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!
OVERVIEW
Immerse yourself in the rich rainforest biodiversity 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 and study at our 153-acre rainforest Center, surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage Forests.
→ Visit Daintree National Park, a 110-million-year-old biodiversity hotspot and possibly the world's oldest rainforest.
→ Engage with an Aboriginal Mob representative to discuss agriculture, land rights, and First Nations connections to the land.
→ Explore the biodiversity and diverse ecosystems on the Atherton Tablelands and engage with locals.
→ Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef while learning about its ecology and socio-environmental challenges.
→ Complete a field research project: develop a question, collect data, analyze findings, write a paper, and present your work.
LOCATION
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
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