History

Following increasing national recognition that minority and low income communities were subject to disproportionate environmental injustice, a number of ESA members began discussions of the role of ecology in addressing this situation. The Environmental Justice (EJ) Section emerged from recognition that alleviation of disproportionate environmental impacts would require both increased ecological research in these communities along with the need to provide them with better understanding of the use of ecological knowledge in political decision-making processes. ESA members realized that this required increasing ecological and justice literacy understanding for ecologists as well. Following an initial symposium at the 2000 ESA Annual meeting in Snowbird, Utah, a task force of members received a 2004-2005 planning grant, engaged in a yearlong study and dialogue with other justice organizations, and reported findings to the ESA Governing Board. The Governing Board recommended consideration of a new section to focus on and address these issues: the Environmental Justice Section. The EJ Section was established in 2007 with an initial membership of [data coming soon], which has expanded to [data coming soon] since them.

Prior to and since 2007, section members have sponsored numerous symposia, oral sessions, workshops, and other activities. A partial list includes:
More Information coming soon…

Present & Past Officers