Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

University Of Richmond Climate Action Plan, University Of Richmond

Plans

The Climate Action Plan for the University of Richmond establishes the framework for achieving the University’s climate action goals under the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The University of Richmond’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2020 and 100% by 2050. In addition to emissions reduction, the Climate Action Plan articulates goals for embedding sustainability into the curricular and co-curricular aspects of a Richmond education. The plan has been developed under the leadership of the Sustainability Working Group and the University’s Sustainability Coordinator. Climate Action Plan subgroups, with representation of staff, faculty, and students, drafted …

A Species-Based Approach To Transboundary Marine Conservation In The Caribbean Region, Carolyn Doherty

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The basic theory of peace parks is applied to transboundary marine environments in this paper. Emphasizing connections across different scales, the ultimate goal of this paper is to resolve a specific ecological conflict: international conservation of migratory marine species in the Caribbean region. Migratory marine species like the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) create a unique dilemma for conservationists. Migratory species require diverse eco-regions for different stages of essential life processes. In the Caribbean region, these life processes occur regardless of political and economic boundaries, creating a predicament for marine conservation. Linking marine turtle harvest and conservation laws of the nations …

Scalar Interactions In The Mekong River Basin: Dam Incentives And Outcomes, Cloe Franko

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The Mekong River plays an intricate and dynamic role in the environmental, social, economic, and cultural systems of the 70 million people throughout its basin and the more than 300 million people in the six Mekong nations. The river is both a necessity for millions of individuals with livelihoods centered on its resources and, in the eyes of large-scale actors, a tool for regional development and industrialization. Policies throughout the Mekong River Basin have long dealt with international issues and often center on large-scale outcomes, such as the promotion of regional economic development and intergovernmental cooperation, but have neglected to …

The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Joshua Flynn

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The concept of a peace park is one that goes back more than seventy-five years with the creation of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park at the border between Montana and Alberta. The park was originally viewed as a symbol of friendship and goodwill but over the years has become an example of a successful transboundary wilderness park. The park thrives due to high levels of cooperation and collaboration between all stakeholders involved, including those involved in the Crown Managers Partnership. The park has survived amidst threats to its sovereignty. The biggest challenge the park and its managers have faced is …

The Positive And Negative Impacts Of Transboundary Protected Areas On The Environment And The Social Makeup Of A Region, Kelsey Rdzanek

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

A Transboundary Protected Area (TBPA) is an area of land and/or sea that crosses one or more borders, whose area is dedicated to the protection of biological diversity and resources, and managed cooperatively by government, local communities and non-governmental organizations. This type of protected area is a fairly new concept that has not had much research conducted on whether or not it achieves the goals it has set out to meet. This paper will focus on the positive and negative impacts of TBPA’s on the environment and the social makeup of a region. TBPA’s do a great job of increasing …

Where Do We Draw The Line? Conserving Biodiversity In The Amazon Through Transboundary Protected Areas, Megan Sebasky

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The concept of borders brings up many complex issues, especially in regard to the creation of protected areas. International boundaries are not consistent with ecosystem borders, and conservation needs to be targeted at protecting ecoregions rather than areas ending at arbitrary international borders. When assessing the creation of a protected area, it is necessary to use an ecological approach in addition to a social perspective. Home ranges and locations of keystone species are important, as well as the use of a protected area as an ecological corridor. Buffer zones are also imperative for protected areas. This paper shows that Peru’s …

Gender And Species Use In Amazonian Home Gardens: The Social And Economic Context Of Biodiversity Conservation, Leigh Ann West, David S. Salisbury, Ana I. Ríos-Sanchez, Jorge Vela Alvarado

Geography and the Environment Poster Presentations

Home gardens, “the peridomestic area belonging to the household where members plant and/or tend useful plants” (Perrault-Archambault and Coomes 2008), are found throughout the world. However, their use and importance vary from region to region. In the Peruvian Amazon, owners use home gardens for a domestic supply of foods, craft materials, medicines, condiments, and shade (Miller and Nair 2006). With this wide range in function, reflected in species content, home gardens are very biodiverse.

Home garden biodiversity may be increasingly important in a rapidly changing Amazonia (Betts et al. 2008). Thus, the sociocultural and economic factors contributing to home garden …

Extractive Reserves, David S. Salisbury

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

Extractive reserves are territories dedicated to environmental protection and the sustainable use of nature resources by traditional populations. Reserves follow a traditional land tenure model based on individual family and communal property rights to common areas, such as forest trails used to extract or harvest nontimber forest products. Although the extractive reserve concept originates in the tropical forests of the Brazilian Amazon, reserves have also been created in aquatic, floodplain, and savanna landscapes throughout Brazil. There are now 50 extractive reserves covering more than 10 million hectares, an area larger than Portugal, and more continue to be created. Despite their …