Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

La Cara De La Explotación: Un Estudio De La Industria Minería En El Sur De La República De Ecuador, Jillian Howell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mi viaje continúo al sur oriente a la ciudad de Macas en la provincia de Morona Santiago, a dónde había una reunión del Programa de Pequeños Donaciones (PPD) de las Naciones Unidas - Proyecto de Desarrollo (UNDP) sobre los pequeños proyectos sostenibles en el sur de Ecuador. Unos de estos proyectos era sobre mitigando de los impactos ambientales de los mineros artesanales de La Pangui y Congüime en el Cordillera del Cóndor. Yo visité este proyecto una semana después, cuando fui a La Pangui y viví una noche con la familia del presidente de una asociación de los mineros artesanales. …

Renewable Energy In Rural Amazônia: A Case Study Of Its Advantages And Limitations In Santo Antônio, Amy Plovnick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Isolated renewable energy projects are a promising alternative to diesel power for providing electricity in rural communities not connected to the conventional electricity transmission grid. However, there have been a limited number of such projects in rural Amazônia, and they often face obstacles that limit their sustainability. The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental, social and economic impact of isolated renewable energy projects through a case study of a small-scale biomass and solar energy electrification project in the community of Santo Antônio, Pará. It will also evaluate the limitations to implementing and sustaining isolated renewable energy projects …

Los Problemas Energéticos De Chile Y Sus Soluciones: El Rol De Las Energías Renovables No Convencionales, Megha Jain

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación trata sobe la seguridad energética de Chile, un concepto relativamente nuevo que tiene que ver con la capacidad de un país para garantizar un suministro energético, que permita el crecimiento económico y el desarrollo social. Actualmente, Chile se encuentra en una posición energética muy vulnerable. A pesar de su riqueza geográfica repleta de recursos energéticos renovables, carece de las fuentes de energía más importantes hoy día: el petróleo, el carbón y el gas natural. Por eso, para cumplir con una demanda creciente, tiene que importar entre el 70%  y el 80% de su energía, dependiendo de pocos suministradores …

Traditional Plant Use Of The Raglay In Cãu Gãy Village, Núi Chúa National Park, Alex Greene

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Members of the Raglay community of Cãu Gãy Village were interviewed to determine the extent and nature of their traditional reliance on plants. This community, located in the buffer zone of Núi Chúa National Park, was found to utilize 64 plant species for a wide variety of uses. Botanical specimens and photographs were used to identify 42 plants to species level, 13 to genus level, and 6 to family level, while 3 remained unidentified. For each plant, the Raglay name, local Vietnamese name, use, specific application, and preparation were documented, as well as any details of ritual or commercial significance. …

Environmental Sustainability: Challenges And Opportunities Of Greening Your Study Abroad Program, Sylvia M. Seger Mim, Academic Director

Fostering Multicultural Competence and Global Justice: an SIT Symposium

World Learning’s mission to “… create a more peaceful and just world” by necessity encompasses environmental dynamics, considering that the root causes of most social justice issues and violent conflicts can be traced to environmental degradation and disproportional access to shrinking natural resources. Thus our mission mandates that we employ an ethic of environmental stewardship in all our pursuits and put in place mechanisms to mitigate our environmental impacts.

“We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but …

La Historia De La Energía Y Desarrollo En Una Comunidad Rural: El Uso E Historia De La Energía En Santa Rosa De Pacto Y Las Implicaciones Para El Futuro De Los Países En Vías De Desarrollo, Julie Lapidus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A medida que los países en vías de desarrollo continúan desarrollándose, sus contribuciones al cambio climático sólo continuarán aumentando. Actualmente, un país en vías de desarrollo (China) es el mayor productor del dióxido de carbono. Por eso, esta investigación se enfocó en el uso, la historia y el futuro de la energía de un pueblo rural en Ecuador (Santa Rosa de Pacto) que tiene energía eléctrica desde hace sólo ocho años. Este estudio de casos prácticos ayuda a la comprensión de la frecuencia y cambio del desarrollo de la energía en países en vías del desarrollo, particularmente en regiones rurales. …

Energy From The Sun: A Solar Feasibility Study For Macquarie University, Jj Augenbraun

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Macquarie University uses over 30,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. As one of the largest energy consumers in its area, the University is looking for ways to reduce the cost and environmental impact associated with its operations. One possible option is the use of solar energy to generate electricity on campus. However, solar energy is a complicated issue, especially for a large scale project. By taking the time to evaluate options prior to beginning a project of this scale, money and effort can be saved in the future. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility …

Ecology Of The Seboba Community Trust Nature Trail, Amie Fleming, Erica Hann

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Two students with the School for International Training, Amie Fleming and Erica Hann, conducted three weeks of field work in Kasane, Botswana gathering data about the wildlife species and grass species present along the Chobe River. An upcoming Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) development project is planned for this area of land. The goal of this month-long study was to better establish baseline data on the types of plants and animals found within the area with the intention of developing recommendations for the project. We focused on creating a proposal for the route of a nature trail, along with bird …

Environmental Conscience And Comportment Of Youth In Dakar, Elizabeth Van Brocklin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The natural environment is in a state of crisis in Dakar, in Senegal, in Africa and throughout the world. Humans are the primary contributors to environmental degradation, as their activities place stress on natural ecosystems, and this stress is often most acute in the urban setting. Dakar is one major West African city where inhabitants are particularly neglectful and disrespectful of their communal environment, illustrated by the oppressive presence of mismanaged waste that pollutes the public streets. Based on the hypothesis that the general population was either unaware or misinformed of the actual state of the environment, I aimed to …

Testing The Baobab’S Mettle: An Evaluation Of The Sustainability And Economic Potential Of Harvesting Adansonia Digitata, Benjamin Rhodes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In light of southern Africa’s growing population and economy, as well as the increasing international market for Adansonia digitata products, it seems important to ascertain whether or not rural baobab harvesting is having an impact on the health of the trees and whether it could be improved or expanded to increase benefits to communities. This study focused on 72 trees in and around the village of Gweta, Botswana, examining local usage and harvesting practices and exploring their correlations with the health of the trees. Results suggest that baobab harvesting in its current form is detrimental to the trees’ health and …

Creating A Category V: Conservation Perceptions And Cultural Changes In The Anjozorobe-Angavo Forest Corridor, Kate Wright

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Local communities have long played an integral role in the realization of conservation goals and the success of protected areas in Madagascar. Since the appearance of human civilizations approximately 2,000 years ago (Brown 1995), the physical landscape of the island has undergone processes of adaptation to the practices of Malagasy people, while Malagasy cultures have in turn molded to fit their surroundings. The coevolution of nature and culture has produced a delicate environmental situation where human practices exploit but also conserve important natural resources, a situation that has been historically misinterpreted as intentional environmental destruction on the part of local …

The Realities And Effectiveness Of Ecotourism Operations On Moreton Island, Yoshihiko Kubota

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, but there has been a lack of studies assessing the tour operators’ views on the environment of the area of their operation, and of the effectiveness of their interpretation methods. This study focuses on Moreton Island for its relatively undisturbed environment and restricted accessibility.. Interviews with a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee, representative of a local conservation group, and multiple tour operators were conducted to assess the knowledge of tour operators on the environmental issues of Moreton Island, while pre-visit and post-visit surveys were conducted with Moreton Island visitors …

The Transition Movement In Australia: An Analysis Of The Progress, Challenges, And Future Of Transition Initiatives, Mia Goldwasser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The threats of climate change and peak oil have roots in our society’s dependence on the availability of cheap fossil fuels for its function and design. In order to both decrease greenhouse gas emissions and significantly lower the demand on fossil fuels, our settlements –built when oil was cheap and abundant- must ‘relocalize’, or develop the systems which will enable the local production of food, energy, materials, employment, and goods. The Transition Movement has developed as a grassroots, community-based response to these challenges, grounded in the belief that a higher quality of life has the opportunity to emerge from a …

The Cost Of Progress: Failed Development And Community Response On Pulau Serangan, Julia Nakad

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction - extract

No place on Bali illustrates the promise and heartbreak of development more clearly than the failed development project on Serangan Island, the location of a halted (if not completely aborted) development project in the 1990s that drastically changed the landscapes and livelihoods on the island in a relatively short span of time. Prior to the development project, most Serangan people made a living from fishing in the ocean surrounding the island, as well as from extracting coral and engaging in the turtle trade. These same people were promised jobs in the resorts that were to be built …

Guardians Of The Grassland: A Qualitative Assessment Of The Success Of Community-Based Wildlife Conservation In Mongolia’S Eastern Steppe, Alexandra Sprague

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Community-based conservation is a newer type of conservation that includes people in the ecosystem and attempts to simultaneously promote development and conservation. One organization in Mongolia that is facilitating the implementation of community-based conservation is the Wildlife Conservation Society. Their goal is:

My research questions concerning this NGO’s project are: what are the perceived benefits and problems with CBC? What makes it successful and how can it be improved? My location of study was the easternmost aimags of Mongolia, Dornod and Sukhbaatar. I spent 1 week travelling to 9 of the WCS’s 13 active herder communities asking their opinions about …

National Parks In China: A New Model For Nature Conservation, Katherine Fritz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When the author of “China has First National Park” published in The Science News-Letter in 1948, he could not foresee the next 60 years of China’s struggle to develop an effective nature conservation system. If he had, he would have known that simply recognizing the value of precious land, as China did in 1948, does not automatically lead to a sophisticated, nation-wide national park system.

National parks are the hallmark of advanced civil society and complex government conservation schemes. Since the State Forestry Department declared China’s first officially protected space at Dinghu Shan Nature Reserve in Guangdong province in 1956 …

Green Dharma: Clearing The Pollution Of Our Minds To Save The Environment, Richard Dale Jenkinson Iv

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper seeks to examine the relationship in Mongolia between Buddhism and the environment, as well as the condition of that relationship, the environmental work being done out of the motivation of Buddhist beliefs, and how to improve the environmental condition through Buddhism. Great understanding of this topic was obtained through interviews with Buddhist monks, of both Mongolian and Western origins and from both urban Ulaanbaatar and the rural countryside of Mongolia. Perhaps some of the greatest understanding came from simple everyday observations and interactions with the Buddhist community. Concrete textual information came from reading endless Buddhist sutras, scholarly books, …

The Role Of The Local Community In Integrated Conservation With Development Projects: A Case Study Of The Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project, Marion Boulicault

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recognizing the connection between local communities and conservation areas, Integrated Conservation with Development Projects (ICDPs) are being developed across the world to simultaneously address conservation and local development goals. Through a case study of the Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project (an ICDP) in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, this study aimed to examine the nature of the role of the local community in ICDPs, the factors affecting this role and the impact this role is having on the conservation project. Participant observation and open-ended interview techniques were used to achieve this aim.

The study found that, despite the goal of the …

The Amphibian And Reptile Diversity Of Tràm Chim National Park, Đống Tháp Province, Việt Nam, Alex Krohn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The herpetofauna of the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam is not as frequently studied as the fauna of the Central and Northern Highlands Regions of the same country. Tram Chim National Park is situated in the Mekong Delta Region in Đồng Tháp Province and is one of the last remaining intact areas of the “Plain of Reeds” ecosystem that once used to cover this now mainly agricultural land. Although studies on the bird fauna, vegetation and ecological management of Tram Chim National Park are common, there has never been a study of the parks reptiles and amphibians. Moreover, by comparing …

Diagnostique Sur La Santé Des Récifs Coralliens À Nosy Tanikely Et La Baie D’Ambanoro, Chelsea Nahill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pendant mon étude, les récifs coralliens à Nosy Tanikely et à la Baie d’Ambanoro étaient examinées avec le but de déterminer la condition de chaque récif et la biomasse des poissons. La durée de cette étude est de trois semaines et j’ai plongé en apnée quatre fois du 10 avril 2009 au 23 avril 2009, pour examiner les trois sites. Il y avait six stations au total, quatre pour examiner le premier site à Nosy Tanikely et deux dans la Baie d’Ambanoro, où sont le deuxième et troisième site. Utilisant les données collectées au long du transect de cent mètres, …

Creative Ecology: Art’S Role In Addressing Environmental And Sustainability Issues In Australia, Michael Meade

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Art has embodied the relationship between humans and the natural environment throughout the ages. As this relationship changed, many artists began to address concerns about the ways humans interact with nature. Today, more than ever, there is a need for channels of communication to address the major environmental and sustainability problems of our time. This study examines how art is influenced by environmental and sustainability concerns and the ways in which it responds to such concerns. By investigating how artists, community organizations, festivals and other initiatives encourage public awareness about environmental and sustainability issues, the study explores art’s role in …

The Role Of Zoos In Creating A Conservation Ethic In Visitors, Elean Kazarov

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project addresses the role of zoos in creating a conservation ethic in their visitors, with a focus on Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. The zoo educates visitors about animals, species, and habitats as well as conservation and threats to biodiversity. Interactive exhibits encourage the visitors to reflect upon the relationship between humans and animals and humans and nature, as well as solidify the zoo experience in the visitors’ minds. By providing an entertaining experience, the zoo renders visitors more receptive to conservation messages. Other messages increase respect for animals, species and habitats. Individual connections with animals are facilitated …

Estatus Actual De Los Búhos Terrestres (Athene Cunicularia) En La Zona De Puerto López, Ecuador: Efectos De Las Creencias Y Sentimientos Hacía Los Animales Silvestres, Allison Qubain

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In response to negative attitudes towards the existing biodiversity in the region of Puerto Lopez, Ecuador and as a follow-up of a study conducted in 2006 on the status of Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) populations, through informal interviews and observation, this investigation focuses on how local sentiments towards nature have affected the current status of the Burrowing Owl populations and their habitat. The investigation revealed that in addition to the effects of legends and beliefs, there is an existing lack of knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for the extremely high biodiversity, which has created an evident fear instilled in the people. …

Walking Amongst The Sacred Spines: Social And Ecological Investigation Of The Fenoaivo And Zanavo Sacred Forests In Southern Madagascar, Laura Miller

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores the social and ecological aspects of the Fenoaivo and Zanavo sacred forests—an area located in the commune of Ifotaka and region of Anosy in the spiny forest of southern Madagascar. Through a general survey of the 2.5km by 950 meter forest, a survey of the fauna and flora, a survey of the sacred forest areas, over fifty local interviews and an expert stakeholder survey sent out to over 65 people internationally, an attempt was made to look at the areas potential for a community conserved area and the possibility of community-based tourism. Discovering that both the general …

Study Of A Self-Assessment System For The Ecotourism Group In Curuçá: Accounting For Tourist Opinions While Maintaining Initial Goals, Karina Hope Costa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Community-based ecotourism can be a potential tool to both promote empowerment and conservation of the local environment. One of the main goals of community-based ecotourism is to ensure that participating communities take an active role in the development and management of ecotourism activities. One way to measure if their goals are being reached is through a system of assessment, through which an ecotourism community will be able to account for the opinions of the tourist, the guide operators, and the local community. The general objective of this paper is to determine how a community-based ecotourism group can account for the …

Arauco Y Sus Políticas De Rse En La Viii Región Del Bío Bío (Una Comparación Entre Sus Políticas Medio Ambientales Y La Situación Real), Jamie Warner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of my independent research project is to find out whether the written Corporate Social Responsibility environmental policies of Arauco Forests are actually enacted in the eight region (Bíobío). My hypothesis is that even though Arauco has implemented these policies, it does not have a sustainable model for its forest industry. Arauco continues to damage the land, water, and air in the Biobió region, which is in turn affecting the lives of the people that live in the region, the natural flora and fauna, and the workers. I have chosen to focus on the VIII region because it has …

La Sucesión Primaria De La Vegetación Sobre Los Flujos Piroclásticos Del 2006 En El Volcán Tungurahua, Lauren Schaefer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A year and a half after the August 2006 eruption of the Tungurahua volcano, the vegetative growth on the pyroclastic flows is young and scarce. To determine the types of plants and the mechanisms which control the dynamics of vegetative recovery, two transects were made; one in the Cusúa gorge and the other in the Bascún gorge in which the type, quantity and ages of the plants were noted. A third transect of vegetation not directly affected by the 2006 flows was made near the Bascún gorge for comparison purposes. In the two main sites, a total of 47 species …

Formal Education For Sustainable Development, Caryn Saslow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the next 50 years, humans will make the choice as to whether or not they would like to mitigate or exacerbate global warming. Seeing as now is a crucial time in which to enact change, why is it that the issues inherent in sustainable development are not currently a compulsory part of primary and secondary school education within the developed Western world? If our children stand to inherit our environmental, social, and economic problems, it is our responsibility to supply them with the tools to survive through such adversity. This paper examines the history of the concept of sustainable …

Renewable Energy And Agriculture: Promoting Biogas In The Rural Communities Of The Lashihai Wetland Nature Reserve, Amanda Lee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“China’s economic miracle will end soon because the environment can no longer keep pace.” – Pan Yue, deputy environmental director (Larson, 21)

In recent years, the causes and impacts of global warming have increasingly garnered press on an international scale. Scientists have confirmed global warming as being mostly anthropogenic (Rosenthal and Revkin; Xuequan). More wildlife species have become endangered or extinct (Roach) and natural disasters such as storms have increased in severity (“New study”; Schmid). With the 2008 Beijing Olympics quickly approaching, the international community has turned its eye to China and its policies, including those towards the environment. Since …

Post-Fire Demography Of A Dry Eucalypt Forest In The Midlands, Tasmania: A Pilot Study, Christine Urbanowicz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There have been many efforts to regenerate the threatened and declining dry eucalypt forests found within the Midlands of Tasmania. This pilot study was completed as part of a larger research project on eucalypt regeneration. Researchers need to know where recruits are most successful in order to appropriately place regeneration microsites. I have begun characterizing the baseline demography of a recently burnt remnant forest. I had two objectives: 1. to characterize the stand structure where recruits are successful, and 2. to describe where the recruits are within this structure. Data on location, size, and life history stage of trees were …