EPA honors Brown’s Nagy

By PBN Staff
Twitter: @ProvBusNews

PROVIDENCE – Rachel Chelsea Nagy, a doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown University, has been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Nagy, who studies the complex relationship between farming and forest management in Brazil, was recognized with a Science to Achieve Results – or STAR – award.

Nagy’s research focuses on the environmental services of the Brazilian forests that store carbon, which would otherwise contribute to global warming.

“The Brazilian economy is growing rapidly and the country must balance economic development with conservation and restoration of tropical forests,” Nagy said in prepared remarks.

“How does the surrounding agricultural land use influence the structure, composition and health of the remaining riparian forests and what ecosystem services do these forests provide?” she added. “As the Brazilian government revises its national Forest Code, my research will inform the discussion on the consequences of reducing the mandated riparian buffer width.”

The EPA’s STAR distinction includes a $126,000 award to help with research.