I'm looking advice about short courses (or potentially graduate work) in conservation planning

November 19, 2006 6:37 PM

I currently work as an ecologist and my job is taking in the direction of conservation planning. I am thinking about taking some courses in this field with some of professional development funding this coming year. Does anyone know of any good short courses in this field?

Also, if I chose to follow this field further, what are some good graduate programs (located in the northeast) that might fulfill my needs.

posted by buttercup to Education (3 answers total)

Columbia's MA in Conservation is a nascent program that has a couple of good things going for it, especially if you're professionally-oriented. Jeff Sachs' (not-so-recent) arrival certainly helps, and they're part of CERC, a consortium of conservation organizations in New York City, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and Conservation International. CERC also offers a certificate in conservation that is regarded as a bit wishy-washy, but offers evening classes that I think meet once or twice a week for six weeks in specific topics.

I don't know of any specific short courses in conservation planning, but if you're not a member of the Society for Conservation Biology, that would be a good place to start, especially attending the annual meeting (in Johanesburg this year).
posted by one_bean at 7:26 PM on November 19, 2006

My husband went to SUNY-ESF (in Syracuse) for Environmental anf Forest Biology and thought it was pretty excellent, and I know that they have a Conservation Biology program.

I myself dabble in some conservation planning for my current job (being a marine biologist/ecologist by training and education). If you're looking for something to enhance your skills and have the funding for professional development, I would take some ArcGIS training. It will be very useful.
posted by nekton at 8:14 AM on November 20, 2006

What sort of conservation planning? Last I checked, there were a couple good courses at the Yale school of Forestry & Environmental Sciences about conservation planning and reserve design. You might also check into U Penn, see whether or not Ian McHarg's legacy is being carried on there.

I second the GIS idea -- ESRI offers good training courses.

If you want to read some on your own, I'd look into how The Nature Conservancy has been using GIS to do what they call "ecoregional planning," for example in this book.

Here is a list that looks like it has good conservation planning references.

Email is in my profile, I'd be happy to talk more.
posted by salvia at 1:04 PM on November 20, 2006