Poster Presentations at the 2004 UENR

Teaching Urban Forestry Online

Jim Hubbell et al. — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 08:00:00 PST

Because of changing faculty commitments, urban forestry had not been taught in almost 10 years, despite an increasing need, especially by professionals already working away from campus. Moving the course online was perceived as an effective way to meet this need while minimizing faculty and/or student travel.

The FERM: Forest and Environmental Resource Management

James M. Schmierer et al. — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 09:00:00 PST

In order to foster greater technical competency and to improve confidence in the field, undergraduate students are offered a course known as the FERM, Forest and Environmental Resource Management. Teams of students from forestry and applied ecology degree programs work with faculty, staff, and an advisory board to implement sustainable resource management plans developed by students on the School Forest lands. The FERM program is designed to provide a variety of hands-on experiences in realistic field and management settings that incorporates research and conservation objectives. Specific activities include timber sale preparation and administration, wildlife and ecological surveys, road layout, tree planting, regeneration surveys, study plot layout and establishment, and permanent plot remeasurements. Assessment in the FERM emphasizes student outcomes achieved using group and individual instruction, guided inquiry, technical training, site visits, applied field exercises, and professional interaction. This promising program provides high-quality learning experiences for students but also presents significant challenges.

Preparing the Next Generation of Public Land Managers: A Collaborative Approach to Summer Internships

Ben Baldwin et al. — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 10:00:00 PST

In the late 1990s, the growing disconnect among agency managers, academics, and students had become apparent. Managers and educators grew concerned about the supply of experienced replacements, the lack of focused efforts to introduce new graduates into the federal workforce, and the decreased transfer of institutional knowledge within an agency and between an agency and academic institutions. Tehabi, filled this void with an internship program focusing on the technical aspects of management and the coping strategies needed to “survive” and even “thrive” in an agency culture. The program emphasizes collaboration among students, managers and educators and provides an experience with the larger organizational and environmental context of land management as well as day-to-day activities.

Recent Reorganization of the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University: Implications for Teaching and Research

Terry L. Sharik — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 11:00:00 PST

On July 1, 2002, the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University reorganized into three new departments, i.e., Aquatic, Watershed, and Earth Resources; Environment and Society; and Forest, Range, and Wildlife Sciences. The first two departments focus on the bio-physical sciences, while the third emphasizes the social sciences in an interdisciplinary setting.