Costa Rica: Sustainable Development
January 3-17, 2010
This
course offers a balance between scientific background
information and hands-on experiences. The environments explored range
from high- to low-elevation forests and from conventional high-input
farms to sustainable organic and bird-friendly coffee, cocoa and banana
plantations. Students learn about payment for environmental services,
certification of forest products, ecotourism, and other environmental
programs using coffee systems and natural and managed forests as
examples. Dr. Dean Current leads this group to Costa Rica. The cost of this program is $2,800.
Click the following link to find instructions and application materials. All completed forms must be received in 135 Skok Hall, by 4:30 on October 15th.
Jamaica: Integrated Tropical Water Quality Management
January 2-14, 2010
This
class is taught at Greencastle Estate, located in St. Mary's Parish on
the north coast. Greencastle is a 560 ha organic ranch which produces
tropical fruits and vegetables as well as Jamaican beef cattle.
Students stay on the Estate and in a small hotel in the nearby town of
Robins Bay. Cultural activities guided by Jamaican liaisons are part
of the class. The final two days include snorkeling at the Discovery
Bay marine lab.
The
objectives of the course are to help students understand tropical land
use/water quality relationships through experiential and active
learning activities. The focus in this course is discovery. We
measure along transects to understand the quality of, and human impacts
to the beach and the coral reef. We analyze fish, substrate and
aquatic insects in streams and rivers. Throughout the class, we will
talk in depth about what we saw and learned, and connect our learning
to environmental management. Students must be able to swim, to walk
and work in rigorous outdoor settings, and be willing to work in
groups. Drs. Jim Perry and John Vreyens leads this group in Jamaica. The cost of this program is $2,900.
Click the following link to find instructions and application materials. All completed forms must be received in 135 Skok Hall, by 4:30 on October 15th.
Thailand: Large Mammal Survey Design - Field Techniques
This
course will provide participants with a brief overview of Thailand's
culture and conservation challenges and then focus on applying a set of
well-developed field survey and conservation tools. The course begins
with a 2-day trip up Thailand's central waterway on a live-aboard barge
designed for research and education. The group then travels to
Thailand's premier conservation research site which will provide a
comfortable home base for daily field activities and a launching point
for a wilderness trip to more remote parts of western Thailand. Dr.
Dave Smith and Mr. Pete Cutter lead this group to Thailand. The cost of this program is $3,500.
Click the following link to find instructions and application materials. All completed forms must be received in 135 Skok Hall, by 4:30 on October 15th.
Switzerland: Mountain Agriculture
May 16-30, 2010
Based
at the Agricultural College Plantahof in Chur, this course explores
several different types of farming operations in Switzerland. The
agriculture systems that will be visited include animal, orchards,
vineyards and vegetable production both in valleys and in the
mountains. Opportunities will be provided to visit cooperatives, a
cheese factory and meet with local farmers and representatives in
Landquart.
Tourism
abounds in the region alongside agriculture. Students will be able to
experience a mountain hike, climb a glacier and even take the longest
toboggan ride in the world--nearly 3 km long! All students will have a
home stay with farmers in locations in the Alps near the summer
pastures for cattle. This course includes visits to the historic cities
of Chur, Zurich and Bern. Ms. Julie Tesch
leads this group. The cost of this program is $3,400.
Click the following link to find instructions and application materials. All completed forms must be received in 135 Skok Hall, by 4:30 on February 15th.
Bahamas: Tropical Island Marine Ecology
August 14-22, 2010
Experience a hands-on introduction to marine field biology. Students will learn about the ecosystems found on the island of Bimini through lectures followed by visits with a local expert on the ecosystems. The entire course is held at the Bimini Biological Field Station which specializes in fish and shark biology. Students have the chance to experience aquatic field research while working on a project based in one of the many ecosystems: mangroves, coral reefs, sandy inter-tidal zone, rocky inter-tidal zone, or seagrass ecosystems. This program is lead by Peter Sorensen in collaboration with the University of Miami. Students who participate in this program will earn 2 credits. The cost of this program is $2,600.
Click the following link to find instructions and application materials. All completed forms must be received in 135 Skok Hall, by 4:30 on February 15th.
