Unspoiled Paradise or Microcosm for the End of Times: Community Building & Conservation, Madagascar
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Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/events/2025/11/17/default-calendar/MASU-Scherer-Nov17
The Moynihan Institute's Maxwell African Scholars Union is proud to present Miles Scherer, undergraduate student at Syracuse University, majoring in international relations and environment, sustainability and policy.
Madagascar has become a household name thanks to DreamWorks’ Madagascar movies and PBS’s Zoboomafoo, yet it is rarely recognized for its true significance as one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. With over 90% of its flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world, Madagascar is a dream destination for biologists and ecotourists alike.
However, the island faces numerous challenges—from political instability to the rapid loss of its remaining wild spaces. In this talk, we will explore the intersection of conservation and community, and, more importantly, consider whether Madagascar is truly an unspoiled paradise or a microcosm of a planet in crisis.
Miles is an undergraduate student at Syracuse University, majoring in international relations and environment, sustainability and policy. Born and raised in South Florida, growing up on the doorstep of the Florida Everglades instilled in him a passion for the natural world from a young age.
His interest in connecting science with actionable solutions led him to Madagascar from January to August 2025, where he conducted sociological research on the creation of “third spaces” to enhance community sustainability, with a focus on ecotourism and biologically diverse landscapes.
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