Salmon, People, and Place | AlaskaX on edX.org

Take this course for free on edx.org.
www.edx.org/course/salmon-peo...
This course is an exploration of the relationships between salmon and people with an emphasis on the special ties of salmon to Indigenous peoples and to Alaska Natives and Tribes in particular.
No wild animal has more profoundly influenced the cultures and well-being of societies in North American than salmon. Indeed, salmon and people have been entwined in a relationship for millenia. This 6-week course is an exploration and celebration of this relationship as well as an examination of the current major issues, such as habitat alterations, climate change, and management actions that are straining the relationship between salmon and salmon-dependent people. We will put significant emphasis on learning about salmon and people in Alaska, which contains the last stronghold of pristine salmon ecosystems.
Students should expect to read, discuss online, and to host and facilitate dialogues in their own communities, taking their newfound knowledge beyond our virtual classroom. Together we will examine how the biology of salmon roots them in place and in turn serves to shape human societies and ecosystems.
We will learn from Indigenous elders and youth and understand the system of local management that has sustained salmon for generations. Students will compare and contrast traditional Indigenous management to current practices focused on maximizing yield and understand concepts such as spawner-recruit analysis and escapement goals.
This course is ideal for anyone interested in careers in natural resource management and will be of interest to all with a love for the natural wild world. By the completion of the course students will be informed and empowered to confront the challenges facing the relationships between salmon and salmon-dependent societies in the 21st century.
What You'll Learn:
The connection of salmon biology to place.
How salmon influence traditional Indigenous and contemporary western management systems.
The common threats to salmon populations that all start with the letter ‘H'.
The complexity and interconnected nature of Alaskan and northwestern pacific salmon systems.
The deep connections between Indigenous people and salmon and an understanding of traditional sustainable management
Consider diverse opinions across cultural and stakeholders on salmon related issues;
Gain an informed view of complex salmon-related issues