Announcements

Sustainable solutions: Ecosystems Services Seminar Series

Wednesdays 5-6:30pm, Shattuck Hall Annex, 1914 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, OR

The Institute for Sustainable Solutions at Portland State University, in collaboration with PSU's School of Environment and the Architecture Department has organized a Solutions Seminar Series focused on “Ecosystem Services”. The seminar focuses on solving the significant challenges of coming decades and creating a sustainable and desirable future. This requires the creative synthesis of all of our knowledge, driven by a vision of a high quality of life that works for everyone. This “whole systems design” approach recognizes the comprehensive and interconnected nature of ­ a system that includes humans as integral components embedded in a sustainable ecological life-support system. Find out more information from the Institute for Sustainable Solutions.

Schedule of Speakers:

January 11: Jana Compton, Ecologist, Environmental Protection Agency, Western Ecology Division

"Just enough of a good thing: Nitrogen and ecosystem services"

January 18: David Batker, Executive Director, Earth Economics 

"Revealing Hidden Benefits: Placing a Value on Nature"

January 25: Sahan Dissanayake, Visiting Professor of Economics, PSU

"Ecosystem Tradeoffs:  Valuing Public Preferences"

February 1: Bobby Cochran, Executive Director, Willamette Partnership

"Getting What You Pay for: Tracking Ecosystem Services in the Northwest"

February 8: Bettina Von Hagen, CEO, Ecotrust

TBA

February 15: Dan Vizzini & Panel, Bureau of Environmental Services, City of Portland

"Pay it forward: Financing the Intertwine Regional Conservation Strategy"

February 22: Kathleen Farley, Assistant Professor of Geography, San Diego State University

 "Payment for Ecosystem Services in the Ecuadorian Andes"

February 29: Scott Heckbert, Research Assistant Professor, Institute for Sustainable Solutions

"Spatial Systems Modeling of Ecosystem Services"

March 7: Alan Yeakley, Professor of Environment Science and ISS fellow, PSU & IGERT Students

"Urbanizing delta regions: balancing water, health and economy"

March 14: Steve Polasky, Professor of Ecological Economics, University of Minnesota

"Valuing Nature: Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Decision-Making"

For more information contact Martha Works, Geography Department, 424 Cramer Hall, mworks@pdx.edu

Announcements:

Please see the MyPSU School of the Environment group for a threaded discussion of how PSU can contribute to solving the energy problem.