Natural Resources Professional Masters Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/1813/55172

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 35

Regenerating Urban Forests, Reimagining Stewardship: The Irvington Woods Urban Forestry Plan
Reilly, Charles III (2025-08)
The Irvington Woods Park (IWP) is a 251-acre ecological preserve that encompasses nearly 14% of the Village of Irvington, NY. As one of the largest intact forest ecosystems in southern Westchester County, IWP plays a vital role in water filtration, stormwater buffering, and climate regulation. Located at one of the village’s highest elevations and draining into the Hudson River watershed, the park supports seven distinct forest stand types and is home to rare old-growth specimens—some over 300 years old—documented in collaboration with Harvard Forest. In 2024, IWP was formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national recognition of its biodiversity, ecological value, and history of community stewardship. This capstone project, developed with support from the NYSDEC CoRe Urban Forestry Grant (2024–2026), builds on the Village’s longstanding investment in civic ecology, environmental education, and forest resilience.
Market-Based Instruments in Environmental Policy: Lessons and Principles
Holcomb, Benjamin (2025-08)
This paper explores the role of market-based instruments (MBIs) in environmental policy, examining them within both the historical context of economic theory and their contemporary use around the globe. By tracing the roots of MBIs in both Pigouvian and Coasean theory, this paper shows how MBIs evolved as a product of neo-liberal environmental governance and appeared as flexible, incentive-based governance alternatives to traditional, coercive command-and-control regulation. The paper shows how MBIs (through selected case studies of carbon markets, debt-for-nature swaps, and green/blue bonds, and payments for ecosystem services) have the power to generate massive new private capital flows to environmental impact, diminishing greenhouse gas production, and incentivizing conservation. However, analysis also reveals continuous weaknesses and vulnerabilities of MBIs: non-additionality, price volatility, burden and sovereignty risks which fall disproportionately on marginalized communities, and commodification risk of irreplaceable ecosystems. Important design and implementation challenges remain. Based on this analysis, the paper identified five principles that will help make MBIs effective and judicious: integrity of outcomes, justice and equity, sovereignty and consent, acknowledgment of non-fungibility, and cultural fit. In summary, the study argues that MBIs are extremely effective in aligning finance with environmental objectives, however, for them to be long-lasting and ethically sound, they must prioritize social justice, moral accountability, and cultural engagement in their design.
Restoring the Critically Endangered Siamese Crocodile to the Xe Champhone Wetlands in Lao PDR
Thongsavath, Oudomxay (2024)
The critically endangered Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) faces severe threats globally, with fewer than 1,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild. Lao PDR, particularly the Xe Champhone floodplain in Savannakhet Province, harbors a significant portion of this population. This area represents the only known viable population in the country capable of annual successful nesting by multiple females. Despite its designation as a Ramsar site, the floodplain lacks formal protection, relying primarily on local religious beliefs for conservation. The population faces increasing threats from agricultural expansion, water extraction, and illegal hunting and fishing practices. To combat these challenges, the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR is collaborating with the government and local communities to establish a community-based conservation zone involving 17 villages in wetland monitoring. A key component is the head-starting program in Tansoum village, where eggs are incubated for 75-80 days, and hatchlings are raised to 1 meter in length over 32 months before soft release. Since 2019, 78 head-started crocodiles have been released, with 156 more in preparation, achieving a 75% hatching success rate from 25 nests, resulting in 234 hatchlings. The project also explores suitable approaches, such as regulating incubation temperature to determine the sex of hatchlings, to balance the male-to-female ratio for long-term population health in the Xe Champhone wetlands. Habitat suitability models indicate that while 46% of the species' range is suitable habitat, only 11% is covered by designated reserves. Population connectivity models reveal highly fragmented remnant populations. The lower Mekong River Basin, from the Xe Champhon and Xe Xangxoy Rivers in Lao PDR to the Srepok and Sekong Rivers in eastern Cambodia, is crucial for future conservation efforts. However, the current protected area network is inadequate in size and connectivity, necessitating significant improvements to sustain viable populations of this critically endangered species.
Restoring Life to El Yunque: The Path After Hurricane Maria
Ramirez Sanchez, Vivian (2024)
I created this story map to document the restoration of the trails in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The capstone focuses on the challenges faced in rebuilding the trail network and the efforts of the El Yunque Trails Volunteer Program to restore access to this cherished natural area. Through the construction of trail assessment maps, photographs, and narratives, the story map provides an engaging overview of the restoration process and its importance for both the environment and the local community.
Reducing Urban Wildlife Consumption: Raising Public Awareness of Zoonotic Disease Risks Linked to Wildlife Trade in Lao PDR
Khammavong, Kongsy (2024)
In recent decades, public health events like the SARS outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic have raised significant concerns about the health risks associated with wildlife trade chains. Wildlife trade and consumption are common in Lao PDR. The increasing demand for wildlife in urban areas has driven a rise in poaching and trade, posing significant threats to wildlife populations and biodiversity in Laos and neighboring countries. However, the impact of wildlife trade extends beyond ecological harm, as it also elevates public health risks by facilitating the spread of infectious diseases. The close contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans during the trade process creates opportunities for disease spillover. This study aims to identify effective communication strategies by targeting specific audiences, crafting relevant messages, and utilizing accessible tools to raise awareness about serious health risks, such as zoonotic disease transmission, associated with consuming traded wildlife. Experts warning that the mixing of diverse species and increased human-wildlife interactions in trade settings amplify zoonotic spillover potential. Despite limited interventions in this field, research indicates that health warnings can effectively increase risk perception and reduce harmful behaviors. Consequently, this study develops communication tools that incorporate health-related messaging, visual aids, and simplified scientific information on zoonotic pathogens related to traded wildlife. These tools aim to enhance public understanding of the health risks associated with wildlife consumption and trade, mitigate potential disease spread at its source, and support wildlife conservation efforts.
Reflections on the Progress of a Policy Analysis of Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Conservation District
Silva, Emma (2024-08)
Overview of the capstone project: Due to the extensive nature of the project that I have taken on, the entirety of the project extends beyond the time allotted for a typical Capstone Project. I am working with Hoʻāla Kealakekua Nui, a non-profit that is dedicated to preserving Kealakekua’s cultural heritage, to conduct a policy analysis of Kealakekua Bay’s Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) to understand how effective it is in protecting the bay’s marine resources and safeguarding Native Hawaiians’ rights to access the bay of subsistence fishing and cultural practices. I have spent the Fall and Spring semesters developing the methodology for the project, preparing for fieldwork, and gathering research materials needed for the policy analysis. This summer, I conducted ten interviews with kūpuna (elders), long-term fishermen, lineal descendants, community members, and associated government officials to better understand their interactions with the bay and how the MLCD and government management may play a role in these interactions. For my capstone project, I have outlined the methodology and process for the policy analysis and reflect on my experiences thus far working on the project and its potential implications for future MPS capstone projects. Effective community engagement necessitates building trust and understanding through shared values and personal connections, enhancing research quality and impact. Integrating relationality formally and informally into the methodology of research projects can foster lasting partnerships with marginalized communities and ensure meaningful contributions to both community and conservation efforts. The MPS program has the potential to support the development and strengthening of community-institutional partnerships by providing much-needed labor to ongoing and future projects that address community needs.
Common Ground: Mapping Agroforestry Installations Across New England
Pratt, Morgan (2024-08)
Sustainable Remediation Strategies for Saline Soils in China's Semi-Arid Regions: A Review of Methods and Practices
Li, Ruitao (2024-08)
This review explores sustainable remediation strategies for saline soils in Ningxia, China, where excessive agricultural water use and an arid climate have exacerbated soil degradation. Key strategies include biochar application to enhance soil structure and nutrient cycling, organic amendments like straw interlayers to boost soil organic carbon and microbial activity, and controlled drip irrigation for effective soil rehabilitation. The review also advocates for an integrated ecosystem approach that promotes biodiversity and addresses the limitations of single-species strategies. Climate-adaptive techniques are emphasized as essential to counter increasing soil salinization due to climate change. Despite the promise of these methods, challenges such as high costs and the need for widespread adoption by local farmers persist. The review calls for optimized, locally tailored solutions that integrate water and soil management practices, aiming to reclaim saline soils and enhance agricultural sustainability in Ningxia and similar regions globally.
Galápagos Museum and Conservation Center (GMCC) Proposal
Haro Vallazza, Gianna (2024-08)
The Galápagos Islands are a world-renowned living laboratory. For centuries, these islands have drawn in not only scientists and conservationists but also passionate nature enthusiasts, who seek biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth. However, only a few know the intricacies between tourism and conservation of this UNESCO World Heritage. For instance, two of the sustainable development problems these islands face today are 1) a saturated tourism industry, due to lack of tourism products diversification and 2) the disconnection of its population to the natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands, in part, because of the high costs of tours around the islands, which are calibrated to foreign visitors. To address these two problems my project seeks to create the first Natural History Museum in the Galápagos. Indeed, natural history museums foster understanding of the natural world, and promote nature appreciation. However, due to the strict prohibition on collecting specimens in the Galápagos Islands, a conventional museum is impractical. This is why the focus of the museum will be on bioacoustics and biological soundscapes, aiming to create a dynamic and immersive educational space showcasing the rich diversity of sounds within the archipelago's unique ecosystem. Furthermore, such a venue will provide a new product in an otherwise saturated tourism market. The museum, to be located on Santa Cruz Island, aims to diversify tourism, foster local engagement, generate employment, conduct scientific research, and educate future scientists through immersive experiences. Additional benefits will include bridging the gap between the local community and their islands and contributing to the long-term appreciation and protection of the natural heritage of the Galápagos Islands.
Balancing Stakeholder Interests and Sustainable Development in Rural Tourism: A Case Study of Wulin Village, China
Hong, Yulin (2024-08)
This study examines the complex dynamics of sustainable tourism development in Wulin Village, a traditional rural settlement in China. Through an in-depth case study approach, it investigates how the diverse visions and objectives of key stakeholders have influenced the evolution of the village's tourism program since 2017. The research explores the extent to which economic priorities and power dynamics have altered the original community-focused objectives of the initiative. Findings reveal significant challenges in balancing cultural heritage preservation, tourism development, and community participation. The study highlights the tensions between authenticity and commercialization, equitable distribution of economic benefits, and the reconciliation of professional management with meaningful local involvement. It contributes to the broader understanding of sustainable rural tourism development in China, offering insights into the complexities of stakeholder interactions and the potential pitfalls of rapid tourism-driven rural transformation. The research underscores the need for more inclusive and adaptive governance models in rural tourism development.

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