In response to projected sea level rise and extreme weather events, Miami Beach and other urban areas surrounding Biscayne Bay are developing adaptive strategies to mitigate the effects of changing environmental conditions. City officials are involved with ongoing efforts to reduce storm damage and monitor...

The Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) encompasses 1.5 million acres of public land in the Ozarks region of southeastern Missouri. The industrial boom between the 1880s and 1920s had devastating effects on the shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), Missouri’s...

Balancing the demands of economic development and environmental protection is a challenge which requires policy-makers to be well informed about the extent and value of key natural ecosystems. Wetlands have long been known to regulate hydrological processes, reduce erosion and flooding, safeguard local biodiversity, mitigate...

The Mississippi River Basin is the fourth largest drainage basin in the world, and is susceptible to multi-level flood events caused by heavy precipitation, snow melt, and changes in water table levels. Conducting flood analysis during periods of disaster is a challenging endeavor for...

Riparian corridors in the semiarid Colorado River Basin act as an interface between terrestrial and aquatic systems, play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and contribute to controlling erosion and buffering pollutant and nutrient runoff. However, the proliferation of invasive species...

Estuaries are dynamic environments that provide a host of vital ecosystem services. California’s Marine Life Protection Act protects such ecosystems by creating Marine Protected Areas. California has approximately 440,000 acres of estuarine habitats as well as 23 Estuarine Marine Protected...

Light pollution causes measurable damage to natural wildlife behaviors and human health, as well as decreases the ability for humans to view the night sky. The artificial brightening of the night sky, or sky glow, created by light pollution subjects nearly 100% of Americans...

The Santa Monica Mountains (SMM) lie between the city of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, California, enduring as a steadfast haven for native vegetation, wildlife, and recreational activities. Both public and private conservation agencies have secured protection for much of the mountain range...

The Instituto de Conservación Forestal (ICF) in Honduras is in charge of managing and conserving millions of acres of public and privately-owned forest, including the pristine Río Plàtano Biosphere Reserve. Although one of ICF's main goals is forest conservation, illegal deforestation in Río Plàtano accounts...