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SFS Peru: Biodiversity and Development in the Amazon (Semester)

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The School for Field Studies (SFS)
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SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester
SFS Peru Semester

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About

Explore the extraordinarily biodiverse ecosystems of the northern Peruvian Amazon. Discuss threats to the region – from climate change to resource extraction – and get at the heart of Peru’s conservation and development issues. Experience flooded forests on a multi-day riverboat expedition and travel to the Andean highlands where you’ll visit cloud forests and the historic Incan capital of Cusco, the hub for visitors to Machu Picchu.

SFS students live and study at the Center for Amazon Studies, which lies halfway between the remote city of Iquitos and the port city of Nauta, nestled in the Amazon. The sounds of the forest permeate our campus, from student cabins to the pool and open-air student lounge. The rainforest is accessible via an on-campus trail system which traverses our 183-acre property. Small communities and local shops are within walking distance.

Highlights
  • Take a multi-day excursion to the village of Sucusari to learn about the livelihoods of the Maijuna people and explore the rainforest from one of the world’s longest canopy walkways.
  • Take a five-day riverboat expedition in Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area, home to species such as pink river dolphins, sloths, piranhas, primates, macaws, and giant river otters.
  • Visit a manatee rescue center, tropical fish exporter, and potato and butterfly farms to study a range of local agriculture and conservation organizations.
  • Build core skills including: Species IDs & population monitoring, biodiversity surveys & transects, interviewing & mapping techniques, conservation strategy assessment, basic Spanish language, research design & implementation, data collection & analysis
  • Conduct research in some of the following areas: Climate change, forest and soil ecology, sustainable aquaculture, natural resource management, forest recovery, development in the Amazon

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Sean
Male
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Straight Up Amazing

Aug 30, 2017

Before this program, I had only left the country once before, and that was to go to Montreal in Canada. I was a little nervous joining the program the to that, but my fears were groundless. This program was stunning in scenery, meticulous in safety preparations, and fascinating in class information.

The field trips were all worthwhile, and allow you to learn more about the culture and ecology of Peru (Andes, Amazon, and highlands) than most tourists could ever dream of. Additionally, it allows you to avoid the more touristy locations and find peace in some harder to reach locales. The program's itinerary is changeable though, as we found when half the program fell sick and could not make it to Manu Wildlife Center (arguably the highlight of the program). Even with this, though, the amount of information we learned and the amount that we traveled seemed unparalleled by any other programs I had researched.

I would hands down recommend SFS Peru for a study abroad program. I would recommend staying after to sightsee and let your hair down a bit, for rules are strictly enforced during the semester and spring break for safety purposes. And if possible, I would also come down early to get a deeper understanding of the language and the present culture too (for SFS lodging is in what may appear normal in the States but are palaces in terms of Peruvian standards of living).

I learned more during my semester with SFS than I had learned in the previous year in University, in addition to meeting and befriending many like-minded nature nuts and hiking pals. I hope that you have the same or better experiences!

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Amazonian Snake with Prof. Adrian
Bridge over an Amazonian River
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Ashley
26
Female
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

SFS Peru

Dec 10, 2015

SFS Peru is the place to make lifelong friends who become your family, be surrounded by amazing amounts of wildlife, and study and work in the Amazon rain forest. Unique opportunities to pursue interests in ecology, conservation biology, and political ecology make this program extremely special. Expect to be amazed every day and live in a place you may have never considered a potential home. Travel opportunities and field excursions throughout the rain forest, as well as the highlands, make this program fantastic.

What would you improve about this program?
The only major issues are spotty wifi and the occasional electricity failure.
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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Sean Cloran

Program
SFS Peru: Biodiversity and Development in the Amazon (Semester)

Why did you choose this program?

It gave me the chance to see Peru, a country rich in culinary traditions, history, and ecology. Additionally, the program itself provides the opportunity to both study and do research in the field.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

SFS gave a comprehensive packing list to us, which prepared us for everything we faced. Additionally, they had everything during the semester planned out to a T, so the only things that the students had to organize were plans for the mid-semester break and post-semester time.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be kind to everyone and careful in your actions, for chances are they'll be kind to you. I had heard that crime would be a prevalent factor in studying abroad but was not robbed or even pickpocketed once.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Eight hours of "class" per day, which could either be in the classroom or in the field, which makes that amount of time seem much less daunting! Class is typically six days per week, so Sundays are often free days for everyone to relax and catch up on.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was scared that I would not be able to learn Spanish, and thus not be able to communicate with people from Peru. Through the help of the program and just day-to-day attempts to speak the language, I picked up a capable understanding of the language!

What types of wildlife did you see?

Hummingbirds of all colors and shapes, everywhere.

In the Andes, there were condors, cattle, Polylepis trees, llamas, alpacas, horses, and viscacha. These animals were way more agile than I had thought was possible, being able to scale mountainous faces and blaze their own trails.

In the Amazon basin, there were birds of all shapes, sizes, songs, and colors. There were lines of army ants, leaf cutter ants, and termites crossing trails, jaguar prints left in the mud, and monkeys in the canopy. Insects of all kinds fly around, and whenever a blue Morpho would float through all conversation would stop. The trees and vegetation are all lush, there were bioluminescent fungi and sensitive leaves that folded up when you touched them. It was like being surrounded by life, to an extent never experienced before!

About The School for Field Studies (SFS)

The School for Field Studies (SFS) offers field-based programs that revolve around environmental studies and research. The programs involve exploration of the human and ecological aspects of issues having to do with the local environments. Students assist SFS's global partners and host communities in their research, finding meaningful solutions to...

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