Craft et al. 2009; FitzGerald et al. 2010; Kirwan and Guntenspergen 2010; Menon et al. 2010). Wetlands are key biodiversity …

The Adopt-A-Wetland Program, Lindsey Hines

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Wetlands are a “biological super system” hosting a vital reservoir of biodiversity potential. Conserving wetlands and protecting their biodiversity is instrumental in upholding the ecosystem services wetlands provide. These ecosystem services of flood control, food supply, clean water, recreational areas and more are major elements in Virginia’s economy and cultural society. Current models projecting climate change impacts on the Virginian coastline predict sea-level rise to be incompatible with rate of migration and adaptation needed for wetlands. Existing wetland conservation efforts are lacking the required action to combat these imminent problems. Land acquisition is essential to accommodate wetland migration to ensure …

Requiring Responsible Mitigation Banking, Julia Baer

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

In the national attempt to achieve “no-net-loss” of wetlands, the business of wetland mitigation banking has experienced enormous growth over the past few decades. These banks’ purpose is to compensate for wetland loss due to development through the restoration and creation of wetlands elsewhere. While this mitigates the rate of wetland loss, “no-net-loss” is not truly achieved because development is the only federally recognized force destroying wetlands today. Wetland mitigation banks should be required to take sea level rise into account when selecting new sites, and forbidden from using sites where function losses exceed 5% within 50 years, using the …

Climate Change And Invasive Species: Invasive Management Teams, Virginia Fredliani

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

In Virginia, invasive species cost the state approximately $1 billion annually due to forest loss and crop damage (Pimentel et al. 2005). There are approximately 38 invasive species and suffer as a result, which affects biodiversity (Tausch 2008). Invasive species alter the balance of ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and ecosystem health (Gamfeldt et al. 2008). Climate change is another driver in the success of invasive species as they are better adapted to withstand climate changes over native species (Duke and Mooney 1999). To combat invasive species in Virginia this recommendation proposes the establishment of early detection and rapid response Invasive Management …

Proposal For A Virginia Seed Bank, Casey Schmidt

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Climate change is causing the ranges of native species to shift northward at a pace that outstrips the ability of many plant species to migrate and adapt (Walther et al. 2002; Renwick & Rocca 2014). Although assisted migration, the process of relocating individuals or spread of seeds through human intervention, has been used successfully in some cases to preserve species, it comes saddled with potential ecological damage and legal complications arise when these ranges cross state lines. These complications threaten Virginia’s biodiversity, especially among rare plants and those plants from habitat affected most by climate change. In order to preserve …

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 …

Branching Out: How Virginia Can Strategically Use Trees To Combat Biodiversity Loss, Taylor Pfeiffer

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Biodiversity loss is a particularly concerning effect of climate change because as greenhouse gas emissions increase global temperatures, decreases in the abundance and diversity of species has reduced ecosystem resiliency to these changes (Verchot et al. 2007). Weakened ecosystems and threatened species decrease the environment’s capacity to provide humans with services like safe drinking water, fuel, and protection from natural disasters, just to name a few (US EPA 2013). The agricultural industry plays a unique role in this environmental conversation, as farmland both contributes to climate change and is jeopardized by the negative effects created by the issue in a …

Nature, Virginia's Economy, And The Climate Threat, Casey Schmidt, Taylor Pfeiffe, Amy Murphy, Virginia Frediani, Natalya Ares, George Appling, Emma Thomson, Austen Kelso, Julia Baer, Lindsey Hines, Andrew Denney

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

The Commission's charge is to propose solutions to you for climate-related issues facing the Commonwealth. Our Symposium today also takes up that challenge. In this booklet you will find research and recommendations for you -- and all of Virginia's governing bodies – for how best to protect our state's priceless and economically essential natural heritage as climate changes disrupt our ecosystems.

Paper prepared for Environmental Studies Senior Seminar.

Faculty advisers: Dr. Peter D. Smallwood and Stephen P. Nash