Tag: Environmental Leaders Program

Environmental Leadership Program Oregon Oaks Phase II Management Plan and Grant Proposal for Thurston Hills Natural Area

Presenter(s): Nicole Long—Environmental Studies and General Music

Co-Presenter(s): Ryan Downey, Julia Olson, Julia Troxell, Casey Clavecilla, Emily Cook

Faculty Mentor(s): Peg Boulay, Sara Worl

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

Located within the Willamette Valley ecoregion, Thurston Hills Natural Area (THNA) contains remnant Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) savanna habitat that has undergone dramatic conifer encroachment . Currently, oak ecosystems in the Willamette Valley have diminished to < 10% of their original range, making this ecosystem one of the most endangered ecological communities within the region . Oak savannas and woodlands support the persistence of over 200 native plant and animal species who are reliant on these open ecosystems . Using data collected by the Environmental Leadership Program’s (ELP) 2019 Oregon Oaks Team we are designing an oak restoration plan for a 25-acre subunit of THNA . We will apply for a restoration grant through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to implement the oak restoration project at THNA in partnership with Willamalane and the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council . Our plan will utilize adaptive management techniques to carry out restoration focusing on conifer thinning in savanna and prairie ecosystems, controlling invasive species, and planting native species . Monitoring of the site will be maintained by future ELP students to assess the effectiveness of this restoration plan . Considering THNA’s establishment of 14 .5 miles of recreation trails, our plan will enhance local experiences with engagement and educational opportunities by focusing on public visibility .

Restoring Connections: An Online Environmental Education Curriculum

Presenter(s): Katy Kuechle—Environmental Studies

Co-Presenter(s): Zoe O’Toole, Garrett Reagan, Ellie Townsley,

Faculty Mentor(s): Kathryn Lynch, Sasha White

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary service-learning program rooted in the University of Oregon Environmental Studies Program . ELP works with Mount Pisgah Arboretum and a cohort of kindergarten through fifth-grade students from Adams Elementary School . Our team mission was to develop an environmental education program for fifth-grade students that cultivated an understanding of the connections between people and their environment, specifically the Kalapuya’s relationship with oak savanna habitats and fire regimes, delivered through online lessons . The Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde provided feedback to our curriculum to accurately portray the history of the Kalapuya . Our curriculum was adapted into an online format to provide students with real-time lessons that deepened a sense of appreciation of the natural world within the local Willamette Valley through interactive activity sheets, journaling, and storytelling . Given the current pandemic and the lack of traditional classroom education, environmental education is more important than ever . Our curriculum helped create a sense of structure by establishing core routines and encouraging them to continue to interact with their environments in a safe and personally relevant way .

Protocols for Pollinator Management and “Pollinator Friendly” Certification on an Organic Blueberry Farm.

Presenter(s): Lauren Frantz—Environmental Science

Co-Presenter(s): Dan Liu, Gianni La Carrubba, Danielle Maves, Will Northington, Rachel Rosé, Joshaniel Tan

Faculty Mentor(s): Holly Moulton, Peg Boulay

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

Pollinators play a vital role in natural systems, but are also a fundamental necessity in agriculture across the world . Native pollinators, specifically, are important for maintaining a balanced ecosystem and sustaining genetic diversity in plants . Whitewater Ranch, an organic blueberry farm located in Leaburg, Oregon, depends on pollinators to increase production and health of the blueberry plants . We aim to develop a pollinator revitalization plan that bolsters native pollinators through the planting of native shrubs and forbs and the establishment of forage and habitat; additionally, we will recommend a pollinator certification that benefits flora and fauna as well as the ranch’s status as “pollinator friendly .” Through all of this, we must be mindful not to provide habitat to the invasive spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) . We will adapt previous monitoring plans from past Riparian Restoration teams to focus on native pollinator conservation by analyzing nectar and pollen habitat and collecting data on native plant species, spotted-wing drosophila populations, and ground coverage of Whitewater Ranch using Google Earth . We will explore potential pollinator rehabilitation procedures through intensive literature review and revision of past Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) team’s monitoring regimes . Through a balanced approach of pest management and native plantings, we hope to see a stronger pollinator community . Establishing a protocol for native pollinator management at Whitewater Ranch will not only increase their blueberry yields, but will be widely applicable to other organic farms in the Pacific Northwest .

Fostering the Next Generation of Climate Leaders: Environmental Education in the Virtual World

Presenter(s): Lenora Davis—Environmental Science

Co-Presenter(s): Lenora Davis, Daisy Jones, Drew Macko, Tenley Ong, Connor Paschke, Madison Rush, Marychris Sitton, Kaylynn Wohl,

Faculty Mentor(s): Kathryn Lynch, Michael Madden

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

Through the University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program, eight undergraduate students— the Majestic Trees team—designed and implemented a virtual environmental education program for local middle school students during the COVID-19 school closures . Students interacted in online lessons and completed activities, explored and learned about local ecology, and analyzed the impacts of climate change on their local environment . Students engaged with these themes through the art of inquiry and interpretation, integrating the sciences, arts, and humanities into a cohesive unit . Utilizing multi-dimensional experiential education, the students communicated, collaborated, observed, and thought critically about key environmental systems and issues . These skills are integral to enabling young people to become engaged global citizens . The goal of Majestic Trees is to instill empathy and awareness in local students, inspiring them to take action to create a better world.

Accessibility and Trails Marketing in Lane County

Presenter(s): Hannah Buckingham—Environmental Studies

Co-Presenter(s):Nikos Skoufos, Tenley Ong, Ethan Baher, Spencer Palanuk, Alli Gerhardt, Grace Diaz

Faculty Mentor(s): Kathryn Lynch, Alexa Foor

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

Eugene’s reputation of highly accessible spaces has begun to attract users in need of unique accommodations and design considerations, and our tourism industries have begun to focus on identifying and marketing accessible trails. Eugene, Cascades, and Coast is one tourism marketing nonprofit focused on connecting visitors with usable and accurate trail information, and our purpose is to research their website and determine what accessibility information and trail information they are missing . By comparing Eugene, Cascades, and Coasts’ data against the USFS trail websites, we will contribute valuable suggestions, blog posts, and updates to the Eugene, Cascades, and Coast trail information websites . Our suggestions and updates will focus on accessibility needs, like bathrooms, parking, trail surface, and slope . The structure of our current project has changed given current events resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19, and while our previous task was to measure and record accessibility data ourselves, we will now focus on finding and communicating what data already exists . Through our work we hope to strengthen and deepen the degree of detail on our partner’s website, which will in turn help people searching for accessible trails find outdoor spaces in which they can recreate . Ultimately, our goal is to increase the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion of our outdoor spaces .

Recommendations for Forest and Wildlife Climate Change Adaptation in Hendricks Forest, Eugene, Oregon

Presenter(s): Jordan Barton—Biology

Co-Presenter(s): Madeline Schmidt, Alexander Fitzgerald, Mikey Brooks, Bryce Izlar, Henry Tannler

Faculty Mentor(s): Peg Boulay, Alex Renirie

Session 4: Environmental Leaders Program

As the city of Eugene’s oldest park, Hendricks Park’s 60-acre Douglas-Fir forest is a beloved cornerstone of the community . Hendricks Forest has already begun to experience significant ecological impacts, such as drought, severe winter storms, and bark beetle infestations due to climate change . However, the full effects of shifting weather patterns and new climates on some particular species of Hendricks Forest are poorly understood . Without this information, the City of Eugene cannot formulate an effective management plan . Our research will examine the question: What are the predicted impacts of climate change on the ecosystem and how should Hendricks Forest be managed to maintain a resilient forest? These mitigation recommendations will build upon the 2000 Hendricks Park Forest Management Plan, which is set to be updated in one–two years . This research is critical because the 2000 plan does not yet incorporate challenges posed by climate change . Our climate change-integrated conservation strategies will seek to address the following concerns: forest risks and adaptations; wildlife habitat and rare species; revegetation strategies and constraints; and public involvement and outreach . We will present our preliminary findings in the form of management recommendations ranging from a no-action alternative to drastically altering the composition of the forest . This report intends to combine current scientific recommendations, land management techniques, and public interaction to help the City of Eugene sustain one of its most historically and culturally significant parks .