semester

Australia

Rainforest to Reef

At A Glance

14 Weeks | 16 Credits
Fall 2019

Sep 2 - Dec 5

Open

Spring 2020

Jan 27 - Apr 30

Open

Prerequisites

One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science

Sample Itinerary
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Rainforest to Reef

Tropical North Queensland

Learn about climate change in some of the world’s most ancient ecosystems. The Australian rainforest is rich with biodiversity, and living at our field station in the middle of the rainforest, you’ll be completely immersed in it. Tree kangaroos, cassowaries, rainbow lorikeets, and pademelons are your neighbors as you study conservation, socio-ecological resilience, rainforest management, and impacts on the Great Barrier Reef – the world’s largest living organism, home to a host of iconic marine species such as sea turtles and giant clams. Become a part of large-scale restoration ecology experiments in collaboration with Indigenous groups and community NGOs, and finish the semester with an extensive field research project.

  • Explore the world’s oldest rainforest – the Daintree – then work alongside community volunteers to regenerate critical rainforest habitats
  • Travel to the Great Barrier Reef to learn about the biological links between rainforest and reef ecosystems
  • Experience firsthand the transition from savannas on the edge of the Outback to the lush green coastal rainforests and mangroves.

Program Costs & Financial Aid

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‌Academics

This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia.

Major academic themes include:

  • Rainforest ecology and conservation
  • Climate change
  • Habitat restoration ecology
  • Threatened species conservation
  • Aboriginal ecotourism
  • Development and settlement in the rainforest
  • Rainforest fragmentation and recovery
  • Forest ecotones
  • Animal behavior

Courses

On the Rainforest to Reef program, you will take three 4-credit disciplinary courses and a 4-credit capstone Directed Research course. Courses are participatory in nature and are designed to foster inquiry and active learning. Each course combines lectures, field exercises, assignments, tests, and research. All courses are taught in English.

Click on each course to view a description and download the syllabus

SFS 3020 Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values 4 credits
SFS 3690 Rainforest Ecology 4 credits
SFS 3700 Principles of Forest Management 4 credits
SFS 4910 Directed Research 4 credits

Core Skills

You will gain practical skills in the field such as: GIS use and applications, species identification and population monitoring, forest survey methods, citizen science protocols, research design and implementation, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and research presentation.

Field Sites

You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary and secondary tropical rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, tropical savanna, wet sclerophyll forests, coastal scrub and mangrove, Melaleuca (paperbark) swamps, Indigenous communities, and local conservation and restoration groups.

Resources

Directed Research

In the Directed Research course, each student completes a field research project under the mentorship of a faculty member – beginning with data collection and analysis and concluding with a research paper and presentation. Project subject areas span ecology, natural resource management, conservation science, environmental ethics, and socioeconomics.

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All program components are subject to change.

‌Life in the Field

At the end of a narrow, winding road, in the middle of a lush rainforest, lies this remote field station. Our 153-acre property is surrounded by protected World Heritage forests, and you can see incredible wildlife from the front steps of your cabin. Nearby Yungaburra and Cairns provide the occasional return to civilization.

  • Group living in 8-person cabins
  • Main building with classroom, lab, and study spaces
  • Student lounge with scenic porch views
  • Covered outdoor dining area, on-site cooking staff
  • Volleyball and extensive trail network for hiking
  • Swimming and running trails a nearby Crater Lake

 
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