Tropical Conservation and Sustainable Development Minor
Tropical areas host more than two-thirds of the world's biodiversity. Complementing the incredible plants and wildlife is the diversity of agricultural, business, and other livelihoods that individuals design to make a living in these landscapes. Costa Rica has long been known as a leader in conservation and sustainability and is known as the birthplace of ecotourism. Costa Rica has over 25% of its land in parks and protected areas, the majority of its electricity comes from hydroelectric power, and it was one of the first countries to institute a program of payments for ecosystem services to incentivize private land conservation. Both small-scale and industrial coffee farming, dairy and cattle production, sugarcane, and fruit crops cover much of the remaining landscape. Ecotourism has become one of the primary earners of foreign exchange.
In this minor, students will learn about environmental conservation and sustainable agricultural production in Costa Rica. All courses will highlight issues of conservation and sustainability in tropical systems. After completion of the program, students will have a detailed understanding of the diversity of topics, methods, and approaches to the conservation of tropical natural systems and sustainable production systems.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PARK 3630 | Costa Rica Protected Area Conservation Management | 3 |
| NATR 3320 | Ecosystem Services in Costa Rica | 3.0 |
| NATR 4250 | Watershed Management in Tropical Regions | 3 |
| GEOG 3720 | Study Abroad-Climate Change and Environment | 3 |
| CSES 3400 | Sustainable Management of Tropical Soils | 3 |