Digital Commons Network^™

Methodological Variations In Environmental Justice Screening Tools And Their Impact On Disadvantaged Community Designations, Thomas Robbins, Qingran Li, Stephen Bird

Faculty Publications

Government agencies in the United States have developed environmental justice screening tools (EJSTs) and designations to promote equitable distribution of benefits from environmental policies to disadvantaged communities (DACs). However, the methodological choices embedded in these tools, including the selection, weighting, and aggregation of environmental justice indicators, vary across EJSTs, and their implications for DAC designation outcomes are poorly understood. Here we systematically compare four EJSTs at the federal and state levels and show that these tools produce substantial variation in the DAC census tracts, with some tools emphasizing socioeconomic burdens while others prioritize environmental risks. Using quantitative regression models, we …

Climate Vulnerability In Context: Interpretations Of Risk And Reality In Maine And New Hampshire, Sophie Hope Goodwin

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examines the relationship between place-based climate vulnerability and belief in anthropogenic climate change in Maine and New Hampshire. While exposure-based models suggest that direct experience with environmental hazards should increase climate belief, sociological research emphasizes the role of political ideology and social context in shaping attitudes. Using county-level measures from the U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index combined with individual survey data from the Pine Tree State Poll and Granite State Poll, this study evaluates whether multidimensional climate vulnerability is associated with belief that climate change is happening now and is primarily caused by human activities. Results from three-step logistic …

Paige Balcom ’16 On Recent Award, Global Impact, And How Unh Set Her Up For Success, Brooks Payette

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

The Garden Of The Machine: Simulated Wildness And Digital Domestication In American Literature 1970-2020, Cameron Netland

Doctoral Dissertations

Studying American literature produced during the Information Age, from 1970 to 2020, reveals an evolution of wild human resistance to the increasing powers of digital technology. These increasing powers include capturing attention, fostering dependence, and training behavior through a process I call digital domestication. Digital domestication distances people from wildness, and as William Cronon writes in “The Trouble with Wilderness”, “Learning to honor the wild—learning to remember and acknowledge the autonomy of the other—means striving for critical self-consciousness in all of our actions.” (20). Through this framework of wildness, one reads characters in fictional narratives resisting non-coercive new technologies as …

Private Conservation And Indigenous Groups With Contested Identities: How Are Land Trusts Navigating Recognition Politics And Controversy?, Geneva Nuttall Lish

Master's Theses and Capstones

New Hampshire has no state or federally recognized Indigenous tribes, and the identities of its self-recognized Abenaki tribes have been publicly contested by Canadian scholars and the Odanak and Wolinak First Nations. As a result, conservation practitioners within New Hampshire land trusts face challenges in making decisions about collaborations, cultural access, and land management involving tribal entities. Our research thus explores how land trusts currently incorporate Indigenous relationships in their operations, and how these practices may be affected by (a) an absence of tribal federal recognition and (b) the publicly contested nature of a tribe. We conducted six semi-structured interviews …

Teaching Archival Silences With The New Hampshire Maps Collection, Kai H. Uchida

Faculty Publications

This conference presentation was given at the Annual Spring 2025 Meeting for New England Archivists.

For the past two years, the University Archivist at Milne Special Collections and Archives at the University of New Hampshire has partnered with an instructor in the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Department to teach about its historic map collections. This presentation will discuss the planning, execution, and lessons learned from using a historic state maps collection to educate students on the concept of "archival silence," and to advocate for the use of historical map collections to develop critical archival and data literacies.

University Of New Hampshire 2024-2025 Faculty Senate Xxix - February 10, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

Nh Stormwater Manual 2025, Unh Stormwater Center, Comprehensive Environmental Inc., Nh Department Of Environmental Services

UNH Stormwater Center

No abstract provided.

Just Maps? Exploring The Development And Use Of Environmental Justice Mapping Tools In The United States, Claire Emrick

Master's Theses and Capstones

The disparate distribution of environmental risks and benefits is well documented in the United States. In response, interactive mapping tools that attempt to represent and address environmental justice (EJ) issues have proliferated in recent years. By synthesizing socioeconomic and environmental data into a user-friendly interface, EJ mapping tools can inform advocacy and policy decisions that benefit disadvantaged communities. Numerous studies have contributed to the development and assessment of the indices and datasets found in these mapping tools, while other articles have highlighted approaches to and lessons learned from single cases of EJ mapping tool development. However, only a few studies …

Conceptualizing Space Environmental Sustainability, Weiwei Mo, Brad L. Kinsey, John Vickers, Henry Helvajian, Ioana Cozmuta, Marissa Herron, Ajay Malshe

Faculty Publications

Recent advancements have significantly enhanced the capabilities for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), to develop infrastructure in orbit and on the surface of celestial bodies. This progress is a departure from the traditional sustainability paradigm focused solely on Earth, highlighting the urgent need to define and operationalize the concept of “space sustainability” along with the development of an evaluation framework. The expansion of human activity into space, particularly in low-earth orbit, cis-lunar space, and beyond, underscores the critical importance of considering sustainability implications. Leveraging space resources offers economic growth and sustainable development opportunities, while reducing pressure on Earth’s ecosystems. …

Conceptualizing Space Environmental Sustainability, Weiwei Mo, Brad L. Kinsey, John Vickers, Henry Helvajian, Ioana Cozmuta, Marissa Herron, Ajay Malshe

Faculty Publications

Recent advancements have significantly enhanced the capabilities for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), to develop infrastructure in orbit and on the surface of celestial bodies. This progress is a departure from the traditional sustainability paradigm focused solely on Earth, highlighting the urgent need to define and operationalize the concept of “space sustainability” along with the development of an evaluation framework. The expansion of human activity into space, particularly in low-earth orbit, cis-lunar space, and beyond, underscores the critical importance of considering sustainability implications. Leveraging space resources offers economic growth and sustainable development opportunities, while reducing pressure on Earth’s ecosystems. …

Meet The 2024 Sustainability Fellows, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Querida Promotora, Cristina Faiver-Serna

Faculty Publications

This open letter to the promotoras de salud (community health workers) of Long Beach, California explores the multifaceted demands placed on low-wage, highly skilled health educators within the nonprofit industrial complex, and exposes the geographies of Latinx health precarity from the perspective of urban health care feminized labor. The letter also shares and celebrates the deep commitment to justice that promotoras struggle toward through their care work.

Querida Promotora, Cristina Faiver-Serna

Faculty Publications

This open letter to the promotoras de salud (community health workers) of Long Beach, California explores the multifaceted demands placed on low-wage, highly skilled health educators within the nonprofit industrial complex, and exposes the geographies of Latinx health precarity from the perspective of urban health care feminized labor. The letter also shares and celebrates the deep commitment to justice that promotoras struggle toward through their care work.

Feminism In The Anti-Nuclear Movement: Three Women's Quest To Re-Make Society, Sarah Doenmez

Master's Theses and Capstones

In the 40 years between 1974 and 2014, the anti-nuclear movement arose in New England, shook the dominant political forces, changed the culture, and achieved significant victories. Although they are usually not recognized as the power behind anti-nuclear and environmental activism, in fact, I contend that a certain group of women motivated by a second wave ecofeminist vision of peace were and have remained the core of this work in New England. Their fight against patriarchal systems shaping their individual lives extended to a larger commitment to build communities and imbue institutions with a new value system that would nurture …

Uncovering Fragmented Information About Pfas Contamination In Private Wells And Its Role In Housing Market Response, Catherine Taylor

Master's Theses and Capstones

PFAS are emerging contaminants that continue to rise in their public and political saliency. Although causal health outcomes are still unclear, there is evidence that the widespread and widely used family of chemicals has been correlated with negative human health impacts. The state of New Hampshire was one of the first in the country to regulate PFAS, establishing a lower maximum contaminant limit (MCL) than the EPA at the federal level. As PFAS policy continues to develop at the federal and state levels, it is important to consider how New Hampshire residents perceive this issue. In particular, residents in Hillsborough, …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Sustainable Consumer Choices, Muhammad Jawad Khan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) within key sustainability contexts, focusing on the remediation of forever chemicals (PFAS) in municipal water systems, forest diversification for climate-resilient maple syrup production, and reduced ecological footprints in farming. The first chapter highlights factors influencing public support for a municipal water filtration system. A contingent valuation survey was conducted in September 2021 among the New England households to estimate their WTP for PFAS filtration in municipal drinking water systems. Health factors are primary: those concerned about water quality show a higher WTP. Income, water expenditures, and filtration status at home …

Sustainability Post-Graduation: Energy Industry, George Anderson

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Sustainability Beyond The Classroom, Aaron Sanborn

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Climate Change Resiliency In Coastal New Hampshire Roads With The Application Of Natural And Nature-Based Features, Lauren Emma Dwyre

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coastal communities rely heavily on their road network for the transportation of goods, services, and people. However, rising sea levels due to climate change are causing many of the communities’ transportation infrastructure to become vulnerable to coastal stressors. Understanding how sea-level rise (SLR) will impact pavement performance and identifying adaptation strategies is vital for making coastal communities more resilient. Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) are becoming increasingly recognized as an adaptation solution to protect coastal communities from SLR-induced stressors and provide ecological and social benefits. This research aims to identify the linkages between storm surge and pavement damage and identify …

Creating Impact While Nurturing Leaders, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Creating Impact While Nurturing Leaders, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

"A Wild Home For Wild Things": Forest Workers' Co-Creation Of Knowledge, Identity, And Place, Adrienne R. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

This study addresses the relationship between environmental knowledge and place-based and occupational identities. I conducted fifty-five in-depth interviews with people involved in forest management in northern California. Participants belonged to one of three groups: logger- industrial, governmental-institutional, or organizational. In addition, I completed twenty-seven hours of observational fieldwork at logging sites in the region. From these transcripts, several themes emerge. Participants adopt a variety of ways of knowing and conceptions of care, and these correspond to different forest priorities, as well as attitudes toward global environmental issues. These groups also each construct distinct occupational identities, which sometimes form in response …

Designing For The Dissonance: Community-Engaged Field Experiences For Challenging Curricular Misconceptions Of Place Toward Localizing And Indigenizing Curricula Within Elementary Teacher Education., Elaine Marhefka

Doctoral Dissertations

Harmful oversights remain in elementary social studies curricula which overlook or misrepresent minoritized communities. This dissertation explores designs for teacher education which address these oversights through community collaborations. This multi-manuscript dissertation is an empirical-conceptual inquiry design (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009), as it is not purely empirical or conceptual research. This design allows for an independent discussion of each study, while interpreting phenomena across the three chapters. Acknowledging my positionality as a white female, in a predominantly white, female profession, I look to Indigenous and Black scholars, both locally and broadly, to inform my perspective and project design. Using a phenomenological …

Access To Nature In New Hampshire: Equity And Quality Of Life, Cody Garrott Crytzer

Master's Theses and Capstones

The primary objectives of this research were to understand what access to nature means for people engaged in the nature economy, economic development, recreation, conservation, and community development sectors of New Hampshire, to identify benefits, barriers and opportunities of access to nature with a focus on underserved communities, and to contribute data and knowledge to inform local, regional, and state efforts to advance equity in environmental protection, justice efforts, and future policy considerations impacting New Hampshire. This research involved qualitative analysis of interviews with statewide policy leaders and stakeholders that work with individuals and organizations closely related to nature economy …

Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, April 19, 2023, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, April 5, 2023, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Access To Nature And Its Economic Implications, Shannon Rogers Ph.D., Cody G. Crytzer, Catherine M. Ashcraft Ph.D.

UNH Cooperative Extension

Access to the natural environment is a critical element of the economic, social, and ecological resilience of communities (Rogers & Garlick, 2021). In New Hampshire, outdoor recreation contributes an estimated $2.5 billion dollars yearly to the economy (BEA, 2019), which at 3.2% rivals the economic impact of the state’s entire food and accommodations sector.

Related resources:

• Access to Nature and Its Economic Implications (webinar): https://scholars.unh.edu/extension/1447/
• Eight Ways Nature Supports New Hampshire’s Economy (brief) https://scholars.unh.edu/extension/1281/
• Nature Supports a Vibrant Downtown Economy (brief) https://scholars.unh.edu/extension/1282/

Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, March 22, 2023, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Bringing An Equity Lens To Eos Research: Report Of Workshop Findings And Outcomes, Shan Zuidema, Katharine Duderstadt, Kalle Matso, Lindsey Williams Dr, Alexandra R. Contosta, Harlan Spence, Paula Kozlowski

All Materials

On April 25, 2023 the JEDI-EOS group sponsored a workshop entitled Bringing an Equity Lens to EOS Research at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in the Piscataqua Room at the Holloway Commons. The stated goal of the workshop was to synthesize and coordinate UNH’s efforts on geoscience topics impacting the health and well-being of under-served communities locally and regionally. The workshop welcomed approximately 35 participants primarily from the University of New Hampshire, but with representation from the NH Conservation Law Foundation, US Geological Survey, and NH Department of Environmental Services. A keynote address was provided by Dr. Daniel Faber …