About Us

The Natural Resource Users Law and Policy Center is a multi-disciplinary effort at the University of Arizona. This forum is hosted through a unique partnership between the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the James E. Rogers College of Law. The Center’s Co-Directors, George Ruyle (CALS Cooperative Extension) and John Lacy (College of Law), ensure that these departments have an active role in the Center’s efforts.

Mission
The Center approaches natural resource policy with the understanding that all people use natural resources and responsible stewardship of the environment is necessary to create a more just society. Our mission is to create opportunities for students to learn through practical experience addressing natural resource policy needs. We promote collaborative partnerships between experts and communities, with facilitation from Cooperative Extension. Students in our programs make a difference today, while also developing the skills to become our next generation of natural resource science professionals, lawyers, agency heads, politicians, and judges, etc.

Objectives

• Train students to critically evaluate complex natural resource law and policy matters in real time with a hands-on approach to learning – learning by doing.
• Combine the science-based knowledge of CALS students and the legal skills of law students to promote responsible stewardship of natural resources.
• Build relationships among collaborative partners and the larger community.
• Increase the policy analysis capacity of Cooperative Extension.
• Support a public interest law clinic on matters involving the regulation and use of natural resources.
• Provide an undergraduate level core-knowledge survey course highlighting presentations from legal experts serving the agricultural and natural resource industries.