I have become more and more happy with my decision to do a joint Masters program at American University and the University for Peace (UPEACE) - UN Mandated. I am very passionate about protecting the earth, but I have always known I want to work on environmental issues to prioritize people's health, increase equitable access to resources, and focus on social justice and overall human well-being. I have always been an advocate for finding solutions that work for both people and the planet, and the NRSD program has allowed me to dive deeper into a human-centered environmental approach to the world's problems.
Recently my cohort went on a field trip to the Southwest part of Costa Rica which includes the Osa Peninsula and part of the Talamanac Mountains. We heard from many different organizations that focus on community-based environmental solutions. We heard from managers of eco lodges we stayed at, from coffee and cacao farmers, from wildlife protectors who were previously hunters, from a palm oil cooperative, from park rangers, and from other people along the way. Each of these groups interacts and depends on the environment in some way.
One of the organizations that stood out to me was Osa Conservation. We heard from staff on their Wildlife Corridor program about how they collaborate with cattle farmers to plant trees on their property. These trees create corridors for animals to get from the coast to La Amistad Park in the mountains. They are very conscious about their conversations with farmers to build trust. They primarily discuss how trees can increase the productivity of their land, rather than presenting the farmers with information on how this helps the environment. The program is successful because of the trust building process and the farmer centered approach.
In the past, the environmental movement would look to buy the land to conserve it for wildlife corridors, and exclude humans from using it, but now after decades of focus on preservation, organizations are looking for ways communities can sustainably interact with the land.
This masters program has shown me beneficial critiques of the environmental movement, but has also provided me with knowledge of a path forward. The environmental movement I see in the future is one of community involvement, intersectional environmentalism, and an openness to interact with our planet in sustainable ways rather than simply preserving the earth. The community builder description in my profile is no accident, and I look forward to taking a human-centered approach in my career.
*Also the pictures of birds in the video below are ones I took during the field trip!
In honor of the Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Program’s 20th anniversary, American University School of International Service faculty, alumni, and founders reflected on how the program has made a difference. https://bit.ly/4b500GM
![Reflecting on Twenty Years of the NRSD Program]()
Reflecting on Twenty Years of the NRSD Program
