Northwest Connections | Wildlife in the West


Education

	Landscape and Livelihood

	>> WILDLIFE IN THE WEST

		APPLICATION INFO


	Winter Field Studies

	Animal Tracking Clinic

	Natural History Adventures

Image credits: bear-PTF; wolf-USFWS; bull trout-Karen Nichols; telemetry student-Colleen Ferris

Cost:
$4500 In-State Tuition*
$5500 Out-of State Tuition

Includes meals and lodging**

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Application deadline - April 1st

*Students who have established residency with a Montana College or University qualify for Northwest Connections' In-State tuition. It is incumbent upon the student to provide documentation showing their in-state status.

**An additional $540 filing fee is required to receive nine (9) academic credits throught the Univesity of Montana.

Course Descriptions

Field Ecology of Threatened and Endangered Species in the Northern Rockies
Wildlife Biology - 3 credits

Students will gain a first hand understanding of the ecology of threatened and endangered species in the Northern Rockies. Our studies will focus on grizzly bears, wolves, lynx and bull trout. For each species we will learn the animal’s life history, their habitat needs, their population status and the main issues threatening their viability. Students will meet in the field with a number of biologists and conservation professionals. All of our lessons will be grounded in daily observations of wildlife and their actual behavior, habitat selection, and interactions with humans in the lands surrounding our rural campus.

Wildlife Policy and Rural Communities
Resource Conservation - 3 credits
This course surveys regulatory and incentive based approaches to wildlife conservation. Students will learn about several of the federal policies that are in place to manage and recover threatened and endangered species with a strong focus on the Endangered Species Act and its many provisions. The course will focus on the impacts of the ESA on rural communities. We will meet with several ranchers, loggers and other rural residents, as well as with public land managers and public interest groups to gain a full appreciation for diverse views in western communities on wildlife conservation issues.

Wildlife Monitoring Techniques
Resource Conservation - 1 credit
Students will assist with ongoing research and monitoring work on grizzly bears, wolves, lynx and bull trout. This course will equip students with field skills in wildlife monitoring and habitat assessment: track and sign surveys, use of telemetry, DNA sampling, habitat typing.

Community Based Approaches to Wildlife Conflict Management
Environmental Studies - 2 credits
This course will survey emerging conservation strategies to address human-wildlife conflicts in rural areas. Students will learn about several new projects in the Northern Rockies to manage and recover threatened species in rural areas and then have the opportunity to compare those strategies with emerging strategies in Bhutan and southern Africa. The course will be a mixture of readings, speakers and field tours to local projects.

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