Field Notes

Good science and stories go hand in hand

Heather and colleagues from a diversity of academic, private, and non governmental institutions just published an article in Conservation Biology on the power of linking good stories and good science. Featuring the story of Cabo Pulmo, a marine conservation success story from Mexico’s Gulf of California, the authors reflect on the diverse roles that stories […]

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National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan released

On April 16th, the National Ocean Council released the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, which describes specific actions US Federal agencies will take to address key ocean challenges, give states and communities greater input in Federal decisions, streamline Federal operations, save taxpayer dollars, and promote economic growth.  

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Reflecting on engaged scholarship: Out of the frying pan…

Today, COMPASS published a commentary in PLOS Biology on the journey from science outreach to meaningful engagement. This post is part of a series of reactions, reflections, and personal experiences we hope will expand the conversation. Read the summary post here, or track the conversation by searching for #reachingoutsci I often think of my life as a series of […]

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Signs of spring

Last week was the week of the Fish Moon, and phoebes and fox sparrows are beginning to arrive in New England from their wintering spots further south. Golden, purple and white crocuses are emerging in Providence’s urban gardens and river herring will return to Rhode Island rivers soon. But there are still common eider, bufflehead, […]

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New England’s protected waters threatened

A short-sighted plan threatens New England’s coastal ecosystem. Thousands of square miles of protected waters could see the return of damaging fishing practices, putting the recovery of cod and other struggling marine life in peril. When fish populations crashed in the 1990s, these closed areas were created to protect juvenile fish, spawning areas, and seafloor […]

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Reflections on coastal resilience

Coastal communities and the coastal marine ecosystems of which they are part are in jeopardy. Superstorm Sandy was one of the most examples of the powerful effects of coastal storms on people, property, and ecosystems in coastal areas. In the face of such storms and other pressures on coastal communities, what can be done? How […]

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Coastal Resilience at AAAS

Hurricane Sandy was a fearsome reminder that coastal communities are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events and environmental variability and that vulnerability is only expected to increase with climate change. Brown University scientists Heather Leslie and Leila Sievanen, members of an interdisciplinary research team focused on human-environment interactions in coastal regions, discussed these challenges at […]

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Field Notes from Cabo Pulmo, January 2013

  In early January 2013, we (Heather Leslie, Leila Sievanen and Mateja Nenanovic) traveled to Cabo Pulmo, on the southeastern corner of the Baja peninsula, to prepare for a series of household surveys we are conducting in the region in the coming weeks. This project, led by Heather Leslie of Brown University and Xavier Basurto […]

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RI TNC coastal ecology & conservation interns

The Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island is recruiting volunteer interns to work at the Goosewing Beach Preserve and other sites, beginning in April 2013. View the announcements below. This could lead to an outstanding Voss Environmental Fellows opportunity! Contact Prof. Leslie (Heather_Leslie(at)brown.edu) to learn more about the program and ways to connect your academic interests […]

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