Colorado State University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

The Salazar Center connects academic research and community engagement to further conservation and sustainability efforts in the US and around the world. The Center recognizes that division between sectors and stakeholders only hinder progress, and they look to unify various groups to create collaborative solutions to pressing sustainability issues. Several national, state, and local organizations are involved with the Salazar Center.

One example of the work done to advance sustainability by the Salazar Center is their Thriving Cities Challenge. In October of 2021, the Salazar Center awarded funding to eight project teams around the U.S. through this challenge. The challenge funds teams who are implementing positive change in their community through green infrastructure, revitalized public spaces, and nature-based solutions. 52 applicants from the U.S & Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and several Tribal nations and indigenous groups entered the competition. After a virtual pitch in September 2021, the final eight teams were selected by a panel based on their project's ability to advance climate resilience and racial equity.
Learn more about the winning teams here: http://thrivingcitieschallenge.org/results/

https://salazarcenter.colostate.edu/

The Western Collaborative Conservation Network (WCCN) addresses environmental concerns and sustainability in the Western U.S. through a triple bottom line perspective. This program collaborates between members in AZ, CO, ID, NM, NV, MT, TX, UT, and WY. Their focus is not only on the environment but also on human communities and resilience. Through public policy advocacy, leadership preparation, collaborative research, and discussions, the WCCN enables communities to better pursue sustainability measures. The WCCN facilitates regional and local hubs of Collaborative Conservation Centers (CCC) by allocating funding, promoting research and training. Affiliates of WCCN include employees or members of the Nature Conservancy, the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Confluence Collaboration, and the University of Wyoming faculty. Partners of CCC and WCCN include the Peaks to People Water Fund, Rivers Edge West, 1% for the Planet, Western Landowners Alliance, the Conservation Finance Network, Land Trust Alliance, CitSci.org, Land Can, and numerous CSU departments and centers.

https://collaborativeconservation.org/program/practice/wccn/

In a partnership with 12 nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, private research institutes and public universities in the U.S. and U.K., researchers from CSU's Department of Soil and Crop Sciences help farmers and ranchers manage land to improve their productivity and economic outcomes. This partnership also prioritizes working directly with farmers and ranchers to create tools for them to monitor and improve their soils with minimal economic costs and labor input. This project examines producer well-being and the social and economic sustainability of agricultural producers.

Beginning in 2021, this multi-year endeavor has enhanced the understanding of soil health in pasture and rangeland ecosystems. Pasture and rangeland ecosystems account for about 20% of the world's soil organic carbon stock, making the health of these soils important for total ecosystem and climate health. Around the world, the quality of pasture and rangeland soils has deteriorated, reducing the productivity and water-filtering benefits of the land. Currently, pasture and rangeland is the largest land use in the U.S. totaling 41% of usage. Prioritizing the health of these ecosystems will further enable sustainable, profitable agriculture, carbon sequestration, long-term soil health, and fresh water management.

Dr. Francesca Cortufo, a member of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center and Department of Soil and Crop Sciences professor, co-leads the project with researchers from Michigan State University and Noble Research Institute. Other collaborators at CSU are Keith Paustian, professor in soil and crop sciences, Dale Manning, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, and Megan Machmuller, research scientist in soil and crop sciences. All are members of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center.

https://agsci.source.colostate.edu/csu-soil-scientists-to-co-lead-19-million-project-on-soil-health-farmer-well-being/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=topStory&utm_campaign=t120921

CSU has a wide variety of community partnerships in at the local, state, regional, and national level. Community development and engagement is important to departments across campus. Sustainability is a feature of many of these partnerships, whether that be through justice, education, or environmental work.

Some additional examples of community partnerships that address these areas include; The Community Literacy Center, operating through the English Department, offers Northern Colorado community members an avenue for literary skills development and a space to share their thoughts on social concerns, or any topic they choose. Their efforts focus especially on developing literary skills for people in recovery or confinement while providing avenues for them to share their thoughts and voices on social or political issues. Writing Water is an annual workshops for community members, both from CSU and Northern Colorado at large, to engage in conversations about water issues and policy in Northern Colorado. CLC is partnered with Turning Point, Larimer County, Alternative Homes for Youth, Bohemian Foundation, and Fountainhead Press. https://literacy.colostate.edu/

CSU's College of Natural Sciences (CNS)and El Centro partner with the Poudre School District (PSD) for the Triunfo Mentoring Program. Beginning in 2010, this program provides mentoring programs for underserved students in PSD. CSU students primarily in CNS learning communities are partnered in 1-on-1 relationships with students in 3rd-5th grade to give support in all academic areas. Harris Bilingual Elementary School students receive free transportation to the CNS Outreach & Education Center for the mentoring sessions, but PSD students from any elementary school are welcome to participate. This program aims to close the achievement gap through close mentoring relationships. https://www.cns-eoc.colostate.edu/triunfo/

The Colorado AgrAbility Project is a partnership between CSU Extension and Goodwill Industries of Colorado. AgrAbility provides information, education, and services to farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers and their families with disabilities, illnesses, or conditions. This unique collaboration promotes independence in production agriculture by helping workers find the help they need to begin, remain, or regain employment on their farm or ranch. The program provides free farm visits to increase accessibility, educational workshops, recommendations for adaptive equipment, and resource referrals to enable farm workers with disabilities, chronic conditions or illness, and other physical limitations to maintain independence in the agriculture industry. https://agrability.colostate.edu/