Skip to content

Shaun Daniel: Putting EH into Action

Shaun Daniel, a Second-year Environmental Humanities Graduate Student, is working with the Taft-Nicholson Center to promote ecological design. Shaun sees this project as central to the degree focus of Environmental Humanities: “The environmental humanities can be described as an exploration of human culture and experience in relation to the environment, especially environmental problems with human causes. A project like this is a chance to turn that idea around, to solve an environmental problem by adapting human culture and the way that we relate to the environment through ecological design."

Ecological Design at the Taft-Nicholson Center

Part of Shaun's final project, his work has been highlighted by the Taft-Nicholson Center and will focus on three major components:

  1. Rainwater catchment and channeling of rainwater into the pond to offset at least a portion of the water currently diverted from Shambow Creek;
  2. Pump options for recycling water from the pond to the top of the waterfalls to maintain aesthetic function while improving aquatic habitat; and
  3. Possibilities for a conservation easement or similar agreement that would consider water left instream as a “beneficial use” under water rights law, thereby helping native fish while maintaining the Center's water rights.

Shaun is currently working with his supervisory committee regarding how he can best implement these designs.

Last Updated: 9/26/22