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University of Florida
School of Natural Resources and Environment
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Fall 2005
Africa

Territorial displays of Hippopotamus amphibious involve tusk-like, 60-centimeter canines weighing almost 3 kilos in a mouth that can open to 120 centimeters. Valued for superior ivory, meat, and hide, hippos face threats across Africa. The Gamba Complex is an important refuge for hippos in Gabon.
Photo/Carlton Ward

Graduate Student Photographs Africa's Diversity

By Patricia Casey

School of Natural Resources and Environment interdisciplinary ecology graduate student Carlton Ward, Jr. has combined his interest in ecology with his talent for photography.

Ward spent more than seven months in the field photographing the unique landscapes and biological diversity of Gabon in central Africa. The result of his efforts and those of the Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program have been published in a 320-page book titled The Edge of Africa (Hylas Press). Ward's mission in Gabon was to raise awareness about environmental issues through photography.

"Carlton's extraordinary book shows the power of an interdisciplinary approach," said Stephen Humphrey, director of SNRE Academic Programs. "He's combined the intellectual rigor of environmental science with the effectiveness of a professional communicator, and he's juxtaposed the interaction of biological and human communities, both depending on the natural world."

Ward chose the School of Natural Resources and Environment because of the interdisciplinary structure of its master's program. Ward completed his course work in science and his thesis through the College of Journalism and Communications, where he became the first UF graduate student to combine the interdisciplinary ecology curriculum with photojournalism.

Ward recently founded the Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture. The institute's mission is to raise awareness for natural environments and cultural legacies, educate about important connections between human societies and natural ecosystems, and promote conservation of natural heritage for the betterment of present and future generations.

Web Resources

http://www.carltonward.com

UF's Explore magazine
http://www.rgp.ufl.edu/publications/explore/v08n2/feature_01.html

UF's College of Journalism and Communications communigator
http://www.jou.ufl.edu/pubs/communigator/fall2005/conservation.asp

Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture
http://www.linc.us/





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