COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an Introduction to the study of major environmental problems and issues confronting modern society. Students will examine Ecosystems, population patterns and dynamics; use and misuse of resources; population and environmental quality; environmental citizenship and economic incentives and Costa Rican initiatives in eco-tourism.
OBJECTIVES
-Introduce the student to environmental problems and their socio-economical implications in Latin America, using Costa Rica as an example.
-Study current and actual cases about conservation and management of biodiversity and Wildlife.
-Visit different environments in the topics where the relationship between environment and society will be studied.
METHODOLOGY
We will attempt to follow the pedagogical methodology in the PAULO FREIRE sense, mainly by means of the dialog. This means any subject will be presented using handout materials, and eventually questions will be asked prompting and motivating participation. Also, some videos will be used in an interactive way. It will be necessary to read some papers or chapters of books. It is expected that students will participate actively through questions, answers or comments during the classes.
Students will learn by:
1. Active participation doing research in an interesting subject.
2. Observation and analytical discussion of videos, such as: Costa Rica counts the future (1996) and Vicugna production in Argentina(2003).
3. Creating comparative tables between traditional and non-traditional agriculture or among lodging, fisheries and mining regarding items such as: origin, history, economy, labor force, chemistry uses, level and examples of actual case studies.
4. Participating in field trips like those to the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of the country. On site practicing exercises will allow students open their minds for a better and deeper understanding of Latin American problems regarding environment and society.
There is a mainframe timetable with subjects for 60-68 hrs, as a 4 credits elective course. This timetable is given during first week of classes, after obtaining student's expectations. In the lab part two city-trips and two week-end field trips usually will be done, and each one will have its own developed syllabus and program according certain pre-determined aims in class.
CONTENTS Units (theory):
1. Introduction to the natural history of Costa Rica: Its origin, geomorphology, climate, life zones, biodiversity and main ecosystems.
2. Development and environment in Costa Rica: Urban growth and industrial development, agriculture and agro-businesses, ranching, forestry and timber industry, different development kinds, some info about tourism development and coastal & marine development, tourism development.
3. Environmental management: SINAC1, Protected Areas´ management, environmentally friendly agriculture and ranching, eco-tourism, refuge management, clean production and other means of production and their environmental impact.
4. Environmental legislation: National Laws and Policies, International Conservation Policies, National Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation, International Trade, Conservation History, Fisheries regulations, brief info about international trade, threatened, endangered and exotic species regulation.
5. Ecological economy: Economic valuation of natural resources, economics for sustainability, PSA2 and biodiversity prospection.
6. Environmental Impact Studies: Definition, components of an EIA, study cases.
Field-trips:
1. Caribbean and Pacific slopes social development and environmental impact.
2. Bananas history as an important production mean.
3. Coffee socio-cultural importance and organic production.
4. Indigenous and conservation.
5. Wildlife farms and conservation.
Special Activities: Some of the following options will be scheduled:
1 Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación 2 Pago de Servicios Ambientales
o Visit to a recycling plant (paper, aluminum or another).
o Visits to downtown San José
o Visits to UCR or UNA (Universidad de Costa Rica or Universidad Nacional), INBio (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad), CCT (Centro Científico Tropical) or another Organization.
The mandatory field trips in this course are not excursions. Only students enrolled in this course may attend. Field work might include volunteer work such as trail cleaning, late night species monitoring, long walks on beaches or dense vegetation areas and other tasks that might be considered harsh or strenuous for students who have not taken an environmental science course or have not done fieldwork. Students must be on time for all fieldtrip related activities including departure, return and scheduled meal times. All though many of the reserves and parks have nearby modest lodge accommodations some of the stations or research areas might require tent lodging. Some of the national parks and reserves are in far away areas of the country or places with difficult access so students who get motion sickness from long bus rides might be uncomfortable in these field trips.
EVALUATION SYSTEM
Active Participation (classes, h-w, field trips in the city) ........ 20 %
Field trip (Caribbean and Pacific) reports and discussion .... 15 %
Readings and discussions .................................................... 15 %
Term paper (oral and written) ................................................ 20 %
Quiz ....................................................................................... 10 %
Final exam .............................................................................. 20 %
Active participation:
Students are expected to attend to classes and field trips are mandatory unless justified according University absentee policies. During classes and field trips comments, questions, and oral reflex ions will be stimulated. Motivation is desired.
Readings and discussions:
Some readings will be discussed during the classes, and also some controversial debates will be conducted.
Term paper:
The term paper is based on research conducted through interviews, field experiences and documented information. This work can be done in groups of 2 or individually.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND MATERIALS
Browder, J. 0. 1989. Development alternatives for tropical rain forests. Environment and the Poor: Development Strategies for a Common Agenda. H. Jeffrey Leonard and contributors (comp.). U.S. -Third World Policy Perspectives, No. 11. Overseas Development Council. 222 pp. USA.
Campbell, T. 1989. Environmental dilemmas and the urban poor, chapter 5. Environment and the Poor: Development Strategies for a Common Agenda. H. Jeffrey Leonard and contributors (comp.). U.S. -Third World Policy Perspectives, No. 11. Overseas Development Council. 222 pp. USA.
Capra, F. 2000. Ecology, community and agriculture. Center for Ecoliteracy. USA.
Diamond, J. 2005. Collapse: How societes choose to fail or succeed. Penguin Groups, New York, USA.
Farrell, J & Twining-Ward, C. 2005. Seven Steps Towards Sustainability: Tourism in the Context of New Knowledge. Journal of sustainable tourism, 13(2):109-122.
Parrish, J., R. Reitsma & R. Greenberg. 1998. Cacao as Crop and Conservation Tool: Lessons from the Talamanca Region of Costa Rica. Wings of the Americas Program, The Nature Conservancy. 16 pp. USA.
PNUD-GEF. 2000. National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. Costa Rica. http://www.minae.go.cr/estrategia.
Ramírez-Solera, A. & Maldonado-Ulloa, T. 1991. Desarrollo Socio-económico y el Ambiente Natural de Costa Rica. Fundación Neotrópica. Imp. y Lito. García Hermanos S.A, 159 pp. San José, Costa Rica.
Estado de la Nación. Each year a report is published on October. www.estadonacion.co.cr.
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