Natural Resources: VT: Natural & Cultural Hst

Introduction to the Vermont landscape that combines elements of natural history, field ecology, and environmental history. Students visit locations around the Champlain Valley as they build observational skills, study natural systems, and examine past and present human relationships with nature. Pre/Co-requisite: RSENR transfer students only.

Fulfills RSENR Core requirements for RSENR First year students; Synchronous online meetings.

NR 1090: Natural and Cultural Histories of Vermont is an intensive, 4-credit, introductory course originally designed for transfer students to Rubenstein, though we warmly welcome all students to the summer course. It synthesizes content and skills taught in two first-year classes, NR 1010 (Introduction to Natural History and Field Ecology) and NR 1020 (Nature and Culture). Throughout the semester, through an intensive study of Vermont and your home community, we’ll weave together the following themes: Natural history: The term “natural history” comes from the Latin, historia naturalis, which means “inquiry into nature” or “looking into nature”.1 Naturalist and educator Tom Fleischner defines natural history as a practice of “intentional, focused attentiveness and receptivity to the more-than-human world.”2 Part of your task in this course is to become a better naturalist by developing your powers of observation, attention, inquiry, and curiosity. You will do this through sketching, written observation, photography, and rigorous, thoughtful question-asking. Field ecology: Ecologists study relationships – among organisms, and between organisms and their physical surroundings – to get a better holistic understanding of a natural system. We will use an ecological approach to landscape analysis that stresses not only inventorying the biotic and physical components (pieces), but also examining how these pieces are distributed in the landscape (patterns) and what forces drive these patterns (processes). Nature and culture: We will study how humans change their environment, and how the environment influences humans, using Vermont’s history as a major case study. Along the way, we’ll examine dominant and disruptive cultural narratives, with a focus on which stories are told most “loudly” and why.

This is an intensive course to take in four weeks! We estimate about 15-20 hours per week (including synchronous class time) for lectures and assignments. You MUST attend the synchronous course meetings, held on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5-8:30. You will also watch virtual lectures and do assignments - these will be due by the start of class twice each week. Synchronous classes will include lecture and breakout room activities and discussions to further learning. Assignments will include visiting natural areas near where you are to apply the learning in the field.

Grades will be based on attendance and participation in synchronous meetings, exit tickets from virtual and live lectures, wonder blog entries, and synthesis assignments for each unit plus the final exam.