Browsing by Author "Mercer, Evan"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    A Geospatial Analysis of Wind Energy Development and Authorization Policy on US Forest Service Land
    (2009-04-24T14:32:26Z) Schlichting, Kerry
    Abstract: Wind is a renewable source of energy but its development has the potential for significant negative visual, economic and environmental impacts if not sited carefully. Analysis of a wide range of variables associated with wind development need to be included in policy development to ensure simultaneous conservation and support of renewable energy development. The objective of this project is to analyze wind energy development to inform US Forest Service management practices through applicable federal, agency, forest and state regulations as well as mitigation of potential impacts. Geospatial analysis is used to evaluate project suitability and associated impacts through a case study of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in North Carolina. This case study is the basis for a spatial decision support system (sDSS) which offers a methodology to consolidate the assessment and authorization process for wind projects on public lands. Based on 16 variables of representing environmental sensitivities, construction requirements, land designations and state policy, this analysis finds that the majority of the study is are highly sensitive or exclusionary to wind energy development. To both promote renewable energy and continued conservation of environmental resources, the Forest Service must take steps to address concerns raised over management practices limiting development potential. Recommendations from this analysis include the need for agency wide clarification of intent and scope of current and proposed Forest Service wind energy management, as well as the prioritization of variable importance in future wind project siting.
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    Ecosystem Services in a Conservation Planning Framework
    (2009-04-24T13:53:29Z) Cooley, David
    Natural ecosystems provide several important services to society, including water purification, crop pollination, and carbon storage. Until recently, however, these services were not paid for in market transactions, giving landowners little incentive to provide services at optimal levels. Payments for ecosystem services (PES) have addressed this by compensating landowners for the services they provide. PES have the potential to become powerful tools for conservation work, prompting the need for conservation planning for these services. In this project, the modeling tool InVEST was used to determine the spatial distributions of four ecosystem services (carbon storage, water purification, pollination, and biodiversity protection) for a study area in North Carolina. The outputs of these models were then overlaid to determine areas of the landscape that are important for the provision of multiple services. The individual and multiple ecosystem service maps were then used to help prioritize investment in specific property parcels based on the ecosystem services each provides under several land use change scenarios, including afforestation, wetland restoration, and the planting of riparian buffers.
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    Exploring the interactions of wildlife and rural communities in Carara National Park, Costa Rica
    (2010-12-09) Huson, Kimberly
    Park officials at Carara National Park, Costa Rica, face considerable challenges. They believe poaching has become a significant threat to the park’s biodiversity and that their enforcement measures, largely due to limited funds, are inadequate. Through family-level interviews in six communities surrounding Carara National Park, this study aims to understand the dynamics of poaching by identifying animals at risk of poaching and identifying communities to target future enforcement measures. Interviews inquired about interactions with wildlife, perceived populations of wildlife, sale of wildlife, opinions towards hunting, and observed hunting activities. Summary statistics, CART modeling and probit regressions are used to analyze the data. Results indicate hunting is not prevalent in terms of the number of families that hunt. However, these families can still have significant impacts on wildlife populations with poaching occurring for both subsistence and market-oriented reasons. Two potential community sets are identified as areas to target enforcement. Based on the number of reported families engaging in hunting, enforcement should be targeted in Bijagual and Tárcoles. However, exploring truthfulness through CART and probit regression analysis indicates enforcement should be targeted in El Sur and La Hacienda. Ultimately, future enforcement measures will be determined by Carara officials. Although potential target communities are identified and management practices such as ecotourism and community-based management are potentially viable avenues for reducing poaching, the park faces considerable challenges for enforcement due to its limited financial capabilities.