Center for International Education
Global Studies Colloquium

"ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMICS AND CULTURE:
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA"

Professor TIMOTHY EHLINGER

UW-Milwaukee Department of Biological Sciences, and Conservation andEnvironmental Sciences Program

Time and Location:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
2:00-3:15 PM
AGS Library (Golda Meir Library, Third Floor, East Wing)

"We end, I think, at what might be called the standard paradox of the twentieth century: our tools are better than we are, and grow faster than we do. They suffice to crack the atom, to command the tides. But they do not suffice for the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it." Aldo Leopold, 1938

As the people of Romania emerge from the legacy of soviet communism,they face a staggering array of economic and environmental problems.Finding sustainable solutions to these problems will not come easily.Human cultures, economic forces and policies weave a pattern of causeand effect between the physical and biological environment. Thispresentation will introduce a new interdisciplinary education andresearch collaboration, focused on sustainable development in the DanubeDelta and Black Sea Coast of Romania. The Danube Delta is a designatedUN Biosphere Reserve and is characterized by many unique and sensitivehabitats, and extremely high biodiversity. Located in a strategicallyimportant region connecting southeastern Europe, Asia and the MiddleEast, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by agricultural andindustrial development. In addition they are becoming increasinglypopular destinations for ecotourism. The opportunities and challengesposed by economic growth, integration into the European Union and therequirements for environmental protection and restoration will bediscussed within the context of the region's history and culture.Ultimately, this project aims to bring together faculty and studentsfrom various disciplines to work together to develop and to helpimplement an innovative model of sustainable development.

THIS PROGRAM IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.