Ecosystem Management and Restoration

Catalog description

The student is introduced to ecosystem management through both lecture and field studies, with introductions to impacted, restored, and managed areas. This course investigates ideas and concerns of ecosystems through basic theories to discussions of case studies. Local areas of consideration and concern are visited and assessed using techniques introduced through course materials. The student is expected to be well-versed to argue for or against various corrective actions, depending on different views and interests. Several protection groups and their goals, both inside and outside of government, are discussed. Successful ecosystem restoration requires a balance between site conditions and needs, as well as human impact and use necessities. The course also includes the “human factors” of economics, politics, and tradition in finding working solutions for management. Three hours of lecture, three hours of laboratory per week.