From the Ground Up: Managing and Preserving Our Terrestrial Ecosystems

If you examine our reliance on the Earth’s resources – and vice versa – you will discover a stunning tapestry of complex interactions between ecosystems and human life. From preventing the extinction of species (including plants and animals) to mitigating the effects of long-term environmental shifts, how do we ensure that our interaction with the world around us doesn’t leave it destroyed? In this course, you will learn the science behind ecosystem functioning, including extinction rates, desertification, and how their physical makeup has evolved with environmental shifts. You will experience the lives of local populations dependent upon these resources, from their economic activities to their societal norms. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with an understanding of diverse ecosystems and how responsible use of these resources is imperative to our planet’s survival.

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Target Audience

Graduate students and advanced undergraduate students studying ecosystem management, forestry, sustainable development, economics, sustainable business and related fields

Practitioners in forestry, ecosystem management, conservation and related fields who are interested in the current science and research around use and preservation

Sustainable development practitioners – as well as private-sector actors, such as those who work in corporate sustainability and responsibility, land development or tourism – who need to understand responsible consumption and interaction with our ecosystems