Details
Note: Yale School of the Environment (YSE) was formerly known as the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES). News articles and events posted prior to July 1, 2020, refer to the School's name at that time.
Summary
ELTI alumna Mary Condon is as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer based in Panama who works directly with the Save a Tree Live Better (SAVIM) Ecological Producer’s Association, based in Calabazo, Los Santos. She provides technical assistance to SAVIM on their sustainable cattle ranching and forest restoration project funded by the Small Grants Programme.
Mary received support from ELTI to help SAVIM members establish their model silvopastoral farms, monitor progress and disseminate results. Mary is also training SAVIM members on leadership skills so they can share their experience with others in the region. Mary brought other farmers to visit SAVIM’s model silvopastures and started helping these farmers to develop their own community organizations by learning from SAVIM’s experience. With the support from ELTI, Mary expects to see SAVIM members developing a stronger leadership capacity and training others to replicate environmentally friendly ranching activities. Over 500 farmers, extension agents and ministry officials participated in workshops facilitated by Mary and SAVIM members.