LOCAL

Couple To Discuss Their Work

Protecting Mongolian Rivers

A slideshow and discussion about modern Mongolia will be presented Sunday evening, May 20, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Bethany Church in Randolph.

Randolph resident Edward Delhagen, a sustainable development specialist, and his wife Jenna Guarino, a watershed educator, will speak about their recent travels to Mongolia.

They will discuss that country's transition from a nomadic herding culture to an industrial free market economy, and efforts they are leading to address some of the problems created by the change.

"Mongolia is struggling with the impact on its rivers by the rapid development of its resources," says Delhagen, "including extractive industries like gold mining. Pressures from overgrazing and the impact of climate change add to the problem."

A year ago, Delhagen took a leave of absence from his position at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund to work with Mongolian citizens interested in protecting their watersheds from poor mining and development practices.

Now, he and his wife- former Director of Education at the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation in Hanover, NH- are leading a team of ecologists, educators and policy specialists in a nationwide initiative of The Asia Foundation called Securing Our Future: Mongolia Natural Capital Conservation and Preservation.

For more information and to RSVP, contact BethanyUCC@gmail.com or call 728-5849.