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  Riverfront UR: Environmental Stewardship on the James River Floodplain

  Alexis Szepesy, Olivia Folger, Ethan Boroughs, and David S. Salisbury

  The University of Richmond (UR) sits less than a mile from the most ecologically and historically important river in Virginia, yet many students have never even set foot in the James. This poster analyzes the benefits, challenges, and potential outcomes of a University of Richmond-owned Riverfront property on the James River. Such a property promises to engage all five goals of UR's strategic plan by 1) creating innovative paths to academic excellence, 2) providing an open-air outreach space to recruit academically talented students, 3) increasing the diversity of high impact practices on campus, 4) creating new opportunities for enhancing alumni engagement, and 5) inspiring environmental, financial, and social stewardship through an intentional, enduring bond with Virginia's most important body of fresh running water. Riverfront UR would provide a center for innovative pedagogy and applied research, while using community outreach to promote the University's brand both locally and globally as an integral part of a sustainable river city.

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  Riverfront UR: Accessibility, Property Analysis, and Future Developments

  Harleen Bal, Ellen Brooks, Ethan Boroughs, Olivia Folger, Kidest Gebre, Savannah Kelly, Alexis Szepesy, Conor Tenbus, and Rena Xiao

  The University of Richmond sits less than a mile from the most ecologically and historically important river in Virginia yet many students have never even set foot in the James. This poster analyzes the accessibility, cost, and potential outcomes of a University of Richmond-owned Riverfront property on the James River. Such a property promises to engage all five goals of the strategic plan by 1) creating innovative paths to academic excellence, 2) providing an open-air outreach space to recruit academically talented students, 3) increasing the diversity of high impact practices on campus, 4) creating new opportunities for enhancing alumni engagement, and 5) inspiring environmental, financial, and social stewardship through an intentional enduring bond with Virginia’s most important body of fresh running water.

  The University’s proximity to the James River provides an opportunity to invest in the engaged education of the student body while also purchasing property that will only go up in value over time. Riverfront UR would be a center for forward thinking pedagogy while promoting the University’s brand both locally and globally as an integral part of a sustainable river city.

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  Riverfront UR: Peer Institutions and Natural Areas used for Research and Recreation

  Harleen Bal, Ellen Brooks, Ethan Boroughs, Olivia Folger, Kidest Gebre, Savannah Kelly, Alexis Szepesy, Conor Tenbus, and Rena Xiao

  This poster analyzes the natural areas of our peer institutions and outlines the benefits of investing in riverfront property along the James River, in order to expand opportunities for students to experience the natural environment and enhance their environmental stewardship,a goal of UR’s Strategic Plan. Indeed, investing in opportunities for students to engage in natural areas offers a competitive advantage for our institution. Natural areas can enhance student learning in a number of ways, including research, recreation, and living laboratories.

  Student interest in environmental initiatives is increasing and plays a part in their decision to choose a college. According to the Princeton Review, as of 2017, 64% of college applicants surveyed stated that having information on a college’s commitment to the environment would contribute to their application/attendance decisions. This number is up 3% from 2016. Outdoor orientation activities also may improve first year retention by providing an increased sense of place (Bell et al. 2014).

  Similarly, a 2014 NIRSA study found 62% of college students reported that campus recreation programs influenced their college decision. Many of our peer institutions have robust outdoor recreation, research, and teaching programs on university natural areas. The University’s proximity to the beautiful and iconic James River provides a unique opportunity.

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  Analysis of the Socio-Environmental Impacts of the Sierra del Divisor transportation infrastructure in Peru and Brazil

  George Appling and David S. Salisbury

  Located in the remote southwestern Amazon, the Sierra del Divisor mountain range divides the Ucayali and Jurua Watersheds and separates the urban centers of Pucallpa, Peru and Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. Both Pucallpa and Cruzeiro do Sul serve as economic hubs for their region, but are each the end of the road, as beyond them rivers remain the main means of transportation (figure 1). The Sierra del Divisor region includes indigenous territories, forestry and mining concessions, a reserve for the “uncontacted” Isconahua people, the Serra do Divisor national park in Brazil, and a proposed Peruvian national park, currently the Sierra del Divisor reserved zone: a transitional category (figure 1). The Brazilian Park embraces the Peruvian border and hosts a “spectacular” number of rare and endemic species (Vriesendorp et al. 2006), including jaguar, white-lipped peccaries and the red Uakari monkey (Salisbury et al. 2013). In addition to fauna and flora, the region also holds cultural diversity with descendants of the Asheninka, Nawa people, rubber tappers, and the “uncontacted” Isconahua people. Indigenous communities and small villages line the rivers. In the last decade, loggers, miners, and drug traffickers have become more visible, even as populations in both cities continues to grow (Salisbury et al. 2013). Simultaneously, plans to bridge the ecologically and culturally diverse region between the cities with transportation infrastructure continue to coalesce.

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  Análisis de los Impactos Socio-Ambientales de las Carreteras en la Amazonía: Carretera de Puerto Esperanza a Iñapari en Perú

  George Appling and David S. Salisbury

  La Cuenca del Purús está situada en las regiones de Ucayali y Madre de Dios en el sudeste del Perú. Además del Rio Alto Purús, la cuenca abarca un parque nacional, una reserva comunal, reservas territoriales para pueblos indígenas aislados, territorios indígenas y un pueblo pequeño (Figura 1). En el año 2004, el Gobierno Peruano creó el Parque Nacional Alto Purús, el más grande en el Perú, para preservar una de las secciones mejor conservadas del bosque tropical en el bioma Amazónico. Como se demuestra en la Figura 1, la Reserva Comunal Purús colindante, sirve como zona de amortiguamiento entre el parque y los territorios indígenas. Puerto Esperanza, la capital de la Provincia de Purús, ubicado en la parte noreste de Purús, cuenta con una población de 1,300 habitantes (ProNaturaleza et al. 2012). La única conexión de este pueblo remoto con el resto del Perú es a través de aviones chárter. Alrededor de Puerto Esperanza, convergen ocho etnias indígenas distintas y 3200 personas, hay 40 territorios indígenas titulados que bordean los Ríos Curanja y Alto Purús, haciendo de Purús tenga una de las localidades culturalmente más diversas en el mundo. Además de esta diversidad cultural extrema, el Purús es también una de las zonas mas ricas en biodiversidad del planeta, con un hábitat que incluye 13 especies en peligro de extinción, incluyendo el jaguar, águila arpía y caimán negro (Intrator 2006, Fagan y Shoobridge 2007). La zona también es hogar de los últimos rodales significativos de árboles de caoba (Swietenia macrophylla), una especie de madera muy valorada (Fagan y Shooridge 2007). Últimamente, esta cuenca ecológicamente y culturalmente diversa se ha convertido en un blanco para la construcción de una carretera.

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  Un Análisis Multi-Escalar del Sistema Forestal Peruano

  J. Boettner, G. Sager-Gellerman, E. Strickler, C. Courtenay, R. Gilb, W. Gordon, G. Leonard, J. Marconi, M. McGovern, M. Nagle, C. Paiz Tejada, Andrew Pericak, M. Price, D. Vassallo, R. Yowell, and David S. Salisbury

  Perú tiene 67 millones de hectáreas de bosque, que viene a ser más del 53% de la superficie total del país (OIMT, 2010). La extracción maderera es la propulsora principal de la economía dentro de la Amazonía Peruana, generando empleos para comunidades rurales y urbanas (Sears y Pinedo-Vásquez, 2011). Sin embargo, a menudo los empresarios madereros explotan a sus trabajadores a través de un sistema de préstamos (De la Rosa Tincopa, 2009). Alrededor de 1354 comunidades indígenas poseen títulos de propiedad en la región (OIMT, 2010), pero muchas comunidades no tienen los títulos para su territorio que muchas veces se sobrepone a concesiones madereras (Salisbury et al. 2011).

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  Gestión Invisible: Manejo de Recursos Naturales en dos Comunidades Indígenas Peruanas

  Aleah Goldin, Yazmin Nunez, David S. Salisbury, James Águila Soria, Raquel Espinosa Linares, Enzo Pinedo Ramírez, Luís Rosero Flores, Miguel Nuñez Sánchez, Gerardo Cavero Oroche, Jorge Vela Alvarado, Oscar Barreto Vásquez, Giraldo Almeida Villanueva, and Carlos Pérez Alván

  El 5 de junio de 2009, unas treinta personas murieron en Bagua, Perú en un enfrentamiento entre las autoridades gubernamentales y los pueblos indígenas. El evento denominado el "Baguazo", destaca el papel marginalizado de los indígenas amazónicos cuando se enfrentan a los intereses comerciales multinacionales respaldados por el Estado (Shepard, 2009). Los pueblos indígenas estaban protestando la "Ley de la Selva", el Decreto 1090, un decreto de 2009 asumiendo las tierras indígenas boscosas como improductivas, y que proporciona la base legal para privatizar los bosques comunales para facilitar la extracción de petróleo, los proyectos de biocombustibles, los proyectos hidroeléctricos y la agricultura comercial. Desde 1492, el idea de un manejo de recursos naturales improductivo de parte de la raza indígena ha ayudado de avanzar la colonización, la deforestación y el desplazamiento de los habitantes indígenas. Esta investigación utiliza receptores GPS y un Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG) para proporcionar una muestra de la gestión de los recursos naturales indígenas, no sólo en sus campos agrícolas fácilmente visibles, sino también bajo la cobertura de los bosques y a lo largo de los lagos y cursos fluviales.

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  Invisible Occupation: Indigenous Natural Resource Management in the Peruvian Amazon

  Aleah Goldin, David S. Salisbury, James Águila Soria, Raquel Espinosa Linares, Enzo Pinedo Ramírez, Luís Rosero Flores, Miguel Núnez Sánchez, Gerardo Cavero Oroche, Jorge Vela Alvarado, Oscar Barreto Vásquez, Giraldo Almeida Villanueva, and Carlos Pérez Alván

  On June 5th 2009, an estimated thirty people died in a clash between governmental authorities and indigenous people near Bagua, Peru. Termed the "Bagua Massacre," this event underscores the marginalized role of Indigenous Amazonians when confronting multinational commercial interests supported by the state (Shepard, 2009). The indigenous people were protesting the “Law of the Jungle,” Decree 1090, a 2009 decree assuming heavily-forested indigenous lands idle and unproductive, and providing the legal basis to privatize comunally-held forests to facilitate petroleum, biofuel, hydroelectric and logging projects. Since contact, the assumption of indigenous people unproductively managing their forested homelands has fueled colonization, deforestation, and the displacement of indigenous residents. Our research uses Global Positioning System receivers (GPS) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) to provide a snapshot of indigenous management of natural resources not only in their readily visible agricultural fields, but also beneath the forest canopy and within lakes and river courses.

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  The Temporal and Spatial Connectivity of the Gambles Mill Corridor, Richmond, VA

  R.M. Price, K. Billups, S. Bodner, M. Burbank, L. Cohan, S. Elliott, C. Landesberg, G. Leonard, J. Marconi, M. McGovern, J. Petrosino, A. Phadke, C. Phelan, A. Purdy, and David S. Salisbury

  The City of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Transportation proposed to rehabilitate the Gambles Mill Trail connecting the University of Richmond (UR) to the intersection of Huguenot and River Road. Planners envision this trail as a sustainable model for the reduction of nutrient and sediment flow and as a vital path in a city-wide network of bike and pedestrian trails. Meanwhile, UR also proposes to rehabilitate the corridor in their new Master Plan. Nevertheless, until now, no substantive studies exist on the trail or the corridor linking the trail to the south side of the James River through the hazardous River-Huguenot Road intersection and the Huguenot Bridge currently under construction. The University of Richmond’s Geography 221 Course, Mapping Sustainability: Cartography and Geographic Information in an Environmental Context, is working with a variety of stakeholders (public, private, and community-based) to map the past, present, and future of the Gambles Mill Corridor and influence local and regional sustainability of transportation, hydrology, and recreation in a floodplain ecosystem. Students produce maps grouped around four scales: local corridor, UR to the River, a city scale sustainable transport network, and a temporal scale tracing previous transportation routes in the area such as the 1930s street car system and the colonial canal system.

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  The Changing Contexts and Transboundary Dynamics of Reconciling Conservation and Development in the Amazon Borderlands

  David S. Salisbury, Jorge Vela Alvarado, and Cloe R. Franko

  The 12,000 kilometers of international boundaries within the Amazon’s lowland rainforest biome form the axis of a borderland region shared by the nine states of Amazonia (Figure 1). These Amazon borderlands contain high concentrations of conservation units and indigenous territories to preserve the transboundary region’s rich ecological and cultural diversity (Figures 2 & 3). However, this biocultural diversity is increasingly threatened by advancing development frontiers and a growing global demand for Amazonian resources.

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  An Analysis of the Conservation Importance of Amazon Borderlands Using Geographic Information Systems

  Ben Weinstein, David S. Salisbury, and Kimberly Britt Klinker

  At 6,000,000 km2, the Amazon basin is a critical hotspot of global biodiversity. The Amazon lowland is often incorrectly portrayed as a single homogenous unit, a vast and unpopulated region (Eva & Huber 2005). In actuality, nine countries comprise the Amazon, creating a mosaic of ecological, cultural and political boundaries (Manne 2003, Maffi 2005). Our aim is to test whether these Amazonian borderlands have greater conservation significance than the Amazonian interior. The political geography has profound effects on conservation as each country designates and maintains area differently (Eva & Huber 2005). Depending on management type, protected areas shelter ecosystems from an array of environmental disruption including: resource extraction, hunting, large-scale agriculture and urban encroachment (Rodrigues et al. 2004). Due to these protections, we assume that regions with higher percent of protected area are more biodiverse than similar unprotected areas (Bruner et al. 2001). Therefore, we use national protected areas as a proxy for biological diversity.

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  Gender and Species Use in Amazonian Home Gardens: the Social and Economic Context of Biodiversity Conservation

  Leigh Ann West, David S. Salisbury, Ana I. Ríos-Sanchez, and Jorge Vela Alvarado

  Home gardens, “the peridomestic area belonging to the household where members plant and/or tend useful plants” (Perrault-Archambault and Coomes 2008), are found throughout the world. However, their use and importance vary from region to region. In the Peruvian Amazon, owners use home gardens for a domestic supply of foods, craft materials, medicines, condiments, and shade (Miller and Nair 2006). With this wide range in function, reflected in species content, home gardens are very biodiverse.

  Home garden biodiversity may be increasingly important in a rapidly changing Amazonia (Betts et al. 2008). Thus, the sociocultural and economic factors contributing to home garden diversity warrant in-depth study. Existing data posit a direct positive relationship between female garden tenders and species diversity (Perrault-Archambault and Coomes 2008) as well as report a simultaneous increase in sales of indigenous plant products and monocropping (Perreault2005). Nevertheless, limited research exists on home gardens as reservoirs for species conservation (Ban and Coomes2004b).

  We hypothesize both the gender of the caretaker and market integration impact levels of species richness in home gardens, with female garden managers increasing biodiversity and market integration decreasing biodiversity as caretakers favor more marketable species.