Linda Berlin, Director of UVM’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture, announces that the Center has expanded with the addition of the newly created Farming & Climate Change Coordinator.
Joshua Faulkner began work in June, 2013 to help address the impacts of climate change on Vermont agriculture. His experience lies in agricultural hydrology and the processes by which agricultural systems impact water quality and the surrounding environment. He obtained a BS in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a MS and PhD from Cornell University in Biological and Environmental Engineering, all of which had a concentration in Soil and Water Resources. During his time in New York State, he researched alternative vegetative treatment systems for dairy wastewater, as well as small reservoir vegetable-irrigation systems in West Africa. Most recently he was agricultural engineering extension faculty at West Virginia University, working with farmers on a variety of issues, including the Chesapeake Bay clean-up, innovative best management practices, and reducing the environmental impact of livestock producers. He was raised on a small grass-based beef farm in Southern Appalachia and loves bluegrass music, but is also looking forward to Vermont winters. He and his wife, architect Megan Nedzinski, have made their first Vermont home in Richmond.
Berlin says, “Joshua is an excellent addition to our staff at the Center, and we know he will provide needed expertise to the state. With a focus on farming in the flood plains, he is poised to help Vermont’s agriculture be more nimble as we move into an uncertain climate future.”
Established in 1994, the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture provides timely information to Vermont communities and the UVM campus. The Center cultivates partnerships, supports innovative research and practices, and informs policy to advance sustainable food and farming systems.
