Newsletter

Winter 1999: Notes from Au Sable

Setting a Record

Au Sable Institute's Academic Program experienced exciting growth and development in 1999. Highlights included:

• Our most students ever in one year, with more than 200 participating.
• Programs at five locations, with Kenya and East Coast joining Great Lakes, Pacific Rim and South India.
• New courses in Marine Mammals (Pacific Rim), Bioregional Stewardship (Great Lakes), Sustainable Communities and Environmental Conflict Resolution (East Coast), Tropical Birds (Africa) and Development and Ecological Sustainability (Africa).

At Pacific Rim, the summer of 1999 marked the first time that two five-week sessions were held at the Whidbey Island location. Students in Session 2 began the critical natural features inventory of the new property.

A new program was inaugurated at a former mission station in Kenya in cooperation with the African Institute for Scientific Research and Development. Twenty-seven students from North America and Kenya participated in the four courses. Returning students reported very positive experiences.

In India, where we are cooperating with Bishop Heber College, another successful Ecology of the Indian Tropics course was held in January. While the proposed summer courses were not offered this year, two new courses are planned for 2000.

Another new program took place on Chesapeake Bay at Tangier Island, Va. Here students studied the natural history of the bay and the faith-based environmental stewardship initiated by Au Sable Board of Trustees member Susan Drake Emmerich.

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