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Course Title: Coastal Diversity and Threatened Marine Turtles in Bahia Magdalena, EE (NS) 356
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Program Overview
This is a four-week summer program that covers a variety of topics and issues relating to the preservation of diversity in coastal systems. Lectures and field exercises covering topics such as integrated coastal zone management, ecological economics, Mexican history and society, coastal ecology and fisheries management will provide the theoretical background for the research, education and conservation projects that students will undertake. Using the backdrop of Bahía Magdalena and the coastal community of Puerto San Carlos, students will be exposed to a variety of environmental issues such as fisheries depletion; a local cannery that is polluting the bay; and poachers who continue to illegally take protected sea turtles. Students will also have ample opportunity to practice their Spanish throughout the program.
Course Description
This course exposes students to the relationship between the decline in biodiversity and the health of the Magdalena Bay ecosystem. In this course, we will identify the most critically threatened areas in Bahía Magdalena as the essential first step in designing a strategy for protecting these resources. Lectures and field exercises will cover topics such as integrated coastal zone management, sea turtle protection, ecological economics, Mexican history and society, coastal ecology and fisheries management. The research component of the course will concentrate on the threatened green turtle, which uses Bahía Magdalena for both breeding and feeding habitat.
Program Highlights
- An interdisciplinary, experiential, applied research program model
- On site staff that includes a Center Director, three faculty members, and a Student Affairs Manager (SAM) who oversees risk management, student health and non-academic programming.
- Financial aid available to qualified students (need-based aid).
Program Details
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Credits |
Four undergraduate credits |
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Dates |
Session II: July 13 - August 11, 2009 |
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Location/Base |
Bahía Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico |
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Program Fees |
$3,720 (includes all tuition, room, board, and local travel. (Fee excludes airfare). |
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Prerequisites |
College Undergraduates: No academic prerequisite
High School Students: 16 years of age; good academic standing; completion of at least junior year of high school |
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Financial Aid |
Need-based scholarships and loans available. See our financial aid page for more information. |
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Research Focus |
Students examine the ecological, societal, and economic issues surrounding sea turtles in Bahía Magdalena. Students meet protected area managers, learn practical field skills, and gain into cultural perceptions by speaking with local fishers, tourism operators, and government officials. |
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Field Research, Lectures, & Exercises |
- Camping trips to estuaries in Bahía Magdalena;
- Field trips to nearby protected areas Loreto or La Paz;
- Sea turtle population assessment by collecting biological data on live and stranded turtles in the Bay;
- Evaluating the social and economic importance of sea turtles by surveying local fishers and townspeople;
- Collecting GIS data for research projects that can benefit the local government, fishers, and tourism operators;
- Creating an environmental education curriculum to support various conservation initiatives within the community.
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Language of Instruction
English
Application Deadlines
Rolling admission.
Housing
Students will stay at the Center for Coastal Studies, overlooking beautiful Bahía Magdalena on the outskirts of Puerto San Carlos, a small fishing community. Student accommodations are four person cabins with access to computers, library, kitchen, bathroom facilities, and study areas on site. Tour the field station.
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