Belize - Natural History

JANUARY 2013

BIO371 Natural History of Belize

Program Dates: December 27, 2012–January 12, 2013

Understanding natural history is a critical endeavor in our degraded world. This seminar in the Natural History of Belize  takes up the challenge what it means to take seriously our role as leaders to preserve biodiversity in God’s creation.

Participants will gain knowledge about the biological aspects of population declines and habitat associations of species characteristic of the mountains, coastlines, and coral reefs of Belize, and the related social, economic, and religious perspectives of biodiversity conservation. We will spend a considerable amount of time investigating biodiversity of the region, placing emphasis on perspectives of people of Garifuna, Latino, Creole, and Mayan heritages.

This seminar enables participants to see diversity in culture, and also in environments, life forms, animals and plants. More importantly, as we explore new areas in nature, we will be able to make connections between stewardship, biodiversity, and cultural backgrounds and explore different cultural approaches to managing biodiversity and caring for creation.

Prerequisite: BIO250 Plants, Ecology, and Evolution or BIO222 Environmental Science or permission of instructor.

Fulfills Global Understanding Core when taken with COR210 and COR211 through the GEO. See details below.

LOCATIONS

Belize covers an area of incredible natural beauty, replacing our familiar northeastern species with plants and animals that are adapted to the lush rainforests, gallery forests, and extensive reefs of the tropics. Toucans, army ants, motmots, jaguars, howler monkeys, and kinkajous serve as evidence of God’s Works.

The first portion of the class at Jaguar Creek focuses on biodiversity and conservation issues in the Maya Mountains.The seminar will  meeti with a local Christian NGO (Pathlight) which focuses on terrestrial conservation and participate in an ongoing research project. 

The second portion focuses on ecology and conservation of marine systems in coastal areas of  the Dangriga region of the country.

Finally, the seminar returns to Jaguar Creek and work with Pathlight to discuss on-site conservation applications.

COURSE FORMAT

This course will be taught through a combination of lecture, discussion, and field work. Consequently, students are expected to actively participate in the development and direction of this course. Students are expected to come to class fully prepared, to ask questions, to introduce ideas and topics for discussion, and to participate in discussions.

• guest and faculty lectures
• discussion (including student-led discussions)
• assigned readings
• two short papers
• journal
• field identification tests

REQUIRED MEETINGS PRE- and POST SEMINAR

BIO291 requires  three evening classes prior to Christmas break and one after the seminar.  Each session is three hours. Prior to departure students will begin to explore a topic for their lecture. Upon return, students will present their paper on their species of concern to the rest of the class in PowerPoint format.

APPLICATION

 Applications will be considered for acceptance in the order received.

• Complete online application (link available to Gordon students only)
• Contact Prof. Keller about your interest in the seminar
• Submit applications no later than APRIL 1, 2012
• Submit a non-refundable $30 application fee

Upon acceptance, a $450 non-refundable deposit is required to confirm acceptance.

CORE CREDIT
Students wishing to fulfill Global Understanding core through participation in the Belize Seminar must:

• Participate in COR210/211 New Perspectives in Global Understanding 1 and 2 (0-credit). Lab fees apply as of Fall 2013.
• Register for COR210/211 on the online international seminar application

Pre-Departure: COR210 New Perspectives in Global Understanding 1 is an all-day SATURDAY seminar taken in November.  This course equips students to reflect purposefully upon the theory and praxis of what it means to be citizen-sojourners and deal with the challenges of interpreting cultural difference, ethnocentrism, and how culture shaped behavior and values.

Re-Entry: COR211 New Perspectives in Global Understanding is again an all-day Saturday seminar taken in January/February upon return to campus. This course equips students to ask the deeper questions of their global experience and explore how both reintegrate and deepen the learning of your short-term cross cultural experience. 

Contact the GEO for further details.

COURSE REGISTRATION

Accepted students will be asked to register electronically with the GEO. After accepted students have paid their deposit to the GEO, the GEO will send a list of the seminar participants to the Registrar’s office.

 COST

Program costs include: tuition, site fees, meals and lodgings, travel related to program, roundtrip airfare to and from Boston Logan airport, and non-refundable deposit. The total cost will be approximately $3,400.

 NB: Final costs will be determined based on the number of student participants, final flight costs, etc. Students will be responsible for any extra travel outside of course assignments.