Introductory course for Natural Resources majors. Overview of the underlying principles and complexities involved in managing natural resources of the Pacific Northwest. Investigation of major natural resource issues of the region. Development of critical thinking and collaboration skills useful in seeking solutions

This course offers a field-based introduction to methods for measurement and monitoring of the hydrological parameters of natural water resources, the relation between those parameters and the quality of the resource, and strategies for management of those parameters.

Principles of ecosystem dynamics in forested communities, landscapes and bioregions. Co-evolution of competition, predation and mutual-ism. Energy flow, nutrient cycles and feedback controls. The effects of disturbance and succession on biodiversity and habitat stability through time.

History of conservation and natural resource use; ecological principles, and social and economic limitations of conservation; principles and practices of wildlife and fisheries management; role of research in management.