The Earth’s population continues to spike at a staggering rate. The demand for resources multiplies with the population therefore managing precious resources is more important than ever. Our precious woodland species not only supply us with aesthetic beauty but also play a valuable role in nature. Trees uphold a great deal of our wildlife’s ecosystem while providing us humans with needed lumber, paper products, and even food. But these forests cannot protect themselves and depend greatly on humans for conservation. Students will learn more about this meaningful relationship and how environmental policy, land use, water resources, and wildlife management all factor into current forestry issues.
Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs):
At the end of this course, students can:
Give examples of natural resources and categorize resources as biotic or abiotic.
Can give three examples of natural resources that are important to the economy of California
Identify an illustration as either a food web or a food chain.
State the inputs and outputs for photosynthesis.
Explain the role of the major components of an ecosystem.
Define: conservation, preservation and environmental apathy.
Give an example of a federal agency who manages land for preservation and one for conservation.
Explain that the increasing population of the Earth requires careful management and distribution of resources to be sustainable.
Use a population graph to project the Earth’s population at a given time in the future.
Use a dichotomous key to identify a plant.
Identify The Plant Life Zones of the Sierra Nevada
Outline the steps for using a cruisers stick, clinometer and tape to get timber measurements.
Evaluate a site as fire ready or needs improvement.
Identify a tree as healthy or not healthy and identify the forest enemy impacting the tree health
Describe ecological succession
Identify ten map symbols
Illustrate the rainshadow effect
Create an appropriate resume, cover letter and answer interview questions