We are proud to provide access to the capstone projects Environmental Science & Management students at Humboldt State University.
Understanding environmental challenges and applying practical scientific solutions are at the heart of this major. This bachelor’s of science degree program focuses on restoring ecosystems, addressing energy and climate issues, and developing the skills to understand and manage the ever-changing relationship between humans and the natural world.
Note to those submitting projects: Alternative text and color accessibility instructions are provided in this Canvas Course in the Tables and Figures modules. Here's a video from that course on how to make figures and images accessible to colorblind or sight-impaired patrons. Here's also some web pages on how to insert alternative text for tables, insert alternative text for figures, and make colorblind accessible figures in Word.Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Eco-Cultural Restoration of Mouralherwaqh: Site Description and Invasive Species Treatment Plan in King Salmon, California, Natalie Bridget Calderon, Myion Rickey, King Baptista, Owen Bardsley, and Jillian Snowhook
Ecocultural Monitoring and Erosion Mitigation in Powers Creek, a Baduwa’t Tributary, in Blue Lake, California, Sebastian Castillo, Lillyauna Perry, Daniel Price, and Lokey Struve
Mapping Kinnikinnick and Assessing Habitat Factors for Brown Elfin Butterfly at the North Ma-le’l Dunes, California, Harper Lacey, Elizabeth McGuire, Sienna Tubridy, and Mark McKenna
Implications of using eDNA as a monitoring tool in the Elk River estuary, Trinity Brooke Spencer, Christy Elaine Wheatly, and Fernando Edgar Martinez
Influence of Elevation on Plant Survivorship in Baduwa’t Estuary, Richard Louis Toledo Jr., Celine Aguilera, Rivé Prater, and Claire Durbin
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
Comparing Fish Species Assemblage Between Impacted and Restored Estuarine Salt Marshes within the Eel River Estuary, Humboldt Co. CA, Adam Aguilar, Isaac Basham-Clair, Tristan F. Parkinson, and Larkin C. Wells
Coastal Prairie Enhancement Recommendations for the Baduwa’t Estuary Overlook, Kelly Corcoran, Gabe Acosta, and Parker Bacon
Prevalence of Hesperevax sparsiflora var. brevifolia (short-leaved evax) at Ocean Ranch, Humboldt County, California: exploring the effects of disturbance, Shelby DiQuirco, Matthew Estrada, Alana T. Fraley, and Alexander D. Smith
Cultural and Ecological Restoration of School Creek at Blue Lake Rancheria, Humboldt County, CA, Cecilia C. French, Michelle Mendoza, Roots Galindo, and August O'Neil
Analysis of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Response to Restoration Flows and Scour in the Trinity River, Northern California, Sarah Gutierrez and Julie Avina
Evaluating benthic macroinvertebrate populations in response to scouring events in the Trinity River, CA, Liam Hay, Michael W. O'Neil, and Chloe Pieper-Wasem
Sampling Lepidopter Moth Diversity across Different Treatment Plots at the Ocean Ranch Unit in the Eel River Wildlife Area, Humboldt County, California, Cory M. Kragness, Madison S. Montiel, Victoria C. Budke, and Ryanne N. Chapman
Belowground plant communities: seed bank dynamics and relationship to aboveground vegetation in grazing allotment of Klamath County, Oregon, Dellaina C. Morse and Scott M. Estepa
Measuring new growth of kinnikinnick and brown elfin butterfly abundance at the Ma-le’l & Lanphere Dunes: implications for the management of the seaside hoary elfin butterfly, Aidan Jack Murphy, Verenice Elizabeth Sanchez, Leila M. Rahimi, and Magdalena A. Villasenor
Treatment Plan and Educational Guide for Removing Invasive Barnyard Grass, Canada Thistle, and Cocklebur within the Baduwa't (Mad River) Estuary, Ashley S. Turner and Alex D. Lallman
Capstones from 2021
Effects of Beaver Dam Analogs on stream channel complexity and overbank flow recurrence on McGarvey Creek (Del Norte County, CA), Johanna Anderson and Andreas Khechfe
Assessment of Tree Attributes and Understory Vegetation Composition Six Years Post-thinning in Redwood National Park (Northern CA, USA), Valerie Andrews, Michelle Vongsa, and Stacy Giraldo
Invasive Species Removal Management Plan for the invasive species Ammophila arenaria and Carpobrotus edulis within the Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Conservation Area, Rachel J. Denoncourt, Christopher A. Jamison, and Kyra D. Skylark
Capstones from 2020
Jacoby Creek Site Inventory Assessment and Management Recommendations for Parcel 502-052-022, Sean M. Dent, Aida Tavakoli Ardakani, and Mia C. Arnold
Trinidad State Beach Habitat Restoration Plan, Veronica Leah Farber, Marina Chow, and Claudia Rodriguez
Patrick’s Point State Park Habitat Restoration Plan, Christopher M. Glavan, Marina De Paul, and Katie Moore
Habitat Assessment of Suitable Areas for Three Rare Plant Species (Layia carnosa, Erysimum menziesii, and Gilia millefoliata) in the Barr Parcel on Friends of the Dunes Property, Sophia Grubb, Almond Dodge, and Jeremy Cashen
Habitat Monitoring for Salmonid Health at Headwaters Forest Reserve in Humboldt County, California, Allison Michelle Hutton, Jared Buller, and Lauren Ayala
Drought Effects on Germination Rate of Two Sagebrush Species, Artemisia cana and Artemisia arbusula, and Comparison of Seed Counts using a Photography App and Weighing, Sam S. Kelly and Cessair E. McKinney
Comparison of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Composition and Concentration in Marginally- Versus Perennially-Inundated Sites on the Trinity River, Tate E. Libunao, Chris Cervi, Colton Trent, and Lesli Mounivong
Management Recommendations for Jacoby Creek Land Trust’s Off-Channel Pond Site at the Kotke Ranch and Nature Preserve, Marcos Adrian Sosa Morales, Maeve Flynn, and Auston Tague
Capstones from 2019
Determining Spatial Distribution and Habitat Use for Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Hoopa Tribal Streams Using Occupancy Modeling to Inform Restoration, Ely D. Boone, Seamus C. Frazer-Newcomb, and Brit A. Taylor
Recommendations for Wildfire Recovery Planning for the City of Arcata, Samuel Griffard, Kiara Cuerpo-Hadsall, Olivia G. Barone, Conrad Tanyi, Emily Pearson, and Wyatt Wilson
Wood Creek Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report 2019, Alex T. Morrison, Jett W. Hagerty, and Claire M. Branson
Management Recommendations for Ecological Restoration on the Little River Parcel, Maya Sady Partain and Garitt Mathews
Azalea State Reserve Vegetation Management Plan, Ethan Len Reibsome and Rosebelle Abuan Ines
Capstones from 2018
Determining the influence of Lupinus Arboreus and the recruitment of non native species in the Lanphere Dunes, Cleo Mae B. Domingo, Jennifer K. Hakala, and Dylan C. Layfield