Caribbean Marine Reserves Syllabus Broadreach Credit Information: Department: Natural Science Course #: LNSCI 3000 College credit hours: 3 Prerequisites: None Course Description: On this three week course, students will study marine conservation and marine park management. Students will participate in lectures, discussions with local stakeholders, field activities including 18 dives, as well as ongoing service work in the marine parks. Students will learn several underwater survey techniques. Students will visit and study the Statia (STENAPA) marine park, St. Bart s marine Reserve (French West Indies) and the world famous Saba Marine Park (SMP) for a comparison of three parks, with differing challenges, each in different stages of development. Contact hours: 56 Academic Lectures and discussions 16 hours Guest Lectures and discussions 10 hours Marine Park Service work 10 hours Diving and marine surveys 20 hours Course Objectives/Outcomes: By completion of the course, each student will be able to: Understand the process of communication in order to effectively communicate marine conservation theories. Describe the biochemical nature of the marine environment, and explain the inter-linkages between coastal and marine ecosystems. Understand how the Caribbean Sea functions as a single ecosystem. Understand the potential benefits provided by the coastal and marine environment, as well as the threats to those environments. Understand some of the reasons why the threats to the coastal and marine resources are difficult to control. Explain the historical perspective of marine protected areas in the Caribbean, and to identify existing issues. Understand the rationale for and benefits of stakeholder involvement in marine protected area planning and management, as well as the requirements for implementing and facilitating effective participatory processes. Convey the message that research and monitoring is essential for good management and stewardship. Perform and understand standard monitoring methods through diving under marine park supervision.
Grading: Midterm Exam: 20% Final Paper: 10% Final Exam: 25% Participation: 25% Journal (10 Entries): 20% Assessments: Final Paper: Paper should be a 4-5 page assessment of the SMP or STENAPA. In the context of discussion and reading materials, examine how the Marine Park has addressed many of the challenges that face marine reserves and why it has been successful. Do you believe that there are additional things that could have been done in initial planning or in the current management strategy that could help make it even more effective? Participation: Students will participate in underwater surveys, stakeholder interviews and discussions and service projects. See participation Rubric listed Journal: (10 entries total) Students will complete 10 journal entries throughout the course. The journal topics are designed to encourage students to incorporate the broader themes of the course into short reflective essays. Journals are graded on organization, quality of reflection, length, and how well the answer is supported by additional information. Journals are typically due 24 hours after being assigned. Required Text for Students: Sobel, Jack A. and Craig P. Dalgren. Marine reserves: a guide to science, design, and use. Washington, DC : Island Press, 2004 Additional Texts: Hardin, Garret. Tragedy of the Commons. Science, 162(1968):1243-1248 Roberts, Callum M. and Julie P. Hawkins. Fully Protected Marine Reserves: A Guide / - WWF. Can be accessed at http://assets.panda.org/downloads/marinereservescolor.pdf Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans. 2002. The Science of Marine Reserves. http://www.piscoweb.org. 22 pages. Syms, Craig and Mark H. Carr, Marine Protected Areas: Evaluating MPA effectiveness in an uncertain world Syms, Craig and Mark H. Carr, International Clearinghouse for MPA Effectiveness Measures: A Conceptual Design
Academic Overview: Daily Outlines (Discussion Topic, Experiential, Background Readings/ Assignments, Journal Question): Day 2: Lesson 0: Course outline/requirements. SCUBA review and tune-up. Video: Science of Marine Reserves Experiential: Scuba Certification or Refresher Dives Assignment - Roberts Ch. 1 & 2 (Preface, Intro) Journal Entry #1: Day 3: Lesson 1: Marine Biology 101 / Uses and Benefits Experiential: Scuba Certification or Refresher Dives Assignment: Sobel Ch.1 (Our Oceans in Trouble), PADI AOW Navigation and PPB Knowledge Reviews. Day 4: Lesson 2: Threats to the Marine Environment (Problems) Experiential: Underwater Navigation and Peak Performance Buoyancy training dives. Assignments: Sobel Ch.2 (The State of the Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries) Roberts Ch. 3 (Why should reserves be protected from fishing?) AOW Fish ID knowledge review Journal Entry #2: Day 5: Lesson 3: Underlying Causes. Fish Identification and REEF Survey protocol instruction. Experiential: AOW Fish ID & REEF survey practice dive Assignment: Sobel Ch.3 (Fishing and its Impacts) Hardin, Tragedy of the Commons, AOW night dive Knowledge review Day 6: Lesson 4: Potential Solutions/MPA Overview, Reefcheck protocol instruction. Experiential: Reefcheck practice on land. Assignments: Roberts Ch. 4 (Fully protected reserves in a nutshell) AOW U/W Naturalist Knowledge review Journal Entry #3: Day 7: Lesson 5: St. Bart s Marine Reserve, (Guest lecture) St Barts Marine Reserve introduction and overview Experiential: Reefcheck Practice dive / AOW U/W Naturalist Dive Assignments: Sobel Ch.4 (What Marine Reserves Can Accomplish) Journal Entry #4: Day 8: Lesson: Review for Midterm Experiential: Reefcheck Dives X 2 Assignments: Study for midterm Day 9: Lesson 6: Midterm / Intro to St Eustatia (overview and history) Experiential: Snorkel historical seawall in statia Assignment: AOW Deep dive Knowledge Review Day 10: Lesson 7: Participatory Planning / Stakeholders (Guest lecture) Intro to STENAPA (Statia Park) Experiential Quill hike in National Park, Scuba (reef dive) Assignment: Roberts Ch. 5-27 (Use as a resource to strengthen discussion ideas over the rest of the course)] Journal Entry #5 Day 11:
Lesson 8: (Guest lecture) Sea Turtle conservation, Intro to Local Stakeholders Experiential Interview local stakholders (Glenn, Renaldo, Nicole, Taxi, etc), Mooring cleaning and Maintenance, Sea Turtle Patrol Assignment: Sobel Ch.6 (Social Dimensions of Marine Reserves Day 12: Lesson : presentations on stakeholders in groups Experiential - Mooring cleaning and Maintenance, Sea Turtle Patrol, Scuba (reef dive) Journal Entry #6: Day 13: Lesson 9: Artificial Reefs / (Guest Lecture) Sinking of the Charlie Brown (Glenn) Experiential: Dive the Charlie Brown artificial Reef. Assignment: National Geographic News (Artificial Reefs: Trash to Treasures) Journal Entry #7: Day 14: Lesson 10: Introduction to Saba, (Guest Lecture) Mt Scenery slideshow Day 15: Lesson 11: Marine Protected Area Design and Management, History of Saba (Video), Experiential hike Mt Scenery, explore national park Assignment: Sobel Ch.5 (Design and Designation of Marine Reserves) Recommended: Bergen and Carr (Establishing Marine Reserves) Day 16 Lesson: (Guest lecture) Saba Marine park overview Experiential: Scuba w seasaba in marine park Assignment: assign and begin work on final project. Journal Entry #8 Day 17 Lesson 12: Research and Monitoring Experiential: Reefcheck dives with SeaSaba Assignment: Sobel Ch.7 (Research Priorities and Techniques) Recommended: Syms and Carr (MPA: Evaluating MPA effectiveness in an uncertain world). Recommended: Syms and Carr (International clearinghouse for effectiveness measures) Day 18 Lesson: Interview Stakeholders Experiential: Community service with Saba Conservation Society Assignment: work on projects/papers Journal Entry #9 Day 19: Lesson 13: (Guest Lecture) 25 years of Caribbean Marine Reserves, Present Projects/Paper (1/2 the group) Experiential: Reefcheck Survey dives with SeaSaba Assignment: Review for final Day 20: Lesson: Present Final Projects/Paper (1/2 the group) / Review for final exam Experiential: Dives in SMP with SeaSaba Assignment: Study for Final Exam Journal Entry #10 Day 21:
Lesson: Final Exam