Course: Water, forests and people
The VE project aims to provide a proper understanding of the relationships among forests and water, and the resulting benefits for people while sustaining watershed ecosystems. Issues such as population growth and land use, coupled with a changing climate, turn forest and water management into a great challenge. A challenge that requires new approaches, models, and good management practices, but above all, the comprehension and active involvement of all stakeholders.
This VE seeks to provide students – who are not experts on these themes – with the knowledge and skills to actively engage in an intercultural dialogue and an international experience centered on WICKED problems and the SDGs in particular regarding forests and water; enhancing critical thinking abilities within an international and interdisciplinary debate. It comes to complement their academic curriculum by addressing a topic of current interest and global significance, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Key words: Water, forest, awareness raising, policy
Specific learning goals
- Define what a WICKED problem is and critically evaluate the concepts of sustainability and development.
- Talk in English about Italy and Honduras, the relations between the two countries and the presence and management of water and forests in the two contexts.
- Use appropriate terminology for the discussion of Wicked Problems, SDGs, sustainable development, particularly in relation to water and forests..
- Transmit the importance of water and forests to political and civil society actors in local and global contexts (through the development of an advocacy campaign).
- Communicate and collaborate using online tools in an international and transdisciplinary team, demonstrating intercultural curiosity and awareness.
Course schedule
In total 5 week course:
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Week 1
Week 1: Getting to know each other
- Word associations
- Filling and discussing a padlet (If I were a tree..) (online session among peers)
- Required Video: The Sustainable Development Goals need Forests
- Explore Infographic: SDGs and Forest and Water Relations
Week 2
Week 2: Water & Forests in my home country
- Required Video: Forests and Water
- Describing the Forest and Water Management situation in your home country (online session among peers)
Week 3
Week 3: Water and Forest Dynamics
- Discussion Forum: How is the Water and Forest Management situation in both countries alike?
- Discussion Forum: How is the Water and Forest Management situation in both countries different?
- Discussion Forum: Once you have learned about the experience of your partner, what good practices/strategies/approaches do you think could be adopted by your home country?
- Required Video: How Forests Facilitate the Water Cycle
- Required Reading and Quiz: The Forest Water Cycle
- Required Reading and Quiz: Introducing Forest Water Relationships
- Required Video: Forests provide drinking water for the world
- Required Reading and Quiz: The importance of Forest Water Relationships
- Create an awareness raising campaign/infographic/presentation (online session among peers)
Week 4
Week 4. SDGs and the Climate Agreements
- Measure your carbon footprint
- Explore Infographic: Forests. Key to a Successful Paris Agreement
- Required Video: Sustainable forest management – a way of combating climate change
- Required Reading and Quiz: A Global Picture of Forests and Water
Week 5
Week 5. Awareness Raising campaign presentation
- Synchronized final session
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Course completion
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