The Environmental Law Practicum taught by professor Emeritus Dr. Laurie Fowler was by far the most exciting course in my program. In this course, students are assigned to real-world projects involving environmental law. The class is a mix of students from environmental sciences and the University of Georgia Law School, and together we worked to bring solutions to real environmental policy and management issues.

I was a member of two project groups. In the first, we helped Georgia DNR and local governments in Juliette, GA to scope and plan a riverside park next to the famous Juliette Dam- and then to apply for state grant money to implement the plan. In the second, I was part of a team preparing legal arguments against the Georgia Environmental Protection Division granting a permit for a granite quarry near a vulnerable community and ecologically important watershed.

If there was ever a class that showed the true value of the seven pillars of sustainability (systems thinking, strategic competency, integrative problem solving, intrapersonal competency, anticipatory competency, normative competency, and collaborative competency) this was it. Because we worked on real-world projects we also had to consider real consequences of our words and actions, and find ways to communicate with stakeholders of diverse backgrounds and priorities.

Working on the project in Juliette, GA we were brought into a community deeply divided. Some residents were very protective of the historic Juliette dam, and highly suspicious of the government’s desire to buy adjacent property for a park. They thought that the park was a ruse for the eventual removal of the dam. My project group organized several community workshops where residents were able to feel heard, and we had to work very hard to get people to open up with us and trust what we said. However, it was hard for me to approach the residents with an open mind. I was sent to Juliette to scope out the park location early in the semester, and on my trip I saw more Confederate flags and memorabilia than I could count. Knowing that the owners of the businesses with these flags and items were the same people as we were trying to work with made it hard for me to want to listen to their concerns. Instinctively, I did not want to like these folks or empathize with their opinions. I had to use values thinking- recognizing my own values and the values of others and how they influenced my ability to act in the situation. I was able to confront my barrier to working with the Juliette community, but was not able to get to a place where I was ready to attend the community workshops and be an effective listener. I mention this to emphasize that normative competency in sustainability work is far more challenging and important than most people recognize.

In the quarry project, we had to put our efforts towards strategic competency, collaborative work, integrative problem solving, and anticipatory thinking to create the best possible arguments and evidence against the proposed quarry. We needed to work with many external experts, and think strategically about our methods and materials in order to win the case. Zooming into the courtroom and seeing my research presented to a panel of judges alongside resident testimony as surreal and very empowering. And, best of all- we won our case and the Ogeechee River remains clean and an at-risk community is not burdened by pollution.

I took this class during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, a time when many people, myself included, felt helpless and overwhelmed. Dr. Fowler’s class filled a gap in my life for actionable solutions and visible progress. I am so grateful that I was able to take it during the pandemic, because it was hugely important for my mental health at that time. This course offered a lifeline of stability and meaning to myself and my classmates, creating a bond of friendship unlike that from any other academic experience. We all worked so hard together on our projects because they were real, and we cared very deeply about them. It was amazing that even while stuck in our houses we could help communities in Georgia to keep their waters clean, skies clear, and green spaces safe. I still maintain close friendships with the students from my environmental law projects, something that I cannot say about any other coursework.