Browsing by Author "Shapiro-Garza, Elizabeth"
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Item Open Access Adaptation to Climate Change by Smallholder Coffee Producers in Latin America(2016-04-29) King, Danielle; Wang, Tianyu; Finley, JenniferSmallholder coffee farmers in Latin America are already being impacted by and adapting to climate change. Our client, Counter Culture Coffee, a coffee roaster that sources from coffee cooperatives throughout Latin America and around the world, has a commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing. As such, CCC seeks to better understand the viability of potential adaptation strategies in order to support their partners in developing resilient livelihood strategies and ensuring sustained, high-quality coffee production. We conducted participatory action research with two partner coffee cooperatives in Guatemala and Peru to determine which adaptation strategies were most desirable and feasible. Methods included key actor and cooperative leader interviews, focus groups with cooperative members, and transect walks. Based on analysis of this data, we identified five potential climate change adaptation strategies and the financial, human, natural, physical, and social capitals required to implement them. We provided recommendations on the viability of each strategy.Item Open Access Advancing the Green Development Initiative: Pilot Study and Management Plan Creation Recommendations(2011-04-28) Cohen, IlanaThe Green Development Initiative (GDI) is an innovative financial mechanism to conserve biodiversity by creating an international market for its trade. The GDI would accredit management plans for “sale” by land managers to willing buyers. The intent of the plans would be both to conserve biodiversity and improve land manager livelihoods, thus fulfilling the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Currently, the GDI Steering Committee is seeking potential candidates for pilot studies; this paper explores the possibility of implementing a GDI pilot study at the site of three allied shade-grown coffee cooperatives in Tacuba, El Salvador. The strong social capital of the cooperatives and their location within the heavily deforested yet biodiversity-rich El Salvador, directly along the path of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, makes them ideal for selection as a GDI site. A connectivity analysis of this region was conducted in order to measure its conservation potential and to develop a tool for carrying out similar analyses in the future. This paper concludes by advising the Steering Committee to implement a GDI pilot study with the three Salvadoran cooperatives and provides a number of more general recommendations for implementing the GDI in other sites.Item Open Access An Analysis of Forest-Based Offset Production in Oaxaca, Mexico Based on Critiques of the Forest Carbon Market(2013-04-25) Sandford, SusanForestry carbon offset projects are potentially viable solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, these projects have been heavily critiqued for perceived failures in creating real, additional, measurable, permanent and independently verifiable carbon credits. The central focus of this study is to test the validity of these critiques against the context of a specific voluntary forest carbon offset project in Oaxaca, Mexico. Ten rural communities are implementing the project with the assistance of two Mexican non-profit organizations, Environmental Services of Oaxaca (SAO) and ProNatura. To study these issues, I conducted case studies in three of the participating communities, with interview data collected from participants, the intermediary non-profit organizations and the carbon credit buyers. Based on my analysis of this data, the program seems to have avoided many of the common pitfalls of forest carbon offset projects. The program seems to have promoted conservation activities that might not have otherwise occurred and has also provided additional economic resources to support forest monitoring programs and improved management techniques. The program also emphasizes education and a utilization of local technical advisors, both of which appear to be fostering a culture of conservation in the communities. I also found that the development of land-use plans seem to play an important role in helping to protect the permanence of forest conservation, as well as preventing leakage by designating conservation areas and preventing the encroachment of other activities into these areas. Based on interviews with program participants, it appears that if the program were to disappear, the community would likely attempt to maintain the forest cover and sequestered carbon through either continued conservation or some type of sustainable harvesting system such as a community forestry enterprise. Despite the lack of international certification, SAO is attempting to ensure high quality credits by carefully selecting the communities that can participate in the program as well as through the use of monitoring plots that measure annual tree growth. In combination with ProNatura’s positive reputation, this seems to be sufficient for the buyers to trust that the project is producing legitimate credits. The program also appears to have a number of social and secondary environmental benefits. The lessons learned from this study have implications for the design other forest carbon offset projects in Mexico or on an international scale.Item Open Access An Evaluation of GSTC Destination Criteria & Their Presence in the Industry(2013-04-23) Sidhu, JagrupCertification schemes are emerging for sustainable destination tourism, or ecotourism within an entire region. Ensuring that these schemes have standards, criteria and indicators that promote economic, environmental and social success within the region of interest is a challenge, as most certification programs are new and lack global presence and credibility. In this study, I evaluated the apparent effectiveness of five separate programs: the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), QualityCoast, BioSphere, Green Globe & Costa Rica’s Blue Flag. Using the evaluation criteria of each program, I determined the value each placed on different aspects of sustainable destination tourism, and compared this to expert suggestions on what constitutes triple bottom line success. Results provide recommendations on the programs with the most potential to promote economic, environmental and social welfare, as well as a separate evaluation of the role that a single program, GSTC, can play in the industry, both at present and in the long-term.Item Open Access Analysis of aboveground carbon for indigenous communities in Oaxaca, MX(2021-12-08) Harrigan, EliseManaging forests for carbon is a productive and sustainable way to provide conservation and economic and ecological value. Oaxaca, the most biologically diverse state in Mexico, located in the southwestern region of the country, is looking to expand carbon offset opportunities on indigenous lands. The client for this project, a Oaxacan-based NGO, Integrator Campesino and Indigenous Communities of Oaxaca (ICICO), is working in conjunction with indigenous communities, to manage and protect natural resources while providing sustainable livelihood opportunities. Carbon offset programs are emerging as a promising method in conserving the forests’ biodiversity, while still providing monetary value to the local people by selling credits on the carbon market. This project aims to (1) evaluate the current methodologies and allometric equations in use to calculate the aboveground carbon in the forest, (2) analyze if the current aboveground biomass map accurately depicts the carbon distribution across the state, and (3) identify future carbon offset project locations across the communally owned lands. As forests continue to be at risk of deforestation, the importance of creating community-based conservation opportunities is increasingly more valuable.Item Open Access Analysis of Storm Water Outreach Programs in the Upstate, South Carolina(2011-04-28) Thomas, LauraPublic education and outreach are important components of most non-profit and government programs. This research project was motivated by a requirement of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program, which is a component of the Clean Water Act, which requires municipalities to include public education and outreach as components of their storm water programs. In this research project I posed the question: How can storm water management programs be designed to promote optimal outreach and education? I chose the programs offered by Upstate Forever as a focus of my research. Upstate Forever is a non-profit organization that operates in the ten-county region that comprises the upstate of South Carolina, and has partnered with many municipalities to provide storm water management outreach and education initiatives that meet the requirements set by the NPDES. In order to analyze the impact and effectiveness of Upstate Forever’s storm water public education and outreach programs; I designed a survey, with the input of Upstate Forever, to compare their Low Impact Development Series, Watershed Leaders Forums and Storm Water Symposiums. The survey was administered to former participants in these programs. I assessed the respondents’ level of knowledge of the workshop topic before they attended, the quality of the information presented, and whether or not the presentation would influence future behavior. The results of this study indicate that Upstate Forever’s outreach and education events have been well received and the participants believe that they have been very useful. The Low Impact Development series has had the highest attendance with participation dominated by industry (engineers / developers) and government officials. Results also indicate that to expand the scope and audience for their programs, Upstate Forever should increase their marketing to non-professionals and build in more networking/discussion time into the seminars.Item Open Access Analysis of the Kenyan Livestock Market And Feasibility Study Of A Livestock Business(2014-04-24) Tully, TaylorThe livestock sector is an important global player with significant and wide-ranging social, economic and environmental impacts. Worldwide, livestock production provides livelihoods for 1 billion of the world’s poor. However, the livestock sector is also a major driver of deforestation, land degradation, pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss. Kenya is a clear illustration of livestock’s complex social, economic and environmental roles. In the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya, the livestock sector provides livelihoods for 95% of families and employs 10 million people. However, pastoralism in ASALs faces many challenges. Population and livestock growth has led to overgrazing, creating a negative-feedback loop of environmental degradation, reduced livestock yields and greater poverty. In addition, pastoralists lack access to capital, markets and extension services, such as veterinary care. This report conducted an analysis of the livestock market and feasibility study of a social business that trains pastoralists in better land management techniques called Holistic Management. The study interviewed 30 pastoralists, from the village of Olekimunke, examining the different challenges they face raising livestock and their interest in the business model. Based on the information provided in interviews, pastoralists in Olekimunke are experiencing negative environmental change due to land degradation and desertification. These negative processes are partially driven by climatic factors, such as more frequent and severe droughts, as well as increasing human settlement and changes in land rights and practices. In addition, the markets in which pastoralists depend on to meet their subsistence livelihoods, do not provide enough services. The business model proposed in this document offers a potential solution to the environmental and market challenges faced by pastoralists in Olekimunke. The model provides pastoralists with the training and resources to implement Holistic Management and provides a vehicle through which the pastoralists can organize and successfully manage their land. Furthermore, the Company increases pastoralists access to capital, markets and other resources, such as training, which will further improve their livelihoods. As a result, pastoralists expressed a strong interest in the business model, which can potentially improve their livelihoods, thus demonstrating both its feasibility and viability.Item Open Access ANALYZING LANDSCAPE CONNECTIVITY FOR FELIDAE IN OAXACA GIVEN CURRENT AND POTENTIAL COMMUNITY LAND USE TRENDS(2021-04-30) Meca van den Berg, ClaudiaOaxaca state in southern Mexico lies adjacent to the Mesoamerican biological corridor and is comprised of a uniquely diverse landscape. It is further home to many indigenous peoples who possess autonomy and communal land rights. Tropical and deciduous forest ecosystems are essential to maintain landscape connectivity, and are becoming increasingly threatened by agricultural expansion, land privatization and urbanization. Suitable habitat within the range of the jaguar, Panthera onca, and other Felidae species is increasingly fragmented. Indigenous and rural community land management may play an important role in habitat integrity through mixed-use and traditional agroecological practices. This study examines the current distribution of key felid species and analyzes potential scenarios of land use change which may affect future fragmentation. Current land use and connectivity is modeled at both the state scale and for regional areas of interest. Scenario-based models are further used to help explore landscape connectivity in Oaxaca, through the relationship between land cover change, land use and presence of wildlife. Increased understanding of landscape connectivity for felids may inform future management of habitat conservation and restoration at various levels.Item Open Access Assessment of Smallholder Training Programs in Food Sector Climate Strategies(2022-04-21) Grigg, MarjorieThe future outcomes of climate change, the food sector, and supplier land management are codependent. The food sector is responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions—predominantly due to land use practices—while also facing decreased productivity as climate change worsens. As food companies and suppliers seek to increase yields, they run the risk of exacerbating this dynamic by intensifying and expanding production. Smallholder farmers (SHF) will play a key role in determining the trajectory of the sector’s land use, as they are particularly vulnerable to climate change and the need to boost food production for household income and consumption. Reducing emissions and mitigating climate risk in the food sector is therefore contingent upon strategic engagements that incentivize and support farmers—particularly SHFs—to transition to land use practices that boost productivity and reduce emissions across supply chains. Encouragingly, food companies are increasingly setting targets to reduce their emissions and establishing climate strategies to address supply risk. Many companies also have long-standing training programs to support SHFs, typically through philanthropic and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. However, even where companies are both taking climate action and engaging with small farmers, it is unclear how or if these initiatives are integrated within corporate climate strategy. Alignment across these efforts could accelerate progress by leveraging ongoing programming, and maximize investments and results by identifying synergies across these interconnected objectives. Failing to integrate these initiatives could lead to ineffective investment of limited funding; duplication or counteraction of efforts; and ultimately failure to optimize outcomes across these vital interventions for the sector. In sustainable business strategy, “embedded” initiatives (in which sustainability concerns are integrated into a company’s core strategy) are recognized as more effective than “bolt on” strategies, which tout “green initiatives and social philanthropy,” but are separate from the company’s core strategy. Beyond business strategy, it will be important for companies already investing in initiatives with smallholders to understand how these programs are “embedded into” or “bolted onto” their broader climate action if they are to optimize their efforts to bolster supply, reduce emissions, and support livelihoods. Given the importance of small farmers in creating a sustainable and viable trajectory for global food production and climate action, this study assesses the degree to which companies’ smallholder training programs are embedded within their corporate aims to reduce emissions and mitigate supply risk. Any learnings or areas for improvement will not only inform Corporate Sustainability Officers looking to scale their impact, but will also provide an important road map for companies newly investing in these types of interventions within their supply chains. To improve the level of comparability within this sample, I limited the study area to food companies with 1) emissions targets verified by the Science-based Targets Initiative; 2) climate strategies reported to the same environmental disclosure platform, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP); and 3) SHF training programs in Latin America with the same implementing NGO, TechnoServe. I begin by examining companies’ publicly facing sustainability communications, such as Corporate Impact Reports. I examine these publications using the four capitals of environmental economics (natural capital, produced capital, and human and social capitals) to assess companies’ expressed priorities and concerns when communicating to stakeholders about sustainability efforts within their supply chains. I then draw on the principles of materiality and sustainable business strategy to track how supply chain concerns flow throughout companies’ climate strategies, as reported through their CDP “Climate Change Surveys.” I examine how those supply chain concerns translate (or fail to translate) into concrete targets, and then compare these targets with the metrics for success defined in their training programs. I use this alignment as a metric to evaluate the embeddedness of those programs into broader corporate climate action, and posit initial considerations to better integrate smallholders into more effective corporate climate strategies. Findings within this sample indicate that companies emphasizing broad social outcomes for their farmers—rather than explicit land use outcomes within their value chains—are motivated by “social philanthropy” rather than “embedded sustainability,” and, because of this, fail to leverage their investments to drive progress against corporate climate action. While the limited scope of this study does not allow for generalizable conclusions, it highlights initial trends and considerations that can be used by Corporate Sustainability Officers and implementers such as TechnoServe with the power to better align these climate initiatives and optimize their impact. Companies with “embedded” training programs distinguished themselves by training their direct suppliers, aligning training outcomes with internal supply standards, including specific land use concerns within these standards and public sustainability communications, and addressing challenges farmers may face in complying with those standards (for example facilitating access to credit). All “embedded” programs acted within a value chain that accounts for at least 30% of the companies’ revenues. Based on these findings, it will be important for Corporate Sustainability Officers managing “bolt on” farmer engagement programs to identify an achievable, initial set of sourcing standards that can bridge the gap between their farmer training activities and their supply-chain and climate interventions. Third-party certifications and implementing partners could facilitate this transition by providing verification standards and adapting ongoing training curricula to meet these standards, respectively. Because many of these programs are already promoting best practices similar to embedded programs’ sustainable sourcing criteria, a key challenge for corporate sustainability teams will be to measure uptake of those practices in relation to emissions outcomes, and to concentrate training within their companies’ sourcing channels. It will therefore be essential for these teams to understand and mitigate the barriers their sourcing counterparts may face in making direct investments with local suppliers. Conversely, companies with “embedded” training programs could leverage their land use outcomes to establish more rigorous emissions targets. For implementers working with both types of companies, it will be vital to understand their role in making the above transitions feasible and desirable for food companies in order to optimize results for the climate, food production, and the producers who depend on both.Item Open Access Biodiversity targets will not be met without debt and tax justice.(Nature ecology & evolution, 2021-12-20) Dempsey, Jessica; Irvine-Broque, Audrey; Bigger, Patrick; Christiansen, Jens; Muchhala, Bhumika; Nelson, Sara; Rojas-Marchini, Fernanda; Shapiro-Garza, Elizabeth; Schuldt, Andrew; DiSilvestro, AdrianaItem Open Access Carbon Offsetting in Agroforestry Systems(2020-04-24) Houghton, ElizabethAgroforestry is a land management system that intentionally integrates agriculture with trees to create resilient and productive landscapes that support biodiversity, soil health, and carbon sequestration. Financing a transition to agroforestry can pose a challenge for many farmers, but carbon offsetting has the potential to support these sustainable practices by providing a financial incentive to sequester carbon using this land management strategy. Although there are obstacles, integrating carbon offsetting into agroforestry systems has compelling potential for climate change mitigation, sustainable economic development, and environmental conservation. In partnership with the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative, this research used semi-structured interviews with a diverse set of experts, promoters, and practitioners to explore benefits and barriers, strategies for success, and opportunities on the horizon for integrating carbon offsetting into agroforestry systems.Item Open Access Climate Change and Coffee Communities in Latin America(2015-04-24) Fox, Claire; Furgiuele, Joanna; Haider, Saira; Ramirez, Martin; Younis, MikeCoffee production is an essential component of the rural economy and smallholder livelihoods in countries throughout Latin America. Coffee producers and the global coffee supply have been threatened by the effects of climate change, such as increases in severe weather events that cause harvest failures and changes in growing conditions that decrease volume or quality. We researched climate change adaptation strategies for both livelihood stability and coffee production sustainability that are feasible for smallholder producers to implement. Our group conducted a research study for our client Counter Culture Coffee in partnership with three coffee cooperatives: La Orgánica in Colombia, Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Concepción Huista (CODECH) in Guatemala, and Cenfrocafé in Peru. We used a mixed methods approach and triangulated our data by applying multiple sources to answer similar questions. We interviewed cooperative leaders, conducted surveys, held focus groups, and participated in transect walks. We also interviewed key actors from the government, nonprofit, and private sectors within each country that play a role in developing the resilience and/or adaptive capacity of smallholder coffee producers. Our results show how across all three countries, issues of the roya (coffee leaf rust) epidemic, price volatility, instability in weather and seasonality, lack of access to credit, and insufficient availability to technical assistance are challenges to adapting to the impacts of climate change for smallholder coffee growers. Some of the strategies that smallholder coffee producers can implement to adapt to climate change are: diversifying income, selecting rust resistant coffee varieties, converting to shade-grown agroforestry systems, implementing best management practices, capacity building through community organization and forming cooperatives, and securing certifications that offer more stable prices. Finally, we developed specific recommendations for our client and for our three partner cooperatives.Item Open Access Communicating the Processes, Values, and Impacts of Carbon Offsetting by the Communities of the Integrator of Indigenous and Campesino Communities of Oaxaca (ICICO)(2024-04-25) Cloer, Ashton; Palia, SophiaThe Integrator of Indigenous and Rural Communities of Oaxaca (ICICO) is an indigenous-led, community-based organization devoted to overseeing the sustainable management of natural resources of 16 communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. Our Master’s Project explores and informs effective strategies ICICO can use to communicate their story and carbon offset project to a variety of external audiences, including carbon offset buyers, the general public, potential funders, and the Mexican and international press. Through interviews, articles, and an extensive literature review, we identified themes important to ICICO and target audiences. We found that ICICO values community engagement, co-benefits of carbon offsetting, and the Oaxacan context of their project. In contrast, carbon offset buyers and funders are more interested in project developers clearly addressing key criteria, such as additionality, durability, and transparency. The general public is most interested in accessible storytelling and engaging, interactive content. The press is attracted by a mix of information related to verifiability, co-benefits of carbon offsetting, and culture. During our project, we also identified another audience important to ICICO’s external communications: communities interested in learning from and/or joining ICICO’s work. Our research will inform 5 main bilingual deliverables for ICICO including a website, edited media footage, verification document suggestions, an annual report template, and a condensed summary of our research, results, recommendations, and useful resources.Item Open Access Designing A Biological Corridor in Oaxaca, Mexico(2020-04-24) Erdman, Krista; Myers, Kimberly; Patterson, Virginia; Wang, ZifengSituated in the biodiversity hotspot of Oaxaca, San Juan Lachao and San Pedro Juchatengo boast an impressive collection of faunal species. Protecting these animals is critical to both prevent extinction and support the communities’ cultures and economies. In our study, we focused on six species – white-tailed deer, jaguarundi, ocelot, puma, peccary, and coati – to locate potential conservation areas and generate a corridor to connect them. Using camera trap observations collected by community members, remotely sensed data, and information gathered in the field, we employed statistical models to map the distribution of each focal species based on probability of occurrence. We then prioritized conservation areas by selecting sizable regions with overlapping distributions. Finally, we calculated least cost paths to find an optimal corridor site. To facilitate future studies, we also classified a highly accurate land use land cover map for the region. Our results identified two priority conservation areas in Lachao totaling 2,774 ha. In future studies, we recommend adjusting the camera trap protocol to extend into Juchatengo and focus on potential conservation areas that have not yet been observed. Additional environmental variables collected at the camera trap sites would also likely markedly improve our distribution models. For indigenous communities that rely on their collective lands for living, biological diversity is an essential aspect of their management practices and is integral to their livelihoods and cultural values. Livelihood activities by indigenous communities also have important implications on local biodiversity both as a source of stress and as a potential force of environmental stewardship. Alternative livelihood projects (ALPs) refer to conservation interventions that intend to reduce people’s reliance on threatened natural resources,generate economic benefits and increase local support for conservation. ICICO has actively promoted ALPs in the two agrarian communities that we worked with, San Juan Lachao and San Pedro Juchatengo, as a strategy for integrating biodiversity and socioeconomic goals. In this part of our project, we studied the socioeconomic effects of the proposed biological corridor and explored the potential for alternative livelihood projects in the client communities. We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with leaders from Lachao and Juchatento, to determine perceptions of benefits and barriers regarding ALP’s and a proposed biological corridor connecting the two communities. We spent time with community members in the field to build trust and gather supporting data from conversations regarding the project. Then, we conducted an in-depth literature review of case studies of four types of alternative livelihood projects identified by ICICO as being of particular interest and relevance for these communities: forest-based carbon offset, non-timber forest product, agroforestry and ecotourism. From the review of literature, we drew lessons that can inform the development of projects in our client communities. Integrating the coding and data analyses from the interviews and the literature review, we determined recommendations towards implementing ALP’s and conservation activities that will link the communities and support the corridor.Item Open Access Designing Collaborative Workshops for Rural Churches and Policy-Makers(2023-04-27) Barnes, Sarah; Alexander, LangstonRural coastal communities in the Southeastern United States face a worsening combination of natural hazards impacting social services, economies, infrastructure, and local cultures. Despite the role faith communities play in the well-being of rural areas, they have historically been left out of policy deliberations on climate resilience and adaptation. Collaborative learning workshops offer a practical framework to bridge the gap between decision makers and faith communities. To investigate best practices in planning and facilitating workshops, we conducted interviews with community climate adaptation practitioners and formed a literature review using academic sources, guides, and case studies on collaborative learning workshops. Our findings highlight the importance of building long-term collaborative relationships founded on trust and respect. While there is no universal solution to building local resilience to climate change, developing avenues of communication and collective understanding can help communities take steps in addressing climate impacts.Item Open Access Documenting Stakeholder Perceptions of an Urban Coastline to Inform Conservation Action Planning(2011-04-29) Barrett, JenniferWaikīkī has long been the anchor of Hawaii's visitor industry. Approximately $3.6 billion or 46% of tourism's total contribution to Hawaii's Gross State Product originates directly and indirectly from this famed one-square-mile of Oahu's south shore (DBEDT, 2003). While extensive resources have been directed towards understanding the economic contribution of Waikīkī, far fewer have been directed to understanding and safeguarding the unique natural resources that lure both residents and visitors to the area. Yet maintaining--and improving--the health and vitality of these natural resources is integral to the continued economic contributions of Hawaii's flagship visitor destination as well as opportunities for ocean-based activities that contribute to the overall quality of life for Oahu's residents. In order to address this oversight, a coalition of community partners are currently planning to undertake a community planning process with the intention of integrating and improving disparate efforts to manage and steward the coastal and marine resources of Waikīkī through the development of an outcome-oriented, community-backed plan. To ensure success, the planning process must be framed by a thorough understanding of community concerns and perspectives, and once initiated, should maximize opportunities for meaningful stakeholder input and involvement. To this end, this study was conducted to: 1) document and analyze the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Waikīkī residents with respect to the past, present, and desired condition of coastal and nearshore resources; and, 2) identify resident priorities related to and potential stakeholder conflict that may arise from future management and restoration efforts. Data collection consisted of a stakeholder analysis targeting area residents and utilizing a mail survey as the primary research tool. Resident responses reveal both a perception that the condition of Waikīkī's coastal and nearshore resources has deteriorated over time, as well as a strong desire to maintain recreational opportunities and improve reef health. Where the results can best inform future management and restoration efforts lies in: 1) resident priorities and anticipated "deal-breakers" with regard to possible management strategies; 2) resident concerns, questions, and knowledge gaps associated with anticipated restoration efforts; and, 3) demographic characteristics of the respondents to this survey which hint that there will likely be a significant divergence in profiles and priorities with other stakeholder groups such as area businesses and recreational users residing outside of Waikīkī.Item Open Access Economic Valuation of Environmental Impacts of a 2D Seismic Survey in the Marañon River Basin, Peru(2014-04-25) Manrique Zeder, LisethThis study seeks to estimate in monetary terms the impacts on the ecosystem services of a 2D seismic Project in the rainforest region of Peru. Economic valuation of the environmental impacts of land use projects is an important part of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) in Peru. EIAs are used to establish a social and environmental base line, identify impacts, and establish mitigation measures and compensations. Legislation is very broad in regard to the goals and ways to conduct economic valuations. Assessments are not comparable and/or use overly general secondary data. In this context, this study proposes a way to both standardize and improve the economic valuation methods for EIAs in Peru by using local data on the impacts on the ecosystem services and on the economy of the people that depend on them and accounting for the impacts after the project has ended. The impact of the project on the carbon capture and storage are calculated through valuation of carbon stocks, deforestation carbon flux loss, and reforestation carbon flux. The impacts on the economic activities that depend on ecosystem services are also estimated for agriculture, hunting and fishing. The results of this analysis vary largely from the ones obtained for the same project using overly generalized data from literature reviews and research conducted in other parts of the world. This shows the bias that overly discretionary guidelines generates; it is also a call to the environmental authorities to establish a common ground for economic valuations in EIA and the benefits that this could represent for the authorities, local communities and the companies that conduct projects in Peru. The first part of this document provides an introduction to the topic, followed by a description of the methods applied and an identification of the project’s impacts. These impacts are then assessed by prevention and mitigation measures in the fourth part. The impacts are classified in potential and residual impacts. The residual impacts after the mitigation plans are valued using data from local sources, forest inventories, household surveys and relevant literature.Item Open Access Effectively Communicating about Risks from Soil Contamination(2019-04-26) Reents, MaryThe goal of this study was to provide recommendations for a social marketing campaign in order to educate North Carolina community gardeners about the implications and health effects associated with soil contamination, empowering them with the knowledge necessary to make safe gardening decisions and elicit behavior change associated with minimizing soil contaminant exposure. A soil contaminant is defined as “an element or chemical present in the soil at a level that could possibly pose health risks” (EPA, 2011). Soil contaminants can affect gardeners through consumption, inhalation, or dermal contact (Kim et al., 2014). The most commonly found contaminants include lead, cadmium, and arsenic (Science Communication Unit, 2013). These contaminants have many negative health effects (Science Communication Unit, 2013). Although the health risks posed by these contaminants can be substantial, when they are found in soil most are enacted through long term, low-dose exposures (Jaishankar, 2014). As opposed to acute contamination, these types of risks are difficult to communicate about in ways that will motivate behavior change (Sandman & Covello, 2001). Social marketing, which applies the methods applied in marketing to affect individual behaviors, but for social good, is a common approach in the field of public health as an effective strategy for communicating these types of risks (McKenzie-Mohr, 2011). I applied a social marketing approach with a focus on decreasing exposure to soil contaminants in three target audiences, thereby reducing the associated health risks. Because community gardens are becoming more and more common (Brown & Jameton, 2000), this sort of outreach is becoming increasingly important. The current study therefore aims to answer the following questions: 1. How can we segment our audience to most effectively communicate about soil contamination exposure? 2. What messaging, through which channels is most likely to change the behavior of each of these audiences?Item Open Access Effectively Communicating with Subsistence Fish Consumers to Reduce Exposure to Contaminants(2020-04-24) Dietz, Martin; Yang, StevenEconomic factors and cultural values influence individual choices to catch local fish as an important supplement to their diet. This practice is commonly referred to as subsistence fishing. We believe the term “fishing for food” is more appropriate, given the mosaic of values and motivations that underlie the practice. While fishing for food is an affordable and accessible way to acquire a nutritional food source, chemical contaminants from the environment can build up in certain species of fish. Consumption of fish that contain chemical contaminants may harm human health. Fishing for food creates environmental justice concerns because low income and minority communities generally depend on wild caught fish in different ways and to a greater extent than society as a whole and are therefore likely to be disproportionately exposed to the harmful contaminants. The practice of fishing for food is informal, and fishers have a wealth of specialized local knowledge, which they frequently share amongst themselves. The informality of the practice and centrality of local, specialized knowledge means that little information is available on people who fish for food. Our project addresses this data gap in eastern North Carolina through a combination of intercept surveys, key actor interviews, and participant observations that allow us to tap the local knowledge and community experiences necessary for deepening our understanding of fishing for food. This methodology allows us to examine the behaviors, motivations, and values of people fishing for food along the lower Cape Fear River in North Carolina, a waterway that is heavily impaired by pollution. Our findings provide a glimpse into the behaviors, motivations, and values of those fishing for food in this area that will be used to inform an ongoing, local community-based social marketing campaign. This campaign endeavors to provide community relevant information and actionable alternatives that help individuals who fish for food avoid exposure to chemical contaminants. More generally our research demonstrates how community-based research approaches can be used to inform the development of locally relevant public health initiatives that address the unique behaviors, values, and contexts of impacted communities.Item Open Access HUMAN RESPONSE TO HOLOCENE CLIMATE FLUCTUATIONS: HAVE WE BEEN HERE BEFORE?(2015-08-05) Smith, PatrickThe central proposition of this project is that archaeology has relevance and utility for general contemporary society, rather than just for the select group of academics who have chosen it as a field of study. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) ensures that federal actions taken on behalf of the public will take into account the potential impact those actions might have on archaeological resources. As such, the discipline has real consequences for the public in the form of public expenditures. Archaeological research is often labor intensive, time-consuming, and expensive, so it is reasonable to ask what public benefit will be realized as a result of those expenditures. This is certainly something that professional archaeologists working in the field of cultural resources management have wrestled with. Unlike the public benefit of other regulatory laws, such as those enforcing clean air and clean water standards, the public benefit of conducting archaeological research and protecting archaeological sites is not self-evident. However, recent contributions by archaeologists to paleoclimate studies have given the discipline a new currency, with the public benefit being insights into one of the most controversial and far-reaching issues of our time: climate change.
Paleoclimate research has found that the Earth’s climate has undergone numerous oscillations during the current interglacial period (the Holocene). Until the modern era, these oscillations were, in all likelihood, caused by orbital forcing (eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession) working in conjunction with various feedback phenomena, such as volcanic emissions, surface reflectivity, atmospheric reflectivity, atmospheric chemistry, etc., with the net result being a somewhat predictable cycle of alternating cool and warm periods over the past 12,000 years. Archaeological research, augmented by historical documentation from Europe and Asia, has shown that these oscillations align with significant periods of culture change in both the Old and New Worlds. By comparing climate predictions for the future with the paleoclimate record and episodes of past culture change, this project offers the following qualified insights into what society might expect for the terminal 21st Century:
- The historic and archaeological records indicate the scale of climate events necessary to have a meaningful influence on human society is not very great.
- For the modern world, at-risk countries could face social collapse as a result of food stress brought on by increased aridification, while First World nations could have to deal with substantial population displacements from regions experiencing water shortages and an increased cost of living.
- By the end of the 21st Century, the predicted warming trajectory will probably push average global temperature past anything that has been experienced during the Holocene to date; there are no past conditions that are analogous to projected future conditions. The implication is that mankind should expect the need for significant cultural adaptation to future climate change.