SFS AUSTRALIA: RAINFOREST TO REEF (SEMESTER)
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 16 semester-hour credits
- Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 2.7 GPA, 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Fall: May 1st. Spring: Nov 1st. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
Immerse yourself in the rich biodiversity of the rainforest and learn about ecological resilience in the face of environmental threats like climate change. Explore the multitude of environments that exist in Northern Queensland and the complex relationships between them – rainforests to dry forests, savannahs to wetlands, and mangroves to coral reefs.
Join large-scale restoration ecology experiments and study sustainable food systems while developing skills in field research and data collection. In the final weeks of the semester, you’ll spend your time out in the field conducting an extensive research project.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- Live, work, and study at our most remote Center - a 153-acre rainforest property surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage Forests.
- Journey to the ancient forests at Daintree National Park, a biodiversity hotspot and, at over 110 million years old, possibly the oldest rainforest in the world.
- Connect with a representative of the area’s Aboriginal Mob for conversation around agriculture, land rights, and First Nations peoples connection with their land.
- Explore the biodiversity and diverse ecosystems on the Atherton Tablelands and engage with locals through community service.
- Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef while learning about its ecology and socio-environmental challenges.
- Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.
Students live and study at the SFS Center for Rainforest Studies. Our Center lies at the end of a narrow, winding road, in the middle of a lush rainforest. The 153-acre property is surrounded by protected World Heritage forests, and you can see incredible wildlife from the front steps of your cabin. Nearby Yungaburra and Cairns provide the occasional return to civilization.
RESEARCH THEMES
- Climate change
- Rainforest ecology and conservation
- Threatened species conservation
- Development and settlement in the rainforest
- Aboriginal ecotourism
- Forest ecotones
- Habitat restoration
- Animal behavior
CORE SKILLS
- GIS
- Species identification and population monitoring
- Forest survey methods
- Citizen science protocols
- Research design and implementation
- Data collection and analysis
- Research presentation
CONNECT WITH SFS
Visit the
SFS website
Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email
admissions@fieldstudies.org
Read updates from the field on the
SFS Blog
Follow SFS on
Instagram and
Facebook
Watch student videos on
YouTube and
Vimeo
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