WELCOME TO WILDLANDS STUDIES

TO ENROLL, complete a Preliminary Application Form

All programs not marked closed are open and accepting applications

Wildlands Studies field projects are exciting and challenging opportunities. For the past 29 years participants have joined backcountry study teams as working field associates, helping field study specialists search for answers to important environmental problems. As a field associate, you choose among wildlife, wildland and wildwater projects in California, Montana, Alaska, Hawai’i, Colorado, Chile, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Belize, China, South Africa, Thailand, or the Himalaya. You do not need previous fieldwork experience—all necessary skills will be taught on-site by our team resource staff.

You will earn up to 12 semester units of academic credit
on our extended Wildlands Studies projects (18 quarter units).  Our short courses earn 4 semester units (6 quarter units).  While students usually encounter no difficulties in transferring credit to their home campus, applicants should check with their advisors prior to enrolling.  Our staff will be happy to explain the program in further detail to the applicant’s advisor, if necessary.   Click here to learn more about academic credit.

Your team will be small in size
In most cases there will be no more than 9-15 team members working with the project leader. Small teams, we believe, are best suited for sharing energies, responsibilities and discoveries. Likely as not, your fellow team members will come from diverse U.S. and Canadian locations, and bring with them a variety of college and career interests, a mix that usually provides ample substance for backcountry conversation and new networks of friendship.

Wildlands Studies projects occur entirely in the field

And while there is time for solitude and relaxation, they are not simply vacations. Fieldwork sometimes means long days and uphill trails in not always ideal weather. At times, research can be frustrating, repetitious, or just plain hard work; but it is also a rare and fascinating opportunity to explore our wildlands firsthand, while striving toward shared goals with experienced instructors and new friends. Click here to view Wildlands Studies Projects.

We love our wildlands
Wherever we go, we strive seriously to minimize our impact on the land. We believe that to know its beauty and feel its inner music is a human need, a need important to our hearts as well as our heritage.  As concerned citizens, we invite you to join one of our teams, and help in the effort to solve critical problems facing our wildlands and wildlife populations.


To apply review the instructions on our Application Information page.  Our 2008-2009 projects will be described on this site. Program fees are also available on our Application page.

South Africa Project -  Preserving Wildlife & Biodiversity in Africa

Thailand/Laos Project -  Wildland/Island Conservation, Ecosystems & Culture

Washington Project -  Wildlife Communities

Yellowstone Endangered Species Project - Wildlife Survival