N SNR ews Welcome to SNR

SNR News
Vol. XXV, No. 1, October 2003
Newsletter of the School of Natural Resources, The University of Vermont, www.uvm.edu/snr
Welcome to SNR
SNR 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 SNR Student Resource Area (336 Aiken) in
the Dean’s office.
http://www.uvm.edu/snr
Editor:
Sara Lovitz, NRP ‘05G
118 Aiken Center
[email protected]
Welcome to the Class of 2007.
Welcome to new graduate students.
Welcome back to returning undergraduate and graduate
students.
Welcome to the following new faculty and staff members:
Faculty:
Adrian Ivakhiv, Assistant Prof. in Environmental Studies
Jennifer Jenkins, Visiting Assistant Research Professor
Willard Morgan, Visiting lecturer teaching NR 206
Kristian Omland, Post-Doctoral Associate teaching NR 105
Allan Strong in his new position as Assistant Professor in Wildlife and Fisheries
Biology (no longer a visiting assistant professor!)
Staff:
Peter Bestenbostel, Financial Manager
Melody Burkins, Northeastern States Research Cooperative Theme 1 Director
Keri Davis, Staff Assistant, Gund Institute for Ecological Economics
Anjanette Merino, Staff Assistant, Gund Institute for Ecological Economics
Dean Olsen, Postdoctoral Associate
Jonathan Trigaux, Computing Analyst
Welcome back to the following faculty who were on sabbatical last year:
J. Ellen Marsden, PhD., Associate Professor, Fisheries
Alan McIntosh, Ph.D., Professor; Director, Vermont Water Resources and Lake
Studies Center; Program Chair, Environmental Sciences
Leslie Morrissey, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Terrestrial Ecology, Remote
Sensing, GIS
Mary Watzin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Aquatic Ecology; Director, Rubenstein
Ecosystem Science Laboratory
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:
- SNR in Action
- New Vermont Studies
graduate course
- SNR in Ireland
- Sarah Boucher’s Summer Internship
- Mark Keffer’s Graduate Research
- and more
We would like to recognize the following faculty and staff for their years of
outstanding service to SNR:
10 years— Maria Erb
20 years— Shari Halik, Murphy MacLean,
John Shane
30 years— Carl Waite
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SNR News
SNR in Action
RESEARCH
Breck Bowden recently received a 3-year, $600,000 award from NSF entitled "Will
climate change affect hyporheic processes in arctic streams? An assessment of interactions among geomorphology, hydrology, and biogeochemistry in Arctic stream networks". The project is a collaborative effort, lead by UVM (Breck), and involving
Boise State University (Dr. Jim McNamara) in Idaho and Utah State University at
Logan (Dr. Michael Gooseff). There is a fledgling web page which you can see at
http://cc.usu.edu/~gooseff/arctic_proj.html
Clare Ginger spent 3 weeks in the Philippines this summer (July 27 to August 17) working on initiatives that link population, health, and environment (PHE). During the first
half of her trip, she worked with colleagues from the Population Reference Bureau and
Save the Children-Philippines. They conducted a training of trainers workshop in Iloilo
City on PHE. As a part of the training, the group visited field sites where Save the Children is working with communities to address coastal resource management, food security, and family planning through integrated program activities. During the second half
of her trip, she was part of 3-person team that gathered date to evaluate a Conservation
International project in the Calamianes Island group, located in northern Palawan. In
addition to interviewing over 45 people, accumulating various insect bites, listening to
news of post-coup attempt politics, and being grateful that no typhoons came through, the team
spent one afternoon snorkeling. They saw areas of coral reef that are ranked among those with
highest biodiversity in the area and areas of coral reef that had been destroyed by dynamite
fishing. This trip followed two weeks that Professor Ginger spent in Washington, DC earlier in
July, working on other aspects of program evaluation for the Healthy Communities Initiative
of Conservation International. She serves as a member of the External Advisory Panel for the
Healthy Communities Initiative.
PUBLICATIONS
Ali, Saleem H. (2003). Mining, the Environment and Indigenous Development Conflicts. Tucson AZ: University of Arizona Press (270pp)
Manning, R., S. Lawson, P. Newman, W. Valliere, M. Budruk, and D. Laven. 2003. Basic and
Applied Research: Application of Disciplinary Theory and Methods in the Field of Leisure
Studies. Leisure and Society 26: 25-48.
Newman, P., R. Manning, J. Bacon, A. Graefe, and G. Kyle. 2003. An Evaluation of Application Trail Hikers' Knowledge of Minimum Impact Skills and Practices. International Journal
of Wilderness 9: 34-38.
Manning, R., W. Valliere, B. Wang, S. Lawson, and P. Newman. Estimating Day Use Social
Carrying Capacity in Yosemite National Park. Leisure/Loisir: Journal of the Canadian Association for Leisure Studies 27: 75-100.
Manning, R. 2003. What to Do About Crowding and Solitude in Parks and Wilderness? A
Reply to Stewart and Cole. Journal of Leisure Research 35: 107-118.
Manning, R. 2003. Emerging Principles for Using Information/Education in Wilderness Management. International Journal of Wilderness 9: 20-27.12.
Minteer, B. and R. Manning. 2003. Reconstructing Conservation: Finding Common Ground.
Washington, DC: Island Press.
SNR News
3
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Form and Function in Trees. Farming - The Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 6, No. 7 - July Issue. pp 44 - 46(3).
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Buying Services from Consulting Foresters. Forest Products Equipment Journal. Vol. 11, No.11 - July Issue. pp 29 - 33(3).
Katie Cronin, a
1998 graduate of
SNR with a degree in wildlife
biology and former Catamount
basketball star,
was recently
named an assistant women's basketball coach at
Vermont.
Michele Palmer
was named Athlete of the Week
for Sept. 8-14 after winning
UVM’s first race
of the season at
the UMass Invitational.
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Effects of Tax Relief on Timber Income - Where Does This New Legislation
Leave Your Woodlands?. Farming - The Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 6, No. 8 - August Issue. pp 83 - 85(3).
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Stress and Disturbance in Forests: Protect, Maintain and Enhance Ecosystem
Health and Integrity. Forest Products Equipment Journal. Vol. 11, No.12 - August Issue. pp 13 17(4).
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Sustainable Family Forests: The Benefits of an LLC - Part I. Farming - The
Journal of Northeastern Agriculture. Vol. 6, No. 9 - September Issue. pp 49 - 58(3).
McEvoy, T.J. 2003. Evolution of Log Rules in the U.S. - Overcoming the Challenges of Log Buying. Forest Products Equipment Journal. Vol. 12, No.1 - September Issue. pp 37 - 40(4).
Strong, A.M., C.A. Dickert, and R.T. Bell. 2003. Ski trail effects on a beetle (Coleoptera:
Carabidae, Elateridae) community in Vermont. Journal of Insect Conservation 6:149-159.
PRESENTATIONS
Cathy Borer attended this year’s Ecological Society of America, 88th Annual Meeting in Savannah, GA, August 3-8, 2003. She presented a talk entitled, “Differential biochemical partitioning
and physiological availability of calcium and aluminum in red spruce foliage.” Her coauthors
were Paul Schaberg, Don DeHayes, and Gary Hawley.
Park Studies Lab Participates in George Wright Society Conference
At the conclusion of last academic year, faculty, staff and students of the Park Studies Lab participated in the biennial conference of the George Wright Society, a professional organization
focused on national parks and related areas. The conference was held in San Diego, California. Papers presented included:
S. Lawson, A. Kiely, R. Manning, J. Oelfke, and M. Romanski. Identifying and Evaluating Tradeoffs Associated with Visitor Use Management and Park Planning at Isle Royale National Park
Using Computer Simulation Modeling.
R. Manning. The Science of Values and the Values of Science: Research to Inform Carrying Capacity Analysis and Management.
R. Manning and W. Valliere. Carrying Capacity of Cultural Resources.
M. Budruk and R. Manning. Litter and Graffiti: Indicators and Standards of Quality at Boston
Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.
R. Manning, W. Valliere, B. Wang. Crowding at Archeological Sites: Estimating Social Carrying
Capacity at Mesa Verde National Park
M. Budruk, R. Manning, W. Valliere, and B. Wang. Queuing as an Indicator of Quality: Maximum Acceptable Waiting Times at Statue of Liberty National Monument.
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SNR News
S. Lawson, R. Manning, W. Valliere, and D. Laven. Automobile Traffic Congestion
as an Indicator and Standard of Quality of the Visitor Experience on the Blue Ridge
Parkway.
Y. Leung, M Budruk, and R. Manning. Assessing and Monitoring Physical and Social
Impacts of Vandalism: Results from the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.
GREEN FLASH:
SLEEP IS GOOD!
Sleep Mode is an Energy Star®
program that sets your computer to turn off its monitor
after 10, 15 or 20 minutes. This
summer Sleep Mode was automatically enabled on all UVM
network computers using the
EZSave software provided by
the EPA. Students living in
residence halls or off campus
can easily enable Sleep Mode
on their own computers by
going to
http://www.energystar.gov/pow
ermanagement and clicking on
EZWizard. With one click of
the mouse you can enable Sleep
Mode on your machine and
save from 100-600 kWh per
year. If all 8,000 computer
monitors on the UVM campus
used Sleep Mode the University
could save 1.6 million kWh
every year. That amount of
energy savings is equal to:
• Preventing the emissions of
150 cars for a full year
• Planting 367 acres of trees
• Saving 64,000 gallons of
gasoline
• Saving $160,000 in energy
costs
So join the effort to reduce
UVM’s energy consumption
and enable Sleep Mode on your
computer today!
P. Newman, L. Boyers, and R. Manning. Integrating Social, Ecological, and Managerial Indicators of Quality into Carrying Capacity Decision-Making in Yosemite National Park Wilderness.
W. F. Kuentzel "Comparing Rural Development Strategies in a Changing Irish Landscape."
Paper presented at the European Society for Rural Sociology Meeting. Sligo, Ireland. August
21, 2003.
William Keeton gave two presentations in June at the 4th North American Forest
Ecology Conference in Corvalis, Oregon. The first presentation was entitled,
“Managing for old-growth forest structure in northern hardwood forests: experimental
test of a new silvicultural system.” The second, “Effects of remnant old-growth trees
on succession in mature Douglas-fir forests, southern Washington Cascade Range,”
was coauthored with Jerry F. Franklin (College of Forest Resources, University of
Washington).
Professor Clare Ginger delivered a presentation at the May 2003 Global Health Conference in Washington, DC, entitled, "Organizational Action for Responding to Population-Environment Linkages." The overall focus of the Conference this year was on
Health and Environment.
HONORS
Jim Wood received the prestigious 57th Annual Secretary’s Honor Award for Group
Achievement in the category for Maintaining and Enhancing
the Nation’s Natural Resources and Environment. Jim received
the award as group leader on behalf of the Nutrient and Pest
Management Training Development Team, Natural Resources
Conservation Service of Colchester, Vermont. The group was
recognized for outstanding performance in the design, development, and delivery of the “Nutrient and Pest Management Considerations in Conservation Planning” training program for
non-point source pollution reduction.
In photo: Jim Wood (center) receives award from Secretary of
Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman, (left) and Undersecretary for Natural Resources and
Environment, Mark E. Ray (right).
Robyn Smyth, a recent SNR Masters graduate, has won a National Sea Grant College
program Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, starting in 2004. The Dean John A.
Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship provides a unique educational experience to students enrolled in graduate programs in fields related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes
resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program
matches outstanding graduate students with “hosts” in legislative or executive branch
offices located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one-year paid fellowship. With
Lake Champlain Sea Grant support, Ms. Smyth will travel to Washington in November for orientation and interviews with potential hosts in the executive and legislative
branches. The Fellowship starts in February 2004. The Knauss Fellowship competition is an annual event, with applications due at the local office of Sea Grant in April.
SNR News
5
Information about the Knauss Fellowship is available on line at http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org/Knauss.html, or
at the Lake Champlain Sea Grant office at 317 Aiken.
MEDIA
John Todd was featured in the Autumn 2003 issue of Vermont Life magazine in an article entitled, “Guru of
Green, UVM’s John Todd uses nature to clean up after man.” The article can be found online at
http://www.vtlife.com/vtlife/current_issue/au03-guru.htm
Dave Hirth was recently featured in UVM’s The View, in an article entitled, “The Bear Facts.” You can find
out more at http://www.uvm.edu/theview/article.php?if=907
Breck Bowden had a radio interview with Julie Becker in Agricultural Engineering on research he is doing in
Alaska.
OTHER NEWS
Saleem Ali co-taught a summer field course in Scotland with Rick Paradis on Mineral Policy in a Mountainous
Ecosystem. In addition, Saleem led a conflict resolution program for Middle Eastern environmental professionals in Toledo, Spain, for six weeks. (www.ume.org) In September 2003, he participated in a World Bank
workshop on environmental impacts of artisanal and small-scale mining in Africa, held in Ghana. Details at
www.casmsite.org
In June, Clare Ginger participated in a workshop on case teaching at the University of Washington, Evans
School of Public Policy. If you would like to see materials and ideas she brought back from the workshop,
please contact her.
SNR at the American Fisheries Society Meeting
SNR was well represented at the 133rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) held in
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
(VTCFWRU)) with co-author Donna Parrish (Unit
Leader, VTCFWRU). Jennifer Stritzel (M.S. student,
WFB and VTCFWRU) presented a paper in the rainbow smelt symposium (co-authors—D. Parrish plus S.
Parker, L. Rudstam, I. Chan, and P. Sullivan, all from
Cornell). Also, Howe and Marsden were co-authors on
a paper presented by Mark Malchoff, Lake Champlain
Sea Grant, and Stritzel and Parrish were co-authors on
a paper presented by Sandra Parker. Donna Parrish
presented a paper in the Atlantic salmon symposium
(co-authors Ethan J. Hawes (M.S. UVM WFB, 1992)
and Kevin G. Whalen (M.S. UVM WFB, 1993). Ellen,
Jenni, and Donna were moderators of four symposia or
contributed paper sessions. Other meeting highlights
were: Jenni received the highly regarded Skinner Memorial Award, Kristian was the “top spawner” in winning the 5K Spawning Run, and Donna was elected
President-elect of the Education Section. Finally,
Quebec City August 10-14. The meeting had >1900
Donna had the honor of presenting the Hall of Excelattendees, making it the third largest AFS meeting.
Presentations were given in contributed paper sessions lence Award of the Fisheries Management Section to
by Ellen Marsden (Assoc. Prof, WFB) with co-authors Angelo Incerpi, former Vermont Fish and Wildlife
Director of Operations and state cooperator of the
Eric Howe (M.S. student, WFB) and Pat Sullivan
VTCFWRU.
(Cornell), Eric Howe with co-authors Marsden and
Sullivan, and Kristian Omland (Post-doc, Vermont
6 SNR News
Park Studies Lab Spends Another Summer Conducting Research in the National Park System
Faculty, staff and students of the Park Studies Lab
were scattered across the country this summer conducting studies in several national parks. Bob Manning spent a couple of weeks at Zion National Park,
Utah initiating the second year of data collection for a
two-year study at the park. The study is being conducted in collaboration with faculty at other two other
universities, and graduate students from the University of Montana and Indiana University spent the summer at the park collecting data. Bill Valliere and undergraduate students Dave Santucci and Kelly
Thompson spent several weeks at Acadia National
Park collecting data to create a computer simulation
model of visitor use at the Schoodic Peninsula section
of the park. Graduate student Meghan Bedruk and
Dave Santucci and Kelly Thompson spent several
weeks at Muir Woods National Monument in California collecting data for the first year of a two-year
study. Bob Manning and former graduate student
(and now Assistant Professor at Colorado State University) Peter Newman spent several days at Yosemite
National Park participating in a workshop designed to
initiate a series of new studies at this park. Bob Manning and Bill Valliere participated in a two-day workshop at Mesa Verde National Park in July designed to
incorporate findings from their recent study into a new
carrying capacity and transportation plan for the
park. Bill Valliere spent ten days at
Haleakala National Park in Hawaii preparing for a
series of visitor surveys that will be conducted later
this year.
10th Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society By Dave Hirth
The tenth annual meeting of The Wildlife Society was held at the Sheraton in
Burlington September 6-10, and UVM
faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students were well represented
at the meeting. Terri Donovan, Dave
Hirth, and Dave Capen were members
of the organizing committee, and they
were successful in roping in many grads and undergrads to help with running the show. It would not have
happened without UVM student help. The key member
of the UVM group was clearly Patrick Leavey, a master’s student in WFB, who played a major role in devising and maintaining the computer system that allowed
power-point presentations to occur flawlessly in concurrent sessions for the duration of the meeting.
The most important part of the meeting was
four days of short research presentations, but it also
included a student-leaders breakfast, a student dinner
followed by a student-professional mixer at ECHO, an
evening of wildlife films, the ever popular Student Quiz
Bowl, and a farewell banquet at Shelburne Farms.
Terri Donovan, Dave Hirth, Allan Strong, Bill
Kilpatrick, Bob Costanza, Josh Farley, Jon Erickson,
and Mary Watzin joined grad students Adam Duerr,
Noah Perlut, Nat Merrill, Joe Petty, Jan Janecka,
Shuang Liu, and Mazeika Sullivan, in presenting papers. The Quiz Bowl pits teams of four undergraduates
from various colleges and universities around the country against each other and tests their knowledge of
wildlife biology, ecology, and field techniques. The
Fighting Lumberjacks of Humboldt State University in
Arcata, California won the Quiz Bowl for the third
straight year by trouncing three other student teams.
Next year’s Wildlife Society meeting will be in Calgary, and we look forward to seeing a UVM team challenge for the title. Following is a list of presentations:
Watzin, Mary C. Implications of mercury and PCB contamination for fish, wildlife, and people in the Lake Champlain Basin.
Donovan, Therese M., and Daniel Shustack. Is nest success an adequate indicator of birth rates in birds?
Duerr, Adam E., David E. Capen, and Therese M. Donovan. Metapopulation dynamics of double-crested cormorants on Lake
Champlain: How egg oiling causes cormorants to avoid management.
Perlut, Noah G., Allan M. Strong, Therese M. Donovan, and Neil J. Buckley. Hayfields of the Champlain Valley: An eco
logical trap for grassland nesting songbirds?
Kilpatrick, C. William, Nathaniel Merrill, Paul Hapeman, Joseph Petty, and David H. Hirth. Genetic structure of Vermont
black bear populations.
Costanza, Robert. Ecosystem health and ecosystem services: Quantifying, modeling and valuing an essential relationship.
Strong, Allan M , Thomas W. Sherry, Chris C. Rimmer, and Kent P. McFarland. Can prey abundance be used as a measure
of habitat quality for insectivorous passerines?
Farley, Joshua C. The status of sustainability science in academia.
Erickson, Jon D. Economic theory in crisis: Implications for the wildlife profession.
Sullivan, Mazeika S. P., Mary C. Watzin, and W. Cully Hession. The belted kingfisher: Associations of river geomorphol
ogy and aquatic ecosystem integrity.
Janecka, Jan E., Terry L. Blankenship, C. William Kilpatrick, and David H. Hirth. Kinship and social structure of bobcats
inferred from microsatellite and radio-telemetry data.
SNR News
7
Upcoming Events:
George Jenson Presentation—USDA/UVB Monitoring and Research Program
Wednesday, October 8, 2003 at 12:30pm, Aiken Center, Room 105
The UVB program was started in 1992 to provide data on the geographical distribution and temporal trends of
uv-b radiation in the United States in order to assess the impacts of uv-b radiation on agricultural crops and
forests. In conjunction with the Vermont Monitoring Co-operative and the Proctor Maple Research Center,
The School of Natural Resources has participated in this network since 1996. The site is located at the VMC air
quality at the Proctor Center site in Underhill. Both ultraviolet and visible spectra are measured along with temperature, humidity, and solar radiation. The data are downloaded via modem to the program office at Colorado
State nightly, and appear on the USDA/UVB website the next day. <http://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu/UVB> This
presentation would be particularly interesting to students studying remote sensing, satellite imaging and modeling, as well as people concerned with the impacts of increasing ultraviolet-b radition on ecosystems and human
health. Please join us!
Vermont Campus Greening Conference
Thursday, October 23 - Friday, October 24, 2003, University of Vermont, main campus
Bringing together Vermont’s institutions of higher education to work towards environmental sustainability.
Hosted by the UVM Environmental Council. For more information: www.uvm.edu/greening/conference or
UVM Environmental Council, 656-3803.
Storm Water Workshop
Friday, October 24, 2003, Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, South Burlington
The Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center and the Lake Champlain Committee are co-sponsoring
a workshop on storm water. The session, which will feature three panel discussions and an update on the current status of storm water issues, will be held at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in South Burlington.
The morning's first panel will focus on storm water outreach and education. Two additional panels will focus
on Potash Brook, with a look at lessons learned and a discussion of cooperative ventures planned for the future.
Duke University Environmental Graduate School Visit
Thursday, October 2, 2003, at 12:30, Aiken Center, Room 105
Make a career out of your concerns about global warming, ocean pollution and sustainable development. Learn
how you can make a difference by choosing Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth
Sciences. The Nicholas School is one of the premier graduate professional schools for the interdisciplinary
study of the environment. Meet Lisa Rattray, Admissions Officer for the Nicholas School, at an informal information session to learn about graduate opportunities as well as undergraduate courses available at the Duke
Marine Lab. Lisa will remain available until 2 pm. for those unable to attend earlier. The Nicholas School fully
integrates science, policy and economics in its environmental sciences program, providing both theoretical and
practical education in Earth and Ocean Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Policy, and Coastal Systems
Science and Policy. Lisa will discuss the 2-year professional Master of Environmental Management degree
programs. To learn more about Duke University's Nicholas School programs, go to www.nicholas.duke.edu or
email Lisa Rattray at: [email protected].
The School of Natural Resources Announces
The Twentieth Annual Graduate Research Symposium
Presentations by Graduate Students on the Following Topics:
Conservation, Natural Resource Planning and Policy, Ecological Design, Sustainable Forestry, Wildlife & Fisheries Biology
Please Join Us on Friday, October, 10, 2003, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
104 Aiken Center – UVM Campus
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SNR News
New Graduate course— NR 385 Vermont Field Studies
This new course, which took place Aug. 25-29,
2003, was coordinated by Professors Roel Boumans and Jon Erickson. The course was designed to introduce new graduate students to
Vermont and Vermont issues. The course presented multi-disciplinary exposure to a range of
questions drawn from emergent, field-based
problems. Students were introduced to concepts, perspectives, and methods from both
natural and social sciences while visiting a wide
variety of Vermont locations. The introductory
character of the course also helped students
become oriented within the integrated academic
and social contexts of the School of Natural
Resources. Each day of the course was thematically based on different locations/land uses
found in the Lake Champlain watershed. To
explore our activities check out the class website at:
http://www.uvm.edu/snr/?Page=nr385/index.htm
SNR in Ireland By Walt Kuentzel
Did you know that Ireland has 4 peat burning power stations that supply 11% of the country’s electricity needs?
Yet, this form of power generation is not economically viable. The practice of mining the bogs for power continues in Ireland as a “public service obligation,” subsidized by the central government as an economic development strategy for the midlands region of the country.
A visit to the Shannonbridge peat burning power station was one stop
UVM students made this summer on a travel study course to Ireland.
The course was designed to compare rural development strategies in a
rapidly changing Irish economy. We talked with people from rural
communities that used traditional economic development strategies:
coal mining in Castlecomer, turf cutting in Shannonbridge and Connemara, agriculture in the “golden vale” of Co. Tipperary, horse and
bloodstock markets in Cashel and Millstreet. But Ireland’s “Celtic
Tiger” in the 1990s has also brought high tech global investment to the
country. So the course also included visits to Boston Scientific Medical Products in Tullamore, electronics manufacturing in Millstreet, and
a global call center in Kilorglin,. We also visited a variety of innovative tourism initiatives: Skerries Mills, north of Dublin, the Green
Glens show jumping arena in Millstreet, the Connemara Heritage Center near
Clifden, and Oidas Gael, an Irish language school in Glencolumbkille.
Along the way, the class stayed at a hostel in the heart of Georgian Dublin, a
couple of farmhouse B&Bs, a castle at the foot of Galteemore Mtn., and a variety of townhouse B&Bs. At each of these overnight stops, students were given
field work assignments. The class first generated a set of questions. Each student
was then expected to strike up conversations with local residents and use these
questions to get people talking about what it is like to live in those communities.
Everyone agreed that the community field work, combined with scheduled visits
gave us a fresh way of looking at rural communities and community change: the
role of entrepreneurs and businesses, the role of government development agencies, and the role of local residents.
SNR News
9
from our lighthouse,
(species included Common eiders and chicks,
Double-crested cormoThis past summer I spent six weeks on Great Duck
rants, both gull species,
Island, a small island approximately 15 miles off the
coast of Bar Harbor, Maine. I was a research assistant Black Guillemots and
occasional puffins or
for Dr. John Anderson of the College of the Atlantic,
and I worked on a crew comprised of a few of his stu- migrating species such
as sandpipers and razordents. During our first few days, we intensively
searched the island for all gull nests. As part of an on- bills), using GPS to map
nests and ArcView to
going population study of both Herring and Great
create maps, surveying
Black-backed gulls, we monitored the hatching and
to create more accurate
birth of chicks from 30 sample nests. We banded as
Sarah with HERG
many as possible. In addi- maps of the island, observing gull betion, I developed my own havior and predation, specifically by seals, and updatresearch project on Black ing numerous databases. We performed an island-wide
count of all birds of each species each week. I also
Guillemots. I searched
mapped the location of wireless sensors deployed by
and mapped nests and
Intel Corporation into burrows of Leach’s Storm Petcollected data including
clutch size, substrate type, rels. These motes recorded temperature, humidity and
whether the nests were on had infrared sensors. Cameras were also installed so
the berm or in a cliff, and we could observe real-time images of petrels in burhow deep the nest cavity rows. I feel extremely lucky to have been part of these
projects, and to have learned so much about island life.
was. I am currently anaI hope to return to the island next summer to continue
lyzing my data to see if
Guillemot chick there is a certain type of berm that Black
our studies and to spend more time with the incredibly
entertaining people I worked with this summer.
Guillemots select for nesting. Other daily duties included a count of all shorebirds of each species visible
Focus on Internships:
Sarah Boucher
DOC DONNELLY DAY 2003
By Maria Dykema Erb
The Fourth Annual Doc Donnelly Day came with
some changes this year. We held the Annual SNR
Welcome Picnic on Monday, September 8th on the
South Lawn of Aiken Center and renamed it Doc
Donnelly Day. Over 250 SNR undergraduate and
graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni attended the picnic. This year’s fun was orchestrated
by Doc, himself, and his wonderful wife, Mindy.
Many participated in volleyball, frisbee golf, bocce
ball, and the ultimate Cup Race Challenge. Doc
even awarded prizes to the winners of frisbee golf
(a free plant secured from the nearby UVM greenhouse…with permission, of course) and the cup
race challenge (a UVM travel mug)
(Doc awarding the Cup Race Challenge Prize)
This fall is a bittersweet time for all of us since Doc
is teaching his last Natural Resources 1 course; he’s and dedication. Best wishes to you, Doc and
finally going to retire completely from SNR. All of Mindy, for a happy retirement and safe travels!
us in SNR are grateful for his many years of service We’ll miss you!
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SNR News
Ecoinformatics Collaboratory Opens Within the Gund Institute
The Ecoinformatics Collaboratory has opened within
Gund, under the direction of Ferdinando Villa.
The web site at http://ecoinformatics.uvm.edu tells all
about ecoinformatics and what their mission is within
UVM, in terms of research, education and community
development. The first prototype of their flagship
product, the web-accessible Ecosystem Services Database (ESD), is now on the web at http://esd.uvm.edu.
The ESD is a breakthrough knowledge base for all the
knowledge related to the economic valuation of the
services provided to man by nature. It couples spatiotemporal data with dynamic models and graphical
knowledge navigation, and it's powered by a whole
new concept and software developed at the Ecoinformatics Collaboratory.
Congratulations to the following Dean’s List Recipients for Spring 2003
Tyler R. Allen
Christopher James Anderberg
Christopher John Andrews
Kelly Anne Archidiacono
Sarah Brooke Ardanuy
Christopher Carson Armstrong
Sarah E. Augeri
Stephanie Lynn Balter
Joseph Hollis Bartlett
Sara Anne Becker
Simon Christopher Bird
Lisa Suzanne Bowen
Sarah Kathryn Bowering
Samuel Luke Brown
Mikal Bech Burley
Christyn Renee Chappell
Rachel Eleanore Christensen
Anna Lynne Christie
Kelsey Rose Cornelius
Eammon Roland Coughlin
Corey C. Coutu
Kathryn Anna Crawford
Christina Nicole DiForio
Ingrid Eckstrom
Audrey Juniper Ells-Payne
Brianna Leigh Farver
Sarah Eliot Ford
Andrew D. Giunta
Christina Marie Golkin
Caleb Robert Grant
Kris D. Halliwell
Charles Arthur Hancock
Christopher Felix Hansen
Lindsay Anne Harrington
Elizabeth Scheper Harrison
Joanna Lynn Hatt
Sarah Keller Heimbach
Carmen Andrea Herold-Lind
Nathaniel Fitzpatrick Hoag
Jehanna Rebecca Howe
Christopher Jens Jager
Daniel Dunham Jenkins
Keith S. Jennings
David Donald Karl
Allyson Marie Keefe
Owen Seth Kiley
Steve Michael Kowal
Luke Andrew Krisch
Rebecca Jane Lewis
David Carl Lundgren Jr.
Andrew James Mahon
Marianne E. Maloy
Gregory Philip Martin
Eric Daniel Merberg
Brett Emrys Merlin
Stephen Russell Midway
Erica Lynn Moore
Timothy Edward Morris
Anne Taylor Morrison
Nathaniel Burr Morse
Shane Michael Murphy
Benjamin Edward Nugent
Jaclyn Lee O'Riley
Sarah Ann Palmer
Jennifer Louise Plourde
Emily S. Porter
Michael Brewster Rauch
Alison Frances Ray
Andrew Joseph Richards
Ryan Patrick Salem
Lindsey Ruth Scholl
Dawn Maura Shackleton
Scott Burton Shove
Sarah Krystal Silverberg
Kristen Nicole Simard
Adam William Smith
Matthew Colin Smith
Rebecca Elizabeth Snow
Danielle M. Suslak
Ashley Rebecca Tarquinio
Emilie Ruth Travis
Adam F. Trescott
Alicia Jennea Turner
Carrie A. Violette
Liron Weiss
John Cardenas Williams
Christopher Hollis Wolff
Teruaki Yuta
In Memoriam
Sarah J. McCarron, 20, a class of 2005 Natural Resources major, passed away on August 14, 2003, after being
struck by lightning in the Wasatch National Forest in Utah. Sarah will be greatly missed by all faculty, staff,
and students at SNR.
SNR News
11
ture, it may be informative to allow them to interact in an experimental setting. In the present research, this interaction is facilitated
by the water circulating among the three different cells mentioned
above.
Ecological design at work: mushrooms to break
Twenty-four bubbling mesocosms
down herbicides
Present research involved designing and building eight similar
Current research by the author includes an investigation of the use of
miniature living machines (circulating mesocosms) at the South
mushrooms to break down herbicides. The mushrooms are incorpoBurlington Living Machine greenhouse. Each mesocosm has three
rated into a modified living machine.
cells: one cell for mushrooms, one for aquatic plants, and one for
soil muck. Each of the eight mesocosms is in triplicate for statistical
Living machines, circulating mesocosms, and ecosystems
validity, which means a total of 24 mesocosms and 72 cells. Each
cell contains about 15 gallons of water, for a total of about a thouLiving machines, also called circulating mesocosms, use different
sand gallons. The water movement is done by airlift, which requires
containers or "cells," each containing a different assemblage of
organisms. Water circulates from one cell to the next, and then back a 24-way split of air from a single air blower, and fills the greenagain to the first cell, carrying nutrients, waste products, and micro- house with cauldron-style bubbling noises. Additional intermittent
circulation is provided by 24 miniature pumps. (see fig.) The overorganism through the different cells. In doing so, the system provides different habitats for different organisms, and creates a complex and interacting miniature ecosystem. One of these cells contains a type of mushroom (oyster mushroom -- Pleurotus ostreatus)
which has been shown to be able to break down certain types of
herbicides. The particular herbicide in this case is called diuron,
which is in the class of substituted phenylurea herbicides. This
herbicide is in relatively common use and does accumulate in surface waters runoff, and can become dangerous in its bioaccumulation in the bodies of aquatic animals.
Curious talents for quiet creatures
Previous research has shown that certain mushrooms are good at
breaking down pesticides and herbicides. This might seem a curious
talent for such a quiet creature, but it makes more sense when one
looks a bit more closely at mushroom feeding strategies. Mushrooms feed by secreting digestive enzymes into their surroundings.
These enzymes break down potential food items, and once broken
down, the fungal cells can absorb the nutrients. One can see this
all goal of the study is to find the most effective system for breaking
feeding strategy in action while walking in the forest: the sides of
down diuron. Three variables are considered: mushrooms, aquatic
rotting trees are often populated with mushrooms, busily decompos- plants, and soil microbes. To test these variables, each of the eight
ing the woody matter. Although this is a common sight, it indicates living machines will have a different combination of these three
some remarkable biological talents. In nature, there aren't very
variables. Mushrooms will be either present or absent; plant roots
many organisms that can break down the complex molecules of
will be either present or absent, and soil microbes will be either
lignin that give wood its structural strength. Indeed, that's what
present or absent. Then identical amounts of diuron will be added to
makes wood such a good building product: it is not easily degraded each system. After that, each system will be tested daily to quantify
and therefore persists over time. It is this persistence which sugthe remaining amount of diuron. Quantification will be done in two
gests a relationship with pesticides and herbicides. Persistent orways: with antibodies specific for diuron in an ELISA test (enzymeganic chemicals, including some herbicides, remain in the ecosyslinked immunosorbent assay); and also by gas chromatography.
tem, wash into streams, percolate into groundwater, and in some
Ecological design goals
cased bioaccumulate in the tissues of plants and animals. The perOne of the goals of ecological design is to look to nature for inforsistence of some pesticides and herbicides is related to their molecu- mation and inspiration. If there is a problem we need to solve, there
lar structure; they are persistent because few organisms can break
is a good chance nature has already found a way to solve it -- it's just
them down. This is where the mushrooms become particularly
a matter of us being able to understand how nature does it. In this
interesting. They produce ligninases, which are enzymes that can
case, nature (as mushrooms) has suggested a way to break down
break down the complex lignin present in wood. Interestingly, these pesticides, and it becomes a matter of figuring out how best to harsame enzymes are also effective at breaking down the strong bonds ness that process for our own ends. Another goal of ecological
that make up the pesticide molecules. (This is not to say that pestidesign is to develop processes that use the byproducts of previous
cides are made of lignins; rather, that the enzymes that can break
processes, and therefore reduce wastes. An unexpected surprise in
down lignins can also break the bonds in some pesticides.) Previous the present research was that the best candidate mushroom for the
research has shown that certain mushrooms produce ligninases, and experiments is also being produced at the Intervale as a gourmet
that they are effective in the breakdown of herbicides like diuron.
food item! Even more fortunately, it is the fine hair-like mycelia
Other previous research suggests that fungi interact with other or(the "roots" of the mushroom) that do the job of pesticide breakganisms in the natural environment and that their growth and medown. Therefore the mushrooms can be grown and sold, and the
tabolism is enhanced by these interactions. Therefore present releftover mycelia can become part of my experiments.
search attempts to test two main hypotheses. The first is whether the Next steps
presence of oyster mushrooms will increase the breakdown of diOver the next while, there will be the considerable task of quantifyuron. The second asks if that breakdown can be further enhanced by ing the amount of diuron in the various systems, so there will be lots
allowing the mushrooms to interact with other organisms such as
of lab work coming up. Watch the SNR news for updates and
plant roots and soil microbes. If these interactions happen in naresults.
Focus on Graduate Research:
Mark Keffer
12
SNR News
Help Wanted
The following is a sampling of positions listed at SNR. Job postings are updated daily on the SNR Job Board outside the
Dean’s office in the Aiken Center and weekly on the web at http://www.uvm.edu/snr/?Page=employment/
help_wanted.html. For further information contact: Jan Spencer, Career Services Coordinator, 336 Aiken Center, 6563003, email: [email protected]
INTERNSHIPS
BACHELOR’S DEGREE REQUIRED
INTERNSHIPS AND WORK STUDY POSITIONS AVAILABLE WITH ECHO AT
THE LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 2003-Positions include fundraising,
animal care, public and school programs,
preschool programs, youth programs and
Volunteer Programs. Call Rachel Jolly at
(802) 864-1848 x116 for any of the positions
above.(I25)
WILDERNESS INSTRUCTOR POSITION
AVAILABLE WITH THE HURRICANE
ISLAND OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL
OUTREACH PROGRAM. Applicant will be
trained for 11 days, do two wilderness expeditions, and a base site experience before
leading their own expedition. CPR and First
Aid certifications required. If interested, send
an application, or simply contact Alyse
Ostreicher; Staff Developer/Recruiter;
phone(850) 414-8816; or email at [email protected] or visit
www.members.tripod.com/outward.bound
(I32)
ENVIROMENTAL EDUCATION INTERN
NEEDED AT THE GREEN MOUNTAIN
AUDUBON CENTER IN HUNTINGTON,
VT. Interns needed to teach environmental
education to children from preschool through
middle school. Fall and spring interns must
commit to 2 or 3 days per week from 8am to
12 noon as needed. If interested, please send
resumes and a letter of interest to: Audubon
Vermont 255 Sherman Hollow Rd. Huntington, VT 05462 Attention: Kim Guertin, and
please specify which semester your applying
for. Deadline for spring internships is Dec.
1st, and for summer internships it’s March
15th. For more information, contact Kim
Guertin at [email protected] or at 4343068 or visit the website at
www.vt.audubon.org. (I34)
FIELD TECHNICIAN POSITIONS
AVAILABLE IN THE MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST IN NORTHWESTERN,
LOWER MICHIGAN. Duties include field
research, data collection, data management,
and working outdoors. Please send a resume,
with contact information for three references
to: Mike Walters, Department of Forestry,
Michigan State University; ph. (517) 3551762 or fax (517) 432-1143 or email at
[email protected] (I35)
NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST
POSITION AVAILABLE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM WITH THE ECOSYSTEM
MANEAGEMENT INC.
Experience needed working with NEPA
documents, as well as performing resource
surveys desirable. Send resume, cover letter
of interest, and three references with phone
numbers to [email protected] (B44)
M.S. GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN WILDLIFE, COLLEGE OF
NATURAL RESOURCES, UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN STEVENS POINT. Will
focus on mortality, survivorship and dispersal
habitats of American marten in forests of
northeastern Wisconsin. Previous experience
with live trapping, radio telemetry, GPS, and
GIS is important. If interested, send a detailed
letter of interest, CV, copies of transcripts
and GRE scores, and contact information for
three references to: Kevin R. Russell, Ph.D;
Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology and
Management, College of Natural ResourcesStevens Point, WI 54481-3897; ph (715)3462251 or fax (715) 346-3624, or email at
[email protected] (B46)
MASTERS REASERCH ASSISTANTSHIP
POSSITION AVAILABLE AT SAN DIEGO
STATE UNIVERSITY. Offers a two to three
year program to investigate the roll of snake
predation on birds and small mammals across
a gradient of urbanization in Coastal Sage
Scrub (CSS) food webs. Work will commence late April 2004. For details visit
http://wwwrohan.sdsu.edu/~jdiffen/Jayfram1.html and
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~envs/faculty.sht
ml#doug. Or send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, reprints, and the name of three
references (with addresses, e-mail, and telephone numbers) to: Dr. Jay Diffendorfer;
Department of Biology, San Diego State
University, San Diego, CA 92182; ph
(619)594-0311 or fax(619) 594-5676 or email
at [email protected] (B47)
MASTER’S DEGREE
PROGRAM MANAGER/GIS ANALYSISWILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY,
BRONX, NY. Requires a master’s degree in
computer science, geography, or environ-
mental science (or a related discipline) and
have at least two years of experience in environmental GIS using the ArcGIS, ARC/INFO
and Arcview software packages. Seeking full
time professional. Must be competent in
routine computer support for PC workstations, computer programming in GIS environments, and training other’s in the use of
GIS. To apply, send by regular mail a cover
letter describing qualifications, reason for
desiring this position, resume, and a sample
of your GIS work to Dr. Eric Sanderson,
Associate Director, Wildlife Conservation
society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY,
10460 by October 15th(M16)
DIRECTOR FOR ARBORETUM, BOTANICAL GARDENS, AND NATURAL
AREAS NEEDED AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. Duties include
going between the arboretum, and the academic and greater Orlando communities.
Expected to develop a vision for the arboretum. To apply submit a letter of application,
curriculum vitae, and a list of three references
to: Arboretum Search Committee c/o John
Miner; Office of Research 12443 Research
Parkway, Suite 207; University of Central
Florida; Orlando, Fl 32826;more information
can be found at http://arboretum.ufc.edu/ .
(M15)
PhD REQUIRED
Research Scientist I Special/Physiological
Ecologist position available with the natural
resource Ecology Laboratory(NREL), Colorado State University to study carbon and
water interactions in the arctic tundra of NW
Greenland. Send letter of interest that describes relevant experience, CV, and contact
information for three references to Natalie
Lucero, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins,
CO 80532-1499 or [email protected]. Must be postmarked
by Oct. 6th 2003(PhD8)
The University of Oregon-Positions available
in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the
assistant professor level and unspecified.
Deadline October 15th(PhD9)