Research Reports

ELI publishes Research Reports available for free download that present the analysis and conclusions of the policy studies ELI undertakes to improve environmental law and policy. These reports contribute to education of the profession and disseminate diverse points of view and opinions to stimulate a robust and creative exchange of ideas. Those publications, which express opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Institute, its Board of Directors, or funding organizations, exemplify ELI’s commitment to dialogue with all sectors.
Halting the Invasion:  State Tools for Invasive Species Management
Meg Filbey, Christina Kennedy, Jessica Wilkinson, Jennifer Balch
August 2002

Non-native invasive species significantly threaten the ecological integrity of our nation`s natural systems. They displace native plants and animals, disrupt ecological processes, upset the stability of our ecosystems, and can permanently change our natural landscapes. Even though many invasive species are not regulated or controlled federally, states have passed a wide array of laws designed to address invasive species problems.

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A Citizen's Guide to Using Federal Environmental Laws to Secure Environmental Ju
Linda Breggin, Environmental Law Institute
April 2002

Countless independent studies have concluded that communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental harms and risks. This handbook has been written with these unique environmental justice concerns in mind. It highlights sections of environmental laws that can be used to support and help advance your environmental justice goals.

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Healthier Schools: A Review of State Policies for Improving Indoor Air Quality
Tobie Bernstein, Environmental Law Institute
January 2002

This report focuses on indoor air quality (IAQ), a key component of a healthy school environment. Indoor air quality has been ranked near the top of environmental risks in a number of government studies. See, e.g., EPA Science Advisory Board, "Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental Protection" (1990), available at http://www.epa.gov/opperspd/history7/reduce/toc.htm (last visited Jan. 8, 2002).

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Indigenous Landscapes:  A Study in Ethnocartography
Mac Chapin and Bill Threlkeld
December 2001

In 2001, Native Lands published this detailed case study/manual of the participatory mapping it jointly organized in Honduras, Panama, and Bolivia.

This is a detailed account and analysis of the road Native Lands followed to devise and fine-tune the methodology it has been using since 1992. The narrative takes the reader from imperfect, sometimes confused beginnings to a much surer sense of what works and what does not, how community participation can be maximized, what to eliminate, and what to add, strengthen, and bring into focus.

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Indigenous Peoples and Natural Ecosystems in Central America and Southern Mexico
Center for the Support of Native Lands and National Geographic
December 2001

In January of this year Native Lands’ new map, Indigenous Peoples and Natural Ecosystems in Central America and Southern Mexico, was completed. It is an update of an earlier map, The Coexistence of Indigenous Peoples and the Natural Environment in Central America, published in 1992. Both maps were collaborative efforts between Native Lands and the National Geographic Society. The original map put on display forest cover and areas of indigenous use and occupation.

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