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.

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Natural Resource Condition Assessment (Page 1)

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Natural Resource Condition Assessment

Walsh BM, Costanzo SD, Dennsion WC, Campbell JP, Lehman M, Nortrup M, Chittenden B, Goetkin P, and Schuster C ·
15 December 2015

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is a 117-acre park located approximately 18 miles west of Washington, D.C. in Vienna, Virginia. Established in 1966, the park was designated as the first national park for the performing arts. The park provides a natural sanctuary for native bird, plants, and animal species in a developing region. The natural resources of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts were assessed using the Vital Signs Framework.

Read more

America

America's Watershed Initiative Report Card for the Mississippi River

Methods document

Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Bill Nuttle, Jane Thomas, Brianne Walsh, Caroline Donovan ·
4 December 2015

This companion document to the 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.

Read more

Willamette River Report Card 2015 (Page 1)

Willamette River Report Card 2015

Simon Costanzo, Heath Kelsey and Tracey Saxby ·
1 November 2015

n 2014, the Meyer Memorial Trust brought together more than 20 university, agency, and technical experts to help create the first Willamette River report card. With support from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the team of experts identified key indicators to capture a current picture of river health against which to measure future changes. Overall, the Willamette River scored a B-.

Read more

Report Card Review (Page 1)

Report Card Review

Spitzer S, Kelsey H, Dennison WC, Costanzo S, Thieme M, and Freeman S ·
16 April 2015

Report cards are useful assessment tools and have been widely used to inspire and endorse changes. They have paved the way to new legislation, improved longitudinal data collection systems, established new professional partnerships, and inspired reforms on community-wide and national scales. With the abundance of report cards available, it is beneficial to compare reporting styles and critique data collection methods and dissemination strategies across the board.

Read more

Nitrogen source tracing in the Choptank River Watershed (Page 1)

Nitrogen source tracing in the Choptank River Watershed

Simon Costanzo ·
30 May 2014

This project analyzed existing aquatic sediments, plants, and animals collected throughout the watershed to pinpoint key sources of nitrogen. As submerged aquatic vegetation has disappeared in regions heavily impacted by land-use activities, macroalgae and oysters were deployed and incubated in situ to help trace the origin of nitrogen inputs by identifying, delineating and mapping the relative influence of the varied urban and agricultural land uses in the watershed.

Read more