Amanda’s research has focused on understanding the sustainability of fuel ethanol supply systems that utilize traditional and non-traditional biomass sources as feedstocks through life cycle modeling, the development of critical assessment metrics, and the analysis of industry-partner data. Recently, she has been focusing on developing new metrics that can incorporate numerous biomass utilization options into comparative energy assessments. Amanda has also become involved with several regionally-focused projects that are striving to understand the energy use patterns and trends within the Adirondack Park and surrounding upstate New York areas to help foster the development of appropriate alternative energy sources for the region.

Climate change impacts on subsistence food gathering in the Arctic

Economic growth and the environment

St. Lawrence County Old-Growth Program

When working on a reforestation project anywhere in North American, one of the biggest

concerns is the survival and function of the newly planted trees. Deer browsing impacts can be devastating to not only reforestation projects, but to existing forests as well. Deer have the ability to drastically alter successional growth forests and decrease tree recruitment at a local and regional scale.

The morphology and survivability of trees can also be afflicted by deer browsing.

Methods of Deterrent

There are many deterrents available to help curb deer browsing. Household deterrents - soap,mothballs, tobasco sauce, and garlic - may be the most popular choice due to their availability.

There are also many commercial products available for purchase such as Deer Out, Liquid Fence, and Deer Away.

All these methods are meant to deter deer by smell. Another group of deterrents is classified as scare products. This group includes motion sensor lights, guard dogs, and sprinkler systems. Although some of these methods may sound appealing, the only real foolproof method of deterrent is fencing.

Deterrent Expirement

Several household and commercial deterrents were tested in the field. Three trial runs proved that the only product able to deter deer every time was a commercial product called Liquid Fence. Household products such as tabasco sauce, dryer sheets, and soap had a very low, if any, incidence of deterrent.

The next day, Arbor Day, over 300 trees were planted in 21 plots. The plots will be treated differently for deer browsing and monitored over several years to determine the most effective deterrent.

Students also worked on restoring Tracy Brook which runs through the ESL. Alder branches were trimmed from the surrounding area and planted in the eroding bank.

Students also dismantled an abandoned beaver dam to restore the flow of the stream.

All these efforts engage students in applied, field-oriented, community service, and project-based coursework. Students are taking what they learned here and applying it to areas close to where they live doing what they can to restore planet Earth.

Students from Carolyn Johns’ Environmental Studies 261 Sustainable Agriculture Systems class received a hands-on lesson in sheep shearing from Sarah White. The sheep are part of the Environmental Studies Department’s Ecological Sustainability Landscape.

Integration between the classroom and the “real world” is a significant goal of the environmental studies department. A key teaching tool to this end is the program’s “Ecological Sustainability Landscape” (ESL). The ESL is a beautiful 110-acre tract of land including fields, forests, wetlands, and steams complete with a three-story house and outbuildings.

Certainly the largest laboratory at St. Lawrence University, the land is used for a variety of class projects especially sustainable agriculture and agroecology. Students have the opportunity to apply textbook concepts to hands-on projects including growing organic crops and experimenting with natural pest controls including integrated pest management. An ongoing acid rain sampling program is monitored by environmental studies students.

The forest did not appear healthy, diverse, and regenerative. We documented species including balsam fir, white pine, white cedar, hemlock, mountain maple, sugar maple, striped maple, paper birch, yellow birch, and American beech in a variety of ages. The oldest trees - white cedar and white pine - are approximately 400 years old. The forest floor consists of loamy soil with the presence of a variety of ferns and mosses. Tip mounds create an undulating forest floor. Logs and snags exist in varying decay classes. We also observed many bird species, including Pileated woodpeckers. Adjacent to the stand, there is another good candidate stand for potential future old growth, as well as some significant snags. We found no evidence of invasive species.

STAND SCORE: 103/115

Why a Farm-to-School Project?

At first glance, America’s national food system seems to provide a vast array of inexpensive food choices. But a closer look reveals some troubling weaknesses. For example:

• Most of our food travels a great distance from farm to table making us vulnerable to transport interruptions and rising fuel costs.
• The food delivered to us is usually either highly processed or days old lacking taste and nutrition.
• Our food system is increasingly controlled by corporate interests making us dependent on organizations that have no local ties or commitment.
• Farming itself is becoming more centralized in large farms decreasing the proportion of the food dollar that goes to the farmer.

Local food programs like the Farm-to-School Support Project counters these trends and helps support small farmers.

The long-term goal of the program is to work with public agencies and private landowners to establish a network of old-growth preserves connected by corridors of younger forest to increase the function of the broader forested landscape.

What is Old-Growth?

The definition of old-growth varies depending on the type of forest and the history of the region. Nevertheless, in order to identify old-growth stands establishing a definition becomes necessary. Our definition sets a minimum age of 180 years. A forest stand of this age would have survived the last great cut-over in the county between 1850-1880. The stand should also be an uneven-aged forest with regeneration. The stand should have an accumulation of snags and down logs that retain water; provide habitat for insects and wildlife; and decomposing matter for overall forest health. The stand should have good biodiversity with abundant plant and animal species appropriate to the forest ecosystem. And the stand should have experienced little human disturbance such as roads, trails, logging, or grazing.

Why preserve Old-Growth?

Old-growth forests serve as unique habitat for a number of animals that rely on them; contain rare flowers, lichens, and amphibians; provide a number of ecosystem services; hold invaluable genetic material; are a haven for spiritual connection; and provide a sense of awe.

Request an evaluation

Do you have a stand of old forest you’d like evaluated for old-growth qualities? Jon Rosales and his students will evaluate your stand for you. A score will be generated so that you can compare your stand to others in St. Lawrence County. Please email Jon at: jrosales@stlawu.edu