Course code:

ES3076

Level:

M - Intermediate

Class size limit:

20

Meets the following requirements:

  • ES - Environmental Science

Typically offered:

Every other year

The Society for Ecological Restoration defines ecological restoration as “the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.” In this era of widespread environmental degradation, restoration ecology provides an important set of methods for mitigating anthropogenic damage. However, the science of restoration is still in its early phases, and important theoretical and practical questions remain to be resolved. This class will critically examine the assumptions that underlie restoration planning, both in the ethical dimension and in the realm of scientific theory. We will consider the validity of conceptual models of ecological communities and ecosystems and the way that these models shape decision-making. We will survey the factors that must be taken into account during restoration and study best-practices approaches, with a focus on adaptive management. In the final project, groups of students will develop and present restoration plans for a local site. Students will be evaluated based on two essays, class participation, and the final project.

Level: Intermediate. Prerequisites: Any of a number of courses including Biology: Form and Function, Trees and Shrubs, Ecology, Weed Ecology, or Landscape Architecture Design Studio. Class limit: 20. Lab fee: 0. Meets the following degree requirements: ES

Prerequisites:

Any of a number of courses including Biology: Form and Function, Trees and Shrubs, Ecology, Weed Ecology, or Landscape Architecture Design Studio.

Always visit the Registrar's Office for the official course catalog and schedules.