NRM 12 Introduction to Environmental Conservation

Section 8457, Summer 2016

Course Syllabus
Course Description
An introduction to principles and techniques for the management and
protection of forests and other natural resources, with an emphasis on the
sustainable use of wood, water, forage, recreation and wilderness resources.
Includes an examination of contemporary issues affecting the management,
preservation and long term sustainability of the nation's renewable natural
resources for future generations.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
1. Evaluate and prioritize sustainable management principles for forests and other natural
resources.
2. Recommend sustainable uses of wood, water, forage, recreation and wilderness
resources.
3. Summarize and discuss contemporary issues affecting the management and
preservation of the nation's renewable natural resources for future generations.

Class Meetings
Each week, there will be a new learning Module/Topic. The weekly postings will occur
on Sunday afternoon. You will have one week to complete the weekly learning modules,
(Due Sunday at 11:59 p.m.).

Instructor: Kasey Wade

Email: kwade@santarosa.edu
Phone: (707) 527-4966
Office Hours: By Appt
I respond to emails within 24 hours at most.

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas course web site for assignment instructions, submitting
assignments, viewing classmate's work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.

Textbook

Required Readings: The Post Carbon Reader, Managing the 21st Centurys
Sustainability Crises (PCR), (ISBN 978-0-9709500-6-2). Some links to the
readings may be found at: http://www.postcarbon.org/reader/; not all readings are
available on-line. The PCR can be obtained through the reserve desk at the
Library. Library Call No: HC79 .E5 P67 2010 PC Wade;

Required Text: Natural Resource Conservation 9th or 10th ed.; Chiras, Reganold;
Library Call No: S938 .O87 2010; ISBN-13: 978-0132251389

You can locate and order textbooks online via the SRJC Bookstore. Note that if you want to pick
your books up in Petaluma, you need to order them from the Petaluma Bookstore website.

Required Software
You will need the following software for this course.
Adobe Reader
QuickTime Player
Flash Player
Open Office

Important Dates
Day Class Begins: Monday, June 20, 2016
Day Class Ends: Sunday, August 14, 2016
Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: Monday, June 20, 2016
Last Day to Drop with refund: Monday, June 20, 2016
Last Day to Add with instructor's approval: Monday, June 27, 2016
Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: Monday, June 27, 2016xx
Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: Monday, July 4, 2016
Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: Sunday, July 31, 2016
Dropping the Class
If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it to avoid
getting no refund (after 10% of course length), a W symbol (after 20%), or a grade (after 60%).
Also, for several consecutive, unexplained absences, the instructor may drop a student.

PassNoPass (P/NP)
You may take this class P/NP. You must decide before the deadline, and add the option online
with TLC or file the P/NP form with Admissions and Records. With a grade of C or better, you
will get P.
You must file for the P/NP option by Monday, July 4, 2016. Once you decide to go for P/NP, you
cannot change back to a letter grade. If you are taking this course as part of a certificate program,
you can probably still take the class P/NP. Check with a counselor to be sure.

Instructor Announcements and Q&A Forum

The instructor will post announcements on the Instructor Announcements page in Canvas
throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification
Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement. A Q&A Forum is also on
Canvas to ask for assistance of your classmates or of instructor.

Attendance
Students who fail to log-in to an online class after the second week will be dropped from the
class. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a
row that you contact me to avoid being dropped from the class.

Late Policy
All assignments are due Sunday, at 11:59 p.m., PST. A late submission will receive a 20%
penalty. Submissions more than one week late are not accepted without prior arrangement. Late
work will not be graded unless student sends instructor an email with URL for late work.

Exams
There will be an online midterm and a final exam. The material comes from the textbook, class
lectures and supplemental materials. If any exam is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score. It
is your responsibility to take the online exams by the due date.

Grading Policy
Visit the Grades in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade once a week and post grades
and comments on the online Canvas gradebook.
Grades will be assigned as follows:
A
B
C
D

90%
80%
70%
60%

700 points or more

560 to 623 points
490 to 559 points
420 to 489 points

If taking Pass/No Pass you need at least 70% of the total class points and complete the
midterm exam and the final exam to pass the class.

Standards of Conduct
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct
Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services
or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.
Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of
academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to
share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's statement on Academic Integrity

Special Needs
Please let me know if you have any needs/limitations/concerns regarding this course. Students
with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact
Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are
implemented in a timely fashion.

Tentative Schedule
If any changes are made to the class schedule during the semester, I will update this Schedule and
post an Instructor Announcement on Canvas.
Module
Module 1

Due
Date
6/26/16

Activity (Note: See Canvas for

Module Title)
Check-in Discussion

Points
5

Notes

Module

Module 2

Due
Date

7/3/16

Activity (Note: See Canvas for

Module Title)
View Lectures: Introductory Lecture
(Udutu); Historic Approaches to Natural
Resource Management
Quiz Common Terms
Required Reading PCR: What is
Sustainability?; Richard Heinberg
Discussion - Your Definition of
Sustainability

Module 4

7/10/16

7/17/16

Notes
Chiras Text Ch. 1
(Supplemental
Reading)

23
4

View Lecture: Operating Principles

Watch Video: Consciousness Runs
Deep
Assignment: Blog Entry Environmental
Ethics
Required Reading PCR: Ch. 6

Module 3

Points

Chiras Text Ch. 1

(Supplemental
Reading)
4
Chiras Text Ch. 2
(Supplemental
Reading)

Quiz Lecture and PCR Ch. 6

Discussion Story of Solutions
Required Reading PCR Ch. 22
Discussion Go Local

16
4

Assignment The Multiplier Effect

Required Reading PCR: Ch. 8

Discussion Where You At

Required Lecture/Videos
Quiz Ecological Vocabulary (On
Lecture/Videos)
Discussion Population Clock

Assignment - Population

Assignment Video: Six Ways

Mushrooms Can Save the World

Assignment Video: Soil Solutions to

Climate Change
Assignment - Composting
Required Lecture Sustainable Ag

Quiz Sustainable Ag Vocabulary

15

3
Chiras Text Ch. 3
(Supplemental
Reading)
15
4

Chiras Text Ch. 4

(Supplemental
Reading)
Associated with
PCR Ch. 12
Chiras Text Ch. 6
(Supplemental
Reading)

6
Chiras Text Ch. 7
(Supplemental
Reading)

Module
Module 5

Due
Date
7/24/16

Activity (Note: See Canvas for

Module Title)
Required Reading/Assignment PCR
Ch. 7
Understanding the Water Cycle
Quiz Water Vocabulary
Water Solutions/Assignment - Video
Article Summary National
Geographic

Module 6

7/31/16

Lecture/Assignment The Watershed

Approach to Fisheries Management
Salmon Video
Assignment/Blog Life Cycle of the
Salmon
Assignment Russian River Watershed
Video Russian River Restoration
Discussion Russian River Watershed

Module 7

8/7/16

8/14/16

10

Final Exam

Notes
Chiras Text Ch.
10 (Supplemental
Reading)

25
11
25
10

Chiras Text Ch.

12 (Supplemental
Reading)

6
25
3

Required Lecture - Forestry

Assignment/Blog Siuslaw National
Forest
Quiz Forestry Vocabulary
Assignment Ready for Wildfire
Assignment Raging Wildfires
Discussion Fire Management
Video/Assignment The Secret Life of
Mountain Lions

Module 8

Points

Chiras Ch. 14
(Supplemental
Reading)
15
15
10
15
6
10