Civic and Community Engagement Commons^™

Energy Literacy In Portugal: A System Map And Framework To Increase Energy Literacy Through The Renewable Energy Transition, Molly S. Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Western society lives with a great dependence and an almost simultaneous ignorance of energy consumption (van den Broek, 2019). The systemic landscape of energy knowledge and dissemination is more critical than ever as Portugal races to meet decarbonization goals. This paper fills a knowledge gap by updating the current social landscape of energy literacy in Portugal through a comprehensive system map and framework to increase energy literacy levels through the renewable energy transition. By conducting a semi-systematic literature review, meta-narratives and themes were identified and used to create theoretical concepts, a framework, and a system map. This research found that …

A Call For The Library Community To Deploy Best Practices Toward A Database For Biocultural Knowledge Relating To Climate Change, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Abstract

Purpose – In this paper, a call to the library and information science community to support documentation and conservation of cultural and biocultural heritage has been presented.

Design/methodology/approach – Based in existing Literature, this proposal is generative and descriptive— rather than prescriptive—regarding precisely how libraries should collaborate to employ technical and ethical best practices to provide access to vital data, research and cultural narratives relating to climate.

Findings – COVID-19 and climate destruction signal urgent global challenges. Library best practices are positioned to respond to climate change. Literature indicates how libraries preserve, share and cross-link cultural and scientific knowledge. …

Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Benefit To Climate-Displaced And Host Communities, Gül Aktürk, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Climate change is borderless, and its impacts are not shared equally by all communities. It causes an imbalance between people by creating a more desirable living environment for some societies while erasing settlements and shelters of some others. Due to floods, sea level rise, destructive storms, drought, and slow-onset factors such as salinization of water and soil, people lose their lands, homes, and natural resources. Catastrophic events force people to move voluntarily or involuntarily. The relocation of communities is a debatable climate adaptation measure which requires utmost care with human rights, ethics, and psychological well-being of individuals upon the issues …

Centering Equity In Oregon’S 100 Year Water Vision: A Student-Led Policy Paper Prepared By The Oregon Water Stories Team At Portland State University, Clare T. Mcclellan, Sadie Boyers, Victoria Cali De Leon, Tony Cole, Laura Cowley-Martinson, Shersten Finley, Dustin Lanker, Julia Seydel, Aakash Nath Upraity, Janet Cowal, Melissa Haeffner

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this report is to provide evidence for the need to further intentionally incorporate equity into Oregon’s 100 Year Water Vision. Four case studies contextualize this need and highlight the variety of water issues throughout the state, supported by linguistic analyses of local newspapers. As Oregon policy-makers are responsible for ensuring working water systems for all Oregonians, we also suggest implementable criteria for the evaluation of equity in water issues and decision-making. This student-led and interdisciplinary report comes from the Haeffner-Cowal Oregon Water Stories research lab at Portland State University.

Community Management And Governance Of Comatsa-Sud New Protected Area (Ambalamanasy Ii Commune), Allison Tennant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Community-based natural resource management is an increasingly more popular choice for governments to delegate power back to local communities to conserve the resources they rely on. In Madagascar, where much of the rural population provides for their livelihoods by using natural resources, this governance structure, in cooperation with delegated manager for assistance, presents an opportunity for economic development in cooperation with conservation efforts. This paper aims to better understand the role of community, NGO, and governmental actors in creating and executing community management structures. Through Participatory Rural Analysis and structured and semi-structured interviews, it explores what management transfers look like …

Turning Toward Feeling, Elizabeth D. Mcgrew

SR & SC Masters Projects

Five years ago, upon completing a 200-hour, 30-day intensive yoga teacher-training course, we took this group photo. Painted on the wall behind us are the words, “Feel pain? Change positions.” At that time in my life, my understanding of this assertion was shallow: if it feels as though something is ripping, pulling, or tearing, move out of the yoga pose. But as for other physical and emotional pain, I had been taught to sit with it and accept it, and by doing so I would demonstrate strength and continue to grow stronger. Turning away from pain seemed cowardly. It wasn’t …

Participatory Conservation Of Coastal Habitats: The Importance Of Understanding Homeowner Decision Making To Mitigate Cascading Shoreline Degradation, Steven B. Scyphers, Steven J. Picou, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Along densely populated coasts, the armoring of shorelines is a prevalent cause of natural habitat loss and degradation. This article explores the values and decision making of waterfront homeowners and identifies two interlinked and potentially reversible drivers of coastal degradation. We discovered that: (1) misperceptions regarding the environmental impacts and cost-effectiveness of different shoreline conditions was common and may promote armoring; and (2) many homeowners reported only altering their shorelines in response to damage caused by armoring on neighboring properties. Collectively, these findings suggest that a single homeowner’s decision may trigger cascading degradation along a shoreline, which highlights the necessity …

An Interpretive Plan Guide For Wilderness Park In Lincoln, Nebraska, Rachel J. Ward

Community and Regional Planning Program: Professional Projects

Wilderness Park, located in Lancaster County, Nebraska, is a public park of unique ecological and historical value to the city of Lincoln and to the surrounding region. The natural and historical features of the park present an opportunity to communicate environmental and historical topics that are relevant on local, national, and global levels, as well as inspire a lively sense of pride in the community. The problem is that many topics relevant to Wilderness Park are not currently being interpreted at the park, and that there are relatively few interpretive resources available to park visitors.

The purpose of this project …

The Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) is a public policy and applied-science research center focused on issues affecting urban waterfronts and coastal and ocean resources. Our mission is to increase understanding of the marine environment, improve management practices, and promote informed decision making at the local, state national, and international levels. UHI employs a multidisciplinary approach in all its research and education projects, blending science, policy, and management.

Coastsweep: The Massachusetts Coastal Cleanup Program, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Volunteers in communities throughout Massachusetts turn out in large numbers each September and October for COASTSWEEP, the statewide coastal cleanup program sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and coordinated by the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) University of Massachusetts Boston. COASTSWEEP is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organized by Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Through the efforts of the ICC, volunteers from all over the world collect marine debris and record information about the trash they collect. This information is then analyzed and used to identify sources of debris and to develop education and policy …

Think Like A Mongolian: Cultivating Community Based Pasture Management, Karen Elizabeth Yoshida Weldon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since Mongolia’s democratization and move to a free market, the country has been grappling with the best approaches to deal with pasture degradation caused by both climate change and lifestyle changes of nomadic herders. International donors and NGOS have implemented community based natural resource management projects with the missions mitigating the effects of pasture degradation and livelihoods of herding families through building capacity. While studies have been done regarding the effectiveness of these community based conservation projects, minimal research has been done to understand how the traditions, values, and culture of Mongolia herders affect the success of these pastureland conservation …

Fearless: Steph Adamczak, Stephanie K. Adamczak

SURGE

Steph Adamczak ’15 has been shaking things up on campus by having some fearless conversations about the current investments Gettysburg College is making in fossil fuels. Steph hopes that by opening these important conversations, the college will consider divesting from these specific investments, especially with increased support from the Gettysburg College student body. [excerpt]

Take Pride In America Phase Iii - Further Development Of A Local Litter And Desert Dumping Cleanup Program: Project Compendium, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

The Take Pride in America in Southern Nevada project began as a collaboration of four federal agencies committed to working together to combat the litter and desert dumping problem on the nearly seven million acres of public lands in Southern Nevada. In 2005, with funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), SNAP created an interagency anti-litter and desert dumping team and developed a partnership with the Public Lands Institute (PLI) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. SNAP and PLI managed the Take Pride in America in Southern Nevada project and launched the Don’t Trash Nevada messaging …

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands—Phase Ii: Final Project Report, December 31, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• Maintained a central clearinghouse created for Southern Nevada public lands volunteers, including: ─ an online volunteer data-management application (Volgistics) adopted and customized for the program and populated with 8,500 active and 961 mailing list volunteer records ─ a community outreach Web site that currently averages 8,230 pages viewed per month since July 2007 and has aided in the recruitment of 11,943 volunteers ─ updated website to word press for sustainability ─ branding development and marketing and outreach tool creation
• Updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all areas of Interagency Volunteer Program Management—recruitment, training, recognition, retention of volunteers, event planning, and …

Sndo Hector's Helpers Youth Engaging The Community Through Social Media: Annual Progress Report, Period Covering June 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

The Hector’s Helpers Youth Engaging the Community through Social Media project was designed to develop civic and environmental stewardship skills as students receive training in administering social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, twitter, Youtube). The project is an extension of the Hector’s Helpers program developed through a cooperative agreement and run under the branding of Don’t Trash Nevada. Participants in the project are known as the Social Media Squad (SMS). The following activities were completed:

• Supervision of youth completing the pilot program initiated in an earlier cooperative agreement
• Recruitment of youth to apply for the Social Media Squad
• Training of Social …

Manifestations Of Tibetan Buddhism In Pudacuo National Park And Its Effectiveness As An Environmental Education Tool, Ellen Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-la, Yunnan is mainland China’s first national park and comprehensive conservation and eco-tourism attempt. The Nature Conservancy worked with Yunnan provincial government to establish park guidelines and advocate for certain conservation measures. One of the important guidelines that The Nature Conservancy included was local cultural preservation. A primary goal of this experiment in US-modeled national parks is to ensure the longevity of traditional values and beliefs in the parkland area. Pudacuo National Park is not only attempting to conserve the local Tibetan Buddhist tradition but also is attempting to capitalize on the uniqueness of the experience …

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands - Phase Ii: Quaterly Progress Report, Period Covering July 1, 2012 To September 30, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database is 8,511, an increase from 8,308 in July.
• Results show an average of 1,094 visits per month, and an average of 2,729 pages viewed per month.
• Get Outdoors Nevada supp01ied 6 volunteer events in a variety of ways. These events utilized 214 volunteers whom contributed approximately 856 hours of service.
• The team continues planning an alternative bus tour.
• The team rolled out their media plan .
• The IVP team has continued planning for the annual volunteer recognition banquet.
• No volunteer trainings were conducted this quarter, but two are planned for next quarter.

Take Pride In America Phase Iii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering April 25, 2012-July 24, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• The GIS database continued to be populated with data.
• Hector’s Helpers added an additional youth group.
• The new website launched and social media efforts began.
• The pilot testing of the litter monitoring program continued.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas Public Lands Institute (PLI) designed the Take Pride in America (TPIA) Phase III work plan based on the strategic plan developed by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) anti-litter and desert dumping team during Phase II of the program.

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands: Phase Ii: Period Covering April 1, 2012 To June 30, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database increased by 14.4% over the last quarter. The database now contains 8,087 records.
• Results show an average of 956 visits per month, and an average of 3,015 pages viewed per month.
• Get Outdoors Nevada supplied 11 volunteer events in a variety of ways. These events utilized 388 volunteers who contributed approximately 1,351 hours of service.
• The team continues planning an alternative bus tour.
• The team is negotiating a media plan, to be rolled out in July.
• The IVP team has stated planning for the annual volunteer recognition banquet.
• One volunteer training was …

Take Pride In America Phase Iii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering January 25, 2012-April 24, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• The GIS database continued to be populated with data.
• Hector’s Helpers participants completed multiple projects.
• Social Media training was delivered.
• The pilot testing of the litter monitoring program continued.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas Public Lands Institute (PLI) has designed the Take Pride in America (TPIA) Phase III work plan based on the strategic plan developed by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) anti-litter and desert dumping team during Phase II of the program.

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands – Phase Ii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering January 1, 2012 To March 31, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database increased by 4.96% over the last quarter. The database now contains 7,423 records.
• Results show an average of 1,259 visits per month, and with an average of 3,015 pages viewed per month.
• Get Outdoors Nevada supported 14 volunteer events in a variety of ways. These events utilized 364 volunteers whom contributed approximately 2,414 hours of service.
• Three community outreach events were attended, resulting in 293 direct contacts with 50 names added to the database.
• The automated volunteer orientation training project has been completed and disks have been delivered to the 4 agencies. …

Take Pride In America Phase Iii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering October 25, 2011-January 24, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• The GIS database was shared with the Mojave Desert Ecosystem Project.
• Total attendance during Hector’s Helpers meetings exceeded 250.
• America Recycles Day involved over 25,000 people.
• Recruiting procedures were developed for the volunteer monitoring program.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas Public Lands Institute (PLI) has designed the Take Pride in America (TPIA) Phase III work plan based on the strategic plan developed by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) anti-litter and desert dumping team during Phase II of the program.

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering October 6, 2011-January 5, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• A total of 11 clean-up events were conducted this quarter.
• The Interagency Anti-Litter Team met twice this quarter.
• The redesign of the website continued.
• A draft Judicial System Analysis report was presented to the Interagency Law Enforcement Team for review. The Executive Director requested that the Law Enforcement Team provide written comments to include within the Judicial Analysis. Once these comments are incorporated into the report, it will be submitted in compliance with the task agreement.

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Annual Progress Report, Period Covering January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• A meeting of stakeholders across Nevada was held to explore the potential for statewide collaboration on litter and dumping issues.
• Website activity for the first three quarters of the year averaged 1,122 hits per month, with an average of 1,927 pages viewed per month.
• The team attended 12 community outreach events resulting in 2,154 direct contacts and 324 new mailing list records.
• The Take Pride in America (TPIA) in Southern Nevada completed a total of 41 volunteer events contributing a total of 10,779 volunteer hours.
• The TPIA team filed a no-cost extension to SNPLMA and received an extension until December …

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands – Phase Ii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering October 1, 2011 To December 31, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database decreased by 20.7% over the last quarter. The database now contains 7,072 records.
• Results show an average of 1,080 visits per month, and with an average of 2,328 pages viewed per month.
• Get Outdoors Nevada supported 22 volunteer events in a variety of ways. These events utilized 867 volunteers whom contributed approximately 3,774.5 hours of service.
• Two community outreach events were attended, resulting in 476 direct contacts with 50 names added to the database.
• The 7th Annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet was held on 11/5/11 with 156 volunteers in attendance.

Take Pride In America Phase Iii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering July 25, 2011-October 24, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• The GIS database was field tested.
• Three youth groups began the Hector’s Helpers curriculum.
• America Recycles Day event planning occurred.
• Forms were developed for the volunteer monitoring program.

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering July 6, 2011-October 5, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• A total of 6 clean-up events were conducted this quarter.
• Interagency cooperation continued.
• Recycling containers were distributed to agencies for use at public events.
• Website redesign continued.

The Role Of Information In Enabling Community Response To Mining Threats In Palmares Ii, Christine Gerbode

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The case of Palmares II is examined to understand the role that knowledge (or misinformation/lack thereof) of specific geologic interests and rights of surface communities plays in enabling those communities to respond to the possibility of mining on their land. Palmares II is an MST settlement located near the Carajás mining complex in southern Pará. Currently, a number of companies are authorized or requesting permission to conduct research for mineral ores such as gold, copper, manganese, diamond, and nickel within the borders of the settlement; it is therefore potentially possible that this community will face mining interest on their land …

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands – Phase Ii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering July 1, 2011 To September 30, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database increased 5% from last quarter. The database now contains 8,918 records.
• Results show an average of 1,170 visits per month, and with an average of 2,681 pages viewed per month.
• Six National Public Lands Day events have been completed.
• The Interagency Volunteer Standard Operations Manual has been updated and made available to all other SNAP teams.
• Get Outdoors Nevada supported 16 volunteer events in a variety of ways. These events utilized approximately 600 volunteers whom contributed approximately 2,500 hours of service.
• Preparations for the 11/5/11 volunteer recognition banquet continued.

Youth Initiative Hector’S Helpers: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering April 16, 2011 – August 5, 2011, Hector's Helpers

Anti-littering Programs

The Hector’s Helpers program was in full action this quarter. Students at Roy Martin Middle School completed their environmental stewardship project. Our team produced and distributed promotional flyers in order to increase Clark County School participation in Hector’s Helpers. In addition this quarter, the Hector’s Helpers team was showcased in a news segment aired by Las Vegas City Scene.