Initially, if you are going to work on habitat islands and corridors, you may need to become aware of or identify the ones which currently exist in your local area. You will often need assistance from local landuse planners and environmentalists, who have an immediate working knowledge of what is locally in existence. Some suggestions for how you might make these contacts and the information you might want to look for is provided in the individual activities. In addition to local public & private expertise, you will find programatic support for more regionally based programs such as GLOBE, GREEN, GIS, AAG, and NRCS in the module.We also hope you explore and share the insights and experiences of colleagues via a search of the posts & threads available in the discussion section of Phase II.
Secondly, these existing islands and corridors of habitat
need to be carefully studied. This module provides a great opportunity
for you to teach your students many of the concepts and processes of ecology,
environmental, and earth systems science. Much of the data your students
collect can be used as part of the ongoing monitoring, sharing, interpretation,
and analyses which must take place to be vigilant overseers of the health
of the habitat they are using to study. We have provided background information
on concepts in ecology, environmental and earth systems science science,
as well as a series of definitions related to each concept and a number
of activities which you can do with your students. It should be remembered
the inventory of these concepts, definitions and activities is not complete
and we hope it will grow and be refined as users make suggestions.
The third way you and your students may use this information
is in the establishment of new habitat islands and corridors. This really
involves both of the above two processes. Potential areas will have to
be identified and studied for their suitability. Again, you may need help
from those already involved in such studies locally, regionally, or globally,
and many of the activities and data collected will be the same as in the
study of existing locations.
There are some additional benefits for you and your
students using habitat studies as presented in this module:
Foremost, it provides an opportunity for students to
see the connection between what they are studying in school to real life
issues in their community. They will be working with others who are not
traditionally a part of their learning setting, but are certainly a part
of their community. This should help them feel more a part of this community.
There also is an interdisciplinary nature to many of
the activities and interactions which can help students realize that what
they are doing in science is not isolated from the other aspects of their
education.