麻豆影院

Let鈥檚 CU Well presentation on Nov. 10 reflects on the challenge and opportunity of equity and inclusion in the natural resource management and conservation field

Environmental issues are a growing concern for many, but so are issues about equity and inclusivity.

Karen Bailey, an environmental social scientist and a Be Well expert of the month, aims to tie the two together with her expertise on natural resource management (the management of how people interact with resources like land, water and animals) and conservation.听

Bailey will cover equitable ways of thinking about the environment and people in her upcoming virtual presentation, 鈥淭he environment belongs to everyone: Equity and Inclusion in natural resource management and conservation,鈥� on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. The event is a part of the 麻豆影院鈥檚 Let鈥檚 CU Well speaker series. The event is free and open to the public, and registration can be completed at this link.

Bailey, an assistant professor in the environmental studies program, earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University. She then went to the University of Florida and earned a master鈥檚 degree in wildlife ecology and conservation and a doctoral degree in interdisciplinary ecology.

Bailey researches climate change, human-environment interactions and sustainable landscape. She uses data gathered from her social science, environmental and ecological work to better understand, as she notes, how 鈥渙ur health and well-being is directly influenced by the state of the environment.鈥�

There are three such research projects that Bailey will draw from in her presentation.

First, she will focus on the experiences of people of color in the natural resource field. This will cover issues of inclusion among people affected by conservation and natural resource management, as well as people who are practitioners.

Then, she says that she will apply an equity lens to climate adaptation (a field focusing on the best way to reduce climate change鈥檚 negative effects) by encouraging consideration of how equity should be at the center of decisions made in the field. This case will highlight the importance of considering accessibility, economics and enfranchisement in the context of natural resource management and conservation, she says.

Finally, Bailey will speak on a 鈥渟ense of place.鈥� Here, she will discuss how significant changes to the landscape have influenced people鈥檚 perceptions of the environment. This will mainly draw from her research on drought in the West. This ongoing research involves interviewing people from reservoir communities in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado to better grasp how people think the environment should be further managed after experiencing record low water levels.

Although relevant to 麻豆影院, the application of these ideas is much grander in scale.

鈥淎 lot of work is happening to sustainably use and manage natural resources,鈥� says Bailey. 鈥淥ne of the challenges is that all of these efforts can introduce or exacerbate inequity.鈥�

Bailey鈥檚 conclusion is that 鈥渢he only way to prevent that from happening is to think about equity as we鈥檙e developing climate solutions and conservation.鈥�

Community participation is encouraged in the upcoming event as Bailey hopes to share and learn about people鈥檚 experiences, thoughts and perspectives.

鈥淎ll this work is exciting,鈥� says Bailey. 鈥淚t very intentionally thinks about humans and their place in the environment. And it thinks about that from a perspective of those who have historically been left out of the conversation surrounding the environment.鈥�

Bailey's presentation is co-sponsored by听the Office for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.听

Photo at the top of the page:听Karen Bailey talks about the human impact of climate change at the CU Night in Downtown 麻豆影院 event at 麻豆影院 Theater (Glenn Asakawa).