Applied Ecological Institute Inc

OUR VISION IS A THRIVING LIFE ON EARTH FOR ALL GENERATIONS.

APPLIED ECOLOGICAL INSTITUTE (AEI) WAS ESTABLISHED TO INNOVATE ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND APPROACHES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ON THE PLANET. THESE INCLUDE ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER AVAILABILITY, FOOD QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL DENSITY, BIODIVERSITY DECLINE, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES FOR A VARIETY OF USES, AND THE RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. THIS WORK IS ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON CREATING PUBLIC BENEFITS BY HELPING LAND USE CHANGE AGENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS BY LETTING NATURE AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PRINCIPLES GUIDE THEIR DECISIONS.AEI IS ROUTINELY CALLED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATING NEW ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND FOCUSES ON RELATED PROJECTS FOCUSED THAT DRIVE INNOVATION AND NEW WAYS OF ADDRESSING ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES. THE INNOVATIONS INCLUDE NEW STRATEGIES FOR MEASUREMENTS OF THE EFFECTS AND BENEFITS OF AN APPROACH UNDER ANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES IN ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGING PROBLEMS WITH NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW WAYS TO COMMUNICATE NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW WAYS TO VALUE AND MONETIZE NEW SOLUTIONS, AND PROGRAMS FOCUS MORE GENERALLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY ON BRINGING MULTIPLE CHALLENGES UNDER COMBINED SOLUTIONS SAVE TIME MONEY AND IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS.AEI ENGAGES IN PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH ITS MISSION OF DESIGNING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS COMPANIES TO REGENERATE THE PLANET. THESE PROJECTS SERVE AS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND SCENARIO TESTING FOR FUTURE COMPANIES. IN 2022, WE ENGAGED IN THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS EACH RELATED TO A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF HOW BEST TO CREATE EXECUTABLE STRATEGIES TO REGENERATE DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS: 1. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ADAPTIVE MULTI PADDOCK (AMP) GRAZING RESEARCH THIS PROGRAM, ORIGINALLY STARTED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN US AND FUNDED BY FFAR (FOUNDATION FOR FOOD & AGRICULTURE), HAS EXPANDED TO THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS AND INVOLVES INNOVATIVE MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES TO EVALUATE AND COMPARE CONVENTIONAL GRAZING TO IMPROVED GRAZING (AMP) AND WITH THE RESULTS CREATE INNOVATIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE CONVENTIONAL GRAZING RANCHERS TO CONSIDER THE IMPROVED GRAZING STRATEGIES. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE THE ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE RANCHING PRACTICES WHICH BENEFIT CLIMATE MITIGATION, WATER RESOURCES, BIODIVERSITY, AND RANCHER AND FARMER WELL-BEING. A TEAM OF OVER A DOZEN RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCY SCIENTISTS, ECONOMISTS, SOCIOLOGISTS, AND EXPERTS IN IMPROVED GRAZING HAVE SHARED THE EARLY, COMPREHENSIVE FINDINGS THROUGH FILM, FEATURE-LENGTH MOVIES, AND TECHNICAL PAPERS. IN 2022, THE AEI TEAM MET WITH PROSPECTIVE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS PARTICIPATING RANCHERS AND WORKED WITH THEM TO FINALIZE THE RESEARCH PLAN FOR THE REGION. THE RESEARCH TEAMS, INCLUDING AEI BEGAN WORK IN 2023 AND THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2025. PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS RELATED TO FUTURE AEI VENTURES INCLUDE: MMRV (MEASUREMENT, MONITORING, REPORTING, VERIFICATION) METHODOLOGIES & TOOLS ECOSYSTEM SERVICE PROTOCOL AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT LAND OWNER SUCCESS RELATED TO REGENERATIVE TRANSITION2. ELDON FARMS INNOVATIVE LANDSCAPE SCALE ANALYSIS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH. THIS PROPERTY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST ECOLOGICALLY DIVERSE PRIVATELY HELD PROPERTIES ON THE EAST COAST. AEI CHOSE TO BECOME INVOLVED TO DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF LANDSCAPE-SCALE, WHOLE SYSTEM MEASUREMENT OF LAND HEALTH. THE PROPERTY SHARES A LONG BORDER WITH SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK AND THEREFORE SHARES COMMON WATERWAYS, INCLUDING HIGH QUALITY RIVERS AND STREAMS THAT CONTAIN INCREASINGLY RARE BROOK TROUT, AND MANY OTHER SPECIES OF INTEREST. IN 2022, AEI FOCUSED ON CREATING THE ON-SITE MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY TO EVALUATE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND COORDINATED WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND OTHER LANDOWNERS TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL LARGER CONSERVATION OUTCOMES BY CROSS-FENCE COLLABORATION. THE MEASUREMENTS INCLUDED SOIL GENOMICS SAMPLING, VEGETATION ANALYSIS, INVASIVE PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND WILDLIFE SURVEYING TO UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF RESTORING DEGRADED FORESTS, WETLANDS, PASTURES AND FARMLANDS. THESE FINDINGS WERE USED TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CROSS-FENCE COLLABORATION AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS TO IMPROVE ECOSYSTEMS, WATER, WILDLIFE HABITAT, BIODIVERSITY AND MORE. THE DATA GATHERED WILL BE USED TO CREATE STRATEGIES NOT ONLY FOR ELDON FARMS BUT ALSO TO INFORM SIMILAR PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE BENEFITS OF RESTORATION. PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS RELATED TO FUTURE AEI VENTURES INCLUDE: MMRV (MEASUREMENT, MONITORING, REPORTING, VERIFICATION) METHODOLOGIES & TOOLS ECOSYSTEM SERVICE PROTOCOL AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT3. NEW ALBANY & WEXNER A NEW SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING HUB IS BEING PLANNED ON ~100,000 ACRES NE OF THE COLUMBUS, OH METROPOLITAN AREA. AEI WAS ASKED TO ENGAGE AS LEADERS IN OPTIMIZING AND PROTECTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES WHILE PLANNING THE HUB WHICH WILL IMPACT SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL ROADS. THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON STREAM AND PUBLIC DRINKING WATER PROTECTION, FLOOD MITIGATION AND OVERALL CONSERVATION OF THE RURAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT APPRECIATED BY THE COMMUNITIES OF THE REGION. AEI EVALUATED POTENTIAL CONSERVATION AND REGENERATIVE SCENARIOS OVER THE LARGE LANDSCAPE AND FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS AMONG COMMUNITY, LOCAL LEADERS AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY STAFF TO UNDERSTAND AND BUILD CONSENSUS ON PLANS FOR RESTORATION, PROTECTION, AND TRANSITIONING LAND USE PRACTICES TO REGENERATIVE TO REDUCE WATER QUALITY IMPACTS AND REDUCE THE VOLUME OF STORMWATER RUNOFF AND DOWNSTREAM FLOODING OF COMMUNITIES, HOMES AND THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS. AEI'S FINDINGS WERE USED TO CREATE A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK TO MANAGE STORMWATER, PROVIDE FOR IMPROVED WILDLIFE MOBILITY ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE, AND ALSO INCLUDE GREENWAYS FOR PUBLIC BIKING, HIKING, ETC. PARK AREAS WERE DISCUSSED WITH PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES TO COORDINATE WITH THEIR EXPANDED HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT AREA, TO LINK THEIR PARKS AND TRAILS WITH THE LARGER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CONCEPT. SIMILAR TO ELDON, BUT WITH THE ADDED COMPLEXITY OF A BUILT ENVIRONMENT, THE DATA GATHERED AND TOOLS DESIGNED AND TESTED WILL BE USED TO CREATE STRATEGIES TO INFORM SIMILAR PROJECTS OF THE BENEFITS OF CONSIDERING THE VALUE OF CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION. PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS RELATED TO FUTURE AEI VENTURES INCLUDE: NATURAL RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION INCLUDING EFFICIENT VISUALIZATION TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS TO EXPLORE AND DEMONSTRATE MULTIPLE SCENARIOSMOONLIGHT PROPERTY CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION MT THIS PROJECT FOCUSED IN A VERY ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE REGION AND PROVIDED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR AEI TO PERFORM LANDSCAPE-SCALE, SYSTEMS LEVEL ANALYSIS AND A RECOMMENDED PLAN FOR RESTORATION. THE PLAN FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION OF THE VEGETATION SYSTEMS WAS CREATED INCLUDING REFINING THE EXISTING FORESTRY PLAN BY CONVERTING IT INTO A PLAN FOCUSED ON THREE ELEMENTS AND OUTCOMES A) SITE FIRE PROTECTION PLANNING BY FOCUSING THE FORESTRY AND HERBACEOUS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE SITE COMBUSTIBILITY AND FIRE RISK, B) A BIODIVERSITY FOCUSED PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE NATIVE VEGETATION, AND C) A NATIVE LANDSCAPING PRIMER ON HOW TO INTEGRATE NATIVE LOCAL GENETIC PLANT MATERIALS IN LANDSCAPING. THE PROJECT WAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A PLACE BASED, ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING LEGACY PLANT COMMUNITY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH YEARS OF LIVESTOCK OVERGRAZING ACTIVITIES AND DECADES OF WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION WHICH HAS ALLOWED FORMER SUBALPINE MEADOWS TO CONVERT INTO SHRUB DOMINATED PLANT COMMUNITIES; A DEPARTURE FROM THE LUSH WILDFLOWER AND NATIVE GRASSLANDS COMMUNITIES FOUND IN THIS LOCATION HISTORICALLY. THIS FRAMEWORK WILL BE SHARED WITH OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDED RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLANS. PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS RELATED TO FUTURE AEI VENTURES INCLUDE: MMRV (MEASUREMENT, MONITORING, REPORTING, VERIFICATION) METHODOLOGIES & TOOLS ECOSYSTEM SERVICE PROTOCOL AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENTIN SUMMARY, AEI IS FOCUSED ON ONLY CREATING POSITIVE OUTCOMES WHERE WE ENGAGE, SUCH AS ON THE ABOVE EXAMPLE PROGRAMS. THIS FOCUS IS ENTIRELY FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. IT IS FOCUSED ON HELPING OTHERS UNDERSTAND HOW EXISTING AND OFTEN PROPOSED LAND USE CHANGES CAN CREATE DELETERIOUS AND COSTLY NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES WE NEED, THAT SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC USES AND OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH. WE ARE LASER FOCUSED ON PROVIDING SCIENCE BASED AND INFORMED DECISION MAKING AND INFORMATION TO ENCOURAGE SOLVING BIG CHALLENGES. CONSERVATION PLANNING, ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND REGENERATION AND HELPING THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND AND FOSTERING THE BENEFITS OF NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS IS THE FOCUS.