Smallholders talk

The Human Ecology Brown Bag Series Presents
“Being Small In a Big World: The Struggle ‘Over’ and ‘Of’ Smallholders”

Wynand Boonstra
Associate Professor, Stockholm Resilience Center
Stockholm University

Date: Wednesday, November 2nd,  2016
Time: 12:35 to 2:00 pm
Location: Blake Hall, Room 131    
Cook Campus, School of Environmental & Biological Sciences

Smallholders all over the world perform a crucial role in maintaining local and regional food production. They typically work in ecologically fragile agrarian environments, with limited control and access to land, labor and capital. Despite these adverse conditions, they often prove capable of developing adaptive, efficient and sustainable forms of agriculture. Yet, the future of smallholders is in-secure due to threats from environmental change, modernization of food production, and geopolitical struggles over natural re-sources. It remains uncertain if and how smallholders can adapt to these threats. For this seminar I would like to discuss ways to assess the responses of smallholders to threats, and how we can explain and qualify the diversity of their responses in terms of resilience.

Wynand Boonstra graduated in Rural Sociology (MSc and PhD) from Wageningen University , and currently works as Associate Professor at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. The thematic focus of his research can be summarized broadly as the social dynamics and relations that shape the primary use of natural re-sources. His case studies include investigations of how primary producers - farmers and fishers - impact and depend upon terrestrial and marine ecologies. He is particularly interested in understanding (mis)matches between the values, interests of farmers and fishers and the social and ecological opportunities to realize their preferred farming and fishing styles.

   

LAF's New Landscape Declaration

The Landscape Architecture Foundation has released a new manifesto for those driving the field into the future: The New Landscape Declaration. At 382 words, it says a lot in just a little space. But what it definitely says is that landscape architecture is still a profession that is evolving and that will change the world.

Money for Karst windows

The Architects Newspaper reports that SCAPE has gotten significant support for their Town Branch plan for Lexington. The support comes in the form of a $14.1 million grant from the US Department of Transportation. The project is helping daylight the long-hidden and often ignored Town Branch with a strip of park called Karst Commons and special Karst Windows celebrating the local geology.

Disaster technolgies

With the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy (October 22, 2012 – November 2, 2012) looming over our region, a new infographic from Eastern Kentucky University (Go Colonels!) seems especially timely. The infographic is called When Disaster Strikes: Technology’s Role in Disaster Aid Relief and it explores various technologies, particularly social media, and the ways that people are using them increasingly during emergencies.

EDA Nationa Parks and Parklands

It is a treat for me today to visit one of our special legacy classes at Rutgers: Environmental Design Analysis (EDA). It is also a treat to talk about the amazing educational and experiential opportunities that fill our county's great National Parks.

If you missed the special guest lecture, you can flip through some of my favorite National Park photos and blog postings at: http://epd372.blogspot.com/search/label/National%20Parks

During the lecture I will have revealed my top ten list of NP units:

Dave's Top 10 National Parks and Parklands

10. Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau
9. Grand Canyon
8. Chaco Culture
7. Mammoth Cave
6. Valley Forge
5. Hawaii Volcanoes
4. National Mall
3. Olympic
2. Teton
1. Acadia

They are NOT the best or my personal favorites, just the Top Ten. The list is not meant for navigational purposes. Please use this list accordingly.

Alligators moving North

Did you know that North Carolina has a growing alligator population? The North Carolina Gap Analysis Project can show you where.

Slate says Virginia could be next.

Doug Blonsky interviewed in Crain's

Rutgers alum, Doug Blonsky, was interviewed in the latest issue of Crain's about his work as the Executive Director of the Central Park Conservancy.

Open House

Considering a Masters in Landscape Architecture (MLA)?
Visit our MLA Open House on November 5th at Blake Hall.

Rutgers is a place for all students.

Classic research approach

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with the problems longer." --Albert Einstein

Intriguing talk

More than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change 

Speaker: Garrett M. Broad, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Media Studies, Fordham University

Wednesday October 5th

When: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Where: Room 131, Blake Hall, George H. Cook Campus

Sponsor: Department of Human Ecology