Transcript title
Forest Resource Capstone
Credits
3
Grading mode
Standard letter grades
Total contact hours
50
Lecture hours
20
Lab hours
30
Prerequisites
instructor approval.
Course Description
Students conduct a sample survey of a large area and present their findings, along with recommendations for management of the area, in a written report. Oral presentation also made to department staff. Limited to second year students or those who have fulfilled majority of Forest Resources Technology Degree requirements.
Course learning outcomes
1. Explain the origin and process of the National Environmental Policy Act.
2. Describe the National Forest planning process and apply the appropriate portions to the assigned capstone project.
3. Explain the role of data collection, or results of the lack of data, and the importance of scientific understanding, including social science, in the planning process.
4. Describe the basic ecological, economic, and social pressures on forest management.
5. Identify, collect, quantify, and analyze biologic, abiotic, and cultural information to enable informed decision making.
6. Develop management alternatives for the assigned capstone project, select a preferred alternative, and defend the preferred alternative in a presentation to an audience of experts.
Content outline
- Identifying landowner objectives
- NEPA and the federal planning process focusing on USFS National Forest planning
- Understanding the conditions and constraints on the land
- Determine data/info needs
- Compile existing data
- Identifying legal constraints
- Ecological/silvicultural considerations
- Site inventory
- Project mapping
- Wildlife concerns
- Alternative analysis
- Plan compilation
- Plan-in-hand
- Develop poster
- Project analysis
- Plan compilation
- Plan-in-hand
- Develop poster
- Project analysis
Required materials
Required Texts: all materials from previous courses in the Forest Resources Technology program are utilized in this course.
Required gear: hard hat, eye protection, clipboard, appropriate field clothes for labs that will take place during rainy and snowy weather, including durable field boots.
