Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Smart Growth And Land Acquisition Priorities: A Cursory Review, New England Environmental Finance Center

Smart Growth

It is well-known and generally accepted that all undeveloped land in New England cannot forever be protected from development; nor would this be a desirable goal, as continued economic development and population growth are near certainties. For these and other reasons, private land trusts and government agencies generally use explicit criteria to prioritize their land acquisition activities and prospects.

Reconsidering Restoration, Brian Hoffner

Theses

What does the process of ecological restoration actually produce? For some restoring nature is a point of no contention. By replacing ecosystems that have been damaged by human interference, humans are taking proper responsibility for their actions. However, the environmental ethics community is all but in agreement over humans' obligations to damaged ecosystems. Some in the field claim that it is human's responsibility to perform "wild gardening", through restorations, to "our" environments. While other philosophers insist that these acts produce "faked nature".

This thesis offers a compromise vision of the meaning of restoration. The author uses the concept of Autonomous …

Maine's Salt Marshes: Their Functions, Values, And Restoration, Michele Dionne, Erno Bonebakker, Kristen Grant

Maine Sea Grant Publications

This illustrated resource booklet for Maine residents educates the reader about the properties and functions of salt marshes. It also facilitates leadership and participation in restoration efforts by providing information for further resources.

Fire Climate Interactions And Predicting Fire Season Severity In The Mediterranean Climate Areas Of California, Southern Oregon, And Western Nevada, Alan H. Taylor, Carl N. Skinner, Andrew M. Carleton, Scott L. Stephens, Valerie Trouet, Bernd Haupt, Andrew Pierce

JFSP Research Project Reports

• We identified annual area burned for 37 National Forests in Washington, Oregon, and California between 1929 and 2004 from annual fire reports. Variation in area burned each year on National Forest lands is strongly related (r2 = 0.87) to total area burned in California. This indicates area burned in National Forests is a good indicator of total area burned in a state. • Four large groups of National Forests were identified that had similar temporal patterns of fire extent. Three of these groups were spatially coherent and included mainly: 1) Washington and northern Oregon; 2) northern California and California …

Estimating Watershed Biodiversity: An Empirical Study Of The Chesapeake Bay In Maryland, Usa, Junko Morimoto, Helena Voinov, Matthew A. Wilson, Robert Costanza

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

There has been increasing demand for rigorous methods for evaluating biodiversity, one of the ecosystem services that sustains and fulfills human life. After carefully examining the literature, we found three key points that should be taken into account when we evaluate biodiversity. The first point is that any "indicator species" tends to be a leaky target of biodiversity. The second point is that "buffering" that is useful for representing the ecological concept of boundaries should have scientific meanings. The third point is that a "watershed" that integrates most natural processes is advantageous as the spatial range for evaluation. Based on …

Action Education In Land Use Decisions: Student Views On Urbanization And Farmland Loss, Mindi Schneider, Charles A. Francis, Dick Esseks

CARI Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

Loss of prime farmland is a serious concern in the United States and around the globe. With rapid urban population increases, the activities and perceived needs of concentrated groups of people result in the swallowing of some of the most fertile lands in this country. Today we have just under 2 acres of productive farmland per person in the United States. Given the current population growth rate due to births and immigration, plus the present rate of farmland loss, World Watch Institute estimates that we will have about 0.6 acres or one-third as much farmland available per person by 2055--a …

The Chesapeake Bay : A Synopsis, William J. Hargis Jr.

Reports

No abstract provided.

Environmental Management Of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Weee) In Ireland, Simon Wilkinson

Theses

This thesis follows two previous studies by the Author on the calculation of theoretical WEEE arisings, and an assessment of ecodesign practices in Ireland. It has established collection trials in five different locations throughout Ireland in order to characterise and quantify WEEE arisings, and to examine outlets for collected WEEE. Overall, during the twelve months of collection at the project locations, more than 450 tonnes of WEEE was collected from the public and recycled. Within the catchments of each facility, collection rates of between 2.1 and 3.5 kg/person/year were achieved during the twelve-month trial period. With further public awareness raising …

Book Review: Tourism In China: Exotic Land Revealed, Joan S. Remington

Hospitality Review

There is no better way to lean about tourism in China than from renowned expert in the field. Alan Lew. PhD. and professor at Northern Arizona University, Lawrence Yu, Ph.D. and associate professor in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at George Washington University. John Ap, Ph.D. and associate professor in tourism management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Zhang Guangrui, director of the Tourism Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, China, have contributed to and edited a collection of writings detailing the development of tourism in this fascinating and exotic land.

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

People In Nature: Environmental History Of The Kennebec River, Maine, Daniel J. Michor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The quality of a river affects the tributaries, lakes, and estuary it feeds; it affects the wildlife and vegetation that depend on the river for energy, nutrients, and habitat, and also affects the human community in the form of use, access, pride, and sustainability. In an age of mass consumerism and materialism, dwindling natural resources and wild spaces, and advanced technology, the ability to make a living and at the same time enjoy the benefits of rural living is increasingly difficult. Using the entire Kennebec River watershed as the scale of investigation with particular focus on the river corridor itself, …

Water Quality Characterization And Mathematical Modeling Of Dissolved Oxygen In The East And West Ponds, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Krishnanand Maillacheruvu, D Roy, John Tanacredi Ph.D.

Faculty Works: CERCOM (1977-2016)

The current study was undertaken to characterize the East and West Ponds and develop a mathematical model of the effects of nutrient and BOD loading on dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in these ponds. The model predicted that both ponds will recover adequately given the average expected range of nutrient and BOD loading due to waste from surface runoff and migratory birds. The predicted dissolved oxygen levels in both ponds were greater than 5.0 mg/L, and were supported by DO levels in the field which were typically above 5.0 mg/L during the period of this study. The model predicted a steady-state …

A Drop In The Bucket: Collective Efficacy Perceptions Affect Waste Minimising Behaviours, Leesa N. Bonniface

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The goal of this thesis was to inform a social marketing effort designed to increase environmentally friendly behaviours in an effort to ensure a more sustainable future. This study attempted to gain a better understanding of the discrepancy that exists between pro-environmental concerns and pro-environmental actions by exploring efficacy perceptions. Efficacy beliefs were compared for three groups of individuals: 1) environmentally active/members of an environmental group; 2) environmentally active/not members of an environmental group; 3) environmentally inactive and not members of an environmental group. Six focus groups were conducted and interviewees were recruited from the Earth Carers' organisation and the …

The U.S. And Mexico Sin Fronteras - Without Borders: Sustainable Development From A Local Perspective, Paulette Stenzel

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Predatory Pressures On Piping Plovers Nesting At Breezy Point, New York, Brook Lauro, John Tanacredi Ph.D.

Faculty Works: CERCOM (1977-2016)

This study examines predatory threats to Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) nesting at Breezy Point, Gateway National Recreation Area, New York. Several methods used include: 1) an evaluation of reproductive success data with documentation of predation to eggs and chicks, 2) predator surveys, and 3) an artificial nest study. The range of breeding pairs nesting from 1988-1996 was 11-19, with an average of 15.8 (SE ± 0.79) pairs/season. The average number of eggs hatched and chicks fledged per year for pairs was 2.2 ± 0.23 and 0.8 ± 0.16 respectively. Reasons for egg losses often went undetected (68%) but …

Report To The Minister For Agriculture, Forestry And Fisheries By The Integrated Fisheries Management Review Committee, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries management papers

The Integrated Fisheries Management Review Committee was established to develop a strategy to integrate the management and sustainable use of fish resources. The Committee’s report proposes an alternative management framework and a set of guiding principles for allocating fish stocks to ensure optimal benefits are realised for the WA community. The report does not, and was not intended to, address specific allocation issues in particular fisheries – this will be a function of the framework and processes put in place following this review.

Americanizing Sustainability: Place-Based Approaches To The Global Challenge, Timothy Beatley, Richard C. Collins

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Pasture Condition Guides For The Pilbara, A L. Payne, A A. Mitchell

Agriculture reports

These pasture condition guides are relevant to about 192 000 square kilometres of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The rangeland of the Pilbara can be separated into 12 very broad pasture types. The ‘pasture type’ is not strictly a botanical classification because, in determining such a class of pastoral lands, the perennial plant species that contribute to stock production have an over-riding importance. Even so, each pasture type represents a broad group of similar vegetation associations or ‘site types’ which will have similar management requirements for pastoralism. The aim of this publication is to provide pastoralists with descriptions and …

Creep And Creep-Recovery Models For Wood Under High Stress Levels, Zhiyong Cai, Kenneth J. Fridley, Michael O. Hunt, David V. Rosowsky

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Forty small clear southern pine specimens were loaded under third-point bending to examine creep and creep-recovery behavior for wood under high stress levels. Stress levels of between 69% and 91% of the predicted static strength were applied for 23 h with 1 h allowed for recovery, and the resulting deflection vs. time behavior was studied. The experimental creep and creep-recovery behavior was modeled using modified power law functions. The results indicate that these functions provide the best fit to both primary and secondary experimental data. The empirical models can be used to simulate the viscoelastic behavior of wood under high …

Transboundary Water Conflicts And Cooperation, Aaron T. Wolf

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

14 pages.

Contains references (page 13) and endnotes (page 14).

Transboundary River Management In The Mekong River Basin: Key Issues And Lessons For Western U.S. Water Management, Jeffrey Jacobs

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

7 pages.

Contains references (page 7).

The Okavango River Basin In Southern Africa: A Case Study Of Transboundary Resource Management Issues, Robert K. Hitchcock

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

21 pages.

Contains references (pages 18-21).

Protecting Environmental Values In Water Resources In Australia And A Note On Indigenous Rights To Water In Australia, David Farrier

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

58 pages.

Contains footnotes.

Water Law In A Democratic South Africa: A Country Case Study Examining The Introduction Of A Public Rights System, Robyn Stein

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

19 pages.

Contains footnotes.

Reflections On Integrating Sustainability And Equity From My Journeys Along Rivers Across Four Continents, Deborah Moore

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

8 pages (includes color illustration).

Contains footnotes.

Managing Water Resources For A Sustainable Future: Law, Policy And Methodology Of China, Xi Wang, Xiaobo Zhang, Wenkai Li, Dejin Gu, Yanfang Zhou

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

37 pages (includes color illustrations).

Contains references (pages 36-37).

Water Of Life: Our Common Future, Marcos Terena

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

6 pages.

Water Policy And Cultural Exchange: Transferring Lessons From Around The World To The Western United States, James L. Wescoat

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

27 pages.

Contains references (pages 19-27).

Economic Efficiency And/Or Political Innovation? Institutions And Markets In Trans-Boundary Water Management: Lessons From Lake Constance, Joachim Blatter

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

12 pages.

Includes footnotes.

Lessons In Water Allocation: Roles For Government And Markets [Abstract], Don Blackmore

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

2 pages.