Center for the Environment http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment Wed, 15 May 2013 13:26:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Talk on Recreation and Land Management Decision Making on Squam Lakes http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2958/talk-on-recreation-and-land-management-decision-making-on-squam-lakes/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2958/talk-on-recreation-and-land-management-decision-making-on-squam-lakes/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 13:25:52 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2958 Please join us onThursday, May 16, 2013, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm at the Squam Lakes Association in Holderness, NH, for a talk by CFE graduate student Andrew Veilleux on “Recreation and Land Management Decision Making on Squam Lakes.”

Andrews is completing his research that investigates how Squam is used and the opinions of those that enjoy the lakes. This project has involved an innovative GIS system to gather from people their perspectives about recreational use on the lake.

As part of the project, Andrew has completed a brochure summarizing his work.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2958/talk-on-recreation-and-land-management-decision-making-on-squam-lakes/feed/ 0 Calcium-Fertilized Forests Use More Water According to New PSU and Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2905/calcium-fertilized-forests-use-more-water-according-to-new-psu-and-hubbard-brook-ecosystem-study/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2905/calcium-fertilized-forests-use-more-water-according-to-new-psu-and-hubbard-brook-ecosystem-study/#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:16:10 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2905 Mark Green from CFE is lead author on a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper summarized the results of a forest fertilization experiment that the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. The research showed that a forest fertilized with calcium grew faster and in doing so transpired, or evaporated through their leaves, more water than the control watershed. The difference was so great that streamflow substantially declined in the fertilized forest. This is interesting because the forest may have been limited by calcium due to the legacy of acid rain in the region. Also, it highlights an unintended consequence of forest fertilization. While the goal of fertilization is often to optimize biomass production, this practice may reduce water supplies in the process. CFE member Scott Bailey is a co-author of the paper.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2905/calcium-fertilized-forests-use-more-water-according-to-new-psu-and-hubbard-brook-ecosystem-study/feed/ 0 CFE Hosts the 2013 NH Water & Watershed Conference http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2888/cfe-hosts-the-2013-nh-water-watershed-conference/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2888/cfe-hosts-the-2013-nh-water-watershed-conference/#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:34:24 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2888

East Inlet, Photo by Phil Haskell

Plymouth State University’s Center for the Environment (CFE) hosts the 2013 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference, Friday,  March 22 in PSU’s Hartman Union Building. The event features more than 30 talks addressing current water related research as well as effective strategies at the local, regional, state, and federal levels about changing environmental and societal conditions and their effects on New Hampshire’s water resources and aquatic environment. Specific topics to be covered include watershed planning, restoration, and management; education and outreach; ecosystem services of lakes, rivers, and watersheds; coordinating a response to climate change; and water quality and quantity.

The plenary speaker is Linwood Pendleton, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Program at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and acting chief economist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His talk will be on Clean Water and the New Hampshire Economy.

Governor Maggie Hassan is also expected to attend and speak about current water issues in New Hampshire.

CFE Director Dr. Joe Boyer stated the conference will provide an extensive amount of information about the region’s water resources.

“Water is a common denominator in the environment, society and economy of this region,” Boyer said. “This meeting will help further the research and management of water resources for the benefit of both nature and people.”

The sessions and talks at the conference are designed to meet the information and networking needs of a broad audience. In past years, scientists; educators; consultants; students; lake, river, and watershed groups; environmental organizations; volunteer monitors; municipal board and staff members; elected officials; local and regional planners; and policy makers have all found the conference to be full of valuable information addressing current water and watershed topics in New Hampshire.

Information about the event, registration, and the agenda are at http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2013-nh-water-watershed-conference/

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2888/cfe-hosts-the-2013-nh-water-watershed-conference/feed/ 0 CFE Signs Partnership Agreement with NH Dept. of Environmental Services http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2820/2820/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2820/2820/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:19:58 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2820 The Center for the Environment has coordinated with the NH Department of Environmental Services on a new partnership agreement that addresses mutual areas in interest and opportunities for collaboration. DES Commissioner Tom Burack visited PSU on January 28, 2013 where he and PSU’s President Sara Jayne Steen signed the agreement. Following the signing ceremony, Commissioner Burack met with CFE faculty and students to discuss environmental issues on the state horizon, legislative initiatives, student internships and workplace development, and interests in furthering STEM initiatives.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2820/2820/feed/ 0 Recent News from CFE http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2818/recent-news-from-cfe-2/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2818/recent-news-from-cfe-2/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:14:15 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2818 Mark Green is co-Principle Investigator on a $50,000 NSF grant, “US-Japan Joint Seminar on Responses of Catchment Hydrology and Forest Biogeochemistry to Climatic and Environmental Change.” This project will support a joint US-Japan meeting on catchment hydrology and biogeochemistry on March 7-11, 2013 in Hawaii.

On November 11, 2012, Shannon Rogers successfully completed the year-long Environmental Leadership Program(ELP) and graduated into the Senior Fellow’s class.  ELP’s mission is to support visionary, action-oriented, and diverse leadership for a just and sustainable future. ELP catalyzes change by providing talented individuals early in their careers with the support and guidance they need to launch new endeavors, achieve new successes, and rise to new leadership positions. On November 14th, Shannon participated in one of her first activities as a Senior Fellow by co-hosting a webinar on Ecological Economics.

Recent publications by CFE faculty include:

  • Burchsted, Denise and Daniels, Melinda D. (2013) Classification of the alterations of beaver dams to headwater streams in northeastern Connecticut, U.S.A. Geomorphology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.12.029
  • Yanai, Ruth D.; Levine, Carrie R.; Green, Mark B.; and Campbell, John L. (2012) Quantifying Uncertainty in Forest Nutrient Budgets. Journal of Forestry. 110(8), pp. 448-456. http://dx.doi.org/10.5849/jof.11-087

Several people from CFE recently gave presentations:

  • Lisa Doner presented an invited paper “Tracing the source of the signal – exploring the potential for watershed monitoring to explain variation in sedimentary records.” at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Charlotte, NC, Nov. 4–7, 2012, in a session on Lake Systems Through Space and Time. Co-authors on the paper, in order, are Christina Maki (recent ESP/CFE MS graduate), Mark Green, and current ESP/CFE graduate student, Benjamin Bolaski.
  • On November 7th , Shannon Rogers gave a presentation, along with Richard Howarth of Dartmouth, at the EPSCoR all hands meeting about the research they are doing as part of the ecosystem services component of the Ecosystems & Society project.  Shannon outlined the watershed ecosystem services work she is doing in New Hampshire.
  • Graduate student Ashley Hyde presented a poster, “Using Specific Electrical Conductance to Compare Rainfall Runoff in NH Urban and Rural Catchments,” at the EPSCoR All Hands Meeting on November 7, 2012. Co-authors were Mark Green and Errin Volitis.
  • On November 15, 2012, Lisa Doner presented results of her research team’s work on the sediment history of the Ossipee lakes as part of the Green Mountain Conservation Group’s community presentation at Chocorua Village. This is an ongoing partnership with the Green Mountain Conservation Group, PSU, UNH and Ossipee region communities to assess water quality issues associated with population growth and development.
]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2818/recent-news-from-cfe-2/feed/ 0 2013 Spring Colloquium Series http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2814/2013-spring-colloquium-series/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2814/2013-spring-colloquium-series/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:47:17 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2814 Each semester CFE organizes the Environmental Science Colloquium which is held on Wednesday afternoons from 4-5 pm at the Boyd Science Center, Room 001. The talks cover a wide range of topics around environmental science and sustainability. The colloquium is available for graduate credit and we also invite the community to come for free. For more information, contact Doug Earick. Read on for the complete list of dates and speakers.

Feb. 20: Natalie DeGraaf, “The Science behind Global Policy and Diplomacy”

Feb. 27: Mike Ball, “A cooperative research approach to ecosystem based fisheries management”

Mar. 13: Richard Boisvert, “10K/BC – Climate Change for Real”

Mar. 27: John Gilbert, “New Hampshire Lives on Water: Planning for our future”

Apr. 10: Ed Cherian, “Environmental Permitting For Wind Power in NH”

Apr. 17: Larry Hamilton, “What do New Hampshirites know and believe about climate change? A tracking poll with new survey research”

Apr. 24: Dave Orwig, “The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid”

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2814/2013-spring-colloquium-series/feed/ 0 Contact Us http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2789/contact-us/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2789/contact-us/#comments Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:27:05 +0000 Michael https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2789 Center for the Environment

Plymouth State University
Russell House
MSC #63, 17 High Street
Plymouth, NH 03264
psu-cfe@plymouth.edu

phone (603) 535-3179
fax (603) 535-3004

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2789/contact-us/feed/ 0 LoVoTECS News http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2658/lovotecs-news/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2658/lovotecs-news/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:18:29 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2658 The NH LoVoTECS project recently published a newsletter and  launched a blog dedicated to updates, interesting findings and additional information about the LoVoTECS network. Graduate student Ashley Hyde presented a poster, “Using Specific Electrical Conductance to Compare Rainfall Runoff in NH Urban and Rural Catchments,” at the EPSCoR All Hands Meeting on November 7, 2012 in Waterville Valley, NH.

The New Hampshire Lotic Volunteer Temperature, Electrical, Conductivity, and Stage Sensing network  (LoVoTECS) involves a state-of-the-art, broad scale and high-frequency hydrologic sensing network using simple sensors operated by a diverse group of partners. The network sensors continuously measure conductivity, temperature, and water level. These indicators of water quality and physical condition are key to understanding the natural variability of, and human influences on, streams and rivers. LoVoTECS is funded by the National Science Foundation through a cooperative agreement to the New Hampshire Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program. The network is coordinated by a group of researchers, staff, and students at Plymouth State University – and implemented by our broad group of partners, including educators,researchers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and citizen scientists. Our goal is to improve our understanding of New Hampshire’s water resources and help develop a technically advanced workforce by providing educational opportunities to interact with large data sets.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2658/lovotecs-news/feed/ 0 Shannon Rogers Attends Living on Earth III Workshop http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2588/shannon-rogers-attends-living-on-earth-iii-workshop/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2588/shannon-rogers-attends-living-on-earth-iii-workshop/#comments Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:46:17 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2588

LOEII Participants with US Virgin Island Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr.

Shannon H. Rogers attended the Living on Earth III (LOE III) workshop from October 23-26th in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.  This workshop was hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands and sponsored by the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Shannon was one of three New Hampshire scholars nominated to participate in this ongoing endeavor to address the need for effective integration of processes linking scientific knowledge and analytical approaches in social-ecological systems (SES) research. Several goals of the workshop were building science and research capacity in sustainability science and coupled human-natural/socio-ecological systems science across EPSCoR jurisdictions and facilitating the formalization and functionality of a LOE-SES scientific network that will promote cutting-edge and transformative science ideas.

LOE III ran for four days, during which the first day was devoted to strengthening participant understanding of SES science via participation in an Experiential Social Learning interactive field exercise. The second and third days of the workshop were devoted to collaborative and collective study and discourse of the four focal core themes of the workshop. The fourth day was devoted to participatory workshop synthesis, finalizing the scientific network formation, and evaluating near-term goals and next steps for the LOE group of scientists across all EPSCoR jurisdictions. During days 2 through 4, a series of facilitated collaborative exercises were conducted strengthening the participant integration and immersion in the themes of the workshop, as well as facilitating integrative synthesis and cross-pollination of ideas at the final workshop day.  A resolution to formalize a Social-Ecological Network among EPSCoR jurisdictions was drafted.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2588/shannon-rogers-attends-living-on-earth-iii-workshop/feed/ 0 2012-13 White Fellowship Recipient http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2584/2012-13-white-fellowship-recipient/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2584/2012-13-white-fellowship-recipient/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:19:34 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2584 Jamie Sydoriak, a Plymouth State University/Center for the Environment graduate student studying grassland bird communities, has been awarded the Joe and Gail White Fellowship for 2012-13. The White Fellowship was created by two Plymouth State graduates who care deeply about protecting New Hampshire’s natural resources and fostering PSU’s ongoing efforts in educating the public about this goal. Joe ’68 and Gail White ’66 were both teachers who eventually started a successful organic farm in southern New Hampshire. The White Fellowship helps pay a graduate student’s tuition, stipend, or research expenses.

“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be awarded this gift from Joe and Gail White,” Sydoriak said. “I truly believe in the mission of open space conservation and the goals of the Center for the Environment here at PSU, and it’s great to know there are people who feel the same way.  Support from the Center for the Environment and the Whites’ foster these values into the minds of future conservationists like myself.”

Sydoriak, a student in the Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy program in PSU’s Center for the Environment (CFE), will use the White Fellowship Award to assist her thesis research on grassland bird conservation. Her project is interested in maintaining or improving privately-owned grasslands with the goal of stabilizing bird populations that use them.  She will conduct rapid assessment surveys in New Hampshire grasslands to determine the state of the bird populations and habitat quality.  From that she will focus on developing landowner outreach materials about the background, science and management of maintaining grasslands for birds.

“The award is enabling me to put my best foot forward in our grassland conservation project,” noted Sydoriak. “Any and all data will help us in teaching people to think differently about managing their land, and ultimately help improve habitat for grassland birds.”

For her thesis project, she will work with the CFE and Vermont Center for Ecostudies under the direction of her mentor, Dr. Len Reitsma at PSU.

“Jamie’s work on grassland bird conservation with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies represents an excellent melding of science and policy,” said Reitsma. “Her project is also the type of linkage with regional environmental organizations that has typified the work of the Center for the Environment. Receiving the Joe and Gail White Fellowship will enhance the quality of this collaboration.”

Jamie received a bachelor of science in Biology with a minor in Environmental Earth Science from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2011 and has previous field experience working with bird ecology.

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