These coastal and rainforest systems support fishing, logging and related industries that form the basis of the provincial economy. Working with local residents, First Nation communities, logging companies, local government and resource managers gives us an opportunity to understand the complexities of the issues in this ecologically rich and rare region. Here's more information on Semester Programs and Summer Courses in British Columbia. The Center for Sustainable Development Studies is located on a small farm in Costa Rica's Central Valley, within easy access to a range of habitats and land use models. Agriculture, including coffee, bananas and pineapples, is a primary income source for the country along with a growing eco-tourist industry.
Land is limited and using it sustainably and effectively is an increasing concern.
Working with government agencies, private organizations and local farming cooperatives we are examining alternative, sustainable land management models for local communities. The Center for Wildlife Management Studies is located on an 81 square kilometer game ranch and on a Maasai Group Ranch on the Kenyan savanna. Wildlife in Kenya generates needed revenue from international tourists yet, with the human population increasing, many Kenyans view wildlife as a competitor for water and space. The Center locations provide a base from which we can learn about and evaluate the effectiveness of various wildlife management techniques in protected and open range venues. Working with managers from local game ranches and tribal group ranches, our goal is to develop management plans for sustainable wildlife use based on the habitat under investigation.