Adapting natural resource management to climate change on the Olympic Peninsula

Climate change presents a major challenge to natural resource managers both because of the magnitude of potential effects of climate change on ecosystem structure, process, and function, and because of the uncertainty associated with those potential ecological effects. Concrete ways to adapt to climate change are needed to help natural resource managers take the first steps to incorporate climate change into management and take advantage of opportunities to balance the negative effects of climate change. We initiated a climate change adaptation case study at Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park to determine how to adapt management of federal lands on the Olympic Peninsula to climate change. As a part of the case study process, we conducted a vulnerability assessment that involved a review of available climate model projections to determine likely levels of exposure to climate change on the Olympic Peninsula, and a review of relevant literature and available effects model projections to identify likely climate change sensitivities in each of four focus areas on the Olympic Peninsula, including hydrology and roads, fish, vegetation, and wildlife. We also identified management constraints at the forest and park to evaluate some aspects of institutional capacity to implement adaptive actions. The vulnerability assessment process set the stage for development of adaptation options through scientist-manager workshops. 

The case study process produced concrete adaptation options for Olympic National Forest and Park and illustrated the utility of place-based vulnerability assessments and scientist-manager workshops in adapting to climate change. A key finding of the assessment was that the current general management at the forest and park, with restoration as a primary goal, is consistent with managing for resilience to prepare ecosystems for a changing climate. However, the effort highlighted some potential issues related to climate change that challenge current precepts and management guidelines, and helped to identify new potential actions, and actions that could be increased and re-prioritized. For example, the case study process identified numerous ways to maintain ecosystem function and biodiversity, and increase resilience to climate change. However, the looming questions of when to consider assisted migration or when and how to redefine exotic species remain for discussion. Although questions remain, the case study process was an essential first step for Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park in preparing for climate change. The process used and ideas produced can be used to help other natural resource managers in adapting to climate change. 
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The Case of Microsoft\u27s Surface Tablet: Going Behind the Strategy with SWOT

Following its development at Harvard Business School in the 1950s, the SWOT framework became a frequently used decision tool. While the complexity organizations confront in the modern business world has increased, SWOT provides an intuitive way to organize information into internal “Strengths and Weaknesses” and external “Opportunities and Threats.” Another reason that SWOT remains relevant is its flexibility that enables integrating other analysis tools. It also encompasses multiple steps of strategy development to cover analysis, formulating options, and implementation

A method to compute Segre classes of subschemes of projective space

We present a method to compute the degrees of the Segre classes of a subscheme of complex projective space. The method is based on generic residuation and intersection theory. It has been implemented using the software system Macaulay2.Comment: 13 page

Municipal Solid Waste Flow Control in the Post-Carbone World

Garbage will always ultimately be the government\u27s problem. Evolving environmental standards and state and federal policies will continue to require reasoned responses from local governments and municipal solid waste flow control is a vital cog in many jurisdictions\u27 solid waste management solutions. Without flow control of some form, governments\u27 ability to plan and provide for the most environmentally sound and economically acceptable solutions will wane, leaving the public vulnerable to the vagaries of a private market that does not have a duty to protect the public health and safety. The Carbone decision has blunted one of the local governments chief weapons-legislative flow control-and it appears Congress will not supply an adequate answer for many solid waste systems. More than ever, alternatives to legislative flow control will be needed to enable municipalities to fulfill their solid waste duties, to comply with federal and state mandates, and to provide workable, environmentally-sound, long-term solid waste programs serving the interests of the public health and safety. Local governments must act soon by examining these options and deciding which will best serve the public

Of Cherries, Fudge, and Onions: Science and Its Courtroom Perversion

The thesis of this article is that the Supreme Court decision in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.\u27s focus on the scientific method, however rigorously applied, invites certain classes of abuses. There are instances in which evidence can be made to look more scientific by a process that in fact and substance makes is utterly unscientific

EFFECTS OF TARIFFS AND TECHNICAL BARRIERS ON HIGH- AND LOW-VALUE POULTRY TRADE

A perfectly competitive spatial partial equilibrium model is constructed to evaluate some of the policy effects on world poultry trade. The model simulates the trade flows among six key exporting and importing countries and two aggregate rest-of-world regions. Effects of removal of restrictions based on tariffs, tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) and sanitary regulations are evaluated maintaining a distinction between "high-value" (mostly white meat) and "low-value" (mostly dark meat) poultry products. Results suggest that removal of sanitary barriers alone has relatively little effect compared to removal of tariffs and TRQs, but has more effect if sanitary and other barriers are removed simultaneously. Imposition of new sanitary barriers against US products by Russia would also shift trade flows, with production rising in Brazil.International Relations/Trade,