I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

credits: 3, 2 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory

prerequisites: none, open to all majors

lecture: M, W: 9:00 a.m.- 9:50 a.m., NPB 103

Laboratory: either M or F: 2:00 pm.-3:50 pm., NPB 119

instructor: John Ball

NPB 255D, 688-4737

Office hours: M, W: 10:00 a.m.-noon

II. COURSE DESCRIPTION

The environmental factors that guide the regeneration and growth of trees and forests and how the world's forests are presently managed. Forest ecology provides the biological basis for forest management. Forest management is the science, art and practice of managing forests to meet the objectives of the stakeholders in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner.

III. COURSE CONTENT

Introduction to Pr 303. Course format and objectives.

Introduction to Forest Ecology. The components of the forest environment.

The forest tree. Architecture and growth, structure and function.

The physical environment. Solar radiation, temperature, water, soil, wind and fire.

Forest ecosystem dynamics. Mutualism and competition, succession, disturbances, temporal and spatial forest development patterns and gap dynamics.

Phytogeography. Forest ecosystems of the world.

Introduction to Forestry. Historical uses of the forest, current status, projected timber resource use, wood quality issues, current management practices.

Forest measurements. Log scaling; tree and stand volumes, timber cruising.

Silviculture. Site preparation, sources of reproduction, thinning methods and application, release, improvement and salvage cuts, harvesting, New Forestry.

Environmental issues in forestry. Fire policy and wilderness management, forest health and sustained yield, wildlife and watershed management.

Environmental ethics. Industrial ecology and sustaninable forestry, moral burden of natural resource consumers, comsumption and the land ethic.

Forest restoration. Ecology of floodplain and remnant upland systems, restoration practices, restoration issues in the Northern Plains.

Agroforestry. Current focuses and practices in the Northern Plains.

IV. GRADES

Exams. There will be two exams, October 10 and November 14, and a final (Wednesday, December 19, 9:00-10:40 a.m.). The two exams are worth a maximum of 100 points. The final exam is worth a maximum of 120 points. All three exams are a combination of multiple-choice and short answer essays.

Laboratory projects. There will be seven team projects assigned during the labs. These projects will generally be completed during lab time but a few may involve several hours outside class time for research. Each project is worth a maximum of 10 to 15 points.  There will be a total of 80 points assigned to these projects for the semester.

Field trips. To allow students to gain a better appreciation of forest ecology, there will be two field trips during the semester, an afternoon trip to Hole-in-the-Mountain County Park (either Monday or Friday, September 17 or 24, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 pm and an afternoon trip to Camden State Park, near Marshall (either Monday or Friday, October 15 or 19, 1:00 pm-5 p.m.). The Hole-in-the-Mountain trip will be an opportunity to survey an oak-basswood forest and become familiar with basic compass and pacing and cruising techniques. The Camden trip will be an opportunity to conduct a line-plot cruise in a maple-basswood forest.

BIG field trip (optional). Students have an opportunity to participate in forest measurement exercises and explore the conifer forests of Custer State Park. The trip involves a two-day hike into the interior of the park to examine different forest types and the influence of prescribed and wild fires. You’ll need camping equipment – rented, borrowed or shared – along with your own food. The vans will be departing at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 28 and return 10:00 p.m. Sunday, September 30. This trip is not a requirement for the course and is at additions cost above trip fees.

Additional note on the field trips. I realize that asking students to attend these two or three trips is going to be a major inconvenience for some as they may cut into other courses or work. However, the experience will be invaluable and will make many of the concepts discussed in class more "real."

Course grade

400-360 points A

359-320 points B

319-280 points C

279-240 points D

below 240 points F

V. MISCELLANEOUS

Attendance is not graded in this course. However, there are a few rules regarding attendance. If you are coming to class, come on time. Walking in late is an interruption. All tests and exercises are returned on the following class meeting. If you miss that day, you'll have to stop by my office to pick them up. Exams, field trips and projects cannot be made up at a later date (except due to illness or approval by the instructor before the exam, trip or project).

Cheating or plagiarizing others work will result in a grade of zero for the first offense and a course grade of F for the second.

Any student who requires special accommodations for this class should contact the instructor or Mr Eugene Butler in the Student Affairs Office, 318 Admin. Blg., 688-4496.

The instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus during the semester.