Research Focal Area: Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management
Conservation Development
This GCRT’s mission was to synthesize data on the practice of Conservation Development (CD), to evaluate the outcomes of CD, and to engage with practitioners to inform the design of future development and land conservation. They defined CD as an approach to the design, construction and stewardship of a development that achieves functional protection of natural resources while also providing social and economic benefits to human communities. The GCRT was comprised of 30 collaborators from four universities, five government agencies and conservation organizations, and 12 departments and five colleges at CSU. The ecologists, geographers, sociologists, planners, and experts in conservation finance, real estate, and landscape design on the team gave them the breadth of expertise necessary to advance the frontier of Conservation Development.
Scaling up CSU’s Center for Science Communication: Enhancing Interdisciplinarity to Communicate about Science and Sustainability
Confronting today’s most pressing global scientific and sustainability issues, we are faced with the added burden of polarized political, media, and public spheres. To address this challenge, this GCRT will develop and demonstrate interdisciplinary opportunities for the study and practice of science communication and the role of information in decision-making among members of the CSU community. Existing groups on CSU’s campus are engaging in both informal and formal science communication activities, including a Center for Science Communication in the Department of Journalism and Media Communication, as well as projects funded through federal- and university-sponsored grants and cooperative agreements. The GCRT will collaboratively pursue the development of a more formal University-wide center for science communication-related activities.
Fort Collins-Urban Sustainability Research Network (USRN)
The Fort Collins Urban Sustainability Research Network (USRN) is developing a platform for enhancing collaboration among the diverse organizations, institutions, and communities dedicated to building a sustainable future for Fort Collins, and other cities along the Front Range. Through this platform, the GCRT will develop a systematic approach to the region’s urban research needs and develop comprehensive sustainability goals. This team aims to build capacity among diverse partners and stakeholders to create innovative and equitable place-based solutions that could influence how cities around the globe approach and fund sustainability efforts.
Food Systems Research Group
This research team facilitated systems-based research to address the challenge of improving global food accessibility while reducing agriculture’s environmental impacts.
Environmental Justice
This research team explored how and why Equity and Environmental Justice are important elements of the study of the environment, public health, and sustainability at CSU.
Environmental Justice and Sustainability in the Anthropocene
This team has grown the environmental justice community at CSU in their efforts to explore how and why equity and environmental justice are important elements of the study of the environment, public health, and sustainability. In 2016-17 they put on a symposium on “Environmental Justice and Sustainability in the Anthropocene” highlighting transdisciplinary and international research, and develop an Environmental Justice Workshop Training Series.
