Best Practices in Environmental Field Methods

Xavier Silva, SIT Study Abroad, Ecuador: Comparative Ecology & Conservation

Description

For SIT Environmental Programs, the Environmental Field Study Seminar (EFSS) is crucial for the program’s academic structure and an invaluable way to put in practice the Experiential Learning concept. Also prepares the students for their Independent Study Projects (ISP), especially through the development of the Field Investigation Projects (FIP) during the Educational Excursions.

There is a vast array of environmental, biological, ecological and social methods that can be implemented during EFSS and FIPs. This involves practical studies of different elements of the ecosystems, such as: soils, water & watersheds, plants, forests, invertebrates (usually insects), vertebrates (usually birds, amphibians and mammals such as monkeys), etc. Human activities and impacts on the environment can be also analyzed, such as deforestation & changes in land-use, extractivism (mining, petroleum, etc.) and other impacts.

This proposal presents some of the most interesting environmental field methods and best practices used by the Ecuador Program: “Comparative Ecology & Conservation”. The proposal also makes an analysis of their viability for education and the environmental ethics implied in these methods, since the study of living organisms can be sometimes invasive for them and the ecosystem.

This proposal hopes to provide valuable elements to Academic Directors leading environmental programs and to initiate an interesting discussion about the best practices of implementing environmental field methods during the semester.

 
Aug 10th, 10:30 AM Aug 10th, 12:00 PM

Best Practices in Environmental Field Methods

For SIT Environmental Programs, the Environmental Field Study Seminar (EFSS) is crucial for the program’s academic structure and an invaluable way to put in practice the Experiential Learning concept. Also prepares the students for their Independent Study Projects (ISP), especially through the development of the Field Investigation Projects (FIP) during the Educational Excursions.

There is a vast array of environmental, biological, ecological and social methods that can be implemented during EFSS and FIPs. This involves practical studies of different elements of the ecosystems, such as: soils, water & watersheds, plants, forests, invertebrates (usually insects), vertebrates (usually birds, amphibians and mammals such as monkeys), etc. Human activities and impacts on the environment can be also analyzed, such as deforestation & changes in land-use, extractivism (mining, petroleum, etc.) and other impacts.

This proposal presents some of the most interesting environmental field methods and best practices used by the Ecuador Program: “Comparative Ecology & Conservation”. The proposal also makes an analysis of their viability for education and the environmental ethics implied in these methods, since the study of living organisms can be sometimes invasive for them and the ecosystem.

This proposal hopes to provide valuable elements to Academic Directors leading environmental programs and to initiate an interesting discussion about the best practices of implementing environmental field methods during the semester.