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; 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
Discover the incredible biodiversity of the rainforest and study ecological resilience in the face of environmental threats like climate change. Learn about management and conservation issues in the rainforest and examine their downstream impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Join community restoration ecology initiatives and study environmental policy and community conservation approaches while gaining skills in field research and data collection.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- Explore the world’s oldest rainforest – the Daintree – then work alongside citizen volunteers to regenerate critical rainforest habitats.
- Travel to the Great Barrier Reef to learn about the biological links between rainforest and reef ecosystems.
- Experience firsthand the transition from savannas on the edge of the Outback to the lush green coastal rainforests and mangroves.
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 fragmentation and recovery
- Marsupial behavior
- Aboriginal ecotourism
- Forest ecotones
- Habitat restoration
CORE SKILLS
- GIS and GPS
- Species identification and population monitoring
- Forest survey methods
- Animal behavior observation
- 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
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