News The Rubenstein School F

The Rubenstein School
of Environment and Natural Resources
News
Vol. XXIX, No. 5, March 2008, The University of Vermont, www.uvm.edu/envnr
FOCUS THE NATION
LARGEST STUDENT-ORGANIZED ENDEAVOR IN UVM’S HISTORY
BY VALERIE ESPOSITO
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 located outside
of the Dean‘s office (330
Aiken).
http://www.uvm.edu/envnr
Editor:
Rachael Beddoe, ‗09G
Aiken Center 218
[email protected]
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:
The Rubenstein School
in Action
Focus the Nation
Greening of Aiken
Focus on Graduate
Project—Amy Brown
Focus on Undergraduate Internship— Elias
Rosenblatt
New Interim Dean
Help Wanted
and more...
On Sunday night, January 27, a momentous
event began at UVM. Climate Change 101, A
Primer, given by RSENR Ph.D. student Ken
Bagstad, kicked off a week-long series of teach
-ins, panel discussions, workshops and events
centered around climate change that proved to
be the biggest student-organized
endeavor in UVM‘s history. Over
1900 colleges, universities, high
school and community institutions
engaged in a dialogue to work
towards solutions for climate
change. UVM was recognized by
the national Focus the Nation Organization as one of the top ten
schools in the country for the
breadth of events offered.
To produce such a full schedule of
activities, the Steering Committee began meeting weekly in September. The fruits of their
labors resulted in a full week of events in
which attendees heard about:
carbon markets at a panel including
RSENR faculty and Secretary
of the Agency of Natural Resources George Crombie,
carbon farming,
biofuels in Vermont,
climate change examined
through an ecological economic lens, and
green building.
(Continued page 4)
tana.
Dr. Forcier expects that his
term will not be that of a
caretaker, but that he will be
working with the School‘s leadership to continue the remarkable trajectory that is currently
underway, including work on the all-important
development activities that will finalize the
Greening of
Aiken project
to move forward.
LARRY FORCIER NAMED INTERIM DEAN
OF THE RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL
In February 2008, Dr. Larry Forcier was appointed Interim Dean of The Rubenstein
School. He replaces Don DeHayes, who has
accepted a position as Provost at the University
of Rhode Island. Dr. Forcier brings to The
Rubenstein School extensive experience both
within the School and without. Dr. Forcier has
been with UVM for 30 years, and most notably
he has served as a most successful Dean of the
Rubenstein School (1985-1998), as well as
Dean to the College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences (1991-1998) and the Division of Agriculture, Natural Resources Extension (19912003). Dr. Forcier has most recently served as
Senior Advisor to the President from 1998 to
2002. Previously, Dr. Forcier was Dean of the
School of Forestry at the University of Mon-
We welcome
Larry to his
new position
and look forward to his
leadership
and expertise!
2
The Rubenstein School News
THE RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL IN ACTION
PUBLICATIONS
Ali, Saleem H. and Ciaran O‘Faircheallaigh. Extractive Industries, Environmental Performance and Corporate Social Responsibility. Special guest edited issues 52-53 of
Greener Management International, October/December, 2007
Ali, Saleem H. Review of ‗Green Cities: Urban Growth and the Environment‘ by Matthew Kahn. Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol.74, Issue 1, 2008.
Roger Masse's honors thesis research was accepted for publication in Northeastern
Naturalist: The potential of uncut patches to increase the nesting success of grassland
songbirds in intensively managed hayfields: a preliminary study from the Champlain
Valley of Vermont.
McEvoy, T.J. 2007. The Ethics of Forestry Practice in the Northeast. Farming -- The
Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 10, No. 11. November issue. pp 61-66.
McEvoy, T.J. 2007. Timber Sale Contracts in the Public Records – When is it necessary to file?. Forest Products Equipment Journal. Vol. 16, No. 3. November issue. pp 14-18.
McEvoy, T.J. 2007. Managing Beech Bark Disease in Landscape Trees. Tree Services. Vol. 3, No. 11. pp 17-19.
Perlut, N. G., C. R. Freeman-Gallant, A. M. Strong, T. M. Donovan, C. W. Kilpatrick, and N. Zalik. 2008. Agricultural management affects evolutionary processes in a migratory songbird. Molecular Ecology 17:1248-1255.
Nate Zalik's master's thesis research was accepted for publication in The Auk: Effects of hay-cropping on invertebrate biomass
and the breeding ecology of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis).
PRESENTATIONS
Lecturer Matt Kolan and seniors from his NR 206 course will be presenting about the course and their service-learning projects at the Vermont Campus Compact Statewide Gala, March 18th, 1-5pm in UVM's Davis Center. The title of the presentation will be ―Service-learning and problem solving: Reflecting on the senior capstone course for Environment and Natural
Resource students at UVM.‖ RSENR will also be recognizing a key community partner, the New England Grassroots Environment Fund, at this event. They were nominated for the 2008 ―Engaged Community Partner Award‖. For more info on this
event, go to: http://www.vtcampuscompact.org/gala.php, or see the Gala‘s advertisement, back page of this issue.
Bob Manning delivered the keynote address at the 30th annual Southeastern Recreation Research Conference in Savannah,
Georgia on February 24-26, 2008. The title of the address was ―Carrying Capacity of Parks and Protected Areas: Past, Present, and Future.‖ Conference attendees included Jeff Hallo, who earned a Ph.D. degree at UVM and is now Assistant Professor at Clemson University, and Logan Park, who earned a master‘s degree at UVM and is now a doctoral student at Virginia Tech University.
Allan Strong presented a paper at the Fourth International Partners in Flight meeting in McAllen, Texas: Grassland bird conservation in the Northeastern US: management opportunities in a dynamic agricultural landscape.
Katherine Westdijk will be presenting at the University Education in Natural Resources Conference in Corvallis, Oregon on
March 15th as part of the ―Experiential and Service-Learning‖ plenary session. The title of Ms. Westdijk‘s presentation is:
Engaging Minds, Building Community: Research and Recommendations for Facilitating Community Engagement in The
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
AWARDS and APPOINTMENTS
Associate Professor Saleem Ali was a keynote speaker at the Rhode Island Council of World Affairs annual dinner on February 5, 2008 where he was given a citation by the governor of the state for his contributions to promoting mutual understanding
between cultures as an adjunct faculty member at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies.
The Rubenstein School News
3
AWARDS and APPOINTMENTS (cont’d)
Saleem Ali's edited volume "Peace Parks: Conservation and Conflict Resolution" (MIT Press, 2007) has been nominated for
the Grawemeyer Award for ideas that promote world order. If given the award, Dr. Ali plans to donate the $200,000 prize to
a fund at UVM to promote the study and practice of environmental conflict resolution.
Paul W. Simonin, MS graduate student in the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, received a 2008 New
England Outdoor Writers Association scholarship. These scholarships are awarded to students who best demonstrate creativity, commitment and an ability to communicate their enthusiasm and knowledge about the outdoors. Paul's thesis work with
advisor Donna Parrish and project co-PIs (Lars Rudstam and Patrick Sullivan, Cornell University, and Bernie Pientka,
Vermont Fish and Wildlife) addresses the interactions of rainbow smelt and alewife in Lake Champlain.
MEDIA
The Spatial Analysis Laboratory’s work on urban tree canopies recently received national media attention. The Boston
Globe (http://tinyurl.com/2uy4mw) and USA Today (http://tinyurl.com/2oba57) wrote articles on the importance of researching urban trees to understand and promote effective tree plantings.
On March 3, Extension Forester Thom McEvoy was a guest on the WCAX, 'Across the Fence' Program discussing the details of selling timber from private woodlands, the subject of a 'Spring 2008' set of workshops offered across the state. According to Prof. McEvoy, "The credit crunch of 2007 is causing people who own forests to look to them as a source of
cash. But for most owners, a timber sale is a once-in-a-lifetime proposition so they better get it right."
The National Woodland Owners Association is considering the possibility of co-publishing, with University Press of New
England, Prof. McEvoy's new book: Planning the Future Forest (Spring 2009). In recent conversations with the NWOA's
Executive Director, Darrel Pendris (RSENR Forestry 2006), the Association wants to use the book in conjunction with
workshops around the country that will help forest owners plan for intergenerational transfers of their lands. The book is the
culmination of a four-year project to obtain the stories of forest-owning families that have developed plans to keep their
lands intact for generations to come.
Paul Schaberg (USDA Forest Service and Rubenstein School), Kendra Gurney (Rubenstein School) and representatives
from The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) conducted public outreach at the Vermont Farm Show, Barre, VT on January 29-31, 2008 concerning joint research to restore the American chestnut to Vermont. Each year about 30,000 people attend the Barre Farm Show, which is a 70-year-old tradition and a major winter event in the region. Rubenstein School, Forest Service and TACF collaborators had an information table with a steady steam of interested visitors throughout the
show. A major purpose of this outreach is to connect with landowners with residual American chestnut trees that might be
appropriate for the restoration breeding program.
PARK STUDIES LAB PARTICIPATES IN YOSEMITE SYMPOSIUM
Several current and past Park Studies Lab personnel participated in the
Yosemite National Park User Capacity Symposium held at the park on
February 6-8, 2008. Jim Bacon, who earned a master‘s degree at UVM,
is now the Outdoor Recreation Planner at Yosemite, and Jim helped plan
and conduct the Symposium. The park is deeply involved in planning
and managing visitor carrying capacity, and the Symposium was designed to educate stakeholders about this issue. Bob Manning delivered
the opening address which traced the history of carrying capacity as applied to parks and outdoor recreation and environment and natural resources more generally, and outlined a series of emerging principles of
carrying capacity. Peter Newman, who earned a Ph.D. at UVM and is
Jim Bacon, Peter Newman, and Bob Manning at the
now Assistant Professor at Colorado State University, and Steve LawYosemite User Capacity Symposium
son, who also earned a Ph.D. degree at UVM and is now Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech University, also participated in the Symposium. Both Peter and Steve and currently conducting
research at Yosemite. The Symposium was attended by about 200 people.
4
The Rubenstein School News
...FOCUS THE NATION (contd from pg 1)
Students, faculty, staff and community members, including Mayor Bob Kiss, took part in a Sustainable Burlington
Design Charrette that generated several innovative plans for the town‘s future development (including a gondola running
down Main Street to replace car transportation). Over 70 faculty members conducted teach-ins in their classroom in diverse
disciplines such as anthropology, higher education, Spanish, professional writing and political science. Participants also
watched several films covering Cuba‘s survival of peak oil; media and government intervention in climate change science;
and mountaintop removal and the fight for coalfield justice.
The culmination of Focus the Nation took place on January 31, when the Goldman Environmental Prize winner and
acclaimed coal mountaintop removal activist Judy Bonds spoke, to standing room only, about one of the largest contributors
to climate change and its dirty mining legacy. That evening members of the RSENR community were treated to Flatbread,
generously donated by the restaurant, as they listening to plans to reduce RSENR‘s carbon footprint, followed by a spirited
discussion about carbon offsets and other mechanisms to combat carbon emissions. After that, Vermont playwright Kathryn
Blume performed her one-woman play The Boycott, about a First Lady who declares a nationwide boycott on sex until climate change is addressed on a national level.
The week closed with a policy workshop featuring state Representative Rachel Weston followed by a student speakout in which emcee Representative David Zuckerman urged students to become more politically involved and active on
campus. Although Focus the Nation has officially ended, the momentum started by the week continues. A student sustainability contest is being offered to encourage and support creative solutions to create positive change in our community. Its
goal is to inspire forward-thinking, systemic solutions in the areas of design, economy, media, governance, education, and/
or human behavior, with carbon reduction as a key theme. Open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the contest
will provide $2500 (generously donated by Seventh Generation and Continuing Education) for materials and services
needed for implementing their project (for project details see below). Plans are also underway for Earth Week and discussion has begun about continuing Focus the Nation next year. It is the sincere hope of the Steering Committee that the events
of the week demonstrated the power that every person can have in engendering innovative solutions towards climate change.
Student Sustainability Contest
Purpose
The UVM Focus the Nation‘s steering committee has established a student sustainability contest. The goal of this contest is to
inspire forward-thinking, systemic solutions in the areas of design, economy, media, governance, education, and/or human
behavior, with carbon reduction as a key theme.
This contest is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. This contest will provide financial support to allow for a
good idea to be turned into action. The winner(s) will have access to $2500 for materials
and services needed for implementing their project.
Timeline
Proposal Deadline: Thursday, March 20, 2008, emailed to: [email protected]
Winners Announced: During Earth Week Activities (approx. April 22, 2008)
Project Progress Presentation: Fall 2008
Project Completion Deadline: December 15, 2008
For More Information
Visit http://www.uvm.edu/climatechange/FocustheNation/contest.html for proposal details.
For further information, contact the Contest Committee at [email protected]
with ―FtN Contest‖ in the subject field.
The Rubenstein School News
STUDENT POWERED: A NEW WAY TO FOCUS
THE
NATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
BY LAURA KIESEL
5
of which is extracted by MTR methods of exploding
mountain-tops. Coal is also the most polluting of our
fossil fuel resources and a prime culprit in global
warming.
The solutions offered by Bonds were simple: grassroots activism and awareness and switching our energy grid to
renewables instead of fossil fuels. Ironically, even though the
mining industry was traditionally a major employer in the
Appalachian region, those jobs are leaving as MTR relies on
machinery over manpower. Bonds believes green construction
and maintenance jobs could make up for any more jobs lost as
we switch to a clean energy economy. ―There are no jobs on a
dead planet,‖ Bonds stressed.
Focus the Nation addressed at length the advent of
the green-collar job phenomenon and the new revolution of
renewable energy. Many discussions centered on making and
maintaining this trend in the mainstream for the long-term.
Perhaps the most astounding aspect of FtN was the
willingness of younger generations to embrace the concept of
conservation as an innovation in itself.
During a UVM Town Hall meeting held near the end
of the week, several faculty members and local representatives of sustainable initiatives held a panel discussing the potential of carbon offsets to help mitigate emissions dispelled
by travel and energy usage. Though the consensus was that
―luxury emissions‖ are a real issue, the bottom line was that
we can‘t enable that discussion to delay us from getting to the
real problem: our nation‘s comparably superfluous, even gluttonous, use of natural resources.
Most of today‘s college kids understand that it was
the frenetic drive for expansion and ―progress‖ that led us to
this impending disaster. A lot of them are advocating a simpler, less energy-intensive life as a way of stemming the adverse effects of climate change.
Students were nodding vigorously when Judy Bonds
thunderously exclaimed that if someone takes issue with coal
and MTR than the most powerful thing to be done is ―shut off
the lights!‖ At the auditorium, students had reusable water
bottles sporting stickers saying ―One Less Plastic Bottle.‖ At
the Town Hall meeting, tables were set up by student representatives with billboards urging us all to eat less or no meat,
buy organic and shop local.
The message of Focus the Nation and its companion
movements, such as PowerShift and Step It Up, is that our
nation‘s youth will not be taking a backseat on the issue that
defines our generation. We are ready and willing to make profound sacrifices and create strong solutions for the salvation
of the planet. Let us hope the older
generations and those in power will
follow our lead.
Judy Bonds ended her
speech with a reference to a Hopi
tribe saying: ―You are the one that
you‘ve been waiting for.‖
During the last week of January, the University of
Vermont became one of more than 1,900 institutions to participate in Focus the Nation (FtN), the largest national teachin on global warming solutions. Though considered an educational initiative, Focus the Nation was also a mass organized
effort of civic engagement, promoting action as well as awareness. There are lots of global warming solutions, but one clear
goal: 80 percent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
On the national front, FtN offered an interactive
webcast on its homepage. The webcast, called The Two Percent Solution (for cutting emissions two percent annually),
was broadcast live on January 30. Featured guests included
renowned climate scientist Stephen Schneider and eco-jobs
advocate Van Jones, as well as celebrity endorsements from
actors Ed Norton and Woody Harrelson. The webcast was
sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and Earth Day
Network.
Participants were prompted to cast ballots online for
their favorite solutions to global warming. Among the choices
were a coal moratorium, mass implementation of solar panels
in homes across America, and a renewable investment program. ―Invest in the Clean Energy Revolution‖ marginally
won as the top proposed global warming solution, with 13
percent of the vote, with other options, such as creating superefficient cars, gaining a fair number of votes as well (12 percent). FtN will also award three $10,000 scholarships to students who have authored the best solutions proposal.
At UVM, dozens of workshops explored issues affecting levels of greenhouse gas emissions, including coal
mining, transportation, population, waste, agriculture and policy. The topic of the keynote speech was coal and carbon and
was presented by Judy Bonds, who is a 2003 winner of the
Goldman Environmental Prize and the outreach coordinator of
Coal River Mountain Watch, a nonprofit that calls attention to
the travesty of mountain-top removal (MTR) in the Appalachians.
Bonds began her activism when she saw her young
grandson standing ankle-deep in a blackened stream with a
fist full of dead fish. Standing at the UVM podium, she began
by apologizing for the actions of her generation, for leaving us
to contend with a degraded and dangerous planet.
―We partied on your future. Shame on us,‖ she said.
She then asked us to urge our parents and professors to get to
work helping us complete the environmental movement they
started in the 1960s.
Bonds illuminated the atrocities suffered by the people of Appalachia, including myriad health disorders and cancers, constant harassment and assault by the coal industry and Original article can be found on line at
eventual displacement. The Appalachian region provides our h t t p : / / w w w . e m a g a z i n e . c o m / v i e w / ?
nation with 52 percent of its coal supply, she said, a majority 4088&src=
6
The Rubenstein School News
GREEN FLASH - Greening of Aiken Update By
Rachael Beddoe
Lease Signed!
Recently, the George D. Aiken Forest Service Lab in
South Burlington, a part of the USDA Forest Service‘s Northern Research Station, signed a lease agreement with the
Rubenstein School to exchange lab stations. According to
newly-appointed Interim Dean Larry Forcier, the signing of
the lease offers the UVM Rubenstein School a tangible opportunity to engage in community building with frugality.
Says Dean Forcier, ―Without this agreement with the
Forest Service, we would not have been able to meet a number
of our goals that have developed during the Greening of Aiken
process. Meeting these goals will require good planning, attention and cooperation, and the rewards of our efforts will more
than demonstrate our commitment to sustainability.‖
As a result of the lease signing, the original Greening
of Aiken project has been expanded to
the ―Integration toward Sustainability‖
Aiken Center and Aiken Lab project, a
name suggested by Will Raap, a member
of the School‘s Board of Advisors.
An Integration for Sustainability
Committee had been formed which incorporates the Greening of Aiken planning
committee as a subcommittee. The Integration Committee will work to bring
together the Forest Service Lab and Aiken
Center functions, and will integrate the wisdom and energy of
UVM Facilities Design and Construction, Campus Planning
Services, Physical Plant, and Telecommunications. The
Greening of Aiken subcommittee is tasked with interfacing
with the architects, UVM engineering, and UVM Division of
Development and Alumni Affairs.
The Greening Subcommittee, chaired by Gary Hawley, will also help with the challenge of raising an additional
$1 million to complete the reconstruction and modest expansion the Aiken Center. Fund raising will also support other
desired infrastructure elements that will position
the Aiken building as a shining example for future campus-wide greening efforts. The Integration committee will facilitate smooth transitions
for students, faculty, and staff during the relocation process and will work to build a strong
sense of community, celebration and involvement within the
merged population of UVM and the Forest Service employees.
Not only does Dean Forcier see the integration effort
as a way for the UVM Rubenstein School to walk the talk of
sustainability, he sees in it the potential to be a national model.
―Though other institutions have federal and university scientists housed together, this is a chance for the full integration of
two different organizational cultures. The question for the
committee will be, ‗How do we fully enfranchise the Forest
Service in the Greening of Aiken process and advance both
institutions missions simultaneously?‘ I‘m confident that all
the committee members share the goal of celebrating our new
and expanded community and making the
various steps in the process as positive as
they are worthy.‖
Finally, Dean Forcier recognized
the short and long-term work of Senator
Leahy and his staff in contributing to the
development of this partnership. ―We
really appreciate Senator Leahy‘s office
for their incredible support in making this
dream come together.‖
The Integration Committee formed-completed
Design/permitting process begins - underway
Lab transitions – March-early fall 2008
Complete fundraising – September 2008
Design/permitting process ends – October/November
2008
Ground breaking ceremony – December 2008
Move into surge space completed – December 2008
Renovations and reentry into Aiken Center completed –
June 2010
(Update continued on page 9)
who are already working to redesign our world.
See first-hand positive solutions to environmental problems
and gain empowerment in the process.
Discover why UVM and Vermont are both celebrated as
national "green" leaders.
As the largest teach-in in U.S. history, Focus The Nation was
Profile sustainability pioneers and leaders who you‘ll come
one giant step toward preparing millions of students to become
to know well.
leaders in the largest civilizational challenge any generation has
faced. UVM‘s new Sustainability Field Studies Program - FoIdentify strategies and skills that will help you be a catalyst
cus Your Summer on Global Warming Solutions, is one of the
for change and solve problems in your community of
next steps.
choice—your hometown, a sister city, or even an international destination.
Through UVM‘s new Sustainability Field Studies Program –
For
more
information on the Sustainability Field Studies ProFocus Your Summer on Global Warming Solutions students can
gram
–
Focus
Your Summer on Global Warming Solutions ofearn 3 academic credits doing something they care deeply about
fered
through
UVM‘s
new summer Institute for Global Sustain- supporting the development of climate change soluability, please call 1-800-639-3210 or visit www.uvm.edu/
tions. Through this program participants will:
summer/igs/.
Engage directly "in the field" with innovators and experts
BUILDING UPON FOCUS THE NATION
UVM CALLS STUDENTS TO FOCUS THEIR
SUMMER ON GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS
The Rubenstein School News
7
Texas, Florida, and Maine) and more are in the works in other
states, including at least three in Vermont. Almost all of these
sites have or are attempting to place a conservation easement
Y MY ROWN
on the land to restrict development on the site forever. Most
founders are also committed to the removal of non-native invaThe Emerging Green Burial Movement
sive species on the land in favor of replacement by native
―Contemporary‖ funerals can be costly, both ecoplants, and annual biological surveys that help promote the
nomically as well as environmentally. From the embalming
ecological health of the land. Unlike
fluids, to the steel-lined coffins made
modern cemeteries with marble
from exotic hardwoods, to the enmarkers and well-manicured lawns, a
forced-concrete vaults required by
green cemetery instead resembles a
most cemeteries, many modern funernature park, where a hiker might not
als use an excessive amount of reeven notice that they are walking
sources which may also pollute the
among graves (Flat native stones
ground. Thus, many environmentally
with engravings are allowed at most
-conscious people have begun choosgreen burial sites and grave locations
ing cremation for their remains.
are also marked by GPS).
However, burning a body requires a
Because funeral rituals are
large amount of energy, and carbon
often greatly influenced by religious
dioxide and mercury are released into
values, I have also examined the
the atmosphere with each cremation.
spiritual beliefs surrounding those
The best solution, according to the
who choose green burial. After
Examining the site of a future green burial
founders of new green (or natural) burial
speaking with green burial ground founground in Santa Fe, New Mexico
grounds, is whole-body burial that allows
ders, it is clear that people of every relibodies to naturally return to the earth. My
gious stripe are choosing green burial, from
master‘s thesis research focuses on this
pagans and atheists, who might be drawn
emerging green burial movement.
based on environmental and financial reaVery simply, a green burial is that
sons, to fundamentalist southern Baptists
which does not allow embalming, vaults, or
who are promoting the biblical idea of ‗dust
non-biodegradable coffins (a simple coffin
to dust‘. I have also interviewed local relimade of untreated wood is fine, as is burial
gious leaders as to their roles at the funerals
in a shroud). This concept is nothing new:
of their parishioners and their opinions on
Americans buried bodies in this manner for
the green burial option. Most agree that as
hundreds of years before the funeral induslong as green burial grounds remain open to
try came along after the Civil War, and
people of all faiths and circumstances, they
Jews and Muslims have always buried their
will only grow in popularity, especially as
dead in this simple manner. What is differthe more open-minded baby-boomers age
ent about the emerging green burial
and begin to require their services.
grounds is an added commitment to land
preservation and restoration.
To learn more about green burial in the
Thus far, there are 6 established
United States, check out http://
green burial grounds across the country (in
naturalburial.coop
Burial plot at Greensprings Natural
South Carolina, New York, California,
FOCUS ON GRADUATE PROJECT:
B A
B
, NR ‘08
Cemetery in Newfield, New York
Discuss the formation of a green burial ground in Bristol, Vt
April 13, 3-5:30pm, Main Street
The Watershed Center at The Law Offices of Jim Dumont and Karen Lueders
Congratulations to the Rubenstein Slushpuppies!
On February 9th, the Slushpuppies completed the Burlington 2008 Penguin
Plunge and raised $2000 for the Vermont Special Olympics. Warm fuzzies to:
Isaac "Chillman" Chellman
Michael "Big Dawg" Flinn
Sarah "Big Penguin" Palmer
Michael "Orange Crush" Harrington
Breck "Mr. Punctuality" Bowden
Joe "Wingman" Bartlett
8
The Rubenstein School News
der the skin on the front right flipper. After
the tagging, while she was still focused on
the laying, we measured the length and
Y LIAS OSENBLATT
width of the shell, while also checking for
damage. After the turtle returned to the
I spent the past summer on an internship with the
water we measured how far up the beach the turtle crawled.
University of Florida in the Panhandle of Florida. The intern- Then we had to dig down to the egg chamber and measure
ship focused on collecting data on and tagging nesting logthe depth, and mark off the nest with posts, caution tape, and
gerhead sea turtles and on the protection of their eggs on the an identification sign.
beach. My goal this summer was to work in conservation,
Though this summer was spent working at night
environmental science/studies, or natural resources, and look- collecting data to help in the conservation of the turtles and
ing back now
their habitat, during the day we always talked to locals about
on my comissues involving the environment. For example, many land
pleted internowners on the Cape have pushed for the re-nourishment of
ship, I learned
the quickly-eroding beach, as it might restore falling real esabout all three. tate values. However, this would harm the nesting turtles, as
Every the replacement sand grain size will probably not be suitable
night for ten
for a sturdy egg chamber, causing whole nests to be smothweeks, three
ered. Another big problem is that the underwater area where
other interns
developers would collect sand is a feeding ground for juveand I walked or nile loggerhead sea turtles.
This kind of issue
sparked friendly debates, illumirode ATVs, looking for female turnating a real local issue of envitles crawling up the beach. We
ronmental protection versus the
were patrolling a 2.3 mile section of
local human community. Discussshoreline on Cape San Blas, land
ing and watching the struggle beowned and managed by Eglin Air
tween human culture and the enviForce Base. It is one of the fastestronment was probably the most
eroding beaches in Florida, at a rate
important thing I witnessed this
of about fifteen feet a year, and it
summer. It was such an integral
also has the most loggerhead nests
per mile in the entire panhandle.
Each night there was a
team of two surveyors patrolling
from sundown to sunup to find a
nesting mother. Obviously, as loggerheads are an endangered species, our goal was to minipart because I was
mize disturbances in order to maximize the number of nests
involved, reporting
and the number of hatchlings entering the ocean. However,
light pollution,
the high sensitivity of loggerheads to a noise, light, or touch
asking people to
was what made the surveys difficult. Therefore, we used red keep quiet at night,
lights in order to lower the amount of stray white light on the and always on the
beach, and though the turtles were nearsighted, we often had lookout for nest
to crawl hundreds of feet when approaching a turtle in order disturbances. I
to not raise alarm.
value my time with
Once we could determine if the turtle was indeed
the loggerheads,
going to nest, we began all of our data collection. As a turtle because working
began to dig its body pit and egg chamber, one surveyor
with them and
made ready the proper tagging equipment and paperwork,
watching them
while the other would measure the crawl width. With the
helped me compredrop of the first egg, the turtle was so concentrated on the
hend the need for our culture to understand how our actions
laying that we could touch her and talk quietly without her
affect the bigger picture, from whole ecosystem failure to a
noticing. This was when we tagged her (if she was not alsingle species‘ extinction. This summer gave me a bearing,
ready tagged). We used two types of tags: one metal clip tag not to a specific problem, but to that struggle, and after living
attached to the insides of both front flippers, and a Passive
in it, cognizant of it for the first time, my efforts will now be
Integrated Transponder tag or PIT tag, which is injected unfocused towards the mediation of that struggle.
FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS:
B E
R
, ENSC/WFB ‘09
The Rubenstein School News
9
GREEN FLASH - Greening of Aiken Update Continued
By Alan McIntosh
Greening Interns ‘Leeding’ the Way!
This spring's Greening of Aiken interns are busy working on a variety of projects. We‘re focusing on the
Leed points that may be available for various green aspects of the renovation. Four groups of students—22 in total—
are pursuing possible points available in the areas of energy, water, landscape, and materials. The groups are gathering
data in each of these areas and will determine whether or not it is possible to achieve specific Leed points and, if so,
what the cost will be. A renovated Aiken Center will likely achieve Leed Gold status fairly easily; our goal is to determine whether or not we can reach the ultimate level, Leed Platinum, and what the costs of doing so might be. The interns will present their findings to the RSENR community at a town meeting May 1.
Kudos to a number of individuals working with the interns: undergraduate mentors Shelby Fraga, Anna Kovaliv, Elias
Rosenblatt, Meredith Simard, and James Stoops; graduate TA Amy Kirschner, and faculty/staff mentors Gary
Hawley, John Shane, and Carl Waite. Thanks also to alumna Linda Samter, who is guiding us through the complex
and intriguing Leed process.
Join the discussion! Aiken Pledge blog up and running.
We need your help to make the Aiken Center an environmental superstar...we're trying to reduce
our ecological footprint by two-thirds! An ―Aiken Pledge‖ that focuses on energy efficiency, water
conservation and reuse, material use reduction, and other similar steps has been drafted and is available for your comment. For this effort to be successful, all members of the RSENR community
will need to participate. Please go to our blog site and post your comments and suggestions about
the proposed steps. We plan to present the revised pledge to the Aiken community at a Town
Meeting on May 1. Input from RSENR students, staff, and faculty will be critical if we are to make
this effort a success. See you on the blog!
Help Aiken reduce its ecological footprint by two thirds. Your input is
critical. Post your comments at: www.aikenpledge.wordpress.com
NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNING SENIOR CRAFTS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BILL
Senior Kesha Ram (NR Planning) has been researching environmental justice concerns in Vermont for two years. As Vermont is one of only eight states where environmental justice is not already in the legislative discourse, she worked with Rep.
Rachel Weston to develop H. 463, an ―Act Relating to Establishing an Environmental Justice Policy for the State of Vermont.‖ The main provisions of the bill call for 1) the creation of an environmental justice advisory board within the Agency
of Natural Resources to provide independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to environmental justice and 2)
the addition of a new criterion for Act 250 permitting that would require developers to gauge the existing pollution burden on
neighboring communities, particularly where low-income residents and people of color reside.
The bill is currently on the legislative docket being discussed in the Natural Resources Committee. Although she is unsure
whether or not it will pass this legislative session, Ms. Ram is optimistic about its future: ―Through my research, I have been
putting the issue on the table for elected officials, state agents, and non-profits. There is a growing awareness of the issues
that exist and the fact that Vermont is falling behind other states in this legal framework, which, if implemented, could prevent
injustices from growing and spreading as Vermont's demographics and economy change.‖
Ms. Ram believes she may be able to take this legislation further if she gains a seat in the House of Representatives. She will be running as a Democrat in Burlington's District 3-4 for the November elections.
To show your support, please contact your district's representatives. The complete bill can be found at: http://
www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/intro/h-463.htm
10
The Rubenstein School News
Paid UVM Conservation
Internship Summer 2008
LANDS interns support land trusts, towns and other conservation groups in their stewardship work.
They work in teams or individually to conduct annual monitoring visits, resource inventories,
GIS mapping, invasive removal, and more.
LANDS will be based at UVM. Much time will be spent “in the field”. Project partners like TNC and
Green Mountain Club will be located primarily in VT.
REQUIREMENTS:
BENEFITS:
Rising Junior, Senior, or Graduating Senior
Natural Resource, Environmental Studies, Botany,
CDAE, or related major
6/2 to 8/1, M-F 40hr/week + a few overnights
Ability to hike up to 5 miles in steep terrain
Positive attitude & leadership in team settings
A genuine interest in land conservation
$2000/9 weeks & $1000 AmeriCorps Educational Award
Learn applied conservation skills: Resource Inventory,
Applied GIS, Conservation Legal Instruments and more!
Networking with conservation groups via real-world reports and presentations
Spend summer outdoors in Vermont
Review of applications will begin March 7th
by LANDS program Coordinators and continue until all spots are filled. For more info or an application, please contact:
James Barnes LANDS Program Coordinator, University of Vermont
[email protected]
http://www.uvm.edu/~conserve/lands.html
ALL-CYCLE/CASELLA
SUPPORTS RSENR STUDENTS
The All Cycle/Casella Scholarship Fund is a Rubenstein School operating scholarship fund that provides an annual
scholarship totaling $2500 to one or more students with financial need who are pursuing a degree in The Rubenstein
School. The scholarship is open to students in good academic standing from all geographic areas and will be given to
students entering their junior year.
TO APPLY
Bring the following items to Marie Vea-Fagnant (336 Aiken) by March 22, 2008:
your resume a one-page, single-spaced essay describing your demonstrated commitment to the environment and an explanation of
your financial need.
All applications must be received by 4:30pm,
MARCH 22, 2008. Awards will be announced by April 5, 2008.
Please direct any questions to Marie Vea-Fagnant, Career Services Coordinator for RSENR, Ph: 656-3003 or
[email protected].
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
Position: National Science Foundation
Fellowships Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Biological
Systems Engineering
Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
When: Summer 2008
Description: Opportunity for ten undergraduate engineering students to conduct
independent research during a ten-week
period under the guidance of faculty in
Land and Water Resources Engineering
and Bioprocess Engineering.
Eligibility: Undergraduate in Engineering
at a four-year college or university and a
citizen or permanent resident of the US.
Should have completed the junior year by
June 1, 2008 and have at least one semester left prior to graduation.
Deadlines: Application should be received
by March 24, 2008
For More Information:
http://www.bse.vt.edu/06/research/nsf.php
Dr. David H. Vaughan, Professor and Project Director at 540-231-7608 or
[email protected]
servation Districts of Essex and Caledonia
in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont are
seeking a part-time Field Assistant to work
on Phase II Geomorphic Assessments in
both Counties.
Responsibilities: Work with Conservation
Districts and VT DEC River Management
Program staff to collect and compile data
for Phase II Stream Geomorphic Assessments of rivers and streams in Essex and
Caledonia Counties.
Application materials should be sent to:
Attn Tamara Colten Stevens
Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District
481 Summer Street; Suite 202
St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819
[email protected]
For additional information, please contact Tamara at 802-748-3885 ext. 114 or
email [email protected] or
Kerry O'Brien at 802-748-3885 ext. 110
or email [email protected]
BACHELOR’S OR MASTER’S REQUIRED
Position: Graduate Research Assistantship
in Wildlife Sciences
Location: School of Forestry and Wildlife
Sciences at Auburn University.
Job Description: Conduct field research
on the factors that influence the use of
natural ponds in the Copper River Delta,
Alaska by waterfowl and other birds.
Requirements: Minimum qualifications
include a Bachelor's degree in biology,
ecology, wildlife sciences, or a related
discipline. A Masters degree and relevant
work experience conducting water bird
surveys in remote areas are preferred.
How to Apply: Visit
http://www.grad.auburn.edu/ or email
[email protected].
Start date: Summer semester 2008
Deadline: Mar. 15, 2008
Position: Invasive Plant Species Specialist
Internship
Date: Spring/Summer 2008
Organization: Conservation Legacy Program City of Burlington, Department of
Parks & Recreation
Description: Working closely with the
Land Steward, this position will help identify, locate and remove noxious invasive
plants from Burlington‘s parks, natural
areas and community gardens. The Intern
will develop a strategy to involve the community in removal efforts on public lands.
Using the Wise on Weeds program, the
intern will reach out to homeowners to
educate them about invasives in landscaping and help identify noxious weeds such
as garlic mustard and Japanese Knotweed.
For more info: http://www.uvm.edu/
MASTER’S REQUIRED
envnr/employment/Featured%20postings/
Position:
Climate Change Scientist
Featured%20VT%20Opportunities.htm
Location: Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Plymouth, MA.
BACHELOR’S REQUIRED
Position: Field Assistant—Essex County General Responsibilities: Manomet has
launched a major new initiative to help
Natural Resources Conservation District
wildlife and people mitigate and adapt to a
Location: St. Johnsbury, VT
Description: The Natural Resources Con- changing climate in North and South
America. The Climate Change Scientist
will be a full-time, salaried position, reporting to the Director of Manomet's Climate Change Initiative.
To obtain full post contact:
[email protected]
Position: Director Highstead, a regional
conservation organization, natural area,
and arboretum
Location: Redding CT
Description: direct all programs and administrative activities in support of Highstead's conservation, ecological research,
and outreach mission.
Required: Masters or doctoral degree in
an environmental or natural science and at
least 6 years experience, including organizational management.
More info: http://www.highstead.net/ or
http://www.ecojobs.com/jobs_details.php?
sec=3EW&AID=19265
Deadline: Until filled, at most by May 2,
2008.
PHD REQUIRED
Position: Tenure Track Faculty Positions
in Geology
Institution: Georgia Highlands College
Location: Rome, Marietta, Cartersville, &
Carrollton, GA
Application deadline: 3/31/2008. For
application process and position responsibilities/qualifications, access
www.highlands.edu/jobs
Position: Assistant, Associate or Full Professor of Energy Resources Engineering
Institution: Stanford University CA
Application deadline: 4/30/2008
Description: The Department of Energy
Resources Engineering at Stanford University invites applications for a faculty
appointment at any rank (assistant, associate or full professor). This is a tenure-line
position. It is desired that the selected candidate be able to start no later than January
2009. For more information about the Energy Resources Engineering see http://
pangea.stanford.edu/ERE/ or full description visit http://chronicle.com/jobs/
id.php?id=0000549531-01
Please join us as we recognize the efforts of Vermont higher education to strengthen communities and improve lives
while preparing active citizens.
VERMONT CAMPUS COMPACT GALA 2008
A Celebration of Service, Service Learning, and Civic Engagement
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 • 1:00–6:00 P.M.
Dudley H. Davis Center University of Vermont
EXPLORE... service-learning models of success. DISCUSS... paths to civic engagement in Vermont and beyond.
CELEBRATE... individual and institutional achievement.
Nominate students, community partners, faculty, and staff for the Vermont Campus Compact awards, or
recruit students, staff, and faculty to display their work at the Best Practice Showcase. Presentation
space is limited and we will accept registrations until all spaces are filled or March 7, whichever comes
first. For more information, visit http://www.vtcampuscompact.org/gala.php or contact Bonnie Rita
Hearthstone, [email protected]; (802)443-2506
FOREST CRIMES UNIT UPDATE, CHANNEL 5 NEWS CLIP
By Hillary Jane Archer, RSENR Botany/Wildlife Bio Sophomore
Remember the 50-student strong UVM Forest Crimes Unit? You
know, that energetic student activist group who is working with the
university to cut current ties with all Kimberly Clark custodial paper
products because of their unsustainable logging practices in the
North American ancient Boreal Forest? Their campaign is making
progress, especially in terms of communicating with the Vermont,
New York and Canadian community. They, along with the director
of UVM‘s Office of Sustainability, Gioia Thomson, were featured in
WPTZ NEWS CHANNEL 5‘s six-o‘clock news last Friday!
The UNIVERSITY of VERMONT
THE RUBENSTEIN SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCES
George D. Aiken Center
81 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405-0088
In case you missed it, here it is:
http://www.wptz.com/video/15383241/index.html?taf=pla
If you were wondering what the Forest Crimes Unit has been up to
lately, they are currently organizing sample testing of alternative
paper products in a variety of campus buildings, as well as reaching
out to local elementary schools to provide environmental education
relevant to their forest-friendly campaign.
Please e-mail [email protected] to get
involved or for more information.