When I was choosing a study abroad location and program, I wanted to go somewhere different and more hands on than most study abroad programs. Having an environmental science major, I wanted to go somewhere with a lot of nature and outdoor experiences. That Is why I chose the British Columbia study abroad trip through the Round River Organization. Choosing this location and program was one of the best decisions I made because I got the experience I was hoping for.
Although it was a study abroad program there was also a field/ data collecting portion of the program. While in Canada my group this summer helped contribute to three ongoing projects in the northern British Columbia area. One project was a measure of how Caribou, Stone Sheep, and Mountain goat populations are changing and what they are vulnerable to as a species. We would travel to an area with a good view of the surrounding area and use binoculars to write down what we saw and keep track of the different species. Another project we helped gather data for was a global alpine plant species research project. We went to four different summits each at different altitudes and we would count the plant species on the summits using a very rigorous protocol given to us by the project leaders. We would spend hours on these mountaintops in order to determine what species of plants were there and how many. The final project that we helped with was a survey of a threatened bird called the nighthawk. These birds only are active right before the sun sets and have a very distinct call. We would pull over on the side of the road and listen for their call but also look for them using binoculars. At the end of the program, we wrote reports on each project, and they were given to the biologists who had bigger roles to help them determine how to make them better and more scientific. We also were able to help determine what other areas could be studied and new methods of study.
Over the course of the whole summer, we visited some very unique and remote places. One of the first trips we went on we camped out next to a pond with very blue water due to it being fed by snow melt. Many of our trips required us to hike on to mountain summits and many trips involved lots of hiking. On another trip we camped near a glacier and got to get a close look at the glacial melt. This was one of the coolest experiences of the summer because I had never seen or been that close to a glacier before. The final trip that we went on was to a salmon fishing camp. There was a family there and their job was to count the salmon population swimming upstream to lay their eggs. Many of the salmon had been tagged by other researchers in Alaska. This was important to the local ecology of the area because before laws preventing overfishing salmon populations were in decline but now, they are rebounding back to previous numbers.
Overall, this trip gave me valuable experience and training that will be very applicable to my future and career. Most of our research done this summer was to help with the local first nation in the area. They use the data collected by biologists and other scientists to help create land use plans and conservation efforts in the area. Conservation in these ecosystems is important because they are very sensitive to human intervention. Although the BC government and the first nations did not get along at first, they are now working together to conserve this important habitat that is crucial for many human benefits and animal ecology. This trip was really special to me and will stick with me for the rest of my life. I am very grateful that I was able to participate in this program and hope that I can one day return to British Columbia.
Garrett Keyl (BS Environmental Science) spent Summer 2024 studying abroad in Atlin, Canada through RRCS. Garrett had the following to say about studying abroad, “Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I made. It allowed for me to study in a different environment as well as get enough credits to graduate a semester early.”
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