EVST3014: On the River
Experiencing the Brazilian Amazon
Instructor: Stephen Matter, Eric Tepe, Debbie Brawn
Requires a study tour to Brazil
Why take this course?
The sustainability of the Amazon is a complex problem with global ramifications. The Amazon basin is about 3% of the world’s area, but over 10% the world’s species and nearly half of the world’s insects live there - most of them only there. The diversity has more than biophilic value, plant species in the Amazon account for about 16% of terrestrial photosynthesis and store a vast amount of carbon. The area is also home to vast human cultural diversity. Amazonian diversity, both biological and cultural, has benefited humanity through pharmacological and biomimetic applications. The diversity and global ecosystem services provided are threatened by development which is intertwined with the social, political, and economic history of the region and its relationship with the rest of Brazil and the world. In addressing this problem students often begin with a “colonial” perspective e.g., “the solution is simple - just stop cutting the forest” and “wealthier countries can pay them not to cut”. Through the class and study tour they gain a greater appreciation of the complexity of achieving sustainability in the Amazon and that innovative solutions are needed (some being implemented) at a range of scales from international law to locally, co-produced sustainable forestry and agriculture.
Description
The Amazon River basin is the largest tropical ecosystem in the world. This course offers students the opportunity to personally experience it and develop a passion for its sustainability. Students begin the semester preparing across disciplines for a 10-day immersion trip to the upper Amazon River. During the trip, students, instructors, and crew live on a boat that travels over 600 nautical miles along the river - stopping to explore a range of tropical habitats by canoe, and the upland, villages, and cities, on foot. On return, students will report on individual projects conducted during the trip and use their journals to write a final reflection.
In the News
Darkness veils the vast emerald sea of the Amazon rain forest when a plane carrying a group of University of Cincinnati students, faculty and staff touches down in the Brazilian city of Manaus, a cosmopolitan pocket of urbanity nestled in the heart of a dense jungle two-thirds the size of the continental United States.
A University Honors seminar to Amazonas, Brazil, lured 20 University of Cincinnati students on a boat with little amenities and no hot water. Overnight accommodations involved two people sharing a bunk bed, a small bathroom per room, and bath showers that came from river water. It was a trip captured on this video produced by John McGill, a UC junior. It was an experience beyond the classroom that made memories to last a lifetime.
Important Notes
Packing everything that you will need is essential, as you will not be able to purchase supplies during most of the study tour. Please familiarize yourself with the packing list!
Learn more about Amazonia Experiences -- the Expedition Company and Guides.