Exploring the Value of Protected and Conserved Areas in Conserving Biodiversity and Carbon
Research Location: United States
Conservation Partners: International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
Research Portfolio
The IIC is proud to highlight the work that collaborative, interdisciplinary teams of William & Mary students and faculty and our conservation partners have done to advance conservation outcomes. This portfolio includes projects from our Conservation Research Program, including the year-long Program, semester projects and the Conservation GIS Lab.
Documenting Temporal Changes in Shellfish and Fish Populations to support Community-led Marine Conservation
Research Location: Rurutu, French Polynesia
Conservation Partner: The Rurutu community
Evaluating the Current and Future Carbon Sequestration Value of Forested and Agricultural Lands in the Bull Run Mountain Region, Virginia
Research Location: Implemented: Bull Run Mountains, Virginia, USA
Conservation Partner: Bull Run Mountain Conservancy
Developing a Methodology to Evaluate the Contribution of Nature to Climate Adaptation Benefits for Vulnerable Human Communities
Research Location: Headquartered: Washington, DC, USA
Conservation Partner: Conservation International
Understanding the Impact of Invasive Species on Threatened and Endangered Species to Improve ESA Protection Efforts
Research Location: Pacific Islands
Conservation Partner: Defenders of Wildlife
Exploring Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Invasive Species Management across Virginia’s State Parks
Research Location: Virginia, USA
Conservation Partners: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation-Virginia State Parks
Community-Led Participatory Mapping to Support Watershed Management and Ecosystem Resilience in Nepal
Research Location: Implemented: Nepal
Conservation Partners: Nepal Engineering College, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Global Research Institute
Collaborating with the Nansemond Community to Explore Historical Oyster Populations and Sustainable Oyster Practices
Research Location: Chesapeake Bay
Conservation Partner: Nansemond Indian Nation
Developing an App to Inform Community-Led Mitigation of Bird-Window Collisions
Research Location: USA
Conservation Partner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Assessing and Mapping the Potential Benefit of Creating Protected Areas for Protecting Endangered Species
Research Location: Washington, DC, USA
Conservation Partner: Rainforest Trust
Informing Equitable Governance and Engagement of Maasai Communities in Carbon Markets to Ensure Benefit Sharing and Effective Conservation
Research Location: Implemented: Amboseli, Kenya
Conservation Partner: Amboseli Ecosystem Trust
Developing an Interactive Mapping Tool for Identifying and Prioritizing Potential Restoration Habitat in Mesoamerica
Research Location: Mesoamerica
Conservation Partner: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Historical Ecology of Plantation Landscapes in Central Virginia
Research Location: Charlottesville, VA, USA
Conservation Partner: Highland
Spatial analysis of global Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites
Research Location: Texas and Oklahoma Grasslands, USA
Conservation Partners: American Bird Conservancy and the Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture
IIC Conservation Stories Podcast: Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of the Linkages between Virginia Tribes and Natural and Cultural Resources in the Chesapeake Bay
Research Location: Williamsburg, VA, USA
Conservation Partner: W&M Parks Research Lab
Analysis and Visualization of Migratory Bird Hunting Data
Research Location: Implemented: USA; Headquartered: Washington, DC, USA
Conservation Partner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Development of a fine scale layer of sub-Saharan water projects
Research Location: Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Partner: Conservation International
Supporting Community-Led Conservation Science and Policy Needed to Protect Critical Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
Research Location: Implemented: Milpa Alta Borough, Mexico City, Mexico
Conservation Partner: Biological Monitoring Group of Milpa Alta, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), and the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEMéx)
Developing a Management Plan for Pine Forests in Albemarle County
Research Location: Virginia, USA
Conservation Partner: Highland
Develop a W&M Sustainability Toolkit
Research Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
Conservation Partner: W&M Office of Sustainability
Designing an Urban Living Laboratory for Building Climate-Resilient Communities
Research Location: Richmond, VA, USA
Conservation Partner: Science Museum of Virginia
IIC Conservation Stories Podcast: Trailblazing Women in Conservation
Research Location: Virginia, USA
Conservation Partner: Parks Research Lab @ W&M
Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Thermal Imagery to Streamline Wildlife Monitoring
Research Location: Implemented: Grand Island, NE, USA
Conservation Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Designing Protocols and Participatory Methods for Inclusive and Just Conservation
Research Location: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Conservation Partners: Cátedra Libre de Pueblos Originarios (UNTDF) and Instituto de Cultura, Sociedad, y Estado de (UNTDF)
Sharing the Story of River Otter Ecology Project in Advancing Community Science and River Otter Protection
Research Location: Implemented: Marin County, California; Headquartered: San Francisco, CA
Conservation Partner: River Otter Ecology Project
What We Eat, Why, and the Environmental Impact: Exploring Black Foodways at Highland
Research Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Conservation Partners: Highland Council of Descendant Advisors, William & Mary’s Highland
Exploring Patterns in Titles and Salaries of Women in Leadership across the Conservation Field
Research Location: Headquartered: San Francisco, CA, USA
Conservation Partner: Planet Women
Understanding the Impact of Livestock and Climate on Rangeland Productivity and Nomadic Herder Livelihoods in Mongolia
Research Location: Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia
Conservation Partners: Mongolian Conservation Coalition, Ikh Nart Park Administration, Institute for Integrative Conservation, and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
Exploring the Sustainability of Traditional Farming Practices and Their Effects on Rurutuan Waterways and Soils
Research Location: Rurutu, French Polynesia
Conservation Partner: The Rurutuan community
Exploring the Impact of Grassland Restoration on Priority Bird Species
Research Location: Grasslands of Texas and Oklahoma, USA
Conservation Partners: American Bird Conservancy and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
Developing a Business Plan for Mission-Based Ecotourism in Ecuador
Research Location: Choco rainforest, Ecuador
Conservation Partners: Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales (FCAT), an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty from Tulane University (P.I. Jordan Karubian), and W&M’s Entrepreneurship Center
Exploring the Barriers, Opportunities, and Impacts of Directly Funding Conservation Initiatives Designed and Led by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
Research Location: Palawan, Philippines
Conservation Partner: Centre for Sustainability PH
Developing a Proposal for an Integrative Conservation Laboratory at Highland
Research Location: Charlottesville, VA, USA
Conservation Partners: Highland, Highland Council of Descendent Advisors
Mind the (Communications) Gap: Towards a Novel Approach in Science Communications for Researchers in NGO’s
Research Location: Headquartered: El Salvador
Conservation Partner: Regional Program for Development and the Environment (PRISMA)
Developing a Land Cover Map to Guide the Protection of a Forest Corridor in Ecuador
Research Location: Choco rainforest , Ecuador
Conservation Partners: Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales (FCAT), an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty from Tulane University (P.I. Jordan Karubian), and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
One health approach to rangeland management and nomadic herder livelihoods in Mongolia
Research Location: Ikh Nart, Mongolia
Conservation Partner: Mongolian Conservation Initiative
Patterns and Changes in Land Use Intensity in Bogd Khan National Park, Mongolia
Research Location: Bogd Khan National Park, Mongolia
Conservation Partner: Wildlife Conservation Society Mongolia Program and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
Exploration of the Role of Gender in Conservation
Research Location: Headquartered: San Francisco, CA
Conservation Partner: Planet Women
Trying to Keep Forests Intact, in Forest, & in the Family through Estate Planning and Engagement of Heirs: What is the Impact of Virginia's Generation Next Program & How do we Improve it?
Research Location: New Kent, VA
Conservation Partner: Virginia Cooperative Extension
Developing Education Curriculum Centered on the Stories of the Marubo Tribe and our Interconnectedness
Research Location: Vale do Javari Territory, Brazil
Conservation Partner: The Javari Project
Development of a Strategy to Reach Farmers and Ranchers that are Historically Underserved by Conservation Programs in Texas and Oklahoma Grasslands
Research Location: Graslands of Texas and Oklahoma, USA
Conservation Partners: American Bird Conservancy and the Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture
Exploring new and inclusive business models to expand oyster aquaculture, ecosystem restoration, and smallholder farmer livelihoods the Lynnhaven River
Research Location: Lynnhaven, VA, USA
Conservation Partners: Brinc co-founder, Bay McLaughlin
An Approach to Engaging Underserved Communities in Conservation Action
Research Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Conservation Partner: River Otter Ecology Project
Integrating Traditional Knowledge and Ecological Research to Guide Fisheries Management
Research Location: Implemented: Virginia, USA
Conservation Partner: Smithsonian Working Lands and Seascapes Program
Exploring the Associations between the Ecosystem Integrity Index and Critical Natural Assets
Research Location: Headquartered: Washington , DC
Conservation Partner: Conservation International
Exploring the Hydrological Impacts of Beavers in York River State Park
Research Location: York River State Park
Conservation Partners: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and State Parks
Exploring Traditional Indigenous Knowledge Related to Emergency Management and Climate Adaptation
Research Location: Implemented: Chesapeake Bay region, USA
Conservation Partner: Nansemond Indian Nation
Developing a User-Focused Mapping and Analysis Platform to Support Land Trusts with Conservation Initiatives
Conservation Partners: LandRise partners
Research location: Headquartered: Williamsburg, VA; Implemented: USA
Utilizing Remote Sensing to Assess Vegetation Management Practices on Private Lands
Research Location: Rio Grande River, TX, USA
Conservation Partners: Rio Grande Joint Venture and American Bird Conservancy
Exploring Maasai Women's Perspectives on Developing Equitable and Effective Women Ranger Programs in Kenya
Research Location: Implemented: Kenya
Conservation Partners: South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO) and Conservation Nation
Understanding the Relationship between Lands Managed by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and Ecosystem Goods and Services
Research Location: Headquartered: Washington DC; Implemented: Worldwide
Partners: Conservation International and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
Predicting the Spread of Invasive Asian Common Toads and the Role of Community-Managed Forests in the Mitigation of Toads in Madagascar
Research Location: Madagascar
Conservation Partner: Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group
Improving Access of Historical Aerial Imagery for the Central Virginia Area
Conservation Partner: Capital Region Land Conservancy
Quantifying Opportunities for Landscape-Scale Grassland Restoration in the Upper Missouri River, Montana
Research Location: Upper Missouri River Region, Montana
Conservation Partner: American Prairie Reserve
Downlisting of IUCN Threatened Species Protected by Rainforest Trust and Partners
Research Location: Implemented: Ecuador
Conservation Partners: Rainforest Trust, Jocotoco, and EcoMinga
Identifying Priority Habitat and Corridors Across the Appalachian Mountaintop and Surface Mining Areas needed to Ensure Conservation-Friendly Solar Development
Research Location: Appalachian Mountains, VA, USA
Conservation Partners: Wild Virginia and the Wildlands Network
Customizing Mapping and Conservation Planning Tools to Better Integrate In-Situ and Ex-Situ Conservation Strategies
Research Location: Headquartered: Denver, CO, USA
Conservation Partner: Denver Zoological Foundation
Using Geospatial Mapping and Storytelling to Demonstrate the Linkage between Seascape Conservation and Community Fisheries Programs
Research Location: Headquartered: Philippines
Conservation Partner: Conservation International
Human-Carnivore Conflict and Herder’s Ethical Dilemmas for Conservation in Annapurna, Nepal
Research Location: Implemented: Annapurna, Nepal
Conservation Partner: Ukali
Quantifying Opportunities for Landscape-Scale Grassland Restoration in the Upper Missouri River, Montana
Research Location: Williamsburg, VA, USA
Conservation Partner: American Prairie
GREEN Caucasus - Enhancing Green Rural Economy and Energy in Republic of Georgia
Research Location: Implemented: Republic of Georgia
Conservation Partners: CENN
Comparing Systematic Conservation Planning and Key Biodiversity Area Strategies for Advancing Conservation Targets
Research Location: Headquartered: Washington, DC, USA
Conservation Partner: Key Biodiversity Area Secretariat
Building an Accessible and Open-Source Model for Managing Mangroves Under Current and Future Climate Scenarios
Conservation Partner: Conservation International
Research Location: Philippines
Using Storytelling and Social Media to Foster a Community of Women Leaders in Conservation
Research Location: Headquartered: San Francisco, CA, USA
Conservation Partner: Planet Women
Developing an AR Conservation Mural that Inspires Audiences to Connect to Nature in New Ways
Research Location: Wiliamsburg, Virginia, USA
Conservation Partners: Augmented Island Studios, Muscarelle Museum of Art, W&M Departments of Art & Art History, W&M Facilities, W&M Libraries, and W&M Office of Sustainability
The Linkages Between Climate Change and Foot & Mouth Disease: A One Health Perspective from Nomadic Herders in Mongolia
Research Location: Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia
Conservation Partner: Mongolian Conservation Initiative
Rising Temperature and the Spatiotemporal Patterns of Foot and Mouth Disease of Livestock in Mongolia
Research Location: Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia
Conservation Partner: Mongolian Conservation Initiative
Developing Tools for Measuring the Impacts of Environmental Education
Research Location: Valle de Bravo, Mexico
Conservation Partner: The Center for Information and Environmental Communication of North America (CICEANA)
Promoting Seagrass Conservation and Climate Adaptation in the Western Caribbean Ecosystem
Research Location: MesoAmerica
Conservation Partner: Wildlife Conservation Society Mesoamerica Program and the W&M Center for Geospatial Analysis
Using Storytelling to Expand the Reach of Land Trusts
Research Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Conservation Partner: Santa Fe Conservation Trust
Integrating Augmented Reality into GIS Maps to Enhance Conservation Education
Research Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
Conservation Partner: ESRI
