CONS 101: Introduction to Conservation Science
Fridays, 2:00 to 2:50 pm
Rm 1005, Forest Science Bldg
Via the web: http://cons101.forestry.ubc.ca/
Instructors
Peter Arcese, Rm 3607 Forest Sciences Centre, e-mail: peter.arcese@ubc.ca; Ph: 604 822 1886
Richard Schuster, Rm 3608, Forest Sciences Centre, e-mail: mail@richard-schuster.com
All meetings arranged by appointment.
Welcome to the Natural Resources Conservation Program and Department of Forest Sciences. We offer this 1-credit course to familiarize you with the field of Conservation Science, some of the faculty that you will interact with in future the coming years, and some of the many pressing issues in our field. We hope the lectures interest you, help you decide if the NRC program or a career in conservation is right for you, help you to become comfortable with faculty in the program, and encourage you to immediately look for experiences in your potential area of interest.
Those of you not registered in the Faculty of Forestry may find some of the activities in the course to be not directly related to your own studies. We hope your decision to take the class is rewarded by gaining an appreciation of what Conservation Scientists do and how the principles of conservation might be applied in your own field of interest. Because human social and economic systems are key drivers of environmental change, opportunities to enhance global and local conservation goals via economic, political and social policy are often close at hand.
Our course has several specific objectives, including to:
1) Introduce several general concepts in conservation science
2) Expose you to professionals and graduate students working in conservation science
3) Expose you to research opportunities in and outside of the Faculty of Forestry
4) Put a “human face” on issues in conservation science and practitioners of the field
5) Provide guidance on how you might organize your time as an undergrad to maximize your chances of obtaining interesting work in conservation.
Grades: This course is intended to provide you with an early exposure to some of the issues in conservation and the people that work on them daily, rather than to teach specific concepts or techniques in detail. Testing and evaluation are de-emphasized in this course, but rewards are provided for those seeking exposure to conservation-related activities by attending organized and self-guided field trips. Final marks are based on two quizzes (33.3% each), a short assignment (33.3%), and then augmented by extra-credit points. Example quiz questions will be distributed 1-2 weeks in advance of each quiz. Attendance on field trips, including self-guided activities have the potential to add substantially (10%) to your final mark. Late assignments: penalized 5%/day, unless discussed in advance with Richard or Peter.
Field Trips ‘Extra-credit’: A bonus of up to 10% on your final mark will be based on your attendance on organized and self-guided field trips completed before the end of term and/or the quality of written summaries based on these or related activities. All optional trips supplement lectures, and while they will not contribute to quiz material, they are recommended to those interested in a degree or career in conservation. Because field trips occur outside of scheduled class time, not everyone will be able to attend. Self-guided activities offer an alternative way to earn bonus marks and offer an unlimited number of opportunities to fit your buy schedules if ours don’t. More details of self-guided trips are provided below and in class on 16 Sept.
