Environmental Conservation Doctoral Student Awarded NOAA Fellowship to Support Climate Resiliency Research for Connecticut’s Estuarine Reserve

Donald Fonseca

Donald Fonseca, a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Conservation, was recently awarded a Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support his work in assessing the ecological and socioeconomic efficacy of nature-based infrastructure for enhancing climate resilience in the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve (CNERR).<_o3a_p>

Only one person was awarded the fellowship from each reserve from a national pool of applicants of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System's 30 designated areas, with Fonseca representing the CNERR. The CNERR protects part of Long Island Sound, the Thames and Connecticut rivers, and state parks and natural area preserves. With 78 fish species, the Connecticut River has the highest fish diversity in the region.<_o3a_p>

Characterized by its unique ecological significance, a sizeable portion of the state's environmental justice communities find themselves situated within the watershed, underscoring the urgency of understanding and addressing the localized ramifications of climate change. In response to these challenges, the adoption of nature-based solutions has become a strategy to enhance community resilience in the face of climate change.<_o3a_p>

"The specter of climate change looms large over estuarine habitats and coastal communities, posing an imminent threat to their ecological integrity and the well-being of their inhabitants," Fonseca explained. "As a result, municipalities grappling with distressing environmental challenges often bear a disproportionate burden of diverse and adverse climate impacts and are less resilient."<_o3a_p>

As effective as nature-based solutions may be, a critical research gap exists; to date, there has not been a comprehensive assessment conducted to understand the impacts of climate change on communities within the reserve, particularly the disproportionate effects on environmental justice communities. This underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic efficacy of nature-based infrastructure mitigation strategies at the local level.<_o3a_p>

"The CNERR is a crucible for investigating the intricate relationships between climate change, ecosystem services, and community well-being," Fonseca says. "The ecosystem services provided by this reserve's estuarine habitats play a vital role in supporting the livelihoods of local communities, making it imperative to assess the extent of their vulnerability to climate change. Moreover, the efficacy of nature-based solutions, often heralded as a panacea for climate resilience, needs rigorous examination, including the exploration of their pros and cons in the context of the reserve."<_o3a_p>

For more information and outline of Fonseca's proposal and research, visit the College of Natural Sciences news website.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.