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See what Environment students were up to this summer!
Environment students made the most out of their summer by engaging in some exciting learning experiences, including an archaological field school and tours with a city planner.
Planning students present big ideas to the City of New Westminster
In June, students in resource and environmental management professor Meg Holden’s PLAN 406 class took their learning outside the classroom for field trips to various sites in New Westminster and Downtown Vancouver.
“These field trips helped me imagine public spaces in new and different ways,” shares Kai, a student in the class. “I particularly enjoyed our field trip through Richards Street to the sθәqәlxenәm ts'exwts'áxwi7 children's playground.”
For their final project, students were challenged to produce bold visions for the neighbourhood around the 22nd Street Skytrain station in New Westminster. After touring the area with a city planner, they developed plans to address issues like traffic calming and integration, function and safety, climate change mitigation, and consideration of the most vulnerable.
“Visiting the site enabled my group and I to have a better understanding of the context and planning issues of the area,” shares Karina, another student in the class.
As an exciting bonus learning opportunity, groups presented their broad range of ideas at New Westminster City Hall for feedback and a workshop discussion with planning professionals and city staff.
Students gain real-world experience while attending local archaeological field school
At the end of May, archaeology professor David Burley’s students spent two weeks in a local field school in North Vancouver in partnership with the Squamish Nation. There, they tackled the excavation of a large pile of sediment that was relocated from Locarno Beach in 2014 when the area was being developed.
By the end of the field school, each student had uncovered arrowheads, flakes, and over a hundred beads combined. A chance to practice their ability to recognize and record artifacts, as well as their excavation skills, this hands-on learning opportunity provided valuable real-world experience to prepare students for success in their future careers.
