Pepin County, Wisconsin is home to many dairy farms which commonly use animal manure as fertilizer for fields. High concentrations of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium make the manure an effective fertilizer. However, this can result in runoff containing high levels of these nutrients which can lead to damage of ecosystems, health risks, and […]
Sustainable Development Goal: 15 Life on Land
Pepin County farmer nitrogen-use survey
In 2020, University of Wisconsin-Madisonresearchers and Pepin County staff studiedfarmer attitudes about nitrogen use, as part of a UniverCity Alliance partnershipto research key issues facing the community.Nitrogen is needed and used on cropland to support agriculture within Pepin County and throughout the state. However, nitrate contamination of groundwater and associated health impacts are a growing […]
Conservation management plan for Fall Creek Watershed
The purpose of collaborating with the Pepin County Land Conservation and Planning Department (LCPD) is to work to improve the health of the freshwater stream ecosystem and the riparian habitat of the Fall Creek Watershed. This project works to confront the issues that the agricultural industry has caused to the watershed by promoting environmentally sustainable […]
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Invasive Species Survey, Frederick City Watershed
Invasive plant species are present within Frederick City Watershed and are a concern for ecosystem health. Research has shown that roads and trails often act as vectors for invasive species. Within Frederick City Watershed, there is a 9.5-mile sanctioned (legal) trail and over 100 miles of unsanctioned (illegal) trails. We addressed three questions to better […]
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Regional Patapsco Greenway
The Regional Patapsco Greenway (RPG) project ascertains the potential economic impact of adding shared-use pathways connected to a network of shared-use pathways between the following destinations: Baltimore City’s Inner Harbor; the existing BWI Trail; Elkridge; historic Ellicott City; Catonsville; the existing Grist Mill Trail. Currently, the Grist Mill Trail, between Ellicott City and Elkridge, starts […]
Proposals for Addressing Exotic Invasive Species: The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area and Surrounds
This report describes efforts undertaken by students as part of LARC 452 Green Infrastructure and Community Greening, Fall 2015. The course is divided into three sections. Section one focuses on land preservation principles and programs in the State of Maryland. Section two focuses on greening standards in the site development process including the implementation of […]
BWI-Patapsco Greenway
The proposed Patapsco Greenway Exchange would serve to connect the Patapsco Valley State Park, the BWI Transportation Zone, and the Baltimore Metropolitan. It is designed to do so for users of all ages and abilities while increasing overall access to DNR property along the way. This path would serve as a catalyst for economic development […]
Public Education – Information and Precedents: Effects of Deer Overabundance on Plant Communities
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are present in overwhelming numbers in urban and suburban areas. Forest fragmentation supports populations of the species, which thrives in wooded edges, and those populations drive significant changes to the local plant communities. While researchers and managers know a great deal about these interactions, the general public is not always aware […]
Public Education in Invasive Species Management
The mid-term report assessed three environmental education frameworks, exploring how they function and the results of their application to invasive species management or general environmental issues. These frameworks are the public-based learning method, the social learning framework and the identity-based environmental education model. The key idea of the public-based learning method, which is described in […]
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The Ecology of Urban Forest Edges
As of 2014, over half (54 percent) of the world’s population resides in urban areas, a number that is expected to increase to two-thirds of the global population by 2050 (UN 2014). Increased human flow into cities results in increased urbanization, a complex process consisting of people altering the landscape through settlement patterns and spatial […]