summer session I

Australia

Rainforests of New Zealand and Australia

At A Glance

04 Weeks | 04 Credits
Summer 2019

Jun 3 - Jul 3

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Prerequisites

None

Sample Itinerary
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Rainforests of New Zealand and Australia

New Zealand & North Queensland, Australia

Rainforests are shrinking, but hope is not lost. In this two-country program, you’ll learn how environmental and social factors have contributed to forest fragmentation in the spectacular, once-vast rainforests of Australia and New Zealand. Travel between the two countries to compare endangered species management practices, natural resource use in Indigenous communities, and approaches to ecosystem restoration.

  • Learn about the Māori people’s connection with nature as you explore the ancient podocarp and Kauri forests of northern New Zealand which contain trees estimated to be more than 2,000 years old

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 and New Zealand.

Major academic themes include:

  • Two-country comparison
  • Forest ecosystems
  • Natural resource management
  • Threatened species conservation
  • Human development impacts
  • Indigenous knowledge and histories

Courses

On the Rainforests of New Zealand and Australia program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English.

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

SFS 3540 Rainforests of New Zealand and Australia 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, and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

Field Sites

You will visit different ecosystems and communities, which may include primary/old-growth rainforests, wet sclerophyll forests (tall open forests), Indigenous protected areas, podocarp and Kauri forests of northern New Zealand, rainforest restoration projects, and dry Eucalypt forests.

Resources

Spend the Summer with SFS!

Get more out of your SFS experience when you take back-to-back summer sessions. More time to explore the ecosystems and communities, more time to learn about complex environmental issues, and more time to build practical skills. Each summer session focuses on a different topic, and you’ll have time to travel independently between sessions.

RECOMMENDED PROGRAM
Australia Summer Session II: Watersheds of the Wet Tropics

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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. The 153-acre property is surrounded by protected World Heritage forests, and comes alive at night with the sounds of wildlife. The nearby town of Yungaburra and city of 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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