Environmental studies candidates give public presentations at UPEI
Members of the public are invited to attend presentations in March by candidates for the position of Director of Environmental Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Dr. Carolyn Peach-Brown of the University of Guelph will give a presentation called 'Community-University: Partners for Sustainability' on Monday, March 1, from 7 - 8:30 p.m., in the Atlantic Veterinary College, Lecture Theatre A.
The world today is faced with socio-ecological challenges related to climate change, deforestation, dependence on fossil fuels, over fishing, soil nutrient depletion and increasing disparity between the rich and the poor. Addressing the challenges requires an integrated approach that draws on a broad range of knowledge from government, differing sectors, non-governmental organizations and members of local communities. Drawing on her 20 years of work and research experience in Africa and more recently at the University of Guelph, Peach-Brown will show that universities have a pivotal role to play in fostering integration of the knowledge needed to equip society to meet these challenges.
On Monday, March 8, at 8 p.m., Dr. Kate Sherren of Australian National University (ANU) will give a talk called 'Integrating conservation and production: Beyond protected areas for sustainable grazing in Australia.' Sherren's talk will take place in the Atlantic Veterinary College, Lecture Theatre A.
In the 19th century, all but 15 per cent of Australia's temperate grazing land was cleared of its tree cover, with the biggest trees often left standing to provide shade for livestock. Today, those trees are dying, and the country faces a future bereft of scattered trees and the ecosystem services they provide. Current government policies and incentives prioritize the preservation of large patches and the planting of strips of trees. Sherren will discuss ANU's sustainable farms project, which worked with local graziers to confirm the scale of scattered tree decline and its risks, and to identify management options that may provide positive outcomes for tree restoration and agricultural production. The project holds lessons for integrative, participatory research with stakeholder communities and conservation policy.
Dr. Alison Neilson of University of the Azores, Portugal, will present 'Environmental Justice--Creative Collaborations for Challenging Stories' on Thursday, March 18, from 7-8:30 p.m., in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.
Neilson will explore the relevance of environmental justice to research, teaching and community development in PEI. She will also examine how seeking environmental justice can support innovative collaboration for dealing with complex environmental issues on islands, drawing from her research with environmental educators from Brazil, Iran, Colombia, Tanzania, Paraguay, and Canada; and fishers in the Azores, Portugal and outport Newfoundland. She will highlight concrete examples of practices that seek environmental justice and engage the audience in short activities for overcoming barriers of language and drawing out multiple perspectives.
For more information about these presentations, please contact Dr. Pamela Courtenay-Hall, UPEI Philosophy Department and Environmental Studies Program, at (902) 894-2838 or pcourtenay@upei.ca.
