Natural Resource
Science
Haida Gwaii Semester in Natural Resource Science
September to December, HlG̱aagilda Skidegate
This program is well suited for undergraduate students who have completed the first two years of a natural science-based degree. It integrates classroom and field instruction with local guest speakers and numerous field activities. Much of the content builds on foundational ecological theories and observational science. Some social theories and concepts, particularly around linked social-ecological systems, are introduced later in the term.


HGSE 355 - Applied Ecology of Coastal Terrestrial Ecosystems
This course is an in-depth examination of the processes that shape coastal terrestrial ecosystems through time and applications of that information to current ecological reality. It covers topics from the historical geology of the islands to the structure, function, and diversity of forests and landscapes today.

HGSE 356 - Biophysical Dynamics of the Marine-Terrestrial Interface
Land and sea dynamics have profound influences on one another in Haida Gwaii, and students taking this course have a unique opportunity to explore such marine-terrestrial connections. Students learn about nutrient cycling between the marine environment and coastal forest ecosystems, how the physical characteristics of this interface can affect these inputs, and which species play a pivotal role in driving interactions.

HGSE 357 - Ecology & Management of Island Wildlife
This course focuses on unique biological attributes of island wildlife, such as subspecies, isolated populations, and distinct evolutionary pathways. Topics for this course include an overview of endemic species on Haida Gwaii and their evolutionary history in the context of island biogeography theory, as well as an examination of the parameters that drive population-level outcomes for native and introduced species.

HGSE 358 - Systems Thinking for Resource Management
As human beings in an interconnected world, we face a number of complex and seemingly intractable problems including such things as climate change, food security, global poverty and pandemic diseases. Understanding how to address such problems is the first step to solving them. Ultimately, we need to foster social and ecological resilience. Resilience is the ability of a linked social and ecological system to respond to stress and build the adaptive capacity of individuals and groups to respond to stress. This course provides an opportunity to learn and apply conceptual tools for fostering social change and building adaptive capacity through case studies. Students are provided with an introduction to the conceptual tools of systems thinking and resilience that help understand the dynamics of social change and social innovation.

HGSE 359 - Ecosystem Based Management Seminar
EBM is an “adaptive approach to managing human activities that seeks to ensure the coexistence of healthy, fully functioning ecosystems and human communities” (Pacific North Coast Integrated Area Plan, 2017). While the concept of EBM is well established in the academic literature, there remains a wide gap between theory and practice. Haida Gwaii provides rich examples, both terrestrial and marine, through which to analyze benefits and challenges of applying EBM in a real-world setting.