ENVR 268 - St:Model Sustainability/Trop Ecolog

4 Credits

1 Units

In 1948, the small Central American country of Costa Rica abolished its military and has long avoided the conflict and civil war that has plagued its neighbors. This has enabled the country to invest in conservation, national parks, health care, education, renewable clean energy, ecological research, and other practices leading to it becoming a model for sustainable development. The country routinely scores highly in the global Happiness Rankings - an indicator of the well-being of citizens. In this course, students not only explore the biodiversity and tropical ecology of the beautiful and varied landscapes, but also research examples of sustainable practices including agriculture, indigenous traditions, conservation, reduction of a nation’s carbon footprint, and ecotourism. A trip to Costa Rica over spring break is a required component of the course that allows students to explore first-hand some examples of remarkable ecological theory and evolutionary adaptations and how sustainable theory is put into practice through a combination of traditional knowledge and national policy.

Credit Type Code: Letter Grade