Nesting Success of a Songbird in a Complex Floodplain Forest Landscape in llinois, USA: Local Fragmentation vs. Vegetation Structure

Measuring edge effects in complex landscapes is often confounded by the presence of different kinds of natural and anthropogenic edges, each of which may act differently on organisms inhabiting habitat patches. In such landscapes, proportions of different habitats surrounding nests within patches often vary and may affect nesting success independently of distance to edges. We developed methods to measure and study the effects of multiple edges and varying habitat composition around nests on the breeding success of the Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens), an understory, open-cup nesting songbird. The Kaskaskia River in Southwestern Illinois was our study area and consists of wide (>1000-m) floodplain corridors embedded in an agricultural matrix with a variety of natural (wide rivers, backwater swamps, and oxbow lakes) and anthropogenic (internal openings, and agricultural) habitats. We also measured vegetation structure around each nest. Nest survival increased with increasing nest concealment, and probabilities of brood parasitism increased with increasing distances from anthropogenic and natural water-related openings surrounding nests. The magnitude of these effects was small, probably because the landscape is saturated with nest predators and brood parasites. These results illustrate the importance of considering both larger landscape context and details of natural and anthropogenic disturbances when studying the effects of habitat fragmentation on wildlife.     

From job training to green jobs: A case study of a young adult employment program centered on environmental restoration in New York City,USA

The demand for a well-trained green-collar labor force will increase as many cities implement sustainability and green infrastructure plans. Additionally, many green jobs training programs are intended to provide pathways out of poverty for low-skilled workers. In this case study, we analyze the experiences of graduates from a New York City, USA green jobs training program targeting 18–24 year olds previously disconnected from the workforce as they transition to full-time employment. Graduates of the program work directly in arboriculture, ecological restoration, landscape design, and horticulture. Despite the well-documented benefits of nature on individual socio-psychological well-being, scant research has investigated the effects of working professionally in urban natural resources management. Our findings reveal the significant challenges facing training program graduates and their supervisors, but also the benefits of urban conservation job training and employment that are potentially transformational for these economically disadvantaged young adults. Green job training and employment present real opportunities for intellectual stimulation and an increased sense of accomplishment, due in part to the uniqueness of environmental work. Individuals reported positive environmental attitudes and behaviors as a result of green jobs training and employment.