School of Earth & Sustainability News

NAU Alum Marvin Glotfelty, RG has published a new book on the conservation of groundwater. Available from the National Ground Water Association Press, the book "provides practical information on water wells—covering everything from site selection to design, drilling methods, economics, and more­—and is written in a fashion that is understandable, technically accurate, and applicable to real-world situations."

NAU faculty in Biological Sciences and the School of Earth and Sustainability have recently published research showing that plant traits such as plant height and dispersal ability have impacted their ability to move across the landscape in response to 10,000 years of changing climate conditions. How can we know this about the past? Packrat middens! Read the NAU News story or jump straight to the research article.

Intentionally introduced tamarisk beetles do a great job of beating back invasive tamarisk along Arizona's rivers, but what does this mean for the habitat available to endangered flycatchers? Matt Johnson explains the need for follow-up plantings of native trees and shrubs to fill the hole left by the beetles. Read the AP story here.

School of Earth & Sustainability professor Mike Smith is studying past climate warming to learn about the future. Smith is part of a new multidisciplinary study involving eight institutions and a multimillion-dollar National Science Foundation grant. Read more at NAU News.

"Phoenix residents are willing to pay for forest restoration projects that protect the Salt and Verde watersheds, but they value some benefits of restoration more than others." Read more about the latest School of Earth & Sustainability water research at KNAU.

School of Earth & Sustainability professor Mike Smith is studying past climate warming to learn about the future. Smith is part of a new multidisciplinary study involving eight institutions and a multimillion-dollar National Science Foundation grant. Read more at NAU News.

Rivers in the Southwest are increasingly intermittent: flowing when it's wet, but converted to a series of isolated pools when it's dry. This has major effects on the types of aquatic plants and animals that live in and near rivers. As part of a new $3 million NSF grant, Ben Ruddell and Abe Springer are working to develop a smartphone app that lets everyone contribute to documenting dry and wet river conditions. Read more at NAU News.

Project Director Karin Wadsack is working with multiple federal agencies and the Navajo Nation on a new grant focused on diversifying economic opportunities after the closing of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine in 2019. Read more in NAU News.

How much is a tree worth? Julie Mueller is going to find out. Mueller, an associate professor in The W. A. Franke College of Business and School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability (SESES), was awarded a $185,000 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey to measure the economic value a forest ecosystem in northern New Mexico provides. This project takes into account a variety of benefits a healthy forest provides to surrounding areas, including cleaner air, water for municipal and agricultural use and recreation opportunities…

This year saw honors rain down all over the School, from national and NAU awards to faculty, to NAU, College, and School awards to our graduate and undergraduate students. Congrats to all of you and here's to the year ahead! School of Earth & Sustainability Awards for the 2018-2019 Academic Year Faculty Award for Faculty Excellence in Global Learning - Michael Ort (link) College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences Teacher of the Year - Taylor Joyal (link) Geological…

Organized by SES faculty and students and spanning diverse disciplines related to water, the Student Water Symposium is back April 18-19. Check out the website for full details on posters, talks, and keynote presentations!  

This spring's graduating students from the School of Earth & Sustainability are outstanding! Geology major Jenna Chaffeur was selected as the Distinguished Senior from the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences, and Environmental & Sustainability Studies seniors Sarah Lydford, Molly Carney, and Sarah Emily Grams were honored with Gold Axe awards. Amazing job grads - we wish you well! More details at NAU News.    

Along with SES professor Denielle Perry, students from a range of classes are learning about traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable approaches to community agriculture by building and running their own greenhouse. See more at NAZ Today.

Graduating Environmental & Sustainability Studies major Chandler Emerald McCormick has been awarded the prestigious President's Prize as well as the Gold Axe award. Many congrats on your success Emerald, and thanks for all your excellent work engaging students at the NAU Office of Sustainability! Additional congrats to Julia Hernandez, who was selected to be the Standard Bearer for the College of the Environment, Forestry & Natural Sciences Commencement Ceremony this Fall! Julia is graduating from NAU's intensive Interdisciplinary Global Programs with a joint degree in…

NAU Alum Marvin Glotfelty, RG has published a new book on the conservation of groundwater. Available from the National Ground Water Association Press, the book "provides practical information on water wells—covering everything from site selection to design, drilling methods, economics, and more­—and is written in a fashion that is understandable, technically accurate, and applicable to real-world situations."

Mike Kelly (MS ’91 and Adjunct Professor) is helping illustrate future climate change at a new visitor center exhibit at Acadia National Park, ME. From the article: "Displays such as 'Open ocean tomorrow?' ask visitors to consider some scenarios of climate change consequences in the park. 'As sea levels continue to rise, scientists question if some of Acadia’s salt water marshes might permanently flood, creating an open ocean where a tidal marsh once existed'...the exhibit, which includes a 3D topographic map of the park…