Parks and Peoples in Patagonia: Dilemmas of Protected Area Conservation

Catalog description

This course uses the diverse parks and reserves of Patagonia as a laboratory for understanding the pros and cons of protected area conservation as they impact flora, fauna, and local people. We will explore national parks and protected areas (PAs) in both Argentina and Chile, as well as the flourishing establishment of private parks and reserves in the region. We will use a series of case studies to ask: (1) What approach to protected area (PA) conservation has been taken in each case? Who are/were the key proponents and what are/were their main objectives? Was climate change taken into account and if so, how? (2) What have been the main costs and benefits of the PA, and who has received them? Where benefits are not commensurate to costs what is being done to address the imbalance? And (3) Are there alternatives or variations-on-the-theme of protected area conservation that would be more beneficial for wildlife and local people? How could the interests of parks and people be made more compatible in each case? Throughout the course we will look for ways to achieve conservation in a manner that is socially just, biologically successful, and beneficial to local livelihoods. The class will begin on the Stanford campus on August 30, same as other Sophomore College courses. But on Sept. 7 we depart on an intensive thirteen-day expedition (at no extra cost) to Argentina and Chile to observe firsthand many of the conservation issues and successes discussed in class. For this portion of the class, undergraduates will be joined by a group of Stanford alumni and friends in a format called a Stanford "Field Seminar," whose travel is organized by the professionals in Stanford Alumni Association Travel-Study Program. Because class time on campus is thus limited to one week before travel, students will be required to complete all course readings over the summer. Both on campus and…