Environmental Justice from the Ground Up

Tackle the challenging topic of environmental justice from a community perspective. In studying this crucial subject, we find that many solutions originate with the very communities being denied access to the natural resources that sustain them. Dive deep into the themes of food sovereignty, water access and management, tourism’s impact on biodiversity, and the development of sustainable resource alternatives. Explore diverse perspectives on controversial environmental management issues, learn to conduct community-based data collection, and support community members reaching their own solutions to natural resource management and protection. 

• Visit the cloud forests of Monteverde to learn about the transition from pastures to forests to reserves, including different perspectives on ecological and environmental justice from tourists, local communities, conservationists, and farmers. 
• Analyze water management practices and social movements in defense of water by visiting ASADAS, a local water management committee.
• Explore local community efforts to enhance food production and seed-saving by visiting agroecological farms and learning about sustainable farming practices.