Environmental conditions are key to the long term survival of all species on planet Earth, not just those that affect humans. Issues such as anthropogenic climate change, water availability, degraded water quality, and loss of species diversity are of universal concern, yet they are all of immediate, local concern in northern Georgia. These concerns include situations such as the very rapid growth of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is putting increasing environmental pressure on the northern Georgia region, the threats brought on by invasive species, etc.
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is located in a transitional area, between the metropolitan sprawl of Atlanta and the relatively uninhabited regions of the Chattahoochee National Forest. This unique location, coupled with the interests of many UNG faculty members, make UNG an ideal institution for carrying out basic and applied research in environmental science, grounded in the local area.
Some of the goals of the Environmental Leadership Center are: