Land Use Change

Tropical North Queensland once supported extensive rainforests, but logging, mining, and agricultural production over the past two centuries have destroyed and degraded many rainforest habitats, disrupting the patterns and processes that keep these forests vibrant. Students examine how different land uses affect water quality, erosion, and the success of invasive species as well as the ecological processes within remnant rainforest patches. We engage with Aboriginal elders to learn more about their culture and efforts to reclaim their role in land management.

Chilean land tenure is changing rapidly. Land once owned and operated by ranchers and farmers has in the last decade been bought by rich international conservationists. Now this land is being ‘gifted’ back to the Chilean government – but with restrictions on use. We study the complexity of land tenure and land reform in this part of Patagonia and uncover the social and economic ramifications of the new political order.

Land-use change is impacting the ecological and socioeconomic landscape of Costa Rica, particularly around our host community, Atenas. As coffee farms compete with gated communities owned by wealthy locals or expats, the negative consequences are reflected in the exclusion of the local people. Real estate prices are going up, excluding local Costa Ricans, which has resulted in the loss of cultural heritage, changes in forest and agricultural cover, and more pressure on water resources and utilities. Students conduct literature reviews and visit different farms and field sites to hear firsthand accounts of the impacts of these changes.

The partitioning of communal lands to private ownership in the Kenya steppe is leading to increased conflict between humans and animals as once-open migration corridors have become platforms for competing human interests. Changing natural conditions and climate disruptions means herders and small-scale farmers must constantly find new places to raise livestock and grow crops. Additional pressures to develop protected areas and conservancies for wildlife don’t always serve the interests of all, adding additional discord between stakeholders in the region.

Students are introduced to lands-rights issues affecting Indigenous peoples as part of their introduction to tourism and development. This is particularly important to understand in the Bocas del Toro region since many land disputes are still active and have profound impacts on indigenous people in the region. Students will hear guest lectures from indigenous lawyers and affected citizens.

Land use changes occurring within the Maasai steppe of Tanzania have an influence on the current wildlife conservation practices and rural development trends among local communities. The traditional nomadic, pastoral lifestyles of the Maasai and other groups have long maintained the integrity of open landscapes that serve as critical migration corridors and dispersal areas for wide-ranging wildlife species, such as elephant, wildebeest, and zebra. Students identify the drivers of land-use change, as well as the implications for wildlife conservation and local communities’ livelihood needs.