Human Impacts on the Natural Environment, May 2018
Program Overview
This program focuses on the diverse ecological, biological and social science areas to examine the relationship between humans and the natural environment. While in country we traveled through northern Queensland and listened to faculty and practitioners to engage in lectures, readings, essay questions, debates and a team presentation. We worked on a research project describing the marine diversity on the Great Barrier Reef, learned about Aboriginal culture and history, investigated natural resource management, ecotourism and farming practices and explored World Heritage areas such as Wallaman Falls.
Pre-Departure Reflection
Traveling to Australia had been an item on my bucket list from the first time I watched Finding Nemo. I had always been interested in the Great Barrier Reef and in awe at the flora and fauna within the country. Before departing, we had to read a book about Australia to give us a sense of their culture. We also had an assignment based on their language because even though they speak English, many of their words are different than ours. We also had a pre-departure guided quiz where we began to think about the concepts we would be engaging in throughout our 4.5 weeks in country. We had one day where we met the people who would be on the trip and we talked about the expectations and what we should pack. I left orientation energized for the trip and excited for the places we were going to visit.
While Abroad Reflection
After a 15 hour flight and a 14 hour time change, we arrived in Australia. Our program was focused on learning about the environment so we spent time in an array of ecosystems and we had the chance to see several World Heritage sites.
We started our adventure at Hidden Valley Cabins in the rainforest of Australia. We spent time learning about the flora and fauna through exploring Paluma Range National Park and guided rainforest hikes. We had lectures focusing on the impact of tourism on wet tropics areas and management practices for World Heritage areas. One of my favorite parts of this part of the trip was our 305 meter hike to see Wallaman Falls, which is the country’s largest sheer drop waterfall. One evening we went on a night safari and saw owls, possums, gliders, bettongs, and birds. It was so cool to see these nocturnal animals, many of which we do not have in the United States. We spent one day traveling to Mungalla Station, which focuses on the Aboriginal culture and history of Australia. 
Once we left Hidden Valley, we spent time on Magnetic Island, which is where we had the chance to conduct research with Koalas. We were looking at how Koalas interact with their ecosystems and we got to see Koalas in their natural habitat. Through our lecture on Koalas I learned a few fun facts!
- Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day
- Koalas only eat eucalyptus, which actually doesn’t provide many nutrients to them and explains why they sleep so much!
- Koalas are marsupials meaning they have a pouch!
We had two days where we were at Mission Beach, where we had a chance to explore. We were not able to swim because it was crocodile season and they were in the ocean! We stayed at an ecolodge and there was a path from our cabin to the ocean. This path was more like a hike through the rainforest before you ended up on a sandy white beach — it was so cool!
While we were in the country, we watched the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It was so interesting to be in Australia at this time, since Australia is part of the Commonwealth and under the rule of the Queen. The Australians were less than impressed with the wedding and hype surrounding the royal family. Australia has attempted to fight for their freedom on several occasions and it has not worked.
While we were in the Outback our studies focused on geology and energy. The sunsets we saw while in the 
Outback are beautiful. It was so interesting to learn how the plants and animals adapt to this unique environment. We toured a cave and a former smelter, which is a former factory for heating a metal from its ore. It was interesting to see hear how this factory had impacts on the environment and the land surrounding Chillagoe, Australia.
We spent time in the Atherton Tablelands, which is where the farmland is in Australia. Due to the placement of the mountains, the tablelands receive rainfall and have weather that is conducive to farming. This is where we did our homestay! Three of my classmates and I spent time with a couple who lived on a beef farm. They gave us a tour of their property where we saw a 6-foot python! They have protected rainforest land in their pasture area. It was interesting to hear how they manage their property and heard with the rainforest land and the different types of animals they have to deal with. In Ohio, we have to manage the deer population interacting with our livestock, in Australia, they have to deal with Kangaroos. We of course thought the Kangaroos were so cool but they are quite a nuisance to farmers. We learned how to make fresh squeezed orange juice and also saw four different waterfalls. We had a chance to learn more about the Australian culture and their views on topics surrounding politics, education, and pop culture.
My favorite part of the trip was spending three days snorkeling on nine different locations on the Great Barrier Reef. We learned the types of fish and coral. Now, when I watch Finding Nemo I can identify the different parts of the reef! While snorkeling I saw sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, giant clams, parrot fish, and starfish. 
We even saw blue tangs and clownfish swimming on their anemone. This is where we studied how they conduct research on the reef. We learned how to conduct transects, which is how researchers identify the health of the reef. The Australian government has identified the Great Barrier Reef as a top priority and the reef is sectioned into different zones. Certain zones outline what can be conducted in each area such as recreation, research, shipping, etc. Although there are parts of the reef that have experience bleaching it was interesting to hear overall the reef is much healthier than I imagined. One morning we conducted a beach clean up and we had the chance to see the impacts of plastic pollution and how this is impacting the the coral reef.
I was so sad to see the trip come to an end. We had our final exam in Cairns before eleven of us flew to Sydney, Australia for two days. This was not part of the official trip, but I still loved seeing the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. We were in town during Vivid Sydney, which is a light and music festival. Our flight home was long and I lived the same day for 43 hours as we entered back into our home timezone!
After Return Reflection
Adjusting to the jet lag was hard! I am so thankful for the adventures I had while in Australia, I am not sure I would have been able to do everything we did if I would have been on a trip by myself. I was able to push myself outside of my comfort zone while interacting with different types of plants and animals and learning about concepts I hadn’t ever thought about. Now, I am much more aware about my single-use plastic use because I saw first-hand the sea turtles and the coral reef we should work to preserve. It was so interesting to learn how the different ecosystems interact with each other and how impacts in one can lead to adverse effects in another. This sparked my interest in the environment and has given me a new appreciation for the beauty of our world.
