About
Water scarcity is both the history and the future of the American West. Re-thinking water use, particularly in
the face of climate change, will be central to the region’s survival. The work exceeds the grasp of a single
discipline, and touches all dimensions of the way people live and work.
The Arid Lands Institute at Woodbury University brings people and ideas together across multiple disciplines to shape answers and envision a future in which landscapes and communities are resilient in the face of regional aridity—environmentally, culturally, and economically.
Mission
The Arid Lands Institute is a self-sustaining education, research, and outreach center of Woodbury University dedicated to issues of aridity, climate change, and the design of the built environment. Its purpose is to
train designers and leaders who will be resourceful and inventive in addressing water scarcity in the west.
Based in Burbank/Los Angeles, the Arid Lands Institute and its related program, the Summer Field Station, provide:
Education
undergraduate + graduate study;
immersive learning experiences in remote locations throughout the arid American west;
Research
a Visiting Research Fellows program;
Public Programs
non-profit planning and design advisory services for watershed communities, public agencies, and property owners in rural, suburban, and urban areas;
outreach, events, and public programs such as workshops, symposia, and conferences.
Publications
free downloadable publications documenting sustainable, localized water management strategies for rural, suburban, and urban communities in the arid lands.
Fieldwork is integral to the Institute's activities.
Design excellence is a hallmark of its outcomes.