Fall Semester (Sept - Dec)
"The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place." Rachel Carson
Prerequisites:
Distinct from our Winter Semester which takes a social approach to the study of natural resource management, the Fall Semester is science-based. Applicants should be in third year standing of a natural science program and have completed at least one university level statistics course.
The Haida Gwaii Semester courses provide an integrated, interdisciplinary examination of issues in natural resource management, using Haida Gwaii as the primary example for study. Students learn outside the walls of the classroom through the use of experiential and participatory approaches to student learning implemented by passionate instructors, each experts in their fields. Each course is three weeks in length, except the 'Ecosystems-Based Management Seminar' which runs throughout the semester, one afternoon per week. The course instructors create linkages for smooth transitions between course topics and themes.
Applied Ecology of Coastal Terrestrial Ecosystems (CONS 355)
This course is an in-depth examination of the processes that shape coastal terrestrial ecosystems through time and applications of that information to our current ecological reality. It covers topics from the historical geology of the islands to the structure, function and diversity of forests and landscapes today.
Biophysical Dynamics of the Marine-Terrestrial Interface (CONS 356)
Instructed by Dr. Scott Wallace
Land and sea have dynamic and profound influences on one another in Haida Gwaii, and students taking this course have a unique opportunity to explore such marine-terrestrial connections. Students learn about nutrient cycling between the marine environment and coastal forest ecosystems, how the physical characteristics of this interface can affect these inputs, and which species play a pivotal role in driving interactions.
Ecology and Management of Island Wildlife (CONS 357)
Instructed by Frank Doyle
This course focuses on unique biological attributes of island wildlife, such as subspecies, isolated populations and distinct evolutionary pathways. Topics for this course include an overview of endemic species on Haida Gwaii and their evolutionary history in the context of island biogeography theory and an examination of the parameters that drive population-level outcomes for native and introduced species.
Conservation Ecology: Applications of Multiple Sources of Ecological Knowledge (CONS 358)
Instructed by Dr. Dan McCarthy
Different types of ecological knowledge can complement scientific understanding of the structure, function and dynamics of ecosystems. This course compares and contrasts different types of ecological knowledge, including traditional knowledge and experiential knowledge (also referred to as local knowledge), and their respective roles in conservation.
Ecosystem Based Management Seminar (CONS 359)
Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is currently being imlplemented for terrestrial and marine resource management on Haida Gwaii. This provides a unique and exciting opportunity to engage students in innovative management approaches. Seminar topics include history, current definitions, applications and challenges of EBM. Students complete their own major term project involving independent research on applications of EBM for Haida Gwaii-based resource extraction.
Click here for information on accrediting these courses towards your academic program.
“The Haida Gwaii Semester represents a tremendous opportunity for students to learn actively about a community, its surrounding forest, and their interdependence. UBC is pleased to be involved in this endeavour.”
~ Peter Marshall, Associate Dean, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
