Summer 2017: SFU Semester Outside in the City III

For the past two summers, students from across universities and disciplines came together to re-vision the potential for outdoor learning within Vancouver. This was part of the Outdoor Learning Project by CityStudio which saw students from SFU Semester in Dialogue and BCIT create innovative temporary installations and educational projects within Everett Crowley Park. These two terms enabled students to deepen their connection with the natural world and be proactive as ecologically caring citizens of the city.  We look forward to continuing this work as we begin Semester Outside in the City III this summer.

The City of Vancouver Parks Board Environmental Education & Stewardship Action Plan (EESAP-2014) "Rewilding Vancouver" identifies the creation of special wild places in the city as its first priority area. This semester will take place in this urban wild, building directly on the work done in the last two summer terms. Likely conversations needing further exploration include: indigeneity and colonization, public conception of the purpose of parks, re-wilding, nature-as-teacher, urban ecology, wildness, ecological vs. outdoor learning, and many more.

We will focus on the continued exploration of urban parks as outdoor learning sites within the city. We will deeply consider the history, ecology and communities of the sites that we engage with as a starting point for design. We will also consider the terms public space, wild space and what re-wilding in urban parks mightlook like. By listening and learning from the multitude of voices that inhabit urban wildernesses we hope to better understand the complex systems, deep connections and our relation to them.  Students will work on both individual and group projects. Don’t miss out on the indoor and outdoor adventures during this innovative and experiential Semester Outside in the City!

For more details on Semester Outside I and II watch these videos and take a look at the reports HERE.

Instructors:  Dr. Laura Piersol, Mark Winston and Janet Moore