About the Course
From the Ground Up: Managing and Preserving our Terrestrial Ecosystems explores the sustainable use of our land and freshwater-based natural environments, with a particular emphasis on forest ecosystems through the lens of the Amazon. Terrestrial ecosystems are fundamentally affected by human activity. This activity has long-term implications for the health and resilience of these biomes and threatens the ability of natural resources to provide critical services to both humans and the other plant and animal species dependent on them. The course examines some of these interdependencies and tipping points and illustrates the delicate balance currently under threat in our environments. Beyond the direct impacts of human activity on their immediate surroundings, these activities also have a magnifying effect on climate change and susceptibility to natural disasters. The course explores the implications of loss of biodiversity on planetary health, national economies, changing weather patterns, agriculture, the availability of natural resources, and human health and well-being. Thoughtful management of our ecosystems is not just an environmental imperative. Failure to protect these precious resources will fundamentally and irreversibly affect every aspect of life on this planet.
Solutions exist. Successful restoration and management strategies have been tried and implemented successfully over the past few decades, and there is strong evidence of the effects of these efforts on plant and animal life, as well as on human societies and national economies. The course examines such strategies and their implementation in different ecosystems, as well as the international efforts and conventions enacted to preserve such ecosystems. The conceptual basis for the course is centered around practical and simple solutions, linking modern-day science and technology to the traditional knowledge of local and indigenous populations. Participatory approaches will be analyzed for both bottom-up planning and policymaking.
Join Virgilio Viana (Sustainable Amazonas Foundation), along with Professors Thomas Lovejoy (UN Foundation & George Mason University), Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia University), Peter May (Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro), Rita Mesquita (National Institute of Amazonian Research), and Emma Torres (UNDP Regional Bureau for Latin America & Caribbean).
Course Structure and Requirements
The course is structured around a series of pre-recorded chapter videos, readings, quizzes, discussion forums, and other activities. Each of these course components can be completed at a time that is convenient for the student, prior to the deadline which (unless otherwise mentioned) is the last date of the course. The material for each week is made available each Monday, and once the material has been opened, it remains open. Videos can be viewed directly (online) using courseware, or can be downloaded in advance using the links in each chapter for offline viewing each week. There are no written assignments for this course.
The estimated time commitment to complete all course components is 2-4 hours per week, though this depends heavily on the student and his/her objectives in taking the course.
All students who successfully complete the course are eligible to purchase a Verified Certificate signed by the instructors. In order to successfully complete the course, students must score an average of 70% or higher on the mid-term and final, all of which are multiple choice. While this course is not credit granting, we encourage students to work with their own institutions to explore the option of granting credit for online coursework.
This course was made possible by a generous gift from the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and from the Svenska Postkod Stiftelsen.
Contact Information
If you have any additional questions on the course structure or requirements, please email our Course team at the SDG Academy at courses@sdgacademy.org. For technical questions about the platform, please contact EdX.