Madagascar Study Abroad – Biodiversity, Conservation, and Sustainable Development

Are you interested in biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability?

Do you have a passion for the outdoors?

Would you like to learn more about the links among culture, conservation and sustainability?

If so, please consider spending summer B with us in Madagascar for our study abroad course on biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable development.

This experiential class will spend a month in Madagascar, learning about the Malagasy culture and visiting villages, national parks, non-governmental agencies, and research centers, including:

1. the village of Andasibe (rainforest), at which we will visit Association Mitsinjo (https://associationmitsinjo.wordpress.com/), Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (http://www.travelmadagascar.org/PARKS/Andasibe-Mantadia-National-Park.html), and Analamazaotra Special Reserve;

2. the town of Toliara (spiny forest) and the village of Andavadoaka (coral reef), where we will visit the arboretum, learn from the NGO Blue Ventures (https://blueventures.org/), spend time with a local family;

3. activities along the RN7, including Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park (deciduous forest; http://www.travelmadagascar.org/PARKS/Zombitse-Vohibasia-National-Park.html), Isalo National Park (http://www.travelmadagascar.org/PARKS/Isalo-National-Park.html), Colorline sapphire mine, Anjaha Community Reserve;

4. Ranomafana National Park (http://www.travelmadagascar.org/PARKS/Ranomafana-National-Park.html; montane rainforest) and the research station Centre ValBio (http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/centre-valbio/).

We will interact with and learn from our Malagasy hosts and colleagues – professors and students, Vezo fishermen, sea cucumber farmers, musicians, nature guides, conservation researchers and educational experts, and many others. There will be plentiful hiking at each of the locations above, some snorkeling and beachcombing in Andava, kayaking at Ranomafana, and reforestation activities at 3 sites. There will also be numerous cultural activities; we will tour a traditional medicinal plant garden, learn to make baskets, see how paper and silk are made, among many others. We expect to visit a local hospital and learn about health outreach activities at the NGOs and research centers we visit. It is an activity packed class!

Applications are due March 15, and part of the application process is to interview with Dr. Miyamoto and me. If you are interested in the program, please complete the online application, and I will contact you to set up an interview. The program is open to both undergraduates and graduate students.

For information on the course, please see https://www.abroad.ufic.ufl.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=12388. Feel free to drop me an email if you have any questions, and hope to see an application from you soon!