SFS Peru: Biodiversity and Development in the Amazon (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.
- 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
Scholarships

SFS Awards More Than $650,000 in Need-based Aid Each Year
SFS works closely with your home school to help you fund your SFS program. Many applicants receive aid through their home institutions or other outside sources, so check with your financial aid office to see what aid may apply to an SFS program.