Professor of Environment and Sustainability,
Conservation and Sustainable Development
What You'll Learn
- Situate conservation and development within the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
- Understand and contextualize the history of conservation and development, including the field's racist history.
- Think critically about conservation and development, from early ideas of nature and wilderness to future perspectives.
- Evaluate contemporary approaches to conservation and development in specific locations such as urban, marine, and forest areas.
5 Modules
25 Hours
5 hrs per module (approx.)
About Conservation and Sustainable Development
Protecting biodiversity and supporting local and Indigenous people are too often treated as competing goals. In "Conservation and Sustainable Development," you'll explore where those goals conflict, overlap, and evolve together, drawing on real-world case studies from around the globe.
You will learn about the complex, intertwined relationship between global conservation efforts and human development. Rather than viewing environmental protection and human progress as separate or competing goals, you’ll examine their overlap, conflict, and evolution together on a global scale.
This is the first course in the "Climate Solutions" series, a three-course series on addressing climate change with innovative, community-centered strategies that protect biodiversity for the benefit of all.
Skills You'll Gain
- Environmental Economics
- Environmental Health Management
- Environmental Justice
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability Procedures
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Conservation and Sustainable Development. As you begin this course, take a moment to review the syllabus below to better understand the course goals, expectations, assessment methods, policies, and the support resources available to you throughout your learning experience.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: What is Conservation and Sustainable Development?
- Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course
- Video: Welcome to Conservation and Sustainable Development
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Pre-Course Survey
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself!
- Lesson 2: Conservation & Development in the UN SDGs
- Reading: Introduction to the UN SDGs
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Conservation & Development in the SDGs
- Lesson 3: History of Conservation & Development
- Video: The History of Conservation & Development
- Graded: Sustainable vs. Unsustainable?
- Lesson 4: BIPOC Perspective on Conservation & Development
- Reading: Alternative Perspectives on Conservation & Development
- Reading: Kyle Whyte on the Colonial Genesis of Climate Change
- Reading: African Americans in the Great Outdoors
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on BIPOC Perspectives on Conservation & Development
- Lesson 5: The Racist Past of Conservation & Development
- Video: Introduction to the Racist Past of Conservation & Development
- Reading: Racism and the Environment
- Reading: Unequal Impact: The Deep Links Between Racism and Climate Change
- Reading: The Environmental Movement Needs to Reckon with Its Racist History
- Graded: Module 1 Quiz
Module 2: Early Ideas of Nature and Wilderness
- Lesson 1: Conceptualizing Nature and Wilderness
- Video: Introduction to Wilderness and Nature
- Video: Early Ideas of Nature and Wilderness
- Reading: The Creation of Yellowstone National Park
- Lesson 2: Understanding Nature Preservation
- Video: Origins of Nature Preservation
- Reading: The History of Nature Preservation in Practice
- Reading: Latin America's Environmental History
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection on Nature Preservation in Action
- Lesson 3: People and Protected Areas
- Video: From Nature & Wilderness to Protected Areas
- Reading: People and Protected Areas
- Discussion Prompt: Nature & Wilderness in Your Life
- Graded: Module 2 Quiz
Module 3: Practicing Conservation and Sustainable Development
- Lesson 1: Introduction to the Practice of Conservation & Development
- Video: Practice of Conservation & Development
- Video: Gender and Feminist Political Ecology
- Lesson 2: Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation
- Video: Overview of Indigenous Knowledge
- Reading: Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- Assignment: Reflecting on the Value of Indigenous Knowledge
- Lesson 3: The Relationship Between Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Eradication
- Video: Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Eradication
- Reading: Protected Area Conservation and Poverty Dynamics
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection on Conservation and Poverty Dynamics
- Reading: Can We Achieve Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Alleviation Simultaneously?
- Assignment: Balancing Conservation and Development
- Lesson 4: What is Community-Based Conservation and Does it Work?
- Video: Community-Based Conservation
- Reading: Community-Based Conservation from a Global Perspective
- Assignment: Evaluating Community-Based Conservation
- Lesson 5: Introduction to Incentive-Based Conservation
- Video: Incentive-Based Conservation
- Reading: Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) in a Development Context
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection on PES Case Studies
- Reading: Conditional vs Non-Conditional Payments
- Graded: Module 3 Quiz
Module 4: Conservation and Development in Specific Areas
- Lesson 1: Marine Conservation & Development
- Video: Conservation & Development in Different Areas
- Video: Marine Conservation & Development
- Reading: Challenges in Governing Marine and Ocean Environments
- Assignment: Reflecting on Marine and Ocean Governing Challenges
- Reading: Explore Global Fishing Efforts
- Discussion Prompt: Global Fishing Efforts Exploration Reflection
- Lesson 2: Urban Environments' Conservation & Development
- Video: Conservation & Development in Urban Environments
- Reading: Living Walls and Roofs: Potential Strategy?
- Reading: Urban Nature and Insect Biodiversity
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Conservation & Development in Your Experience
- Lesson 3: Forest Conservation & Development
- Video: Forest Conservation & Development
- Reading: REDD and Forestry
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on the Impact of REDD
- Reading: Why Does REDD+ Fuel Social Conflict?
- Reading: Critiquing the REDD Program
- Graded: Module 4 Quiz
- Reading: Supplemental Readings to Module 4
Module 5: The Future of Conservation and Sustainable Development
- Lesson 1: Coping with Climate Change
- Video: The Future of Conservation and Sustainable Development
- Video: Coping with Climate Change
- Reading: Linking Climate Change Adaptation with Indigenous Knowledge
- Reading: Dealing with Changing Climates, Forests, and People
- Discussion Prompt: Forest and Climate Change Reflection
- Lesson 2: Anti-Poaching Strategies
- Video: Anti-Poaching Strategies
- Reading: Questioning the Militarization of Anti-Poaching Strategies
- Lesson 3: Challenges to Implementing Anti-Poaching Strategies
- Reading: Overview of Gala Case Study
- Reading: Gala Case: Introduction to "Guns or GPS Units?"
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection #1
- Reading: Gala Case: Section 2 of "Guns or GPS Units?"
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection #2
- Reading: Gala Case: Part 3 of "Guns or GPS Units?"
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection #3
- Reading: Gala Case: Part 4 of "Guns or GPS Units?"
- Discussion Prompt: Reflection #4
- Lesson 4: Rewilding as a Solution to Conservation Dilemmas
- Video: Rewilding
- Reading: What is Rewilding?
- Reading: Why is Rewilding Contenious?
- Graded: Module 5 Quiz
- Video: Thank You for Joining!
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Reading: Keep Learning With Michigan Online!
Grading Policy
To pass this course, learners must achieve an overall grade of 80% or higher. There are five module-level quizzes, each worth 20% of the final grade.
Lecturer III in Environment and Sustainability
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No degree or prior experience required. Anyone interested in climate solutions, innovation, or global development can succeed in the course.
