This research group project was commissioned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to conduct a watershed analysis of the Carson and Walker river basins of Douglas County, Nevada. They developed a conceptual model of the local watershed, evaluated ecosystem services and the impacts of climate change, as well as performed a market feasibility study to determine if a water fund mechanism would be possible in the region.
This project provided a unique opportunity to use history to inform conservation planning. The property has a long history of human land use, with controlled fires set by the Chumash and centuries of ranching under Spanish land grants. Due to the lasting influence of human disturbance on ecosystem structure and function, a comprehensive understanding of land use history is essential to an effective conservation plan.
This project worked in partnership with the Nature Conservancy (TNC) to explore how we can support the wind energy growth while ensuring the continued conservation and protection of nature and biodiversity. To do this, the group evaluated whether wind power projects located in areas that avoid harming wildlife have a lower likelihood of cancellation.
To develop floating offshore wind projects in federal waters off the coast of California, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Pacific Region has tasked the Bren School with characterizing and assessing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the integration of offshore wind energy into California electricity markets.
This project modeled market interactions for different scenarios of offshore cultivation to elucidate what effects these new markets would have on both consumers and suppliers of totoaba products, as well as the illegal market for poached buche.
Reducing the environmental impacts of the apparel supply chain through harnessing waste from the agricultural industry, converting it into apparel-grade fiber.
This project aimed to estimate the greenhouse gas emission reductions which would result from powering CBS facilities nationwide with 100% renewable energy, and actions to implement this strategy.
This project team analyzed the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary's current citizen science data management system and identified improvements that will maximize the usability of this rich dataset.
The CITE Plan Project investigated the relationship between timber management, fire regimes and fire severity and their future regulatory incorporation by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CalFire) into the Timber Harvest Plan (THP) permit process.
This project team and their client, Denver Water, sought to understand the threat contaminants of emerging concern may pose to drinking water quality in their collection system.
Clients: Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
