2025 Capstone Conference

Capstone Conference 2025

a

celebration of graduate student research

Cities, Mobility and Built Environment

Degrees

MBA: Master of Business Administration

MLA: Master of Landscape Architecture

MPP: Master of Public Policy

MS: Master of Science

MS EEB: Master of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

MSE: Master of Science in Engineering

MURP: Master of Urban and Regional Planning Scan

MUD: Master of Urban Design

Specializations

BEC: Behavior, Education and Communication

EJ: Environmental Justice

EPP: Environmental Policy and Planning

ESM: Ecosystem Science and Management

GDS: Geospatial Data Sciences

SusDev: Sustainability and Development

SusSys: Sustainable Systems

Conservation and Restoration

Food Systems

Envisioning ‘Āina Momona: Community-Based Design and Planning for Kānaka Maoli Food Sovereignty and Land Restoration (Client: Sust‘āinable Moloka‘i)

Comparative Soil Health in Urban Agroforestry: A Case Study on Detroit’s Perennial Agriculture Sites (Client: Michigan State University Detroit Partnership

Education

Sustainability and Development

Waste and Circular Economy

Cities, Mobility and Built Environment

Envisioning Sustainable Campus Gardens: Landscape Interventions at the University of Michigan

Presenter: Kaia McKenney, MLA

Advisor: Stan Jones

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: University of Michigan

Design proposals for this project re-envision key landscapes and places on the Ann Arbor campus, and seek to remake the campus environment in a manner that respects the culture and history of the university while elevating its ecological function and educational value. Recognizing that there are green “deserts” on campus that are covered in English ivy, unused areas of turf or impermeable surfaces, this project will identify these areas and provide new designs that respond to the reality of climate change, respect the local ecology of Southeast Michigan and impacts of microclimates on campus. The project scope also seeks to illustrate how the landscape itself could function as an educational component in the life of the university, exposing thousands of students, staff, faculty and visitors to an aesthetic that is vastly more sustainable, ecological, visually interesting and less energyintensive to maintain.

This project also extends to the suggestion of ways in which buildings might be incorporated into the campus plan, such as green roofs to address stormwater and adjacent plantings to reduce heat gain in buildings. The completed design work incorporates a respect for U-M’s campus environment to function as a place of gathering, heightened social and educational expression, and how the aesthetics of a college campus send messages about the place, its mission and what is important to the institution.

Fall visit and site analysis for old Church Street pedestrian corridor.

Fall visit and site analysis for old Fleming Administration building.

Scaling Up Climate Adaptation Through Sustainable Urban Forestry

Presenters: Julie Gourlay, MS (ESM, BEC); Ren Hoff-Miyazaki, MLA; Deliang Lyn, MS (GDS), MLA; Lingyu Wang, MS (GDS); Yihan Wang, MS (SusDev)

Advisors: Mark Lindquist; Peter Reich

Location: Major global cities

Client: SWA

As global climate change alters temperature and moisture patterns, urban tree selection must adapt to ensure resilience in the future. Our research aims to provide professional guidance on selecting urban tree species suited for changing climates.

Building on the Köppen climate classification, we analyzed how the climate of 80 cities worldwide is expected to shift by 2100. We incorporate data on population, Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects, current Köppen climate zones and projected future classifications. By assessing these trends, we evaluate how each city’s climate will evolve and determine which tree species will thrive under new conditions.

Our study compiles a comprehensive database of these 80 cities, highlighting key climate variables and urban characteristics. We present a global map visualizing temperature and moisture change trends, and a table of the Frequency of Tree Species Occurrence in Major Global Cities Across Different Köppen Climate Types, offering insights into broad-scale climate shifts. Additionally, we identify new tree cultivars specifically fostered for climate resilience. We also developed a website that provides tailored tree selection recommendations for each city. This tool aims to support urban planners, policymakers and environmental professionals in making informed decisions that enhance urban greenery’s sustainability and ecological benefits.

Growing a Piro Indigenous Kinship Garden

Presenter: Christina N. Contreras, MS (EJ, ESM), MLA

Advisors: Lisa DuRussel; Amanda Szot; Kyle Whyte

Location: Socorro, Texas, USA

Growing a Piro Indigenous Kinship Garden is an act of remembering and imagining. The project is an expression of my practice of landscape architecture through kinship and my practice of landscape architecture to support Indigenous sovereignty. The garden we are growing is in Socorro, Texas—land my family has been deeply connected to since 1680 with ties to our ancestral homelands in what is currently called Socorro, New Mexico. The garden is a representation of Piro Pueblo peoples’ relationships with land, water and non-human kin since time immemorial and is a living conversation between past, present and future—a place of belonging created through kinship and shaped by the calls of the Chihuahuan Desert and Middle Rio Grande Bosque. The garden exists in both the material and the abstract— place and story, movement and reflection, landscape architecture and spirit. It embodies collective self-determination, love, dignity, respect, and enacting our responsibilities to each other and non-human kin. It is a process of remembering, imagining, making, growing, embodying and being made. The garden is memory, landscape, and responsibilities entwined where we are shaping who we are and how we want to be in this world.

Joe Louis Greenway Digital Monitoring System

Presenters: Yidan Chang, MS (GDS); Gail Lyons, MS (EJ, SusDev); Saj McBurrows, MS (EPP), MURP; Chi Sun, MS (GDS); Shiru Xu, MLA; Jing Yan, MS (GDS), MLA

Advisor: Derek Van Berkel

Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Client: City of Detroit

Detroit has undergone major economic and social shifts, from industrial growth to decline and disinvestment. Recent redevelopment efforts, such as the Joe Louis Greenway (JLG), aim to revitalize the city and improve access to greenspace, but concerns exist about whether these projects will truly benefit long-term Black residents. Urban greening initiatives have historically contributed to gentrification and displacement, making equitable access a key issue. This project evaluates the JLG’s effectiveness in promoting transportation equity and community engagement.

We used a multi-method approach, integrating digital monitoring, community engagement and environmental design strategies. A web-based system was developed to visualize spatial data, collect user feedback and enhance accessibility. Community surveys, including intercept interviews and a citywide survey, assessed public perceptions and demographics. Additionally, we explored climate-responsive landscape design to optimize the Greenway’s resilience and usability.

Our research provided evidence-based recommendations to improve accessibility, sustainability and inclusivity. By combining data-driven analysis with community input, we aimed to foster a participatory planning process. This initiative not only enhances the JLG but also creates a framework for evaluating similar projects, promoting equitable urban development and long-term community benefits.

A Bill to Protect Maui County’s Housing Sector from Institutional Investment

Presenter: Tara Apo-Priest, MS (EJ)

Advisor: Kyle Whyte

Location: Maui County, Hawai‘i, USA

Clients: Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment; Maui County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez

The financialization of housing is a growing global trend. In the United States, particularly after the 2008 foreclosure crisis, large institutional investors began purchasing high numbers of properties at low cost for conversion to rental housing. Research demonstrates that large-scale corporate landlords employ several strategies to maximize profits, including automated purchasing and management practices, steep rent hikes, high rates of eviction, the creation of “ancillary fees,” and cost-cutting measures such as property tax assessment appeals and unsustainable development practices. Additional concerns include gentrification, outsized market power, competition for homeownership and disproportionate impacts to communities of color.

Initial research indicates that corporate landlords are not yet established in Maui County’s rental housing sector. This research focuses preemptively on developing a bill proposal to protect the local housing market from predatory institutional real estate investment, based on existing literature and regulatory attempts in the U.S., as well as Maui County’s unique housing market and policy landscape. The bill proposal includes measures for increased transparency, tenant protections and financial penalties, while minimizing impacts to local residents and landlords. This research is a fulfillment of my Catalyst Fellowship for Indigenous Studies with the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment in partnership with Maui County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez.

Our research team (left to right: Shiru Xu, Chi Sun, Gail Lyons, Saj McBurrows, Yidan Chang and Jing Yan) at the Warren Gateway segment of the Joe Louis Greenway for intercept surveying.

U.S. Graphite Sourcing for Electric Vehicle Battery Applications

Presenter: Sarah Gorman, MS (SusSys)

Advisors: Gregory Keoleian; Stephen Kesler

Location: United States

Client: Ford Motor Company

Graphite is an essential critical mineral for the clean energy transition, especially as a key component of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Currently, China dominates global natural graphite production. Domestic critical mineral sourcing could mitigate geopolitical supply chain risk. We explore the feasibility of domestic graphite sourcing in North America by characterizing current deposits and modeling expected demand from 2025 to 2040. The United States has 19.4 Mt of measured and inferred graphite resources in four deposits that have been evaluated, and additional unevaluated resources in several other areas. The U.S. deposits have a lower grade than other profitable graphite mines globally, however, this estimated graphite resource could meet projected U.S. natural macrocrystalline graphite demand of 5 Mt from 2025 to 2040. The timeline for mine development, production and commercialization might not align with the growth of demand. Additional synthetic graphite supply, derived from petroleum needle coke, might also be constrained unless refineries adapt to increase production of needle coke or alternate feedstocks are commercialized. Domestic natural graphite production would likely decrease greenhouse gas emissions through lower grid emissions, despite higher ore grades compared to China.

Climate and Energy

Meijer’s Embodied Carbon in Construction

Presenters: Gokulakrishnan Jayakumar, MS (SusSys); Qingyue Liu, MS (EPP, SusSys); Gupteswara Padhy, MS (SusDev, SusSys); Roujia Tong, MS (SusSys, GDS); Letitia Zhang, MS (SusSys)

Advisor: Erik Petrovskis

Location: Hillsdale, Michigan, USA

Client: Meijer

The construction industry generates significant CO2 emissions, contributing to global warming. While platforms like the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) exist to calculate embodied carbon in buildings, there’s a need for further strategies aimed at reduction. Meijer, committed to reducing its environmental impact, pledged a 50% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025 and is now expanding its focus to Scope 3 (indirect value chain emissions). It needs a comprehensive approach to assess and mitigate embodied carbon in its 2023 new build and remodel construction projects. This project aims to develop a framework and methods for calculating embodied carbon in Meijer’s new store and remodel projects. The model covers all upfront phases of a building’s life cycle, emphasizing supply chain stages (A1-A5). The results also include the potential alternatives and strategies of reducing the embodied carbon emissions, ultimately contributing to broader industry-level improvements. A baseline model serves as a static reference, with sensitivity analyses conducted on individual building elements to explore decarbonization strategies.

Green Hydrogen Applications in India’s Power Sector

Presenters: Jean Poll Alva Araujo, MS (SusSys); Abhishek Gupta, MS (EPP), MBA; Cyan Lee, MS (SusSys), MSE; Nicholas Nonnenmacher, MS (SusDev), MPP; Pete Schultz, MS (SusSys); Loren Steinberg, MS (SusSys); Hollie Wilburn, MS (EPP)

Advisor: Gregory Keoleian

Locations: New Delhi, India; Basalt, Colorado, USA

Client: RMI

Green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using renewable energy, presents a key solution for India’s decarbonization and energy storage during periods of intermittency. The H2 molecule is produced via electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, and can be transported and stored as either a high-pressure gas or low-temperature liquid. India currently consumes 5 metric tons (MMT) of hydrogen annually, primarily produced from non-renewable resources, which results in 50 MMT of carbon dioxide emissions per year. India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) aims to position India as a leader in the green hydrogen space with a goal of producing 5 MMT of green hydrogen by 2030. As India moves towards a green hydrogen system, this project evaluates three potential pathways: long-duration storage, captive loading and ammonia co-firing. By looking at the technical, economic and political feasibility of each of these applications individually, this report determines the most effective path(s) for India to take in meeting its green hydrogen and renewable energy goals. The report outlines 10 potential pathways connecting green hydrogen production to its use in India’s power sector and the three applications. Each pathway is assessed for technical and economic feasibility through literature reviews and modeling. The policy analysis reviews global and Indian policies with International Renewable Energy Agency reports to provide benchmarks for effective policy frameworks. This report finds that a pathway combining electrolysis, above-ground compression and electrochemical conversion via fuel cells is the most efficient option. A hybrid approach is recommended at the national scale: a combination of compressed hydrogen storage for short-term needs with underground or ammonia-based storage for seasonal applications. Regarding policy, modeling the NGHM after Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy would lead to more efficient deployment of the three applications. These results will inform RMI of the best pathways and applications of green hydrogen in the Indian context.

Greenhouse Gas and Energy Usage Inventory and Climate Strategy for Merit Network Inc.

Presenters: Edward Carrington, MS (SusSys); Jialu Chen, MS (GDS); Paige Greenberg, MS (SusSys); Haolin Li, MS (GDS); Sharmane Tan, MS (EPP), MBA

Advisor: Geoffrey Lewis

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: Merit Network Inc.

This project, conducted on behalf of Merit Network in collaboration with SEAS, aimed to address the challenges of digital equity and environmental sustainability in broadband internet infrastructure provision in Michigan. Merit Network operates as an internet service provider for educational and research institutions in Michigan. As a team, we evaluated the environmental impact of Merit’s infrastructure and operations and provided recommendations for enhancing sustainability. Our research approach used two primary methods: life cycle assessment (LCA) and power consumption analysis. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with Merit’s data centers and fiber network infrastructure using LCA. This entailed a systematic review of the entire life cycle of their infrastructures, from construction and installation to operation and end-of-life disposal. By quantifying inputs and outputs at each stage, we provided strategies for Merit to reduce its environmental footprint. In parallel with our LCA, we examined Merit’s energy consumption through utility bill analysis. This method provided valuable insights into energy consumption patterns, such as seasonal variations and peak use periods across different data centers and network components. By analyzing these patterns, we identified outliers, inefficiencies and opportunities for energy-saving measures. Our findings offered new understanding of the environmental ramifications of Merit Network’s operations and provides a baseline for measuring future improvements.

Ethnography of Concerned Neighbors at Rural Renewable Energy Projects

Presenter: Daniel Spellman, MS (SusSys)

Advisors: Sarah Mills; Charlene Zietsma

Locations: Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, USA

Researchers estimate we can meet around 80% of our energy needs through intermittent renewable energy resources including wind and solar. Technical and economic realities often lead these technologies to be sited in rural areas with agrarian roots. The tremendous growth of wind and solar has been met with pushback from local residents in these communities. This study employs an ethnographic research method to better understand the backgrounds and perspectives of local residents opposed to renewable energy projects in their rural communities. Twenty-seven respondents at five sites across the Midwest were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The five sites included three wind energy facilities (one pre-construction and two post-construction) and two solar energy projects (one pre-construction and one post-construction), facilitating comparisons between wind and solar before and after construction. Conversation topics included respondents’ connections to their place, concerns about the proposed or operating project, and discussions about their visions for their communities and the country more generally. The study adds to existing literature with contributions to the understanding of procedural justice, the role of place and the durability of concerns in siting renewable energy projects. The findings suggest developers alter their development strategies and engagement practices to reduce local opposition.

Social Media Footprint Change in the U.S. Corresponding to Climate Change

Presenter: Zhongrui Ning, MS (GDS)

Advisor: Derek Van Berkel

Location: Contiguous United States

As the frequency and severity of extreme weather events continue to increase, the need to understand how climate anomalies affect human behavior has become more pressing. Social media platforms such as Flickr, a real-time reflection of public sentiment and activity, provide a unique perspective for analyzing behavioral responses to environmental change. However, existing studies tend to focus on typical events over short periods of time, neglecting the integration of multi-modal data (text, images and geospatial information) over long periods of time to fully capture these changes.

This study aims to investigate changes in behavioral responses to climate anomalies in the contiguous United States using social media data on Flickr. Specifically, it will investigate how changes in climate are associated with changes in online discussions, emotional expressions and shared visual content. By integrating natural language processing-based text analysis, computer vision-driven image classification and spatial mapping, this research provides a methodological framework for detecting climate-related behavioral changes.

Methodologically, we first filtered posts from 2016 to 2024 based on geolocation and timestamps on Flickr to align with recorded climate anomalies. TF-IDF and LDA topic modeling identifies dominant themes in user-generated content, while sentiment analysis (BERT) assesses emotional responses. Meanwhile, CLIP-based image classification detects visual trends related to weather, human activities and social influences for a comprehensive assessment of behavioral changes.

Preliminary results suggest that climate anomalies lead to increased climate-related discussions and changes in shared images, with significant differences between locations and event types. This study contributes to climate and human behavior research by providing an interdisciplinary framework for analyzing behavioral adaptations to environmental change via social media.

Social Media-Based Analysis of People’s Behavioral Changes in Relation to Environmental Changes, USA

Presenter: Yuxin He, MS (GDS)

Advisors: Shannon Brines; Derek Van Berkel

Location: USA

Social media has become an essential tool in disaster research, enabling researchers to track population movements and assess resource needs through geotagged tweets, image uploads and platforms such as Facebook Disaster Maps (FBDM), which provides real-time displacement data. However, challenges such as data representativeness and processing inconsistencies persist. Social media applications in disaster studies include sentiment analysis, topic modeling and information dissemination, with advanced techniques like BERT and SIR modeling used to analyze public concerns and track information diffusion. Prior research has demonstrated the potential of social media for fire detection and risk assessment by integrating natural language processing, machine learning and satellite data to enhance fire monitoring and response.

This study investigates how fire incidents influence the spatial and temporal patterns of human activity during forest fires, examining whether behavioral responses vary based on environmental factors such as proximity to urban areas or the presence of protected forests. By leveraging social media data, this research explores its potential as a reliable proxy for understanding long-term behavioral adaptations to environmental changes like wildfires. Through geotagged social media posts and advanced modeling techniques, the study aims to reveal patterns of movement, sentiment shifts, and information dissemination during and after fire events. Ultimately, this research seeks to bridge the gap between realtime behavioral insights and long-term environmental resilience, offering valuable perspectives for disaster response and land management strategies.

This study aims to connect climate change stressors (fires) with shifts in recreational patterns, using Flickr and other social media platforms as proxies for on-the-ground behavior.

Effects of Developmental Temperature on a North American Avian Insectivore

Presenter: Isaiah Clark, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Brian Weeks

Location: Ontario, Canada

Increasing global temperatures have been linked to concurrent declines in body size across a range of animal taxa. Body size is perhaps the most important morphological trait in animals, influencing nearly every aspect of their biology and contributing to the overall structure and functioning of ecosystems. Amidst dramatic human impacts on global climate, it is crucial we understand how these recent shifts in body size arise and how they may change the capacity of animals to acclimate to novel environments. Historically, temperature-size relationships have been described as the result of natural selection or phenotypic plasticity. However, the relative roles of these drivers in recent size declines remain unknown and experimental evidence supporting one hypothesis over the other has varied. We therefore designed a nest warming experiment to investigate the possible effect of temperature-mediated developmental plasticity on body size variation in a natural environment, using free-living tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at two sites managed by the Long Point Bird Observatory in Southern Ontario, Canada. Our treatments were based on climate warming scenarios for the study location. We tested two hypotheses: First, that nestlings experiencing warmer developmental temperatures would have a lower final mass due to plastic reductions in growth, reflecting long-term trends in birds, and second, that adults with warmer nests would have a higher feeding rate in response to a lower incubation burden, but this would not be sufficient to compensate for size reductions in the warmest nests.

Supporting Energy Sovereignty Through Technical Analysis and

Community Participation in Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i

Presenters: Seth Bartos, MS (SusSys); Aditi Gonnade, MS (SusSys); Anagha Kumar Margasahayam, MS (SusDev, SusSys, EJ); Skye Sun, MS (SusDev, SusSys); Sameera White, MS (SusDev, BEC); Yuk Long Yip, MS (EJ, EPP)

Advisors: K. Malulani Castro; Justin Schott

Location: Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i

Clients: Ho‘āhu Energy Cooperative Moloka‘i; Sust‘āinable Moloka‘i

This project is designed to facilitate Moloka‘i’s shift toward sustainable energy, upholding its deep-rooted cultural values and aloha ‘āina (love for the land). In the face of historical external exploitation, the community is poised to embrace renewable initiatives that honor their traditions. Over 16 months, the project team worked with Moloka‘i Clean Energy Hui, which is a coalition of community-focused groups, including Ho‘āhu Energy Cooperative Moloka‘i and Sust‘āinable Moloka‘i, to implement multiple energy projects across the island. We conducted life cycle assessments, integrated geographic information systems mapping, synthesized information to bolster infrastructural development, and used evaluation tools. Our efforts contribute to promoting community involvement and environmental justice. This work will serve as a beacon for Moloka‘i’s energy autonomy and an exemplar for Indigenous communities globally.

While on the island, the group participated in various activities to build engagement and trust with the local community, including a Kahua (foundation-building) workshop, as shown in the picture above.

The Moloka’i community is deeply committed to projects that align with their cultural values and sustainability goals, and has consistently resisted large-scale commercial development.

Powerlines: Intervenor Compensation as a Pathway to Energy Justice

Presenters:

James Burnham, MS (EPP); Yuuki Garcia, MS (EPP, EJ, BEC), MPP; Katie Militello, MS (SusSys, EPP); Cheyenne Morris, MS (EJ, SusDev)

Advisor: Justin Schott

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: Powerlines

Utility regulation is a technical legal process that requires a great level of expertise and resources just to participate. To remedy the high barrier to entry, some states implement an intervenor compensation (IC) program—a program in which organizations are financially compensated for the direct costs (lawyers, expert witnesses, etc.) of participating in utility regulation proceedings. To better understand the effectiveness and impacts of the IC program, we sought to discover its barriers and facilitators and conduct a cross-state analysis to understand the implications of our findings. We interviewed funding program recipients as well as staff who organize its disbursement to gain different perspectives on a potential optimal design of an IC program. This qualitative analysis consisted of coding interviews for themes and cross-state comparisons using NVivo 15. Across all the states we analyzed, respondents identified varying administrative barriers that often reduce accessibility to IC programs and potential ways to address them. From our analysis, we recommend 1) predictable and reliable reimbursement timelines to reduce funding uncertainty, 2) adequate staff support from public utility commissions, such as more convenient meeting times, application support or assistance with the intervention process, and 3) facilitated information sharing between multiple intervenors.

Conservation and Restoration

Saginaw Forest: Bridging Design, Ecology and Research

Presenters: Alexa Garnet, MLA; Rachel Kerr, MLA, MS (EPP)

Advisor: Lisa DuRussel

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability Facilities

Saginaw Forest, an 80-acre U-M-owned property, serves as both a research site and a recreational space. However, ecological challenges such as invasive species and habitat loss threaten the site’s long-term health. Our project aims to enhance the ecological integrity of Saginaw Forest while strengthening its role as a research hub through strategic design interventions, trail map updates and habitat restoration.

Our research focuses on site analysis, mapping and ecological assessments to inform sustainable design solutions. Methods include aerial imaging and field surveys to document trails, visitor patterns and environmental conditions. Design interventions will include improved main entrance signage for visitor navigation, native plantings to restore heavily used and viewed areas, and reimagined gathering spaces, such as the community fire pit and an outdoor classroom.

Throughout the project, we developed a phased implementation plan while identifying research and potential planting areas to ensure long-term site health. A key component of our work includes creating planting plans to help restore this area’s native plant communities while providing seasonal interest. By combining ecological restoration with strategic design, this project creates a more ecologically resilient space for both researchers and visitors, ensuring its continued value as an environmental, recreational and academic resource.

A drone image of Saginaw Forest's iconic campfire area where the historic caretaker's cabin meets Third Sister Lake. Photo by Kammer Offenhauser, 2024.

Volunteers helping out at the caretaker's cabin during the native planting day at Saginaw Forest. Photo by Alexa Garnet, 2024.

Modeling Human-Wildlife Conflict to Inform Mitigation Efforts and Relief Programs in Himachal Pradesh

Presenter:

Vatsal Parikh, MS (GDS, ESM)

Advisor: Neil Carter

Location: Himachal Pradesh, India

In Himachal Pradesh, human-wildlife conflict impacts communities involved in agriculture and livestock rearing. Conflict can take many forms including livestock depredation, crop raiding or human attacks. Conflict occurrence and community vulnerability can relate to landscape-level factors such as presence of suitable habitat, land-use changes and socioeconomic trends. Insights into the spatial distribution and factors driving conflict can help the state plan mitigation efforts and guide conservation planning. Using location-tagged conflict reporting data since 2003, we modeled the occurrence of leopard (Panthera pardus) conflicts across forest department management areas. By doing so, we hope to provide managers with insights about which regions to prioritize for mitigation efforts and what regional conditions may limit reporting (and access to relief payments). We used pcount N-mixture models to evaluate factors that drive the abundance of conflict and detection factors that influence the likelihood of conflict successfully being reported to the relief program. The site characteristics focused on remote sensing derived data that represented levels of vegetation, croplands and human population density. Meanwhile, the detection covariates focused on trends in agricultural participation and migration as captured in India’s census. Our results predict the intensity of conflict in each administrative unit and identify where conflicts are most likely to be successfully reported to relief programs. We recommend that managers prioritize mitigation efforts in high conflict units while also conducting survey research in units with underreporting to better understand how to improve accessibility to relief programs.

A Novel Biomass Product Validated by the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis Data

Presenter: Xiuyu Cao, MS (GDS)

Advisor:

Kai Zhu

Location: USA

With the growth of global carbon offset markets and the increasing area and damage caused by wildfires in the United States, the need for detailed, accurate and intensive aboveground biomass (AGB) mapping has made remote sensing of AGB a hot topic. Current studies estimating AGB using remote sensing methods face the challenges of low saturation points, limited spatial temporal coverage, limited spatial resolution and lack of rigorous independent field data validation. By imputing spaceborne LiDAR with ecologically informed covariates, terraPulse Inc. has developed a high-resolution, time-serial aboveground biomass density (AGBD) dataset to overcome the technical challenges.

In this study, we present a rigorous validation of terraPulse annual, 30-meter resolution time-series AGBD data using independent estimates from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program’s ground measurements in the states of Utah and Nevada from 2000 to 2022, and for Washington state in 2020 data. The saturation problem was mitigated thanks to the synthesizing with LiDAR data in training the model, with the highest terraPulse AGBD estimate reaching up to 1,110.3 Mg/ha. The issue of FIA’s blurred plot coordinates, which hinders validation at the plot level, was addressed by aggregating estimates. Two levels of aggregation were conducted for the rigorous validation. At approximately 64,000-hectare aggregation level, the linear model between terraPulse and FIA AGBD estimates achieved an R2 of 0.83, a slope of 0.98, an intercept of 13.58, an RMSE of 33.96, and an index of agreement of 0.79.

Aggregated at the county level, the linear model achieved an R2 of 0.9, a slope of 1.07, an intercept of 12.56, an RMSE of 32.69 and an index of agreement of 0.85. The geographic distribution of the differences between the two estimates reveals higher terraPulse values in non-forested areas, due to FIA’s assumption of zero AGB in these regions. Conversely, terraPulse underestimates AGB in extremely high-biomass forests due to saturation. Additionally, this underestimation may also be caused by infrequent updates of the FIA measurements and the resulting departure of FIA estimates with reality due to disturbance. Our validation introduces reliable data for monitoring AGB with wide coverage and high resolution, while also providing a rigorous framework for validating future remote sensing AGB maps to ensure precise ecological insights and promote ecosystem protection, supporting informed forest management and carbon offset efforts.

Building Knowledge and Capacity for Natural Area Stewardship Within

a Farm Business

Presenters: Anna Davies, MS (EMS, GDS); Peggy Ferguson, MS (SusSys), MSE; Sara Haleblian, MS (ESM); Taylor Hayes, MS (ESM, GDS), MURP; Sara Olmsted, MS (ESM); Sophia Steppe, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Sheila Schueller

Location: Dexter, Michigan, USA

Client: Nature & Nurture Seeds

Stewardship of natural areas within farmland can make a vital contribution to conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services at the landscape and local landowner scales. Nature & Nurture Seeds is a 130-acre farm in Dexter, Michigan. Although they specialize in producing heirloom seeds, much of their land includes high-quality forests, grasslands and wetlands, which they desire to steward, but have limited resources and capacity to do so while maintaining a farm business. The goal of this project is to serve as an example for how to build the knowledge and capacity for natural area stewardship on Nature & Nurture farm and other small farm properties. To accomplish this, our team created and began to implement a well-informed natural area management plan, including actions to strengthen community connections to the property in a way that builds long-term stewardship capacity. We used a mixed-methods approach including meander and plot-based plant surveys, trail camera and audio recordings of animals, and existing map data to produce a comprehensive ecological assessment of geomorphology, flora and fauna. We also documented site history through interviews with neighboring landowners. We found that the natural areas on site had a history of cultivation and sheep farming, but currently harbor over 100 plant and 30 animal species, including high densities of salamanders and spring ephemerals. Invasive plant species and overabundant deer are current threats to natural area biodiversity, but can be managed through grant programs and strategic ongoing community engagement with local experts and U-M students.

The SEAS capstone team hosts the Huron Valley Chapter of the Michigan Botanical Society at Nature & Nurture Seeds farm.

The Nature & Nurture Seeds farm capstone team with advisor Sheila Schueller at the Stewardship Network Conference in January 2025.

A Secondary Upstream Invasion of Round Goby Over 13 Years Following a Dam Removal

Presenter: Lian Anderson, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Karen Alofs

Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is a benthic fish native to the Ponto-Caspian region in Europe and was first introduced to the Laurentian Great Lakes in the 1990s. Following their initial introduction, they have spread outside of the Great Lakes and are moving upstream into surrounding tributaries. Often round goby upstream migration is blocked within several river miles of Great Lakes water bodies due to anthropogenic barriers, such as dams. However, dam removal projects are becoming increasingly common as a restoration effort in the Great Lakes region. The Wayne Road Dam on the Lower Rouge River in Southeast Michigan historically barred upstream round goby migration until its removal in 2012. Using field data spanning 13 years (2012-2024) collected by Friends of the Rouge and participating scientists, we analyzed abiotic and biotic factors that influence round goby and native fish, Johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum), relative abundances. We found that characteristics relating to the natural stream gradient and the time since round goby were first observed at a site best predict round goby and Johnny darter abundances. Round goby were more abundant and Johnny darter were less abundant at sites with higher annual average base flows and longer established round goby populations. The Rouge River serves as a case study highlighting the complexities that can arise from restoration efforts, like dam removals. Continued monitoring is necessary to understand upstream invasion of the round goby in Great Lakes tributaries.

Trenton Channel Power Plant (TCPP) Restoration Site

Presenters: Diva Alfirman, MS (SusDev, EJ); Ye Jia, MLA, MUD; Lauren Mleczko, MS (SusDev, SusSys); Changtong Wu, MS (ESM); Sumire Yamada, MLA, MS (GDS); Yuxiao Yue, MS (SusSys)

Advisor: Joan Iverson Nassauer

Location: Trenton, Michigan, USA

Client: DTE

Trenton, Michigan, a small city located south of Detroit on the Detroit River, is home to the site of the Trenton Channel Power Plant (TCPP). The TCPP, a coal-fired power plant, was retired in 2022 with demolition beginning in March 2024. A battery storage facility has been announced for the site’s future. It is likely, given the history of coal combustion on the site, that contamination remains will need to be addressed before future uses, which was taken into consideration during this project. This project, the TCPP Site Restoration, proposed and assessed two design scenarios for the site, compared to a baseline greenway design, to explore potential future uses.

The designs were considered under the variables of carbon sequestration, energy generation and storage potential, habitat potential, human use, and remediation. Literature reviews informed the scope of these variables. Resulting from the literature reviews were definitions of the variables, an analysis of the site through the lens of each variable, and a matrix for assessing the designs on each variable. The project concludes by assessing the design scenarios and the baseline greenway design along the variable matrices and providing commentary on the results. By exploring the potential outcomes, this project aims to encourage thoughtful consideration of the restoration opportunities for the TCPP site while addressing ecological, social and remediation challenges.

Lian Anderson holding a white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) from the Rouge River.

Resist, Accept, Direct (RAD): Climate Resiliency in Homer, Alaska

Presenters: Lucy Baker, MS (BEC, ESM); Jasper Hsieh, MS (GDS); Bradley Popovich, MS (SusSys, SusDev), MPP; Jamie Ranger, MS (EJ, ESM, SusDev); Allison Smith, MS (ESM); Sam Talsma, MS (SusSys); Longxiao Xie, MS (SusSys, BEC)

Advisor: Allen Burton

Location: Homer, Alaska, USA

Client: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies

Climate change has posed a threat to what has been the status quo for people, plants and animals in Homer, Alaska. Through desktop research and field tests, this project developed landuse recommendations using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s ResistAccept-Direct (RAD) framework that can be implemented on private and public plots in Homer, Alaska, to achieve desired environmental resilience based on projected changes in climatic variables and ecological baselines.

We assessed the extent of climate-induced changes in plant life cycles and developed management strategies within the RAD framework. Our methodology included town hall events and surveys to encourage public engagement and community-based planning, a citizen science initiative for continued data collection, and remote sensing combined with statistical analysis to correlate phenology with climate variables. We created a community-informed recommendations “menu” of management strategies for local plant species. Deliverables include a climate report assessing Homer’s climatic changes over 75 years, a white paper consolidating climate change effects and vulnerabilities in Southcentral Alaska, and an adaptive ecosystem management plan detailing research findings and conservation strategies that can be implemented on both public and private lands.

The team at Wynn Nature Center.

Bradley Popovich and Jasper Hsieh at Inspiration Ridge Preserve.

Historic Pier Cove Rejuvenation

Presenters: Jacqueline Dorman, MS (ESM, BEC); Joshua Ische, MS (GDS); Evan Joneson, MS (ESM); Caitlin Maloney, MS (ESM); Erika Vest, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Allen Burton

Location: Fennville, Michigan, USA

Client: Pier Cove Ravine Trustee Corporation

Pier Cove Ravine is a historic 70-acre property located on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is characterized by a diverse forest and small stream that runs through a majority of the property. Over the years, the property has suffered damage from erosion and other environmental impacts. To improve and protect the property for years of enjoyment and recreation, Pier Cove requires more intensive stream management, invasive species removal, trail improvement and greater public outreach. The Pier Cove team set out to do a comprehensive survey of the property, characterized by stream, vegetation and geospatial components. An additional educational component was created for the purpose of outlining interpretive materials and increasing public engagement. The team conducted surveys in July, August and October 2024 and January 2025. Hydrological data was collected at 11 points throughout the stream, and vegetation data was collected at six points, two of which were adjacent to the stream, and four of which were across the remainder of the property. Geospatial data was collected using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Real-Time Kinematic GNSS (RTK). The team found that the stream is contributing significantly to erosion throughout the property and found many invasive species have outcompeted native species throughout the property. As a result, land management strategies for these issues were suggested in the final management plan. Updated maps of the property were created using drone and ArcGIS data, and educational materials were proposed to further inform the Pier Cove Board of Trustees of potential public engagement initiatives for the property.

Evan Joneson and Caitlin Maloney gather data on the stream running through Pier Cove.

An interpretive sign located at one of Pier Cove's entrances.

Quantifying Carbon Storage in Illinois Restored Ecosystems with Remote Sensing Techniques

Presenters: Caleb Jelsma-Cale, MS (GDS); Yue Lu, MLA, MS (GDS); Brigid Morgan, MS (ESM); Yinjiao Zhong, MS (GDS)

Advisors: Inés Ibáñez; Kai Zhu

Location: Champaign, Illinois, USA

Client: Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Due to historic and current land use changes, east-central Illinois is one of the most ecologically degraded regions in the United States. The land is excellent for agricultural development but this leaves few natural remnants of vegetation providing valuable ecosystem services. As a collaboration between the Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) and the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, our team quantified aboveground biomass and carbon in restored and remnant ecosystems of CCFPD properties. This was done using remote sensing techniques (LiDAR to create a canopy height model) and forestry field work (DBH measurements to calculate allometry and biomass). These techniques are used in combination to provide a summary of carbon storage in different ecosystem types. As a result, our team found that carbon accumulated in the aboveground biomass of CCFPD forested properties averaged to 11.6 kg/m2. This is slightly higher than expected for a degraded forest of this ecosystem type. Our team has provided CCFPD with a model for future quantification of aboveground biomass and carbon in their properties and a field guide to collect and process forestry field data. Our research summarizes the significance of carbon storage in restored and remnant forest ecosystems for achieving CCFPD’s sustainability goals for the future.

Reimagining Urban Wildlands:

How Collaborative Inventory and Analysis Can Inform Ecological Restoration in Public Park Management

Presenters: Emily Brent, MLA, MS (ESM, GDS); Grace Carbeck, MLA, MS (ESM); Myles Markey, MLA, MS (ESM, GDS); Kammer Offenhauser, MLA, MS (ESM, GDS)

Advisor: Lisa DuRussel

Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Clients: City of Detroit; Sidewalk Detroit

Nestled in Detroit’s northwest corner sits Eliza Howell Park, the city’s third-largest park, which boasts over 250 acres of ecological and recreational space. Amazing potential exists in Eliza Howell Park to accentuate ecological performance, connect humans to nature, and reduce park maintenance. In a cooperative effort, the city of Detroit, Sidewalk Detroit and SEAS students have worked over the past year and a half to address concerns as they relate to the park. The project team expressed its interdisciplinary nature, drawing from community engagement, ecological knowledge, GIS mapping, design thinking, and dynamic coproduction to improve understanding and management of the park. This project has led to ecological management recommendations such as habitat restoration, low-impact mowing, passive maintenance and invasive species mitigation. The methods explored are documented so that they can become tools for replicating the process within community organizations and the city of Detroit as it may apply to other parks. It is the U-M team’s sincere hope that these developments will improve the ecological resilience and usability of Eliza Howell Park.

Previous restoration area being inventoried in Eliza Howell Park.

Plant Resilience Against Herbivory in the Mediterranean

Presenter: Henry Wallison, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Johannes Foufopoulos

Location: Astypalea, Greece

The traditional model of the Stress Gradient Hypothesis (SGH) predicts a linear transition from negative to positive interspecific interactions as environmental stressors increase. Many scholars have argued for an extension of this theory, stating that under high stress, we may expect to see an inversion of this trend, suggesting a limit to self-correction within ecosystems. To test the traditional model of the SGH’s fidelity, we investigated the facilitative effect of Juniperus turbinata across a strong herbivory gradient on a Greek island. Of our main facilitative measurements (differences in species richness, percent coverage, and biomass inside and outside of J. turbinata), we found no evidence supporting the traditional model of the SGH. Instead, we found significant changes in biomass that are in keeping with the extended model of the SGH, with J. turbinata facilitating higher biomass only at a low herbivory intensity. Transitions in patterns of woody plant species suggest that J. turbinata provides refugia for palatable species at a low herbivory intensity. We propose that due to the chronic stress placed on the landscape, the island’s small ruminants browse within the shrubs preferentially when overstocked.

Henry Wallison prepares his quadrat for botanical measurements (Astypalea, Greece).

St. Pierre Wetland Stewardship Plan: A Model for SEAS Properties Planning

Presenters: Alex Hamilton, MS (ESM, GDS); Jason Krick, MS (BEC, ESM); KT Meono, MS (ESM); Gwynne Powell, MS (ESM); Molly Russell, MS, (ESM, EPP), MPP; Emily Schultheis, MS (ESM)

Advisors: Michael Kost; Sheila Schueller

Location: St. Pierre Wetland, Hamburg Township, Michigan, USA

Client: University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

The St. Pierre Wetland (STPW) is a 130-acre SEAS-owned property that has been underutilized for its mission of research and education for much of the past 50 years. This biodiverse site includes rare and valuable wetland communities, including a prairie fen ranked as one of the top 10 in the Huron River watershed. However, the site is currently threatened by several invasive plants and altered ecosystem processes. Without strategic management it will lose biodiversity, ecosystem function and its value for academic study. To address this problem, we worked with Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Nichols Arboretum, the Huron River Watershed Council, The Stewardship Network and neighboring homeowners associations to synthesize an adaptive management plan that emphasizes restoration and strategic engagement within the U-M community and with external stakeholders. We first documented historical land-use changes and conducted a comprehensive ecological site assessment. Our methods included the use of existing historical documents and spatial maps, on-site flora and fauna surveys (such as a floristic quality assessment and a breeding bird survey), as well as research on non-herbicidal removal techniques for one of the primary invasives, glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus). From our site assessment we developed a spatial prioritization model to guide future management decisions and identified a set of site-specific research priorities and opportunities. The comprehensive stewardship plan aims to transform STPW into a dynamic living laboratory for research and education while integrating it into a broader socio-ecological network, reinforcing SEAS’ mission and enhancing the wetland’s ecological integrity.

Our team and our advisor at our first visit to the site!

Team members Molly Russell and Jason Krick botanizing on-site.

Freeman Environmental Education Center Strategic Planning

Presenters: Katelyn Connelly, MS (EJ, ESM); Bridget Damon, MS (BEC, SusDev), MURP; Andrew Johnson, MS (ESM); Vincent

Lipari, MS (BEC, ESM), MURP

Advisor: Sheila Schueller

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: Freeman Environmental Education Center

The Ann Arbor Public Schools’ (AAPS) Freeman Environmental Education Center is a 40-acre site with natural areas surrounding classroom facilities. After implementing an initial set of advisory committee recommendations, Freeman staff recognized the need for a comprehensive site plan to strategically guide them toward becoming a fully utilized hub for environmental and sustainability education. To contribute to their development of a site plan, we brought together information on the history of AAPS environmental education, numerous existing districtwide and site-specific recommendations and policies, and assessments of site ecology. Together with these resources, we used researchbased best practices and extensive on-site experience to identify future activities within three main strategic directions. The first is continuing restoration-based education, for which we developed criteria to prioritize site needs and opportunities, and assisted in engaging students in the A2 Nature Guardians summer camp in an on-site rain garden installation. The second strategy is to expand equitable and accessible educational opportunities, including career and technical education in sustainability, and share the story map we developed to connect the site with a variety of users. Finally, it is essential to build long-term capacity, especially through more staff and improved site infrastructure, such as signage linked to the story map. These strategies expand district-wide environmental education efforts in a way that fulfills district commitments and informs and empowers future residents of Ann Arbor to meet sustainability challenges.

Three Decades of Community Science Wildlife Monitoring: Lessons from the City of Ann Arbor’s

Bird, Butterfly, Reptile and Amphibian Data

Presenters: Ludo Behrendt, MS (ESM); Megan Eakin, MS (ESM); Michael Enda, MS (EPP, EJ); Jana Sophia Hustedt, MS (ESM); Troy Tofil, MS (ESM, GDS)

Advisor: Sheila Schueller

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation

Despite threats from habitat fragmentation, invasive species and climate change, managed urban and suburban natural areas serve as critical refugia for biodiversity and foster environmental stewardship in communities. Over the past 30 years, the City of Ann Arbor’s Parks and Recreation Department has amassed ecological data through community science initiatives to monitor birds, butterflies and herps (reptiles and amphibians) in city parks. We analyzed this data to enhance the city’s capacity for data-driven, adaptive management of these areas. After using research-based practices to standardize the data for effort and expertise, we assessed long-term and spatial trends and their relationships to site variables such as management and climate change. Some of the key findings include:

1. For all taxa, abundance and diversity have increased over time.

2. Site variables affect each taxon differently. Habitat quality is an important indicator of herp and butterfly diversity, while park size relates to higher bird diversity, though small parks also provide habitat.

3. Parks with more management activity are associated with higher diversity of all taxa, though the mechanism is different for each.

4. There is evidence that changing climate alters the phenology of Ann Arbor’s herp species, leading to earlier breeding seasons.

Over time, increased surveyor effort has improved the ability to track biodiversity, emphasizing the need for continued funding to support community science programs. Our findings highlight the importance of long-term ecological monitoring in guiding the ongoing adaptive management actions, such as invasive species removal and controlled burns, in the city of Ann Arbor’s natural areas.

Evaluation of Freshwater Mussel Relocations

Presenter: Michaela Collins, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Sara Ana Adlerstein-Gonzalez

Locations: Dundee, Michigan; Holly, Michigan, USA

One of the most critical conservation concerns in North America is the rapid extinctions of freshwater mussel communities. One potential solution to this issue is relocating mussels prior to a dam removal or construction project; however, these relocations are not extensively monitored for success of the newly relocated population. Additionally, the mussel communities are often relocated upstream in the same river system, but there has not yet been extensive research to display whether or not the mussel communities recolonize the areas that they were relocated from. Therefore, my research focuses on determining if freshwater mussel relocation projects are a successful method of conserving these species. My methodology involved conducting transect surveys at three sites in Southeast Michigan, including two sites on the Shiawassee River and one site on the River Raisin. These surveys utilized snorkeling and hand-grabbing to search for mussels. I gathered information on the species that were present and on located survivors of the originally relocated population. Additionally, this research determines the extent of recolonization into formally occupied areas post-relocation. I found low survival of the relocated populations and observed recolonization in the furthest downstream transects of the area mussels were relocated from. Knowing where these relocation projects have an effect will help justify further and more extensive relocation projects in this area, and identifying areas where the desired survival and recolonization are not being achieved indicates a need to change protocol regarding relocations.

Re-establishing the Ecological Integrity of the Mediterranean: A Sustainable

Initiative for Island Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation

Presenter: Qitong Fan, MS (ESM); Sol Llanes, MS (SusDev); Wanqi Li, MS (GDS)

Advisor: Johannes Foufopoulos

Location: Aegean Sea, Greece

Clients: Initiative PIM; Cycladic Preservation Fund

The Mediterranean basin has been recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, encompassing over 8,000 islands rich in endemic species. However, despite their ecological significance, island ecosystems face a myriad of threats that endanger their continued existence. This project seeks to restore a set of endangered Mediterranean islands by removing invasive goats. Our team worked with local shepherds to remove the goats and document the ecological conditions of the islands, followed by intensive data analysis and geovisualization. In addition, we conducted societal outreach and education and prepared a how-to manual of good practices to guide future restoration efforts. There will be several outputs including a restoration management report, GIS maps and data collected in the field. The summary report and guidelines will be used by the nongovernmental organizations, as well as government agencies, to facilitate future restoration actions. The field data will serve as baseline information to assess the effectiveness of the specific restoration action in the future.

The Astypalea team: We chill like the Greek wind, stay resilient like the Greek mountains and dream crystal-clear like the Mediterranean Sea.

Effects of Human-Subsidized Feral Cats on Mediterranean Island Reptile Communities

Presenter: Jeffrey Ferrer, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Johannes Foufopoulos

Location: Naxos, Greece

Invasive species pose one of the greatest risks to biodiversity worldwide, and outdoor cats (Felis catus) alone have been linked to over 60 vertebrate species extinctions. In many urban situations, populations of predators increase simply through ease of access to human-derived food sources, thus further increasing predation pressure on wildlife. The research objective of this study was to investigate whether human food sources are having negative indirect effects on reptile communities on the Aegean Sea island of Naxos, Greece, by increasing the population size of feral cats. We performed mark-resight cat surveys and line transect surveys for reptiles at 12 sites on Naxos, and quantified the degree of human food available at each site. The results of our study strongly support that cats on Naxos are being supported by human food sources and that cats were negatively impacting reptiles. The purpose of these results is to make management recommendations, including better waste disposal to reduce garbage access to cats, and to educate locals about the harmful ecological impacts of feeding them.

The Effect of Invasive Goats on Seabird-Derived Nutrient Flow in the Aegean Archipelago, Greece

Presenter: Brittany Amaral, MS (ESM, GDS), EEB

Advisor: Johannes Foufopoulos

Location: Aegean Islands, Greece

Thousands of islands make up the Aegean archipelago, a biodiversity hotspot known for being home to many endemic species. This high level of endemism makes these islands especially vulnerable to the introduction of invasive species, such as domestic goats, which are often left on small uninhabited islands in this region by humans to graze unmanaged. Goats have been found to severely degrade these ecosystems due to overgrazing, resulting in biodiversity loss, significantly lower vegetated cover and, in severe cases, desertification. Though the impacts of overgrazing by goats have been studied extensively, little research has been done to investigate whether introduced goats disrupt the vital nutrient pathway that seabirds provide in transporting marine nutrients onto these islands. To assess whether the presence of goats affects seabird deposition of marine-derived nitrogen (N15), this study used stable isotopic analyses on soil, vegetation and spider samples from 20 Aegean Islands that vary in their history of goat occupation from currently grazed to never introduced. We found that both currently and previously grazed islands show a lower relative abundance of marine-derived nitrogen (δ15N) compared to ungrazed islands. Results show how introduced invasives, such as the domestic goat, can greatly impact essential processes such as nutrient cycling even after removal. Conservation efforts must collaboratively engage with farmers and livestock breeders collectively in sustainable land management practices and the creation of protected areas to ensure the preservation of biodiversity and island ecosystem function.

Depression nest with eggs of the yellow-legged gull, a common seabird species in the Mediterranean (Krommidi Island, Cyclades, Greece).

Domestic goats feeding on the overgrazed landscape of Astypalea.

A Floating Wetland for the Rouge

Presenter: Teresa Zbiciak, MLA

Advisor: Lisa DuRussel

Location: Rouge River, Southeast Michigan, USA

Client: Friends of the Rouge

The Rouge River watershed encompasses the oldest, most heavily populated and industrialized area in Southeast Michigan. Strong, coordinated restoration efforts have brought about significant improvements to the Rouge’s water quality; however, challenges remain, including lingering combined sewer overflows and industrial runoff.

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are man-made interventions which harness the filtration and nutrient uptake of emergent aquatic plants to improve water quality. First used for wastewater treatment, they are now being implemented successfully in challenging urban environments, drawing support and enthusiasm from the public by providing opportunities for recreation, education and collaborative conservation.

Through interviews, literature review and a robust, research-based design process, this practicum explored how FTWs can be successfully designed and implemented in the Rouge River as a contribution to the ongoing restoration efforts. FTWs are exciting for the stakeholders working on these projects because they enhance their existing work, providing beauty, phytoremediation, education and engagement opportunities for the communities along the Rouge.

The project resulted in designed documentation for stakeholders to evaluate floating wetland options and prepare to seek funding for implementation. This includes a matrix of available off-the-shelf options as well as a parts kit for unique designs created locally. It also generated a collection of museum-style display units, including small prototypes and mockettes to demonstrate the concepts of the floating wetland in the river, to be used at public events to gather feedback.

Food Systems

Developing a Sustainability Roadmap for Food Service Businesses

Presenters: Sarah Bibb, MS (SusSys, EPP); Maithilee Kanthi, MS (SusSys, BEC), MBA; Yaorong Liu, MS (SusSys); Miriam Megdal, MS (SusDev); Annika Smuts, MS (SusSys, SusDev); Zenghongli Zhou, MS (SusDev)

Advisor: Geoffrey Lewis

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Client: Ann Arbor/Washtenaw 2030 District

This project examines the barriers to implementing sustainability for food service businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Data were collected in two stages: First, a survey was sent to the entire restaurant community in the city, and second, follow-up interviews were conducted with survey respondents. These two stages informed the development of a comprehensive sustainability roadmap that includes baseline knowledge modules for restaurant owners, a frequently asked questions document, and a daily operations and long-term goals checklist for staff and management. We found that time and money are the largest barriers to implementing sustainable practices for restaurant owners. Restaurant owners emphasized that they need resources to change their current operations. A commonality between the survey and interviews was an interest in becoming more energy efficient and procuring food sustainably. Data were examined in key categories affecting food service: energy efficiency, food procurement, water use, waste reduction and employee education. This roadmap allows the Ann Arbor/Washtenaw 2030 District to share comprehensive resources with existing and new restaurants at any point in their sustainability journey that can assist them in working toward a broader goal of countywide decarbonization.

Building a Policy Framework for Manoomin (Wild Rice) in the Great Lakes Region

Presenters: Brooke Bulmash, MLA, MURP; Margaret Fornes, MS (EPP, ESM); Shiloh Hedgecock, MS (EJ, ESM); McKenna Johnson, MS (ESM); Abigail Merolle, MS (EJ); Ryan Piatt, MS (GDS)

Advisor: M’Lis Bartlett

Locations: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Minnesota; Wisconsin, USA

Clients: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Marie Schaefer; Kyle Whyte

The communities served by the 35 Tribal nations and three treaty organizations in the Great Lakes region have developed research and education programs and engaged in policy advocacy, with the goal of maintaining and restoring Tribal relationships with wild rice (Manoomin/psin). As told in Anishinaabe origin stories, Manoomin is a culturally significant crop that is integral not only to the cultural identity of these Tribes, but also to the ecological integrity of the region. Each Tribe or related Tribal organization has worked collaboratively with or in resistance to local, state and federal governments, as well as organizations such as universities to further these research or advocacy initiatives. With few exceptions, these programs and initiatives do not engage in regional coordination across the boundaries of all 35 Tribal nations and ceded territories in what is now currently Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. A regional coordination plan would offer ecological focus areas, possible policy avenues for Tribes or organizations to engage with, and an index of existing restoration and stewardship strategies across these 35 nations. Through an ecology-based literature review, a review of policies and case law, existing restoration efforts, interviews with Manoomin stewards, and an analysis of land-use methodologies across the ceded territories, this project brings together existing strategies for Manoomin restoration and supports regional coordination for Manoomin restoration and stewardship.

is needed and leaving nothing to waste is an integral part of Indigenous stewardship.

Collecting Manoomin (wild rice): It is meaningful and important to gather every seed from the canoe without leaving any behind. Each seed is a gift that nourishes the Tribal community through winter. Harvesting only what

Canoes overlooking a Manoomin stand in Hamlin Lake, Michigan, during an intertribal rice camp. SEAS capstone project team members attended a rice camp to learn more about stewarding and processing Manoomin.

Envisioning ‘Āina Momona: Community-Based Design and Planning for Kānaka Maoli Food Sovereignty and Land Restoration

Presenters: Maria Ivoeney Gili, MS (ESM); Radhika Handa, MS (SusSys), MBA; Alana Hutka, MS (EJ), MURP; Daniel Lim, MLA; Jo Walker, MS (EJ); Arslan Younas, MS (ESM)

Advisor: M’Lis Bartlett

Location: Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i, USA

Client: Sustʻāinable Moloka‘i

Our team has been collaborating with the Native Hawai‘ianled nonprofit, Sustʻāinable Moloka‘i, on two core initiatives pertaining to land back and food sovereignty on the Hawai‘ian island of Moloka‘i. The first work stream is focused on conducting various land back research and analyses of land planning documents, both of which when synthesized will inform and support our client’s work in pursuing pathways toward land back, community engagement and planning. The second work stream is focused on planning and establishing a food resiliency hub on the island that will improve food security, particularly in times of emergency, as well as promote food sovereignty by revitalizing traditional foodways on Moloka‘i. In planning for this food resiliency hub, we helped complete a community needs assessment, performed site assessments for potential hub locations, and developed landscape designs to conceptualize elements of the hub.

The land and energy teams spending a day talking story in Papohaku with our Sustʻāinable Moloka‘i clients Malia Akutagawa and Kawaipuna Kalipi.

The Envisioning ʻĀina Momona team at Moloka‘i Airport.

Comparative Soil Health in Urban Agroforestry: A Case Study on Detroit’s Perennial Agriculture Sites

Presenter: Nia Dubon-Robinson, MS (ESM, EJ)

Advisor:

Ivette Perfecto

Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Client: Michigan State University Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation

The movement in urban agriculture throughout the city of Detroit has created a network of growers, farmers and communities ensuring food sovereignty and justice. The development of a food forest at the Michigan State University Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation (DPFLI) has created an opportunity to investigate Detroit’s unique agricultural challenges, including compromised soil conditions from industrial legacies, necessitating innovative solutions for sustainable and diverse food production. DPFLI has cultivated a food forest utilizing perennial fruit and nut trees, showcasing an alternative to traditional urban agriculture that leans on the studies of natural forestry systems.

The main objective of my research is to establish a comprehensive baseline of soil health indicators across various management zones at DPFLI and compare these to two fairly older established Detroit orchards. The study will focus on soil’s physical, chemical and biological properties, hypothesizing that perennial growing spaces might enhance soil health by reducing bulk density, increasing microbial biomass and promoting carbon storage. A tailored soil sampling strategy will be designed to facilitate this assessment, with results set to inform future agroecological management in urban settings.

This project aligns with DPFLI’s mission and supports the broader Detroit urban agriculture movement. Through innovative research methods, the project aims to empower urban growers to adopt resilient agricultural practices, contributing to the scholarship of urban agroforestry and ecosystem services. By establishing a replicable model for soil health assessment, the study bridges academic research with practical urban agriculture applications, fostering ecological and community-based transformations in Detroit’s urban agriculture landscapes.

Nurturing Roots of Justice: Integrating Equity and Environmental Stewardship

into Michigan’s Food System Education

Presenters: Lashaun Jackson, MS (EJ, EPP); Sami Maldonado, MS (EJ, BEC); Justin Thompson, MS (EPP), MPP

Advisor: M’Lis Bartlett

Location: Michigan, USA

Clients: Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative; Michigan State University Extension

Everyone interacts in a food system. However, food systems and agricultural education are not required in Michigan or the United States, leading to learning gaps on where our food comes from and the intersectional impacts of food. In a transformative educational partnership, SEAS, the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative and Michigan State University Extension’s Community Food Systems team advanced Michigan K-12 food systems education, underscored by environmental, climate and social justice. Nurturing Roots of Justice aims to spread awareness of critical food literacy among K-12 educators and lay the groundwork for a broader movement towards equity and justice in place-based, food systems education. Nurturing Roots of Justice was guided by the interconnected principles of place-based education, critical food literacy, Michigan food systems and environmental justice. The team prioritized and gathered feedback from K-12 educators to enhance the relevance of the deliverables. The team conducted background research, aggregated resources, facilitated a two-day professional development workshop for educators that deepened their comprehension of the socio-environmental facets of food systems, attended Michigan and national conferences, and hosted an interactive focus group session to implement educator feedback directly into deliverables. Ultimately, the team created a website, facilitator guide, and resource hub database with over 300 resources, equipping K-12 educators with the confidence and tools to promote place-based food systems education in Michigan classrooms. Nurturing Roots of Justice is expected to impact 600 K-12 students in the coming year, and serves as a pilot model that can be expanded and implemented throughout the state.

The Nurturing Roots of Justice team alongside Michigan K12 place-based educators who participated in a two-day food systems education professional development workshop.

The Nurturing Roots of Justice team before conducting a focus group session with educators to solicit feedback on their project deliverables.

Beyond Survival: Agroecology and the International Struggle for Vitality in Palestine

Presenter: Mitali Khanna Sharma, MS (ESM)

Advisors:

Ivette Perfecto

Location: International (Remote)

Since the establishment of the State of Israel, Palestinian geographies have become increasingly fragmented, racialized and transformed from peasant agroecosystems into industrial monocultures. Palestine is now one of the most foodinsecure places in the world, with 90% of the population facing acute levels of food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. In response, various Palestinian agro-activists have adopted the framework of agroecology and food sovereignty, advocating for traditional, diversified farming practices that emphasize community control of food systems and a “land sharing” approach to conserving biodiversity. At the same time, the West Bank and Gaza remain spaces where the power of the Israeli occupation, international policy and international aid agencies all influence how land and life in historic Palestine is stewarded.

Using my positionality as a non-Palestinian citizen of the United States, my research seeks to illuminate some of the international politics that surround the management of land and life in Palestine, specifically as it relates to the agroecology movement. I draw from biopolitics and critical geography to analyze existing literature on agriculture and conservation in historic Palestine, as well as semi-structured interviews that I conducted with Palestinian agroecologists, farmers, international nongovernmental organizations and international aid agencies. I suggest that the agroecology movement in Palestine is working on both a material and ideological terrain—using agroecological practices to create and defend spaces of vitality in the face of international necropolitics that barely values Palestinian survival.

Information and Education

Chesapeake Bay Wetlands Communication Strategy

Presenters: Mariam Aziz, MS (ESM, GDS); Matthew Gerber, MS (EPP, ESM); Sarah Ramsey, MS (BEC, EPP); Jennie Rhodes, MS (EPP); Annie Wisner, MS (ESM, SusSys)

Advisor: Kim Diver

Location: Annapolis, Maryland, USA

Client: Chesapeake Bay Program

There is mutual agreement among wetland scientists and managers that urgent action is needed to preserve and restore non-tidal wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay. However, this urgent concern is not generally shared with local governments and the surrounding community, which greatly limits the potential impact of these conservation efforts. The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Wetlands Workgroup would like to better understand the gap between scientists and the public when it comes to taking actions to protect non-tidal wetlands. Our team’s research focused on uncovering community perceptions of wetlands throughout the Chesapeake Bay. We first conducted a literature review to better understand wetland science, current policies and communication strategies. Then, we conducted interviews with different stakeholders across the Chesapeake Bay to better understand their perception of wetlands and their efforts in wetland protection and community outreach. We used the data from these interviews to identify some of the biggest threats to wetlands, types of restoration techniques, important legislation and policy gaps in protecting wetlands, challenges to conservation, aspects of success in restoration projects, inter-organization collaboration strategies, effective communication strategies, and ideal futures for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This data was then used to craft recommendations for how the Chesapeake Bay Program can conduct outreach to various stakeholders. Through this process, we believe that our work will also help the Chesapeake Bay Program to more broadly achieve the multitude of goals and outcomes stated in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and, more specifically, those relating to stewardship, environmental literacy and climate resiliency.

A visit to Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Annapolis, Maryland.

A visit to Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Annapolis, Maryland.

Just Wildfire Workforce: A Study on the Diverse Impacts of the Forestry and

Fire Recruitment

Program

Presenters: Alexandra Crilley, MS (SusDev, EJ); Daniela Giordano, MS (BEC); Chloe Hernandez, MS (ESM); Kendall Koenen, MS (BEC); Zhuxin Wu, MS (GDS)

Advisor: Paige Fischer

Location: California, USA

Client: Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program

Wildfires have been increasing in both frequency and severity as a result of climate change—and while these catastrophic events continue to wreak havoc across the Western United States, firefighting agencies still struggle to fulfill workforce needs. In California, incarcerated individuals make up approximately 35% of the wildland firefighter workforce through the state’s Conservation Camp program. However, they face disproportionate challenges finding careers in fire and forestry after release. The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP) was established to create positive change at the intersection of these critical issues: combating wildfires by providing training, career guidance and other support to formerly incarcerated individuals seeking firefighting careers. Our team has conducted a program evaluation to assess participants’ experiences and understand the impacts FFRP has on their focus areas of climate change, criminal justice and workforce development. We have utilized qualitative analysis methods, focusing on an extensive literature review followed by semi-structured interviews with FFRP staff and past participants. Our findings showed that the programs offered by the nonprofit not only allow trainees to obtain certifications and build their knowledge about wildfires, but also create a wide variety of positive impacts on their personal lives, assisting with the process of re-entry and emphasizing values such as discipline, companionship and resilience. These themes are explored in depth and connected back to FFRP’s overall goals in our final report, which we offer the organization as a way to better understand the impacts of their work, communicate its importance and seek areas of improvement.

How Do We Use PPGIS on Climate Change?

Presenter: Muqianqian Li, MS (GDS)

Advisor: Derek Van Berkel

Location: Michigan, USA

This thesis investigates the use of participatory geographic information systems (PPGIS) in enhancing climate adaptation strategies, with a focus on flood management through stakeholder engagement and co-design. It highlights a significant need for accurate data validation to improve flood forecasting models and human decision priority. By involving local communities in data collection and model validation, the research aims to address these gaps and enhance flood predictions’ accuracy. The methodology strengthens PPGIS tools to integrate community input into flood risk management, empowering marginalized groups and improving planning processes. Consequently, this thesis advocates for developing more user-friendly and robust PPGIS platforms to enable deeper and more effective public participation. Ultimately, this study promotes a more inclusive approach to climate adaptation, ensuring that vulnerable communities contribute to the decisions impacting them and improving resilience against future climate risks. This work emphasizes the crucial role of community involvement in environmental planning and the transformative potential of PPGIS in traditional adaptation strategies.

FFRP participants in firefighting training at the Los Angeles County Training Center.

Ruptured Membrane: Dancing on the Borders of Purity to Make Space for Seeds of Life

Presenter: Gayatri Lakshmi Narayanan, MS (EJ)

Advisors: Petra Kuppers; Michelle Martinez; shakara tyler; Kyle Whyte

Location: Moloka’i, Hawaiʻi, USA

Through a personal analysis of the embodied politics of Bharatanatyam, I describe how purity as a value is materially enacted on the land through the bodies of upper-caste women dancers. I specifically focus on how the dance form of Bharatanatyam as it is practiced by upper-caste women captures embodied purity politics that are foundational to an analysis of environmental casteism. Drawing from the historical and contemporary practices by which Bharatanatyam was appropriated from hereditary dancers and “sanitized” by Brahmin elites, I articulate casteist ecologies that emerge from the extraction and aesthetic control over womens’ bodies and the land. I situate Bharatanatyam as an ongoing product and producer of caste and gender relations and describe how the process of making meaning from Bharatanatyam reproduces casteist environmental narratives, and that to interrogate Bharatanatyam is to interrogate caste and land relations in India.

Narayanan dancing with the words, “What if every dance was a scene of birth,” at the Red Eye Theater, Minneapolis, 2025.

Sustainability and Development

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Gaps in Mountainous Regions: A Case Study of Langtang Valley, Nepal

Presenters: Victoria Ballor, MS (SusDev); Ceci Kimball, MS (EPP); Joe Ramey, MS (BEC, ESM); Yujing Wang, MS (SusSys); Jiatai Yang, MS (GDS)

Advisor: Avik Basu

Location: Langtang Valley, Nepal

Client: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) posits the poor translation of climate data and models into understandable formats as one of the key barriers preventing effective adaptation in high-mountain areas. These regions are increasingly exposed to climate change impacts such as reduced snow and ice, changes in hydrological regimes, and heightened risks of natural hazards (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019). This project offers a case study of Nepal’s Langtang Valley, an isolated region where local livelihoods are inextricable from subsistence agriculture and its relationship with tourism, making climate variability an ever-increasing vulnerability. This research aims to address this critical knowledge gap by implementing novel scenario planning frameworks as a method to facilitate informed discussions on adaptation strategies. Scenario planning is a powerful tool used by decision makers to plan for an uncertain future. In identifying a number of possible climate scenarios, participants can better visualize and identify adaptation techniques targeting otherwise unmitigated climate impacts. Our framework utilizes climate modeling and expert interviews to identify five plausible climate scenarios. These scenarios serve as a digestible translation of complex climate data, validated through community surveys and multi-level stakeholder workshops. Results provide a holistic approach to adaptation planning, ensuring that both scientific knowledge and local perspectives inform strategies for building climate resilience in high-mountain areas.

Nature Assessment and Strategy Planning for Steelcase Inc.

Presenters: Yunjoo Cho, MS (EPP, SusSys); Lilianna DeFilippis, MS (ESM, SusSys); Victor Hsu, MS (SusDev); Alex Lai, MS (SusDev, SusSys); Cody Lyu, MS (SusSys), MSE; Morgan Riggs, MS (SusSys); Abby Rogers, MS (SusSys); Emily Stuller, MS (SusSys)

Advisor: Ravi Anupindi

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

Client: Steelcase Inc.

The SEAS master's project team had the opportunity to present at Steelcase's headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in Spring 2024.

As nature loss accelerates at unprecedented rates due to climate change, land and water use changes, resource exploitation, pollution, and invasive species, companies are being challenged to enhance their understanding of environmental impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities to develop transformative nature strategies. A leader in sustainability, Steelcase Inc., is taking strides toward a nature-positive future to meet stakeholder expectations, reporting requirements and regulatory demands. To support Steelcase’s efforts, this master’s project delivers tailored guidance on conducting a nature assessment aligned with key frameworks; comprehensive risk mapping highlighting vulnerable areas across the supply chain and direct operations; analysis of alignment between the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Customer Data Platform (CDP) disclosure questionnaires; recommendations for future CDP reporting; and an exploration of current and upcoming frameworks, regulations and disclosures. Deliverables were completed using publicly available guidance documents and tools, including those developed by TNFD, the Capitals Coalition, the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), ENCORE, and ArcGIS. The master’s project team additionally compiled data provided by Steelcase, including CDP reports and previous analyses. Steelcase can leverage this material to ensure the company is well-positioned to address the quickly evolving demands of stakeholders globally, secure a competitive standing in the market, and contribute to a naturepositive future. Research and recommendations offered by the master’s project team inform both immediate reporting needs and long-term action for sustainability.

Connecting People and Nature in Biosphere Regions

Presenters: Sarah Davis, MS (BEC); Samuel Kocurek, MS (SusDev, GDS); Mary Kolleth, MS (SusSys, ESM); Craig Reiley, MS (SusDev), MBA; Sean Skinner, MS (GDS, ESM); Alaina Smith, MS (SusSys); Rongkai Zhong, MS (GDS, ESM)

Advisors: Jon Allan; Cliff McCreedy

Location: Washington, D.C., USA

Client: United States Biosphere Network

Biosphere reserves are regions recognized by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere program to further biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecological, social and economic development through local partnerships. Every 10 years, reserves must submit a periodic review to preserve their status, detailing the actions taken by partners in their region. In the United States, 28 biosphere reserves operate primarily independently under the guidance of the United States Biosphere Network. This project increased the capacity of the U.S. Biosphere Network to support collaboration between biosphere regions, provide resources for successful periodic reviews, and demonstrate the value of the American biosphere regions’ biodiversity conservation and sustainable social, economic and environmental development practices. Three key deliverables were produced: an ArcGIS StoryMap, an academic paper on gender inclusivity, and a comprehensive report of gaps and/or success stories of interpartner cooperation and community engagement with recommendations for leveraging that knowledge to strengthen relationships throughout the network.

Waste and Circular Economy

Michigan Fibershed: Community Landscape Analysis for a Regenerative Textile Future

Presenters: Alex Bissell, MS (EJ); Kelly Egusa, MS (ESM); Tosin Lawal, MS (SusSys), MBA; Tien Vo, MS (EJ, ESM); Mazy Zalud, MS (BEC)

Advisor: M’Lis

Bartlett

Location: Michigan, USA

Clients: Michigan Fibershed

Textiles are necessary materials woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. Today, most textiles are made from synthetic, petroleum-based fibers and span long, transcontinental supply chains before reaching the consumer. The global apparel and textile industry poses many social and environmental challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions, chemical pollution and labor exploitation. Rebuilding regional capacity for natural fiber and textile production is an opportunity to address these challenges.

Michigan Fibershed is a community-based organization supporting the growth of a regenerative natural fiber economy in the state. Its vision is to develop a regional system that grows and processes natural fibers, such as wool and flax, to produce textiles for a regional market. Natural textiles, at the end of their life cycle, can be returned to the soil, completing a regenerative “soil-to-soil” cycle.

The goal of this project is to assess the current and future potential for a natural fiber and textile economy in Michigan and identify opportunities for future research and investment. We aim to identify the challenges, gaps and barriers to developing a regional, regenerative textile future to support Michigan Fibershed’s mission.

To achieve this goal, we conducted interviews with fiber farmers, millers, textile manufacturers, retailers and a textile recycling business. From these case studies, we compiled a qualitative report, developed a quantitative survey template to facilitate future research, and crafted two policy tools for Fibershed advocates, policymakers and educators: a sustainable agriculture and textile policy tool, and a microplastics versus microfiber meta-analysis tool.

Water

Snowpack to Streamflow: Understanding How Snow Water Equivalent and Runoff are Changing in the Lake Superior Basin

Presenter: Patricia Bye, MS (EPP)

Advisors: Ayumi Fujisaki-Manome; Andrew Gronewold; Jamie Ward

Location: Lake Superior Basin, USA and Canada

The Laurentian Great Lakes comprise the world’s largest surface freshwater system. Over the past two decades, water levels in the Great Lakes have experienced significant fluctuations, reaching both record highs and lows. Accurate water-level forecasting is critical due to the extensive ecosystem and millions of U.S. and Canadian citizens that rely on this valuable resource. One critical variable in water-level forecasting is surface runoff, which is directly impacted by precipitation amount and type in the basin. Lake Superior, the most upstream of the Great Lakes, receives a considerable amount of snowfall annually, affecting both the timing and quantity of runoff into the Great Lakes system. Variations in annual snowpack may be connected to changes in runoff patterns, potentially impacting the overall water levels of the Great Lakes. In this study, we analyze the patterns of snow water equivalent and its effect on surface runoff using the Large Basin Runoff Model in the Lake Superior basin. Our results uncover a notable change in patterns of snow water equivalent and runoff. Specifically, maximum snow water equivalent is occurring 12 days earlier in the spring season, with the change happening in 1971. Maximum runoff is also occurring earlier; however, this change is in 1983 and is 11 days earlier. Understanding these relationships is crucial for improving the accuracy of water level forecasts and preparing for future patterns and changes.

Field Testing of the In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) System as a Novel Approach to Stream Restoration Planning

Presenter: Seth Strauss, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Allen Burton

Location: Michigan, USA

The complexity of degraded streams coupled with the high expense of current restoration techniques calls for advancement in the field to reduce cost and better understand which chemicals are causing the most harm. The in situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) system addresses these concerns by inexpensively and accurately identifying which contaminants are contributing the most toxicity in an aquatic environment. The iTIE system works by pumping polluted water through chemical sorptive resins to fractionate it into classes of chemicals (metals, PFAS, PAHs, etc.) before exposing the water to sensitive invertebrates and fish test organisms. These organisms are cultured and monitored for death and deformity compared to organisms exposed to unfractionated water and control groups. This study verifies the iTIE system’s compatibility with fish embryo-larval stage teratogenicity tests, a class of toxicity test protocols with wide applicability. Organism groups that experience high rates of death and deformity indicate exposure to contaminants of the greatest concern, which is invaluable insight when creating a restoration plan. For this study three sites in Southeast Michigan were analyzed for restoration potential using the iTIE system: the Rouge River in industrial metro Detroit; Clark’s Marsh, a superfund site in Oscoda; and Fleming Creek within the Matthaei Botanical Gardens as a control site. These diverse ecosystems provided strong case studies to validate the iTIE approach.

Seth Strauss preparing the in situ Identification Evaluation (iTIE) system for deployment to detect and characterize aquatic toxicity.

Dealing with Sulfide in Sediments for In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluations

(iTIE)

Presenter: Haixiang Mao, MS (ESM)

Advisor: Allen Burton

Location: San Diego, California, USA

The in situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) system was developed as a cost-effective, highly realistic technology for evaluating contaminated sediments, assessing the success of remediation efforts and identifying recontamination. In the current iTIE deployment, water is collected from site porewater, aerated with an oxygen canister and filtered with various sportive resins. The water is then examined with selected test organisms. The iTIE system was previously proven effective at multiple freshwater sites without dissolved sulfide content. However, our most recent iTIE verification test at Paleta Creek, an industrial estuarine waterway in San Diego Bay, California, was confounded by persistently low dissolved oxygen content and dissolved sulfide content in the site porewater. These two factors were the most probable causes of widespread mortality in the test organisms (Eohaustorius estuarius). We hypothesized that replacing the interior oxygenation coil with tubing that increased oxygen diffusion, the sulfide would be reduced. Silicone and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) tubing were compared using sulfide concentrations of 10, 50 and 100 mg/L. Sulfide concentrations before and after each test were measured using iodometry. Our results indicate that silicone tubing performs better than FEP tubing in oxygenating water with dissolved sulfides and lowers dissolved sulfide content. As a result, we tested the optimized iTIE in August 2024 and proved that the iTIE technology is capable of successfully identifying the main causes of toxicity at marine sites with high porewater dissolved sulfide concentrations.

iTIE in-lab validation with hydrogen sulfide water.

Michigan the Beautiful: The Great Lakes; Exploring Approaches for the Conservation and Stewardship of 30 Percent of Michigan’s Coastal and Open Waters of the Great Lakes by 2030

Presenters: Alicia Echeveste, MS (EPP, ESM); Calvin Floyd, MS (EPP, ESM); AiLi Pigott, MS (GDS); Lauren Talbot, MS (EPP, ESM); Longyu Xue, MS (SusSys, GDS); Cailin Young, MS (SusDev, ESM)

Advisors: Shannon Brines; Jen Read; Mike Shriberg

Location: Michigan, USA

Clients: University of Michigan Water Center; Michigan Department of Natural Resources; The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chapter

Michigan’s Great Lakes are central to the state’s ecological, economic and cultural identity, yet gaps in stewardship strategies hinder effective conservation. Climate change, habitat degradation and fragmented policies threaten the resilience of these waters, highlighting the need for integrated management. In response to these pressing challenges, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) launched Michigan the Beautiful (MtB), a conservation initiative aiming to protect 30% of Michigan’s lands and waters by 2030. Our research team assessed how Michigan’s coastal and open waters could be incorporated into this framework. We identified opportunities to enhance public engagement, expand protection mechanisms and improve coastal management. Our team conducted a qualitative review of existing conservation frameworks, interviewed 48 stakeholders and performed a spatial analysis to determine the extent of current Great Lakes protections. Our analysis found that 25.39% of Michigan’s Great Lakes have some protection status, just short of the 30% target. We identified institutional barriers and internal disconnects that hinder effective Great Lakes management and developed 10 policy recommendations to improve coordination and stewardship. These findings offer a roadmap for the Michigan DNR and other state agencies to integrate aquatic conservation into broader state planning, ensuring a cohesive approach to protecting Michigan’s freshwater ecosystems. By bridging the gap between terrestrial and aquatic conservation, our work strengthens the foundation for long-term stewardship and biodiversity resilience in the Great Lakes.

Team members conduct research in Muskegon, Michigan, in October 2024.

Congratulations, Students!

Alfirman, Diva 19

Alva Araujo, Jean Poll 10

Amaral, Brittany 28

Anderson, Lian 19

Apo-Priest, Tara 8

Aziz, Mariam 35

Baker, Lucy 20

Ballor, Victoria ............. 38

Bartos, Seth 13

Behrendt, Ludo 26

Bibb, Sarah 29

Bissell, Alex 40

Brent, Emily 22

Bulmash, Brooke 30

Burnham, James .......... 14

Bye, Patricia 41

Carbeck, Grace 22

Carrington, Edward 10

Cao, Xiuyu 17

Chang, Yidan 8

Chen, Jialu 10

Cho, Yunjoo 39

Clark, Isaiah 12

Collins, Michaela 27

Connelly, Katelyn 25

Contreras, Christina N. 7

Crilley, Alexandra 36

Damon, Bridget 25

Davies, Anna 18

Davis, Sarah 39

Dubon-Robinson, Nia 32

DeFilippis, Lilianna 39

Dorman, Jacqueline 21

Eakin, Megan 26

Echeveste, Alicia 43

Egusa, Kelly 40

Enda, Michael 26

Fan, Qitong 27

Ferguson, Peggy 18

Ferrer, Jeffrey 28

Floyd, Calvin 43

Fornes, Margaret 30

Garcia, Yuuki 14

Garnet, Alexa 15

Gerber, Matthew 35

Giordano, Daniela 36

Gonnade, Aditi 13

Gorman, Sarah 9

Gourlay, Julie 7

Greenberg, Paige 10

Gupta, Abhishek 10

Haleblian, Sara 18

Hamilton, Alex 24

Handa, Radhika 31

Hayes, Taylor 18

He, Yuxin 12

Hedgecock, Shiloh 30

Hernandez, Chloe 36

Hoff-Miyazaki, Ren 7

Hsieh, Jasper 20

Hsu, Victor 39

Hustedt, Jana Sophia 26

Hutka, Alana 31

Ische, Joshua 21

Ivoeney Gili, Maria 31

Jia, Ye 19

Johnson, Andrew 25

Joneson, Evan 21

Kanthi, Maithilee 29

Kerr, Rachel 15

Khanna Sharma, Mitali 34

Kimball, Ceci 38

Kocurek, Samuel 39

Koenen, Kendall 36

Kolleth, Mary 39

Krick, Jason 24

Kumar Margasahayam, Anagha 13

Lipari, Vincent 25

Llanes, Sol ..................... 27

Lu, Yue 22

Jackson, Lashaun 33

Jayakumar, Gokulakrishnan 9

Jelsma-Cale, Caleb 22

Johnson, McKenna 30

Lai, Alex 39

Lawal, Tosin 40

Lee, Cyan 10

Li, Haolin 10

Li, Muqianqian 36

Li, Wanqi 27

Lim, Daniel 31

Liu, Qingyue 9

Liu, Yaorong 29

Long Yip, Yuk 13

Lyons, Gail 8

Lyu, Cody 39

Lyu, Deliang 7

Maldonado, Sami 33

Maloney, Caitlin 21

Markey, Myles 22

Mao, Haixiang 42

McBurrows, Saj 8

McKenney, Kaia 6

Megdal, Miriam 29

Meono, KT ..................... 24

Merolle, Abigail 30

Militello, Katie 14

Mleczko, Lauren 19

Morgan, Brigid 22

Morris, Cheyenne 14

Narayanan, Gayatri Lakshmi 37

Ning, Zhongrui 11

Nonnenmacher, Nicholas 10

Offenhauser, Kammer 22

Olmsted, Sara 18

Padhy, Gupteswara 9

Parikh, Vatsal 16

Piatt, Ryan 30

Pigott, AiLi 43

Popovich, Bradley 20

Powell, Gwynne .......... 24

Ramey, Joe 38

Ramsey, Sarah 35

Ranger, Jamie 20

Reiley, Craig 39

Rhodes, Jennie 35

Riggs, Morgan 39

Rogers, Abby 39

Russell, Molly 24

Schultheis, Emily 24

Schultz, Pete 10

Skinner, Sean 39

Smith, Alaina 39

Smith, Allison 20

Smuts, Annika 29

Spellman, Daniel 11

Steinberg, Loren 10

Steppe, Sophia 18

Strauss, Seth 41

Stuller, Emily 39

Sun, Chi 8

Sun, Skye 13

Talbot, Lauren 43

Talsma, Sam 20

Tan, Sharmane 10

Thompson, Justin 33

Tofil, Troy 26

Tong, Roujia 9

Vest, Erika 21

Vo, Tien 40

Walker, Jo 31

Wallison, Henry 23

Wang, Lingyu 7

Wang, Yihan 7

Wang, Yujing 38

White, Sameera 13

Wilburn, Hollie 10

Wisner, Annie 35

Wu, Changtong 19

Wu, Zhuxin 36

Xie, Longxiao 20

Xu, Shiru 8

Xue, Longyu 43

Yamada, Sumire 19

Yan, Jing 8

Yang, Jiatai 38

Yue, Yuxiao 19

Younas, Arslan 31

Young, Cailin 43

Zalud, Mazy 40

Zbiciak, Teresa 29

Zhang, Letitia 9

Zhong, Rongkai 39

Zhong, Yinjiao 22

Zhou, Zenghongli 29

Thank You, Clients!

Our sincere

University of Michigan

One of the nation’s top public universities, the University of Michigan has been a leader in research, learning and teaching for more than 200 years. U-M’s alumni body is one of the largest in the world and includes a U.S. president, scientists, actors, astronauts and inventors. The university, which also boasts a world-renowned intercollegiate athletics program, has been the site of many important events in U.S. history, including JFK’s announcement of the Peace Corps, LBJ’s “Great Society” speech, and the clinical trials of the Salk polio vaccine. The main campus in Ann Arbor comprises 19 schools and colleges; there are also regional campuses in Dearborn and Flint, and a nationally ranked health system, Michigan Medicine. In 2017, U-M celebrated its bicentennial, marking 200 years since its founding in the city of Detroit.

School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)

The School for Environment and Sustainability is at the forefront of building a more sustainable and just world for all by transforming the impact of higher education and reimagining the future. We are advancing action through innovation, research, education and engagement in society, and developing leaders who are empowered to halt the climate crisis and create an environmentally sound future for generations to come.

Land Acknowledgement

The School for Environment and Sustainability acknowledges the university’s origins through an 1817 land transfer from the Anishinaabek, the Three Fires People: the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Bodewadami, as well as Meskwahkiasahina (Fox), Peoria, and Wyandot. We further acknowledge that our university stands, like almost all property in the United States, on lands obtained, generally in unconscionable ways, from Indigenous peoples. In addition, our research on environmental science and sustainability has benefited and continues to benefit from access to land originally gained through the exploitation of others. Knowing where we live and work does not change the past, but understanding and acknowledging the history, culture and impacts of colonial practices is an important step towards the creation of an equitable and sustainable future.

Regents of the University of Michigan

Jordan B. Acker, Huntington Woods

Michael J. Behm, Grand Blanc

Mark J. Bernstein, Ann Arbor

Paul W. Brown, Ann Arbor

Sarah Hubbard, Okemos

Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms

Carl J. Meyers, Dearborn

Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor

Santa J. Ono (ex officio)

Nondiscrimination Policy Statement

The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional Equity, and Title IX/Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Office for Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, 734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-1388, institutional.equity@umich.edu. For other University of Michigan information call 734-764-1817.

Design: Maddie Fox

Editing: Lori Atherton, Nathan Geisler, Jennifer Taylor