This page was edited by SE CASC staff to comply with UNC System and federal guidance; some original language was modified on January 12, 2026.

Project Information

Principal Investigator: John Kupfer (University of South Carolina)
Project Start: January 2025
Proposed Project Completion: December 2027
Implements Science Plan Theme:  Synthesis
Co-Investigators:
Paul Armsworth (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Dean Hardy (University of South Carolina)

Cooperator/Partner(s):
Cliff McCreedy (National Park Service)
Evin Carter (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
Gregory Sprouse (Central Midlands Council of Governments)

Overview:

Rural communities near large, protected areas, such as national parks, face a complex interplay of environmental risks and benefits from nature. As climate and land-use changes intensify, these environmental risks may grow, potentially reducing the benefits from nature that these communities currently enjoy.

Researchers supported by this Southeast CASC project will collaborate with stakeholders and communities in the Southern Appalachians and Congaree to refine strategies for addressing these combined vulnerabilities.

They will create maps and projections outlining high-risk areas that can be used by conservation managers and policymakers to prioritize management actions benefiting both the environment and human communities.