Ecology and environmental justice at scale

Human activities have significantly affected most ecosystems across the world through climate change, land use alterations, biodiversity loss, species invasions, alterations of global biogeochemical cycles, overharvesting of natural resources, and pollution of air, water, and soils. Although the roles of humans in changing the past and current state of the environment are well described, it is less common for ecologists to explore the disproportionate environmental burden borne by marginalized communities. These populations are the least likely to access “blue spaces”, lakes, rivers, and coastal areas that provide essential ecological and social benefits, and remain the least likely to benefit from ecological monitoring and sustainability initiatives.

Furthermore, marginalized communities are chronically underrepresented in the science that shapes how environments are managed and protected. In our work, we interrogate the equity of knowledge production. Key to this is considering who collects data, where sampling occurs, and whose knowledge is centered in the analysis to ensure that all environments are studied — and ultimately, that all benefit.

In our efforts to fill knowledge gaps, we integrate research, technology & infrastructure, and translation. We develop novel technologies, including theory-based AI, remote sensing technologies that address data gaps, and advanced statistical and computational models that include this complex system’s biophysical, social science, policy, and environmental equity and justice components. We operate at the interfaces of disciplines like environmental biology, environmental equity and justice, and applied natural resources management, while weaving ethics throughout. This cross-disciplinary effort integrates knowledge and methods to develop new frameworks, concepts, and models that transcend the boundaries of individual fields.