US professor Maria Fernandez-Gimenez awarded with Polar Star Order

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ By a decree of the President Ts.Elbegdorj, professor of the Colorado State University Maria Fernandez-Gimenez has been awarded with the Polar Star Order of Mongolia. The state prize was handed over on Tuesday by P.Tsagaan, Chief of Staff of the President Office, in the State House, which is given to the professor for her contributions to improving knowledge of experts concerning animal husbandry in steppe regions and protection of natural resources, and for training human resources, the Presidential decree says. Maria Fernandez-Gimenez is a professor in Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship at the CSU. Her research interests include both ecological and social dimensions of wildland ecosystems, focusing primarily on rangelands. Recent research focuses on understanding and evaluating the ecological and social outcomes of community-based management of rangelands and forests, focusing on the roles of different types of knowledge and collaborative adaptive management.