Our Project Portfolio
Earth Action supports a variety of projects that utilize Earth observations to help address challenges facing communities around the globe. Our portfolio demonstrates the benefits of using NASA Earth observations to inform decision and policy-making to improve life on Earth for all.
Team: Mike Hitchner (Project Lead), Lily Oliver, Sofia Fall, Lyndsay Zemanek
Summary: Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) is a critical component of nearshore ecosystems… Read More
Team: Olivia Etherton, Jeanette Moritz, Joshua Stokes, Ephrata Yohannes
Summary: The City of Colorado Springs, situated in Colorado’s Front Range corridor, is… Read More
The largest fire in New Mexico’s recorded history, the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire, occurred in 2012 in the Gila National Forest (Gila NF). Then, in 2013, the Silver Fire broke historic records for destruction of private property. These disturbances have become more… Read More
Climate change is expected to alter wildfire potential at a global scale with… Read More
Hawai'i and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) comprise more than 2,000 islands that span thousands of miles of ocean and are home to nearly 1.9 million people. This region is particularly vulnerable to economic,… Read More
Portions of Amistad National Recreation Area (NRA) are threatened by the presence of an invasive grass species known as giant cane (Arundo donax), which drastically alters riparian habitats by out-competing native vegetation… Read More
Team: Tallis Monteiro (Project Lead), Gabi Davidson-Gomez, Nathan Tesfayi, Raquel Trejo
Summary: Recent research has documented the global decline of wetlands, largely attributed to… Read More
Southeastern Arizona is home to unique mountain ranges known as the Sky Islands. Sky islands are biodiversity hotspots and host various ecosystems, ranging from arid deserts to temperate forests. These mountain… Read More
The Santa Monica Mountains stretch along the west coast of California between the coastal city of Oxnard and the populous urban hub of Los Angeles. Despite the close urban proximity, the Santa Monica Mountains still… Read More
Weeks Bay is an estuarine system located along the southeastern shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, Alabama. Its watershed encompasses approximately 149,000 acres of mixed-use land around the Fish and Magnolia Rivers.… Read More
The Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound are the main coastal estuaries along the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast. They serve as the primary drainage outlets for the Mobile Bay and Pascagoula River watersheds and provide a… Read More
Observations of the threatened western yellow-billed cuckoo (YBC) are rare in Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah. This species can act as an indicator for the overall health of an ecosystem, therefore understanding their habitat… Read More
Team: Brianne Kendall (Project Lead), Laramie Plott, Ian Turner, Aaron Carr
Summary: Lake Champlain provides clean drinking water for 35% of the surrounding watershed and… Read More
Team: Olivia Etherton (Project Lead), Caroline Bahun, Alexander Krest, Justin Wilder
Summary:
Lake Anna is a man-made reservoir and popular recreation destination that… Read More
Team: Christian Sarro (Project Lead), Mahnoor Naeem, Benjamin Silver, Levi Mitchell
Summary: Each fall, caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the Western Arctic Herd migrate… Read More
Team: Jackie Encinas (Project Lead), Levi Mitchell (Project Lead), Gareth Miller, Peter Vailakis
Summary: Caribou are known for their long-distance migrations from… Read More
Beginning in 2019, harmful algal events in Austin, Texas, caused canine deaths in the Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis reservoirs. These reservoirs are part of the larger Highland Lakes chain, managed by the Lower Colorado… Read More
As climate change increases the severity and frequency of extreme weather events in the tropics, it is vital for the safety of local communities and the health of ecosystems to monitor seasonal inundation. Forested inundation… Read More
Winter cover crops are an essential component of adaptive management practices to reduce soil erosion, nutrient loss, and nutrient leaching leading to water quality degradation. The Maryland Department of Agriculture (… Read More