Natural Resources and Society
Conservation Without Borders Endowment Enables Future Leaders of Conservation
T
he William J. McLaughlin & Nick Sanyal Conservation Without Borders endowment was created in memory and honor of two former University of Idaho professors, Bill McLaughlin (1949 – 2017) and Nick Sanyal of Natural Resources and Society. As teachers and conservationists, both Bill and Nick leave lasting legacies of not just changing the world themselves but empowering those who seek to do so. The endowment’s purpose is “to give our students an immersive experience in the conservation field, by rolling up their sleeves every day,” states Lee Vierling, department head of Natural Resources and Society and director of the Environmental Science Program. “This is just one localized example of how we are working to further our land grant mission – by having students interface with organizations who are out doing this work on the ground,” said Vierling. Sanyal speaks to how Palouse Land Trust (PLT) provides a comprehensive experience in a real-world learning environment. With organizations like PLT, “students can take ownership of the knowledge we make accessible to them. Students cannot do this through passive learning; they must be active members of a professional organization,” said Sanyal. Lovina Englund, Executive Director of PLT, U of I alumna (’05, M.S. ’07) and former CNR staff member, believes supporting interns makes her a thread to the next generation of conservation leaders. “As an alumna, it’s delightful to be able to pay it forward and give students – our next generation of conservation leaders — the opportunity to learn about private land ownership conservation in the Palouse landscape,” said Englund.
Student Sierra Hamilton with Englund and land manager Andrew Saralecos, ’09.
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WINTER 2021 - 22
