SC 292/HU 292/BS 392

May Block 2000

Special Topic: Wilderness, Wildlife and Oil

COURSE TITLE: Wilderness, Wildlife and Oil
INSTRUCTORS: Roman Dial, Alaska Pacific University
                            Greg Brown, Alaska Pacific University
                            Tim Rawson, Alaska Pacific University
                            John Tichotsky, Alaska Pacific University
MEETING PLACE & TIME: In-class at APU: May 8-12
Field Trip: May 15-June 3

A. Prerequisite:

Sophmore standing or consent of instructor

B. Course Overview:

This class is about exploring the environmental, social, and economic impact of oil and gas development in Alaska. Students will journey to islands in Prince William Sound to examine the biological effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, visit the Valdez terminal of Trans-Alaska pipeline, travel the length of the pipeline visiting one or more pump stations along the way, tour the Prudhoe Bay oil/gas complex, and fly over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We will examine the environmental legacy of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. We will follow the route of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and learn its history. We will tour the vast Prudhoe Bay oil/gas complex. We will observe the Porcupine Caribou herd and other wildlife in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The course will begin with five days of orientation, planning, and lectures by four APU faculty: Roman Dial, Ph.D. an environmental scientist, Greg Brown, Ph.D. an environmental policy faculty, Tim Rawson, ABD, an environmental historian, and John Tichotsky, natural resources development faculty.

Tentative schedule:

May 8-12 APU-Anchorage

May 15-19 Prince William Sound

May 20 Valdez Terminal tour

May 21 Travel to Fairbanks

May 22 Fairbanks

May 23-24 Travel to Prudhoe Bay

May 25 Prudhoe Bay tour

May 26-28 ANWR tour

May 29-30 Return to Anchorage

 

C. Goals:

    1. To examine the effects of oil spills in marine environments and the ability of ecosystems to recover.
       
    2. To understand the social and historical forces leading to the development of the oil/gas in the arctic.
    3. To develop a deeper understanding about whether oil/gas development in the coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be compatible with protection of the refuge.
    4. To contemplate the Western concept of "wilderness" and its relevance in today's society.

D. Potential Readings:

Miller, Debbie. Midnight Wilderness: Journeys in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 1990. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

Cronon, William. "The Trouble with Wilderness; or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature." In Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature, William Cronon, ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. 21 pp.

White, Richard. "‘Are You an Environmentalist or Do You Work for a Living?’: Work and Nature." In Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature, William Cronon, ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. 15 pp.
  1. Grading

Grades will reflect student performance in the following areas:

  1. expedition behavior (10%)


    2. Students are expected to follow the directions of the instructors in the field and to comply with university policies. This is the minimum standard of field behavior. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade for the course. In addition, a portion of a student’s grade will be based on the student’s field behavior: cooperation, willingness to help others, leadership, courtesy, and maintenance of a positive attitude.

  2. field projects (30%)


    3. Students will design field studies concerning various aspects of marine ecology. Students will work in small groups to collect empirical data based on field observations. Students will then prepare an oral presentation to share with the class in the evenings.

  3. a photo-essay (60%)

Students are to prepare a photo-essay of the trip—photos accompanied by written text that explain the meaning and significance of the photos included. Students should not conceive of the photo-essay as a chronicle of the field trip but rather as an exploration of the meaning of the wilderness and resource development to them—as an essay supported by pictures. Develop a theme (and sub-themes) and run with them. Be creative and insightful. Students will be limited to selecting 25 photos to develop their theme(s). Students will have two weeks following the end of the trip to develop and submit the photo essay for evaluation.

  1. Fees

There will be a $300 lab fee per student. In addition, students are expected to cover their own food expenses (estimated at $100) and airfare (estimated at $300).