Course Syllabus

Use the section below to find due dates for assignments, readings for each weak (readings are listed on the day they are due), and lots of supplemental resources. Click the icon to the right for a printable version of the syllabus:

Welcome to

“Wherever he goes, this winter, I will follow him. I will share the fear, and the exaltation, and the boredom, of the hunting life. I will follow him till my predatory human shape no longer darkens in terror the shaken kaleidoscope of colour that stains the deep fovea of his brilliant eye. My pagan head shall sink into the winter land, and there be purified.”

From The Peregrine by JA Baker

  1. Explain the basic ecological principles necessary to interpret past, present, and future trends within natural settings.
  2. Describe the geological time scale as it applies to the major geologic events affecting Vermont.
  3. Explain the nature and value of aquatic ecosystems such as wetlands, lakes, and streams, discuss human impacts upon them, and examine principles of their management.
  4. Describe and discuss how geological, glacial, ecological, and relationships with nature have shaped and continue to shape Vermont’s landscape.
  5. Analyze the causes and effects of Vermont’s weather patterns and discuss the implications for Vermont’s ecosystems and wildlife due to possible changes to its climate.
  6. Describe the major biomes and ecosystems present in Vermont taking into account the reasons for and boundaries of vegetation zones and the distribution of wildlife.
  7. List the major zoological and botanical groups present in Vermont along with their distinguishing features.
  8. Determine from maps the physiographic regions of Vermont and be able to compare and contrast their associated geology, fauna, and flora.
  9. Connect the effects of climate, vegetation, wildlife, and topography to each other.
  10. Use common field techniques to assess ecological dynamics operating in a specific ecosystem.
  11. Analyze human impact on the land in pre- and post-colonial history and describe how culture and the economy influenced land use and conservation.
  12. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, evaluating, and applying quantitative data and information.

Pre-class | July 6, 2018

Because the class is an intensive, there are a few assignments and readings that you’ll need to do by Friday, July 6 in order to be prepared for the class.

Assignments: 

  • Tourist Test: please read the instructions. Do this before doing any of the readings, bring to class on Monday, July 9
  • Tree species profile: Due by email 4pm on July 6
    • Sign up for your trees to profile here

Read the following by July 9, 2018: 

  • Wetland Woodland Wildland (pp 1-28, 36-43, 58-81)
  • Reading the Forested Landscape by Tom Wessels (Introduction + Ch 1-7)

Help identifying trees

Day 1 | July 9, 2018

Intro to Class + Hazards + Bedrock Geology

Our first day we’ll spend covering the different frameworks that we’ll use for the class, reviewing the syllabus, and going over the assignments for the course. We’ll head out into the field to look at bedrock in a couple of different places in the islands. We’ll visit a cave and see lots of fossils!! And of course we’ll talk about hazards of being in the field (like mosquitos, poison ivy, and ticks). I strongly suggest wearing a light long-sleeve layer and pants to keep away mosquitoes.

Location: We will meet at CCV in Winooski and then head to + Chazy Reef + Lamoille Cave (see map below for field sites)

Read for today:

  • Natural History of Vermont Mountains by Nancy Bazilchuk (PDF)

Handouts:

Assignments Due Today:

  • Tourist Test
  • Tree Species Profile (You will choose 2 species from this list to write profiles on; you will be presenting on one of them)

Other resources: As general references in natural history, the following are wonderful resources

Day 2 | July 10, 2018

Soils + Hydrology

We’ll look today at the stuff pasted down on top of the bedrock: till, sands, silts, and clays.

Location: CCV Winooski, Casavant, East Woods,

Presentations for today:

  • Quaking aspen
  • Silver maple
  • Red oak

Read for today:

  • Read “The Laurentide Ice Sheet and its Significance (PDF)
  • Ch 9 in Written in Stone by Chet Raymo (PDF)

Handouts:

Online Resources

Week 3 | July 11, 2018

Trees + Natural Communities

Okay – so what grows on top of all those rocks and sands and silts and clays? And how do we identify them? Today we’ll focus on trees and how they serve as indicators of disturbances, soils, and water.

Location: LaPlatte River + Shelburne Bay

Presentations for today:

  • Red cedar
  • Hemlock
  • Sycamore
  • White cedar

Read for today:

  • None

Help identifying trees

Handouts:

Day 4 | July 12, 2018

Natural Communities

Take all those trees and lump them together again and again and again and you’ve got yourself a natural community!

Location: My Neighbors’ Woods (Richmond)

Presentations for today:

  • Sugar maple
  • White ash
  • Beech
  • White pine

Read for today:

  • Skim My Neighbor’s Woods (PDF)

Resources

  • VCGI (Natural Communities mapping program)
  • Slow Water Movement + ANR mapping of natural communities (link)

Day 5 | July 13, 2018

Humans + Disturbance

Our last day together is here already!! We’ll look at human disturbances to tease out how humans influence natural landscapes and what plants thrive in these types of conditions. We’ll test out our landscape interpretation skills

Location: Centennial Woods on Patchen Rd (map)

Tree Species Presentations: 

  • Norway maple
  • Red maple
  • White oak

Due Today:

Read for today:

  •  1-24 in Time and Change in Vermont by Harold Meeks (PDF)

Suggested Readings about Abenaki and early history

  • Voice of the Dawn: An autohistory of the Abenaki Nation by Frederick Wiseman
  • The Original Vermonters by Haviland & Power
  • The Story of Vermont: A natural and cultural history by Klyza & Trombulak
  • Changes in the Land by William Cronon
  • New England Forests Through Time by David Foster

Post-Class | July 20, 2018

Trees + Uplands

Well that just flew by. Okay – now it’s time to make this (even more) relevant. Your final write-up will be a site analysis of a site near and dear to your heart (and back door). Read the handout for the type of area you should select and what your write up should include.

Due July 20:

  • Site Analysis

Examples (these are from previous classes; the site analysis assignment may have been different from the one you will be completing so use as a rough guide):

WEEK 1 | September 6, 2019

Intro to Class

Our first day we’ll spend covering the different frameworks that we’ll use for the class, reviewing the syllabus, and going over the assignments for the course. We’ll head into the field and learn the basics of tree ID.

Location: CCV Winooski
Lecture: Day 1 Overview + Frameworks 
Handouts:

Assignments:

Help identifying trees

Other resources: As general references in natural history, the following are wonderful resources

WEEK 2 | September 13, 2019

Bedrock Geology

“Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” – Will Durant. We’ll trace the geologic history of Vermont this week, looking at the early environment when our rocks were first formed and zipping through time past the powerful continental forces that forged the Green Mountains and right up to the edge of the age of the glaciers. We’ll walk from Salmon Hole up to I-89 looking at different types of bedrock collecting evidence to tell the geologic story of Vermont.

Location: Salmon Hole up to Lime Kiln
Lecture: Geology
Due today:

Readings:

Presentations

  • None

Online Resources

WEEK 3 | September 20, 2019

Glaciers + Surficial Geology

Glaciers have had a tremendous impact on both shaping the landscape but also creating the soils on which Vermont forests would grow. We’ll scour the ground looking for evidence of Vermont’s glacial history.

Location: Shelburne Bay + LaPlatte Nature Area (Meeting at CCV @ 8:30am)
Lecture: Soils and Glaciers
Readings + Handouts:

  • Ch 9 in Written in Stone by Chet Raymo (PDF)
  • Read ch 7 in Reading the Forested Landscape
  • Read “The Laurentide Ice Sheet and its Significance” (PDF)
  • Handout: Soils
  • Watch one of the following

Presentations

  • Red maple
  • Common buckthorn
  • Basswood

Online Resources

WEEK 4 | September 27, 2019

Unnatural Communities: Disturbance + Trees

While natural communities can be helpful in understanding Vermont’s landscape, much of Vermont’s history is fraught with disturbances. Fires, glaciers, plowing, grazing, we’ve seen it all! We’ll look specifically at a disturbed landscapes to see primary succession in action. If we’ve got enough time, we’ll head to Colchester Bog to see an entirely different ecosystem in action.

Location: Macrae Farm Park + Colchester Bog
Lecture: Soils and Erosion
Handouts + Readings:
  • Read Wetland Woodland Wildland pp. 58-85

Tree Species Presentations: 

  • Boxelder
  • Staghorn sumac
  • Quaking aspen
  • Silver maple

Resources

  • VCGI (Natural Communities mapping program)
  • Slow Water Movement + ANR mapping of natural communities (link)

Help identifying trees

WEEK 5 | October 4, 2019

Reading the Landscape

Our focus today will be on pieces together clues from the landscape into telling stories. We’ll look at some of the legacies from the 19th century.

Location: East Woods
Due today:

Tree Species Presentations: 

  • Yellow birch
  • Paper birch
  • American beech

Help identifying trees

WEEK 6 | October 11, 2019

Reading the Farmed Landscape: Humans on the Land

We’ll spend our time this week and next looking at how human activities impacts the natural world. This week we’ll look at farming and the process of revegetation at Wheeler Natural Area.

Location: Wheeler Natural Area (map)
Due today:

Readings + Handouts:

  • 1-24 in Time and Change in Vermont by Harold Meeks (PDF)

Presentations

  • Sugar maple
  • Black locust
  • Eastern redcedar
  • Red oak
  • Eastern hemlock

Online Resources

Suggested Readings about Abenaki and early history

  • Voice of the Dawn: An autohistory of the Abenaki Nation by Frederick Wiseman
  • The Original Vermonters by Haviland & Power
  • The Story of Vermont: A natural and cultural history by Klyza & Trombulak
  • Changes in the Land by William Cronon
  • New England Forests Through Time by David Foster

WEEK 7 | October 18, 2019

Field Final

We’ll put our skills to the test with a field final. You’ve got lots of practice interpreting landscapes. This will be an opportunity to test out your ability to go into a landscape and interpret its history. We’ll visit two locations with unique histories and see some other cool resources that help us tell the story of a landscape.
Location: My house (map)
Due today:

Readings:

  • Read Ch 8 in Reading the Forested Landscape

Handouts:

Lectures

  • Week 1 Overview (ppt)
  • Bedrock (ppt)
  • Glaciers (ppt)
  • Soils (ppt)
  • Erosion (ppt)

Assignments

Resources

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