Workshop:  Green Studies Immersion: Oleta River State Park   

Course ID - CTD0488-2  

Short Title: Green Studies: I

(Course ID, Reference #, or Keyword title can be used to find and register for this course in Odyssey) 

Audience:     Faculty
Length of Workshop:      4 hours
Prerequisite   none

* Approved CT&D Workshop for Faculty Professional Development hours.

Description:
The course will cover the natural and cultural history of the largest urban park in the Florida State Park System.  Oleta River State Park is a 1,043 acre natural and recreational area surrounded largely by high density residential and commercial developmental.  Park administrators have developed alliances with a range of compatible user groups.  It is wrongly assumed that the northern portion of Biscayne is virtually dead biologically.  The Oleta River area supports abundant marine life, diverse bird populations and some of the most impressively large mangrove trees in South Florida. Upland and shoreline habitats will be explored on foot and by kayak and the ecological role of the mangrove forests will be highlighted.  Particular attention will be directed towards the challenge of achieving a sustainable balance between urban human needs and natural systems needs.  Economic strategies for preserving and maintaining natural areas will be examined.  Participants will be expected to relate the workshop experience to their academic disciplines and to draft a written proposal on ways to incorporate concepts of ecological sustainability into their current work or course objectives.
 

Objectives

As a result of successful completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Explain how natural areas can be preserved and maintained through revenues generated from ecologically sustainable activities such as outdoor recreation, wildlife watching and ecotourism.
  • Express an appreciation for the value of volunteerism in supporting and maintaining natural areas.
  • Describe how humans and wildlife such as the endangered West Indian manatee can coexist.
  • Explain the habitat value of Oleta River State Park and North Biscayne Bay, especially the role of mangrove forests.
  • Explain the adverse long-term impacts of choosing the least expensive option for the disposal of solid and toxic wastes.  Participants will learn about the history of the nearby Munisport dump site and the threats it might pose to environmental and human health.
  • Describe historical flow of freshwater from the Everglades to Biscayne Bay via the Oleta River and the value of reestablishing a near natural freshwater flow as part of the Everglades restoration plan.
  • Develop awareness of readily accessible natural areas in our bioregion.
  • Develop values of ecological sustainability by experiencing a Green Studies Immersion Workshop.
  • Explain how to integrate principles of sustainability into curriculum by realizing and identifying connections between humans and the natural world.

 

Dates

 Reference #

Days

Time

Campus/Room

Instructor

 

Registration information
Course ID: - CTD0488-2
Course Title: Green Studies I
Reference # - see table 

How to Register

Registration for CT&D workshops are through the Student Information and Registration system.  The process for registering for a CTD workshop will be the same as registering for a regular class at MDC.  

New - Easier registration for workshops

You can access the Registration System and register for a CTD workshop using the same user name and password that use to login to your computer.    Example:   Richard Johnson  would be rjohnson     (You will NOT need to create a separate student myMDC account to register for a CTD workshop) 

Make a note of the Reference Number for the workshop then go to Registration Instructions

Once you have registered for a class, you can print your schedule.    Please make every effort to attend once you've registered as seats are limited.     However, If you need to drop, you can also do this through the Web Registration screen.     CTD classes will appear on your transcript as non-credit classes.

If you need special assistance to participate in this workshop due to a disability, please call CT&D at 7-2366 so that appropriate arrangements can be made.  College Training and Development complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.