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ESA 2012

Special Session #11: Identifying key research questions and theory associated with human and justice concerns

Organizers: Charlie Nilon, Leanne Jablonski, Kellen Marshall-Gillespie & George Middendorf

In Special Session, participants worked to identify key research questions and common language to advance the discipline of ecology AND benefit human societal concerns.  Speakers representing a breadth of the Sections (urban ecosystems ecology, human ecology, applied ecology, agro-ecology, traditional ecological knowledge, and environmental justice) presented summaries of core questions from the perspectives of their field, how they are currently being addressed, and proposed future directions.  Through small group discussions, session participants also identified directions for enabling ecologists to address human and justice concerns in their research.

Resources from the workshop include:


Special Session #22: The Action Ecologist: Building the Ecologist’s Guide to Working with Communities

Organizers: Sara Gabrielson, Megan M. Gregory, Kellen Marshall-Gillespie, George Middendorf, Charlie Nilon, Beatriz Otero-Jiménez, Ana Elisa Pérez-Quintero

In this Special Session we discussed ongoing challenges, success stories and lessons learned from collaborations between ecologists and communities, with the goal of informing efforts to create an Ecologists’ Guide to Working with Communities.  Participants brainstormed issues and challenges for community-based ecological research and education, and discussed potential formats for the Guide.

Resources from the workshop include:

  • A handout on the Practitioner Profile Project discussed at the session.  We plan to interview ecologists and community partners who have collaborated to enhance community well-being and environmental sustainability.  From these interviews, we will construct detailed narratives or case studies of these community-research partnerships for inclusion in the Guide.  Please contact us to recommend ecologists and community partners willing to participate, or to volunteer to help with transcription and editing.

Workshop #37 – Developing Together Ecology Curriculum for Community and School Urban Gardens

Organizers: Ana Elisa Pérez-Quintero, Leanne M. Jablonski & Kellen Marshall-Gillespie

Information coming soon.


Workshop #38 – Empowering Ecology Outreach to Faith Communities: From Best Practices to a Speaker’s Bureau

Organizers: Leanne M. Jablonski & Gregory Hitzhusen

Information coming soon.