Overview of the Program
"This program is a great opportunity for us to learn about contemporary issues in natural resource management right where they are happening and to see the immediate effects they are having on communities" Sam Chapman-Schmidt, University of Victoria
The Haida Gwaii Semester is an intensive field study program for undergraduates. The program provides an immersion opportunity in a resource-dependent community facing economic transition, population decline, increasing local control of natural resources, and new decision-making frameworks. A microcosm of the world, Haida Gwaii is a “natural” classroom for students to learn firsthand about the social, cultural, political, ecological and economic issues confronting natural resource managers around the globe, as well as strategies for building a sustainable future.
The Haida Gwaii Semester includes a full course load. Four of these courses run in successive 3-week blocks while the final project-based course runs throughout the semester. Classes are scheduled from Monday to Friday and involve lectures, discussions, field trips, and guest speakers from the community.
Next, learn about the courses offered during the Haida Gwaii Semester...
“Experiences like our trip to see forest operations are a constant reminder of the pressures put on forests to sustain resource dependent communities and the changes that must be made to ensure a functional relationship with the forest can continue into the distant future.”
- Ansley Charbonneau, 2010 Haida Gwaii Semester Student (University of Guelph)
