Land & Environment

Upcoming Research Landscapes to be Hosted Digitally on August 11

By Jeremy Ludwig |

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Utah State University Research Landscapes will host "National parks, Forgotten Resources and Growing Wisely," its first digital-only event. The new virtual format will merge conversations and research highlights from experts with a live Q&A that will allow attendees to ask questions and share ideas directly with the researchers. Since Research Landscapes was last held, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required this new adaptation to ensure that the latest land, water and air research is discussed through the lens of current events and provide Utah's decision-makers with the tools to make informed decisions.

The event will be hosted Tuesday, August 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on the USU Office of Research YouTube and Facebook pages, with chat enabled to encourage conversation and collaboration, followed by a live Q&A panel with the presenters via Zoom. 

The event is free and open to the public, and anyone is welcome. Content will be directed toward local and state leaders and community stakeholders who are concerned about and tasked with developing solutions for managing Utah’s shared resources.

The upcoming Research Landscapes will focus on smart growth in Utah's communities and natural spaces. USU researchers  Zach Miller, Jordan Smith and Jessica Schad will discuss the impact visitors and new residents are having on Utah's parks and the surrounding communities, and how best to manage change while ensuring that the natural areas, visitors, communities and wildlife are all protected and preserved. These three researchers are experts in park management and community growth, and their research focuses on park and trail details, especially within busy national parks and forgotten resources.

Accessible natural amenities—like those provided by national parks in Utah—are being more appreciated than ever, but consistently increasing visitor numbers threaten the parks and the communities that support them. The rapid increase of telework in recent months brings the added potential challenge of more people choosing to live near these natural amenities. Understanding the trends and how we can make decisions that will help Utah's communities and natural spaces grow wisely will be crucial for Utah decision makers at all levels.

Each Research Landscapes event features conversations with USU researchers as they share their latest findings and discuss how they might affect Utah's changing needs in the critical areas of land, water, and air. These conversations are held to provide an entry-point for state and community decision-makers across the Wasatch Front to connect with the researchers who are investigating the most critical issues facing the state. 

For more info and to RSVP visit researchlandscapes.usu.edu.

WRITER

Jeremy Ludwig
Project Management Assistant
Office of Research
jeremy.ludwig@usu.edu

CONTACT

Anna McEntire
Office of Research
Executive Director of Research Communications
(435) 797-7631
anna.mcentire@usu.edu


TOPICS

Research 868stories Utah 370stories Land Management 121stories Outdoor 77stories Recreation 68stories Landscapes 51stories Rural Development 43stories

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