Time Schedule:
David L. Stokes
BES 497
Bothell Campus
Topics may include economic and environmental issues, air pollution, water quality, ecological restoration, global warming, conservation biology or other topics.
Class description
Conservation Planning Students will apply concepts from landscape ecology and conservation biology to landscape planning and biodiversity conservation in a rapidly urbanizing area. Focusing on an area of Washington state with both high conservation value and high development pressure, the class will develop strategies for development and conservation and evaluate those strategies as alternative scenarios in a geographic information system (GIS) environment. The primary goal of the course is to learn how to integrate ecological and biological information into landscape design and planning for conservation.
Student learning goals
Understanding of conservation planning generally, including the context in which it occurs, its purpose, and various approaches taken.
Understanding of how to bring ecological, biological, and natural history information to bear on a conservation planning problem.
Understanding of how to model and map conservation value across a landscape.
Ability to critically evaluate landscape models and conservation plans, and the assumptions behind them.
Improved ability to communicate information and understanding to others, in oral, text, and map form.
Improved ability to work in teams to successfully execute complex projects.
Understand how to identify, select, interpret, and apply biological and natural history information for use in a conservation planning process.
General method of instruction
This course will take the form of an upper level seminar. While there will be some lecture, much of the instruction will be driven by students in the form of collaborative research and project development, discussion of readings, and presentation and discussion of projects. We will devote some class time to work on student projects, but there is also the expectation that students will spend substantial time outside of class working on their projects. There is an all day Saturday field trip (required).
Recommended preparation
Required: College level Ecology (BES 312, BIS 390, or equivalent), and Conservation Biology (BES 485) OR Introduction to GIS (BIS 342). These requirements may be waived with permission of instructor.
Note that experience with GIS is not required for this class if you have had Conservation Biology.
Class assignments and grading
Readings and collaborative group project work.
Group projects, one exam, class discussion.
