We are excited to provide students with unparalleled learning opportunities in Australia’s tropical paradise and traverse one of the most spectacular and diverse tropical ecosystems on the planet. Students will immerse themselves in lush tropical forests adorned with exotic plants and wildlife and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef’s spectacular coral decorated with colorful fish with a focused curriculum on the intertwined interdependency of these two ecosystems.
The dynamism and diversity of the exceptionally rich ecosystems of Tropical North Queensland are intimately tied to their human history and present-day use. As the world’s oldest surviving culture, the Australian Aboriginal people have long interacted with these land and seascapes. However, the ability to continue to steward the land has been severed through colonization and the ensuing development of mining, forestry, agriculture, fishing and tourism industries.
All these factors have resulted in an ecologically and culturally fragmented landscape that faces persistent environmental pressures. The threat of human-induced climate change, with increasing global temperatures and levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide resulting in higher frequencies of destructive disturbance events such as cyclones and mass coral bleaching, are among the issues facing this area. In recent decades, a conservation consciousness has taken hold, leading to a range of responses in the form of innovative scientific research, management measures, protected area designation, stakeholder collaborations, and indigenous initiatives which seek to preserve the rich values of the area. However, with current political uncertainty, powerful industry pressure, and the threat of global climate change, efforts to maintain this extraordinary place must remain strong.
Students will gain skills in rainforest ecology, methods of field data collection, invertebrate biology, and marine research and field techniques. Via readings and discussions, students will understand the unique physical and biological features that make Far North Queensland exceptional. On this program, our team will get be introduced to the Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef from a stay on Fitzroy Island, then experience terrestrial tropical field ecology, and most likely conclude with a week or so on the beautiful Orpheus Island where we will complete coral reef surveys and an independent research project. We will also extend our studies to include the Atherton Tablelands and its fascinating geology, crater lakes and amazing wildlife (hopefully platypus and tree kangaroos!); investigations of the completely different natural history of the drier savannah, dry rainforests, Crystal Caves and the ancient Undara Lava Tubes; and expand our time with local and Aboriginal cultures;
