The Forest Ecology Semester:

Deep ecology, citizen science, and local exploration: Students will hike the forests of Cortes Island, adventure along the intertidal zone, and become familiar with the flora and fauna that make up the diverse ecosystems of Cortes Island. On the way, local scientists from Hakai Institute, UBC Mother Tree Project, and local knowledge holders will share their knowledge and skills and help the students participate in ongoing citizen science efforts to catalog species and assess the health of the ecosystems. 

Mother Tree Network: Students will get to work with the Mother Tree Project as part of a unique new opportunity to be part of a university-led exploration of Cortes Island’s Mother Trees, learn how trees communicate through soil, and study the actual carbon sequestration of our forests.  They will also join Dr. Simard and her team to learn about the Cortes Community Forest Partnership and what it looks like for the Indigenous and settler communities to come together to manage forestry practices where ecological sustainability and forest health are part of the management goals. 

Communication projects that matter: Students receive their English credits through a deeper inquiry into the history of journalism and truth-based storytelling with Pulitzer-prize nominated, Indiginous, and local journalists and through the creation of podcasts and other audio-visual forms of storytelling.