Welcome

Introduction

Welcome to Forest Resources 365 — Issues in Natural Resource Conservation. This term we will be exploring the social and ecological issues surrounding the human use and management of natural resources. This course will provide you with opportunities for creative learning and class discussion. I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities and share your perceptions of natural resources conservation.

Syllabus

Official Description

This course provides a background of major current issues in natural resources conservation with an emphasis on ecological and sustainable resource management. We will focus on analyzing facts and opinions related to issues in natural resources conservation. This course covers the basics of terrestrial and aquatic ecology and natural resources management.

Mission and Goals of Course

The mission of this course is to provide you with the information and analytical skills needed to make informed decisions about the use and management of natural resources at the personal and societal level.

To provide students with an understanding of the cultural context of natural resource use and management.
To provide students with a basic understanding of terrestrial and aquatic ecology.
To provide students with a background of major issues in natural resources conservation and management.
To encourage students to evaluate opinions and decisions about natural resource use.
To encourage the development of ecological literacy by drawing connections between natural resource issues and personal lifestyle decisions.
To encourage the development of critical thinking and writing skills.

Objectives

To draw connections between cultural values, economics, and ecology.
To explore the meaning and practices of sustainable natural resource management.
To identify and research issues surrounding the use and management of natural resources.
To evaluate the ecological impacts of personal lifestyle decisions and to cultivate ecological literacy.
To develop familiarity with the software and online resources used in this course.

Required Materials & Texts

All required course materials are available from the OSU bookstore.

Text: Natural Resource Conservation, 8th ed. by Chiras, Reganold, and Owen
Lecture Videos: FOR 365 Lecture Videos (3). Rent from the OSU Bookstore.
Additional Readings: Additional readings will be assigned throughout the term. They will be linked directly with the course web pages.

Grading

This course will require your full participation if you expect to learn the ideas presented and earn a passing grade. In order for you to take full advantage of the learning opportunities in this course and demonstrate that you have done so, I expect the following:

Attentive, thinking participation;
Thoughtful and timely reading of assigned materials;
Active participation in class discussions;
Thorough completion of each assignment on time;
Demonstration of critical thinking and ability to integrate and synthesize diverse facts and ideas;
Open-minded, critical consideration of diverse viewpoints about human uses of natural resources and their consequences.

It is expected that enrolled students will complete the course in ten weeks. A grade of "incomplete" will be assigned at my discretion and will be reserved for students with need, not those who fall behind. I will assign an "I" or incomplete only when there is a strong and compelling case for doing so. I will not consider assigning an incomplete unless the student has completed over 50% of the course tasks. Students receiving incompletes are subject to assignment weight reduction (and consequently may not be eligible for A or A- grades) because some of their work will be submitted late. OSU Extended Campus courses provide students with great flexibility in time management but require self-motivation and discipline. If you are uncertain about your ability to complete the course during the specified term, I encourage you to reconsider enrolling in the course.

Class discussions (6) 30%
Exams (2) 30%
Ecological Footprint Paper/Poster 15%
Issue paper 25%

Late work submissions: At the discretion of the instructor, all work may be penalized one full letter-grade, or equivalent, for each day an assignment is late. Extensions may be granted ahead of time for extenuating circumstances, but extensions may not be granted retroactively.

Computer problems: Because this course is over the web, please be sure to make copies of your work before you submit it to me. If there is a question about whether something was turned in, having a copy of the material usually settles the question.

Important Information

Assignments

Class Discussions

Six graded class discussions will be assigned during the term. Each discussion is worth 5 points (5% of your final grade); all six together are worth 30% of your final grade. Discussions will be posted on the Discussion page of Blackboard during weeks 1-3 and 6-8. Graded discussions will be open from 8am PST Monday until 12pm PST Sunday of the specified week.

Graded Class Discussion Instructions

Exams

Two online exams--a midterm and final--will be administered during the term. Each exam is worth 15 points (15% of your final grade). Questions will be based on the textbook readings only. The midterm exam covers material presented during weeks 1-5 and will be available online during week 5 (8am PST Monday--12pm PST Sunday). The final exam covers material presented during weeks 6-10 and will be available online during week 10 (8am PST Monday--12pm PST Sunday). Exams will be posted on the Exams page of Blackboard.

Exam Instructions

Ecological Footprint Paper or Poster

This assignment, due by 12pm PST Sunday of Week 4, encourages you to think critically about the ecological impacts of your lifestyle choices. You have two options for completing this assignment; you may either 1) write a paper or 2) create a poster. Which ever option you choose, your work must describe your personal ecological footprint. This assignment is worth 15 points (15% of your final grade).

Option 1- Ecological Footprint Paper Instructions

Option 2-Ecological Footprint Poster Instructions

Issue Paper

This assignment, due by 12pm PST Sunday of Week 9, requires you to research a natural resources issue in your bioregion and write a concise paper covering the history, politics, ecology, and possible future of that issue. Issue papers should be 6-7 pages long (12 point font, double spaced text, 1” margins) and include in-text citation and a complete reference list. This assignment is worth 25 points (25% of your final grade). A brief description of the topic you have selected for this assignment must be emailed to me (dawn.anzinger@oregonstate.edu) by 12pm PST Sunday of Week 2. Topics are worth 3 of the total 25 points possible for this assignment.

Issue Paper Instructions

Course Evaluation

In week 10, the opportunity to evaluate this course is provided with instructions . Please help our teaching staff improve the quality of this course by filling in the evaluation in the Online Student Services area of the OSU web site. Thank you.