Global Field Program with Earth Expeditions

Description

Australia: This graduate course program is offered jointly with Reef HQ Aquarium, Australia's National Education Centre for the Great Barrier Reef. Reef HQ Aquarium is a unit of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which holds responsibility for the management and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef. Located in Townsville, Queensland, Reef HQ Aquarium houses the world's largest living coral reef exhibit.

Belize: Join our partner, the Belize Zoo, and explore diverse terrestrial, coastal, and coral reef communities of Belize, while learning about conservation programs on such species as harpy eagles, jaguars, manatees, and howler monkeys. Possible investigations include monitoring manatee population dynamics, human influence on coral reefs, aquatic mangrove species sampling, and species behavior studies at the Belize Zoo. Discover the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and inspire conservation. All students will have the chance to conduct an investigation of the local ecosystem, asking their own questions, collecting data, and presenting conclusions. Prior to and following the field experience in Belize, students will complete coursework via Dragonfly Workshops Web-based learning community as they apply experiences to their home institutions.

Costa Rica: Travel to Costa Rica to explore Neotropical systems, including lowland rain forest and cloud forest. Investigate the biotic, physical, and cultural forces that affect tropical biodiversity. We will focus on the theory and practice of inquiry in understanding local ecosystems. All students will have the chance to conduct an investigation of the local ecosystem, asking their own questions, collecting data, and presenting conclusions.

Guyana: Partnered with the Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo, this course focuses on the traditional ecological knowledge of the Makushi and the potential of local wisdom to guide conservation initiatives. The Makushi have a long tradition of managing their resources creatively by proudly embracing their traditional culture. Conscious of the value of indigenous and non-indigenous knowledge, Guyana's Makushi people are becoming masters of straddling both worlds.

Kenya: Join Kenyan conservationists, educators, community leaders, and youth to study sustainable approaches to human-wildlife coexistence. Possible research projects may focus on high-impact species, such as lions or elephants, species groups (such as grazers), the role of the Maasai in the ecosystem; grassland diversity studies; conservation in parks and beyond; and participatory education and local knowledge.

Borneo (Malaysia): Partnered with the Woodland Park Zoo, we will join researchers from the NGO Hutan and the Danau Girang Field Centre, and villagers of the Kinabatangan region who are responsible for model community-based efforts to preserve orangutans, Bornean pygmy elephants, and other species. In addition to becoming familiar with primatological field methods and their applications, students in the course will work with local groups and develop new ways to engage communities worldwide in saving orangutans and other wildlife. Possible field studies include: social behavior of primates, habitat selection, census methods, impact of forest fragmentation and reforestation, and the use of social networks in great-ape conservation campaigns.

Baja (Mexico): A premise of this course is that field methods are not only essential for ecological research, they can serve as the basis for participatory education, public engagement in science, and community-based environmental stewardship. Many groups, from teachers leading schoolyard ecology to parataxonomists involved in ethnobotanical research, share a need for reliable information obtained through robust field methods to build understanding and to promote informed action. Field methods--point sampling, capture/recapture, quadrant studies, pitfall traps, line transects, and others--are fundamental tools that allow investigators of all backgrounds to generate knowledge needed to become better informed environmental citizens. Students will become familiar with a range of field methods and contribute to an on-going cattle exclusion project studying the impact of cattle on desert plant communities.

Mongolia: The birthplace of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in human history, Mongolia is now a vibrant democracy and home to an open wilderness that has few parallels in the modern world. We will explore the great steppes, and especially engage in the conservation story of two key steppe species: Pallas' cats and Przewalski's horse. Pallas' cats are important steppe predators whose conservation provides insights into the challenges facing the survival of small wild cats worldwide. Przewalski's horse, also called takhi, are considered to be the only true wild horse left in the world. We will join research on an ambitious reintroduction project based in Mongolia that has returned this remarkable species to its former homeland after being driven to extinction in the wild. Possible research projects include studies of the populations, home range, and conservation of Pallas' cats and Przewalski's horse; participatory media and conservation knowledge; and community-based research. Discover the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and inspire conservation.

Namibia: Travel to Namibia, Africa, with Cincinnati Zoo and Miami University instructors to join the Zoo's long-term partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)--the global center of cheetah conservation worldwide. Ongoing research projects at CCF include radio tracking, cheetah physiology, ecosystem management, and the design of school and community programs in Namibia. Discover the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and inspire conservation. All students will have the chance to conduct an investigation of the local ecosystem, asking their own questions, collecting data, and presenting conclusions. Inquiry investigations may include species behavioral studies, waterhole surveys, and full moon game counts.

Peru: Travel to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest and work with educators, researchers, and local communities to better understand the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity in this region, and to experience firsthand the effects of human interventions in the Amazon, from deforestation and urbanization to restoration efforts by local groups. Our field site includes a world-renown clay lick that provides nutrients to thousands of macaws, parrots, and other species, providing an exceptional opportunity to investigate methods of avian research, and the vital roles that birds play in forest systems. We will explore how we are all linked to this magnificent rainforest, sometimes called the "lungs of the planet," and how to develop effective actions to engage public audiences in rainforest conservation.

Thailand: Travel to Thailand to investigate this country's astonishing Old World rain forests and diverse cultural environments. This course will address key topics in ecology while exploring emerging models of conservation and education. Possible research projects include Buddhism and the environment; indigenous ecological knowledge; spiritual connections to nature; and community forests. Discover the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and inspire conservation. All students will have the chance to conduct an investigation of the local ecosystem, asking their own questions, collecting data, and presenting conclusions.

Hawai'i (united States): Students in this course will join with San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG), Project Dragonfly, and Hawaiian partners to explore what it takes to save species in the wild. We will focus especially on the inspirational work of SDZG's Institute for Conservation Research, which uses science, education, and community programs to rescue species from the brink of extinction. The Institute's Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) has a successful history of restoring Hawaiian birds and their native forested habitats. The KBCC is currently working with several species, including the Hawaiian crow, or 'Alal?, which has been extinct in the wild since 2002, and whose last remaining members live only in captivity. Historically, the 'Alal? has contributed to the health of native forests as a significant seed disperser, and the bird has an important place in Hawaiian culture. An earlier effort to reintroduce the 'Alal? did not succeed. Evidence suggests that the success of a planned second attempt will depend partly on developing and implementing effective methods of community engagement and participatory education.

Highlights

Australia: One of the seven wonders of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef lies in the clear blue waters off the northeast coast of Australia. Spanning 14 degrees of latitude, this complex reef system is not only the greatest expanse of coral in the world, it is the Earths' largest living structure, a massive, beautiful, and ancient biological phenomenon of bewildering diversity and immense ecological significance. Habitats within the reef mosaic include the coral reefs themselves (some 3,000 individual reefs), sponge gardens, sea grasses, mangroves, continental islands, and coral cays, which together help support a rich assemblage of marine and terrestrial life, including more than 1,500 species of fish, 200 species of birds, six species of sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and dugongs.

Belize: Belize contains an important chunk of the vast Maya Forest that stretches across the Yucatan Peninsula. This lowland forest, home to more than 95 mammal and 400 bird species, is the second-largest contiguous tract of tropical forest in the Americas. Animals include jaguar, puma, ocelot, armadillo, keel-billed toucans, and macaws. Within Belize's rich coastal environments lives what may be the largest population of manatees in the Caribbean. The diverse marine ecosystem of Belize also includes a 290-kilometer-long barrier reef, the longest in the Western Hemisphere.

Costa Rica: The enchanting cloud forests of Monteverde contain one of the leading tropical research communities in the world. We will gain direct knowledge on topics such as the ecology of cloud-forest canopies, the role of birds in determining forest structure, ecological succession, schoolyard ecology in the Neotropics, and how climate and geology shape tropical ecosystems. Located in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica, La Selva comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and disturbed lands. It has become one of the most important sites in the world for research on tropical rain forest. Over 240 scientific papers are published yearly from research conducted at the site.

Guyana: Guyana is a lush and remarkably intact country in northeastern South America. Covering an extraordinary 80% of the country, Guyana's rain forests are part of the Guiana Shield considered one of the last four Frontier Forests in the world. Guyana is famous for its relative abundance of iconic Amazonian species such as jaguars, arapaima (a "living fossil" and one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world), harpy eagles, giant anteaters, giant river otter, and the giant water lily.

Kenya: The South Rift Valley of Kenya, stretching from the Maasai Mara National Reserve through Amboseli National Park, is one of the most spectacular wildlife areas on the planet. Earth Expeditions has partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens and the African Conservation Centre to advance community-based conservation in this dynamic landscape. This effort builds on the decades-long research of Dr. David Western, former head of the Kenya Wildlife Service, and the centuries-long research of the Maasai pastoralists, who have long co-existed with wildlife in an open grassland ecosystem populated by elephants, lions, giraffes, zebra, wildebeests, and a remarkable diversity of other species. With the rise of nontraditional lifestyles, private ranches, and fenced lands that prevent needed wildlife migrations, communities of the South Rift have recognized the need to understand the impact of these changes and to work together for a better future.

Borneo (Malaysia): Nestled in the Malay Archipelago, tropical Borneo has captured the imaginations of explorers and naturalists for centuries. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and home to remarkable cultural and ecological diversity. Borneo's primate community is exceptionally rich--the Earth Expeditions course site along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah (East Malaysia) is home to ten primate species, including proboscis monkeys, which occur only in Borneo, two species of leaf monkey, two species of macaque, gibbons, as well as the large-eyed, nocturnal tarsier and slow loris. Of greatest conservation concern is the orangutan, which occurs naturally on only two islands in the world, Borneo and Sumatra, and is under increasingly severe pressure, primarily from habitat loss. Researchers have projected that the orangutan, the only great ape in Asia, may completely vanish from the wild within two decades.

Baja (Mexico): Discover the rich waters and terrestrial ecosystems of Baja. A UNESCO World Heritage site and biosphere reserve located on the Sea of Cortez, Bahía de los Ángeles is a unique ecoregion with remarkable marine and terrestrial (mainland and island) environments well suited to a broad range of studies. Earth Expeditions students also explore Rancho San Gregorio, a family-owned ranch located in a small canyon where its isolation and climate make it a hotspot for desert investigations. In partnership with the Vermillion Sea Field Station, join colleagues and gain proficiency in applying field methods to ecological questions and conservation practice while surveying these unique ecosystems.

Mongolia: Central Mongolia is a vast, wild landscape of rolling green steppe and stony mountains, far reaching valleys, sturdy horses, short grass aromatic with sage, and hospitable nomads living in traditional round gers. The Mongolian steppe is part of the Eurasian steppes, a vast belt of grassland extending from eastern Europe through western and central Asia to northeast Asia. A temperate biome, steppes are found in the central regions of continents, far from the sea. Mongolia is an invigorating place to visit and, with the world's lowest population density and enormous swathes of virgin landscape, one of the best wilderness destinations in Asia.

Namibia: Most of the course will take place at or around the Cheetah Conservation Fund headquarters located in the bushveld ecosystem of North Central Namibia -- in the heart of cheetah territory. Under the leadership of Dr. Laurie Marker, CCF maintains a modern Research Center housing research facilities and a veterinary clinic, an Education Center, and a Visitor's Center. We will visit Etosha National Park, one of the world's greatest wildlife-viewing locations, home to elephants, giraffes, zebras, springboks, elands, hyenas, lions, cheetahs, leopards, ostriches, and many other species.

Peru: In this region of the Neotropics, reality has attained mythic proportions: More than 400 species of mammal, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 fish, 40,000 plants, and 2.5 million insect species. And still counting. The staggering diversity of the lush Amazon rainforest remains, in many ways, a mystery. Why is this area of South America the most diverse on the planet? How did such diversity--greater even than the species-rich rainforests of Africa and Asia--arise, and how is it maintained? How have the varied human groups that inhabit this region adapted to their unique environments? And perhaps the most relevant question for life on Earth, what is the future of the Amazon?

Thailand: Located approximately 200 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, Khao Yai is Thailand's oldest national park. The 2,100 square kilometer park encompasses a variety of vegetation zones including evergreen rainforest and mixed deciduous forest. Approximately 200 to 300 wild elephants share the park with tigers, gibbons, barking deer, civets, and sun bears. Khao Yai's rich forests are home to a large population of hornbills including the great hornbill, one of the most conspicuous of the hornbill clan with its bright yellow "horn" or casque on top of its head. There are numerous hiking trails and several wildlife observation towers, including one near a natural salt lick that entices elephants, barking deer, and gaur into the open. Wat Paa Sukhato is a forest monastery in a remote village in northeast Thailand's Chaiyaphum province. The monastery is an outstanding example of the interwoven strands of conservation, Buddhism, and community. The monks designated the forest surrounding their monastery as sacred, prohibiting logging and the killing of wild animals. They fostered a reverence for nature among the local community and recruited the villagers to help prevent forest fires. The monks also helped local children form an environmental education club called Dek Rak Nok (Children Love Birds) with the goal to protect the local bird population. In addition to learning about birds, children create painted wooden pins that are sold in national parks such as Khao Yai, in support of the program. Monks also lead an annual week-long "Green Walk" around the watershed forest to promote conservation awareness.

Hawai'i (United States): Born from a volcanic hotspot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the extraordinary island ecosystems of Hawai'i evolved in isolation over millions of years. The islands have long been home to many species that occur nowhere else on the planet. However, since the arrival of humans, native species have been under tremendous threat, and by many measures Hawai'i is becoming one of the United States' most profound conservation failures. Habitat destruction, environmental degradation, introduced species, and other forces have made Hawai'i a global center for extinction. For example, more than half of 113 endemic Hawaiian bird species have perished. Most of the remaining species are in decline or hanging by a thread. Yet as we document, one-by-one, the extinction of Hawaiian species, the image of Hawai'i as a diverse tropical paradise continues each year to draw millions of visitors, the vast majority remaining unaware that the native species of Hawai'i are in peril.