News The Rubenstein School F

The Rubenstein School
of Environment and Natural Resources
News
Vol. XXX, No. 6, April, 2009, The University of Vermont, www.uvm.edu/envnr
FROM OLD MILL TO CAPITOL HILL:
UVM’S JOURNEY TO POWERSHIFT 2009
By Ian Altendorfer, NR ‘11
The Rubenstein School
News, published monthly
from October through May,
is one of the school‘s primary vehicles for keeping
students, faculty, and staff
informed. We publish news
and highlight coming
events, student activities,
and natural resources employment opportunities.
Copies are available in
the Aiken Center lobby
and the Mail Room (328
Aiken) outside of the
Dean‘s office.
http:www.uvm.edu/envnr
Editor:
Amanda E. Garland, ‗09G
Aiken Center 210
[email protected]
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:
Award Announcements
Focus on Grad Research-Katie Murphy
Focus on Undergrad
Research– Daniel Lim
Collaborative Learning
in RSENR
Multicultural Fellows
Updates
Florida Ecology Course
Oxfam Vermont
Remembering Helmut
Werner
Focus the Nation
Help Wanted
and more...
With $16,500 dollars raised, 544
miles traveled, and 209 registered students,
a united group of University of Vermont
students finally arrived on February 27,
2009 at our nation‘s capitol to attend the
Powershift 2009 conference.
Powershift 2009 was a four- day
youth conference centered on confronting
the issues of Climate Change and working
towards tangible solutions from the individual level to the international level. The
weekend was packed with speakers, workshops, panels, and the constant story-sharing
- idea-swapping- campaign- awarenessbonanza with students from across the country! The conference concluded with students
scouring the streets and lobbing our state representatives.
Leading up to this event was no easy
feat. As we returned from winter break UVM
Powershift organizers were faced with the
question, ―how do we organize and fundraise for
eighty students (twice as many as last year‘s Powershift event)?‖ Soon, that question became,
―how does this work for 200 students?‖ Although
there were the incredible stresses of fundraising,
reserving vans, and keeping Risk Management as
our number one concern, the experience was completely worth the burden. Not to mention, excitement to discover that UVM was the largest group
of students attending!
At 5:00 am on February 27, 2009 the band of
UVMers (led by the Rubenstein
sponsored coach bus) left from
the Davis Center and began their
long journey to Capitol Hill.
Upon entering into the Washington Convention Center, one could
feel the energy resonating
amongst the crowd--- all demanding action. Each group arriving
had their own story to tell: how
they made their voyage feasible,
where they came from, and what
hopes they had for this event. The
first night kicked off the conference with a series of speakers.
The most memorable speaker was
Van Jones. He stood strong and
Above left: A UVM student creating signs for the capitol
confident behind the podium, advocating for
action (Photo by Basil Tsimoyianis).
Above right: UVM students protesting at the capitol power ―Green Jobs‖ and a sensible cultural change to
plant.
the sea of youth. (continued on page 8)
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The Rubenstein School News
The Rubenstein School in Action
PUBLICATIONS
Costanza, R., Hart, M., Posner, S., Talberth, J. Beyond GDP: The Need for New Measures of Progress. The Pardee Papers, No. 4.
Boston: The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, 2009.
Foster, B., Wang, D., Keeton, W. 2008. An exploratory, post-harvest comparison of ecological and economic characteristics of FSC
certified and uncertified northern hardwood stands. Sustainable Forestry 26(3):171-191.
Lawson, S., J. Hallo, and R. Manning. 2008. Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Visitor Use in Parks and Protected Areas Using
Computer-based Simulation Modeling. /Monitoring, Simulation, and Management of Visitor Landscapes/. Tucson: University of
Arizona Press, pp. 191-203.
Marion, J., R. Dvorak, and R. Manning. 2008. Wildlife Feeding in Parks: Methods for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Educational
Interventions and Wildlife Food Attraction. /Human Dimensions of Wildlife/ 13(6): 429-442.
McEvoy, T.J. 2008. How to Overcome the White Pine Weevil. Farming -- The Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 11, No. 9.
September issue. pp 69 - 76.
McEvoy, T.J. 2008. Improved Prospects for Owners: New Rules on Conservation Easements. Farming -- The Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 11, No. 10. October issue. pp 65 - 68.
McEvoy, T.J. 2008. Understanding Fall Color. Forest Products Equipment Journal. Vol. 17. No. 2. pp 14 - 18.
Pilcher, E., P. Newman, and R. Manning. 2008. Understanding and Managing Experiential Aspects of Soundscapes at Muir Woods
National Monument. /Environmental Management/ 43(3): 425-435.
Smyth, R., M. Watzin, and R. Manning. 2009. Investigating Public Preferences for Managing Lake Champlain Using a Choice Experiment. /Journal of Environmental Management/ 90(1): 615-623.
Strong, A. M., C. C. Rimmer. K. P. McFarland, and K. Hagen. 2009. Effects of mountain resorts on wildlife. Pages 99-126 in J. E.
Milne, J. LeMense, and R. A. Virginia, Eds., Mountain resorts: Ecology and the law. Ashgate Publishing Ltd., UK.
PRESENTATIONS
PARK STUDIES LAB PARTICIPATES IN GEORGE WRIGHT SOCIETY CONFERENCE
The Rubenstein School‘s Park Studies Lab was well represented at the biennial conference of the George Wright Society
(GWS) in Portland, OR on March 2-6. The GWS strives to be the premier organization connecting people, places, knowledge, and
ideas to foster excellence in natural and cultural resource management, research, protection, and interpretation in parks and protected
areas. The organization is named after George Wright, the first proponent of science in the national park system. Over 1,100 resource
managers and scientists participated in the conference. Park Studies Lab participants included faculty members Bob Manning, Nora
Mitchell, and Daniel Laven, staff Bill Valliere and Laura Anderson, and graduate students Rebecca Stanfield McCown, Carena
van Riper, Kelly Goonan, Pete Pettengill, and Nathan Riegner. Several Lab ―alumni‖ also participated in the conference, including Peter Newman (Associate Professor and Assistant Dean, Colorado State University), Steve Lawson (Associate Professor, Virginia Tech University), Daniel Laven (U.S. National Park Service and Adjunct Assistant Professor, UVM), Jeff Hallo (Assistant
Professor, Clemson University), Jim Bacon (Outdoor Recreation Planner, Yosemite National Park), Dan Abbe (Wilderness Manager,
Yosemite National Park), and Logan Park (doctoral student, Virginia Tech University).
Most of the conference consisted of concurrent sessions of scientific and management papers plus a poster session. Several
plenary sessions were also held, including the opening session featuring documentarian Ken Burns who showed several clips from his
new series ―The National Parks: America‘s Best Idea‖ which will be broadcast on public television in the fall. Papers presented by
current Lab staff and students included:
William Valliere, and Robert Manning. ―Analysis of Carrying Capacity at Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge‖
Carena van Riper, Robert Manning, Kelly Goonan, and Chris Monz. ―Tradeoffs Among Resource, Social, and Managerial Conditions
on Mountain Summits of the Northern Forest‖
The Rubenstein School News
3
PRESENTATIONS
At the George Wright Society Conference (continued from p2.):
Laura Anderson, Robert Manning, William Valliere, and Jeffrey Hallo. ―Developing Normative Standards for Wildlife Viewing
in Parks and Protected Areas‖
Robert Manning and Jeffrey Hallo. ―Indicators and Standards of Quality for the Denali Park Road Experience‖
Jeffrey Hallo and Robert Manning. ―The Carrying Capacity of a National Park Scenic Road
AWARDS
Rubenstein School Professor and Park Studies Lab Director
Bob Manning was named the first-ever winner of the
George Wright Society (GWS) Social Science Achievement Award. The award was presented by GWS President
(and Superintendent of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National
Historical Park) Rolf Diamant at the GWS Conference
Awards Banquet. This new award was established by the
GWS Board of Directors to recognize outstanding achievements in social science research that influence management
of parks, protected areas, and cultural sites. The Board felt
that the ever increasing importance of the social sciences in
management and understanding of protected areas is deserving of its own award alongside parallel awards honoring
achievements in natural resource research and management,
cultural resource research and management, and communications. Bob was cited for his ―leadership in establishing
and carrying out a long-term and nationally prominent program of applied research on visitor use and management in
many units of the U.S. national park system‖ and his
―distinguished record of teaching and published scholarship
in park-related social science and outdoor recreation issues.‖
Photo of Bob Manning after receiving his award, with both current
and alumni Park Study Lab members. From left to right: Steve
Lawson, Rebecca Stanfield McCown, Daniel Laven, Nathan
Reigner, William Valliere, Bob Manning, Laura Anderson, Peter
Newman, Jeffrey Hallo, Carena van Riper, and Kelly Goonan.
Allan Strong, Austin Troy, and Noah Perlut, along with Sarah Lovell and Ernesto Mendez in Plant and Soil
Science received a four-year grant from the USDA-CSREES National Research Initiative Program
($380,000). The project is entitled: Landscape context as a framework to quantify the multifunctionality of agricultural systems in the Northeast.
Thomas J McEvoy is the 2009 Sinclair Cup Award Recipient. The Sinclair Cup was created in 2006 to honor dean emeritus
and distinguished alumnus, Bob Sinclair. Dr. Sinclair's exemplary career spanned more than four decades of outstanding service
to UVM Extension (1944-1953) and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (1953-1987).
The Robert O. Sinclair Cup Award was presented at the discretion of the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
and the Dean of Extension as a means of recognizing those individuals who, like Bob Sinclair, served the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences and/or UVM Extension with distinction as a member of the faculty or staff for a major portion of
their professional career. They seek individuals who have achieved excellence in one or more of the following areas demonstrating a:
long record of professional achievement, characterized by breadth and depth in their discipline(s);
noteworthy and exemplary career illustrated by various accomplishments, honors and special recognitions;
long record of service and commitment to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and/or Extension.
Award to be presented on May 9th. Lisa Chase submitted the nomination
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The Rubenstein School News
Focus on Graduate Research:
BY KATIE MURPHY, MS NR ‘09
I visited UVM in February of 2007, calling in sick to my job at
JPMorganChase in downtown Boston to make the day trip to Burlington. The first person I met was Carolyn Goodwin Kueffner,
the Graduate Program Staff Assistant, never a bad thing. We‘d
been talking on the phone a bit during my school search and she
came out to meet me when I arrived on campus. ―Man, its cold
here,‖ I said as I moved to shake her hand. She let our her big
laugh, ―Ha! This is nothing!‖ Right. She pointed me in the direction of the Gund Institute where I was set to go to one of the
―teas,‖ one in which Professor Saleem Ali was giving a talk on
―the resource curse.‖ I was enthralled. The ―resource curse‖ is the
term used to describe the fact that most poor countries rich in nonrenewable natural resources (oil, gas, gold, copper, diamonds,
etc.) have experienced lower growth and worse development outcomes (weak democratic development, corruption, conflict) than
their natural resource-poor counterparts. I had been reading an
article by Sebastian Junger entitled Blood Oil in which he describes the ongoing conflict in Nigeria between MEND, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Shell Oil Company
and the Nigerian government. MEND began attacking Shell Oil
facilities in the Niger Delta in 2005, protesting the devastating
environmental degradation and lack of basic development in the
Delta (schools, sanitation, hospitals). Though the Nigerian government and Shell Oil were making
money hand over fist the people of
the Nigeria still lived on less than a
dollar a day. Professor Ali‘s talk
was impressive and the discussion
around it was passionate and engaging. I drove home elated after
Saleem offered to advise me.
In the fall (after an incredible
Vermont Field Studies experience
in which I made great friends and
biked all over the area, see ya later
cubicle lethargy) I got straight to
work on getting to know all the
political and economic processes at
play behind the global extractive
industries and the resource curse. I
found myself continuously grateful for my advisor‘s ability to
help me focus and refine my thinking. I‘m prone to going after
every connection and I was dealing with a topic literally global in
scope. I became really interested in the international movement
for transparency in the extractive industries, started by the Publish
What You Pay Campaign and Global Witness and taken up at the
geopolitical level by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The EITI was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 by former UK Prime Minister Tony
Blair and is a global governance institution with a multistakeholder structure that aims to set a global standard for revenue
transparency in the extractive industries. The idea is that revenue
transparency is the key to citizen empowerment- so if citizens
understand how much their government is receiving for the oil,
gas or gold in their country they can hold their government accountable for it. My research asked the question of how transpar-
Above: Katie and research associate Michael DeVasto at Yancocha mine
(Newmont Mining Corp.) in Cajamarca, Peru. Below: Katie and Michael at the
ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, once adorned with gold.
ency in the extractive industries might affect environmental development outcomes in resource-rich countries. In 2007 The Blacksmith Institute published The World‘s Most Polluted Places and of
the Top Ten of these Dirty Thirty, half were due to the mining and
processing of raw materials in developing countries. One of these
spots was La Oroya, Peru, where 99% of the children have levels
of lead in their blood that exceed health limits due to the American Doe Run aluminum smelting plant that has been operating
there for decades. In Peru there has been a growing social movement against mining as the mining
sector has expanded exponentially
since the adoption of neoliberal policies in the 1990s. Much of this conflict is over issues of environmental
degradation due to mining and hydrocarbon extraction. While the political
processes behind the resource curse
are now being addressed via the EITI
other international efforts, the environmental component of the resource
curse has received little attention.
With Peru as my case study, my partner and research associate Michael
DeVasto and I set out to explore the
question of how transparency efforts
in the extractive industries in Peru
might affect environmental development outcomes in the country.
With a list of interviewees in government, mining companies, and
civil society and a video camera, we traveled around Peru by bus
and knocked on office doors. We were amazed to find that everyone was willing to be filmed and that rather than a few quick
words and a shove-off, we sat in offices for hours sometimes wondering if mining execs and community organizers would ever get
sick of talking so we could go drink pisco sours. We had an incredible time. I‘ve just finished my thesis and will post it on the
web so I‘ll let you all read it and find out what we discovered.
Here‘s something not in the thesis though that we also discovered:
one‘s Spanish improves in direct proportion to the number of
pisco sours one imbibes amongst Peruvian friends. Thank you to
everyone in Peru and everyone here at school with me- this has
been an awesome two years!
The Rubenstein School News
5
Focus on Undergraduate Research:
BY DANIEL LIM, NR ‘09
From Sketchpad to Site: Turning a
Park Garden Design into Reality
If someone told me back in October that
my Honors Thesis landscape design project would
soon become a reality, I would have responded
with disbelief. But that is exactly what has happened. In early February, my project was sought
out by the Senior Class Council as a possible Class
Gift and was ultimately selected by the senior student body as such. The implication was that I
would receive funding to construct my design.
The excitement of having been selected propelled
Photo credit: Fernanda Perez, UVM, 2009
me into a busy semester of research, accelerated
creativity and working with administrators to turn my conceptual design into reality.
My project seeks to convert the oval green space framed by the Davis Student Center, Aiken Center and Main Street
(informally called Davis Oval) into a vibrant, community space. My inspiration to re-design the Davis Oval came out of my
personal experience of the barren and uninviting feeling of the space. It simply lacked interesting horticultural, aesthetic and
recreational features. I also observed that the space was rarely used for rest and play by the UVM community. What came
out of my observations and site analysis was a holistic vision of the space as a park garden. The Davis Oval can be at once a
park where people rest, play, meet and eat, and a garden where people experience horticultural beauty, edible landscaping,
and ecological concepts.
Drawing on what I learned in courses such as Permaculture, Ecological Design, and Ecological Landscape Design, and from my experience as a Construction and Horticulture Intern at the New York Restoration Project, I developed
my design around five design goals: 1) ecologically restorative functions, 2) cultural reflection of the landscape, 3) recreational and aesthetic features, 4) educational opportunities
and 5) maintenance and cost. The Park Garden design offers
five distinct scenes, all of which provide their own ecological
functions, social spaces, and educational features. These
scenes are the forest, herb garden, grassland, lawn and fiddlehead garden.
Doing this project continues to be an exhilarating
experience that has taken over my life. One of the most important lessons I am learning that will help in future design
work is how to assert my own vision for the land while working to meet the community‘s needs. This is especially crucial
right now as I work on design details that reduce maintenance
needs and cost.
I am an ambitious spirit with a keen interest in social
justice, social change and ecological sustainability. I have a
vision of a ―neo-naturalist‖ worldview in which people learn
to unite human creativity, technology, values and ecology into
a new language for and understanding of life. I intend to grow
this new worldview through the medium of design. I get spiritually stimulated by the design of creative structures and
spaces that bring out human emotion and relationship to the
land. I plan to pursue graduate degrees in city planning and
urban design. My career goal is to start my own ecological
design and planning firm in New York City, working with
disadvantaged neighborhoods to help them become ecologically restorative and economically prosperous communities.
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The Rubenstein School News
UNITED ACADEMICS AWARDS 2009 -CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
United Academics. To be eligible, you must be a senior enrolled
in your final year of college (not necessarily at UVM) and the
child of a union member who is a Vermont resident.
Awards will be made based on academic excellence and demonstrated involvement in issues related to economic and/or social
justice. To apply for either award, interested students should send
a copy of their academic transcript, a two page (single spaced)
statement outlining their interest and involvement in advancing
The Jeffrey Brace Book Award, in honor of Jeffrey Brace, an
the goals of economic and/or social justice, and a letter of recomearly 19th-century black Vermonter, former slave and activist,
mendation from a faculty member familiar with the student's inprovides up to ten $500 awards to be used for books and supplies terest in issues related to economic and/or social justice. To qual(at the UVM Bookstore) by students who exemplify academic
ify for the Linda Backus award, clearly state your parent's posiexcellence and an active commitment to achieving social and
tion and union membership. Please send both email and hard copeconomic justice. To be eligible, students must be first, second,
ies of application materials to:
or third year students at UVM who will be enrolled full time in
fall 09 at UVM. Details about the awards and past award winners Professor Stephanie Kaza, Chair, UA Scholarship Committee, Environcan be found on UA's website (http://unitedacademics.org).
mental Program,153 So. Prospect Street,University of Vermont
Applications are now being accepted for two awards
for UVM students: the Jeffrey Brace Book Award
and the Linda Backus Memorial Award.
[email protected]
The Linda Backus Memorial Award provides a $1000 cash
award for the purpose of rewarding student civic engagement in
advancing economic and social justice goals. The award is named
in honor of Linda Backus, former professor of education at
UVM, committed union organizer, and second president of
The deadline for both awards is April 20, 2009. Award winners
will be selected by a committee appointed by the Executive
Council of United Academics and will be announced by midMay.
REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IN RSENR
By Kimberly DePasquale, Coordinator of Community-Based Learning, RSENR
At the request of Margaret Shannon, I will be sending out short monthly reflections about the work being done in the School related to
the Engaged Department Initiative. For those of you who are unaware, The Rubenstein School received a small grant last spring from Northern
New England Campus Compact (NNECC) to participate in this process.
Our goal in this process is to increase capacity across the school for student and civic engagement through collaborative learning. For the purpose of this process, collaborative learning is defined as an umbrella term used to describe the many approaches to student-centered learning,
such as internships, service-learning and problem-based learning.
One of our objectives related to this goal is to incorporate and institutionalize collaborative learning practices into the Rubenstein core curriculum. A committee of faculty, staff and students has been meeting regularly to work towards this end (you may remember our presentation on the
sophomore year experience from the January faculty retreat).
Throughout this process, the Engaged Department Initiative Committee is committed to disseminating information and sharing resources. A
useful reference in this regard is Leading Academic Change: Essential Roles for Department Chair by Edwards Zlotkowski, which makes some recommendations that fit our process well:
1. Make sure everyone has a clear understanding of service-learning; it is not the same as volunteerism or an internship. For specific definitions
please visit http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/partnerships/?Page=definitions/definitions.html&SM=definitions/defaultsubmenu.html
2. Insist on the same level of quality in service-learning as in any other academic endeavor
3. Make sure everyone is aware of the support available for faculty teaching service-learning courses (please visit www.uvm.edu/envnr/
partnerships and www.uvm.edu/partnerships
4. Clearly convey the fact that service-learning is not for everyone. Just because it works well for some does not mean that every faculty should
teach service-learning courses
5. Consider developing service-learning as a school-wide resource (i.e. promote long term community partnerships that continue beyond an individual course or one-time projects.)
In the coming months you will likely hear a good deal about the Engaged Department Initiative. Everyone is invited to get involved in the
process; volunteer to join the committee, e-mail with questions, etc. As always, the CUPS staff and I will be available throughout the semester to
provide support for those currently teaching service-learning and to answer questions of those interested in teaching a service-learning course in
the future. Please feel free to e-mail or call me with any questions, concerns or feedback you might have.
Zlotkowski, E., Service Learning and the Engaged Deparment: A Strategy with Many Uses, in Leading Academic Change: Essential Roles for Department Chairs, A.F. Lucas, Editor. 2000, JosseyBass Publishers: San Francisco.
The Rubenstein School News
7
USDA MULTICULTURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT UPDATES
Felix Wai
Over the last several months, I
have enjoyed a whirlwind reintroduction to the world of academics and concentrated creative
energy. My incoming interests
have guided me down incredibly
exciting and unexpected research
paths and academic inquiry.
One of the most unanticipated yet
fruitful rediscoveries is a rekindled passion of ecological design.
The excitement and hope surrounding this emerging field is unmistakable and infectious. The innovations of eco-design offer hope in an
environmental field ripe with bad news and declining systems. As a
result, I have had the luck of talking part in the greatest engagements
with community partners locally, nationally, and internationally – all
pregnant with knowledge, advice, and potential collaboration.
In conversation and visits with a successful and growing environmental education center in Virginia, I have explored the potential of a
designed, multi-use landscape able to purify water, recycle wastes, produce utilitarian products, and produce food while simultaneously providing a beautiful, accessible setting for children and adults to play and
learn, a center for the growth and training of a local sustainable culture,
and a example of innovative watershed stewardship. My return to New
Orleans has been absolutely filled with meetings (all running over time)
with a variety of community action groups exploring and experimenting
with restorative urban landscapes that are aimed at both remediating the
city‘s ecology while also rebuilding community with imbedded projects
such as community shared agriculture, green energy production, and
green building initiatives. Even my travels to the mega-city of New
York has ended with a long and serious conversation from a apartment
coop board about the possibility of urban gardening program done in
the building itself that would be aimed at treating water in-situ, producing food and ornamentals, neighbor relations, and a beautiful communal
space. Locally, several community partnerships are blossoming with
local farms, schools, and NGO‘s. Just recently, my travels have taken
me to Costa Rica where farmers and entrepreneurs proudly shared their
cutting-edge initiatives with bio-char farming and community permaculture projects.
I am in this wonderful situation where my greatest problem is having
too many great partners and too many thrilling collaborations to choose.
Each interaction and experience so far has taught me volumes and
helped me sharpen my ambitions. All these experiences have centered
around the growing need for water stewardship, ecological restoration,
and community health. The need for these things is so great that even
collaborations right here on campus are beginning to manifest. All
these interactions and activities have answered so many questions only
to leave me with more questions driving my research and work. Working with multifunctional designs, on what scale (homestead, neighborhood, city, region, etc) is ecological restoration and community restoration maximized? Do multi-functional ecological design initiatives
stimulate a greater stewardship of watersheds through community collaborative than existing best management practices/policy? In these
multi-layered strategies, is the maximization of natural capital building
done in detriment to the building of community capital and vice versa,
or is this simultaneous capital building synergistic?
This first, still incomplete, year has been so fruitful that I am extremely excited for the next. I find myself puzzled and grateful that I
am in a position where my hardest choices are choices that must discriminate among fantastic projects and potentials that all share the ultimate goal of greater water stewardship, ecosystem management, and
community health.
Hanem Abouelezz
Hanem is currently working on models to quantify bobcat movement in northwestern Vermont. She is working
with data collected from 13 cats in the Champlain Valley and Green Mountains. The first part of the work is to describe the movement (how fast do they travel? how far? what do the travel paths looks like? is the movement generally
sinuous or linear? Do different patterns of movement correspond to different times of the day or different home range
locations?) The second part is to determine the affects of landscape characteristics (such as vegetation and ground
cover, road density, streams ect) on the movement patterns of these cats. We know where the cats actually went (to
some degree anyways, this is called the used space) and we know where, based on the mean distances traveled and
path sinuosity of an individual we can predict where he could have gone (available space). She is going to compare the
"used" space to the "available space" using a compositional style analysis with incoporates a multiple analysis of variance. Given that the cats in the Champlain Valley are in a very different (fragmented) landscape and the cats in the
Green Mountains are in a highly forested landscape we might expect to see differences in the factors which shape
movement between these two groups. Hanem is currently working on the python scripting which will allow these models to run in ArcGIS 9.3 and SAS 9.2.
Mia Akaogi
This past summer Mia worked with the Green Mountain Conservation Group (GMCG) in Effingham, NH to
conduct an inventory of potential contamination sources in the Ossipee Watershed. She attended Ossipee Aquifer
Steering Committee Meetings and provided updates to the public through radio and newspaper. She created worksheets and educational materials for businesses/facilities handling hazardous substances and assisted with best management surveys.
Using GIS software, Mia compared the locations of potential contamination sources to public water systems and
aquifer recharge areas in the Ossipee Watershed. She conducted a groundwater vulnerability analysis to prioritize
potential contamination sources and determine where groundwater monitoring efforts should be initiated. Mia also
attended the ―Science Based Planning & Water Sustainability in the Ossipee Watershed‖ Meeting on November 20,
2008 in Chocorua, NH (sponsored by GMCG) and presented preliminary results of her findings.
Having completed the groundwater vulnerability analysis of the Ossipee Watershed, she is now finishing a final
report that will be presented to GMCG. She will also present her final results at the ―Drinking Water Protection in
the Ossipee Watershed‖ Workshop on Thursday, May 7, 2009 in Chocorua, NH (sponsored by GMCG).
(continued on p. 8)
8
The Rubenstein School News
POWERSHIFT (continued from p.1)
He declared, if we cannot change, we will begin ―…fighting the wars over lithium for the batteries
instead of oil for the engines and we will still have a dead planet.‖
According to the official schedule the next two days were dedicated to a variety of sessions.
Yet, with over 10,000 students trafficking across the convention center from one workshop to the next
panel and back again, it became apparent that Powershift‘s purpose was not to sit in a lecture for two
days. There were people to meet and stories to hear. The Vermont student breakout provided a simple
environment to discuss current campaigns and begin planning better ways to organize us as Vermont
students.
The most influential event of the weekend
was the experience of lobbying for strict climate
change policy passed in congress to my state representative. This opportunity allowed me to finally
funnel my built up energy into a specific and critical
task.
As the 200 of us now settle back into Vermont, our fire still burns to
move forward on this movement. Powershift became the final push of inspiration
UVM students had been seeking. We seek to set a standard of advocacy on this
campus and act as part of the growing movement that is sweeping this planet.
Above left: UVM students blockading one of the entrances at the capitol power plant. Above right: Jessica Serrante (‘10) previous to a facilitation
meeting (Photo by Basil Tsimoyianis).
USDA MULTICULTURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT UPDATES (continued from p.7)
Jennifer Wright
Like any other graduate student, course selection was difficult because of the diverse and
numerous courses offered as well as my broad
interest in several subjects related to natural resource management. As time is limited, I relied
on faculty and second year graduate students to
guide my choices. The great advice led me to
pursue several challenging and exciting classes.
Last fall the Community-based participatory
research class, a cross-listed class with the
School of Nursing particularly caught my attention. My main project was in collaboration with the Vermont Urban Forestry
Council and two graduate students. Our goal was to apply the communitybased participatory research process in order to assist the Council in identifying their concerns about forest carbon and communities. We presented our
class project at the Council‘s quarterly meeting in December in Montpellier
and met the members.
This spring semester is highlighted by the international content of my
classes. I recently came back from a two week trip in Monteverde, Costa
Rica. Ten graduate students, one teaching assistant and instructor Terri
Donovan set out to assist with the implementation of Three-wattled bellbird
Conservation Corridor. We met and worked with the Consortium composed
of six conservation groups: Costa Rican Conservation Foundation, Tropical
Science Center, Monteverde Conservation League, University of GeorgiaCosta Rica, Monteverde Institute and Ministry of Environment and Energy.
The Consortium‘s goal is to restore, protect and conserve the 66 416 hectare
corridor between the continental divide (elevation of 1850m) and the Nicoya
Gulf. The class was a great success for all participants. For further information regarding this class and project please visit http://
corredorbiologicopajarocampana.wikispaces.com/ .
Finally, I am truly enjoying the Conservation in the 21 st Century, Contrasting and Complementary trends in China and the U.S., a partnership between Peking University in Beijing and UVM. Blogs are used to share understanding and perspective of several conservation issues. Furthermore, each
UVM student is paired with a Chinese student to increase communication
between the two groups.
Nathaly Agosto Filion
Upon admission as a
USDA Multiculural Fellow to
The Rubenstein School for
Environment and Natural
Resources, Nathaly Agosto
Filion sought out the cohortmodel, project-based degree
option offered through the
Ecological Planning program
(working closely with Jeffrey Hughes and Field Naturalist Program of
the Plant Biology Department). Venturing outside of the program's
traditional project placement with conservation organizations mostly
within New England, Nathaly has been interviewing with a variety of
governmental, private, and non-profit agencies in the Dominican
Republic to design a Master's project focusing on climate adaptation
and natural disaster preparedness. As of mid-March, she has been
working closely with both the National Commission on Climate
Change (working alongside the former Secretary of the Environment
and Natural Resources, Omar Ramirez Tejada -- MANY thanks to
Carol Franco for her help in making connections!) and/or through the
Small Subsidies program of the Sub-Secretariat of Environmental
Management. Nathaly will also be pursuing graduate certification in
Ecological Economics through the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics. In her free time, Nathaly has sought to develop skills in community organizing and political lobbying by volunteering with the
Vermont Oxfam Action Corps' Climate Equity Campaign and organizing climate actions through 350.org.
She would like to take this opportunity to send a shout-out to some
of her favorite people in Vermont who have been invaluable to her
over the last several months. First and most of all, eternal thanks to
her beloved hubby, Ramiro Agosto III. Also many thanks to her fantastic advisor, Deane Wang; graduate helper extraodinaire, Carolyn
Goodwin-Kueffner; as well as folks offering help, advice, and emotional support throughout this journey: Jon Erickson, Carol Franco,
Beverly Colston, Maria Vea-Fagnant, Terry Donovan, and Isis Erb.
The Rubenstein School News
9
FLORIDA ECOLOGY TRAVEL STUDY
COURSE
By Lorelle Sherman ‘10
What do you get when you pack ten RSENR
undergraduates and Professor Allan Strong in two ‗Blue
Mirage Metallic‘ minivans? A bird circus. Enrolled in
WFB 176: Florida Ecology, the eleven of us had the
opportunity to step out of the frigid Vermont air and step
into 85 degrees and sunny weather. Alternating with a
Texas trip, Florida Ecology is a spring break expedition
often nicknamed ―field orno gone south‖.
The adventure began in northern Florida at historic Paynes Prairie, home to the endangered Whooping
Crane, wild horses and bison. The trip began at high
speed with over 30 different bird species sighted, many
of which were nesting or already fledging young. Our
caravan of birding fanatics progressively moved southward over the course of nine days frequently and
Photo: Florida Wildlife Ecology class on the Anhinga Trail in Everabruptly stopping at the sight of anything interesting.
glades National Park. From left: Autumn Amici, Michael Lester, James
Visiting Merritt Island, Kissimmee Prairie, and the
LaPierre, Alison Liedkie, Chris Martin, Lorelle Sherman, Anhinga
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary we eventually landed in
(class totem), Kate Grimsley-Houran, Leah Tansey, Stacey Monahan,
the heart of southern Florida, the Everglades.
and Julian Douglas.
The beautiful weather was not the only thing to
be happy about. Hundreds of alligators, impenetrable mangrove forests, and mahogany hammocks dotting wet prairies kept the
atmosphere exciting. A personal highlight of this extraordinary experience was witnessing close to 100 alligators feed on anything
available in the black of an Everglades night. Oh, and the Chuck-will‘s-widow… It‘s just not the same going to sleep without your
tent-mate trying to steal your pillow and the persistent call of a Chuck-will‘s-widow.
VERMONT OXFAM ACTION CORPS
With April's warm weather tabling spree, Earth
Week excitement, and a series of showings of climate
equity short "Sisters on the Planet", it will be hard to ignore the presence of a growing community group of environmental and social justice activists: the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps. This climate-equity-minded organization has been steadily increasing its membership, collaborations, and events since it's first public event, a Walk for
Climate Justice on Earth Day 2008 which sought to highlight the increased distances people around the world are
having to walk for access to unpolluted, potable water.
Working under the direction of Oxfam America,
an international relief and development organization, the
Oxfam Action Corps is a volunteer initiative in key cities
nationwide to inform, inspire, and mobilize public support for policies that create solutions to hunger, poverty,
and social injustice. The Oxfam Action Corps is asking that the US cut greenhouse gas emissions and provide financial assistance so that the most vulnerable communities can adapt to a changing climate.
The Vermont Oxfam Action Corps is co-led by RSENR graduate student, Nathaly Agosto Filión (class of 2005 and
2010) and Tuipate Mubiay, Howard Center Diversity Coordinator and UVM Social Work graduate (class of 2006). RSENR undergraduate student, Olivia Bulger, is currently organizing a screening of Sisters on the Planet for a Focus the Nation evening of
shorts on environmental justice. We hope you'll join us and learn more about our work by attending a showing of Sisters on the
Planet (showing throughout April and May in schools and universities, community centers, and churches near you!) or by visiting
our blog: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/vermont.
10
The Rubenstein School News
OLDEST RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL STUDENT, HELMUT
WERNER, WAS A LIFE-LONG LEARNER
By Shari Halik
Helmut Werner was not your typical Rubenstein School student. He
was, no doubt, one of the oldest undergraduates ever enrolled in the School.
Failing health and a propensity for falling kept him moving slowly but didn‘t
deter him from heading out on field labs with his much younger classmates.
Chair of Forestry John Shane confirmed that Helmut was ―within
spitting distance‖ of finishing his forestry degree. But unfortunately, before
he could attain his degree, Helmut died of a heart attack in a one-car accident
on January 8, 2009 at the age of 73.
―Helmut was quite a character,‖ said Extension Professor Thom
McEvoy, who co-taught Helmut‘s Silviculture class this past fall semester.
―He insisted on participating in field labs because he didn‘t want to miss out
on any part of the course. The other students treated Helmut as one of their
own but also helped him to remember basic forestry concepts and to stay on
his feet in the woods.‖
Born in Nazi-occupied Europe, Helmut had a fascinating life story to
tell. After Helmut took a fall during a Silviculture field lab, Thom McEvoy sat
with him and learned about his past.
Fleeing with his mother from their homeland in Eastern Europe,
Helmut grew up in post-World War II Germany. He was forced to leave
school at a young age to begin his career as a butcher‘s apprentice. In 1956,
he and his wife and three children immigrated to New York City, where
Helmut worked as a butcher in a slaughterhouse in Manhattan. Dissatisfied
with changes in his long-time position at the slaughterhouse, Helmut trained
as a bus driver, but heart complications forced him to retire. At his doctor‘s
recommendation, Helmut retired to Vermont, where his family had vacationed.
A resident of South Burlington, Helmut enrolled at former Trinity
College in Burlington and earned his first bachelor‘s degree before the college closed in 2001. Taking advantage of a UVM
policy that allows Vermont residents 65 and older to take courses for free, Helmut immediately began working on his second bachelor‘s degree part time in UVM‘s forestry program.
His first advisor, Professor Emeritus Dale Bergdahl, taught Helmut forest pathology. ―Helmut struggled in the
course, but the bottom line was he made a good effort and kept up with it,‖ said Dale. ―The questions he sometimes asked
were also a good indication that he was not just going through the motions but thinking things through.‖
Associate Professor Bill Keeton, who became Helmut‘s advisor when Dale retired, also taught Helmut. ―It was
great having Helmut in classes,‖ said Bill, ―because he was never afraid to propose interesting new ideas that stimulated
good class discussion. He loved taking courses and being part of the School community.‖ According to Bill, Helmut took
two to three courses a semester and had amassed well over 200 credits, many from outside the School and transferred from
Trinity. Helmut had been enrolled in the forestry program since 2001, which also makes him one of the longest matriculated undergraduates the School has ever had. ―You talk about a life learner—that‘s what he was,‖ John Shane said. ―He
never wanted to stop. It‘s inspirational.‖
The State of Vermont was recently accepted into the USGS
AmericaView program. AmericaView (AV) is a nationwide
program that focuses on satellite remote sensing data and technologies in support of applied research, K-16 education, workforce development, and technology transfer. The Vermont
AmericaView consortium is lead by RSENR research analyst
Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, Associate Professor Dr. Austin Troy,
and Research Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer Pontius.
The Rubenstein School News
11
HELP WANTED
The following is a sampling of positions listed at The Rubenstein School. Job postings are updated daily on the Job Board outside the Dean‘s
office in the Aiken Center and weekly on the web at http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/?Page=employment/employmt.html. For further information contact: Marie Vea-Fagnant, Career Services Coordinator, 656-3003, email: [email protected]
INTERNSHIPS
have fun? Do you have experience in a Summer camp
setting? We are looking for leaders, 18 years or older,
Office of Sustainability Paid Internship: Sus- who are enthusiastic, organized, creative, and motivated to supervise our Senior and Junior Camp Countainability Education
selors in our camp for 11 to 15 year olds. All preThe UVM Office of Sustainability seeks a well organseason training is mandatory.
ized, independent student to carry out a research
project on sustainability education at UVM. This
For more information on these and other open posistudy will involve independent investigation of a
tions at Smugglers' Notch, please visit the website:
number of data sources. The intern will gather lists
http://www.smuggs.com/
of research projects and of courses and apply a rubric
to identify which of these fit into the category of
City of Palo Alto, Conservation Internship
sustainability education. Work includes sorting and
This position will work with staff in the City's Utilianalyzing results and summarizing results into a
ties Department on Smart Energy Program, Low
report.
Income Program (Residential Energy Assistance
Qualifications: competency in Microsoft excel, data
Program or REAP), Refrigerator Recycling Program,
analysis, making cold calls, background in sustainSolar Hot Water Program, PV Partners Program,
ability, well organized, independent, persistent
Water Efficiency Program, and education programs.
To apply: please send letter of interest, including
Sample duties include assistance in planning Utilities‘
GPA, year, references, and area of study to
summer workshop series, help in staffing public
[email protected]
outreach events throughout the summer, planning
Pay rate: $12-15 an hour, depending on experience
solar workshops, meeting with community groups,
Total hours: 80-100, to be completed by June 30,
program development and administration, assisting in
2009
developing marketing and educational material, and
Application deadline is Friday, March 20 2009
assisting in reporting requirements. Intern may also
Currently enrolled upper-level undergraduate or
verify equipment installation, research new program
graduate students preferred
ideas, develop marketing/educational material, and
enter program participation into databases.
Summer Positions Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate will be workSmugglers' Notch, ing on (or recently graduated from) a bachelor's or
master's degree program emphasizing environmental
Vermont
issues. Majors in environmental studies, environmental engineering, or some related area is typical of
this background. Experience in administering environmental programs, analytical review of programs,
Smugglers' Notch is
currently hiring for their and/or customer service in delivering programs is
preferable.
upcoming summer season. Smugglers' is the perfect
Salary: $12.00 - $20.00 Hourly
playground in which to recreate and rejuvenate in a
To Apply: https://www.calopps.org/
family-friendly atmosphere.
ViewAgencyJob.cfm?ID=6516 Close Date: May 1,
Open Positions Include:
2009
Challenging Course/ClimbTower Facilitator
Are you a climber? Do you like to challenge yourself
and others to do the best they can and do so in a safe
BACHELOR’S DEGREE REQUIRED
and fun atmosphere? Are you CPR and First Aid
certified? Then what are you waiting for?! Climb on
over and help us out! Part-time and full-time positions Environmental Technician, Waterbury VT The
Facilities Engineering Division has 2 temporary posiavailable. Various shifts available from 8:00 am tions they are looking to fill. The Facilities Engineer8:00 pm, seven days a week. Must be 18 years or
ing Division provides in-house civil engineering
older to apply. All pre-season training is mandatory.
services to the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks
Family Events Staff
and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife and Environmental
Responsible for facilitating various recreational activities for adults and families throughout the day and Conservation. The anticipated time frame will be
from May 18, 2009 - August 28, 2009.
evening such as family games, parties and bingo.
Overview: These positions would assist the Division
Applicants should be out-going, fun and have an
with current construction projects, planning and deathletic background. Must be 18 years or older to
apply. Various full and part-time shifts available from signing for future projects. The work required in8:00 am - 10:00 pm. All pre-season training is manda- volves topographic surveying, developing plans using
AutoCAD drafting, developing specifications, comtory.
piling permit applications, sampling and testing,
Hiking Guide
Do you enjoy the great outdoors? We are looking for communication with permitting and other agencies,
quantity takeoffs and cost estimating, assistance with
people who have a background as a naturalist or
construction stakeout and construction review, and
environmentalist to lead safe, yet fun daily hikes.
other duties as assigned.
First aid and CPR preferred. Hours depend on diffiPreferred Qualifications: Preference will be given to
culty level of hikes, number of hikes per day, and
number of guests signed up for programs. Must be 18 applicants with demonstrated experience in using
AutoCAD, Land Development software or with colyears or older to apply. Full and part-time positions
lege credits in computer assisted drafting, and ARC
available.
GIS 9.1 to assist with geographic mapping projects.
Notch Squad Camp Supervisor
Education: Associate's degree in engineering, soils
Can you work in a fast-paced environment, and still
science, a natural resources field or a physical or
biological science.
Experience: None
Note: Work experience at a technical level in environmental conservation may be substituted for the
degree on a six months for semester basis.
To Apply: Go to https://erecruit.per.state.vt.us/
index.html; Position Number 665020; Reference
25480
Closing Date: April 17, 2009
MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIRED
Renewable/Alternative Energy & Conservation
Specialist
Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company Ludlow, MA
Position Type: Full Time
The Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric
Company (MMWEC), through a public energy partnership established in 1969, provides the services,
expertise and strategic vision to help municipal utilities optimize their energy resources and find value in
the shifting structure of New England's wholesale
power markets. MMWEC's purpose is to enhance the
competitive position of municipal utilities.
Qualifications:Bachelor degree in engineering or a
physical science. A master's degree is preferred.
Knowledgeable of renewable energy technologies,
energy efficient methods. Proficient in MS Office
programs, project economics, and scheduling techniques. Some traveling to project sites is required. To
Apply:Please send resumes to: Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company
Human Resources Office, P.O. Box 426
Ludlow, MA 01056
PHD REQUIRED
Project Director
Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere
Safety,Kenya,United Kingdom
Skill Level: Senior Level
Position Type: Full Time
The
Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety:
creating a new tomorrow through conservation, community, culture and commerce.
Position Overview: The Zeitz Foundation is seeking
a Project Director with a passion for hands-on project
work to provide leadership, direction and implementation for all of the Zeitz Foundation initiatives and
programming on the Segera Ranch (a privatelymanaged natural area) in Kenya and on private reserves elsewhere. The position combines true field
practice with accountability for the program quality
and impact of the Foundation‘s initiatives.
The success of the position will rely on the ability of
the candidate to assess regional ecosystem and/or
reserve-specific needs (beginning with Segera‘s and
other sustainable tourism operations) across the dimensions of conservation, community, culture, and
commerce (4Cs) and develop and implement strategic
programs that achieve a dynamic and sustainable
balance of these 4Cs. For More info: contact: Sabrina
Dupre at (617) 213 5099
[email protected]
University of Vermont Focus the Nation
Implementing Climate Change
Solutions for UVM & America
Saturday, April 18 - Friday, April 24, 2009
Earth Week @ UVM
Most, if not all, of us here at The Rubenstein School might well be able to find countless ways for UVM to improve its
"green" image. One very simple way we can all support positive action is by participating in the combined events of
UVM's Earth Week, Focus the Nation, and the National Climate Change Teach-Ins scheduled from Saturday, April
18th through Sunday, April 25th.
Starting with a large community service event, and culminating with a student speak out led by participants of
the 2009 Power Shift, the week includes lectures, art, panels, and workshops all focused on the theme of Implementing
Climate Solutions. For more information, please visit the UVM Focus the Nation website (go to www.uvm.edu/
climatechange and select the FtN link). To get involved, please join us for meetings on Wednesdays at 12:30pm in the
Davis Center, Room 413.
The UNIVERSITY of VERMONT
THE RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCES
George D. Aiken Center
81 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405-0088