Alumni News The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
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Alumni News The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
THE RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Alumni News The UNIVERSITY of VERMONT Fall/Winter 2003 Sabin Gratz (UVM ’98) SNR renamed The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources following largest gift in UVM’s history Steve and Beverly Rubenstein of New Vernon, New Jersey and their family have committed $15 million to UVM for the creation of the first endowed academic unit on campus, The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. Following the October announcement of the largest gift in UVM’s history, a $15 million commitment from Steve (UVM ’61) and Beverly Rubenstein of New Vernon, New Jersey and their family, SNR was renamed The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. “We are pleased to be the first-ever named and endowed academic unit at UVM and honored that the Rubenstein name will be forever attached to our school,” said Dean Donald DeHayes. “This gift will propel our school even further in the national spotlight of environmental and natural resource programs.” The University of Vermont launched the public phase of its $250 million comprehensive campaign in early October and thanks to the Rubenstein gift, the commitments of 25 other lead donors, and the contributions of many smaller benefactors, the university has raised $126 million toward its goal, UVM President Daniel Mark Fogel said at the press conference. The Rubenstein gift will be used to support study of the environment at UVM, one of three broad areas of strategic focus in the campaign. Twenty-five percent of the Rubenstein gift will benefit environmental studies and environmental science broadly at the university with the remainder going specifically to The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. “The University will be eternally grateful to the Rubensteins for their extraordinary generosity,” said President Fogel. “UVM is well on its way to becoming the nation’s pre-eminent environmental university. Steve and Beverly understand that to fully achieve that lofty distinction, we need the help of our friends. We could not be more appreciative of their support of the university’s priorities and of their remarkable and ongoing generosity.” Steve Rubenstein is president of Rubenstein Properties of Little Falls, New Jersey, a family company that has grown significantly since its creation in 1961. A charter member of the The Rubenstein School’s board of advisors, Steve has a strong interest in environmental stewardship (See story page 3). The Rubenstein gift is a key element of the campaign’s success. President Fogel stressed that it is gifts like the Rubensteins’ that enable ambitious comprehensive campaigns to generate the traction they need to be successful. “Every campaign needs a hallmark gift that not only helps an institution reach its goal, but also inspires others to give,” he said. “We are doubly grateful to the Rubensteins—for the gift itself and for the inspirational impact Steve and Beverly are having on others. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.” —Jeffrey R. Wakefield, University Communications In This Issue: Dean’s Message .................................. 2 Donor Steve Rubenstein ..................... 3 New associate deans ........................... 3 John Todd, ecological designer .......... 4 Greening of Aiken .............................. 5 Board members build green school .... 6 Assistant professor Al Strong ............. 6 ENVS faculty member ....................... 7 Bob Manning publishes book ............. 8 Rubenstein School donor list .............. 9 Alum David Houghton.......................10 New ENVS assistant professor ....... ..10 Alumni notes .................................... 11 Theses, projects, dissertations .......... 12 Sally McCay, University Photography Dean’s Message Our School begins a new era Dean Don DeHayes To contact a faculty or staff member in The Rubenstein School by e-mail, use his or her full first name and last name separated by a period @uvm.edu. For example, Bob Manning is at [email protected]. If you have questions or need information, please let us know: Dean: Don DeHayes (802-656-4280) Associate Deans: Undergraduate programs: Carl Newton (802-656-4280) Graduate programs: Deane Wang (802-656-2620) Program Chairs: Environmental Sciences: Al McIntosh (802-656-4057) Environmental Studies: Ian Worley (802-656-4055) Forestry: John Shane (802-656-2907) Natural Resource Planning: Deane Wang (802-656-2620) Natural Resources: Clare Ginger (802-656-2698) Recreation Management: Bob Manning (802-656-2684) Water Resources: Al McIntosh (802-656-4057) Wildlife & Fisheries Biology: Dave Hirth (802-656-3009) Newsletter Editor: Shari Halik (802-656-3269) [email protected] The headline of the feature article to this issue tells part of the story. The Rubenstein family has made an extraordinary gift to our School. Their $15 million gift commitment is, indeed, the largest in the 200-plus year history of the University of Vermont. On behalf of the entire School community—students, staff, faculty, and alumni—I express my sincere gratitude to the Rubenstein’s. The confidence they express in us with this amazing gift re-enforces the wonderful accomplishments of our faculty, staff, students, and alums and inspires us to have the courage and work ethic to do even more. When the income from this endowment begins to flow, the School will receive a steady stream of resources that will provide access and enriched opportunities for our students, support for the excellent work of our faculty, and increased funding for important strategic initiatives and partner-building that have already established us as a great program. Perhaps even more important—and the other part of this inspiring story—this gift will, in one fell swoop, thrust our School from a regionally and nationally prominent program to one of the most viable and visible in the world. As a result of this gift, our School is forever changed in a most exciting and prestigious way. Indeed, a new era of environmental and natural resources teaching, learning, and discovery has begun. In recognition of this extraordinary gift and the Rubenstein family’s commitment to environment and the future health and sustainability of the planet, effective November 17 the UVM Board of Trustees officially approved the renaming of the School of Natural Resources to The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. This gift and associated naming and endowing of our School propels us into the limelight as one of the most elite environmental and natural resource programs in the world, residing within the premier environmental university and located in a special place, Vermont—a place where culture, history, economy, and landscape are one with the natural world. I am very proud that our School is the first ever named and endowed academic unit in UVM history and one of just a few named academic programs focused on environment and natural resources in the world. Many of you have heard of The Wharton School (business school at the University of Pennsylvania) or The Kennedy School (school of government at Harvard) and probably hold these programs in high regard. We are pleased and honored that The Rubenstein School just might be placed in the same prestigious category. Indeed, this is a very special time for all of us connected to The Rubenstein School. As alums of this wonderful program and university, I hope you are as proud of your School—its faculty, staff, students, and graduates—as we are. Thanks to all of you for your support and confidence as our School has grown, evolved, and responded to the challenges in front of us. On behalf of the entire community of The Rubenstein School, I wish you and your families a wonderful and peaceful holiday season. Support the Student Enrichment Fund and receive a Rubenstein School hat! Please help us provide more need-based student scholarships. The Student Enrichment Fund makes possible such opportunities as travel courses with our faculty, undergraduate honors research projects, special seminars, and invited speakers. This is your chance to provide such an opportunity to a Rubenstein School student. With your donation of $100 or more by June 30, 2004, we will send you a baseball cap with The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources embroidered on the front and University of Vermont on the back. Please make your check payable to UVM and send to: Marcia Caldwell, The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Student Enrichment Fund, UVM, 81 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405. Jen Plourde (NR ’05) 2 Sabin Gratz (UVM ’98) Board member Steve Rubenstein generously supports environmental stewardship Board member and environmental steward Steve Rubenstein When it comes to environmental stewardship, Steve Rubenstein (UVM ’61) has seen some of the worst humankind can do. His 40-year career in real estate, through his New Jersey-based family business Rubenstein Properties, has been centered on purchasing and rehabilitating degraded factories and warehouses and putting them back into use. Far more than rust and rot, he’s encountered some of the most environmentally unsound industrial practices the last century could dish up and worked through the challenge of clean-up. He also has incorporated new ecological technologies that reduce the environmental footprint of his renovation and new building projects. An ardent believer in sharing his wealth, Steve asks, “If those of us who can don’t, who will?” Besides their generous investment in environmental initiatives at UVM, which includes the lakefront Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, the Rubenstein family has also supported a fish farm and fresh-water reservoir in Israel. “Steve has pushed all of as at the university to establish UVM as the ‘premier environmental university,’ in the country, a phrase he coined several years ago,” says Dean Don DeHayes. “With his commitment and support, we are rapidly becoming that university. I have had the pleasure of working side-by-side with Steve on the School’s Board of Advisors for 10 years. He is a man of high expectation and the recent $15 million commitment from the Rubenstein family is a validation—a recognition that the School has achieved excellence by his high standards.” Steve and his wife Beverly split their time between homes in New Jersey and Florida and share their lives with their son Andrew, his wife Victoria, and their two young children, Olivia and Cameron. —Danielle Graham (NRP ’02) Dean DeHayes appoints two associate deans Carl Newton, professor of forest management, is now associate dean of undergraduate programs and faculty/staff development with a 12-month appointment. Carl has stepped ambitiously into his administrative role. “My two major responsibilities are to oversee undergraduate academic programming—everything from recruitment to course development to advising and the first-year experience,” he explains, “and to keep the ship operating relative to reappointment, promotion, tenure, and review of faculty and hiring and review of staff.” He hopes to have a hand in maintaining the camaraderie and sense of community in the School. He also represents the School on all campus-wide task forces and committees related to undergraduate education and faculty/staff development. Carl still teaches Natural Resource Biostatistics and team teaches NR 6 Race and Culture in Natural Resources. Shari Halik Shari Halik During the summer of 2003, Dean Don DeHayes, with careful consideration of recommendations by faculty, staff, and graduate students, appointed two faculty members to share the duties of associate dean. “I am pleased that Carl Newton and Deane Wang have the interest, commitment, and willingness to actively participate in the administration of The Rubenstein School,” says Don. These appointments regain the School a full time equivalent (split between the two) associate dean that existed 20 or more years ago—a need that has become increasingly evident. “We have grown in size and complexity over just the past few years,” explains Don. “Our faculty and staff have expanded, our undergraduate enrollment has grown by 15%, our graduate program has nearly doubled, and our research funding has tripled. I feel fortunate to have colleagues who are willing to step up, help out, and insure that the School does not lose track of its values—a strong sense of community and a wonderful student experience.” 3 Deane Wang, associate professor of natural resources and former acting associate dean, is now associate dean of graduate programs and school planning with a 9-month appointment. Deane is excited about the current direction of the School’s graduate program. “Its broad and integrative approach, in which all students now earn a degree in natural resources, is leading the School’s transition from traditionally natural resource commodity-based programs to a more integrative environmental solution-based agenda,” he explains. Deane represents The Rubenstein School on UVM’s strategic planning committee and on campus-wide committees on graduate education. He is currently teaching a Vermont Studies course Community and Sense of Place and team teaches NR 6 Race and Culture in Natural Resources and a seminar in eco-village design. His research projects involve forest nutrient analysis and exchange and mercury monitoring. —Shari Halik Farrel Duncan Research Professor John Todd designs the world green “I see myself as a designer, and the pigment for my canvas is ecology,” says John Todd, world-renowned ecological designer and biological explorer, who is included as one of the top 35 greatest inventors of the 20th century in the recent book Inventing Modern America: From the Microwave to the Mouse (MIT Press, 2002). A pioneer in the novel field of ecological design and engineering, John has devoted the greater part of his life to discovering ways we can create a cleaner, greener planet. In 1999, he was proclaimed a “Hero of the Earth” by Time magazine. A research professor in The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and distinguished lecturer at UVM since 1998, John has degrees in agriculture, parasitology, and tropical medicine from McGill University and a doctorate in fisheries and ethology from the University of Michigan. He is the founder of three companies, an institute, and a non-profit organization; has held four patents; and is the inventor of ecological machines for treatment of wastes, production of foods, generation of fuels, and restoration of damaged ecosystems. He currently owns John Todd Research and Design, Inc., a design and consulting firm run by his son Jonathan Todd in Falmouth, Massachusetts. With his wife, writer Nancy Jack Todd, John is president of Ocean Arks International, a nonprofit research and education organization devoted to spreading the ideas and practice of ecological sustainability throughout the world. The precursor to Ocean Arks was the New Alchemy Institute, which John co-founded in 1969. The Institute designed and constructed two selfsustaining bio-shelters, called the “Arks,”one on Prince Edward Island and one on Cape Cod. John and Nancy then created Ocean Arks on Cape Cod in the late 1970s to fulfill their dream of building a non-polluting, wind-powered sailing vessel or an “ecological hope ship” to sail the seas and perform ecological restoration. John and Nancy worked in South and Central America on ecological development in coastal communities for a number of years, and Ocean Arks International is now “docked” on Battery Street in Burlington, Vermont. They continue to administer many projects around the world, involving John’s students and graduate students. “Our projects range from construction of ecological machines to sustainable landscape design to creation of the next generation of bio-shelters,” explains John. In the 1980s, John put much of his energy into design and fabrication of his living or ecological machines, systems that use natural life forms, such as bacteria, algae, fungi, snails, fish, plants, and trees, to mimic biological processes to treat human-caused waste and damage to ecosystems. In 1993, he co-formed Living Technologies, Inc. to support this work. From 1996 to 2000, under an EPA grant, John’s ecological machines treated 10% of South Burlington’s wastewater in a greenhouse off Shelburne Road that John now uses as his laboratory. Living Technologies has since moved to New Mexico, but John and Ocean Arks still hold the patents for his inventions, including ecological fluidized beds, a system to transform and purify water. More than 80 of John’s ecological machines have been used throughout the world. They are cleaning sewage-contaminated canals in China, restoring the fragile 4 coastal ecosystem of Palmyra Island in the central Pacific, and treating sewage at Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Vermont. In bubbling, water-filled tanks and tubs, the flora and fauna act like filters and non-toxic cleansing agents to degrade nutrients, separate out heavy metals, and break-down toxic compounds. The end products not only include clean water but also fish, mushrooms, or salad greens that can be sold locally. Each of John’s systems is tailored to the needs of the ecosystem to be reclaimed or the waste to be treated. Each system is a learning experience for John and his many graduate students. “I am committed to learning how the world works, which is a life-time project and then some,” says John with an eager twinkle in his eye. John teaches a two-semester ecological design course at UVM and the number of students in the course has increased dramatically, now with an enrollment of 60 since its inception in 1997. “In the first semester,” explains John, “students learn the principles of ecological design and create desktop ecomachines—miniature worlds that show how the larger world functions.” “I like to refer to the second half of my course and classroom as a studio because, much like an architectural or design studio, students can leave works-inprogress on the tables and drawings on the walls,” he explains. At this point, students team up to work on a real-life ecological design problem of public concern. With John as information guide and critic, the students have delved into re-envisioning “green” student housing and an ecologically-renovated Hills Agricultural Building and developed plans for retrofitting the abandoned Moran water treatment plant on the waterfront in Burlington to treat storm water run-off with ecomachines. In the near future, John plans to move his studio to the Burlington Eco-Park on the Intervale, home to other ecologicallyminded enterprises such as Gardener’s Supply Company, and Burlington Electric’s wood-fired power plant. Dean Don DeHayes values the recognition John has brought to The Rubenstein School. “Students come to Vermont to study ecological design with John Todd,” Don says. “He is singlehandedly impacting our next generation of environmental leaders and stimulating students to work on community-centered projects. His ecologically-based ventures contribute to the economy and the way of life in Vermont.” —Shari Halik The Rubenstein School plans for the greening of Aiken Gary Hawley The “Greening of Aiken” has been underway for over a year. A committee of undergraduate and graduate students, administrative and research staff, and faculty have been meeting regularly since September 2002 to plan for a larger and greener Aiken Center—a more comfortable and environmentally friendly home for The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. What does the greening of Aiken really mean? Brendan Fisher, PhD student and member of the greening committee, explains, “To me the greening initiative is as much about behavioral changes as it is about re-thinking and redesigning the existing physical and human systems in Aiken. We are trying to develop an eco-sense, whether it’s about the way Aiken is heated and cooled, how we manage electricity usage, or how we pass on environmental information.” Students are intrigued with the idea of actually adding more green to the structure. This might be accomplished by simply adding more plants to improve the indoor air quality or setting up a working version of Research Professor John Todd’s ecological machine in the atrium to demonstrate an earth-friendly method of wastewater treatment (See story page 4). These concrete steps would serve as a reminder of the behavioral changes we need to truly make the School more environmentally accountable. The committee, chaired by Professor Alan McIntosh, has met with experts from on- and off-campus to discuss how to improve the building’s energy usage, indoor environmental quality, water use, and waste generation. Ideas being considered range from a green roof to geothermal heat pumps for cooling the building to installation of an ecological machine to treat wastewater. The committee has completed several short-term projects, such as placing a stand of plants in the window-less classroom on the first floor, while moving ahead with longrange plans for major renovations to the building. Upcoming events sponsored by the greening committee include a presentation by Steve Schray of Turbosteam Corporation. The committee is also in the process of planning a storm water panel discussion for Spring 2004 and beginning the initial phases of soliciting bids and design ideas for a retrofit and expansion of Aiken. This October, a panel discussion on “Designing the Environmental Univer- Members of the greening committee meet on Aiken’s roof with Bob Neeld, a structural engineer (left front), and Bob Vaughan, UVM director of capital planning and management (left center), to discuss the possibility of adding a fourth floor and/or creating a green roof on the Aiken Center. sity—from thinking green to being green” was sponsored by the School’s Board of Advisors and attended by students, faculty, staff, and board members. The panelists included Gretchen and Mark Biedron, board members and co-founders of The Willow School; Andy Shapiro, environmental design consultant for Energy Balance; and John Todd. The panel was moderated by Ann Swanson (WFB ’79), chair of the Board of Advisors and director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. Ann provided her vision for environmental education and generating environmental literacy within the School and throughout the whole university. John Todd opened the panel with a presentation of two green success stories, The Boyne River School in Canada and The Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College, which offer inspirational examples of ecological and sustainable building designs that might be used in the greening of Aiken. Andy Shapiro recommended the creation of a “Green Dream Team” to take the School from the starting point of goals and objectives, through analysis of the existing building and the design phase, and ultimately to the implementation phase. Andy believes it will be an achievable task to retrofit Aiken to a cutting edge environmental building. 5 Gretchen and Mark Biedron told their story of The Willow School in Gladstone, New Jersey (See story page 6). Gretchen started the school to provide a natural and healthy environment for children to study, while the incorporation of the environment into the school design also became an important focal point. Mark described the design and building process which followed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Standards. The Willow School has provided further inspiration for the Greening of Aiken. “The Aiken Center should be the flagship of a greener UVM,” says Alan McIntosh. “Imagine the excitement generated by a state-of-the-art green structure that truly educates not only The Rubenstein School community but also the broader campus and Burlington area. What better way is there for the School to get its message across?” —Brendan Fisher (PhD-NR), Sara Lovitz (NRP ’05), and Tammy Coe (ENSC ’00, NRP ’05) Board members build a nationally recognized green school Mark and Gogo Biedron, members of The Rubenstein School Board of Advisors, stand outside The Willow School, a green K-8 school they established in Gladstone, New Jersey in 2003. As Gogo and Mark Biedron (UVM ’74) began to explore school options for their children, they started an incredible journey that changed their lives and the lives of many others. They thought critically about key elements of elementary education and what they wanted for their children and others. They ended up building a green school that is gaining regional and national attention. “I wanted to provide my children a mix of academic rigor and the pure joy of learning with an emphasis on the English language and virtues,” says Gogo, who has a masters degree in communication science and disorders. It seems that the institution they were looking for did not exist, so Mark and Gogo decided to establish The Willow School, a small independent coeducational K-8 day school dedicated to maintaining an environment that fosters respect for the individual, independent thinking, creativity, responsibility, and a strong sense of moral integrity. The Willow School philosophy embraces the importance of teaching each child to consider and appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature and the complex relationships that exist between humans and the natural world. Mark, who became a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified professional, was instrumental in building The Willow School, which is being considered for LEED Gold Certification. He gained valuable skills while working with his brother in an environmentally-conscious industrial paint business and through the founding of his own company dedicated to restoring old barns. “I derived great satisfaction in building The Willow School, yet the building and infrastructure are only part of a much greater effort…it is the weaving together of the building and curriculum that is critical,” says Mark. The 34-acre campus in Gladstone, New Jersey includes design features such as recyclable and renewable building materials, rainwater harvesting, daylight harvesting, native grasses and perennials in lieu of turf grasses in the outdoor landscape, photovoltaic on-site electrical generation, and constructed storm water and wastewater wetlands. The overall design of The Willow School is to create an environment that represents connections between learning and the natural world and provides a setting in which children can grow to understand these relationships and connections and develop a sense of place. “I’m convinced,” says Mark, “that elementary education is the answer to many of our pressing environmental and social problems.” Gogo and Mark began with an idea in August 2000 and, three years later, hosted The Willow School dedication with 11 children enrolled in kindergarten, first, and second grade. Gogo is already focusing on fund raising for the next 6 phase of the campus and preparing to add additional space and staff for other grades. “I have been inspired by and have learned so much through the founding of The Willow School. Mark and I share a common dream and it is a gift to be able to stand next to each other and work on different aspects of the School,” she says. Both Mark and Gogo serve on The Rubenstein School’s Board of Advisors. They are both thrilled to be connected to the Rubenstein School as they continue to expand The Willow School. “I am fascinated by UVM’s vision to become a premier environmental university, and I am impressed with The Rubenstein School’s board members who push UVM to excel in this area and demand that the institution settle for nothing less,” says Mark. Gogo adds, “Being on the board helps many pieces come together for me personally and for The Willow School; I would like to think that we can contribute by adding our special vision of education and the environment.” “I feel so fortunate to know and be able to work side-by-side with Mark and Gogo,” says Dean Don DeHayes. “Their incredible vision and passion for what is right, fair, and just are truly inspiring. Together, they bring an amazing perspective of what can be done, what must be done, to advance education and overall ecosystem health.” —Kate Baldwin, Division Advancement Officer Al Strong appointed assistant professor By no means a new face on the faculty, Allan Strong (WFB ’83) simply has a new title. After four years as a visiting assistant professor, Al was appointed assistant professor in April 2003. Al continues to teach Ornithology and Principles of Wildlife Management and co-teach Conservation Biology. As a firstyear advisor, Al team teaches NR 6 Race and Culture in Natural Resources and has added Matrix Dynamics, a graduate seminar in landscape fragmentation. He is also faculty advisor for a student program in Living/Learning residence hall on habitat conservation for wildlife. An avian ecologist, Al’s many ongoing research projects involve a diversity of bird species. “Basically, I am studying the impacts of human modifications of the environment on habitat quality for birds,” he explains. Assistant Professor Saleem Ali brings to UVM academic, corporate, consulting, and international experience in pollution prevention, environmental assessment, and conflict resolution. Prior to coming to UVM in August 2002, Saleem was an environmental associate with a consulting firm in Boston and taught at Brown University where he continues as an adjunct assistant professor. However, he was intrigued by what he saw happening at UVM. “I see a lot of positive energy for change and many new initiatives like the Gund Institute [for Ecological Economics],” he says. Saleem teaches ENVS 1, an ENVS core course Research Methods for Environmental Professionals, Environmental Conflict Resolution, and a Continuing Education seminar on environmental peace movements. After undergraduate work in chemistry, Saleem earned a masters of environmental studies from Yale and a PhD in environmental policy and planning from MIT. An interest in geo-chemistry drew him to the mining industry, and its conflicts among corporations, indigenous communities, and activists challenged him. “The most extreme environmental conflicts involve large resource development projects like those associated with mining, dams, or oil drilling,” says Saleem. “But by far the most extreme conflicts are associated with mining. It is the least-loved industry by environmentalists, and the largest EPA Superfund sites are mining areas.” As coordinator of the pollution prevention program at General Electric, Saleem learned how intricate environmental conflicts can become. “It isn’t always black and white—the big bad corporation and the poor community. It is much more complicated.” He recently published Mining, the Environment, and Indigenous Development Conflicts (The University of Arizona Press, 2003) based on his doctoral dissertation, a comparative study of mining ventures in the United States and Canada and conflicts between concerns of Native Americans and environmentalists. In his book, Saleem points out that activist groups often fail to understand tribal concerns and consequently have difficulties working with tribes on issues that were thought to be of common environmental interest. In Vermont, Saleem and his students have developed an environmental assessment for a proposed mining project in Danby. They hope to help mediate conflicts among the community, the mining company, and environmentalists. Born in Massachusetts to Pakistani parents, Saleem grew up in both the United States, where his father was a professor at University of MassachusettsDartmouth, and in Pakistan, where his mother worked at a university. Consequently, his interests in resolving conflicts go well beyond North America’s borders. With support from UVM’s Minority Faculty Incentive Fund, Saleem is working to create a “peace park” or conservation area in the Karakoram Mountains between India and Pakistan. A hostile war 7 William DiLillo, Univeristy Photography ENVS faculty member specializes in environmental conflict resolution has smoldered between these countries in this high elevation, ecologically sensitive area for many years. Saleem believes that resolving less confrontational environmental problems can help promote discussion of more deep-rooted conflicts. In October, Saleem assembled former ambassadors, non-governmental organization representatives, scholars, executive officers, and students on UVM’s campus to formulate a plan for the conservation area. With a grant from the United States Institute for Peace, Saleem is developing a plan for environmental education in madrassahs (religious schools) of Pakistan that are located in environmentally sensitive areas. “Encouraging environmental awareness and conservation will help mitigate conflicts with those that see the schools as promoting terrorism,” explains Saleem. Saleem, his wife Maria, an educational psychologist, and their two young sons, Shahmir and Shahroze, live in Essex Junction. —Shari Halik Fill out and return this postage-paid card to contribute to the next Alumni Notes section and let your classmates know what is happening in your life! _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Name______________________________ Class Year_______ Program__________________________ Degree______ Bob Manning publishes Reconstructing Conservation Professor Bob Manning believes that the recent “deconstructionist” period in environmental scholarship—a time of questioning and self-criticism—has been valuable. “But, it is now time to start putting together our answers to the hard questions and turning criticisms into positive ideas and actions—being reconstructive,” he says. With colleague and former graduate student Ben Minteer (NRP ’96, PhD-NR ’99), now a faculty member at Arizona State University, Bob recently published Reconstructing Conservation: Finding Common Ground (Island Press, 2003). The book is a compilation of presentations given at a symposium on conservation thought and practice held in Burlington and Woodstock, Vermont in 2001. It relies heavily on contributions by UVM faculty and affiliates, SNR faculty Patricia Stokowski and Nora Mitchell, Bob Taylor (Political Science), Robert McCullough (Historic Preservation), Luis Vivanco (Anthropology), and MarshBillings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (MNHP) Superintendent, Rolf Diamant. Reconstructing conservation was the theme of the five-day symposium by leading conservation scholars and practitioners held in John Dewey Lounge of Old Mill on campus and at MNHP, the boyhood home of George Perkins Marsh, a founder of American conservation. The Park carries on conservation efforts of generations of farmers and land stewards and interprets these principles to thousands of visitors each year. “We hope the book will extend some practical conservation ideas beyond Vermont to the rest of the nation,” says Bob. “The major message,” he explains, “is the practice of conservation is searching for harmony between people and environment, and people must play an important role in finding this middle ground through a democratic process. We also need to respect diversity of opinion; therefore, models of conservation must be diverse. Although it has its place, we need to consider models beyond wilderness, which can be viewed as setting people Bob and Martha Manning atop 14,500 foot Mt. Whitney in California. apart from nature.” Muir Woods National Monument, to the Ben and Bob draw on the location for larger western parks, like Yellowstone or the symposium as a symbol of this new Grand Canyon, to the more remote Gates model of conservation. “Vermont is a of the Arctic in Alaska. fine example of this rich blend of enviGenerally, the Lab funds four to six ronment and culture, with its patchy graduate students and increasingly more landscape and productive balance of undergraduates. “Ethan Meginnes (RM humans and nature,” explains Bob. ’89) and his wife Alexandra Loeb support “Rather than be solely bio-centered or an undergraduate intern each year to work human-centered, we need to find pragat a national park; this has been very matic, productive solutions.” helpful and a great opportunity for the In the meantime, the focal point of students,” says Bob. “It has become a Bob’s research continues to be his work regular feature of the Lab.” with the National Park Service (NPS). Bob still squeezes in time for his own He and Bill Valliere (NRP ’94) and recreational opportunities. This past SNR’s Park Studies Lab work with six to August, he and his wife Martha hiked the eight national parks at a time and usually 211-mile John Muir Trail in California spend one to three years conducting from Yosemite Valley to 14,500 foot Mt. research in each park. They generate data Whitney, a 17-day trip through John on visitor carrying capacity to help the Muir’s “range of light.” The trail climbs NPS formulate a plan for a whole park or over Muir, Pinchot, and Mather Passes in for sections. Of the nearly 400 units in the Sierras, and Bob hopes that his former the NPS, Bob has worked in a variety of NR 2 students have not forgotten the them, from the small, heavily used urban important contributions of these and other parks, such as the Statue of Liberty or conservation figures! —Shari Halik 8 2-17105 BUSINESS REPLY MAIL Shari Halik The Rubenstein School George D. Aiken Center The University of Vermont 85 South Prospect Street Burlington VT 05401-9931 The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources depends on and appreciates the gifts of alumni, parents, foundations, businesses, organizations, students, faculty, staff, and other friends. We thank the following donors who gave in fiscal year 2002. Charles & Jill Agnew Lola Pierotti Aiken Douglas Berkeley Alderton Claire Hurteau Alfano Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation James Anctil & Shannon Wyman-Anctil Deborah Bogossian Baker Susan & James Barbuto James William Barlow Charles R. Bartlett James & Holly Bartlett Derek Manning Beard Peter & Barbara Beekman David & Kathleen Beyna Mark & Gretchen Biedron Gary & Heather Black John Christopher Bottelli David & Louise Brynn Alan & Judith Bullock Roger & Judith Bunten Diane Harlow Burbank Amy Suzanne Burfeind Mary Ouellette Burnham Marcia McAllister Caldwell David Farleigh Cambio Kristin Angeline Camp Andrew Stephen Carlo Lorri Marquez Chapman Kathleen Marr Chesney Richard Beaver Chipman Stephanie Mackay Clement Seth C. Clifford Timothy & Joyce Cross Don, Annmarie & Brady DeHayes Frederick & Heike Doane Andrea F. Donlon Michelle Donlon Julienne & John Douglas Kathleen Mary Dowd-Hill Kim Kristine Dunkley Michael John Elliot Richard Alan Epinette A. Richard Faesy & Ann Bove Sara Hilary Filling Steven Tanguay & Theresa Flaherty Teresa Donohoe Fontaine Anne & Larry Forcier Heather Ann Gamper Paul David Gardner Barrett L. Gates Gordon & Llura Gund Foundation Danielle Graham & Andrew Pedersen Warren Gray Mary Remington Gulbrandsen Grant & Lara Gund Zachary & Lindsey Gund Heather Sarg Hallows William Henry Harvey Eileen MacDonald Hazard Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation Kathryn W. Henry Amanda Joan Herzog Hoffman Enterprises Richmond & Virginia Hopkins James & Nancy Horton Robert S. Houghton John Charles Howard Ellen Goodell Hutton James Carl Jacobi Stewart & Lisa Jensen Kate Svitek Memorial Fund David & Jane Kaufman Matthew Gilbert Kenna Abigail Ruth Kimbell Douglas & Evangeline Lantagne Margaret Lynne Lawrence Daniel M. Levine James Robert Lewis Lintilhac Foundation, Inc. George & Jo-Ann Lovejoy Jonathan D. Low Julie A. Lundgren Deborah A. Lynch Craig John Mabie Sean & Holly Macy Jay Madden & Martha Agan Michele E. Malone Christopher Russell Matlack Diane White Mealo Jennifer Lynn Megyesi Randall G. Munson Jonathan Macveagh Murphy Charles & Mabel Niebling John Oliver Niles Ocean Arks International Brehon Holland Odronic Christopher William Olson Dorothea Yvonne Panayotou Paradigm Analytical Laboratories Nancy Lea Patch Heather Marie Pembrook Genevieve Quinault Kent Pence Physical Sciences, Inc. Whitney Brent Potter Janet Louise Powers Kate Rabinowitz Rudolph & Sheila Rauch R. Brady Rhodes Matthew Richer & Elena Ramirez Alma Elaine Ripps Craig Moore Roebuck Rohlen Foundation Charles Robert Ross, Jr. William R. Rossmassler, III Stephen & Beverly Rubenstein Elyse Beth Rudner-DiDomenico Jacquelyn Trilling Sattler David & Lisa Sausville Brian Keith Scheick Joel Alexander Schmutz Katharine Tannahill Sexson Shelburne Shipyard, Inc. David Shepard & Susan Warren Richard Thomas Simmons Nancy Brill Sklar H. William & Brigitte Smith Steven Smith & Dana Hamilton Linda Herzenberg Sparks Keith Watson Sproule Jennifer Stanley Philip & Marcia Steckler Steven Norton Sudduth Ann & Eric Swanson Taylor Farm, Inc. Winslow Terry Trask Trust for Public Land Vermont Community Foundation Sam Wear Walter Gustaf Wehtje Christopher J. E. Welsh Richard R. White, Jr. James & Betty Wilkinson Thomas Stewart Woodruff Woodstock Foundation Jessanne Wyman If there are errors or omissions or you would like more information, please contact Rise Drake at 802-656-4695 or [email protected]. If you would like to give to The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, you can contribute to the Sustainable Forestry Fund, the Student Enrichment Fund, or the Forcier Scholarship Fund. You may send a check (payable to University of Vermont) or a major credit card number and expiration to The University of Vermont, Grasse Mount, 411 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401. In writing, please direct your gift to The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and the fund of your choice. You may also use UVM’s toll free line 888-458-8691 or secure Development Office website at http://uvm.edu/giving. Thank you! 9 David Govatski Alum David Houghton directs land conservation for nonprofits Alum David Houghton (WFB ’88), new president of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire. During the past nine years, David Houghton (WFB ’88), new president of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire (ASNH), has worked to protect nearly 300,000 acres from development in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. A strong background in wildlife biology/ management and professional experience in land acquisition and preservation have brought David to the forefront of land conservation in New England. “I did a ring-billed gull study with Dr. Capen through a Mellon undergraduate grant,” says David, “and because of my work with gulls, got my first job as assistant manager at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge on Cape Cod.” Over the next six years, David was assistant manager at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Maine and then at the Rhode Island Refuge Complex. “I had fun with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service but began considering a degree in business. Instead, I decided to change to a job in natural resources that would give me some business experience.” Where there’s a will, there’s a way. In 1994, David became a project manager at the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit organization. Five years later he became field office director for the northern New England programs out of Montpelier, Vermont and was responsible for 20 to 25 conservation projects per year in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. “The mission of the Trust is to conserve land for people to enjoy, from large tracts of open space and natural areas to community gardens and parks,” explains David. His greatest achievement at TPL was as project leader for the conservation of the 171,300-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwaters former International Paper lands in northern New Hampshire in partnership with the Nature Conservancy. This $42 million conservation project won the prestigious Touchstone Award from the Wildlife Management Institute and an award from the Northern Forest Alliance. David’s successful conservation efforts in New Hampshire led to his unanimous appointment by the trustees as President of ASNH in August 2003. In September, he left the Trust and began administering ASNH. “New Hampshire is the fastest growing state in New England with the largest percentage of conserved land—28%,” says David. “But there is still much to be done. Most of the conserved land is in northern New Hampshire; however, there is a lot of biodiversity to be protected in the southern part of the state, which is the fastest developing area.” To cure this discrepancy, David plans to work closely with communities; generate federal, state, and local funds; and rely on the strong science background of his staff at ASNH to determine what land should be conserved. “We then need to determine how to protect and manage each system and connect them to the larger space in the North,” he explains. 10 With 50 staff, David administers six Audubon centers around the state which include programs for recovery of eagles, peregrines, loons, ospreys, and terns and land conservation projects at Great Bay, Conte, and Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuges, and the Connecticut Headwaters Project. David meets with federal delegates, agency heads, and other decision-makers to appropriate money or pass necessary laws to conserve land and also works closely with private donors. David has maintained ties with UVM, and while with TPL, he helped underwrite the cost of a symposium on conservation thought and practice in 2001 and the resulting book Reconstructing Conservation edited by Professor Bob Manning and Ben Minteer (NRP ’96, PhD-NR ’99). David also contributed to the book’s foreward. In November, David received an award from The Rubenstein School and the Northern Forest Center for his work on the Connecticut Lakes Project. David, his wife Phoebe, and their two children, Ali and William, live in East Montpelier, Vermont and raise heifers on a small farm. They plan to move to New Hampshire in the near future. —Shari Halik New assistant professor joins ENVS Adrian Ivakhiv, assistant professor of environmental studies and natural resources, came to UVM from the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh in August 2003. With three degrees from York University in Toronto, Adrian was among the first doctoral graduates of environmental studies in Canada in 1997. His dissertation was published as a book entitled Claiming Sacred Ground: Pilgrims and Politics at Glastonbury and Sedona (Indiana University Press, 2001). At UVM, Adrian teaches ENVS 201 Research Methods, ENVS 202 Senior Thesis, and NR 2 Nature and Culture. In the future, he will teach Environmental Ethics and possibly a course on environment, communication, and culture. Adrian’s research interests include environmental ethics, religion and ecology, cultural and communication studies, globalization, landscape and identity, and concepts of natural and cultural heritage. His research has taken him to Ukraine and Eastern Europe, Atlantic and Pacific coastal Canada, the southwestern United States, and the British Isles. Alumni notes ’80 ’91 Paul Duba (FOR) writes that now that he and his classmates are officially middleaged, it is time to tell his tale. He has worked for Outward Bound for 17 summers and in the meantime has earned a master of public administration from the University of CO, Denver. This landed him a job directing the programming of English as a second language in Gunnison, CO. He is enjoying working with people, being an administrator, and speaking Spanish daily. Paul was recently elected to the Gunnison City Council. He and his partner Karen celebrated 15 years together this year. They have no TV, one car, a big garden, and spend their spare time mentoring youth. Classmates can contact Paul at [email protected]. Rachel Marble (FOR) and Kevin White were married September 2002 in Waitsfield, VT. SNR friends Molly Irwin (RM, ENVS), Todd Millen (FOR), Alison Friedkin (NR), Dave Kelly (FOR), Dieter Mulac (FOR ’93), and Rachel Sevi (FOR ’92) were there. Rachel and Kevin have been living in Carbondale, CO since 1992. Trina Weitz (WFB ’92) and Joe Reichert (FOR) were at the after-celebration in CO. ’85 2003 has been a great year for Tim Morton (FOR). He was promoted to state lands forester in the CT River Valley District of the VT Forestry Division. Tim also realized a life-long ambition by performing with the Jacksonville Blues Band to a sold out crowd at the original House of Blues in Cambridge, MA. Joel Schmutz (WFB) has lived in Anchorage, AK for the last 15 years and is a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He conducts studies on geese, loons, and other water birds. Skiing, picking wild blueberries, hiking mountains, and traversing saltwater are passions shared with wife Bev and their 2 young daughters Robyn and Karli. Joel says to come visit or say hello at [email protected] or [email protected]. ’89 Dave (WFB) and Lisa Peskin (ENVS ’88) Sausville welcomed their third child, Adam Jacob, on July 15, 2003. They live in Addison, VT. They have 2 other children, Samara and Ethan. ’94 Julie Russell (WFB) has spent the last 4 years living year-round on Martha’s Vineyard and working as an ecologist for the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission. She will marry Alex Schaeffer, a local islander, in June 2004. They bought a small piece of the island and will build a house this fall. Julie feels confident in her skills as a wildlife biologist thanks to all the hands-on learning and excellent professors at UVM. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Fred Schroeder (WFB) is the area manager of 2 wildlife management areas run by the GA Department of Natural Resources. He and wife Jody (Rathbun) (UVM ’92) are enjoying their young son Jonas. ’95 Carrie McCuin Selby (RM) lives in Cambridge, VT with husband Dean and their 2 sons, Nathan and Matthew. They recently built a home surrounded by a stream and acres of beautiful woodland. Carrie is a center adjudications officer with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Department of Homeland Security. She is a member of the center’s recreation association. The family enjoys fishing, hiking, and camping. Carrie and Dean are looking forward to participating in the primitive biathlon for the third winter. They are also anxious to teach 3-year-old Nathan to downhill ski. Carrie hopes all her SNR classmates are healthy and happy and enjoying their 30s! ’98 After graduation, BJ (Albert) Allaire (WFB) worked with the VT Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He then worked in ME for the USFWS on Atlantic salmon restoration. In Fall 2002, he returned to VT as a fisheries biologist with the USFWS and is helping restore Atlantic salmon to the CT River Basin. Kate Cronin (WFB), former UVM Catamount basketball star, was recently named an assistant women’s basketball coach at UVM after one year as an assistant coach at Brown University. Before arriving at Brown, Kate served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA. She began her career with the Mystics as an account executive for the team. Following graduation, she played professional basketball in Portugal for the Sporting Club Figueirense, where she averaged 33 points and 12 rebounds per game. ’99 Dave Walker (FOR) bought a house in Loveland, CO and is engaged to Susan Howell (FOR). Their wedding is set for September 4, 2004. ’02 Jim Bacon (NRP) is a Peace Corps volunteer in northern Guatemala. He lives in the lakeside village of San Jose, home to remaining descendents of the Maya Itza people, and works with a community to preserve the Itza culture and biosphere. One of the projects is a 36 km2 community-owned preserve. Jim never imagined he would have such amazing opportunities to apply what he learned in grad school! The national meeting of the Wildlife Society was held at the Sheraton Hotel in South Burlington in September 2003. At the evening alumni gathering, Professor Dave Hirth photographed several of our alumni who attended the meeting. Toby Alexander (WFB ’93) and Scott Heth (FOR ’82) Scott Darling (WFB ’79), Joel Schmutz (WFB ’85) and Professor Dave Capen 11 Kim Royar Blodgett (WFB ’76) The University of Vermont The Rubenstein School Alumni Newsletter George D. Aiken Center 81 Carrigan Drive Burlington, VT 05405-0088 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No.143 Burlington, VT Printed on recycled paper 2002-2003 masters theses and projects and doctoral dissertations Masters theses and projects: Bijur Peracca, Anne. Thesis: Incorporating Education for Sustainability into the Revision of Vermont’s K-12 Education Standards. Advisor: Tom Hudspeth Dextradeur, Justin G. Project: Challenges and Opportunities for Planning in Vermont: Predicting and Prescribing the Spatial Allocation of Housing Development. Advisor: Leslie Morrissey Ellrott, Brian J. Thesis: Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Sources of Egg Mortality on Lake Trout Restoration in Lake Champlain. Advisor: Ellen Marsden Frashure, Kim M. Thesis: Clearing up the Confusion about Fish Advisories. Advisor: Tom Hudspeth Frater, Benjamin J. Thesis: Habitat Selection and Annual Survival of Juvenile Walleye in Malletts Bay, Lake Champlain Vermont. Advisor: Donna Parrish Hicks, JoAnna L. Villone. Thesis: Finding Justice with the EPA: An Exploratory Analysis of the EPA Guidance on Investigating Title VI Administrative Complaints. Advisor: Curt Ventriss Holmes, Susan A. Thesis: Integrating the Arts into Environmental Science Education. Advisor: Tom Hudspeth Janecka, Jan. Thesis: Genetic Analysis of a Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Population in South Texas. Advisor: Dave Hirth Kamman, Neil C. Thesis: An Assessment of Mercury in Waters, Sediments and Biota of Vermont and New Hampshire Lakes. Advisor: Mary Watzin Kart, Jonathan J. Project: Bugs, Birds and Burning Issues: Managing Rare Lepidoptera and Shrubland Birds in the Fire-Dependent Ossipee Pine Barrens of NH: A Challenge for Conservation Planning. Advisor: Deane Wang Kestenbaum, David E. Project: Planning for the Rapid Development of Community-Based Ecotourism Using Action Research: A Project Implemented in Rio Negro, Comayagua Honduras. Advisor: Walt Kuentzel LaPointe, Christopher B. Thesis: Relationships between Land Trusts and Local Communities: Exploring Ties to People and Place. Advisor: Patricia Stokowski Laven, Daniel N. Thesis: The Relationship between Existing Conditions and Evaluative Standards of Quality in Parks and Protected Areas. Advisor: Bob Manning Levy, Melissa J. Thesis: Local and NonLocal Recreationists and Water-Based Recreation in Northwestern Vermont. Advisor: Patricia Stokowski Nijensohn, Samuel E. Thesis: Genetic Structuring in Eastern White Pine: A Case Study in Jericho, Vermont. Advisors: Don DeHayes and Paul Schaberg Rapp, Joshua M. Project: Ecological Community Mapping at the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge: A Site Level Evaluation of the National Vegetation Classification System. Advisor: Deane Wang Reinhart, Krista. Thesis: Mercury in Streamwater from Watersheds with Contrasting Land Use in Northern Vermont. Advisor: Deane Wang Rullman, Claudia. Thesis: Effects of Ozone and UV-B Radiation Singly and in Combination on Photosynthesis and Growth in Selected Woody Species. Advisor: Deane Wang Smyth, Robyn L. Thesis: Analyzing Stakeholder Preferences for the Condition and Management of Lake Champlain. Advisor: Mary Watzin Varney, Dalene M. Thesis: Effects of Dairy Farming on the Colonization Patterns of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Streams in the Lake Champlain Basin. Advisor: Mary Watzin Wells, Diane B. Thesis: Shrubland Bird Diversity and Productivity along Powerline Rights-of-Way in Southeastern New Hampshire. Advisor: Dave Capen Doctoral dissertations: Clapp, Eric M. Long-Term Rates of Denudation and Sediment Generation over Different Spatial Scales Quantified Using in Situ Cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al in Sediment and Rock. Advisors: Alan Cassell and Paul Bierman Ervin, Jamison B. Community-Based Conservation Planning at a Watershed Scale: Three Vermont Case Studies and Their Implications for Planning Theory. Advisor: Curt Ventriss Lawson, Steven R. Theoretical and Empirical Approaches to Evaluating Tradeoffs in Outdoor Recreation Management. Advisor: Bob Manning Newman, Peter B. Integrating Social, Ecological, and Managerial Indicators of Quality into Carrying Capacity DecisionMaking in Yosemite Park Wilderness. Advisor: Bob Manning Nichols, Kyle K. Quantifying Desert Surface Processes Using 10 Be and 26 Al. Advisor : Paul Bierman Pfister, Scott, E. Studies on Thekopsora minima: A Tsuga-Ericaceae Rust. Advisor: Dale Bergdahl For more information about these theses, projects, and dissertations, contact Deane Wang at [email protected] or 802-656-2620.