Fleming College

Students in Fleming College’s Ecosystem Management Technician program will soon have the opportunity to spend a semester of study at Pidwa Wilderness Reserve (PWR) in South Africa.

The School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences (SENRS) last week signed a Letter of Intent with Pidwa to partner to deliver a semester abroad beginning in winter 2018.

“Askari is thrilled to have secured a new agreement with Fleming College to begin a semester abroad program,” said Katie Rooke, Manager, Askari Wilderness Conservation Programme. “We have been working with students from the Ecosystem Management program for six years on a two-week placement, which has privileged us to experience the high calibre of students coming from the course. Their prior knowledge, theory, enthusiasm and hard work ethic continue to make their work on the reserve invaluable. To have a team with us for 12 weeks is a fantastic prospect; we will be able to complete longer term and more specialized projects by having the students on board. The Askari team, staff and owner of Pidwa Wilderness Reserve are extremely excited to be moving forward with this extended support from Fleming EM students, all working towards our wilderness vision.”

PWR is a 17,500 hectare wilderness reserve committed to restoring the lowveld ecosystem through monitoring, research and active management studies while Askari Wilderness Conservation Programme supports the conservation of wilderness at Pidwa. The most recent cohort of Fleming students has just returned from Pidwa where they participated in a habitat restoration project as well as species relocation.

“I am very excited that we are taking this partnership to the next level. Fleming students will now be able to contribute to the vision of the Pidwa Wilderness Reserve through the two-week field placement or the 12-week semester abroad experience in South Africa,” said SENRS Dean Linda Skilton. “The School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences has been increasing applied learning experiences in all of its programs, including international opportunities such as this one in our Ecosystem Management program. In the past six years over 40 students have completed their field placement course at Pidwa and have described their experience as a life changing.”

Located at Frost Campus in Lindsay, SENRS is home to about 1,700 full-time students. It has prepared graduates for careers in the environmental and natural resources sectors for almost 50 years. The campus offers 30 programs in environmental and natural resources sciences studies and SENRS has been recognized as a leader in sustainability.

For more information about PWR and Askari, visit: www.askariwcp.com. For more information about Fleming’s Ecosystem Management Technician program, visit: flemingcollege.ca/programs/ecosystem-management-technician

About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 5,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 68,000 alumni.

-30-

Media, for more information please contact:
Laura Copeland
Communications Officer
laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca
705.749.5530 x 1370