| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.17 |
| Liaison | Hannah Rushing |
| Submission Date | Feb. 17, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Sterling College (VT)
IN-3: Innovation 3
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Carol
Dickson Dean of Academics Academic |
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Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Agricultural adaptations to climate change Global Field Studies
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A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
This innovative two-week course, offered in January 2015, provided students with the opportunity to study the political, ecological, and historical aspects of sustainable agriculture in and around Chiapas, Mexico.
Students explored this complex, fertile, and productive region. Faculty from Sterling College, an on-site community facilitator and researcher, as well as a Vermont commercial farmer, guided students through the impacts of climate change in Chiapas, as well as through ecological adaptation strategies such as organic horticulture and community collaboration.
The region offers a unique living classroom for students to learn about climate change and sustainable agriculture. Chiapas has coastal mountain peaks and cloud forests that are home to traditional milpa agriculture and coffee production, as well as plains that have been deforested by conventional ranching. The area also has coastal mangroves that serve as a key watershed resource for local fisheries.
Students learned firsthand about the pressures of climate change on agriculture and they had the opportunity to observe solutions in action, including integrated watershed management, agroecological production systems, shade-grown coffee, and community development programs. In the coastal plains, community ranching groups are re-foresting pastures. In the Chiapan jungle, students will meet with indigenous groups to discuss links between the global economy, deforestation, and palm oil plantations, as well as explore the Mayan heritage of the region.
Students learned about real world solutions to the challenges of climate change, then strategize how to implement these solutions back home, in research, and in service work around the world.
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A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):
Students have to turn in a final paper to Sterling faculty outlining how the Chiapas region is adapting to climate change through its agriculture and food systems. Additionally, the class will be giving a final presentation to the community when they return in the Spring 2015 long block.
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A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
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Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of five):
| Yes or No | |
| Curriculum | Yes |
| Research | Yes |
| Campus Engagement | No |
| Public Engagement | Yes |
| Air & Climate | Yes |
| Buildings | No |
| Dining Services | No |
| Energy | No |
| Grounds | No |
| Purchasing | No |
| Transportation | No |
| Waste | No |
| Water | No |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | No |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | No |
| Investment | No |
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Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
Global studies
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The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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