In this course students explore the ecological underpinnings of sustainable vegetable production and come away with the practical skills necessary to plan and manage a small scale market garden. An applied research project provides the opportunity for students to learn about the design and implementation of on-farm research. The course combines lecture, reading, and discussion with guided practice in the field. The practicum includes planning, planting, and managing the Sterling gardens and greenhouses, as well as selling value-added products at the local farmers' market.

Entails serving as a teaching assistant in a course previously completed with a satisfactory grade. Introduces strategies for the planning, preparation, presentation, and evaluation required for teaching at the college level. Students work with the faculty member teaching the class to develop a detailed plan for participation in the teaching of the class prior to the beginning of the semester in which the course is offered. This course may be repeated once if serving as a teaching assistant in a different course. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing, prior completion of the course with a grade of B or higher, and permission of instructor.

Explore the last great wilderness of North America from the temperate, glaciated southern coast all the way to the sweeping vastness of the Arctic tundra. The program consists of five weeks of wilderness backpacking in the three primary eco-regions of Alaska: the temperate coast, the boreal interior, and the Arctic. The curriculum integrates in-depth study of natural history and ecology, cultural studies, and the planning and practice of Arctic expedition skills. We will travel in the spirit of the great explorers and naturalists, studying wild nature through sustained immersion into it. The program consists of two inter-related courses, designed to serve students with interests in natural history and ecology, cultural studies, conservation, outdoor education, and Northern Studies. Co-requisite: AS335

During the Fall Intensive, students experience an intensive introduction to the ecology, society, and culture of their new environment in northern New England. This includes studying local botany, human history, land-use practices of the regional economy, and the local artisan community. Students begin outdoor challenge activities and small group work, learn about establishing norms of social conduct, build community, and initiate conversations about what it means to live sustainably. This course consists of group discussions, tours, orientations to various Sterling College programs, and outdoor activities.

Focuses on real people implementing sustainable practices in agriculture and natural resource management on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The course helps students gain new insights into Japanese communities through site visits, home stays, and conversation with students at Obihiro and Hokaido universities. Tools of systems dynamics such as closed loop diagramming and stock-flow modeling are introduced and incorporated into journals. Lab fee.

As one travels further north, the number of species declines dramatically, and the contrast between day and night shifts to summer-long days and winter-long nights. The culture of the circumpolar north is as markedly different as is its ecology. Intended as an overall introduction to the North, this course considers the ecological and cultural contexts for northern life.

Focuses on the history and development of sustainable environmental practices in Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The course incorporates visits to schools, colleges, non-governmental planning organizations, as well as alternative building and energy generating facilities. By talking with the people of Scandinavia, students and faculty gain new insight into the web of activities needed to move a society toward caring for the earth while developing communities. Tools of systems dynamics, such as closed loop diagramming and stock-flow modeling, are introduced and incorporated into daily travel journals.

Travel to Labrador and Newfoundland or Hokaido, Japan, during the September Intensive provides opportunity for students and faculty to explore natural and human communities before returning for Fall Semester coursework. Spring Semester coursework provides the basis for field study in the Shetland Islands during Spring Intensive. Summer field study offerings vary from research opportunities in Mongolia to archaeological exploration in Canada. Lab fee. Prerequisite: HM/NS/SS255 Introduction to the North or permission of the instructor.

This field-based course is an exploration of marine environments with emphasis on the North Atlantic. We begin with an introduction to oceanographic topics such as sea floor spreading, wave dynamics, ocean currents and tides, and general marine ecology. We progress to a survey of marine algae and invertebrate phyla, and culminate with a treatment of marine vertebrates with a focus on sea birds and marine mammals. This course combines lectures and discussions with intensive field activities such as sea kayaking, tidepooling, and offshore excursions. PREREQUISITE: NS207: Ecology

Intended to serve as a capstone course for Circumpolar Studies majors and as an opportunity for resident and guest faculty to share their research and expertise, the Circumpolar Studies Senior Seminar will examine a particular topic of northern interest in great depth and detail. Students will be responsible for a significant related research project and presentation. Potential topics include: The Paleoecology of Central Asia and Mongolia, Imagining and Imaging the Arctic: Film, Art, and Photography in the Far North, Reindeer Herding and Caribou Hunting, Theology of the North: Shamanism, Animism, and Missions. Prerequisite: HM/NS/SS255 Introduction to the North or permission of the instructor.

Travel to Labrador and Newfoundland or Hokaido, Japan, during the September Intensive provides opportunity for students and faculty to explore natural and human communities before returning for Fall Semester coursework. Spring Semester coursework provides the basis for field study in the Shetland Islands during Spring Intensive. Summer field study offerings vary from research opportunities in Mongolia to archaeological exploration in Canada. Lab fee. Prerequisite: HM/NS/SS255 Introduction to the North or permission of the instructor.

Applies the principles of geometry and algebra to natural resource problems. Includes both efficient calculator use and pencil and paper techniques. Weekly problem sets emphasize showing work and making accurate unit conversions. Successful completion of the mathematics competency requirements can exempt students from NS050.

This course builds concepts and skills necessary to understand laws of chemistry and physics that underlie ecological and environmental science concepts. Laboratory investigations focus on development of skills needed to succeed in the study of science. Computers interfaced with a suite of probes facilitate data collection and analysis.

Applies principles of ecology to environmental problems of air, water, and biota. Focuses on quantitative measurements of human impacts and converting those understandings to personal change. Reviews scientific methods and fundamentals of chemistry and physics. Writing assignments refine the use of lab report and scientific paper formats. Culminates with an independent project assessing local impact and proposing solutions. (Aquatic ecosystems are studied in conjunction with NS200).

The course will provide students with an understanding of the ecological, social, and political aspects of a watershed. Combining a study of stream ecology and terrestrial natural communities, we will gain a better understanding of the multifaceted ecosystems within a watershed and our relationship to these ecosystems. Throughout the course, we will read and discuss watershed issues, as well as collect and analyze natural and cultural resources field data. Each student will participate in an ongoing watershed monitoring project, resulting in a comprehensive written report. Prereq: NS 145 Critical Science, Recommended: NS 107 Ecology

Examines a whole foods approach to nutrition along with an understanding of the chemical and biochemical properties of food and their interactions within the body. Considers the political, social and environmental influences of the foods we choose to eat. Designed to help students focus on their own eating practices and evaluate those habits through guidelines for eating that support good health.

This course is a survey of concepts in ecology with emphasis on ecosystem ecology, biogeography, and evolution. Topics include ecosystem energetics, nutrient cycling, global weather and climate, biomes and natural communities, natural selection, diversity of life, and ecological relationships. We begin with a broad survey of ecological concepts at play in all ecosystems and apply these to specific terrestrial biomes such as tundra, boreal forest, temperate forest, temperate grassland, desert, chaparral, tropical savanna, and tropical rainforest. We conclude with an investigation into evolutionary theory and its applications to biodiversity.

Builds skills in field identification of New England birds by sight and sound. Includes extensive field work and a visit to a coastal sanctuary.

This course is a field-based botanical survey of local flora, with a focus on spring wildflowers. Students learn plant taxonomy and advanced field identification skills through intensive field exercises and exploration of a variety of New England habitats. Emphasis is on learning botanical terms and concepts through extensive use of botanical keys and field guides, as well as hands-on experience with the flora. We will follow a latitudinal cross-section of New England from south to north (with occasional forays into the adjacent mountains), following the progression of spring.

Course is an introduction to management of specific habitats for wildlife. Concepts such as wildlife population dynamics and ecosystem management will be addressed. A strong focus is given to the diversity of wildlife management problems and the ecological basis of solution. Guest lectures by professionals figure prominently in the second half of the course. Field surveys include ruffed grouse population assessment and electro fishing a local stream to estimate fish population. Prereq: NS 145 Critical Science, Recommended: NS 107 Ecology

This course is a field-based exploration of the flora and vegetation of the North Woods, with an emphasis on the ecological interplay between temperate deciduous and boreal forest biomes. Students build on foundational principles of natural history and ecology through development and practice of observation, identification, and interpretation skills and the keeping of a refined naturalist field journal. Topics include a botanical survey of woody plant families and representative species, natural community composition and structure, biogeographic concepts, ecological succession, identification and classification skills (including an introduction to botanical keys, as well as extensive use of other types of field guides), and the history and philosophy of Natural History. Course format includes lectures, discussions, and a significant field component. PREREQUISITE: NS207: Ecology

A study of the history of forest use, principles of forest management, concepts of forest ecology, and the practice of silviculture. Lab exercises and field experiences support material presented in class. Field trip destinations include managed forests across northeastern Vermont. Prerequisite: NS145.

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. First-year students are eligible to do an independent study in their second semester. To do a spring independent study, a first-year student must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the fall semester. For all students, final proposals must be approved by the faculty sponsor and the Dean of Academics before the end of the first week of classes in the semester for which the study is proposed.

Physical, biological, and chemical properties of the dynamic soil system as related to plant growth in various ecosystems, both natural and those managed for agriculture and forestry. Includes the role of soils in providing nutrients, management of soil fertility, soil erosion, and conservation. Lab exercises and field experiences are integrated with concepts presented in class. Lab fee. Prerequisite: NS135.

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. First-year students are eligible to do an independent study in their second semester. To do a spring independent study, a first-year student must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the fall semester. For all students, final proposals must be approved by the faculty sponsor and the Dean of Academics before the end of the first week of classes in the semester for which the study is proposed.

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. First-year students are eligible to do an independent study in their second semester. To do a spring independent study, a first-year student must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the fall semester. For all students, final proposals must be approved by the faculty sponsor and the Dean of Academics before the end of the first week of classes in the semester for which the study is proposed.

This course slot is open for topics of special interest to faculty and students in a particular year. A group wishing to initiate a course will draw up a detailed syllabus to keep on file, and submit it to the Dean of Academics for approval.

This course is an introduction to geology and geomorphic processes. Students are introduced to rock types, degradational forces, the geologic time scale, plate tectonics, geologic evolution of landscapes, and major landforming processes such as fluvial geomorphology, periglacial processes, and glacial geology. This course is a global survey but pays special attention to the physical landscapes of the circumpolar regions and Northeastern North America. Course format includes lectures, discussions, and regular field excursions.

This course slot is open for topics of special interest to faculty and students in a particular year. A group wishing to initiate a course will draw up a detailed syllabus to keep on file, and submit it to the Dean of Academics for approval.

This course slot is open for topics of special interest to faculty and students in a particular year. A group wishing to initiate a course will draw up a detailed syllabus to keep on file, and submit it to the Dean of Academics for approval.

Explores the geomorphic, climatic, and biological phenomena of the Quaternary period (the last 1.6 million years). Course topics include glaciology, dating methods, the reconstruction of past environments, animal migrations, extinctions, and the implications on culture and the spread of early human populations. Prerequisite: HM/NS/SS255 Introduction to the North or permission of the instructor. Recommended: NS260 Geology.

Equips students with the skills necessary to investigate ecological problems in wildlands management, outdoor recreation, and agriculture. This class studies terrestrial, wetland-riparian, and aquatic systems. Aspects of animal, plant, and chemical ecology are addressed in a variety of habitats. Field work in forests, swamps, bogs, lakes and streams, cultivated and old fields, and alpine regions provides an introduction to the techniques, both descriptive and analytical, of the field ecologist. Prerequisites: NS207 or permission of the instructor.

Introduces qualitative and quantitative research methodology. Focuses on project design, data analysis, and hypothesis testing -- skills important across all professional fields. Computer simulations and applications are included. Prerequisites: NS207, NS170, NS205, and NS210 and permission of the instructor.

This course is a biological exploration of vertebrates with emphasis on northern environments such as tundra, boreal forest, and northern hardwood forests. We survey the major taxonomic groups, including fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds, with concentration on mammals and birds. We investigate evolutionary origins and relationships, anatomy and physiology, systematics, field identification, life histories, behavior, and adaptations to life in northern environments. Lectures and labs are complimented by extensive field trips. PREREQUISITE: NS 107: Ecology, Introduction to the North (for Circumpolar Studies majors), Natural History of the North Woods strongly recommended

An introductory view of the livestock industry: history, genetics and reproduction, nutrition, digestion, feeds and feeding, and breeding. Comparison of management systems for cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry. Lab exercises will support the material presented in the classroom. Activities include management exercises, dissections, and field trips. Lab fee.

Teaches the skills and knowledge necessary for the design and analysis of renewable energy systems on a variety of scales, from individual appliances through single family homes to regional power plants. Hydroelectric, wind, biomass, geothermal, solar (both thermal and electric, and biomass sources are studied. Background in thermodynamics and the design process inform design projects that minimize environmental impacts. Prerequisites: AS130, NS135, NS205, and a passing grade on the Sterling College math competency exam.

Introduces the student to the field of conservation biology, the applied science of maintaining the earth's biodiversity, which combines the principles of ecology, genetics, biogeography, economics, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy. Examples of topics include the size required for national parks to protect local species, the spotted-owl controversy, the genetics of the Florida panther, the reintroduction of the eastern timber wolf, and the design of nature preserves to maximize biodiversity in Vermont. Prerequisites: NS207 or permission of the instructor.

Fundamental aspects of plant science, including plant growth and development, plant structure, reproduction, propagation methods, pathology, and pest management. The role of plants in natural and disturbed ecosystems. Applications of basic plant science to agriculture, forestry, and horticulture. Lab exercises are integrated with concepts presented in class. Lab fee. Prerequisite: NS135. Recommended: NS245.

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. Students must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the semester preceding the semester for which the study is proposed. Proposals should include a justification for the number of credits earned. For off-campus independent study, extensive planning and monitoring with a faculty advisor is essential. An administrative fee is charged to cover costs of overseeing off-campus self-designed studies. (Juniors and Seniors only)

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. Students must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the semester preceding the semester for which the study is proposed. Proposals should include a justification for the number of credits earned. For off-campus independent study, extensive planning and monitoring with a faculty advisor is essential. An administrative fee is charged to cover costs of overseeing off-campus self-designed studies. (Juniors and Seniors only)

Individual project relating to the Sterling College curriculum in a general way under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member. Students must submit an initial proposal to a faculty sponsor two weeks prior to the end of the semester preceding the semester for which the study is proposed. Proposals should include a justification for the number of credits earned. For off-campus independent study, extensive planning and monitoring with a faculty advisor is essential. An administrative fee is charged to cover costs of overseeing off-campus self-designed studies. (Juniors and Seniors only)

Focuses on issues of current concern to students, who will work on independent projects reflective of their interests. Topics chosen will normally relate to students' majors. Visiting guest lecturers and field trips to academic, research, and political centers in New England and Canada complement classwork and research.

Examines the physiological, anatomical, and behavioral adaptations of polar plants and animals to winter and seasonal conditions in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Among the most important challenges to polar organisms are intense seasonal changes of conditions, intense cold, limited energy resources in the environment, and the establishment of long-term snow and ice cover. These factors have provided selection pressure for a remarkable series of adaptations by polar organisms. The course is taught largely in an intensive lab and fieldwork format. Topics include the observation of animal behavior including radio tracking, the nature of cell adaptation in plants (and some animals) to below-freezing temperatures, the behavior of aquatic ecosystems under thick ice cover and low light penetration, and the means by which organisms have adapted to the presence of a deep snow cover. Prerequisite: NS135 or permission of instructor.

Focuses on issues of current concern to students, who will work on independent projects reflective of their interests. Topics chosen will normally relate to students' majors. Visiting guest lecturers and field trips to academic, research, and political centers in New England and Canada complement classwork and research.

This course is intended to synthesize students' existing knowledge and experience in natural history and ecology through rigorous and critical examination of unifying themes in the field. Through lectures, discussions, and review of primary literature, we explore questions that naturalists have grappled with for centuries: What is nature? What is life? What is a species? What is evolution? We will begin with perspectives of the early naturalists, from Aristotle to Darwin, continue with an investigation into modern evolutionary thinking, and culminate with a project-based exploration of current literature in the field. Prerequisites: NS207: Ecology, NS235: Natural History of the North Woods, Senior Year or permission of instructor.

Investigates various forestry and wildlife issues around the world with an emphasis on issues from developing countries. Students identify common themes, barriers to progress, and new approaches, using concepts from systems logic. Course format involves reading and discussion of current literature. Topics build upon students' background in population genetics, conservation biology, forestry, ecosystem dynamics, and plant/soil science. There is an emphasis on knowledge from indigenous peoples. Students utilize a variety of electronic databases to search relevant scientific literature. Field study in Canada complements class discussions. Prereq: All other Conservation Ecology major requirements or permission of instructor. Lab fee.

Investigation of soil-crop-animal systems around the world. Consideration of agricultural systems of various indigenous groups. Emphasis given to agriculture in developing countries. Students identify common themes, barriers to progress, and new approaches using concepts from systems logic. Course format involves reading and discussion of current literature. Topics build upon students' backgrounds in animal, plant, and soil sciences, economics, and sustainable systems. Students utilize a variety of electronic databases to search relevant scientific literature. Field study in Canada complements class discussions. Prerequisites: All other major requirements. Lab fee.

Students examine the need for the preservation and management of wildlands as important, functional components of protected systems nationally and internationally. The development of the wilderness concept, the value of wildlands, sustainable use of resources, and visitor management are major topics. Field and service learning experiences provide additional opportunities for participants to gain an understanding of the current issues and threats facing wild areas. Prerequisite: SS202 Environmental Policy and Law.

Senior Applied Research Project (SARP) plans are developed with the assistance of and supervised by the faculty advisor for that major. Each project will include the following components: 1. Some individual specialization in and responsibility for various aspects of the project, 2. Research into background subjects: economic, ecological, social, and historical aspects.

Senior Project is a two-part capstone learning experience for seniors interested in pursuing guided independent study or research culminating in a written project and presentation. The project is directed by a Sterling College faculty member through both part one HM/NS/SS 418 and part two HM/NS/SS 419. Permission of the instructor is required.

Senior Project is a two-part capstone learning experience for seniors interested in pursuing guided independent study or research culminating in a written project and presentation. The project is directed by a Sterling College faculty member through both part one HM/NS/SS 418 and part two HM/NS/SS 419. Prerequisites: HM/NS/SS 418 and permission of the instructor.

Our daily living and work typicaly involve the focus of our labors and mind on the immediate world around us - the physical and the intellectual goals of the person, the community & the Earth. This course however offers an opportunity to look up from our knitting, direct our gaze upward and outward and see the heavens, learn the patterns and cycles and ponder the grand and exotic nature of the Universe. Students will both learn their way around the night sky and learn the basic principles of modern cosmology through reading, written assignments, field observation and guided independent projects.

Traveling to a small tropical country (alternating between Belize and the Bahamas), students have the opportunity to apply watershed analysis skills and concepts in a tropical setting. We explore effects of land use, especially agricultural practices, on water quality. We also investigate how conservation practices differ from those of the U.S., including decision-making practices of governmental and non-governmental conservation organizations. Students collect, analyze, and present data about the health of a tropical watershed. They compare their findings with those from a temperate watershed analysis (see NS 200), to better understand conservation challenges of tropical versus temperate ecosystems. Prerequisites: ** NS 200 Watersheds ** NS 381 Special Topic: Tropical Ecosystems and Culture

The course is an introduction to the ecosystems and culture as well as conservation efforts in tropical regions. Through presentations, readings, and hands on activities such as the cuisine of Central America, we are introduced to tropical watersheds, from the lowland broadleaf rainforest to the coral reef system and the people who live there. Each student conducts a research project on an area of interest regarding tropical systems. NS 200 Watershed Ecosystem Analysis is recommended but not required.

This senior seminar is an opportunity for seniors to explore environmental and cultural issues at a global level. Our goal is to better understand the relationship between the natural and cultural history of a region and its current land use policies and patterns. Several global regions will set the stage for discussions of timely issues such as eating and growing food locally, the exchange of commodities on a global level, natural resource conservation and utilization, the cultural and environmental impacts of ecotourism, and environmental justice. We will ask how do land use decisions vary among cultures, and what are the ecological, social, and economic impacts of these decisions? Topics will be determined by the class and will be explored through an interdisciplinary lens.

Each student will develop a complete written proposal for the Senior Applied Research Project II (SARP II), including an introduction, objectives, proposed methods, and full review of the literature. Senior research project plans are developed with the assistance of the faculty project advisor for that major, and that advisor will supervise the project. The student will select research committee members so the committee includes a senior project faculty member from each of the three majors. The student will arrange a meeting of the research committee after giving each member a copy of the research proposal and literature review. Committee members will provide feedback concerning the proposed project. NS/SS439 must be completed with a grade of C or better before the student may enroll in NS/SS440.