Conserving Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the astonishing variety of life across ecosystems—from estuaries at the crossroads of freshwater and saltwater to working landscapes and seascapes like farms and fisheries. But why is biodiversity essential? And why should we care that it is increasingly under threat locally and globally? This cluster explores these questions and more, examining how diverse ways of knowing—including Western scientific frameworks and others including Indigenous Ecological Knowledges—shape our understanding of biodiversity and interconnected life. We will discover how conservation strategies shift across contexts through cultural, ecological, and philosophical lenses, fostering an inclusive, adaptable approach to sustaining ecosystems and all life on the planet.

This cluster will be offered throughout 2025-27.

Courses & Faculty

HNUH 258C: Nature at Risk: Extinction, Consequences, and Strategies

Instructor: Bill Fagan

How should we prioritize among all the species at risk of extinction? This course will grapple with the complex and consequential process of extinction from biological, geographical, and mathematical perspectives. Core themes will include the 1) nature(s) of extinction risks, 2) potential consequences of different kinds of extinction, and 3) considerations involved in setting priorities. Students will explore, handle, and analyze relevant data (e.g., evolutionary trees, species occurrence records, population censuses) to better understand extinction processes. With the aid of AI-generated hypothetical species, we will investigate hidden biases, debate the consequences of our choices, and explore possible prioritization strategies.

GenEd: TBA

Offered in: Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Fall 2026, Spring 2027

Required/Optional: Required

HNUH 258R: Cultivating Conservation: Exploring Connections Between Biodiversity and Livelihoods

Instructor: Jim LaChance

There are a lot of ways food is harvested from land and sea before it reaches your dinner plate – not all of them are savory. In this course, we’ll explore how the many livelihoods that provide us with food can also work to incorporate and rely on biodiversity conservation. What does biodiversity conservation look like in a working landscape or seascape? How do social movements align or contrast with different food production and conservation practices? And finally, how are these environments – and the people and cultures embedded in them – increasingly under threat? Through complementary aspects of social science and conservation practice, this course emphasizes not only the threats posed to unique localities and livelihoods, but also the hope of a just and sustainable dinner table. Students will leave with knowledge of the practices and skills needed to participate in transforming our food system for improved environmental and community outcomes.

GenEd: TBA

Offered in: Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Fall 2026, Spring 2027

Required/Optional: Optional

HNUH 258O: Supporting Our Watershed: Indigenous Perspectives on Biodiversity and Conservation in the Chesapeake Region

Instructor: Angela Stoltz / Amy Green

Eastern oysters, Yellow Eels, and Diamondback Terrapins…these are a few species native to the Chesapeake Region at risk due to the impacts of climate change. In this project-based course, students will explore the Chesapeake Region’s biodiversity while identifying threats and conservation solutions to vulnerable and endangered species. Readings and place-based learning experiences will provide a deeper understanding of how Indigenous Knowledges support a more inclusive and accurate understanding of ecological science. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to apply these insights in educational and environmental contexts, promoting a more holistic and socially just approach to science and conservation efforts.

GenEd: TBA

Offered in: Spring 2026, Spring 2027

Required/Optional: Optional

Lead Fellow