Ip Final NOMA ECOSYSTEM PROPOSAL

DEL CUKUT: PROPOSAL NOMA ECOSYTEM

NOAM Ecosystem Choose a Different Future

Abstract: Proposal is highlighted the NOMA wetlands issues related to human activates and comparative interdependence of system that leads NOMA toward sustainability development.

Keywords: sustainability, NOMA, wetlands, system thinking, DPSIR concept map

System Thinking and Transformative Social Systems in

Sustainability

By

Zeljko Del Cukut ID 11B6154586

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Jun 16, 2014

Introduction

The public concern about renewal of natural ecosystems

has increased progressively during the past few decades.

While conservation and preservation of natural habitat is a

key to environmental health, there is growing consciousness

that restoration and preservation are vital to recovery that

have been degraded or disappeared. Over the past two

centuries, the United States’ wetlands and their healthy

conditions significantly have declined. Likewise, southern

Louisiana wetlands in the past century more than 2,3000

square miles of shoreline have been converted to the open

water. Other significant portent was transformed to the

agriculture land, urban development, or dredged for marinas

docs and ports ("Wetland Restoration, Creation, and

Enhancement,") ("Case for Support: Coastal Louisiana Is

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Washing Away,"). Human alteration accelerates much of the

NOMA’s wetland loss. These primary alterations are levees

built, canalized the Mississippi River and oil-gas pipeline

and waterways. Levee systems protect social and economic

development against frequent flooding. Canalization of the

Mississippi River to facilitate overseas ships navigation

stem the fresh water and freshwater sediments intrusion to

replenish and maintain wetlands. Furthermore, thousands of

miles of oil-gas pipelines and water canals that support

national essential energy supply cut through NOMA wetlands,

accelerating soil erosion.

No one society in the U.S. depends on the health

wetland conditions as NOMA dose; because, the NOMA’s

ecosystem reflects directly and indirectly on the social-

economic well being at whole. Wetland's ecosystem provides a

critical service to the community; such as, protection

against frequent water surge and flooding, slows land

subsidence, provide seafood and wildlife habitat, improve

water quality, and decrease soil erosion (Louisiana, 2012).

At the same time, wetlands habitat facilitate nation’s

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energy, water transportation, and aquaculture. It also

preserves community culture, and enriches tourism diversity

("Case for Support: Coastal Louisiana Is Washing Away,").

Despite these problems, it is still possibility to

restore NOMA wetlands to a sustainable and productive state

that lead NOMA toward sustainable development. However, we

need act properly now. Without appropriate decision-making

approaches, Louisiana shall continue to lose 25 square miles

of land each year. The less than 3/2 of this area belongs to

NOMA ("Case for Support: Coastal Louisiana Is Washing

Away,").

Review of research literature

Ford (2013) describes literature review as tools in

researcher’s hand to review scholar sources relevant to the

topic of interest that synthesis research in wanted topic

and analyzing report of primary learning (Ford, 2013). In

the order to illustrate the theoretical framework of the

proposal study, I define preliminary literature review from

government agency and United Nation report. To illustrate

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probable achievements of proposal study I investigate

throughout peer-reviewed studies what are research studies

talking about wetland’s impacts; both, positive and negative

to support proposal body. In addition, literature review

reveals possible gaps applying traditional approaches to

restore wetlands and define variables and influential work

that can lead present proposal of sustainability approaches.

The main leading program to restore and preserve

Southern Louisiana coastline are Coastal Wetlands Planning,

Protection and Restoration Act, (CWPPRA) and Louisiana’s

Comprehensive Master Plan for Sustainability Coast, which

emphases that present loss has an average rate of an acre

per 38 minutes are unsustainable anymore. ("Why Protect

Louisiana Wetlands?," 2014) (Louisiana, 2012). These

programs apply the sustainability principles to resort

wetlands as an only reasonable and feasible way to ensure

the long-term social-economic and environment prosperity.

United Nation defines sustainability development as

“development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their

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own needs” (United Nations WCED, 1987). Wetland as a vital

contributor to protect community and economy against water

surge; such as, hurricanes Katrina 2005 and Gustav, 2008,

healthy wetlands significantly decrease water storm

intensity and act as a flood control buffer like sponge

wetland hold exes water form the river or form the rainfall

("Why Protect Louisiana Wetlands?" 2014).

Secondary sources of investigation illustrate wetland

impacts, both positive and negative, such as wetland as

model to be physical drivers of erosion and sediment loading

well (Jang et al., 2013). Meli et al., (2014) demonstrate

that biodiversity in restored wetlands showed excellent

recovery and that 70 wetlands in their experiment showed…

“36% higher level of provisioning, regulating and supporting

ecosystem services than did degraded wetlands” (Meli, Rey

Benayas, Balvanera, & Martínez Ramos, 2014). Healthy wetland

with significant size positively contributes to decrease

global warming, as Craft (2012) demonstrated that wetland

carbon sequestration, nitrogen and phosphor accumulation on

the bottom of wetlands significantly contribute to decrease

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impacts of global warming. On the other side Bridgham et

al. (2013) study illustrate that wetlands are the single

largest natural CH4 greenhouse gas sources that impact on

global warming (Bridgham, Cadillo-Quiroz, Keller, & Zhuang,

2013)

Researcher history /preparation

I am doing a job related to the environmental

management/protection, across the world about 25 years.

Despite, BS degree in Forestry MNGD, BS in Environmental

MNGD, MS degree in Environmental Sustainability and 32

credits earned from Doctoral CTU Program in DM Environmental

and Social Sustainability I still consider myself in

environmental management better practitioner than a

theorist. By virtue of achieving a new knowledge, as a

researcher throughout CTU program, my profession skill is

improving significantly. Now I can observe a wetland’s

problem as a complex issue that could be resolved applying

system thinking. System thinking … “as a way of thinking

about, and language for describing and understanding, the

forces and interrelationships that shape the behaviour of

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Systems” (Mella, 2006, p 26). System thinking illustrates

wetland’s picture with relative interdependencies and how

these participate in the mosaic of global warming effect.

The Scope and Boundaries

The scope of this proposal study is highlight

interdependencies between NOMA’s ecosystem, social- economic

development and government policy throughout sustainability

science that lead NOMA toward sustainable development.

These interdependencies are critical to achieving the future

NOMA social- economic development based on sustainable

principles, as only feasible way in the long -term

development.

One of the definitions of sustainability science that

best fit to my proposal is that the sustainability science

characterized by problem resulting from human interaction

with the environment seek to preserve the planet’s lifecycle

support systems. (Macagno, 2014). Sustainability science

also is seeking to for social justice to meet the needs of

present and future generations (Macagno, 2014).

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Boundaries of this paper will limit on: NOMA businesses

related to the wetland disappearing as a macro issue,

government policy that regulate the business activates, and

propose future economic development driven by sustainable

entrepreneurs. In order of these boundaries, paper will

analyze business related to the wetland disappearance; such

as, oil and gas activates shipping commerce and tourism.

Oyster farming shall be presented as a micro level issue.

Objective of research proposal

The objective of this proposal is highlighted the

NOMA wetlands issues related to human activates and

comparative interdependence of system that leads NOMA toward

sustainability development.

Outline the project

The proposal employs Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response

(DPSIR) system map to relate NOMA’ human activates to the

state of the wetlands as natural resources. The DPSIR

concept map, see figure 1, includes interdependency between

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stressors and their impacts on ecosystem functions, causes

of stressors, and feasible decision-making actions toward

sustainable development.

According the concept map, the key drivers factors, who

were creating pressure on the NOMA wetlands ecosystem

includes petroleum refinery and oil- gas drilling, tourism

and recreation, aquaculture and water transportation (Del

Cukut, 2014). These pressures cause a change in the State

that produces stress of the NOMA’s ecosystem, such as land

change, physical and chimerical variable and Biotic State.

To favorite water navigation, the U.S. Army Corpus of

Engendering built levee system and maintains existing river

flows. Helicopter’s parking lots and business splay

facilities facilitate the oil-gas activates.

In additional, housing development, hydrological

modification, and air and water discharge cause NOMA’s land

change (Meli et al., 2014). As factors that circumscribe

physical variables in the NOMA wetland are water storms,

wetlands lack of sediment that facilitates salt-water

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intrusion to expend open water. All these pressures

significantly impact on global warming that reflects as sees

level rising, increase intensity and frequency of water

surge, and increase the temperature. Van Heerden et all.

(2008), Illustrates that the Gulf of Mexico’s sea level has

risen 0.12 meter since the 1960 to 2008, and in the same

period, the entirely NOMA has sunk over 0.46 meter for a

combined change of 0.6 meters relative to sea level (Van

Heerden et all, 2008). The significant changes in chimerical

variables are caused by the contamination from local

farming, oil refineries and nutrient loading from whole

Mississippi River Watershed, as a result, of agriculture

activates. See water intrusion increase wetland’s salinity,

as physical variables changed ("Scientists Foresee Increase

in Sea Levels," 2005).

Biotic and abiotic states change the wetland's

function, such as farming shellfish.

Oysters Impacts

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Despite that oyster is not NOMA’s native species,

oysters farming business in the NOMA has hysterical root

more than 130 years. Oysters asset in the Southern Louisiana

is one of the largest and the most valuable in the nation,

and significant state economic and ecological beneficiary.

The total oyster direct economic benefits from NOMA sits by

the 2011 were about $14 million at dock value (Oyster Stock

Assessment Report 2012).

Oyster does not have a significant negative impact on

wetlands and reef areas (Benta et al., 2013). Therefore,

traditional oysters harvesting methodology affect the

wetlands and reef habitats. Chícharo et al., (2002)

illustrates that oysters dredging technique have an adverse

impact on species related to the bottom of wetlands and

reefs. For example, dredging technique decreases the biomass

of potential macrofauna scavengers and increases the

carnivore biomass (Chícharo et al., 2002). Lenihan &

Peterson, (2004) study, established that traditional

dredging also reduced the height of reef habitat by 34%

(Lenihan & Peterson, 2004). On the other side, oyster, as it

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belongs to a large size of bivalve molluscs family, is a

significant water pacificator for the marine and brackish

water habitat that positively improve water quality (Oyster

Stock Assessment Report 2012). Other oysters’ benefits for

habitats are as a stimulator to grow epifauna, sponge and

macro-algal (Benta et al., 2013) (Carbines et al., 2019).

(This intonation section has been resubmitted from a

previous paper ESS870 Phase2 IP1: NOMA Ecosystem by Zeljko

Del Cukut.( (Del Cukut, 2014).

Applying system thinking throughout the NOMA’s

ecosystem interdependencies government programs such as

CWPPRA and Fishing Management Plan reduced oysters farming

activates by the 23 % in 2012, respectively to 2011 (Why

Protect Louisiana Wetlands? 2014). This action is adapted to

lead NOMA toward sustainable development and meet National

program to decrease global warming. Gradual decreasing

impacts from oyster harvesting will significantly improve

wetland’ services at local level and parallel, at global

level, such as increase wetland’s potential to impound

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nutrients and carbons sequestration. Wetland significantly

impacts on the hypoxia status in Gulf of Mexico.

Other response actions that show concept map need to

be done to achieve fully sustainable development (see purple

collared concept map). Concept map helps in the decision-

making process as a response to the impacts on ecosystem

services and values. All response actions should be applied

to control Drivers, Pressures, Sates, and Impacts by

applying political, economic, regulatory and scientific

approaches. To save NOMA’s wetlands as a critical factor for

NOMA survival and its sustainable oriented develops; the

response must be comprehensive in whole areas that map

indicated.

In this paper, I will underline critical response

that urge immediate actions to reduce wetland’s

disappearing, such us navigation management policy need

reduce the size of the total load per ship. It will allow

more fresh water silt device to build a wetland. Energy

policies should reflect carbon credits simulations,

emissions monitoring, and renewable energy sources. Tourism

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and recreations management need reflect sustainable

approaches.

Response to control the pressures should consider

technology advance in monitoring and observing activities

and sustainable decision design to adapt human activities

including land use management, discharge limitation and

resources use management.

Conclusion:

The study suggests, and concept map illustrates that

is imperative take the repose in the whole direction that

affect the Sate of the NOMA ecosystem applying

sustainability approaches. Response should be applied to

assess the cost –benefits of any impacts on the prediction

of wetland services through valuation methods that quantify

and qualify the wetland values.

The NOMA DPSIR concept map illustrates

interdependence on each other players and emphasizes that

system in which all stakeholders are seen as having an

interest in sustainable development success. System thinking

is seen a system, as a reason to working together toward

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multiple stakeholder needs incompetently and cohesive

manners. The proposal suggests; there is no simple set of

solution, rather these solutions could be wary and

extensively form player-to-player and site-to-site.

Appendix 1

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Figure 1 NOMA DPSIR Concept Map. Retrieved from Del

Cukut, 2014.

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References:

Banta, S., Powell, E., & Ashton-Alcox, K. (2003). Evaluation

of dredging effort by the Delaware Bay oyster fishery

in New Jersey waters. North American Journal of Fisheries

Management, 23(3), 732-741.

Bridgham, S. D., Cadillo-Quiroz, H., Keller, J. K., &

Zhuang, Q. (2013). Methane emissions from wetlands:

biogeochemical, microbial, and modeling perspectives

from local to global scales. Glob Chang Biol, 19(5), 1325-

1346. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12131

Case for Suport: Coastal Louisiana Is Washing Away. from

http://crcl.org/images/crcl case for support 2009.pdf

Chícharo. L. et al. (2002). Ecological characterization of

dredged and non-dredged bivalve fishing areas off south

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http://crcl.org/images/crcl%20case%20for%20support%202009.pdf


Portugal. Journal of the Marine Biological Association

of the UK 82:1:41-50.

Del Cukut, Z. (2014). IP 4: NOAM Case Study: Shellfish

Farming and Petroleum Refinery and Oil-Gas drilling.

Retrieved from CTU class ESS870.

Del Cukut, Z. (2014). IP 1: NOAM Ecosystem. Retrieved from

CTU class ESS870.

Jang, T., Vellidis, G., Hyman, J. B., Brooks, E., Kurkalova,

L. A., Boll, J., & Cho, J. (2013). Model for

prioritizing best management practice implementation:

sediment load reduction. Environ Manage, 51(1), 209-224.

doi: 10.1007/s00267-012-9977-4

Lenihan, H., & Peterson, C. (2004). Conserving oyster reef

habitat by switching from dredging and tonging to

diver-harvesting. Fishery Bulletin, 102(2), 298-305.

Available online at:

http://fishbull.noaa.gov/1022/lenihan.pdf

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Meli, P., Rey Benayas, J. M., Balvanera, P., & Martínez

Ramos, M. (2014). Restoration Enhances Wetland

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Supply, but Results

Are Context-Dependent: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE, 9(4),

1-9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093507

Oyster Stock Assessment Report (2012). Retrieved from

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/pa

ge_fishing/32695-Oyster%20Program/

2012_oyster_stock_assessment.pdf

Scientists Foresee Increase in Sea Levels. (2005). Ecological

Restoration, 23(1), 3-3.

Wetland Restoration, Creation, and Enhancement.

from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

Environmental Protection Agency Office of Wetlands,

Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetland Devison, Army Corps of

Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Srivec, and Natural

Resources Conservation Service

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http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/pub_wetlands_restore_gu

ide.pdf

United Nations WCED (1987). Our Common Future. Melbourne:

World Commission on Environment and Development.

Van Heerden L.& Ivor et al., Team Louisiana. (2008). The

Failure of the New Orleans Levee System During

Hurricane Katrina. State Project No. 704-92-0022, 20

(2006) Appendix 5: Executive Summary, Wilkins G James

et al., Louisiana Coastal Hazard Mitigation Guidebook.

Louisiana Sea Grant College Program; Baton Rouge,

Louisiana 2008, 193.

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http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/pub_wetlands_restore_guide.pdf

http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/pub_wetlands_restore_guide.pdf

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