Aaron Groth

Aaron Groth (BA 2006, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MA 2014, University of Missouri-Columbia; PhD Geography expected 2018) will serve as the 2017 Berta Cáceres Human Rights Fellow, working with Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (Peruvian Society of Environmental Law) (SPDA) in Lima, Peru from September—December 2017, with fieldwork in Amazonas and Madre de Dios Regions.  SPDA promotes and facilitates the effective application and enforcement of environmental law and policy, actively participating in technical and political dialogue, and intervening in specific cases to defend the public interest.  Specifically, to support the public and private management of environmental problems, SPDA proposes the use of specific planning and management tools and invests in education and training programs, promoting the environmental and social responsibility of companies and other social actors.  Aaron brings eleven years of experience working on environment and resource issues in Peru: he served for four years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the environment program, worked as an environmental consultant in the Andes and Amazon, and conducted research on the management and governance of Andean forests and the socio-environmental impacts of Big-leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) logging on Peruvian indigenous communities.  During this time, Aaron worked with community organizations, government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and lived with rural and indigenous communities.  Aaron’s work with the SPDA will focus upon strengthening a network of private and communal protected areas, contributing to the training of individuals and communities, and offering technical assistance pertaining to the biophysical environment and geographic information systems (GIS).  Aaron is a member of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), the American Geographical Society (AGS), the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), and the Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers (CLAG).  After completing a PhD, Aaron would like to pursue a career in research and teaching, focusing upon natural resource governance and environmental justice.