Introduction
The single most important area of ethnobotany research today involves the application of botanical, ecological, and ethnographic research methods to address practical questions about human community interactions with ecosystems, endangered species, cultural landscapes, and conservation areas. Ethnobiology, as a scientific background, is in demand for entry level researchers and resource managers working in government agencies (e.g., National and State Park Services, Natural Resource Management Agencies) and private resource management and research units (e.g., The Nature Conservancy). In addition, a large number of non-profit community organizations are interested in using the skills of ethnobiologists for the evaluation of development project alternatives, the conservation of traditional knowledge and practices, and the restoration of cultural landscapes.
This Field School provides key educational enhancements to students who are planning to conduct ethnobiological field research. Students who successfully complete the Field School should be able to more rapidly and effectively move through their period of graduate study.This field school also provides a learning environment, specific knowledge, methods, and experience needed for students to qualify for practical positions such as those described above.
The Field School is designed to be most beneficial to graduate students and upper-division undergraduate students.
Field School Structure: The Field School is divided into two general activities:
Activities for each of these general activities will take place in settings appropriate for the general goals. Separate teams will be deployed to the two locations and these locations will be exchanged periodically.
The Field School is also divided into two time periods. Everyone attending the Field School will participate in the first four weeks, "Basic Skills," where a wide variety of fundamental field-oriented activities are emphasized. The following two weeks ("Advanced Skills") will be available for any student who wants to pursue a special project. We expect that these projects will be an expansion of some activities from the first ("Basic Skills") session. The goal of the two additional weeks will be the development of the project to a publishable manuscript.
All Field School activities are coordinated to promote team efforts such as they normally occur in collaborative research efforts. This approach requires a blend of individual effort and team. Students are expected to acquire and demonstrate specific skills and knowledge. In addition, all individuals will participate in activities where group efforts are required. The groups activities, in particular, require a leadership structure and exercises will include the development of leadership skills.
We expect that a side benefit of the Field School will be long-term collaborations based on the deep friendships built during the shared experiences.
The Field School rotates through a series of sites so that students can experience different ecological and cultural locations during participation.
Field School Content
The primary purpose of the Field School is to provide participants with an overview of the kinds of ecological and ethnobiological field methods that are used by modern ethnobotanists to address hypotheses in areas of conservation research. Emphasis is on using hands-on approaches. Participants are expected to learn methods through practice in collecting, analyzing, and interpretting real data.
There are a number of activities included in the Field School curriculum that fall outside of what is usually taught in the traditional university classroom or laboratory. These include leadership skills, safety, outdoor skills. In addition, students will have ample opportunities to interact with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The instructional setting includes locations with rare and endangered species.
Field School Activities
The Field School is intensive and not for the faint of heart.
Participants are expected to start each day quite early and to finish quite late. There will be little free time.
Participants are expected to camp/live at the Field School sites. These sites will move around on the island of Kaua`i. The weather during the Field School is quite unpredictable. Please note, however, that many of the activities will be located very close to the wettest spot on planet Earth! Even if it is raining, we keep working. And we don't have alternative indoor sites to which we retreat in wet weather.
2011 Conservation Ethnobiology Field School
Field School Cost
There are two alternative Field School plans
Please note that these costs do not include course credits.
Course Credits
We expect course credits to be made available through the institution in which a student is enrolled. If you need credits, please contact the Field School staff to discuss the options which are available. Students who participate in the full six week program are expected to be eligible for a full semester's worth of credit.
Schedule
2010
2011
NOTE: The Field School begins before the University of Hawai`i On-Campus Spring 2010 semester.