Course Description: Forest health is a ubiquitous goal in forest management. Everyone wants a healthy forest but what exactly does this mean? Definitions of what constitutes a healthy forest vary widely and can be different depending on forest type, management goals, and spatial scale. Tree health is an important part of forest health, but the two things are not synonymous. A wide range of abiotic and biotic factors can contribute to the decline of trees. While some level of mortality is healthy in natural systems (and unavoidable), other threats can jeopardize entire forests and/or forestry operations. Invasive insects and diseases are perhaps the most noticeable threats, causing widespread tree mortality and changing forest ecosystems worldwide. Many other stressors, from native species to extreme weather, cause occasional or incremental damage that can predispose trees to other factors or act synergistically to decrease forest health overall. This course will introduce forest health and lay the foundation for future courses in the forestry major, providing future forestry professionals with the skills to recognize and maintain forests that are sustainable and meet management goals. This course will introduce a broad range of topics related to forest health including: 1) defining forest health, 2) current forest health conditions, 3) biotic threats, 4) abiotic threats, 5) management.

Term(s) Taught: Spring

Course Description: An advanced course that examines world and transboundary issues related to renewable natural resources. Students will attend a series of lectures, discuss assigned readings, and identify issues for further study. Student research papers related to those issues will be presented and discussed in a seminar format.

Term(s) Taught: Fall