Field Studies in Restoration Ecology - Course Details
Course Description:
Central Oregon is renowned for a diversity of habitats, including juniper/sage shrub-steppe, ponderosa forest, wet meadows, and riparian corridors. Areas throughout the Upper Deschutes Basin are being restored to reintroduce salmon and steelhead. This course offers hands-on experience in restoration ecology, including stream restoration and forest rehabilitation. Our field work is done on properties owned by the Deschutes Basin Land Trust, which is preparing for the return of salmon and steelhead to Whychus Creek and Lake Creek. We also are monitoring the South Fork of the Crooked River. Students will learn basic issues and techniques in ecological restoration, how to conduct and write an independent research project, and approaches to a career in environmental biology.
Left: Sampling stream invertebrates, Lake Creek
Dates:
The summer, 2009 session will run from June 15-26 in the field, with a final exam the morning of June 27. Students may depart after all lab work has been completed on the afternoon or evening of June 27. Project write-ups will be due July 7 via email.
Room and Board
Expenses for room and board are included in the course fee (see below). We will camp under rustic but comfortable conditions (see the equipment list). Our camp includes showers, picnic tables, a storage facility, and food preparation/dishwashing facilities. Students bring their own tents. Most of our food is catered from a local natural foods grocery, and allows for specific dietary needs. Your tent can be placed anywhere from five to a few hundred feet from your car, so expect to camp comfortably.
Left: Stream survey, Jake Place
Faculty:
The course is run by Matt Orr and Karen Allen (Left). Matt (University of Oregon) has conducted field research on insect behavior, ecology, and evolution, and taught field courses in Costa Rica and Brazil. Karen teaches field courses in Belize, and is a former land steward for the Deschutes Basin Land Trust. We will be joined by faculty with specific areas of expertise, such as Matt Shinderman (OSU—stream invertebrates); Ted Toadvine (U of O—philosophy); and Ron Reuter (OSU—soils). See the faculty photo album.
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on the merit of their independent project, participation in field work & class discussions, and a final exam. See the sample syllabus.
Texts
There will be a reader with scientific articles. See the sample syllabus. Supplementary texts and field guides will be available in a course library.
Class Size
The course will be limited to 8-10 students to allow for individual attention and a rich community experience. See what recent course graduates are up to.
Credits
Students who successfully complete the course will earn four credits (quarter credits) from the University of Oregon. This is based on approximately eight hours per day of field work, plus evening discussions and project write-ups.
Prerequisites
An introductory course in ecology (or related field) or consent of the instructor is required. Students who have any kind of field experience in ecology and a course in introductory biology are likely to be eligible. If you are uncertain whether you meet the prerequisites, please contact Matt Orr: matorr@uoregon.edu (541-617-4671).
Left: Morning, Cougar Hot Springs
Above: Visitor, Rimrock Camp
Fees
$560 covers tuition, fees, room, and board. The only other costs involve getting to and from the course, food during two days in Bend, and any camping or field equipment you do not have already. (See equipment list.)
How to apply
Download the application, and return it to the address at the bottom along with an essay (<1000 words - details are on the bottom of the form) and current transcript. Application deadlines are listed below.
Application timetable
There are two rounds of application reviews. This is being done to allow students to apply early and make long-term plans for their summer if they need to. Your chances of admission will be better if you apply in the first round, although we may have openings for the second round. (Email Matt at matorr@uoregon.edu to find out.)
April 13 – First round of applications postmarked by this date.
April 20 – First round of applicants notified of acceptance decisions.
May 11 – Second round of applications postmarked by this date.
May 18 – Second round of applicants notified of acceptance decisions.
Course Regulations
Rules of UO campus conduct, including no drugs or alcohol, will be observed during the course.
Further information
If you have further questions about the course, ask Matt Orr at matorr@uoregon.edu (541-617-4671). If you are in Bend, come visit us at the Chandler Building, 1027 NW Trenton Ave. (Off of Newport, take 9th Ave. up Awbrey Butte and our building is on the left as the road begins curving to the left.)
What do students say about this course? Student comments page
What have recent graduates of the course gone on to do? Course graduates page
Left: Pillar, Rimrock Ranch
Pre-course reading: Metolius Preserve Forest Plan