LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSES

Global Forests

Spring 2025
LAS 4935
Section 3600, Class 21355

Days/Times/Locations: 
Tuesdays 10:40am-11:30am in Newins-Zeigler 0219 
Thursdays 3:00pm-3:50pm in Newins-Zeigler 0222

Course description

Since humans began migrating out of Africa some 50,000 years ago, the extent of global forests has been reduced by about half. Is this trend continuing across our planet? How are these remaining forests (and new ones that have regenerated) used? conserved? managed? and by whom? What role do you play in these dynamics? This course examines major global trends in forest extent, use and conservation. Students employ case studies to explore:

• the complexity of forest interests (from multinational corporations to local rubber tappers), and how these interests have driven tropical forest use, conversion, and conservation.
• ongoing strategies that seek to sustain forests through markets and other mechanisms
• an global linkages and differences in global contexts (environmental, socioeconomic and political) under which forest products are harvested and transformed.

A variety of teaching methods will be employed with an emphasis on experiential learning.

Professor
Dr. Karen Kainer
Center for Latin American Studies
School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
210 Newins-Ziegler Hall
E-mail: kkainer@ufl.edu
Tel: 352-846-0833

Research Interests
Tropical forest ecology, community forestry management, tropical conservation and development

Geographic Expertise
Western Amazon, Brazil, Mexico