Riparian corridors are inhabited by unique and biodiverse plant communities that control erosion, manage sediment loads, and filter pollutants. These ecosystems are transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic systems that provide important wildlife habitat and maintain the overall health of rivers. The Colorado River Basin...

Riparian plant communities are vital to water quality, erosion control, biodiversity, and functionality of river ecosystems. The invasion of nonnative Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) poses a risk to these fragile ecosystems, as it outcompetes native riparian species such as cottonwoods (Populus spp.) and willows...

Huntsville, Alabama’s population has grown by approximately 11% since 2010, due in part to the city’s advancing engineering industry. Rapid urban growth negatively impacts the environment by decreasing tree canopy cover and increasing impervious surface cover, which can intensify the...

Coastal cities like Providence, RI, and Elizabeth, NJ, are directly affected by extreme heat and flooding events, which impacts the lives of community members. Groundwork USA is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to increasing environmental resilience in urban communities. One...

The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) is an endemic species and a natural driver of forest ecosystems. This beetle has impacted millions of acres of coniferous forest in the western United States since the early 2000s. Forest ecosystems provide critical habitat for wildlife, filter air...

Exposure to heat exacerbated by an increase in urbanization as well as increasing global temperatures has become a growing concern for cities and their residents. Excess heat can cause increased heat-related morbidity, mortality, and energy costs. Vulnerability to heat-related illnesses...

The City of Yonkers, New York, is located directly north of the Bronx in Westchester County and currently hosts a population of nearly 200,000. In response to increasing hot-weather episodes, the risk of heat-related illnesses and mortality is disproportionately affecting...

Understanding water dynamics in southeast Idaho is critical to planning and improving water management practices. Partner organizations that focus on water resource management, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), currently use the National Hydrography Dataset...

The hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Annand), is an invasive species first identified on the East Coast of the United States in Richmond, Virginia in 1951. The pest has spread rapidly and has devastated eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière, populations from Georgia to...

Habitat loss of the endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) accompanied by rapid urbanization has contributed to the rising Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) crisis in southern Bhutan. This poses a serious threat to the survival of Asian elephants, a keystone...