Parks, Recreation and Tourism: Parks and Protected Areas

See Schedule of Courses for specific title.

Open to Degree and PACE Students

PRT 1990 is an introductory-level public-sector class in the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Program. In this class, we’ll examine the stories, scenery and managerial issues of parks, forests, wildlife areas, and other types of protected areas including cultural and heritage resource places. We’ll focus primarily on the US but will also consider international examples that can shed light on the global importance of these special natural and cultural places. The institutionalization of parks and protected areas reflects traditions of caring for the public good while also caring for the environment – concerns that intersect with the personal values and aspirations of people, their perspectives about society, and the political and economic processes that we develop to structure our lives. In the future, parks and protected areas will face unprecedented challenges: climate change, human over-use, invasive species, budget shortfalls, and the need for parks and protected areas to be more relevant to a diverse society. What you learn in this course should help you to advocate for policies that help sustain the quality of the natural world while improving the well-being of all people.

There is no required text, but I expect you to: be present for all classes; complete all assigned readings and review other class materials; participate in class discussions and activities; and engage with the ideas of the class.

Midterm exam; Final exam; Short writing assignments relevant to class topics; Class presentations