From Temperate to Tropical Islands: Learning Biology through the Partners in the Parks program

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2018, Volume 39

Kathleen A. Nolan, Kristy Biolsi, William Glider, & Richard P. Conley

Abstract

This year we organized and/or participated in two excursions with students sponsored by a unique partnership between the National Collegiate Honors Council and the U. S. National Parks Service called the Partners in the Parks. This partnership, eight years strong, was founded by Joan Digby, Honors Director at LIU Post. This program is interdisciplinary in nature, and weaves the history of place with knowledge about biological ecosystems of the areas. The two excursions we led were to the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Boston National Historic Park and the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. Activities included camping in tents or staying in rustic cabins, cooking meals, learning about the ecology and geology of the areas, and the history of Boston and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Biology became especially relevant in the history of the U.S. Virgin islands when pointing out that the decline of slavery and indentured servants was directly proportional to the decline of soil quality due to sugar cane growth on plantations. In Boston, students learned how the harbor became cleaner after an installation of a sewage treatment plant and how Spectacle Island was transformed from a dumpsite to a beautifully landscaped island complete with hiking trails after landfill restoration. Students also cleared invasive species from Peddocks Island under the direction of park rangers. On St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, students snorkeled and learned about coral reef, mangrove, and sea grass bed ecology, and about tropical plants indigenous to the area while hiking. The two experiential learning excursions were an effective way to infuse the curriculum with hands-on learning about biological concepts, ecosystems, sustainability, and stewardship.

Keywords:  invasive species, experiential learning, travel courses

University of Wisconsin, Madison (2017)