CONS 420 - Conservation GIS

Credits: (2)
Prerequisite(s): GIS 201 or BIOL 445 or permission of instructor.
The integration of spatial data and analyses across the conservation community can lead to improved conservation outcomes and allows conservationists to solve pressing environmental questions. This course is an advanced topics in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) seminar where student teams will develop GIS projects that address conservation, climate change or sustainability questions. Students will develop and refine their research ideas and through consultations with W&M faculty, staff and students as well as outside conservationists. Students will then pitch their conservation idea to the class and the top four projects will be selected as the focus projects for the rest of the semester. Student teams will then develop a pilot analysis and then present their results at the end of the semester. This course will give students the opportunity to improve their GIS skills, work on a real-world and self-designed conservation challenges, and gain a better understanding of conservation issues around the globe.