Overview

• Course Dates (Session 1): December 31, 2017 – January 14, 2018
• Course Dates (Session 2): February 1 – 14, 2018
• Application Deadline: November 6, 2017 (session 1), January 1, 2018 (session 2)
• Course Link: https://fieldprojects.org/course/amazonian-abc/

Course Description:
This course is intended to provide an introduction and broad overview of Amazon forest ecology and conservation, with a taxonomic focus on plants and a geographic focus on the Madre de Dios basin in southeastern Peru. The overarching theme is the incredible biodiversity of Amazon rainforests, the key factors and processes underlying its creation and maintenance, and the impact of anthropogenic disturbance – past, current and future – on these critically important forest ecosystems. Classroom-style lectures will complement extensive field-based activities and interpretation, and individual and group projects. The basics of tropical plant taxonomy and field botany skills will be imparted through hands-on instruction and practice. The 2-week course will be divided between two long-term research sites and field stations on the Madre de Dios and
Tambopata Rivers that provide access to a variety of representative habitats.

Course Highlights:

• Explore one of the most biodiverse areas in the world for plants – lowland Amazon rainforest – from two unique field sites.
• Hike over a quarter of a mile on the iconic Inkaterra Rainforest Canopy Walkway, 98 metres above the ground.
• Learn to set-up and run a phenological plot
• Learn to identify plants in the absence of floral and fruit characteristics
• Several hours of boat rides and wildlife viewing along meandering Amazonian rivers
• Explore a variety of ecosystems- lakes, palm swamps, bamboo patches, clay licks, primary (old growth), secondary, and riparian successional forest.
• Stay on after the field course and visit iconic archaeological sites such as Machhu Picchu.

Course Topics:
This course will provide you with basic field skills, in-depth exposure to the conservation and ecology of the Peruvian Amazon, and what you need to know about tropical field botany.

Specific topics include:

• Rainforest soils and nutrient cycling
• Primary riparian succession and the development of diversity
• Hyperdiversity: creation, maintenance, processes and patterns
• Phenological cycles, keystone resources and climate change
• Primer to Neotropical plant systematics and taxonomy
• Conservation & Sustainable use of Amazon forests

Faculty:
Dr. Varun Swamy is a tropical forest ecologist with over 14 years of experience conducting ecological research in the lowland rainforests of the Madre de Dios River Basin in the Peruvian Amazon. A native of India, he spent 19 years in the United States, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Connecticut College, and a Ph.D. from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, specializing in tropical forest ecology. His first visit to Peru and Madre de Dios was in 2003 to begin his doctoral dissertation research, and he has returned to Peru every year since. Dr. Swamy is currently a Research Fellow at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and lives in the city of Puerto Maldonado.Learn more about Dr. Swamy at https://fieldprojects.org/faculty/varun-swamy/

Eligibility:
There are a few simple requirements to determine eligibility for this course:

• You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the course.
• You must have medical insurance, and provide proof of such insurance to us to complete your reservation.
• We have no citizenship requirements. Anyone is welcome to apply. You must obtain visas independently if necessary.
• You do not need any training in biology – our course is structured to accommodate people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Courses have a maximum capacity of 12 participants. If you are concerned that you will lose your spot, please contact us to confirm how many spots we have left.

Program Costs:
The fee for this course is $2500, and includes the following:

• Food and lodging for the entire course.
• Transportation to and from Puerto Maldonado to the field sites.
• Experienced instructors and field equipment.

This course fee does NOT include:

• International travel to Peru.
• Local airfare to Puerto Maldonado
• Travel or health insurance (proof of health insurance is required for course attendance).
• Rubber boots, binoculars, flashlight and insect repellent (all of which are required to take this course).

Student Aid:
There are two ways to obtain financial assistance for attending this field course. You may participate in both of these programs simultaneously as follows:

Scholarships
This year, we are offering two scholarships to attend this course, one targeting a Peruvian citizen and the other is open to applicants of other nationalities. For the application details please visit our scholarships page. https://fieldprojects.org/participate/courses-2/scholarships/

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Support
FPI can now provide a peer-to-peer crowd funding platform for all field course students. You will be able to make your own fundraising page to share with your contacts and social networks. At the end of the fundraising period, FPI will issue a discount code to you for 100% of the funds that you have raised. You would then enter this code as you make your final course payment. If you raise enough to cover all (or part) of your initial reservation fee, you would be refunded that portion as well. https://fieldprojects.org/participate/peer-to-peer/