Description

The Protected Areas Practicum is uniquely focused on Management Strategies in Protected Area.

Contemporary protected areas emerged in the 19th century with the establishment of the Yellowstone National Park in North America in 1872 as a strategic approach to keeping sites possessing great aesthetic, recreational, or other values related to human use and enjoyment, as well as sites with significant potential economic value, in public ownership. Over the past century, the primary function of protected areas, and consequently their planning and management, has evolved from this focus to one in which the protection of species, ecosystems and ecological processes as well as culturally important resources has been put at the forefront for areas both under public and private ownership.

Recognizing the importance of protected areas in global conservation efforts, in the preservation of the world's native biodiversity and of their function in achieving ecological sustainable development, Belize signaled its intention to seriously engage in conserving and protecting its natural habitats through the creation of many protected areas, both terrestrial and marine. Historically, protection efforts not only in Belize but around the world have occurred at the level of individual protected areas rather than comprehensively as global landscapes necessary to offset the increasing demands and threats posed by human land uses and activities. Scientists, experts and communities have more recently recognized that conservation efforts must occur in a holistic manner that recognizes the interconnectivity of the different protected areas in maintaining a viable biological diversity. In 2006, Belize adopted a National Protected Areas Systems Plan and Policy to manage its protected areas as a system under one coherent framework rather than individually and separately.

This holistic approach to protected areas design, development and management has been the general prescription for conservation systems as more, bigger and connected areas are necessary to maintain and restore ecological systems from the impacts of large-scale natural (climate change) and anthropogenic processes (NPAPSP, 2005). Equally important are factors including social, economic and political factors, especially in developing countries. These elements are integrated through the establishment of science-based management regimes that allow species, ecosystems and ecological processes to continue unimpaired in protected areas.

This course explores the history, science, issues, and practice of the protected areas approach to conservation with a focus on Belizean examples. The philosophical underpinnings as well as the social, political and economic dimensions will also be studied to provide a holistic assessment of the complex issues surrounding protected areas and their role in biodiversity conservation.

Students enrolled in this summer program will be afforded the opportunity to work with experts in two protected areas in Belize, one terrestrial and one marine, to study the ecology of the systems and the strategies that are being employed in managing them. Students will enroll in ESCI 320 (Practicum) for 6 credits. During the first week, students will engage at Galen University with practicing professionals in Belize to first learn via presentations and discussion sessions about the historical, legal/political and practical experiences of Belize in managing its protected areas. Students will then spend 5-7 days each at a terrestrial and a marine protected area in Belize working with the personnel to engage in hands-on activities, including monitoring and ecological studies. Fieldwork will be supplemented with daily discussions at the field station on the activities undertaken. Students will choose mini-projects to carry out during their fieldwork. The final 2-3 days will be used for student reports on their mini-projects and course wrap-up.