The mission of this program is to advance and improve research and education at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. The program is hosted within the Institute of Geographical Research (IIGEO). The IIGEO is a geographical research center created within the Geography Department.

The IIGEO has been working primarily in Bolivia for 20 years, in places like the Amazon, the Chaco, and the Altiplano.

Fun Facts About the �鶹��Ƶ Program

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Our project aims to support the Campo La Cruz Mapuche Community—located on the outskirts of Junín
(Buenos Aires, Argentina)—in the collaborative development of ecosystem-based climate change adaptation strategies. We seek to balance respect for their traditional production methods and cultural heritage with the urgent need to address the environmental impacts caused by artisanal brickmaking. Through a transdisciplinary approach involving researchers from the University of Buenos Aires, faculty from the National University of the Northwest of Buenos Aires Province, and members of the community itself, we aim to assess climate risks within the urban and peri-urban ecosystem, restore the Pampas grasslands ecosystem degraded by soil extraction, and foster a transition toward eco-friendly production alternatives that reduce social and environmental vulnerability without undermining the community’s cultural identity. In doing so, we aspire to strengthen the climate resilience of both the community and the city of Junín while promoting environmental justice, livelihood security, and the preservation of cultural heritage passed down through generations.

We proposed this project in response to the call for proposals “Catalyzing non-traditional partnerships in the Global South for urban ecosystem-based adaptation,” which focuses on mitigating the three main barriers hindering the adoption and scaling up of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). These three identified barriers are: finance (funding opportunities), governance (collaboration mechanisms), and knowledge gaps. Our project—funded by the Global EbA Fund (a mechanism co-managed by the IUCN and its partners)—seeks to support initiatives that help overcome these barriers to scaling up EbA by fostering innovative partnerships and participatory, transdisciplinary approaches. Having completed the diagnostic phase—which involved assessing climate risks (floods, droughts, heatwaves, biodiversity loss) in the urban and peri-urban ecosystem of Junín, mapping areas exposed to hydro-climatic hazards, analyzing the environmental impacts of the community’s traditional brick-making activities, and conducting social perception surveys with the Campo La Cruz Mapuche Community—we are now focusing on the co-design and sustainable production stage. This stage includes advancing land-use planning for Campo La Cruz through the regularization of the community’s land tenure with the support of the Junín municipality, as well as developing a process to enhance cultural and environmental value, ultimately leading to an initiative to integrate the Ñuque Mapu Community of Campo La Cruz into the local tourism circuit.

Fun Facts About the Program

A truly transdisciplinary team: integrating anthropology, climatology, biology, and geography, alongside a lawyer who is also a member of the Campo La Cruz Mapuche Community itself—ensuring the community’s voice is present from the project’s very design, rather than merely as a “beneficiary.”

Over 15 years of prior fieldwork: researchers who have been working with the community since 2008 and 2013, respectively, providing a foundation of trust and accumulated knowledge rarely found in projects of this type.

Links to local public policy: enabling the development of long-term, environmentally and economically sustainable productive projects.

Academic outreach: through an undergraduate seminar to be taught at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (UBA) during the first semester of 2026, bringing the project’s lessons into the university classroom.

Institutional collaboration: bringing together CONICET, the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), and local educational institutions—such as the *Instituto Superior del Profesorado*—to build bridges between the national scientific system and a university deeply rooted in the local territory.

Building on a well-established history of effective partnership and collaboration for transformative urban change, the University of Zambia (UNZA) partnered with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) and local community institutions under the �鶹��Ƶ framework. The initiative aimed to address urban problems by intervening with research conducted by students, engagement with the communities, and the development of holistic but strategic and implementable spatial plans. Guided by the application of academic potential and local knowledge and lived experience, the project sought to plan a climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable city for Lusaka. The collaboration was the perfect ground to close the gap between university, local authorities, and civil society, fostering a participatory urban planning with vulnerable urban groups in mind. This project offered an opportunity for building tripartite partnership for sustainable urban development in an African context. The partnership involves universities, local government and society. This form of collaboration lacks in many African cities, and �鶹��Ƶ Model offers real possibilities for scaling up partnership-based action for sustainable interventions that address issues affecting the most vulnerable.  

The �鶹��Ƶ Lusaka project also aimed to integrate innovative solutions such as urban re-naturing, green infrastructure, and smart technologies into the city’s development plans. By focusing on sustainability and resilience, the initiative aimed to transform Lusaka into a model city for climate-smart urban planning. This initiative not only addressed immediate urban challenges but also laid the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.

To help solve this issue, over 38 master’s students and 10 academics from UNZA’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies were brought together to analyze urban development challenges and propose solutions. This was part of the MSc in Spatial Planning Degree teaching programme, MSc in geography and MSc in Environment and Natural Resources. Other courses are Regional Planning and Development, Urban Geography and Planning from the undergraduate classes. The project focused on key issues such as waste management, transportation inefficiencies, role of special economic zones for creating jobs within a sprawling and fast-paced urban sector in Lusaka, role of environmental management frameworks, land use practices, and climate change vulnerability. Students produced three spatial development frameworks for Lusaka, which were shared with the Lusaka City Council and other stakeholders, in order to improve the ongoing formulation of the Lusaka Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Regional Development Plan. 

The �鶹��Ƶ Lusaka project successfully developed actionable plans and information to support Lusaka’s urban development. The plans made by students provided new concepts and information to complement city plans, focusing on climate resilience, sustainability, and inclusion. The plans emphasized green infrastructure, compact urban form, and community participation in addressing urban issues. The project also raised awareness of flood risks and waste management issues among vulnerable communities, encouraging greater community participation in urban development.

One of the key achievements of the project was the creation of detailed maps and spatial frameworks that highlighted critical issues such as waste disposal sites, flood-prone areas, and transport inefficiencies and role of special economic zones in driving job creation. These outputs provided the Lusaka City Council with valuable insights for improving urban planning and resource allocation. The reports and slide decks by students provided an innovative ‘primer’ for integrated development plans at city and regional scales in Lusaka. Additionally, the project-built capacity among city officials and community leaders, strengthening their ability to address urban challenges through training and collaborative workshops.

The project also encouraged enhanced collaboration between local government, the university, and communities, offering an avenue for open discussion and exchange of ideas. The collaboration not only enhanced the quality of urban planning but also ensured that marginalized groups were heard and integrated into the process of development. The �鶹��Ƶ Lusaka project was a demonstration of how academic-community collaborations could lead to concrete enhancement of urban development.

Building on the success of the �鶹��Ƶ Lusaka project, future efforts will focus on disseminating the student-produced development plans with the Lusaka City Council and other stakeholders in the future. The project will also support government-led slum upgrading interventions, particularly in informal settlements like Kanyama and Kalikiliki. Strengthening collaboration among different actors, including government agencies, private entities, and local communities, will be a key priority for the future of urban development strategies in and around Lusaka.

By leveraging visual arts and technology, community engagement, and academic research, the �鶹��Ƶ Lusaka project has laid the groundwork for transforming Lusaka into a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient city. The approach can serve as a model for other cities facing similar urban challenges.

Written by: Jonathan Kroeze
Edited by: Ada Inman

Lusaka already has a history of using the �鶹��Ƶ model on a smaller scale as the city signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Zambia to institutionalize the �鶹��Ƶ model in Lusaka. For the past four years, the model has been implemented on a small scale and has resulted in significant gains for the city. Currently, the City Council of Lusaka and the University of Zambia are looking to expand the �鶹��Ƶ model to create city-wide positive change to locally relevant issues such as climate change adaptation, waste management, and urban planning. This project will look to begin in August of 2023 and end by August 2024. 

In taking steps to expand the model, the City hopes to build capacity among all �鶹��Ƶ model actors in Lusaka through training, sensitization, and community engagement so that skills are created for upscaling deployment of the �鶹��Ƶ model in Lusaka. The City would also like to collaborate with other entities to identify community development interventions that are in line with the principles of the �鶹��Ƶ model and make investments to support urban climate adaptation, social and gender inclusion in city development plans, and support learning and innovation at a community level. Finally, the city would also like to undertake capacity development actions that look to build sustainability in all future �鶹��Ƶ interventions in Lusaka through expanded partnerships for �鶹��Ƶ innovations. 

In support of the goals, the project will look to sensitize at least 20 Departments at the University of Zambia to adopt the �鶹��Ƶ model in teaching and research. To increase the application of the �鶹��Ƶ model and principles in the community, the project will increase the capacity of all nine Departments at the Lusaka City Council. This research will work to accelerate the implementation and expansion of the �鶹��Ƶ model by expanding the agreement to build sustainability. Over 500 students are planned to be involved in the �鶹��Ƶ model beginning with graduate courses in Economics, Geography, Urban Planning, Development Studies, Environmental Management, Public Health, Geomatics, GIS, Environmental Education, Civil Engineering, and Education. 

There will be many actors involved throughout this project to meet as many goals as possible. The project will be implemented as a collaboration between the Lusaka City Council, the University of Zambia, and selected communities with each party holding a very specific role in the project. For instance, the Lusaka City Council will provide a specific policy framework for community interventions to take place. Communities will anchor and support all activities in the collaboration while the University of Zambia will provide the students and research capacity needed to expand the Epic model in the city. Members of the community will also take the lead in identifying key problems in the communities and in respective wards. Community members will be represented within each project by community leaders, Community-Based Organizations, Ward Development Committees, and residents. 

The University of Zambia will undertake capacity development activities to increase capacity on �鶹��Ƶ model implementation and raise awareness among the MoU actors. This includes training for students, Course conveners, Deans of Schools, and Heads of Departments at the University of Zambia and the Lusaka City Council. In terms of providing knowledge, university students will provide time and a technical understanding of selected topics and community members will supply time and local knowledge. Students will also take time to engage with communities to define priority interventions through the �鶹��Ƶ model. 

Through this research, the relationship between communities, the Lusaka City Council, and the University of Zambia will be strengthened. There will additionally, be  improved community service and a better understanding of development actions in communities particularly those focused on strengthening climate resilience in flood-prone areas, aligning with SDG 13. This �鶹��Ƶ project will bring improved governance and civic awareness in communities where �鶹��Ƶ projects will take place and see increased accountability from all parties involved in community development in Lusaka.  

This project is ongoing and will be finished in 2024.

In collaboration with students from SDSU’s Environmental Conservation Practice course (Geography 570), as well as students from Universidad de las Californias International and Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF), our class will develope signage for these parks. Our class developed plans and park designs created by students in GEO570, and used community demographics gathered by students and the project in Tijuana. The signage must identify and communicate information about the park to residents, and help engage them in the many uses of the park.

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Chris McCampbell
Art

Local Government / Community Contact

Parks & Recreation

The National City Marina District falls under the jurisdiction of several different entities; thus, students were required to identify the relevant federal, state, and local land use policies when considering different ways to best utilize the project site. Students had to comply with the National City General Plan, the Unified Port of San Diego’s Port Master Plan, the Harbor District Specific Area Plan, the California Coastal Commission guidelines, and the federal Endangered Species Act.

The projects were directly tied to goals set forth by the National City 2013 Strategic Plan and with substantial input by National City Staff. The Principal Planner, Martin Reeder, identified the three key needs of National City as job growth, tax generating commerce, and affordable housing. The students, organized into five groups, generated unique proposals to meet these needs while also applying concepts of sustainable design and smart growth in order to enhance connectivity between community, economic, and environmental goals.

Each of the five proposals addressed the nine elements that are laid out in the National City General Plan, which are a foundation for future development within the city. With land use as the umbrella element taken into consideration for all projects, students integrated course concepts to create a sustainable community with a complementary mix of uses. Additionally, the elements of community character, circulation, open space and agriculture, education and public participation, and sustainability were incorporated into site design considerations.

To meet goals of the community character element, many designs highlighted the maritime theme of the Marina District, which is one of the foremost industries in National City. Several paid homage to the history of San Diego, with one dedicating space to a museum filled with regional historic artifacts and information.

Similarly, changes to the site under the circulation element (i.e. transportation) were identified in the proposals. The groups formulated plans to create a more pedestrian-friendly area, with new commercial developments supplemented by trees and other green space. These proposals encourage bicycling and the use of other alternative forms of transportation, with most suggesting extensions to existing bus routes or a revitalized streetcar system to create a more accessible location.

National City and its residents are severely lacking in open space compared to the rest of San Diego County; thus, expansions of the existing Pepper Park and new green spaces were high on the agenda for these proposals. Community gardens were also included in a number of the projects to promote consumption of locally produced goods. One aspect of the site’s open space element is the adjacent Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Because it is in close proximity to the project site, proposals took advantage of it as an educational opportunity for National City residents as well as to advocate stewardship of endangered wildlife.

The conclusion of this report highlights the most compelling designs and solutions to meet the needs of National City and work sustainable practices specifically into the National City Marina District. Proposals need not be adopted as comprehensive plans, but rather individual aspects from the varying plans can be implemented to ensure a bright future for the city and its residents.

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Diana Richardson
Geography

Local Government / Community Contact

Planning

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Atsushi Nara
Geography

Local Government / Community Contact

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Diana Richardson
Geography

Local Government / Community Contact

Tijuana Environ-mental Protection Office

The students analyzed the neighborhoods and various functional zones in National City in order to answer the following questions:
1. Are the neighborhoods, functional zones, and their characteristics identifiable?
2. Is National City legible, or easy to navigate?
3. How is National City perceived by those that visit, work, and live there?

The purpose of this project was to answer these research questions, and gather informa-tion that would assist city officials, non-profits, and future Sage Project programs. More-over, a variety of methodological techniques were implemented: a) census data analysis, to collect statistical information; b) landscape observations, to comprehend how people interact with their environment; c) surveys, to gather opinions; and, d) mental mapping, to assess legibility. By combining a range of data-collecting methods, students were able to produce cohesive and thorough findings.

Some of the most notable issues and concerns the students raised were the large amounts of fenced yards, some homes in disrepair, busy and unsafe streets in residential areas, and a lack of green space. Additionally, there are many families in National City living under the poverty line compared to the rest of the county, which may be due to the occupational disparities among the two. Furthermore, National City has more renters than homeowners and a significantly higher resident population of people aged 20-24 years. Moreover, there appears to be uneven access to and awareness of healthy food options in National City. Finally, surveys relayed mixed feelings about National City, such as “clean,” “dirty,” and “safe,” “dangerous.”

However, some possible solutions the students proposed included improving the variety of industries in order to diversify job opportunities, and implementing better educational standards and increasing after-school youth programs in order to help educate children on making better decisions and abstaining from illegal activities, such as gang violence and drugs. Likewise, increasing public safety would aid in better community engagement and pride in National City, and increasing the understanding of food awareness and access could be done by establishing farmer’s markets, and increasing accessible green space to all.

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Zia Salim
Geography

Local Government / Community Contact

City Manager

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Diana Richardson
Geography

Local Government / Community Contact

Development Servies