Chas Parise, 2016
Australia: Sustaining Human Societies & the Environment
G’day, how you going? My name is Chas Parise and I went on an education abroad trip to Australia last May. I loved every part of the trip, especially my time in the Great Barrier Reef, where I surveyed different fish and coral species for three days on different sections of the reef. During my time in the reef, I was baffled by the unbelievable beauty of the reef and its fish species but I was also slightly disheartened to see the impacts that anthropogenic climate change was having on the reef and its inhabitants. Also, in many of the spots visited throughout the reef, my group was approached by a variety of curious Humphead Wrasse.
In addition to the Great Barrier Reef, I enjoyed a variety of other activities. One of these activities involved spending time at the Outback, learning about Australia’s mining history and gazing at a sky full of stars. This part of the trip was so exciting because it gave my group a chance to get off the grid and to connect on a personal level, all while enjoying the beautiful rustic scene of the Outback. I also got to stay at a farmer’s home in the Atherton tablelands, where I learned about living on a farm and trying to balance crop productivity with environmental protection in addition to alternative styles of farming.
Another incredible location I visited during my time abroad was the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. This location was a beautiful rainforest ecosystem with large ecological and cultural value. I got to see some beautiful animal species in addition to a wide variety of trees; all while being guided by a local expert and environmental enthusiast. Later, I got to kayak through this beautiful ecosystem in an adventurous journey led by a group that taught us about indigenous Australians.
Throughout this trip I learned about the viability of renewable energy; about the history and practices of indigenous culture; about agriculture in the Atherton Tablelands; and about large-scale, long term threats to Australia’s various ecosystems and wildlife, such as climate change. I hope to apply what I learned to my approach for natural resources management, to ensure people’s demands are met while also protecting and respecting environmental boundaries. I encourage everyone to participate in an education abroad experience sometime in his or her college career; it will certainly change the perspective of those who go into it with an open mind.