Summary of Outcomes from a HECUA Mini-Workshop:

Building a Higher Education Program on Sustainability in the Mississippi River Basin

(Held February 15, 2002 at Hamline University Law/Grad Center)

 

 

Participants

John Anfinson (National Park Service)

Ernie Diedrich (St Ben`s/St John`s, Economics & Env Studies)

Bob Douglas (Gustavus Adolfus / Geography & Env Studies)

Sean Gosiewski (Draw Forth Consulting, Center for Neighborhoods)

Steve Hoffman (St. Thomas / Political Science & Env Studies)

Diane Jensen (Minnesota Project)

Nan Kari (HECUA)

David Kelley (St. Thomas / Geography & Env Studies)

Peggy Knapp (Hamline CGEE)

Michael Krause (Green Institute)

Derek Larson (St Ben`s/ St John`s, History & Env Studies)

Barbara Liukkonen (U of M / Water Resources Center)

Dan McGuiness (Audubon Upper Miss River Campaign)

Mark Muller (Institute for Ag & Trade Policy)

Mark Neuzil (St Thomas / Journalism & Env Studies)

Blake Ratner (HECUA, U of M & Tiger Research)

Peter Vaughn (Macalester / Biology & Env Studies)

Joe Underhill-Cady (Augsburg / Political Science)

 

Workshop Outcomes

This was second of a series of two mini-workshops held as part of HECUA`s Mississippi River Project, working to foster innovative collaboration between the academy and the community in order to strengthen the constituency for river basin protection and equitable development in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.  This session carried forward an agenda of priorities identified in the first mini-workshop held in September 2001.

 

1. Reviewed progress on outreach activities, public scholarship and action-research supported by the mini-grant program.

§       Derek Larson described plans for an expanded host of activities for the week of Earth Day to attract families from the surrounding communities for educational events on campus.

§       Dan McGuiness presented the short video from the Audubon Ark program, described outreach activities undertaken along the river, and plans underway to build a permanent Audubon Ark River Boat for launch in 2004, which could potentially be used in a HECUA semester program.

§       Peggy Knapp showed a video clip produced by students through the Rivers of Life program and described plans to produce a new video and related multimedia materials that will give Hamline undergrads hands-on experience in design and production.

§       Mark Muller described how fact sheets have been used to debunk myths fostered by industry to fight the environmental movement, and summarized the rationale for a new fact sheet planned on strategies for improving farm nutrient management, an important element of improving the health of the river ecosystem.

§       David Kelley described work underway in which his students, in collaboration with the MN Dept of Agriculture, are producing improved extension materials to help farmers reduce the fertilizer applications that affects groundwater by providing information specific to their farms.

§       Bob Douglas presented a completed study, 10 Years Later: Community Response to Cleanup of the Minnesota River  undertaken by students in his environmental seminar who interviewed officials in seven communities along the river to report on progress since Governor Carlson made cleaning up the river a policy priority.

§       A summary of each completed mini-grant activity is available on the HECUA web site at www.hecua.org/river/grantsum02.html

 

2. Elaborated themes and priority activities for a new semester-long off-campus program focused on sustainability.

Participants reaffirmed the elements of a semester program identified in the first workshop as well as several additional elements (in bold), and elaborated on four priority areas to identify options, approaches, and ideas for specific activities.  The outcomes of four small group discussions are summarized here:

§       The semester program should be interdisciplinary, specifically address sociological, economic and ecological perspectives on sustainability, and provide opportunities for degree credit to attract science students.

Ø      The program could examine in detail a series of case studies that each focus on a specific process of environmental change that is a recognized problem, such as declining water quality, urban waste production & disposal, air pollution, or habitat degradation.  This should include hands-on opportunities for scientific measurement.

Ø      After examining the basic science to understand the processes at hand, students would then explore causes and effects using tools from the social sciences, economics & policy analysis, and the ecological sciences.  Examining causes and actual or potential future effects brings students into areas that are the focus of public debate, and provide opportunities for research on important themes of public concern.

Ø      Analysis of responses to such environmental problems should explicitly consider criteria of equity and social justice in considering the roles of community, industry, and government.

Ø      The interdisciplinary integration would stem from explicitly considering alternative perspectives, seeking out resource people knowledgeable in each area, and focusing on a small number of cases that require students to combine information from different disciplines.

§       The program should provide opportunities for `real` work on significant issues of concern to communities, should involve students in events with community practitioners, and the strategy should be to build the program through community partnership.

Ø      Storm water management could provide one focus, in collaboration with groups such as Green Institute, ME3, Mpls planning and public works agencies, Great River Greening.  The benefits / costs and feasibility of alternatives could be assessed and compared to traditional engineering approaches.

Ø      Land use along rivers could provide another focus, in collaboration with groups such as Friends of the Miss River, Miss Corridor Neighborhood Coalition, WESTCO, 1000 Friends of MN, addressing urban sprawl and competing land use demands involving industry, housing, wild areas, and transportation.

Ø      Activities could include brown bag seminars with practitioners, email listservs on specific topics, and collaboration in an annual conference that joins academic and environmental groups.

Ø      Sustainability should be addressed beyond the watershed focus, to include such issues as energy, transportation, industrial ecology, solid waste/consumption, health, buildings, population, and forestry.

Ø      Internships should match host organizations with students that bring specific skill sets (e.g., GIS, marketing, economics, communications, engineering, community organizing) to help further students in their career goals.

§       The program should provide exciting experiences by land, water, and air, fit with specific degree requirements of the member colleges, and provide a fit with students` sense of purpose and interests.

Ø      The group identified some pros and cons to two models.  A program that moved week-by-week from one location to another could provide a wealth of field experiences but might be overwhelming for students and faculty, and could make it difficult to integrate internships.  A program that maintained a base in the Twin Cities for most of the semester, with field experiences interspersed, would be easier logistically, would facilitate internships, and could be more attractive to students who value their free time apart from the program.

Ø      Whichever model is adopted, field experiences should integrate theory and practice.

Ø      Ideas for field experiences include examining the lock & dam controversy, a canoe trip demonstrating land use practices & ecological impact, a trip by small plane (or balloon flotilla!?) to provide a landscape overview, cases that illustrate conflicts between recreational & commercial uses, visiting wastewater treatment facilities, and meetings with community activists as a part of community site visits.

§       The program should integrate meaningful internships with environmental groups, should explore different areas of the Miss River Basin, and should consider taking advantage of the resources of member campuses for field visits.  

Ø      This group also discussed the pros and cons of a program with a campus base versus a mobile program. 

Ø      For a program with a campus base, some longer field visits (1-2 weeks) could provide opportunities for sites around the region.

Ø      The group brainstormed ideas for a possible mobile program itinerary : (a) start late August in Itasca with 2 weeks on river ecology, (b) then take a 2 week canoe trip along the river to St. Cloud, (c) spend 3 weeks during October at St. John`s/St. Ben`s, possibly including homestays with church members, (d) 3 weeks in the Twin Cities in November with an urban focus, (e) then take the Audubon Ark down river in Minnesota and on to warmer climates by boat or bus, to Winona (St. Mary`s), and LaCrosse (Viterbo).

Ø      Some organizations with a regional coverage, like DNR or Audubon, might possibly provide internship opportunities that could be undertaken while travelling. 

 

3. Strengthened a network of collegial exchange to help identify areas of further collaboration between academic and community/nonprofit organizations who have ongoing activities or interests in engaging college and university students in learning about and contributing to sustainability in the upper Mississippi River Basin

§       Participants shared a personal perspective on themselves and their work, learning what major concerns or hopes each has about sustainability, and what defining experiences have motivated us each to work in this area.

§       During the evaluation period at the end of the workshop, most participants voiced appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the work of other colleagues and identify points of mutual interest, and most reiterated enthusiasm for a sustainability semester program that is taking shape through our collective efforts.  

§       At a jovial dinner at Muffaleta`s Restaurant following the workshop, several participants expressed interest in joining an advisory committee to help shepherd forward the concept of a semester program on sustainability.

§       HECUA is compiling information about workshop participants as well as other faculty, researchers, and nonprofit organization staff with interests in linking the academy and community to support sustainability in the Mississippi River Basin.  Intended to facilitate further collaboration, this resource includes areas of interest for each individual, along with complete contact information.  A draft version with participants from the first workshop is available on the HECUA website at www.hecua.org/river/outcomes.html, and an update is planned soon.