Digital Commons Network^™

Roots Of Resilience : Building A Sustainable Community Orchard For Food Equity And Environmental Stewardship In Missoula, Elle A. Vandzura

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This project aims to research the benefits of a sustainable community orchard in Missoula, with a focus on promoting nutritional equity, enhancing local food security, fostering environmental stewardship, and strengthening community engagement. Building on the proven success of Garden City Harvest’s community garden program, I will demonstrate how community orchards can further strengthen the local food system. Through a focused research approach, I will identify and implement best practices for the development and management of community orchards, with a particular emphasis on strategies that promote nutritional equity and environmental sustainability.

My research will include thorough reviews of case studies, academic …

Seed Sisters, Rylie Luhring

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Many who visit UM’s PEAS Farm know about the greenhouses, pumpkin patch, and flower fields that grow around the property, but there is another garden that has been growing for the last three seasons: The Four Sisters Garden. Although many students visit the farm each year, the Four Sisters Garden is a spot that tends to be skipped over on tours. This traditional Garden grows squash, beans, corn, and sunflowers, and is grown in the arrangement of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) peoples from North Dakota. Through conversations with the caretakers of the Four Sisters Garden, I found out …

Recreation Repair Reimagined, Luca Welle, Koson Verkler, Sam Garza, Fraser Ormiston

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Textile waste, including that produced by the outdoor industry, is a huge environmental and social problem. An incomprehensible number of items are discarded each year, many of which end up contributing to pollution across the globe. Some of this equipment is costly, both in terms of the externalities of production and disposal and the price tag consumers see, the latter of which poses an issue of accessibility to many people. We have worked to address these challenges by facilitating an opportunity as well as a space in which people can repair and repurpose worn gear and textiles so as to …

Montana Kaimin, April 10, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Bylaws Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana As Of March 4, 2025, University Of Montana--Missoula. Associated Students

ASUM Governing Documents, 2019-present

Bylaws of the Associated Students of the University of Montana as of SB32-24/25: Resolution Amending Article V, Section 5 of ASUM Bylaws. This resolution passed during the February 26, 2025 ASUM Senate Meeting during a Roll Call Vote 18-0-0.

Montana Kaimin, March 13, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

From Drought To Disparity: Navigating Relief And Barriers For Vulnerable Farmers In The Western Us, Kyla Fugate, Shae Olsen

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

As climate change intensifies, United States Department of Agriculture emergency programs provide crucial relief during crises. Yet, programs like the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) are now being triggered each year as droughts become routine in the western US. Simultaneously, the most climate vulnerable farmers are largely left out of these programs. We examine how institutional structures, program design, and implementation practices shape access to public agricultural support services in the western US, with particular focus on beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers (BSDFs). Drawing from nearly 50 in-depth interviews with USDA staff and farmers across western states, our two papers work …

Water Scarcity In The Bitterroot Valley, August W. Guenthner

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Abstract

Water scarcity is an increasingly pressing issue in Montana's Bitterroot Valley due to the dual pressures of climate change and rapid population growth. This research explores how agricultural producers in the region experience and adapt to water scarcity, a challenge exacerbated by decreasing and unpredictable precipitation patterns and rising residential water demand. Using semi-structured, long-form interviews with experienced farmers, the study examines the specific impacts of water scarcity on agricultural operations and the adaptive strategies employed to ensure resilience. By centering the experiences of local producers, this research aims to contribute to the broader literature on agricultural adaptation while …

Montana Kaimin, February 27, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Montana Kaimin, February 13, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Chmy 121n.Vh1: Introduction To General Chemistry, Julia Michelle Kotler

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Enst 231h.01: Nature And Society, Ashley J. Preston

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Chmy 121n.00: Introduction To General Chemistry, Eric A. John

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Vision 2025

Vision

No abstract provided.

Campus Connect, Katie Coates, Bella Wengappuly, Annabelle Brown, Kyie Salerno

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper examines how university campus design can be strategically utilized to support student mental health, drawing on global examples to inspire improvements in the University of Montana’s (UM) campus planning. The University of Montana, like most college campuses worldwide, is currently facing pressing mental health challenges among the student body. College can be a highly stressful experience, where students encounter unique pressures that, without adequate support, can lead to mental health crises. Many universities across the globe have recognized the role of campus design in promoting mental well-being, and they have adopted innovative, student-centered design strategies to foster positive …

Re-Establishing People And Industry: A Study Of The Historical Context Of The Winters Decision (1908) Involving Indian Agent William R. Logan, The Plantiffs In Winters, And Sugar Beet Agriculture On The Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana, 1856-1910, Kellen R. Neighbors

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 1905, Indian Agent William R. Logan filed an injunction to stop upriver irrigators from diverting Milk River water before it reached the Fort Belknap reservation. This culminated in Winters v. U.S. (1908) and became known as the Winters decision, the Winters Doctrine, or Indian Reserved Water Rights. This case is the foundation for Native American water rights cases today. This study explores the historical context of the case, specifically focusing on Fort Belknap Indian Agent William Logan’s role. William Logan was a devout Montana entrepreneur who carried his entrepreneurial spirit into his tenure as Fort Belknap Agent. This fact …

2025-2026 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024

An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.

Foraging Opportunists: Encouraging Reconnection With The Land, Madelyne Miller, Sylvia Blodorn, Aine Fannon, Ada Scott, Luke Pruitt

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Contextualizing the history of opportunist and native plant species opens options for land management and reconnection to cultural land practices. By recognizing that opportunist species often spread as a result of relocation for practical usage, we determine that reintroducing these uses can lead to an escalation in harvesting these plants. Uses of opportunist plants are diverse and include food sources, artistic practices, and medicine. Foraging also leads to improved human-land-connectedness as well as a deeper connection to ancestral and cultural traditions, which has been found to improve mental health. Focusing on this method of land management will limit the need …

Diving Into Watershed Science And Education: Blending Science, Storytelling, And Professional Practice In Northern Michigan, Mara Clare Pellerito

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio expands understanding of the relationship between watershed education and science through storytelling, lived experiences, and research. In northern Michigan, the invasive Myriophyllum spicatum threatens watershed health by forming dense patches that block sunlight, exclude native plants and wildlife, and retain harmful nutrients later released by herbicide treatment. The Lake Leelanau Lake Association has managed this species with preventative and restorative practices since 2020, and this portfolio examines their results through scientific study and practical experience from the summers of 2024 and 25. It also explores how education serves as a stepping stone from childhood curiosity to a lifetime …

Cultivating A Community-Based Food System In Western Montana, Elaina Lamphere

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Critical Juncture: The Convergence Of Natural Resource Management And Tribal Sovereignty, Anna Aleta Butterfield

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects the work I’ve done in my four years as a dual degree student, pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Studies and a juris doctorate degree, and focuses on policies and laws surrounding natural resource management. It touches on how those policies relate to and expand or constrict the exercise of sovereignty by indigenous populations.

This piece first considers the effects of plastic on salmon populations and those indigenous groups that rely on salmon for subsistence and cultural purposes. The remaining three pieces focus on various aspects of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes - Montana Water …

Unravelling The Physiological Impacts Of Fire On Western U.S. Conifers, Charlotte Chiara Reed

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfires are inherently spatially heterogenous, with many trees within larger burned areas not immediately killed by fire. These surviving trees often sustain some level of fire injury, yet we lack a mechanistic understanding of how these injuries affect post-fire tree physiological function, thus affecting whether trees go on to recover or die. Current hypotheses differentiate effects of fire on tree carbon balance and hydraulic function, yet critical uncertainties remain about the relative importance of each, how they interact, and whether these impacts make trees more vulnerable to post-fire disturbances like drought. Via field experiments utilizing prescribed fires and two widespread …

The Impact Of Ambient Air Quality On Asthma Outcomes In California, Abigail Obour

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study investigates the relationship between ambient air quality and asthma-related health outcomes in California, focusing on emergency department visits and hospitalizations from 2005 to 2022. Despite California’s strict air quality standards, individuals still face significant pollution challenges contributing to poor respiratory health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Therefore, this study looks at how fine particulate matter (PM2.5) affects asthma outcomes using panel data from 37 counties. A fixed effects regression model is employed to control for unobserved heterogeneities that are constant over time but vary across individual counties, ensuring robust estimates of the impact of pollution on health outcomes. This …

Eros And The Sublime: Tools For Reaching Toward An Altered Ecological Consciousness, Aineka Carlson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis explores connections between the Kantian sublime and Anne Carson’s ideas regarding “eros.” Since Kant’s Critique of Judgement was published in 1790, the Kantian sublime has grown in popularity and been utilized by theorists and creative writers alike. While the Kantian sublime is often associated with nature in popular culture, there are certain egocentric and phallocentric elements of this mode of thinking that might inhibit a biocentric mindset. Through a character study of Oryx from Margaret Atwood’s novel Oryx and Crake, this thesis draws relations between the subjugation of women, nature, and the ways in which the popularized …

Grizzly Bears Moving Onto The Great Plains, John A. Stember

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

High up a coulee on the Montana prairie, Seth and Jennie Becker look over the windswept landscape with binoculars and point out three grizzly bear dens along the rim of a canyon. The couple, who own Stick Leg Ranch, estimate there are eight grizzly bear dens on their property. After their nine-year-old son nearly came face to face with a grizzly, they decided they needed to find a solution.

Over the last five years, grizzly bears have been expanding further and further east onto the Montana prairie. For example, in October 2023, a grizzly bear was caught on game camera …

As Above, So Below: Environmental Justice Stories Of Seeds, Mining And Migration, Cassidy M. Motahari

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental justice issues directly impact the health, cultural heritage and livelihoods of communities. This multimedia master’s project examines how federal policies, legal frameworks and the prioritization of corporate interests perpetuate environmental justice issues in the western United States. Three distinct stories provide a more nuanced understanding of the impact of systemic inequities on seed saving, mineral extraction and humanitarian aid on public lands.

With four companies controlling over 60 percent of the global seed market, declining genetic diversity in seeds limits the potential to cultivate and develop crops that meet the regional and cultural needs of diverse growers. In a …

Slaying The Windigo: Fear And Faith In The Anthropocene, Daniel J. Irwin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines the changing affect of fear in the environment and how it is influencing writing in the Anthropocene. Chapter one lays the groundwork for the present moment of ecocriticism, examining how the relationship with the environment has changed throughout the history of ecocritical writing. The second chapter examines how fear has been an intrinsic element of environmental storytelling, starting with the romantic ideas of the sublime. With the recognition of the impact that humanity has had on Earth over the past several centuries, and the accelerating acceptance of the idea of the Anthropocene since the turn of the …

Modeling Neighborhoods As Fuel For Wildfire, Bryce Alan Young

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfire models drive billions of dollars in risk mitigation efforts. However, the modeling community currently lacks a representative fuelscape on which to base simulations of fire spread in the built environment and the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where vegetation and structures act together as fuel for wildfire. This thesis advances wildfire risk modeling by addressing the underdeveloped representation of the built environment in existing frameworks. By identifying inconsistencies in how structure and defensible space features are defined and used across empirical studies, predictive indices, and fire spread models, this research lays the groundwork for standardized modeling approaches and feature selection (Chapter …

Adaptation And Resilience: How Beginning Farmers Navigate Land And Climate Crises In Western Montana, Kyla Ivana Fugate

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Montana is home to a growing number of beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers (BSDFRs), yet they face substantial barriers to accessing resources, from farmland to federal farm support programs. Rising land prices and climate-induced drought further exacerbate the challenges that farmers already face, posing a “twin crisis” that is especially severe for beginning farmers who have operated their farms for fewer than 10 years. This research draws on ethnographic data, including 24 in-depth interviews with BSDFRs and five informational interviews with farm service providers in Western Montana. I find that while federal USDA programs support farmers on paper, they often …

“Emergency Relief As Routine”: The Evolution Of Fsa’S Livestock Forage Disaster Program In An Era Of Persistent Drought, Shae L. Olsen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines the historical origins, current limitations, and future of the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), the primary federal drought disaster relief program for ranchers in the United States. Drawing connections between the Dust Bowl-era Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) and LFP, I argue that the AAA, while innovative at the time, prioritized the maintenance of commodity markets over ecological resilience, disproportionately benefiting white, landowning producers. This trend is reflected in LFP today. Through a policy analysis and original qualitative research, including interviews with 23 FSA staff members in nine states, I examine how LFP operates …