Environmental Impact Assessment

Course Description

Environmental Assessment is a professional course designed as a theoretical and field-based class for Natural Resource Management majors. NRMP 2202 covers methodologies for the design and conduct of environmental assessments. This course introduces students to environmental assessment tools, with a focus on the origins, purposes and processes of each. Focus is placed on Belize pertaining to environmental laws, environmental assessment systems, as well as the gradual evolution of environmental assessments toward a sustainability-oriented framework. In particular, the course covers topics associated to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Rapid Environmental Assessments (REA).  The practical component of the class is field-based in which sampling and field biology skills are assessed thereby providing the opportunity for students to sharpen and develop observation, investigative, data collection and analytical skills.