SFS PERU: BIODIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AMAZON (SEMESTER)
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 18 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: November 1st. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
Discover the living Amazon. Explore the extraordinarily biodiverse ecosystems of the northern Peruvian Amazon. Discuss threats to the region – from climate change to resource extraction – and get at the heart of Peru’s conservation and development issues. Experience flooded forests on a multi-day riverboat expedition and travel to the Andean highlands where you’ll visit cloud forests and the historic Incan capital of Cusco, the hub for visitors to Machu Picchu.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- Take a multi-day excursion to the village of Sucusari to learn about the livelihoods of the Maijuna people and explore the rainforest from one of the world’s longest canopy walkways.
- Take a five-day riverboat expedition in Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area, home to species such as pink river dolphins, sloths, piranhas, primates, macaws, and giant river otters.
- Visit a manatee rescue center, tropical fish exporter, and potato and butterfly farms to study a range of local agriculture and conservation organizations.
- Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.
SFS students live and study at the Center for Amazon Studies, which lies halfway between the remote city of Iquitos and the port city of Nauta, nestled in the Amazon. The sounds of the forest permeate our campus, from student cabins to the pool and open-air student lounge. The rainforest is accessible via an on-campus trail system which traverses our 183-acre property. Small communities and local shops are within walking distance.
RESEARCH THEMES
- Climate change and conservation practice
- Landscape ecology and habitat fragmentation
- Biodiversity assessment
- Forest health and recovery
- Indigenous knowledge and histories
- Ecosystem services and carbon markets
- Impacts of development in the Amazon
- Biogeography
- Political ecology
CORE SKILLS
- Species identification and population monitoring
- Biodiversity surveys and habitat surveys
- Research plots and transects
- Interviewing and mapping techniques
- Conservation strategy assessment
- Basic Spanish language
- Research design and implementation
- Data collection and analysis
- Research presentation
CONNECT WITH SFS
Visit the
SFS website
Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email
admissions@fieldstudies.org
Read updates from the field on the
SFS Blog
Follow SFS on
Instagram and
Facebook
Watch student videos on
YouTube and
Vimeo
SPECIAL CSU INSURANCE NOTE
CSU students attending School for Field Studies programs will be automatically enrolled in additional travel health insurance. This very affordable insurance supplements the gaps, which U.S. insurance plans typical do not cover abroad (including evacuation coverage, out-of-network deductibles/co-pays, etc.). This insurance fee will be included in your CSU RamWeb charges approximately 10 days prior to the term start at CSU. For more information about the insurance benefits and costs, please reference the
CSU Education Abroad insurance website.
