Don, Andressa, Cydney and Scott Pippin in partnership with WWF, published a Topic Brief "The Impacts of Infrastructure Sector Corruption on Conservation" that contributes to the knowledge base of the Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC) Consortium, funded by USAID. The introductory brief helps conservation practitioners understand corruption risks throughout the infrastructure lifecycle, how the risks influence conservation outcomes, and how organizations may respond. The TNRC works to "improve biodiversity outcomes by equipping practitioners to address the threats posed by corruption to wildlife, fisheries, and forests". The brief is available here and a recording of the presentation of the brief along with a panel discussion is available here. 

Jon Hallemeier PhD, successfully defended his dissertation "Conflict, Uncertainty, and Collaboration in Multiple Use Land Management Planning for a Southern Appalachian National Forest" and is now Dr. J. Hallemeier! 

He has already started working in his new position as an ORISE Research Fellow at the Environmental Lab of the US Army Corp of Engineer's Engineering Research and Development Center. We are grateful for Jon as a friend and HECLab member and wish him the best of success as he moves on!

A team of collaborators spanning specialties in anthropology, engineering, ecology, economics, law, and policy published a commentary on the potential value and benefits from increased research and investments in nature-based solutions. The manuscript is available here. 

A new Ecosphere publication is out. Don is a co-author on the manuscript that emerged following the NEON SESYNC meeting in 2020. "Leveraging the NEON Airborne Observation Platform for socio-environmental systems research" makes the case for the interdisciplinary value of the National Ecological Observatory Network’s Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP) data for Social-Ecological Systems work. The article highlights current challenges to SES research and ways in which researchers can use AOP data and tools to address these challenges. 

Bruno Ubiali was selected to participate in the 2021 Cultural Anthropology
Methods Program (CAMP), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The
program provides advanced training in cultural anthropology methods for graduate
students. Directed by Dr. Amber Wutich (Arizona State University) and Dr. Russell
Bernard (Arizona State University and University of Florida), the program relies on
forty distinguished faculty who draw on cutting-edge research to provide students
with innovative and robust methods tools. Twenty graduate students from all over
the US were selected for CAMP 2021, which will be held online from
June 28th through July 15 th. . More information can be found at
https://methods4all.org/camp/
.

​Don and Bruno are collaborators on the recently awarded NSF Research Coordination Network project "Landscape Exchange Network for Socio-environmental systems (LENS)". The RCN, led by Andrew Elmore, is an outgrowth of the NEON SESYNC Workshop in 2020 and will focus research within AOP "footprints" to build SES theory through cross-system comparison. The methodological approach, based in translational ecology, brings together researchers and stakeholders to co-develop relevant research questions . Stay tuned for updates!

Don and IRIS colleagues had the pleasure of talking with freshwater scientists about new approaches to water management. The ideas discussed are outlined in a recent publication "From Hubris to Humility" 
​
Webinar recording will be posted here.

How we talk about environmental issues matters. Shelly A. Biesel's recent publication "When Disinformation Makes Sense: Contextualizing the the War on Coal in Appalachian Kentucky" examines the complicated ways in which the "war on coal" catchphrase, popularized by politicians and pro-coal lobby groups, influences both environmental policies and public perceptions of environmental issues in Appalachian Kentucky. And yet, it is not quite so simple. The "war on coal" narrative is complicated by peoples' historic, often-difficult relationships with the industry, as well as the embodied physical dangers of mine work. You can read Shelly's full manuscript in the January 2021 issue of Economic Anthropology, available here for early view: 

The October 2020  issue of One Earth has a Voices piece addressing issues of transformative adaptation in cities. Read Don Nelson's and other climate change researchers' thoughts here. Or find it online: www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(20)30489-9

Check out the new publication on  Nature-based solutions. Often promoted as game changers, NBS face a host of challenges for implementation, equity, and sustainability. This manuscript explores these challenges from a systems perspective, classifying challenges and highlighting current innovative solutions. 

Challenges to realizing the potential of Nature-based solutions.
Donald R. Nelson, Brian P. Bledsoe, Suana Ferreira, Nathan P. Nibbelink. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2020.09.001