Purdue is offering an online course specifically on hunting's role in conservation.
Almost all hunters are aware of the importance of hunting in the roles of population control and conservation of wildlife. However, now more students than ever will learn about the importance of hunting thanks to an online course being offered by the University of Purdue.
"Hunting for Conservation" was already an in-person class and a requirement for all wildlife majors, but this new online version of the course will be available more widely across the country to students of many colleges and universities.
In a press release from the Purdue Newsroom, the school says the course focuses heavily on the public lands and wildlife management systems in place in both the United States and Canada.
More specifically, the course will examine funding, hunting as a population control tool, new habitat acquisition, and more. Emphasis will be placed on how hunting and fishing license fees directly fund conservation. Dedicated hunters will also be happy to learn students will learn about the more cultural aspects of hunting. Even topics like firearms safety, hunter ethics and shot placement are topics of discussion for the students.
The press release further states that Purdue's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources were already working on an online version of this course with Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow before the coronavirus pandemic began. It's fortunate timing for the course to go online as many universities and colleges grapple with the challenges of teaching students outside a traditional classroom environment.
"The pandemic thrust us into pushing head," Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow's national coordinator Zachary Lowe said in the press release. "The partnership with Purdue was a natural fit. There's no way we could have done this without Purdue's expertise in distance learning."
Purdue forestry and natural resources and biology professor Andrew DeWoody said in the release that any students looking to get into natural resources management should take the course.
"It makes people who are going out to manage our natural resources aware of hunters and how they interact with those resources," DeWoody said in the release.
Purdue requests that any other colleges or universities interested in carrying the course contact [email protected] for more information on the course.
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