Time Schedule:
Caren Crandell
BES 490
Bothell Campus
Examines plants of the Pacific Northwest commonly used in ecological restoration and habitat conservation. Topics include the ecology, propagation, distribution, restoration use, ethnobotany, and habitat values of major species. Includes required field trips and field study. Recommended: BES 180; BES 312; BES 362.
Class description
***Course includes field trip to Skagit River on Sat, 17 Oct.*** Through lectures, readings, hands-on activities in the classroom, and field trips, students will learn about plant species in the context of Pacific Northwest plant communities. Learning will be facilitated and assessed through written essays, written and lab exams, and MyFlora. MyFlora is a personal compilation of a student's drawings of plants; it is a major component of the grade and requires a substantial investment of time.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Methods of instruction are varied: lectures, hands-on activities in the classroom, on-campus field trips to forest and wetland plant communities, one off-campus field trip to the Skagit on Sat, 17 Oct.
Recommended preparation
This course is designed for students with a background in biology, including ecology and botany, who intend to apply the material and skills in the professional world of restoration ecology and conservation biology.
Class assignments and grading
Plant species will be covered in the context of three Washington state plant communities. For each of four learning units, students will write an essay that synthesizes learning from lectures, readings, labs, field trips. Lab practicums (plant identification tests) will be conducted for each unit, and a final lab practicum covering all plants from the course will occur during the last week of classes. Two exams - a mid-term and a final - cover material learned in the units. The major project (40% of grade) in the class is MyFlora, the student's personal compilation of plant drawings and information that should serve them well into their professional future. Some class time will be devoted to studio sessions, during which students will have access to additional resources for their MyFlora.
