This mission of this course is to survey and participate in Australian wildlife conservation efforts and to develop an understanding of the relationship it shares with Aboriginal culture. We will visit and volunteer with several community-based wildlife conservation programs, Aboriginal sites, and national parks in order to gain a first-hand appreciation of the relationship between these two cultures, and to contribute to their success. Conservation professionals, scientists, and Aboriginal leaders will provide us first-hand education on the effects that habitat damage, over exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change are having on native species and ecosystems.

Note: This course fulfills the Engaged Learning core requirement.

Course Overview:

The mission of this course is to survey and participate in Australian wildlife conservation efforts while developing a hands-on understanding of the relationship it shares with Aboriginal culture. This is a cultural immersion experience where we will live, explore, and work with a diverse array of Australian communities. We will volunteer at several wildlife conservation programs, ranging from grass-roots community-based, to larger non-profit wildlife sanctuaries, to University-based global outreach programs. We will also visit and explore Aboriginal cultural sites in order to gain an appreciation of and witness how the Aboriginal people are contributing to the wildlife conservation movement. Across all of these experiences, conservation professionals, park rangers, environmentalists, biologists, and Aboriginal leaders will provide us with educational and engaging opportunities about how to better understand and be more effective at conserving native Australian wildlife and culture. 

Australia is one of the most important nations on Earth for biodiversity as it is home to more animal species than any other developed country. Most of Australia’s wildlife is found nowhere else in the world, making its conservation even more important. Sadly, Australia is facing an extinction crisis. It has the planet’s worst mammal extinction rate and a high proportion of their surviving animals (over 1,700 species) are listed as endangered! Over the centuries, Indigenous Australians (Aboriginals) have suffered a similar fate as Australian wildlife. They have been mistreated and forced out of their native lands where they had lived and thrived for millennia. Currently, however, a quiet revolution is growing where Aboriginals are working to preserve their culture and the natural environment through work with conservation programs throughout the country. This symbiotic relationship is helping bring Aboriginals back to their native lands while playing a critical role in the wildlife conservation movement. 

Our journey begins in the ecologically and culturally diverse state of New South Wales where we will explore rainforests, eucalyptus forests, coastal wetlands, and beaches. A five-day volunteering experience at the Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park, a unique animal sanctuary that combines wildlife conservation with Aboriginal traditions will highlight the tour of this region. We will also experience a Dreamwalk with Djiribi Waagura Aboriginal elders in the Shoalhaven and explore the white sand beaches of Jervis Bay during this part of the trip. The second half of our journey brings us to the city of Cairns, known as “the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef” in tropical north Queensland. While there, a full-day will be spent on the Great Barrier Reef with marine biologists and Aboriginal Rangers to provide us a unique education on the status of one of the worlds’ quickly diminishing natural wonders. We will visit the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest rainforest on earth, and experience a Dreamwalk led by Aboriginal Elders. 

Our trip will conclude with three days on the tropical, rainforest-covered National Park of Fitzroy Island. This pristine island sits on the outer boundary of the Great Barrier Reef and will provide ample opportunity to experience marine wildlife both in and out of the water. We will volunteer with the Save Our Sea Turtles organization as well as the Reef Restoration Foundation on the island and will also work with their marine biologists to gather data for an ongoing marine-life research project. Other activities and opportunities during this course include ample hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and visiting cultural sites during free time. Accommodations will include fully-equipped self-contained cabins, and some hotels. Throughout the course students should expect to participate in regular, moderate to heavy physical activity, especially during volunteer experiences.

Texts:

• Flannery, T. Quarterly Essay 48, After the Future: Australia's New Extinction Crisis. Black Inc.; 48th edition (November 19, 2012). ISBN-13: 978-1863955829

• The Little Red Yellow Black Book. Aboriginal Studies Press; Third Edition, Third edition (January 1, 2013). ISBN-13: 978-1922059147

Basis for final grade:

1. Wildlife conservation engaged learning research paper (30%)

2. Daily reflective engaged learning journal (25%)

3. Pre-trip exam and final exam on reading materials and from experiences during the class (15%)

4. Group region presentation (during trip) and video (post trip) (10%)

5. Quality of participation. This is a subjective grade based on enthusiasm, teamwork, and participation in required activities, as well as consideration of the group, country, its citizens, and culture (20%)

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, students will have:

1. Identified the ‘five principle pressures’ facing the Australian ecosystems and what their specific impact is on the environment, habitat, and wildlife in the country.

2. Described how the Aboriginal and Australian conservation cultures work together to protect and preserve native wildlife.

3. Identified the contemporary cultural, social, and economical outcomes of Aboriginal involvement in the Australian wildlife conservation movement.

4. Discussed the successes and challenges of the various wildlife conservation strategies utilized in New South Wales and Queensland and how they differ based on the environment, habitat, and wildlife.

5. Demonstrated an understanding of Australian history and culture.

6. Apply academic methods, theories, or disciplinary knowledge outside of the classroom in ways that brings mutual benefits to the learner and a community partner; and

7. Reflect critically and iteratively on the engagement work, including the direct or indirect impact of the work on the learner, the community partner, and society.