Blog

Name: Dr. Justus Kithiia
Position: Lecturer in Environmental Policy and Socio-Economic Values
Program: Tropical Rainforest Studies, Australia

The last few weeks have been very busy for both staff and students at The SFS Centre for Rainforest Studies. We recently visited Chillagoe, a town in Far North Queensland that experienced its days of glory during the mining boom, but has now turned into a ghost town. There we explored the ancient Australian continent and cooled off in caves, before returning to the Centre. During the next week, the socio-econ field exercise involved designing a questionnaire and using it to collect data on perceptions of sustainability in the Tablelands through face-to-face interviews. Students had much fun exploring local towns and speaking with community members, but I have my doubts as to whether this fun persisted when it came to making sense of the data! It has not been all work and no play though; whenever possible, we take time off to go for a much deserved swim amidst the sweltering heat of the Wet Tropics. It’s been exciting, and it never stops! Next week we’ll be in the Daintree National Park, and who knows what to expect? This is “The School for Field Studies.”