Tracy Hart's blog

       

I have been working on biodiversity in protected areas in Jordan for several years, and I am still learning about this country. On my most recent trip, I discovered that Jordan is home to lions and tigers and bears. Imagine! The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located between three continents, giving Jordan a rich biodiversity.

       

A ground-breaking study released last month shows how the Middle East is losing its fresh water reserves. Prepared jointly by NASA and the University of California Irvine, and published by Water Resources Research, the report offers a range of alarming statistics on both the amount and rate of the region’s water loss.

       

What has impressed me the most has been the impassioned voices of men not only speaking out against violence towards women, but also taking action to prevent it. As I've listened to interviews from the region, I've come to understand the tremendous power that men's voices bring to what is viewed as "women's issues".

     

When I was a graduate student, I often drove through the Altamont Pass wind farm. I thought of them as the California’s equivalent of Dutch windmills, more beauty than function. Little did I know that it was one of the first, and largest, wind farms in the United States and that I would someday learn more about their value and potential.