Denver Botanic Gardens

The One World One Water (OWOW) Center is a collaboration between Metropolitan State University of Denver and Denver Botanic Gardens. The partnership presents an opportunity to build on and expand joint initiatives on water issues, leveraging the strength of each institution to more broadly impact water issues in communities near and far.

Education Programs

At the core of the OWOW Center is an interdisciplinary Water Studies minor and certificate program. Recognizing that the growing complexity of water issues calls for a diverse set of skills and knowledge, the OWOW Center develops an engaged student body in disciplines as varied as journalism, biology and art.

Water Studies students as well as faculty collaborate with Denver Botanic Gardens’ staff through an internship program, joint research projects, and a range of water stewardship initiatives.

International Research

The OWOW Center works with U.S. and international governments, NGOs and other academic institutions to advance cooperative water management. Some examples:

• Mexico: The OWOW Center is working with the community of San Luis Río Colorado (Sonora, Mexico) to advocate for a “Source to Sea” vision of the Colorado River that spurs more cooperative, binational management of the river. One of several initiatives is the development of a master plan for a botanic garden that incorporates wastewater from the Mexican city’s wastewater plant, spearheaded by the Gardens’ Center for Global Initiatives.
• Global Sustainable Development: The OWOW Center is a partner organization in the United Nations FAO’s Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture. This expands opportunities for collaboration on research and symposia on water-efficient agriculture.

Convenings

“SHED” Watershed Summit
In partnership with several Colorado organizations, the OWOW Center hosts this annual event each June, convening 200 water professionals to discuss conservation, green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and corporate social responsibility as they impact state, national and international watersheds.

Presentations

Co-Director Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd joins TedxCherryCreek to talk about how Saving Your Relationship with Water.