About

The Milpa Agricultural Placemaking Project (MAPP) is a four-year initiative based in the Department of History at the University of North Texas, funded by the USDA's National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Led by Dr. Michael Wise and Dr. Sandra Mendiola García, our project introduces traditional agricultural practices to the UNT campus and surrounding community. MAPP focuses on implementing the milpa concept—an ancient Mesoamerican agricultural approach that transforms small, underutilized spaces into productive food-growing areas. Our work includes establishing edible landscapes across campus, developing a food studies curriculum, creating a seed library, documenting agricultural oral histories, and hosting community events like seedling giveaways. Through partnerships with Texas A&M's Urban Agricultural Research Lab and local community gardens, we provide hands-on learning experiences for students while building meaningful connections between campus and community.