This inter-institutional program of study currently being developed between UWSP and Universidad Aut�noma Chapingo (UACh) is rooted in a friendship between UWSP's Urban Forestry Professor Robert Miller and UACh's Forest Management and Economics Professor Edgardo Hern�ndez V�zquez. This story begins when Miller attended a conference on Urban Greening in Latin America in Mexico City in 1996. After the conference, Miller was invited to teach a week-long course at UACh in 1997. Dr. Hern�ndez V�zquez helped with the translation of the course and a friendship between the two professors blossomed.
When Miller talked about a study tour the College of Natural Resources established in Costa Rica, Hern�ndez V�zquez suggested a study tour be planned for southeastern Mexico to contrast mega tourism development of Cancun and more sustainable ecotourism, as well as experiencing the natural resources of southeastern Mexico. Over Spring break in 1999 this idea became reality and now the Mexican -Belize Study Tour is in it's third year.
Hern�ndez V�zquez is positive about UACh and UWSP developing joint institutional cooperation. "Current conditions in Southeastern Mexico offer a wide variety of possibilities which can be finely tuned to your preferences for conducting research in Mexico.... I see this as a great academic exchange experience and I am really excited about it."
The President of UACh, Dr. Jose Reyes-Sanchez, is also very excited about developing a program of study between the two universities and has suggested UACh outline a working document for a possible general cooperation agreement.
Miller's
visits to Mexico have only strengthened his feelings about this international
cooperation. "This is really a wonderful opportunity for us to form a
partnership with a Mexican University."
"The circumstances are different", says Miller. "Mexico still has a lot of people making a living off the land. The key issue is that if they don't use the Maya Forest, they will lose it. If people can make their living from the forest, they will keep it. Now they use slash and burn [agriculture] and other destructive practices. The key here is one, enforcement [protection] and two, assist people to make a living off the land that is economically profitable and environmentally sustainable."
Both Miller and Hern�ndez V�zquez agree that the need and want is there. "There is a big interest to maintain cultural diversity of the forest", points out Miller, "but to work, tourism, forestry, and other programs will have to make residents better off than if they'd farmed it."
The Global Environmental Management (GEM) Education Center is the unifying theme and vision for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources for education in building a sustainable future. Officially established in March 2000 by UWSP Chancellor Tom George, the GEM Education Center is to be a world-class, 100,000 sq. ft. facility with a planned 10-year development timeline calling for $70 million ($50 million for construction and equipment; $20 million for staffing and programs). A partnership between University, government and private stakeholders, GEM will focus on integrated and globalized curriculum development and programs in natural resources and environmental management. As the center develops, it will become a technology and communications hub, using the latest in satellite and digital information systems to bridge the barriers of language and distance. These tools will serve to build a sustainable future through the best possible education in natural resources that will prepare students for career opportunities which will contribute to economic vitality and ecological integrity at local, state, national and global levels. The UWSP-UACh relationship is being seen as a possible model program under the GEM initiative.
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