NRES 285/ 499

This was the two-step plan for an NRES field course I took this past semester:

1. Meet online every other week to learn about the culture and ecology of palms, land use change, and conservation efforts in the tropical deciduous forest (TDF) surrounding Alamos in Sonora, Mexico.
2. Go to Mexico over winter break to experience all of the above firsthand.

Unsurprisingly, my roommates continue to be horribly jealous of my major.

The class is composed of half grad students and half undergrads. We're meeting online so grad students living in cities other than Urbana-Champaign could participate. Bryan Endress, Christa Horn, and Leonel Lopez of the San Diego Zoo Conservation Branch are spearheading the palm research in Sonora. Bryan will give us lectures emphasizing the known ecology of the palm Brahea aculeata. The unknown parts will be the subject of our research in Mexico. Other lectures will center on factors, such as grazing and over harvesting, that may jeopardize this CITES listed species’ survival.

An equally important theme will be that of conservation and the role of NGOs. In Mexico, we'll learn firsthand how Stephanie Meyer of Nature and Culture International (NCI) collaborates with local people and San Diego Zoo. By providing jobs, setting aside land in a preserve, and facilitating research, this contingent can conserve Brahea aculeata in both a social and ecological context.

Before the trip, each student will complete a research paper and present his findings to the class. Professor Tony Endress will also assign us to each write a list of investigative questions to explore further. Our job is to have an understanding of the main issues before we leave home. Furthermore, we're to be enthusiastic about experiencing the culture, willing to work together, and ready to help research the moment we step off the plane in Ciudad Obregon.--Lenna O.