Projects
Year
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A group of people traverse a grassy field through brush

Wild Pig Management at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve

This project analyzes data and strategies for feral pig management at the Dangermond Preserve in California to inform The Nature Conservancy's long-term management plan to reduce or eliminate the negative impacts of this invasive species on the preserve's natural and cultural resources.

Group Members: Benson Truong, Shuhan Song, AJ Zekanoski, Peter Omasta

Faculty Advisors: Kelly Caylor, Christopher Costello

Clients: The Nature Conservancy

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Fresh blueberries in a carton.

Reducing Agricultural Plastics’ Environmental Impacts

This project assesses viable alternatives to agricultural plastics as well as their disposal methods. The group aims to to seize the opportunity to lighten the environmental impact of the berry industry. 

Group Members: Lucas Empson, Garrett Eyer, Emma Friedl, Renata Massion, Bobby Miyashiro

Faculty Advisors: Roland Geyer

Clients: Driscoll's, Inc.

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Carrots and artichokes fresh from farm.

Rubbish: Diverting Neglected Organic Waste from Landfills to Create Renewable Energy and High Quality Compost (Eco-E)

BioQuest is a cooperative composed of small-medium businesses and ranchers within the local food ecosystem. This Eco-E group of social entrepreneurs is looking to develop innovative, holistic solutions that incentivize climate action throughout the food supply chain. 

Group Members: Allison Bailey, Anthony Luna, Kazia Mermel

Faculty Advisors: Robert Heilmayr, Emily Cotter

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Trail in the Santa Barbara mountains

Parks Are Essential Campaign

The Conejo Recreation & Parks Department hopes to reach residents to communicate benefits of local parks to spark increased use, interest, and support for future park initiatives. This multi-part, research-based campaign includes a survey, strategic messaging, video competitions, and calls to action.

Group Members: Veronica Weber, Yani Pohl

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

Clients: Conejo Recreation & Parks Department

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kelp forest

Seaweed Revolution

The potential for seaweed aquaculture is real, though challenges remain in expanding its use. Created for UCSB’s Seaweed Working Group, this short film addresses the benefits of seaweed aquaculture and helps those who might be skeptical better understand its sustainability and broad applicability.

Group Members: Gabriel De La Rosa, Alicia Fennell, Dylan Glave, Rachel Rhodes, Vanessa Rathbone

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

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boulevard surrounded by trees

Analyzing Environmental and Social Impacts of Urban Forestry Practices in Tacoma, WA with PlanIT Geo™

This project is examining equity of the Urban Forest Management Plan in Tacoma, WA, assessing trees' impacts on urban sustainability and the city’s ability to maximize socio-economic and environmental benefits while minimizing harm post-intervention.

Group Members: Rachel Conway, Joanne Pham, Veronica Weber

Faculty Advisors: James Frew

Clients: PlanIT Geo

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Close up on head of lettuce

A Sustainable Agrifinance Solution? Lending to Reward Environmental Performance

​Through modeling the effects of lending behavior on groundwater supplies and economic productivity, this project seeks to uncover how an economic incentive can affect agricultural sustainability in the Salinas Valley.

Group Members: Grace Brofman, Haley Grant, Becca Reynolds, Alexandria Wilkins, Janelle Christensen

Clients: Sustainable Conservation

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Orange roe of a sea urchin.

Unicado: Protecting Kelp Forests through Purple Sea Urchin Ranching and Urchin Food Products (Eco-E)

Unicado upcycles food waste to ranch purple urchins, whose overpopulation is destroying California’s kelp forests. By creating demand for ranched urchins, the project aims to protect kelp ecosystems and introduce a sustainable seafood option to the market.

Group Members: Wes Newbury, Waldo Felix, Max Diamond, Qusai Bhaijeewala

Faculty Advisors: Emily Cotter

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Protest for environmental justice

Uprooting Environmental Injustice

Environmental managers need a foundational understanding of environmental justice to be effective, equitable, and inclusive problem solvers. This four-part workshop series is designed to help environmental managers gain critical skills and literacy in environmental justice and equity topics.

Group Members: Madeline Oliver, Kazia Mermel

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

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vegetables in bins in a store

Accounting for Reductions: The Carbon Footprint of a Zero Waste Grocery Store

This project will compare Nada Grocery’s carbon emissions and plastic waste production under a business as usual scenario to a variety of probable scenarios that could happen as a result of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Group Members: Mike (Ruiheng) Jin, Andrew Salvador, Kate Shoemaker, Shelby Walsh, Victoria Wallace

Faculty Advisors: Sarah Anderson

Clients: Nada Grocery, Inc.

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An agricultural crop growing in rows

Evaluating the Climate Mitigation Potential of Natural and Working Lands in Santa Barbara County

This project evaluates how Santa Barbara County’s working lands may be managed to best mitigate and adapt to climate change. Using TerraCount, this project aims to quantify the carbon storage impacts and co-benefits associated with a range of management activities.

Group Members: Alicia Fennell, Gavi Keyles, Madeline Oliver, Minnie Ringland, Michael Wells

Faculty Advisors: Samantha Stevenson-Karl

Clients: County of Santa Barbara Sustainability Division

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coal power plant

Nori Business to Consumer Development

Nori is a growing carbon removal company looking to expand their audience and increase carbon removal purchases. This consulting-style project involves extensive audience research, audience profiles, competitive analyses, and strategic messaging.

Group Members: Jordan Isken, Renata Massion, Peter Omasta, Minnie Ringland

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

Clients: Nori Inc.

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Group of four students smiling

Climate Change Impacts to City of Santa Barbara Water Supplies

This project provides an analysis of a range of potential variations in streamflow for the Santa Ynez River watershed, and therefore inflow to the City of Santa Barbara's reservoirs, from 2020 to 2058.

Faculty Advisors: Arturo Keller, John Melack

Clients: City of Santa Barbara Public Works

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Get Hooked Seafood

Get Hooked Seafood Market(ing)

Marketing and educational outreach materials on the health and ecological benefits of eating local seafood! Created for Get Hooked, a community-supported fishery in Santa Barbara. Customer data analysis was also undertaken to inform materials and customer retention strategy.

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

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Group of five students in courtyard smiling

Evaluating Connectivity in the Northern Appalachian and Acadian Region to Improve Wildlife Mobility

This project developed a framework for habitat connectivity in the Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion to improve conservation outcomes through specific conservation goals, enhanced connectivity models, and methods for priority setting. The framework was applied to a case study in the Mohawk Valley of New York State, a new Staying Connected Initiative priority area. The case study informs future road barrier mitigation and land conservation work undertaken by SCI partners, The Nature Conservancy , and the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. 

Faculty Advisors: Frank Davis

Clients: The Nature Conservancy

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Five students and faculty mentors posing for a photo

Managing the Impacts of Environmental Education in Protected Areas: A Case Study at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve

The project analyzed the potential ecological impacts of environmental education and other activities on the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in Lompoc, California as a case study, and to develop a long term monitoring program that can be used by preserve management agencies.

Faculty Advisors: Sarah Anderson

Clients: The Nature Conservancy

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Community for Climate Action

Community for Climate Action

The City of Santa Barbara has been at the forefront of advancing climate policy and taking effective climate actions. To help the City achieve community-wide climate targets with inclusive community engagement, the team created climate outreach strategies, including designing a series of themed workshops and a climate ambassador program.

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni

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Four students smiling together

Understanding Multiple Benefits of Managed Aquifer Recharge for the Resilience of California’s Water Supply

This project team designed a transferable decision support tool to help Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) in California’s Central Valley to identify the most suitable sites for MAR, giving them the information they need to plan for a more reliable and resilient water supply that can provide the most benefit for local communities and ecosystems.

Faculty Advisors: Scott Jasechko

Clients: Environmental Defense Fund

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Group of five students in courtyard smiling

Using Food Waste to Reduce Food Waste: Evaluating the Impacts of Sourcing Food Waste as a Raw Material for Production

This project worked with Apeel Sciences, a small biotechnology startup interested in sourcing food waste as an input to their product, to evaluate the environmental impacts of sourcing waste using two different Life Cycle Assessment methodologies, economic allocation and substitution.

Clients: Apeel Sciences

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Snowy Plover

Snowy Plover Conservation

Beach closures to protect the Western Snowy Plover in Lompoc, CA have generated negative community sentiments towards the threatened bird. But a new 2019 policy allows public access to Surf Beach. This project aims to understand community concerns surrounding beach access, and to foster environmental stewardship among Lompoc residents.

Faculty Advisors: Lisa Leombruni