Alaback, Paul

Phear, Nicky

English

University of Montana

University of MontanaScholarWorks at University of MontanaSyllabi Course Syllabi1-2009RSCN 273.01: Wilderness and Civilization - FieldStudiesNicky PhearUniversity of Montana - Missoula, nicky.phear@umontana.eduPaul AlabackUniversity of Montana - Missoula, paul.alaback@umontana.eduLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted forinclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contactscholarworks@mso.umt.edu.Recommended CitationPhear, Nicky and Alaback, Paul, "RSCN 273.01: Wilderness and Civilization - Field Studies" (2009). Syllabi. 1094.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/1094Wilderness & Civilization Field StudiesRSCN 273, Spring 2009, 2 credits Course meets Mondays or Tuesdays (9:10 - 10:40 am), most Fridays, and occasional additional days, please see schedule.InstructorsNicky Phear -243 -693 2 ; Sarah Potenza— 243-6956; Paul Alaback—243-2913 Course DescriptionResource Conservation 273 is an experiential course designed to  develop your capacity to  observe, describe, and interpret the natural world and human/land interactions. The course takes place outdoors during weekly naturalist walks, field trips around Montana, your phenology study, and a ten-day wilderness river expedition. Field journals are used as a forum to  describe observations and interpret relationships between human and ecological systems. The goal o f this course is to  develop observation skills tha t will assist you in reading the landscape not only in Montana, but wherever you call home or go from  here. Each student on this course will:•  sharpen field observations skills of ecosystems across Montana;•  build knowledge of Montana's plant and animal species;•  document natural history events and seasonal ecological changes;•  describe and interpret the connections between people and local ecosystems;•  develop new skills in field journaling; and• teach an environmental education lesson.Course Requirements EvaluationParticipation 5%Field Journals (Due March 11 and May 11) (80% of total grade)Friday Trips (5) 15%Weekly Walks (9) 30%Phenology Notes (8) 25%Species List 10%Environmental Education Lesson (Due on the Missouri River) 15%Students w ill receive an N (course in progress) grade a t the end o f Spring semester. Final course grades w ill be submitted  after the Missouri River trip.A ll students m ust practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University. A ll students need to be fam ilia r w ith the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available fo r  review online a t h ttp ://w w w . um t. edu/SA/VPSA/index. cfm ?paqe 71321.Participation (5%)Participation is a critical component of field studies. Attending the weekly walks, field trips, and Missouri River trip  provides the forum  fo r learning about the natural world and human/land interactions. Your participation w ill be evaluated on showing up, your fu ll engagement (listening, asking questions, providing comments), and on your timeliness and preparedness.Absence: You are allowed one excused absence from  a field tr ip  (except the Yellowstone trip ) and one excused absence from  a weekly walk. Your absence must be excused by Nicky or Sarah before the tr ip . If you miss one weekly walk, you will still be able to  complete the assigned field journal assignment, which includes nine weekly walks. If you miss a field tr ip  tha t has an assigned field note, you w ill need to  choose an alternate field tr ip  fo r which to  do a field note.Additional absences result in no points fo r tha t field note or weekly walk.Field Journals (80% of RSCN 273 grade)Due dates: Wednesday, March 11 and Wednesday, May 11Why keep a field journal?There are many reasons to  keep a field journal tha t range from  recording scientific facts fo r research to  finding inspiration fo r a piece of art or literature. In general, a field journal is an im portant tool tha t w ill help you to  better see and understand the natural world. Below are a few more reasons why field journaling is important:•  Sharpens your observational skills•  Helps you build knowledge of the land (i.e. ecological literacy)•  Documents natural history events• Slows you down so you can appreciate nature's detail, beauty, and complexity•  Helps you rediscover and/or develop all your senses by engaging w ith nature• Transforms you into a better naturalist, artist, poet, w riter, scientist, and neighbor• Make connections between places, critters, and your reflections on them• Develops your eye--you will never see the world in the same way• Develops your skills as a naturalist tha t you can build on fo r the rest o f your life•  Helps you be present in the momentField Journal RequirementsYour Field Journal counts fo r a to ta l of 80% of your RSCN 273 grade. During the Spring semester you w ill be required to do four types o f entries in your field journals. We suggest tha t you divide your journal into four sections:1. General Field Notes (5)2. Weekly Walks Naturalist Field Notes (9)3. Phenology Study (8)4. Semester Species ListWe will often facilitate field notes in some way, shape or form , in order to  help focus your entries as we encounter d ifferent environments throughout the year. We provide you w ith  a general outline o f what to  include in a good field note (see below), however, you are strongly encouraged to  add other questions, observations, etc. tha t interest you and help make your journal more meaningful.Field Journal Orienting InformationEach Field Note needs to include the following Orienting Information, be consistent and specific in how you report this information.Date: Write the date and time out in the following format: "10 January 2008,10:00 am " in the left hand margin.Location/ route: Be as concise as possible w ithout sacrificing accuracy. Order the information so that it goes from  the most specific to general, or from local to landscape level. If you are in the same place two or more days running the location information can just be "as previous". Ex:Location: Rattlesnake Creek, 2 miles north of River Corridor Trail, 'South Zone' of Rattlesnake Recreation Area, 4 miles north of Missoula, Missoula County, western Montana .Distances should be straight-line distances, not route distances. The DATE and LOCATION should be underlined. Start the underlining under the date and continue straight across the page.Elevation: Approximate elevation in meters or feet above sea level, (get from topo maps or altimeter)Environmental/Additional information: Give a description of the landscape and vegetation type, including dominant or important species where possible. Refer to NOTES ON KEEPING A NATURAL HISTORY FIELD JOURNAL for habitat descriptions. When traveling, give a synopsis of the vegetation types passed through during the day. Such as second growth lodgepole pine forest, young clearcut, mixed large-ponderosa pine mature forest. In addition, please include information such as land ownership, watershed, mountain range, basin/valley, habitat, aspect, elevation, roads, towns, and any other creative way you want to demonstrate location.Example- Additional info: East bank of Rattlesnake Creek, riparian habitat, heavy trail use. Rattlesnake Creek is a municipal watershed for the city of Missoula. The Rattlesnake flows into the Clark Fork which flows into the Columbia River and to the Pacific Ocean.Time: Recording time is important fo r special events, or for describing how long was spent in a particular location or at a particular activity. If you have two or more entries on the same day and location, w rite a new entry immediately under the previous one, w ith an updated time.What was happening: species seen, behaviors, lecture notes, etc.1. General Field Note (5)Our Friday and weekend field trips will take us around Montana to  explore a range o f conservation issues and ecosystems. You w ill meet w ith people who w ill describe the local ecology and te ll you about the political, historic, and cultural influences tha t shape the ecology and conservation efforts o f tha t particular region. See Schedule o f Spring Field trips fo r  assigned 273 fie ld  note days.Document your observations and interpretations from  these trips using your own creative style. Be sure to  capture what you found to  be significant points made by the speakers, however, a field note is not direct notes from a presentation; it is your own personal observation and interpretation. Use creative drawings, diagrams, color, words, and other techniques to  explore the days issues and topics. In order to  encourage you to  diversify your field journal and be creative, you are required to  include (in addition to  orienting inform ation) at least one of the fo llow ing assignments in each of your field journal entries:1. An event map2. A series of Contour Sketches or Modified Contour Sketches3. A full page drawing and text spread (a journal entry tha t takes up both sides of your journal)4. An original poem or creative w riting inspired by being in the field5. Species Observations--An entry of two species (plant or critter) according to  the outline below We encourage you to  try  all o f the above at some point during the semester.Soecies Observations GuidelinesPlants/trees/shrubs/grasses/etc. — observations include:• Common name(s) and Scientific name• Describe three distinguishing characteristics• A field sketch of some distinguishing part (cones/fruit/needles/etc.) or the whole plant and label parts ifnecessary; include the scale tha t the plant (or part of plant) is drawn at (i.e. 1/2 life size), and reference anyguide book used in helping your field sketch• Describe habitat plant was found growing in (what are the other plants growing w ith it, wet or dry site,aspect, canopy cover, soil, etc.)• Explain why you choose these particular plants• Include any interesting facts, observations, or questions (e.g. plant is native or invasive, Latin name comesfrom Lewis and Clark, plant has been browsed on by elk or is a favorite food for grizzly bears, etc.)• Remember to cite any books used in your observation (ie, Plants o f the Rockies, etc.)Critters tha t you see/hear or f in d  signs o f— observations include:• Common name and Scientific name (or general description if name unknown)• Describe distinguishing characteristics if you saw critter, or describe signs tha t indicated the critters presence• Sketch critter or some sign of critter that is relevant and meaningful to the encounter. If you actually sawcritter try  and draw from memory or use field guides to fill in the blanks. If you saw a track or scat, thensketch that.• Give a habitat description and include what the animal was doing there, or why you think it was found inparticular habitat• Remember to cite any books used in your observation (ie, Tracks and Scat, etc.)2. Weekly Walks Naturalist Field Note (9 walks. Mondays or Tuesdays 9:10 am- 10:40am)Weekly Walks provide an opportun ity fo r us to  explore the natural world right here in Missoula each week. Consistent observation of what composes our home is something many of us may aspire to  but rarely take the opportun ity to  do; now is your chance... This is a good tim e to  practice field sketching and other field journaling skills if you get inspired. You are required to complete nine Naturalist Field Notes.For each entry, include:•  Detailed orienting inform ation and• Detailed notes on the assignment or topic of the week.3. Phenology Study (8 records)This is a study of change over tim e in the natural world. You must choose a specific place to  study over the semester. This w ill be your corner of western Montana to  notice the subtle, detailed changes and shifts in season -  when a tree leafs out, when birds are active, when ice melts and creeks swell. This will be a detailed record of the site-specificchanges you observes as the seasons progress. Visit your site once a week, fo r at least a half-hour. Make sure you select a spot tha t you can visit easily and regularly. It should be somewhere w ith  some natural biological diversity (i.e. not your backyard or a playground). The Clark Fork River trails, Greenough Park, Mt. Sentinel, M t Jumbo, or any of the other Missoula trails or parks are wonderful locations close by. You are required to complete eight phenology notes, no more than one per week (i.e. spread out the study over the semester).For each record include:A. Detailed and/or Updated Orienting informationB. Detailed observations: notes, sketches, description of what is going on at your site. Describe what you see or hear. Describe bird calls, songs, and/or activity. Notice if there are tracks in your area, sketch the trees and buds. Note especially changes at your site. When do you firs t notice snow melt? New leaves?Different birds? Bud burst or new leaves? Be as specific as possible to  the minute changes you observe over the semester.C. Sketch of observationsD. Question and research: Ask questions about what you see and record them. W hat tracks are nearby? Is the river frozen solid or thawing? Are other trees/shrubs in the area leafing out before yours? Why? Ask questions with each visit! Look, listen, and question why things are they way they are. Then later research the answer to  your question. This can be as simple as finding the average date o f the annual thaw  of Clark Fork River, or average date of a particular plant to  leaf out. Use the internet, books, etc and remember to cite your source.4. Semester Species ListBy the end of the semester, create an alphabetized species list; w ith  the species first, then where you saw it, and the date. Either one list or sub-divided into species types is fine (i.e. trees, shrubs, flower, lichen, critters). Then, if you see it again somewhere else, just add the place and date to  the entry. That way you get an idea of the distribution, etc of the species. Remember to  include a key fo r abbreviations o f place names. Example: Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii; NCNP, 9/1-9/8; Lolo Peak, 9/28, etc.•  Alphabetize the species list and either print it or post it on the Wiki.•  Remember to  add in any animals you see!•  Check spelling on plants and animalsEnvironmental Education Lesson (15%)You will be required to  design and lead a 15-minute environmental education lesson on the Missouri River trip . This lesson needs to  relate to  the natural or cultural history of the Missouri River. The form at of the lesson is up to  you. The Wilderness Institute has resources on the Missouri River tha t might be helpful.Possible topics include aspects o f the Lewis and Clark journey, cottonwood ecosystems and floods, sagebrush, geology o f the white cliffs area, geology o f the badlands area, Native American history, early trapper history, ethnobotany, beaver ecology, Canada geese, white pelicans, big horn sheep, pallid sturgeon, steamboat history, early white settlement, the Big Open, meadowlarks, the Wild and Scenic River designation, National M onument designation, wilderness study areas and the ir status, the Charles M. Russell National W ild life Refuge, dams and agricultural irrigation, and much more.You will need to  be prepared to  give your lesson at any tim e during the trip ; research and other preparation must therefore be done while in Missoula. Please feel free to  ask fo r ideas regarding sources of inform ation and presentation/teaching methods. The leaders on the Missouri River will evaluate your presentation based on accuracy, relevance to  the region and program topics, your ability to  make connections between your topic and what we've studied this year, and the creativity of your presentation. Due on the Missouri River Trip, see fu rther guidelines on the assignment sheet.Journal Grading and EvaluationYou will not be marked down fo r things like artistic ability, but we w ill be looking fo r improvement and evidence that you are challenging yourself. Here is a list of the specific categories you w ill be graded on:•  Completeness (followed the full assignment)•  Observation skills (paid attention to  the land, species composition, ecological processes, and trip  speakers)•  Organization (entries organized w ith  clear and thorough Orienting Information)•  Thoughtfulness•  Making connections (exploring the relationships among place, ecology, people, history, etc.)•  Getting your journal in on time. Late journals w ill marked down a Vi grade.Please Note: We always try  to  give you some tim e on the Monday walks and Friday/weekend field trips to  start your field notes. However, there is not enough tim e on the trips, and so it is expected tha t you will finish your journal entries as homework.Field journals are part o f the experiential component of the program and are graded on your demonstrated attention to  the natural world, completeness, thoughtfulness, e ffort, organization, and presence. You w ill not be marked down fo r things like artistic ability, but we will be looking fo r things like improvement and evidence of challenging yourselves.Wilderness & Civilization Field Studies Schedule of Field Trips (m eeting tim es/places subject to change)Spring 2009January 30 Missoula's Waste System -A llied Waste, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pacific Recycling, Home Resource (373 Reflection)9:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (9:00-5:00)February 6 Green Building and Alternative Energy (373 Reflection)9:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (9:00-5:00)February 13-16 Yellowstone Field Studies (373 Reflection and 273 Field Note)7:30 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool; return by 7:00 PM on Monday.February 20 No Field TripFebruary 27 W inter Field Studies (273 Field Note)9:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (9:00-5:00)March 6 Helena Legislature (373 Reflection)8:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (8:00-6:00)March 13 No Field TripMarch 20-21 Snow Geese Migration -  Freezeout Lake (273 Field Note)2:00 PM Depart from  M otor Pool (return 8:00 PM Saturday)March 27 No Field tr ip  -  Friday before spring breakApril 3 Spring BreakApril 10 Watershed Restoration -  Clark Fork River (373 Reflection)8:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (8:00-7:00)April 13 (Monday) Watershed Restoration -  M illtown Dam Removal (273 Field Note fo r Clark Fork Watershed)April 17-18 Traditional Skills (Owl Ecology -  Mission Valley) (373 Reflection)9:00 AM  Depart from  M otor Pool (return 5:00 PM Saturday)April 24 Farming and Local Food Systems (373 Reflection)9:00 AM  Depart from  the M otor Pool (9:00-5:00)May 1-3 May 8No Field Trip -  Montana Wilderness Association Annual ConventionRiparian Field Trip w ith  Paul (273 Field Note)9:00 AM  Depart from  the M otor Pool (9:00-5:00)May 17-26 Missouri River (Coal Banks Landing to  James Kipp State Park) 7:00 AM  Depart from  the M otor Pool. Return late on the 23rd.

RSCN 273.01: Wilderness and Civilization - Field Studies

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RSCN 273.01: Wilderness and Civilization - Field Studies

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