Transforming Conservation Science: Advancing Collaborative Knowledge Production

We are living amidst a biodiversity crisis that demands urgent action and requires expanding conservation toolkits. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore modern conservation and broader, global-historical forms of human ecosystem management. We will cover the origins and history of modern conservation efforts and conservation ethics. The course also discusses the direct and root causes of the biodiversity crisis and surveys the ecological and biological principles underlying conservation science. We also discuss ethnoecology, traditional ecological knowledge, and efforts to transform conservation practices. The course invites students to think together about a healthy ecological future that prioritizes justice and human well-being along with ecological sustainability.