For María José Romero, MESA 2007 alum, sustainable agriculture includes the conservation of natural resources.  In the community of San José de Minas, near Quito, Ecuador, María teaches children at three rural schools about conserving local biodiversity.  Through interviews with the school children and subsequent lessons, students and teachers learn the importance of the area’s biodiversity and how to be good stewards of the land.  They get hands-on training in organic demonstration gardens at the schools.  Maria’s program has also created a network of junior rangers for the local native forest.