The course has three main foci: 1. You will reflect in several ways on your past 3-4 years of higher education; 2. You will learn how to analyze almost any of the approaches widely used to measure and assess a multi-faceted environmental concept like `conservation?, (or `sustainability?, or 'green building', etc); and 3. You will develop a solid plan to improve a specific environmental practice at UMass with which you are familiar, and will turn this plan into a strong written proposal addressed to a real decision-maker. Both main projects in the class are team-based.

Development of individualized curricula for the major's elective credits. University and program graduation requirements, second majors, minors, and curriculum plans discussed.

Introduction to the human dimension of resource management. Topics include social values, demographics, outdoor recreation, agency history and mandates, economic valuation, resource allocation, stakeholder groups, the commons dilemma, and other topics. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BS-NRC majors.

Field-based lab providing students with hands-on learning experience in forest ecology. Field labs focus on foundational topics in forest ecology including: physiography and site quality; forest soils and nutrient cycling; ecological succession; forest dynamics; community structure; natural disturbance; and invasive/non-native species. Labs feature visits to local forest sites to demonstrate and formalize ecological concepts learned in other courses.

This course provides the evolutionary basis for understanding biological problems in conservation. Evolutionary thinking provides more comprehensive approaches to conservation biology and future conservation practitioners must be equipped with the ability to think about conservation from an evolutionary perspective. Major topics will include: (1) a survey of evolutionary theory; (2) the application of evolutionary thinking to case studies and problems in conservation biology.

This course provides the evolutionary basis for understanding biological problems in conservation. Evolutionary thinking provides more comprehensive approaches to conservation biology and future conservation practitioners must be equipped with the ability to think about conservation from an evolutionary perspective. Major topics will include: (1) a survey of evolutionary theory; (2) the application of evolutionary thinking to case studies and problems in conservation biology.

Not available at this time.

Management principles of municipal and utility tree care, land use problems, tree laws and ordinances.

Introduction to Environmental Policy and Administration in the United States, with a focus on the Federal level. Topics include: Defining a "Public Problem"; understanding what Public Policy is; understanding what Public Administration is; and understanding what Policy Analysis is. Much of the course will be focused on reviewing major historical environmental legislation and policies (e.g., Clean Air, Clean Water; Endangered Species; Superfund; Wind Energy, etc.).