Introduction to the general principles and contemporary issues related to ecology and management of wildlife, fish, forests, and rangelands; natural resources recreation and tourism; conservation of water, wetlands, and soil resources; and renewable and non-renewable energy. Students will acquire the knowledge necessary to advance beyond the simplistic portrayal of environmental dilemmas offered by mass media and gain a firmer basis for environmental stewardship, responsible citizenship, and action on environmental issues.

Introduction to the general principles and contemporary issues related to ecology and management of wildlife, fish, forests, and rangelands; natural resources recreation and tourism; conservation of water, wetlands, and soil resources; and renewable and non-renewable energy. Students will acquire the knowledge necessary to advance beyond the simplistic portrayal of environmental dilemmas offered by mass media and gain a firmer basis for environmental stewardship, responsible citizenship, and action on environmental issues.

An introduction to the science of natural history and biota of Georgia, as well as the impacts of humans on regional and national resources (overfishing, human-driven extinctions). Students will gain familiarity with the geography, geology, plants, and animals (especially vertebrates) of the Appalachians, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, and islands of Georgia.

The principles of sustainable development and various applied tools which are typically used for measuring social, economic, and environmental impacts of a policy initiative at any level. Human-environment interactions are also emphasized along with real-world applications of sustainability principles and tools at various levels.

Educational, drama, and citizen science theory applied to experiential learning activities for pro-environmental actions. Live animals are used as teaching tools to improve linguistic skills through storytelling. Implement and evaluate an event involving special needs youth to measure the impact of language on students’ understanding of the human condition.

Introduction to the collection, quantification, and analysis of natural resources data, including descriptive statistics, probability/uncertainty, and inference. Topics include sampling, basic experimental design, exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, and data visualization. Students will use a variety of software tools for analysis and reporting using realistic datasets.

Introduction to international natural resource policy concentrating on endangered species, international trade, multiple land-use and conservation planning, eco-tourism, sustainability, and environmental education. Conservation continuum is explored from protectionist to utilitarian perspectives. Three case studies (Africa, Asia, Europe) are investigated to understand how policies affect areas they claim to protect.

Forest ecosystems sustain life and provide aesthetic/spiritual services. This course provides an overview and basic understanding of forest ecosystem services from interdisciplinary and international perspectives. Internet- based lectures are prepared by faculty from several United States and Brazilian universities, and these faculty also lead both web-based and on-campus discussions.

Introduction to equipment used in the field to navigate across the landscape and to measure a variety of natural resource attributes. Basic statistical sampling techniques will be reviewed and applied in the field to obtain information at a desired level of precision and statistical confidence level. Concepts will be presented in lecture and apply during field labs. Field data will be summarized and evaluated to create reports of field findings.

Students will complete assignments to illustrate the principles and techniques presented in Field Orientation, Measurements, and Sampling in Forestry and Natural Resources.

Course provides fundamental soil science and hydrology concepts necessary to understand how land management actions, specifically farming, horticulture, forestry, and urbanization, alter soil productivity, soil sustainability, and water quality at the site and watershed scales, from small watersheds to enormous watersheds.

Students will perform hands-on exercises to illustrate the principles and techniques to describe soils, soil maps, water in soils, and watersheds.