The Natural History of Baja |
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ENVS 144: Winter 2008
Todos Bien!
By Tracey Mangin,
Ann Thomas & Jessica Reimer
The warm Baja sun beat on our bare backs and arms as we paddled through the Sea of Cortez. Ten days. One Island. 16 students. And three amazing professors.
During the winter quarter of 2008 we took two courses from the Environmental Studies Institute: Environmental Writing (Baja) and the Natural History of Baja.
Throughout these ten weeks we prepared for our trip to La Isla Espirtu Santo. We studied plant, bird and marine species, geological history, previous literature of the Baja region, and of course, the hand-slap game (a local game in which the guides had been undefeated until our arrival).
One of the major projects we completed for the Natural History of Baja course was a guide for tourists traveling to the region. Each group contributed a subchapter on various topics, including conservation, sustainable development, and flora and fauna. For our Environmental Writing class we kept a journal throughout the quarter reflecting on our readings and experiences on the island.
Once we arrived on the island we were able to apply the knowledge we learned; we found our “amigos,” (the flora and fauna that each of us researched prior to our trip), and we were able to experience all that we read about. In addition, we shared different stories and poems after eating amazing meals on the beach. During the day we spent most of the time kayaking and hiking around the island, taking advantage of the knowledge of the local guides, professors and each other.
One particularly memorable adventure was snorkeling with the sea lions off the island of Isla Partida. Our experience was made even more meaningful by the relationships we made throughout the expedition. Although we knew each other from class, we were able to bond in an especially unique way; everyday we worked together by splitting up into teams in order to complete our daily tasks.
Also, we supported one another when hiking down steep cliffs and paddling for long distances. Overall, we not only came to appreciate the area in which we traveled, but also the people who we traveled with. We only wish that we could have stayed longer!
Baja Field Guide 2004 |
 | Front Cover (PDF)
Shana Weber |  |
| Environmental Policy and Management (PDF)
May Dakkak and Jimmy Carlucci |  |
| Agriculture in Baja California Sur (PDF)
Sarah Tarpley |  |
| Water and Energy Uses (PDF)
Matt Valdin |  |
| Tourism in Baja California Sur (PDF)
Lindsey Cromwell and Kendell Johnson |  |
| Bugs of Baja (PDF)
Blair Thedinger and Chanel McCreedy |  |
| Mangroves (PDF)
Kat Wuelfing and Erin Nuccio |  |
| Geology of Baja Sur (PDF)
Suzanne Replinger and Laura Curtis |  |
| Reflections and Stories (PDF)
Various |  |
| Back Cover (PDF)
Elizabeth Dahlhoff |  |
| Sections of the field guide are formatted as Adobe Acrobat files with .PDF extensions, click here to download Adobe Reader for free. |
