Natural Resources Professional Masters Projects
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Item Reflections on the Progress of a Policy Analysis of Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Conservation DistrictSilva, 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.Item Common Ground: Mapping Agroforestry Installations Across New EnglandPratt, Morgan (2024-08)Item Sustainable Remediation Strategies for Saline Soils in China's Semi-Arid Regions: A Review of Methods and PracticesLi, 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.
Item Galápagos Museum and Conservation Center (GMCC) ProposalHaro 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.Item Balancing Stakeholder Interests and Sustainable Development in Rural Tourism: A Case Study of Wulin Village, ChinaHong, 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.Item Ecological Restoration with Agroforestry Principles: Restoring Lowland Forest in Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity PreserveEnos, Blake (2024-08)[Excerpt from introduction] This project aimed to help repair the human relationship to the landscape by replacing a former trash dumping site with a publicly accessible area of edible and useful trees and shrubs ni a nature preserve. This si a first step, as the mechanics of responsible public use of plant resources on publicly accessible private land (especially that of a nature preserve) has not yet been worked out. Once people can get to know the plant species, how they are responsibly used, and the spaces in which they can be grown, individuals, families, and the community as a whole can actualize the sustainable use of these natural resources.Item Stormwater Management Plan for Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad, IndiaCherukumalli, Nitya Ragaleena (2024-08)This project focuses on the first phase of the Hussain Sagar Lake restoration initiative, emphasising stormwater management as a critical step toward reducing pollution and improving water quality in one of Hyderabad's most iconic water bodies. Hussain Sagar Lake has long suffered from severe pollution due to rapid urbanisation, inadequate infrastructure, and ineffective stormwater management systems. The project proposes implementing sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting, bioswales, and infiltration basins in critical wards around the Balkapur Nala, a significant contributor to the lake's pollution. By targeting stormwater runoff, the project aims to mitigate flooding, reduce the inflow of pollutants, and enhance the lake's and surrounding areas' overall environmental health. In addition, the project includes educational initiatives designed to raise community awareness and involve residents and students in sustainable water management practices. This phase lays the groundwork for future actions, including wastewater treatment improvements, making the restoration efforts more effective and sustainable. The project also incorporates a life cycle sustainability analysis to evaluate how stormwater management systems can serve as a sustainable approach for treating the wastewater entering Hussain Sagar Lake. The project's anticipated outcomes include significant environmental, community, and economic benefits, contributing to a healthier urban ecosystem.Item Analysis of the post-wildfire effects on the occupancy of Townsend's solitaire during the breeding season by conducting a single-season single species occupancy modelingDarveshi, Shubham (2023)California wildfires have nuanced effects on the landscape of the forests and habitat of wildlife. Some species respond positively to ecological changes while some respond negatively to it. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of 2020 North Complex Fire of Sierra Nevada California on the Occupancy of the Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi). Our hypothesis was that this bird species has benefitted from the patches around the recorder sites burned at high severity. So, we conducted a survey in this region and detected the calls of Townsends solitaire over its breeding season from May to July. We found that there is possibly a positive correlation between high severity fire and occupancy of Townsends Solitaire, negative correlation between elevation, burnt state and the occupancy but we did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that this bird benefitted from this particular wildfire as the models having occupancy covariates were having ΔAIC ≤ 2.Item Weather Ready Farms: Creating Resilient, Healthy, and Equitable AgroecosytemsHulbert, Candace (2023)
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