Publications by Alexandra Fries

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card 2020 (Page 1)

Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card 2020

Alexandra Fries, Sky Swanson, Caroline Donovan, Annie Carew, Joe Edgerton, Heath Kelsey ·
22 June 2021

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. Since 2016, UMCES has engaged stakeholders throughout the watershed to transform the report card into an evaluation of the Chesapeake Watershed health. Watershed health includes traditional ecosystem indicators, but also social, economic, and cultural indicators. This is the second year the watershed has been scored, and four new indicators have been added.

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2020 Chesapeake Bay Report Card Economic Indicator Two-Pager (Page 1)

Local economy indicators coming next year

Michael Shuman, George Chmael ·
22 June 2021

This newsletter highlights synthesis outcomes from the Fall 2020 Economic Indicators workshop. Five new economic indicators were generated that will eventually be incorporated into future iterations of the Chesapeake Bay Report Card.

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Coastal Georgia Ecosystem Report Card 2020 (Page 1)

Coastal Georgia Ecosystem Report Card 2020

Alexandra Fries, Kelly Dobroski ·
22 April 2021

This is the seventh Coastal Georgia Ecosystem Report Card. Georgia DNR has been creating report cards since 2014, when IAN helped kick off the process. This report card updates indicators and methods. New indicators added were dissolved oxygen, spotted seatrout, and bald eagles. Overall, Coastal Georgia received a score of 77%, a B+.

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The Development Process and Methods for the Coastal Georgia Report Card (Page 1)

The Development Process and Methods for the Coastal Georgia Report Card

Alexandra Fries, Kelly Dobroski ·
22 April 2021

This companion document to the 2020 Coastal Georgia report card contains information about data sources for all indicators, a summary of analysis methods, and scoring details. The values and threats to Coastal Georgia were revisited and indicator importance and relevance were reviewed. This led to the addition of three new indicators: dissolved oxygen, bald eagles, and spotted seatrout. The two indicators covering right whales (population and calves) were removed from the report card scoring.

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Western Lake Erie Report Card (Page 1)

Western Lake Erie 1st Report Card

Alexandra Fries, Brianne Walsh, Annie Carew ·
14 August 2020

About one-third of the total population of the Great Lakes Basin lives within the Lake Erie Watershed. The lake provides drinking water for 11 million residents and is home to one of the largest freshwater commercial and recreational fisheries in the world. The lake and surrounding areas provide many recreational opportunities, such as camping, kayaking, boating, hiking, birding, and fishing, and are vital to the economy of the region.

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2019 Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card (Page 1)

2019 Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card

Alexandra Fries, Sky Swanson, Dylan Taillie, Caroline Donovan, Max Hermanson, Heath Kelsey ·
19 May 2020

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. Since 2016, UMCES has engaged stakeholders throughout the watershed to transform the report card into an evaluation of the Chesapeake Watershed health. Watershed health includes traditional ecosystem indicators, but also social, economic, and cultural indicators. This is the first year the watershed has been scored, using five indicators of ecological and socioeconomic health.

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2020 Verde River Watershed Report Card (Page 1)

2020 Verde River Watershed Report Card

Andrew Elmore, Alexandra Fries, Emily Nastase, Heath Kelsey ·
18 February 2020

Watershed report cards are powerful tools to describe ecosystem status, increase public awareness, and inform and influence decision makers to improve the health of a watershed. This is the first Verde River Watershed Report Card. It is the collective effort of dozens of stakeholders throughout the Verde watershed. Indicators in the report card were selected to assess the health of three different values in the Verde watershed: Water, Habitat, and Communities.

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