Publications by Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen

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.

Enhanced understanding of factors affecting stream condition  can improve restoration outcomes (Page 1)

Enhanced understanding of factors affecting stream condition can improve restoration outcomes

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Bill Dennison, Lili Badri ·
14 November 2022

This publication serves as a summary of Fanelli et al. (2022) and was prepared in collaboration between the USGS and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Integration and Application Network. The summary touches on key findings of the study along with management, monitoring, and reseach applications. Please feel free to download the summary here or check it out on the USGS website:

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Chesapeake Bay and Watershed 2021 Report Card (Page 1)

2021 Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Sky Swanson, Annie Carew, Joe Edgerton, Heath Kelsey, Lili Badri, Lorena Villanueva-Almanza ·
6 June 2022

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay and its Watershed. 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 ecological indicators, but also economic and societal indicators. This is the third year the watershed has been scored, and four new economic indicators have been added.

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2020 Mississippi Rivers Report Card Methods (Page 1)

2020 Mississippi River Watershed Report Card Methods Document

Heath Kelsey, Katie May Laumann, Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Sky Swanson, Steven Guinn, Dylan Taillie, Joe Edgerton, Andrew Elmore, Jane Hawkey ·
27 April 2021

This companion document to the 2020 Mississippi River report card contains information about data sources for all indicators, summary of analysis methods, and scoring details for each of the six America’s Watershed Initiative goals, and for two watershed wide indicators. Additional information regarding the goals is included to provide greater detail and discussion than is possible in the report card document.

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2020 Mississippi River Watershed Report Card (Page 1)

2020 Mississippi River Watershed Report Card

Kimberly Lutz, Frank Morton, Bob Beduhn, Joan Freitag, Stephen Gambrell, Steve Mathies, Dan Mecklenborg, Michael Reuter, David Simmons, Larry Weber (Chair), Heath Kelsey, Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Katie May Laumann, Steven Guinn, Sky Swanson, Jane Hawkey. and AWI Board of Directors: Kimberly Lutz, AWI Executive Director Bob Beduhn, HDR Inc. Sean Duffy Sr., Big River Coalition Joan C. Freitag, Hanson Professional Services Stephen Gambrell, Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association Teri Goodmann, City of Dubuque, Iowa Steve Mathies, Stantec Consulting Services Dan Mecklenborg, Ingram Barge Company Frank Morton, Turn Services LLC Rachel Orf, National Corn Growers Association Michael Reuter, The Nature Conservancy Rainy Shorey, Caterpillar, Inc. Robert “Bob” Sinkler, Streamside Systems Inc, and Dawson & Associates BG (Ret.) C. David Turner, American Water Military Services Group Kirsten Wallace, Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Larry Weber, University of Iowa ·
10 December 2020

Stretching across 31 US states and 2 Canadian provinces, America’s Watershed benefits millions of people and thousands of communities. It supports our many economic activities while remaining a natural and recreational treasure of global importance.

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Using Socioenvironmental Report Cards as a Tool for Transdisciplinary Collaboration (Page 1)

Using Socioenvironmental Report Cards as a Tool for Transdisciplinary Collaboration

Vargas‐Nguyen V, Kelsey RH, Jordahl H, Nuttle W, Somerville C, Thomas J, Dennison WC ·
2020

The process of developing a socioenvironmental report card through transdisciplinary collaboration can be used in any system and can provide the foundation for collaborative solutions for sustainable resource management by creating a holistic assessment that balances environmental, economic, and social concerns that incorporates multiple perspectives from multisectoral actors.

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Moving beyond the ecosystem in ecosystem health report cards (Page 1)

Moving beyond the ecosystem in ecosystem health report cards

Laumann KM, Nastase EA, Vargas-Nguyen V, Kelsey RH, Carew A, Donovan EC, Fries AS, Spitzer SE, and Dennison WC ·
2019

Early ecosystem health report cards focused on assessing the health of natural ecosystems, producing a “snapshot” of ecosystem health at one point in time. Ecosystem health report cards are used to guide efforts that improve ecosystem health through natural resources manage- ment and stakeholder engagement. Common themes among Report Cards include water quality and quantity and habitat. These indicators are not strictly environmental concerns, though.

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Understanding Responses to Global Change (Page 1)

Understanding Responses to Global Change

International collaborations for practical outcomes

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Yesenia Valverde, Jane Hawkey, Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Katie May Laumann, Sky Swanson ·
6 November 2019

The Tripartite Valorization Workshop was convened by the Belmont Forum and facilitated by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Washington DC on 8-10 December 2018. It served as the-end term meeting for the Food Security and Land Use Change Collaborative Research Action (CRA), and mid-term meetings for the Arctic Observing and Science for Sustainability and Mountains as Sentinels of Change CRAs.

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Belmont Forum booklet (Page 1)

Belmont Forum booklet

Alexandra Fries, Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Emily Nastase ·
16 November 2017

This booklet provides an overview on the Belmont Forum including its history and structure. Within the booklet you can learn about The Belmont Challenge and how to become a member. Readers can also learn about current and past projects as well as the current members and partners of the Belmont Forum.

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Practitioner's Guide to Developing River Basin Report Cards

Costanzo S, Blancard C, Davidson S, Dennison W, Escurra J, Freeman S, Fries A, Krchnak K, Sherman J, Thieme M, Vargas-Nguyen V ·
17 September 2017

Developed in partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Healthy Rivers for All initiative, the Practitioner's Guide to Developing Basin Report cards is a reference and resource for the user– government or non-profit employees, development officials, basin managers, private sector representatives, community organizers, academics, journalists, and any and all interested in the health and future of freshwater resources.

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