Vermont Field Studies

NR 385

Instructors Jon Erickson and Roel Boumans

Course Description This is a one-week crash course on environmental and natural resource issues in Vermont for all incoming graduate students in the Rubenstein School.  This 1-credit course is designed both to introduce new graduate students to each other and to the Rubenstein School (the all powerful bonding experience), as well as to experience and think deeply about environmental and natural resources issues in Vermont from an integrated perspective in preparation for your program of study (and, in particular, the NR 378 integration class for masters students). The class meets during the last week of summer (right before the Fall term begins) - all day, and every day with one mid-week overnight.  The course is designed as a journey through a Vermont watershed, as we tramp through the forests, fields, and streets of our corner of Vermont, meeting with farmers and foresters, activists and policy-makers, state agencies and academics, and the citizens of Vermont who live and breathe natural resource issues.  From the top of Mt. Mansfield to the shores of Lake Champlain, we explore the agriculture, mountain, forest, water, and urban systems of Vermont.  For a sample of the week's events, see the trip itinerary for our Fall 2004 class, or check out the web pages made by the Fall 2003 and Fall 2004 classes.

Trip Itinerary Fall 2004 (MS Word document) - August 23-27, 2004 Fall 2003 (MS Word document) - August 25-29, 2003

Student Designed Trip Web Pages Fall 2005 - Our EcoHood! Fall 2004 - Welcome to the Planet Fall 2003