Overview | Objectives | Instructors
Ecological Foundations of Agroecology
ALE 6120 | CRN 14584
Ecology explores the complex relationships that living beings have with each other and with their surroundings. Agroecology centers these relationships in the design and maintenance of just and resilient farming and food systems.
Program Snapshot
| Next Start Date | How Often | Learning Format | Online Learning Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 19, 2027 | Every Spring | Online | Synchronous |
| Required Group Meetings | Duration | Time Commitment | Credential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesdays, 11am-1pm ET (hybrid), or Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm ET (online) | 15 Weeks | 6-8 hours/week | UVM Credit or Digital Badge |
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Overview
Course Overview
UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMS AND TERRITORIES
This course presents an introduction to the ecological foundations of agroecology. We draw from the agroecological foundation of diálogo de saberes (dialogue of knowledges) to engage with the knowledge of nature, Indigenous and practical agroecological knowledge and western science. The course is organized to cover ecological processes across three broad social-ecological scales (agroecosystem, landscape, global). Staying true with agroecology’s transdisciplinary approach, we also discuss social and political issues that interact with ecological dynamics at each of these different scales.
COURSE DAYS & TIMES: Spring 2027 Semester: January 19 – May 7. Required online meetings every Tuesday, 11am-1pm ET or Wednesday, 6pm-8pm ET.
Objectives
Learning Objectives
- How the field of agroecology has drawn from the knowledge of nature, Indigenous and practical knowledge and western science to create its ecological foundation
- Key ecological processes that occur at the scales of the farm/agroecosystem; the landscape/territory; and globally
- Important socio-political dynamics that interact with ecological processes across scales
- How to engage with instructors and fellow students in co-learning
Instructors
Professor of Agroecology and Environmental Studies • Co-Director, Institute for Agroecology
Ernesto.Mendez@uvm.edu
Postdoctoral Associate