The Storied Joshua

Josh has been an adviser, mentor and friend since we were together in the Gambia in the mid eighties. Before Josh, I thought that all one had to do was slightly better than everyone else. Josh set an extremely high bar for himself and for everyone else on this team, a performance bar that you were expected to clear. I explain to people that in doing my PhD in rice systems under Josh, I learned but, more importantly, I learned how to learn. For this I am forever thankful

Robert Hofstede, Ecuador

My name is Robert; you might have heard from me although we never met each other. However, I feel I know you a lot because Josh always was so full of stories about his family and kept us continuously updated.

I am that Dutch guy that lives in Ecuador and worked with Josh for years setting up the regional Paramo project. I am proud to call him my friend, and after he (and you) went back to Wisconsin and after I started working in other fields outside Condesan, we kept continuous contact. We had some email exchange earlier this year; I attach a message Josh sent me last February. I was short, but I have read this message about 20x the last week because he was so positive; even speaking about Jill and himself travelling to South America later this year. I knew he might have been overly optimistic then, but I never thought things would go so fast. I received the sad message about 10 days ago, and I really couldn’t set myself to writing this message before; I was quite in shock and so sad, but can only imagine that my feelings are only a fraction of what you must feel these days.

I send you this message as a sign of emotional support and to assure that Josh’ spirit will be alive here in the Andes. I know Josh since 1998 when he directed Condesan and I directed a páramo conservation project in Ecuador. He was the guy (well, together with Elias of course) who had this ambitious idea of taking Condesan at a level beyond agricultural research and develop a line of work in applied ecosystem management. Therefore, they proposed that an international programme, extending “our” páramo experience in Ecuador, would a nice idea. After that, we worked for four years to get this programme financed, and then for several years more to actually set it up. Once we had it up and running, Josh and myself had already left Condesan but we kept being involved with the project and be assured, it became one of the most successful international ecosystem management projects ever implemented in the Andes. For myself, this was the vehicle that Josh gave me to start my international career. Therefore, he is one of the most important persons for my professional life.

But beyond the professional level, I very much remember Josh at personal level. Over the last 14 years, we have spent a lot of time together in all kinds of settings, in the different Andean countries. I am full of wonderful memories: how much he liked hiking through high country, but complained (in his own funny way) about “us biologists” that always searched for the “impossible” terrain; how wonderfully mistaken he could be with his Spanish (that he never fully managed but nevertheles insisted Condesan should be Spanish spoken - quite revolutionary in CGIAR environment!); dancing Salsa in Quito with a bunch of young Ecuadorians and Colombians who were trying to get his hips moving at 2 am; debating Andean rural development while lying in the hot springs in Manizales, etc etc. But besides these anecdotes, there also are so many memories about the endless conversations we had on work and private life. Many of these together with Elias; in so many ways an opposite pole from Josh but therefore making up a perfect couple. Josh was such an open, friendly person, beloved by everybody that worked with him - he really was the person that kept us motivated to create this international monster project. He learned me to be patient with other people, showing me that actually you can keep on good terms with everybody.

Also, he was an example of a man who was very considerate about the influence of private life on professional life. When in Quito, he normally tried to make a family visit before going into the work agenda, and we loved to exchange news about or personal things. Therefore, he know my wife and daughter a lot and we know, through his stories, all good and not-so-good that happened to your life. Therefore, we were continuously updated and worried about what happened to Sophia and later, about the development of his own disease. But most of all, we know the deep love he had for all of you and the wonderful memories you must have about him.

The picture below was made literally the last time we met; during the Condesan meeting in late 2010. Its Josh, Elias, Andres Felipe (now Condesan president) and myself. I attach another picture, which from July 2003 during one of those hikes in páramo; Here appears Josh with various students and collaborators of the Paramo project from Colombia, Netherlands and Venezuela. On the left (in a white jumper) Maria Victoria, my wife.

I finish this note wishing you all the very best; I imagine this new configuration of having to live without Josh’ physical presence will be difficult and sad. However, there will never be “life without Josh”; he is present everywhere and will always be so

Apr 08

Apr 07

Daniel Plane, Madison

I’ve known Matthew since Kindergarten. I remember Josh as joking, engaging, and practiced at giving Matt a hard time about almost anything.

One day I was over for dinner - Matt and I must have been about 13 - and I didn’t want to take my hat off at the table. Josh proceeded to explain to me that they have a family rule, a simple rule, that you either get to wear your hat or your pants at the dinner table. He was very clear - hat, or pants. After briefly considering my options I decided to remove my hat. Afterwards, he made sure to remark that he was glad I had the common sense to do so

Apr 06

CONDESAN, Andes

Hoy, la comunidad del desarrollo en los Andes se ha levantado con una triste noticia: el querido colega y amigo Joshua Posner, falleció esta madrugada en la ciudad de Madison (Estados Unidos) después de una larga lucha por superar el cáncer.

Josh, como era conocido por todos, se doctoró en Agronomía en la Universidad de Cornell (1978), con una especialidad en economía agrícola. Durante los 10 años siguientes, la pasión por su labor, acompañada de su sentido de la aventura, lo llevó a trabajar como voluntario del Cuerpo de Paz en Senegal y Gambia (África), y a vincularse por primera vez con la realidad latinoamericana, en Honduras.

Luego, como hombre de retos, se unió a la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison (Estados Unidos), donde fue pionero en la investigación sobre Sistemas de Producción Agropecuaria. Por más de veinte años, su programa de investigación se centró en estudiar la relación entre la agricultura y la conservación de los recursos naturales.

A nivel internacional, la cordillera de los Andes fue su “consentida”, donde se dedicó a estudiar los grandes impactos ambientales de los sistemas de producción en la biodiversidad, la hidrología superficial y el secuestro de carbono en suelos. Para ello, dedicó tiempo y energía a reformar los programas nacionales y universitarios, promoviendo la investigación de calidad y considerando las necesidades y conocimientos de las poblaciones locales.

Después de su paso por Bolivia, en 1998 se trasladó a Perú, donde fue nombrado coordinador del recientemente creado Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina – CONDESAN con sede, en ese momento, en el Centro Internacional de la Papa. En ese entonces incluía a más de setenta organizaciones de la región, entre ONG y universidades, y los trabajos estaban focalizados en “sitios piloto”, desde los Andes de Mérida en Venezuela hasta los del noroeste de Argentina.

Una de las contribuciones más importantes de Josh, con relación a CONDESAN, fue dar el salto de la visión local a la regional, trazando líneas de trabajo en torno a grandes temas prioritario: agua, biodiversidad, políticas, cuencias…. Fue en este marco que construyó la primera propuesta regional, y su posterior consolidación: el Proyecto Páramo Andino, la primera iniciativa regional que vinculó instituciones de Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú, en la conservación de sus páramos y en el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de sus habitantes. Fue miembro de su Consejo Directo, en representación de la Universidad de Wisconsin.

El doctor Posner deja un importante legado, que ha inspirado -e inspirará- a muchos. A la región andina, que lo recordará entrañablemente por todas sus contribuciones. A sus colegas y amigos, quienes no olvidarán jamás su calidez humana, su enfática postura pacifista, e incluso su activismo durante la guerra de Vietnam. Y a su familia, en donde perdurará su profunda admiración por la vida.

A ese sentimiento nos unimos todo el equipo de CONDESAN y del Proyecto Páramo Andino, lamentamos su pérdida y extendemos nuestra solidaridad a su familia y a todos aquellos quienes, como nosotros, lo recuerdan con cariño y respeto… ¡Hasta pronto, Joshua!