R s ubensTein chool

The
Rubenstein School
of
Environment and Natural Resources
News for our alumni and friends
Spring–Summer 2012
Sally McCay, UVM Photo Services
Lola Aiken Cuts Ribbon at Renovated Aiken Center Opening
Shari Halik
faculty for embedding elements of the
together a pretty
project into their teaching. “The result,”
good building,
he said, “is a wonderful facility that has
which it was for
already earned national recognition as a
those days, but
sustainability showcase and is the model
conceptually
for retrofitting aging and inefficient buildthis new buildings in ways that use resources efficiently
ing is where we
and reduce operating costs.”
wanted to go, so
The Aiken Center is modeled to be
we could really
62% more energy efficient than the origipractice what
nal building, reducing its energy use from
we were teach89 kBTU’s per square foot per year, the
ing and practicstandard measure of a building’s energy
ing.”
use, to 34, despite adding air conditionSpeaking
ing. That makes the building, designed
at the event
by Maclay Architects of Waitsfield,
were Vermont
Vermont, one of the most energy-efficient
Governor
renovations in the U.S., and perhaps the
Long-time supporter Lola Aiken cuts the ribbon to open the renovated George Peter Shumlin;
most efficient rehab on a college campus,
UVM Interim
D. Aiken Center. Greening Coordinator Gary Hawley, Vermont Governor
Peter Shumlin, and Dean Mary Watzin assist.
according to experts at the New BuildPresident John
ings Institute, which recently completed
Lola Aiken officially opened the
Bramley; Mark Biedron, chair of the
a study of the 50 most energy-efficient,
refurbished George D. Aiken Center, one
Rubenstein School Board of Advisers;
retrofitted buildings in the U.S. and Ausof the most energy-efficient renovations
Dean Mary Watzin; Gary Hawley (FOR
tralia.
in higher education, at a ribbon cutting
’78, MS-FOR ’82), faculty member and
Governor Shumlin said George Aiken
ceremony on April 27, 2012. The buildgreening coordinator in the Rubenstein
would have been “extraordinarily proud
ing was re-opened with all four past and
School; Matt Beam (MS-NR ’11), Aiken
of this example of saving our planet and
present deans of the Rubenstein School
Eco-MachineTM designer; representaensuring that future generations survive
and its predecessor, the School of Natural
tives from Senator Patrick Leahy’s and
Resources, in attendance. Former Deans
Senator Bernie Sanders’ offices; and Tori with less carbon being burned, less oil being burned, more jobs staying in Vermont,
Don DeHayes, Larry Forcier, and Hugo
Jones (ENVS ’07), representative from
and a strong renewable energy future that
John, who oversaw the original construcCongressman Peter Welch’s office.
consumes less and preserves the planet.”
tion of the Aiken Center in 1982, joined
“We have an absolutely incredible
—Adapted from a story by Jon Reidel,
current Dean Mary Watzin.
building that makes a bold statement
UVM Communications
Special guests included the Rubenabout our collective commitment to the
stein family—Beverly, Andrew, Victoenvironment and the future of our planria, Olivia, and Cameron.
et,” said Mary.
Lola, a few months shy of her 100th
“This project
birthday, cut the ribbon with a pair of scisbegan more
sors at the building’s front entrance on the
than a decade
Davis Center oval almost 30 years after
ago when Dean
her late husband, former Vermont GoverDon DeHayes
nor and U.S. Senator George D. Aiken,
and a dedicated
did the same with a pocket knife.
group of others
“I handed him a pair of scissors to cut
began to dream
the ribbon, and he pulled out a knife and
of a cutting-edge
cut it with that instead,” recalled Hugo
building that
John with a laugh. “At the time we were
would match
scattered across campus in five differour curriculum
ent buildings, so we said, ‘Let’s [meld]
and our research
these environmental disciplines into one
programs.”
Four past and present deans of the School attend Aiken Center opening.
building so we can address problems
President
Left to right: Hugo John (1974-1983), Mary Watzin (2009-present), Larry
holistically.’ We thought we were putting
Bramley praised Forcier (1983-1998, interim 2008-2009), and Don DeHayes (1998-2008)
Dean’s Message
Sally McCay, UVM Photo Services
Please Join Us for Homecoming Weekend
Dean Mary Watzin
This newsletter is produced bi-annually
to share news of the Rubenstein School
of Environment and Natural Resources
with alumni and friends.
School website: www.uvm.edu/rsenr
Dean
Mary Watzin (802-656-4280)
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Allan Strong (802-656-4380)
Assistant Dean of Student Services
Marie Vea-Fagnant (802-656-3003)
Undergraduate Program Chairs
Environmental Sciences
Alan McIntosh (802-656-8885)
Environmental Studies
Stephanie Kaza (802-656-4055)
Forestry
William Keeton (802-656-2518)
Natural Resources
Clare Ginger (802-656-2698)
Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Walter Kuentzel (802-656-0652)
Wildlife & Fisheries Biology
Ellen Marsden (802-656-0684)
Graduate Program Student Services
Specialist
Carolyn Goodwin Kueffner
(802-656-2511)
Newsletter Editor
Shari Halik (802-656-8339)
Please send news or suggestions to:
[email protected]
What an exciting year we’ve had! In
addition to our activities with outstanding
undergraduate and graduate students, we
celebrated the opening of our beautifully
renovated Aiken Center. Our incredible
green building makes a bold statement
about our collective commitment to the
environment and the future of our planet.
It is the culmination of years of planning
and the dedication and perseverance of
many faculty, staff, and students. I hope
all of you can return to campus in the
future to see our new facility.
We have also had an excellent year
of scholarship. As you can see inside this
newsletter, our faculty have published
several new books on important topics like renewable energy, endangered
species, and the valuation of the services
nature provides to people.
Our people have always been, and will
continue to be, what makes us special. In
this issue, you can read about several of
our amazing alums, like Ann Swanson,
who leads the Chesapeake Bay Commission and was awarded an honorary degree
from UVM this spring, and outstanding
faculty members, like Dr. Tom Hudspeth,
honored for his commitment to students
and service learning. We also share short
biographies of a few of our newest graduates who have accomplished extraordinary things during their time here at UVM
and are off to exciting careers in many
different areas. I am so proud of what we
have collectively accomplished in the Rubenstein School and I hope you are too!
While we tend to look back at this
time of year, there is also much to look
forward to in the coming year, as we
welcome an outstanding new President,
Dr. Thomas Sullivan, to campus. Dr.
Sullivan comes to us from the University
of Minnesota, where he served as Provost
for almost 8 years. I look forward to his
new ideas and energy, and I believe he
shares many of the goals and values of the
Rubenstein School. We will share more
about our new President in our next issue.
As we head into the summer, I hope
all of you will enjoy some personal time
for relaxation, reflection, and fun! I invite
you to join us in October for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. On Saturday,
October 6, we will hold an Open House
from 10:30 am until 12:00 noon in our
beautiful renewed Aiken Center. Please
stop by and visit us!
Herbert Bormann (1922-2012)
F. Herbert Bormann, an ecologist
at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, who helped discover
acid rain in North America, died on June
7, 2012. He held an adjunct professorship
in the Rubenstein School, was a founding
member of the School’s Board of Advisers, and collaborated on research projects
with faculty and staff in the School. In
2005, Herb received an honorary Doctor
of Science from UVM.
Herb joined the faculty at Yale in
1966 and taught there until his retirement
in 1992. He was the Oastler Professor
Emeritus of Forest Ecology.
Before joining Yale, he was a professor at Dartmouth College, where he
conceived the idea to use watersheds to
study ecosystems. In 1963, he and his
colleagues established the Hubbard Brook
Ecosystem Study with a National Science
Foundation grant at the Hubbard Brook
Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. Scientists around the country have
conducted research at Hubbard Brook,
resulting in the most substantial body of
work on the functioning of ecosystems in
the world.
At 49, Herb was among the youngest
scientists ever to be elected to the Na2
tional Academy of Sciences. He was also
elected to the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences and was president of the
Ecological Society of America. His many
awards include the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, International
St. Francis Prize for the Environment,
National Wildlife Foundation’s National
Conservation Achievement Award in
Science, Ecological Society of America’s
Eminent Ecologist Award, Asahi Glass
Foundation’s Blue Planet Prize, and, most
recently in April 2012, the Aldo Leopold
Award from Yale.
Congratulations to All Rubenstein School Graduates of 2012!
We welcome our newest alumni! Here are the stories of eight of our graduates of 2012.
Luz-Aída Martínez
Elise Schadler
Hometown: Mexico City, MX
Degree: PhD Natural Resources
Luz was aware of environmental problems at an early age
when a friend’s family moved
out of Mexico City for health
reasons related to air pollution. With a BA in international
relations from the Autonomous
Technical Institute of Mexico,
she worked nearly seven years
for Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
and developed an environmental
management system used at all Ministry facilities. She shared her
success stories with the United Nations and the North American
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
One of four Mexican students funded by the U.S. Agency
for International Development, Luz earned her master’s degree
in natural resources with a certificate in ecological economics
at RSENR’s Gund Institute with Professors Robert Costanza
and Curtis Ventriss. Funded by the National Commission for
Science and Technology in Mexico, she continued with doctoral
research at the Gund and studied the North American Free Trade
Agreement’s connection with environmental and social issues.
Now, Luz works in Montreal, as an external consultant for the
Center for Lifecycle Analysis and Eco-Design in Mexico. Someday, Luz hopes to teach at a university and share her knowledge
and experience in ecological economics.
Hometown: Mansfield, OH
Degree: MS Natural Resources
At Indiana University, Elise
pursued anthropology, business,
and the classics. AmeriCorps
took her to Washington to conduct salmon habitat rehabilitation
and California to work in forest
fire management. She directed a
community-based tree planting
program for three years in New
Jersey, where she continued to
follow her passion for connecting people with the environment.
With her sister Emily (’08) thriving in the Field Naturalist graduate program at UVM, Elise was drawn to RSENR for
master’s work in urban and community forestry with Associate Professor Cecilia Danks. Elise’s study, “Understanding the
Role of U.S. Urban Forestry in Voluntary Carbon Markets,” was
funded by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory
Council. A finalist for a national Switzer Fellowship, she developed five case studies of urban and community forestry groups
that are implementing carbon projects nationwide.
As a teaching assistant (TA) for ENVS 1 and 2 and for NR 1
and 2, Elise earned the 2011 Outstanding TA award in RSENR
and is now coordinator of community-based learning in the
School. “It’s great to be able to fulfill my passion by connecting
students and community groups with the environment through
our faculty’s service-learning courses.”
Lee Simard
Eli Powell
Hometown: Swanton, VT
Major: Environmental Sciences
Lee joins his sister Meredith
(ENSC ’09), cousin Kristen
(ENSC ’06), and father Greg
(WFB ’78) as a graduate of
RSENR. A Lola Aiken Scholar,
Lee enrolled in environmental sciences with support from
Professor Alan McIntosh but
became enamored with fisheries
through Professor Ellen Marsden and pursued a wildlife and
fisheries minor. A technician for
Ellen at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Lab, he studied sea
lamprey and lake trout on Lake Champlain and other waterways.
Lee worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for two
summers. First, at the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in
Swanton, he conducted nesting surveys of water birds and aided
conservation efforts on the refuge. Then, in collaboration with
the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, he performed fish
surveys on Lake Champlain and area rivers and assisted with fish
culture at a hatchery. For his NR 206 course project, Lee helped
to expand the Salmon in Schools program in northern Vermont
that brings salmon eggs into classrooms for students to raise.
This summer, Lee will work on lake trout and whitefish
studies with Ellen and on the stonecat, an endangered fish, with
Associate Professor Donna Parrish and graduate student Betsy
Puchala. After gaining more fisheries experience, Lee plans to
attend graduate school.
Hometown: Dartmouth, MA
Major: Parks, Recreation &
Tourism
A kayaker, sailor, and certified sailing instructor, Eli saw
a recreation major as a way to
build outdoor hard skills but
also as a way to be immersed in
environmental sciences.
A Lola Aiken Scholar, Eli
enjoyed the close relationships
with instructors in RSENR. He
was inspired by natural history
courses with Professor John
“Doc” Donnelly and tourism and entrepreneurship courses with
Lecturer David Kaufman.
His most fulfilling courses were in landscape architecture
with Lecturer David Raphael who provided a service-learning
project in which Eli worked with classmates and a local community to design and build a boardwalk over a local wetland to
create an outdoor classroom. “I appreciated the holistic nature
of the class—from the idea stage to consulting with community
partners and suppliers to hands-on design and assembly.”
Eli brought sailing instruction and youth mentoring skills to
the Northern Forest Canoe Trail of northern New England, where
he worked with outfitters to lead youth on paddling expeditions.
A semester-long field studies course in New Zealand inspired
him to learn more about other places and cultures. After graduation, Eli plans to travel and possibly attend graduate school in the
not too distant future.
Continued on page 4
3
Graduates of 2012 continued
Kelsey Head
Joshua Carrera
Hometown: Norwich, VT
Major: Environmental Studies
Kelsey spent a year after high
school as a ski lift operator in
Teluride, CO. Reluctant to attend
college so close to home, she was
surprised at how comfortable, yet
exciting UVM felt.
She chose environmental
studies because its curriculum
included field-based classes and
environmental art classes, and
RSENR because of its intimacy.
“I felt a strong sense of community in RSENR. The School fosters an identity as a ‘Rubie,’
which is a source of pride to its students.”
Kelsey grew up along the Connecticut River, and a high
school monitoring experience on the Oompompanoosuc River
piqued Kelsey’s interest in water quality. An educator and program assistant for three years with Erin DeVries, coordinator of
the UVM Watershed Alliance, Kelsey engaged Vermont student
groups with hands-on stream and lake monitoring.
In Professor Tom Hudspeth’s service-learning course, in
partnership with a middle school, Kelsey developed interactive
curricula focused on watershed science in the Mad River Valley
of Vermont in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
Recipient of the Environmental Studies Achievement Award,
Kelsey plans to work in water quality and environmental education in Vermont. Later, she hopes to become certified as a teacher
of environmental studies or science in an alternative school.
Hometown: Ridgewood, NY
Major: Natural Resources
Joshua spent his early years
in Ecuador but attended school
in New York City. Through the
High School for Environmental
Studies, he discovered UVM.
Maria Erb, assistant director of
UVM’s ALANA Student Center,
encouraged Joshua to become
involved. A tour guide and information desk assistant, he also
joined social activist programs.
He is proud of his Women’s Center Ally Award and his award for commitment to social justice.
A wildlife major, Joshua struggled in the sciences but found
his niche in natural resources. His best experiences took him
back home with service-learning courses and programs in conservation and sustainability in Costa Rica, Brazil, and Ecuador.
“I reconnected with my roots and brought environmental knowledge to Ecuador.” He learned he had the impact to break the stereotype that only foreigners could be interested in conservation.
His most fulfilling experience was a hands-on project with
Dave Kestenbaum, of UVM Extension. Joshua created a
30-slide presentation on eco-driving that Dave submitted to a
training company for an online course.
Recipient of the Lola Aiken Award in Natural Resources,
Joshua will intern with The Nature Conservancy this summer
and travel as a delegate to Rio+20 in Brazil, the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development.
Kevin Osantowski
Ashley Koetsier
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, MI
Major: Wildlife & Fisheries
Biology
The first person in his family
not to go to Michigan State University, Kevin came to RSENR
because he liked that it was a
small school within a university.
Lake Champlain, the Rubenstein
Ecosystem Science Laboratory,
the research vessel Melosira, and
opportunities to do research sold
him.
A huge fly fisherman, Kevin
worked for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
summers during high school, but working with Professor Ellen
Marsden was an experience he will cherish for the rest of his
life. “Ellen was an unbelievable mentor and advisor. This sets
UVM and, to a greater extent, RSENR apart from other schools;
RSENR is willing to reach out and offer real world experiences
through internships and research opportunities.”
As a technician for Ellen, Kevin had the summer of his
life studying whitefish on the Lake with graduate student Seth
Herbst (’10). The following summer, Kevin teamed up with
graduate student Brett Ladago and investigated effects of human
development and land use practices on near shore communities of
plants and fish.
Recipient of the 2012 New England Outdoor Writer’s Award,
this summer, Kevin will work for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition on invasive lake trout suppression and then will apply to law
school to study water resources law.
4
Hometown: Woodstock, VT
Major: Forestry
Hesitant about UVM, Ashley
decided it made financial sense
and to join her brothers Kelly
(FOR ’07) and Kyle (FOR
’10). A pre-veterinary major, she
transferred into RSENR as an
environmental sciences (ENSC)
major to cover her vet school
requirements.
With an interest in forestry
derived from high school teachers, Ashley became enthralled by
forestry courses. “Dendro or anything taught by Lecturer John
Shane!” She switched her forestry minor to a double major in
forestry and ENSC with a chemistry minor. Ashley trained to
drive the campus buses and worked in the RSENR Dean’s Office.
Recipient of the James E. Wilkinson, Jr. Student Award through
the Society of American Foresters, she was president of the Forestry Club. She organized the Game of Logging, arborist training,
and timber sport competitions.
Returning to her high school as a guest lecturer, Ashley
shared her UVM forestry experiences. She is on the Board of the
Joseph Lapinski Foundation which carries on the legacy of her
grandfather in improving the well-being of local communities.
Recipient of the RSENR Luther E. Zai Memorial Award in
forestry, Ashley will use her experience on farms and her interest
in large animal veterinarian medicine at Billings Farm in Woodstock this summer. She will complete her pre-requisite courses
before applying to veterinary school, this time, outside Vermont!
—Shari Halik
Shari Halik
John Todd Retires from UVM to Continue Restoring the Earth
conduct biological research to apply
towards this technology. In 1981,
they transformed the Institute into
Ocean Arks International where,
today, the Todds continue to practice
ecological design science “to restore
the lands, protect the seas and inform the earth’s stewards.”
In 2007, the Todds were included
in the book Visionaries: The 20th
Century’s 100 Most Inspirational
Leaders. The list includes Gandhi,
Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Jane
Goodall, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Although he has not yet raised
the
capital to build a large ocean
TM
Professor John Todd, inventor of the Eco-Machine
restorer, John begins work this sumJohn Todd, pioneer in ecological
mer on a smaller version of his dream.
design and engineering; research profesHe and his colleagues will construct boat
sor in the Rubenstein School; fellow at the mooring micro-restorers that will support
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics;
life forms capable of removing chemicals
distinguished lecturer at UVM; author of
from coastal waters.
over 200 scientific, technical, and popular
John is known around the globe for
articles and seven books; and holder of
his Eco-MachineTM. Years ago, working
four patents, retired from UVM this June.
closely with life’s ally, sunlight, in concert
He taught ecological design, oversaw
with organisms of the five animal kingan ecological design studio, and advised
doms, John placed different combinations
numerous graduate students, but more
of species into tanks because according to
importantly, he inspired generations of
John, “diversity is key.” He then added
students to take the first steps to change
some of the earth’s nastiest chemicals
the world. He was named “Hero of the
to the tanks and rendered them harmless
Earth” by Time magazine in 1999.
through natural biological processes.
“We have not done a good job of
Today, he is founder and senior partner
stewarding our planet,” he stated at the
in John Todd Ecological Design, Inc.,
Rubenstein School Spring 2012 Seminar
an international ecological design and
Series on Education for Sustainability. “It
engineering firm based in Woods Hole,
is imperative for all of us to change that.”
Massachusetts. The Eco-Machine is now
He has devoted his life’s work to fixing
cleaning our earth’s water in eleven counthe earth.
tries on five continents.
Dying ocean reefs traumatized John
After John retires, his technology
at a young age. He dreamed of an ocean
will carry on in the Aiken Center with an
restorer, or ark, powered by sun and wind
Eco-Machine, designed and built by his
that would travel coastal waters and use
graduate student, Matt Beam (MS-NR
sunlight and living organisms to clean
’11). Tanks of plants and aquatic microbillions of gallons of seawater a day. John
organisms, originating from local ponds,
and his wife Nancy Jack Todd founded
work together to clean the building’s
the New Alchemy Institute in 1969 to
wastewater.
John Todd’s technology succeeds on
land, too. The first International Buckminster Fuller Challenge winner in 2008,
John was awarded $100,000 for the best
idea to help save humanity and the planet.
His project explores ways to transition
Appalachia from coal mining to a diversified, sustainable, carbon neutral economy
founded on place-based education, restoration of coal lands and the contaminated
landscape, detoxification of coal slurry,
and regeneration of natural resources
through forestry and agriculture.
John and doctoral student Samir
Doshi (PhD-NR ’10) discovered how
to take a “ripped apart place,” such as
the coal mining region of West Virginia,
and “build soils back on it” using fungi,
biochar, and grasses. To tackle chemical
contaminates in a mining waste product,
doctoral student Anthony McInnis (PhDNR ’11) designed and tested an Eco-Machine that can break down these chemicals
within 72 hours. “Working with John has been an
absolute delight,” said Anthony. “He
has consistently challenged me to think
beyond my preconceptions when tackling
problems and to be comfortable pushing
boundaries into unfamiliar territory. What
I’ve learned from John is immeasurable,
and he has become a trusted mentor and
friend.”
In restoring degraded landscapes, John
believes that to have success with succession—from bare rock to soil to grasses,
shrubs, and forests—we must have parallel succession in our economy based on
grass biofuels, agroforests, ecoparks, biochar plants, and aquaculture. For the past
20 years, he has begun to fulfill this dream
as part of the Agricultural Eco-Park in the
Burlington Intervale. This unique project
harnesses waste heat from Burlington’s
wood-fired power plant to fuel year-round
greenhouses where waste byproducts from
local food manufacturers and farms are
used as nutrients to raise food crops.
Tom Hudspeth Honored for 40 Years of Service-Learning
In April 2012, Professor Tom Hudspeth was awarded the Outstanding
Achievement Award for his commitment
to community-university engagement over
the course of his 40-year career in UVM’s
Environmental Program and Rubenstein
School. The award was given by the UVM
Office of Community-University Partnerships and Service-Learning (CUPS).
Tom was an early adopter and pioneer of service-learning, which he integrated into his classes to foster long-term
partnerships with organizations such as
Burlington’s Intervale and local schools. Tom has served as interim faculty director
and as a member of the CUPS Advisory
Committee. He has inspired multiple generations of students and has generously
mentored faculty colleagues.
An RSENR faculty member noted,
“Tom is one of the shining lights of the
UVM faculty when it comes to servicelearning and commitment to community.
Over the years he has served as a willing
and wise conduit connecting the energy
and passion of students with the needs and
resources of the greater Burlington area.”
—Elise Schadler
5
Tom Hudspeth and RSENR steward Kindle
Loomis (NR ’12)
Summer Reading by RSENR Faculty Authors
The Very Hungry City (January 2012)
Austin Troy, Associate Professor in the Rubenstein School and Director of the UVM
Transportation Research Center
As global demand for energy grows and prices rise, a city’s energy consumption becomes increasingly
tied to its economic viability, warns Austin Troy, a seasoned expert in urban environmental management.
He explains how a city with a high “urban energy metabolism”—that is, a city that needs large amounts
of energy in order to function—will be at a competitive disadvantage in the future. He explores why cities have different energy metabolisms and discusses innovative approaches to the problems of expensive
energy consumption. Austin looks at dozens of cities and suburbs in Europe and the United States to
understand the diverse factors that affect their energy use: human behavior, climate, water supply, building quality, transportation, and more. He then assesses some of the most imaginative solutions that cities
have proposed—green building, energy-efficient neighborhoods, symbiotic infrastructure, congestion
pricing, transit-oriented development, and water conservation. To conclude, Austin addresses planning
and policy approaches that can bring about change and transform the best ideas into real solutions.
Natural Capital: Theory and Practice of Mapping Ecosystem Services (June 2011)
Taylor Rickets, Professor and Director in the Rubenstein School Gund Institute
In 2005, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment provided the first global assessment of the world’s
ecosystems and ecosystem services. It concluded that recent trends in ecosystem change threatened human wellbeing due to declining ecosystem services. This bleak prophecy has galvanized conservation
organizations, ecologists, and economists to work toward rigorous valuations of ecosystem services at a
spatial scale and with a resolution that can inform public policy. The editors have assembled the world’s
leading scientists in the fields of conservation, policy analysis, and resource economics to provide the
most intensive and best technical analyses of ecosystem services to date. The book documents a toolbox of ecosystem service mapping, modeling, and valuation models that both The Nature Conservancy
and the World Wide Fund for Nature are beginning to apply around the world as they transform conservation from a biodiversity only to a people and ecosystem services agenda.
Finding Higher Ground: Adaption in the Age of Warming (June 2011)
Amy Seidl, Lecturer in the Rubenstein School Environmental Program
While much of the global warming conversation rightly focuses on reducing our carbon footprint, the
reality is that even if we were to immediately cease emissions, we would still face climate change into
the next millennium. In Finding Higher Ground, Amy Seidl takes the uniquely positive—yet realistic—
position that humans and animals can adapt and persist despite these changes. Drawing on an emerging
body of scientific research, Amy brings us stories of adaptation from the natural world and from human
communities. She offers examples of how plants, insects, birds, and mammals are already adapting both
behaviorally and genetically. In looking at climate change as an opportunity to establish new cultural
norms, Seidl’s perspective inspires readers to move beyond loss and offers a refreshing call to evolve.
Listed: Dispatches from America’s Endangered Species Act (May 2011)
Joe Roman, Research Assistant Professor in the Rubenstein School Gund Institute
The first listed species to make headlines after the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973 was the
snail darter, a three-inch fish that stood in the way of a massive dam on the Little Tennessee River. The
dam was built, the river stopped flowing, and the snail darter went extinct on the Little Tennessee, though
it survived in other waterways. A lot has changed since the 1970s, and Joe Roman helps us understand
why we should all be happy that this sweeping law is alive and well today. Listed is a tale of threatened
species in the wild—from the whooping crane and North Atlantic right whale to the purple bankclimber, a
freshwater mussel tangled up in a water war with Atlanta—and the people working to save them. Employing methods from the new field of ecological economics, Joe challenges the widely held belief that
protecting biodiversity is too costly. And with engaging directness, he explains how preserving biodiversity can help economies and communities thrive. 6
Board Member Sally Bogdanovitch Imparts Family Legacy of Walking
More Kindly in the Forest
RSENR Board Member Sally Bogdanovitch
“By the age of 16, I knew the Adirondacks provided me a sense of place
and that I needed to live on the land once
owned by my great-great grandfather.”
Sally Rockefeller Bogdanovitch
(FOR ’77) studied forestry at the UVM
School of Natural Resources (SNR) (now
Rubenstein School) and at Yale University
(Master’s degree, 1999) and the land and
people of the Adirondacks have benefitted
from her knowledge, skills, and passion.
She has worked as a field forester for the
paper industry, as a natural resource consultant for private land owners, and once
served under former New York Governor
Mario Cuomo as a commissioner for The
Adirondacks for the 21st Century. The
Commission recommended the establishment of an easement program which
resulted in the conservation of at least
700,000 acres of New York land.
Sally is currently a faculty member at
Paul Smith’s College where she teaches
a first-year Introduction to Forestry
course and an advanced Silviculture
class. “Teaching is my passion; I strive
to teach students how to teach themselves
and learn about self-responsibility and
accountability to society,” Sally shared.
She easily admits she enjoys teaching
and advising first-year students. Through
learning modules, outdoor field labs,
or advising sessions, she teaches team
building skills she once learned at Yale.
“I tell my students,” said Sally, “that team
dynamics are about commitment, accountability, and skills and that one person
cannot bring all the necessary parts to a
situation. Therefore teams are needed to
solve complex problems.” Sally advocates
that students understand conflict resolution to become effective foresters. She
encourages students to get to know people
who appear to have opposing views, to
talk to someone “outside a
personal comfort zone,” and
to not surround themselves
with like-minded groups. A
final lesson is to get involved and to not be afraid
to try new things.
When asked who has
been influential in her teaching and forestry career,
Sally cites her father and
grandfather as well as SNR
professors Doc Donnelly,
Carl Newton, and Pete
Hannah. “My father and
grandfather passed on a love
for the Adirondacks and a philosophy of
walking more kindly in the forest,” Sally
reflected. “Doc Donnelly encouraged me
to look at systems and instilled a sense
of caring; Carl Newton taught me to pay
attention to details and reminded me that
anyone can complete a forest inventory,
but it takes special skills to do a thorough
and inclusive inventory; and Pete Hannah
encouraged me and my classmates, such
as David Brynn (FOR ’76) and David
Kittredge (FOR ’78), to think about varied and broad silviculture options and to
understand the complexity as well as the
impact of each decision,” recalled Sally.
Another strong passion for Sally is
community involvement. She participates
and volunteers at the local, regional, and
national level. She is a member of the
RSENR Board of Advisers, a past board
member of American Forests, a board
member and recent past Vice President for
the Empire State Forest Product Association, and a board member for Northern
Woodlands magazine. She also is an
active member of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Sally was recently
named a SAF Fellow, the highest honor
bestowed upon SAF members to recognize sustained leadership and exemplary
advancement of the forestry profession.
She has served on the Board of Overseers
for the University of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary School and as a board member for
Cornell University’s Baker Institute for
Animal Health. Locally, she is a member
of the Adirondack Community Trust and
is a teacher at a nearby dog training club.
“Sally is the Professor’s Professor”
said Mary Watzin, Dean of the Rubenstein School. “I look to her to help keep
our programs grounded and to constantly
remind us to bring local culture and
understanding into the classroom. Our
students must learn that effective solutions
to environmental problems can only be
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crafted one place at a time, with empathy
and respect for local traditions and community. Sally models that uniquely and
perfectly.”
Sally shares that her major concern
for forests across the world is the lack of
understanding by the general public. “As
we learn more about the complexity of the
forest, I see it as a problem that society
attempts to apply very simple solutions to
forest-related issues and challenges. There
is no quick or simple fix,” Sally observed.
Sally is quick to tell you she has
always appreciated the spirit and the
creativity of people choosing to live and
make a living in the Adirondacks. She
lives in the Adirondacks with her husband
Phil, her 90-year-old mother, and their
dogs and horses. She travels the country
to visit her three children and grandson in
Boston, Hawaii, and Florida. When she
has spare time, she gardens and keeps
bees. She also enjoys reading and has at
least two books on her summer reading
list: Difficult Conversations, and The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom
and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters.
And at every waking minute, Sally
thinks about stewarding the land that has
been in her family for five generations
and how to engage the next generation in
the planning, managing, conserving, and
enjoyment of the Adirondacks.
—Kate Baldwin, Constituent Relations
The Rubenstein School
Board of Advisors
Chair
Mark Biedron (UVM ’74)
Sarah Bergman
David Blittersdorf (UVM ’81)
Sally Bogdanovitch (FOR ’77)
Ed Colodny
John Douglas
Mickey Fearn
Kay Henry
Yumi Jakobcic (PhD-NR ’12)
Crea Lintilhac (UVM ’78)
Will Raap
Peter Rose (UVM ’54)
Beverly Rubenstein
Ann Swanson (WFB ’79)
Frederica Wade (ENVS ’13)
Ross Whaley
Honorary Members
Lola Aiken
Eugene Kalkin (UVM ’50)
Aiken’s Mini Solar Tracker to Raise Awareness of Renewable Energy
is coming from
and helps to raise
students’ and the
public’s awareness
about renewable
energy and our
responsibility for
our energy production and usage,”
said David. “Many
people don’t appreciate or aren’t
aware of where
their electricity is
originating from,
whether it’s from
coal mined from a
mountain top and
burned inside a
coal-burning plant The Aiken Center’s scaled-down AllSun tracker, custom built by AllEarth
Renewables of Williston, Vermont, is designed to raise awareness about
or from a nuclear
reactor deep inside renewable energy.
a nuclear plant—both out of sight, out of
do substantial amounts with renewables.”
mind.”
“I am so grateful to David for donatA member of the Rubenstein School
ing this mini- tracker to the Rubenstein
Advisory Board, David believes strongly
School,” said Dean Mary Watzin. “I
that clean, safe, renewable energy is our
share David’s passion for public education
future but that we can’t rely on renewable
about our energy sources, and I know that
energy sources unless we decrease our usthis little tracker will help the entire camage loads and use efficient lights and fixpus ask questions about renewable energy
tures. “That’s what greening is all about,”
and the future of our planet.”
he maintained, “getting the loads down to
—Shari Halik
Alum Ann Swanson Recognized with UVM Honorary Degree
a field ecologist and for
her contributions to the
Chesapeake Bay region,
UVM, and the Rubenstein
School.
“Receiving an honorary degree from UVM
will always be remembered as one of those rare,
exhilarating moments in
my life,” said Ann. “It was
jubilant. Receiving such a
strong vote of confidence
will keep me going for a
long time to come.”
Ann is a founding and
current member of the
RSENR Board of AdvisAlum Ann Pesiri Swanson received an honorary degree from
ers and served as its chair
Interim President John Bramley at UVM Commencement 2012.
for nine years. She is
Ann Pesiri Swanson (WFB ’79) was
executive director of the Chesapeake Bay
recognized with an Honorary Degree
Commission, a post she has held since
(Doctor of Laws) at the 2012 UVM Com1988. Ann has worked with local, state,
mencement for her accomplishments as
and federal officials and leaders for the
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last three decades to protect the Bay and
to help pass environmental legislation
affecting the Bay region. She assisted in
the creation of the interstate blue crab
advisory committee and helped draft and
champion the important Chesapeake Bay
Agreements that laid out the framework
for watershed-wide ecosystem management.
Through her work, Ann has helped
usher in fundamental improvements in the
way water quality and habitat protection
is addressed throughout North America.
Ann has shared her experiences and advice and best practices of the Chesapeake
Bay with Vermont and regional officials
and leaders working to protect Lake
Champlain.
“I know of no one more committed to
the public life, community service, and
mission and values of UVM,” said Dean
Mary Watzin when she nominated Ann
for a UVM Honorary Degree.
—Kate Baldwin, Constituent Relations
Shari Halik
The Aiken Center now has its very
own scaled-down, 8-panel AllSun Tracker
installed in front of the building. This
small tracker, custom-built by AllEarth
Renewables of Williston, Vermont, is
designed just like their full-size 20- or
24-panel versions. It captures and converts sunlight into electricity as it follows
the path of the sun across the sky and
feeds electricity directly into Aiken. It
produces roughly 1500 kilowatt hours
per year which is slightly more than a
quarter of the electricity a full-size tracker
produces.
The more important feature of the
mini solar tracker is its visibility to the
UVM campus community to raise awareness about renewable energy, according to
David Blittersdorf, president and CEO
of AllEarth Renewables. The real work of
powering Aiken is handled by seventeen
20-panel trackers just down the road at the
Forest Service Laboratory in South Burlington. These big trackers are modeled to
supply about 30% of the energy needed
to run the Aiken Center including heating
and cooling. They send electricity to the
local electric utility which credits the Aiken Center account, but these trackers are
more or less hidden from the public’s eye.
“The smaller tracker does the job of
showing where much of Aiken’s power
Alum Charlie Denney Bolsters Aiken LEED Certification with Bike Racks
ing for [U.S. Green
Building Council]
LEED Platinum certification,” explained
Charlie. “Because I am
very familiar with bike
parking problems and
because bike racks are
often left out of projects,
I felt this was a way to
help the School achieve
its LEED status and
give students better bike
parking.”
Before landing in
the urban and bike trail
planning field, Charlie
dabbled in various jobs
from seasonal park
Charlie Denney biking with his twins Jake and Ellie.
ranger to outdoor gear
Charlie Denney (RM ’83) is a senior
retail and finally to land surveying.
associate at the Arlington, Virginia office
“Shortly after graduating from colof Alta Planning & Design, a transportalege, I worked as a land surveyor and
tion/recreation planning and landscape arbegan wondering who decided that it
chitecture firm devoted to creating active
was a good idea to build a subdivision
communities and better places to bike,
in the middle of nowhere,” he recalled.
walk, play, and live. He recently provided “I went back to school and got a degree
a gift to the Rubenstein School to support
in planning, but it wasn’t until I became
the purchase and installation of inverted
involved in trails and bicycling that I saw
U-style bike racks near the northwestern
how planning could help to make better
entrance of the newly renovated Aiken
places and create real communities where
Center.
people enjoy walking and cycling in their
“I read in the School newsletter that
neighborhoods and actually get to know
the Aiken Center renovation was strivtheir neighbors.”
A planning position in Iowa City, Iowa
in which half his time was spent on trails
and bikeways incited Charlie’s passion for
bike trail planning. In the Washington,
DC area, he worked for the Bicycle Federation of America, a non-profit. When
funding for bikeways dwindled in the late
1990s, Charlie tried self-employment and
consulting. Then in 2001, he became the
Arlington Virginia Bicycle and Pedestrian
Program manager.
Finally, in 2007, he opened a DC
office for Alta, which is headquartered
in Portland, Oregon with a dozen offices
around the U.S. and one in Vancouver,
British Columbia. Alta is also associated
with Alta Bicycle Share which runs bicycle sharing systems in several U.S. and
Canadian cities including DC, Boston,
and Montreal. “We provide banks of bikes
on the street,” Charlie explained. “People
join the system in their city and pick up a
bike to use and drop off elsewhere in the
city. The DC system was incredibly successful and exceeded our expectations!”
Charlie is excited that Alta will open a
bike share in New York City this summer,
and the company may have work lined up
for Burlington, Vermont in the near future.
He lives in Arlington, Virginia with his
wife Mary and their five children, including two sets of twins! The family enjoys
the outdoors, especially biking and kayaking, definitely in that order!
Alum Linda Samter Leads LEED Documentation for Aiken Center
“I have always been curious about the
design of nature and how we can learn
from it and apply that knowledge to both
our natural and built environments,” said
Linda (Goldsmith) Samter (NRP ’94),
architectural designer and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building consultant. Linda led
the LEED documentation and provided
consulting for many renovation and new
construction projects on the UVM campus
including most recently the Aiken Center.
Formerly a graduate student in Aiken,
Linda worked with advisor and mentor
Associate Professor Deane Wang. Using
landscape ecology and GIS (geographic
information systems), she identified attributes of higher functioning wetlands
within a local watershed. “If we know the
specific features that make one wetland
better than another at maintaining water
quality, we can apply that knowledge in
planning so that proactive decisions are
made when these lands are under development pressure,” she explained.
With work experience in
environmental and building
science and environmental
health and safety, Linda carried her mantra for proactive
decision making into a career
in architectural design. “I
realized I could effect more
positive change by being at
the front end (involved in site
selection and building design)
rather than at the tail end
(cleaning up environmental
contamination),” she asserted.
“If we are proactive by using
environmentally sensitive
design and planning decisions, Linda Samter, her husband Tom, and their son Griffin
we can avoid creating environmental problems in the future.”
ence, workshops, and seminars, she beWhen the green building movement
came a LEED-accredited professional in
was in its infancy in the U.S. in the 1990s, 2002 and is a founding member and past
Linda dove in because it offered the
president of the Vermont Green Buildperfect combination for her environmening Network, a chapter of the U.S. Green
tal, building science, and architectural
Building Council.
experience. Through on-the-job experi“Although there is a lot of good intent
Continued on page 10
9
Alum Linda Samter continued
to be ‘green,’ the LEED rating system of
the U.S. Green Building Council goes beyond intent by requiring proof that green
building practices are actually implemented. As interest in sustainable design and
the number of LEED buildings continues
to grow, the hope is that the negative
impact of buildings in our society will be
reduced,” Linda stated.
Linda guided the Aiken design and
construction team in understanding LEED
requirements, identifying green building
strategies, and documenting the sustainable features of the project. In addition,
she has assisted Michelle Smith (ENVS
’02), of UVM Capital Planning & Management, and Aiken faculty in advancing the sustainable education mission
by working with students and interns on
projects aimed to achieve LEED credits.
“It’s been a joy to work on the Aiken project with such a wonderful and dedicated
project team and to see the old Aiken
building morph into a LEED model green
building that sets the standard for future
LEED renovation projects,” she said.
With no separate accredited master’s
degree programs in architecture in Ver-
mont, Linda resorted to self-studying and
training her way to licensure. She worked
for two Vermont architecture firms and
started her own business in 2008. She
hopes to finish the last of her Architecture
Registration exams by fall 2012.
Linda lives in Charlotte, Vermont with
her husband Tom, who is also an architect,
their son Griffin, a border collie, and a cat.
She enjoys bicycling, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, skiing, and skating
and volunteers with Therapy Dogs of
Vermont for which she has been treasurer
for the past 20 years.
Alum Averill Cook Introduces Wood Pellet Fuels to the Northeast
Averill Cook (ENVS ’76) is a forerunner in the wood pellet heating industry
and founder and owner of Biomass Commodities Corporation of Williamstown,
Massachusetts, where he grew up on
Wendling Farm in the northeastern corner
of the state. His mother’s family ran
woolen mills in Maine and his father’s ran
wire mills around the world.
Averill had no thoughts of attending college. He went out west to work
instead. But that was before his sister,
introduced him to Carl Reidel, founder
of the environmental studies program at
Williams College. Carl enticed Averill to
head up to UVM where he was starting
a new program in environmental studies.
Averill was one of six “guinea pigs” in
the fledgling program in 1972. In addition to intro-level environmental studies
courses, he took many classes in forestry,
where his interests lie.
After graduation, Averill returned to
his family farm to operate a 6000-tap
maple syrup production and manage timberlands close to his home. Growing up
in a manufacturing family, Averill loved
making things, and it fit with his interest
in sound forestry. He started Catamount
Pellet Fuel Corporation in 1990. After 10
years of successful operation, he sold the
company, but during that time, he was
influential in generating interest in renewable wood pellet fuels in the Northeast.
He spent six years as president of
Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) and was on the
board of directors of the Biomass Thermal
Energy Council, both in the Washington,
DC area, and served on the Massachusetts
Biomass Working Group. Pellets were
virtually unknown in the U.S., especially
in the Northeast, and his time in Washing-
ton and throughout the U.S. was
focused on telling
the pellet story.
Much of his
knowledge about
pellet fuels came
from his travels
to the western
U.S. and Europe.
Five years after
the Chernobyl
nuclear accident
of 1986, the pellet industry began
gaining traction
in Sweden. The
Averill Cook on his farm in Williamstown, Massachusetts
Scandinavians
began using pellets in district heating
Charlie Dutilh Agnew (FOR ’77) and
systems and power plants which allowed
Jill Jones Agnew (UVM ’76), manages
for a smoother transition into smaller apthe Maine office.
plications.
“Pellet heating systems are not for
Averill worked with Statoil and Royal
everyone. They are a viable option which
Dutch Shell on their initial pellet undercan be a perfect fit for many applications,”
takings and learned what worked and
explained Averill. “In my lifetime, I have
what did not. He had a strong interest in
seen the forest products industry getting
commercial applications using bulk pellets smaller and smaller and in many areas is
and was instrumental in obtaining a grant
not an economic engine. It needs to be,
which allowed PFI to purchase the first
and the feedstock for pellets can be the
bulk delivery truck, kicking off the com‘weeds of the woods,’ allowing better
mercial pellet market.
sawtimber production. It is sustainable,
He launched Wendling Farm Bioenercreates local jobs, is clean burning, and
gy Consulting in 2004 to provide advisory
can attract a new generation of people that
services throughout the pellet industry.
can help invigorate local economies.”
In 2006, he started Biomass CommodiAverill maintains ties to Vermont
ties which offers installation and service
through his son, daughter-in-law, and
of commercial pellet-fired hot water and
granddaughter who live in Shelburne. In
steam heating systems. Headquartered in
Williamstown, Averill loves to farm the
Williamstown and Portland, Maine, the
land and forest. His next task will be to
company has 30 pellet heating installashare what he can about the farm and fortions throughout the Northeast, includest with his grandchildren, so they can do
ing one in Shelburne, Vermont. Charlie
an even better job of stewarding the land
Agnew, son of Averill’s UVM classmates,
the next time around.
—Shari Halik
The Rubenstein School, George D. Aiken Center, 81 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405-0088
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