On October 2, FIU Law Professor Barbara Ballan took students from her Environmental Law class on an experiential learning field trip to Everglades National Park. This marks the second time Professor Ballan has incorporated an Everglades field trip into her environmental law courses, giving students a unique opportunity to connect the environmental laws they study in the classroom with the ecosystems those laws help protect.
The students were guided through the park by two National Park Service education rangers, exploring several distinct Everglades ecosystems while learning about the history and ecology of the Everglades, the importance of its protection and restoration, and the complex challenges involved in managing one of the nation’s most significant protected ecosystems.
The field trip gave students an opportunity to connect environmental law doctrine to practice. Throughout the semester, students study major federal environmental statutes and regulatory frameworks, including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act. In the Everglades, students were able to apply those legal frameworks to real-world issues involving wetlands and water protection, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, federal agency decision-making, and the relationship between law, science, and environmental management.
For FIU Law students, the Everglades provides a unique outdoor classroom. Experiencing this extraordinary ecosystem firsthand helps students understand why environmental law matters in South Florida and how legal and regulatory decisions affect the landscapes and natural resources surrounding their community. The field trip reflects FIU Law’s commitment to experiential learning and to preparing future lawyers to engage with environmental and natural resource issues that are especially important in Florida.