Framing the human dimensions of mountain systems: Integrating social science paradigms for a global network of mountain observatories

The Global Network of Mountain Observatories (GNOMO) is an international initiative seeking to increase communication and collaboration and align methodologies to assess commonalities and differences across the world\u27s mountain landscapes. Oriented toward sustainable mountain development, GNOMO requires the integration of social and natural sciences, as well as a diverse array of stakeholder perspectives. This paper highlights challenges associated with integrating social sciences because of the inherent paradigmatic differences within the social sciences. The value orientations of mountain researchers, as well as the divergent societal and institutional values regarding mountains, create a need for new approaches to observing mountain landscapes. A framework is presented to organize complex information about mountain social–ecological systems based on human conditions (from vulnerability to wellbeing), environmental actions (from degradation to stewardship), and environmental conditions that vary across time, space, and scales. A multiparadigmatic, multimethod approach is proposed to combine theory-driven quantitative indicators, qualitative perspectives from diverse knowledge standpoints, and critical inquiries into power relationships to fully represent dynamic mountain systems

Changing Community Variations in Perceptions and Activeness in Response to the Spruce Bark Beetle Outbreak in Alaska

Local sociocultural processes including community perceptions and actions represent the most visible social impacts of various economic and environmental changes. Comparative community analysis has been used to examine diverse community perspectives on a variety of socioeconomic and environmental issues. However, as the temporal dimension of community processes remains understudied, relatively little is known regarding how such community variations change over time.This study draws on longitudinal survey data from six communities on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska to explore temporal shifts in community differences in perceptions and activeness in response to forest disturbance associated with an extensive spruce bark beetle outbreak. The surveys were implemented in two phases over a 4-year study period. Results show that while community perceptions on the bark beetle condition waned and coalesced in some ways, significant differences remained or emerged with respect to other facets of local reactions. These shifting variances in community dimensions of the beetle disturbance were related to community positions along the beetle outbreak timeline and general community socioeconomic and biophysical situations (community context). The analysis also revealed community differences and contexts held an even more important role in predicting local responses to beetles in the re-survey. Taken together, findings from this research contribute a better understanding of the persistence and change in community variability as well as the continuity of community contextual effects

Social Position Influencing the Water Perception Gap Between Local Leaders and Constituents in a Socio-Hydrological System

How well city leaders represent their constituents and meet their needs are key concerns in transitioning to local sustainable water governance. To date, however, there is little research documenting the influence of social position between elected leaders who make policy, career staff water managers who design and operate systems and implement policies, and the members of the public whose individual water use behaviors are important drivers of water sustainability outcomes. In this study, we ask: ‘‘How does social position explain variation in water perceptions and concerns between different actors in a sociohydrological system?’’ Using a mixed method approach with survey and interview data, we explore the ways that positioning within the governance system, geographic context, and citizen engagement in local government mediate perceptions of the urban water system. Regardless of local biophysical water supply conditions, residents showed most concern about future water shortages and high water costs, while their leaders were consistently most concerned about deteriorating local water infrastructure. Further, constituents who received water-related information directly from public utility mailings or served on community committees and boards had perceptions that were more aligned with leaders’ concerns. The importance of social structure over natural and built environments in shaping water issue perceptions underscores the value of social analysis in socio-hydrology studies. Further, practitioners looking to increase consensus for a transition to sustainable water governance might work to develop institutional mechanisms to increase opportunities for water user involvement in local water system governance

Growth Performance Of Weaned Angus Bulls Housed In A Compost Bedded Pack Barn

Compost-bedded pack barns (CBP) are a typical facility utilized in dairy cattle operations across the United States. Their popularity is the result of improved animal welfare and reduced costs. The crossover of CBP into the beef cattle industry is new and the benefits and downfalls are not yet explored. Through a grant from NRCS, a CBP was built at the Derrickson Agricultural Complex in 2019-2020. In fall of 2020, the pack was established by mixing manure and sawdust shavings to start the aerobic composting process and weaned bulls were given access to the barn in November 2020. The objective of our study was to determine the performance of growing bulls utilizing a CBP compared to a fully outdoor pasture housing system. Growth data from 2 consecutive years of growing bulls were utilized, with calves born in 2019 being used as a control (CON) group and calves born in 2020 being used as the CBP group. Adjusted weaning and yearling weights reported to the American Angus Association were utilized to measure growth performance. In order to limit the potential bias due to genetics, data for the heifers born in both years were also evaluated as an outside standardization mechanism. Weaning weights for CON and CBP bulls were similar (P = 0.45), though interestingly the corresponding heifer calves weaned with CBP bulls were heavier (P \u3c 0.01) than those weaned with the CON bulls. Bulls housed in the CBP were significantly heavier (P \u3c 0.01) as yearlings compared to the CON bulls (1092 lbs vs. 935 lbs, respectively). Our results suggest that utilizing a compost bedded pack barn during the winter growing phase may be beneficial to the producer by increasing growth potential of weaned calves.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2021/1025/thumbnail.jp

Utahns\u27 Wellbeing and Mental Health by Rural-Urban Location

Many Utah residents experience poor mental health, with 1 in 5 Utah adults experiencing some form of mental illness and 1 in 20 experiencing serious mental illness (e.g., bipolar disorder or schizophrenia). Using data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey, this fact sheet explores wellbeing and mental health in Utah by rural-urban location, specifically highlighting differences between rural, growing, and urban places in the state

Utahns\u27 Wellbeing and Mental Health: Insights From the Utah Wellbeing Survey

People in Utah face unique challenges today, including poor mental health. Using data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey, this fact sheet explores wellbeing and mental health in Utah, highlighting changes over time and emphasizing the increasing importance of mental health to overall personal wellbeing

Southern Illinois agriculture

This report examines the agricultural land use, agricultural production, and farm employment in Southern Illinois. The Southern Illinois region includes the southernmost 20 counties in Illinois: Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson. Agriculture holds a significant role crossing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions in the Southern Illinois region. Cropland (corn, soybeans, and small grains), rural grassland, and other agricultural land (orchards, vineyards, etc.) make up the uses of agricultural land, which together account for approximately 65% of the total area of the region. Agriculture is a key employment industry and an important source of income for local people in Southern Illinois counties. A summary of key findings is presented ... followed by more details and data tables.Hua Qin and Courtney Flint (Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)Includes bibliographical references

Southern Illinois land use

This report examines the land use and changes in Southern Illinois. Land cover data provides general information on landscape and natural resources and can be used as an important indicator of local ecosystems. For purposes of this project, the Southern Illinois region includes the 20 southernmost counties in Illinois: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, White and Williamson, and the 4 counties right to the north of them: Edwards, Jefferson, Wabash and Wayne.Hua Qin and Courtney Flint (Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)Includes bibliographical references

Utah\u27s Water Future: Perspectives on Water Issues in Utah\u27s Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area

The iUTAH Household Survey was conducted in 2014 during a time when the State of Utah was initiating various activities aimed at charting a long-term strategy for securing Utah’s water future. Water is currently high on the state’s public policy agenda due to Utah’s rapid population growth and urbanization, future water supply uncertainties related to climate change, and the political challenges of allocating increasingly limited regional water supplies. In order to provide information relevant to water policy, planning and management, the survey focused on understanding residents’ water management practices, water experiences and concerns, as well as their support for various state and local water policies and programs. The iUTAH Household Survey gathered data from over 2,300 residents in 23 different neighborhoods that represent the diverse types of urban development occurring in the Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area of Northern Utah. The survey was successful in capturing the views, experiences, and priorities of a representative cross-section of adults living in Utah’s urban areas. Study neighborhoods were selected based upon development of a detailed urban neighborhood typology. Using a drop-off/pick-up method, the research team received responses from over 62% of the randomly selected households within study neighborhoods. This report summarizes overall findings from the survey research effort, with an emphasis on comparing the four broad study locations of Salt Lake City, other parts of the Salt Lake Valley, the Cache Valley, and the Heber Valley. Our analysis presents some overarching themes that appear across our entire study area, but also highlights differences across these four locations

The Plurality of Farmers’ Views on Soil Management Calls for a Policy Mix

While soil degradation is continuing to threaten the global agricultural production system, a common understanding of how to encourage sustainable soil management is missing. With this study, we aim to provide new insights on targeted policies that address the heterogeneity of farmers. We scrutinized the plurality of views on soil management among arable farmers in the Austrian (and European) policy context. To do so, we applied Q methodology, a method that identifies different perspectives on a topic present in a population and analyzes this subjectivity statistically. We interviewed 34 arable land farmers who varied in their farming backgrounds. The results yielded four different viewpoints on soil management held by the interviewed farmers: two rather ecocentric perspectives (Nature Participants, Pleasure Seekers) and two rather anthropocentric perspectives (Traditional Food Providers, Profit Maximizers). Our study shows that farmers’ soil management is influenced by more than economic considerations and suggests that a mix of policy approaches is needed to reach all farmers and avoid adverse effects of excluding farmers. We provide several suggestions for policymakers on how to complement agri-environmental policies: appealing to human-nature relationships, offering training and experimentation services, fostering social networks, and raising the social reputation of farmers