Quest 2 - The Future of Rain Forests (WIS 2323)

Undergraduate Course, 3 credits, Fall Semester

Link to Course Syllabus.

Course Objectives

Tropical Rain Forests cover approximately 15% of the Earth’s land surface but contain over 50% of the world’s biodiversity. They also are home to millions of people, the source of products central to our lives, shape global climate, and are being cleared at unprecedented rates. We will try to answer the same questions asked by scientists studying rain forests: Why do they fascinate us? How have stereotypes about them permeated everything from pop culture to international relations? What gave rise to their remarkable biodiversity? What are the drivers and consequences of deforestation? Is rain forest conservation compatible with socioeconomic development? By the end of the course students will be able to:

Recognize & describe stereotypes about rain forests & their residents

Explain & compare human history in rain forests

Analyze rain forest tropes in art, literature, & popular culture

Review & contrast strategies for rain forest conservation & restoration

Analyze & visualize data on deforestation

Produce materials for communicating about rain forests to their family & peers

Discuss & evaluate hypotheses for the the origins & maintenance of tropical biodiversity

Review contemporary threats to rain forests

Identify rain forests in their daily lives & formulate a personal plan for advancing forest conservation

Public domain photo by Toby Seaman.