SFS PERU: THE LIVING 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

 

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