F&ES Courses
THis page lists all of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies courses. To search all courses at Yale, go to the Yale Online Course Information Site
If you click on the title of the course, a window will open with the course description. You may then navigate through the descriptons with the arrow keys on your keyboard.
F&ES 30009 - Biogeography, Biodiversity, and Conservation F&ES 30009 - Biogeography, Biodiversity, and Conservation
3 credits. This course is designed to apply the principles of systematics to historic and ecological biogeography and in turn apply these to the conservation of biodiversity. In doing so, consideration is given to the circumscription of terrestrial biomes and speciation and extinction models. Reconstruction of past geologic and climatic events as well as the impact of human activities is related to the current distribution of the biota. The use of this information as related to CITES legislation and the development of IUCN Action Plans is explored through case studies.F&ES 30017 - Molecular Systematics Laboratory F&ES 30017 - Molecular Systematics Laboratory
3 credits. The course focuses on molecular techniques in evolutionary biology (DNA extraction, PCR, cloning, sequencing) and their application to field studies of natural history, population genetic structure, mating systems, paternity, and the historical analysis of lineages. The course consists of a series of lectures and independent research projects carried out by each student. Aside from the bench work, experimental design, statistical analysis of genetic data, and phylogenetic reconstruction within and among species are emphasized, illustrating how the disciplines of population biology and phylogenetic systematics increasingly overlap. The course revolves around a few class projects. Each student carries out his/her part of these projects; data gathered by all students is then combined and analyzed together. The primary objectives are to give students both a strong foundation in the systematics and conservation questions and issues that can be addressed with a molecular approach, and a working knowledge of the molecular tools necessary to address those issues. Both of these components are essential to the training of those individuals who will conduct research in these emerging and rapidly growing fields.F&ES 30022 - Field Ecology F&ES 30022 - Field Ecology
3 credits. A field-based introduction to methodology used by ecologists in field studies. Descriptive studies, comparative analysis, modeling, and experimental approaches are explored using class or small-group projects relevant to major topics in ecology. After E&EB 122b and concurrently with or after E&EB 220a. Limited enrollment.F&ES 32006 - Tropical Forest Ecology: The Basis for Conservation and Management F&ES 32006 - Tropical Forest Ecology: The Basis for Conservation and Management
3 credits. This course summarizes ecological knowledge on tropical forest ecosystems and shows how this scientific basis can be used for forest management, conservation, and rehabilitation. Topics include: importance of tropical forests: productive and environmental services; ecological characteristics of tropical forests; soils of the tropics: types, fertility, physical properties, and management; nutrient cycling; natural forest structure and composition; the forest microenvironment: light, temperature, and water; high-elevation forests and savannas; tree growth and reproductive ecology; plant species diversity; plant-animal interactions; effects of disturbance; forest succession and regeneration; management of primary and secondary forests; non-timber forest products; plantation forestry: productivity and environmental services; community forestry; ecological and social aspects of agroforestry; rehabilitation of degraded tropical forest ecosystems. Three hours lecture.F&ES 32007 - Ecosystem Pattern and Process F&ES 32007 - Ecosystem Pattern and Process
4 credits. Ecosystem science provides a unique vantage point from which scientists can begin to understand complex adaptive systems. The basis of ecosystem science is to determine how patterns in biological processes emerge from interactions between organisms and the abiotic environment. This course introduces the ecosystem concept, investigates the structure and functioning of ecological systems, studies the response of systems to changing environmental conditions, and applies resulting knowledge to preservation and management issues. Presentation is balanced between terrestrial and marine/aquatic systems. Students must take one of two field options. In the first a cross-section of northeastern ecosystems is visited and studied during a four-hour weekly field trip, assignments and discussions are qualitative, and students receive one credit. The second option is Field Ecology, which is a second three-credit course. Students taking Field Ecology can utilize their final project for both classes.F&ES 32011 - Aquatic Ecology F&ES 32011 - Aquatic Ecology
4 credits. An intensive introduction to the ecology of populations and communities in freshwater systems. The aim of this class is to learn the concepts, patterns, and organisms important in lakes and streams along with the major techniques of information collection and analysis. Weekly field trips are used to gather data that form the basis of lab exercises and research projects. The course presumes familiarity with ecological concepts and terminology. Permission of the instructor required.F&ES 32019 - Landscape Ecology F&ES 32019 - Landscape Ecology
3 credits. This course is an introduction to the study of large-scale ecological patterns and processes. Landscape ecology is a relatively young, rapidly changing field. The topics covered reflect the diverse interests of landscape ecologists: species-area relationships, island biogeography, metapopulation theory, individual-based models, cellular automata, models of biodiversity, etc. The application of these concepts is addressed through consideration of species viability, ecosystem management, and the design of nature reserves. Throughout the course the emphasis is on when and how to integrate a spatial perspective into consideration of major ecological questions. Readings from the primary literature augment material covered in lectures. Students complete a project resulting in a manuscript on a landscape-related topic.F&ES 40002 - Environmental Writing F&ES 40002 - Environmental Writing
1 credit, half term, or 3 credits, full term. Students in this course should plan to produce one full-length article, 3,000 to 4,000 words, that could appear in a wide-circulation magazine such as Audubon, Atlantic, Sierra, or Smithsonian. One-credit students begin a potentially publishable article; three-credit students complete a publishable article. Admission is by application, which must include a proposed writing topic, at the beginning of the term. For information on applying, please see the course information for F&ES 40002a on https://classes.yale.edu. Three-hour seminar and writing workshops. Enrollment limited to fifteen.F&ES 40006 - Professional Communications Skills for Non-Native Speakers of English F&ES 40006 - Professional Communications Skills for Non-Native Speakers of English
3 credits. This course helps students to sharpen their language skills in professional communication. Course topics include accent reduction, language accuracy, vocabulary range, writing style, presentation skills, and barriers to communication. We first address aspects of intelligibility, exploring how improved word choices and speech clarity affect audience understanding. We then look at the problem of comprehension and discuss strategies for increasing the student’s ability to listen accurately and read efficiently. We examine common difficulties and cultural differences in the arrangement of information, use of evidence, and academic argumentation. Several sessions are devoted to specific skills, such as grammatical control and writing of research reports. The course meets for lecture (two hours), and students attend a weekly small group practicum (one hour). The practicum allows students to reinforce new communicative behaviors in oral and written assignments, while receiving feedback from peers and the instructor. As students polish their skills, they improve their ability to express ideas and to interact in both academic and professional contexts.F&ES 50020 - Invasive Species: Ecology, Policy, and Management F&ES 50020 - Invasive Species: Ecology, Policy, and Management
3 credits. Invasive species are disrupting both ecosystems and economies at all scales from local to global. A clear understanding of the nature of the problem, the ecology and biology of the invasive species, the influence of globalization of trade, and advances in management strategies is critical for land managers, scientists, and policy makers. In this lecture/discussion/seminar we focus on current issues surrounding invasive species (both plants and animals) at various spatial and temporal scales in terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Emphasis is on the biology and ecology of invasive species along with a basic understanding of their economic impacts and public policy options to address prevention and management of invasive species. The course includes several local field trips with scientists and land managers.F&ES 50021 - Financial Analysis for Land Management F&ES 50021 - Financial Analysis for Land Management
3 credits. This course provides a framework and techniques to address financial decisions in forest, rangeland, and renewable resource management. Major topics include timber markets, basic investment analysis calculations (IRR, NPV, etc.), risk and selection of interest rates, inflation, taxation, forest finance, and resource valuation and appraisal. Techniques applicable to the individual tree, the stand, and the total property are presented. The course is oriented to applications for land management and not to theory. Includes an overview of the developing fields of carbon offsets, green payments, and conservation land acquisitions. A substantial applied course project is required. Prerequisites: F&ES 84002a or 86044a and F&ES 52013b or permission of the instructor. (F&ES 50011b and 52013b are very helpful.) Three hours lecture. Weekly problem sets.F&ES 50114 - Management Plans for Protected Areas F&ES 50114 - Management Plans for Protected Areas
6 credits. A seminar that comprises the documentation of land use history and zoning, mapping and interpretation, and the collection and analysis of socioeconomic, biological, and physical information for the construction of management plans. Plans are constructed for lands managed by the Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations, private industrial and nonindustrial landowners, town land trusts, city parks and woodlands of New Haven, New York, and Boston, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Prerequisites: F&ES 52013b or 52016a; F&ES 32114b; F&ES 84002b; or permission of the instructor. Eight days fieldwork. Limited enrollment.F&ES 52006 - Anatomy of Trees and Forests F&ES 52006 - Anatomy of Trees and Forests
3 credits. This first course in a four-course sequence focuses on two aspects of plant life: (1) basic processes that drive plant systems, such as fertilization, embryogeny, seed development, germination, seedling establishment, maturation, and senescence; and (2) basic structure and function of plants (such as root systems, leaf formation and development, height, and diameter growth). Differences between different groups of seed plants are analyzed from structural, functional, ecological, and evolutionary standpoints. Special attention is given to woody plants and their importance in the biosphere and human life. Wood and bark structure and formation in tropical and temperate trees are discussed from the standpoints of evolution and ecophysiology. Plant cell types are discussed in the context of how they evolved and their molecular and structural adaptations in terms of strength, storage, and water and solute transport. Prerequisites: general biology or botany or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.F&ES 52012 - Global Resources and the Environment F&ES 52012 - Global Resources and the Environment
3 credits. The world’s climate, soils, water, plant and animal species, mineral and organic resources, and people are neither equally nor randomly distributed throughout the earth; and each has changed and will continue to change. Both the distribution and change can be understood (at least to some extent) based on “uniform processes” that occur repeatedly throughout the world. Students can better understand behaviors of one aspect of the environment at one location if they have a global overview of many aspects and their behaviors and interactions. The course has three objectives: (1) To give students an understanding of the present global distribution and changes with time of the resources, people, and other factors including climates, geomorphic areas, water, species, human communities and populations, agriculture, forest products, inorganic commodities, and energy. (2) To give students an understanding of how to access and utilize information on global resources. (3) To give students an understanding of important issues and management approaches, including species protection and extinctions, resource depletion and sustainability, catastrophic events, soil and water maintenance and degradation, atmospheric change and carbon sequestration, populations and life styles, resource substitution and economics, consumption, recycling, and substitution patterns and potential changes (through lectures, readings, analyses, and case studies).F&ES 52016 - Forest Dynamics: Growth and Development of Forest Stands F&ES 52016 - Forest Dynamics: Growth and Development of Forest Stands
3 credits. This course introduces the study of forest stand dynamicsÑhow the structure and composition of different forest types change over time (from regeneration to old growth). Understanding the dynamic nature of forest stands is important for creating and maintaining a variety of critical wildlife habitats on the landscape, managing for sustainable supplies of wood products and other forest values, or predicting the risks and managing the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Through lectures, discussions, and field trips we explore forest development processes and pathways, concentrating on the biological mechanisms driving forest structural change and the roles of natural and human disturbances in initiating and altering stand development trajectories. We make use of New England forests as living laboratories, while discussing how similar patterns and processes of forest development are played out in forests around the globe.F&ES 60011 - Air Pollution (Chemical Engineering Department) F&ES 60011 - Air Pollution (Chemical Engineering Department)
3 credits. Kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport of chemical reactions of common air pollutants including suspended particulate matter. The role of surface chemistry and transport phenomena in air pollution. Pollutant dispersion modeling. Technology available to prevent or control air pollutants is discussed in conjunction with their physics, chemistry, and design and performance characteristics. Prerequisite: CENG 210a or permission of the instructor.F&ES 60015 - The Future of Fisheries: Over-Harvested or Sustainably Managed? F&ES 60015 - The Future of Fisheries: Over-Harvested or Sustainably Managed?
1 credit (Credit/Fail). Some scientists predict that the world’s fisheries are headed toward total collapse, while others argue that management has improved in certain areas and the prospects of sustainable management are quite good. What are the points of disagreement between these two schools of thought? Does science provide the necessary information to manage fisheries sustainably? What management tools and trade-related measures are appropriate and work? This lecture series presents contrasting views of the state of the world’s marine fisheries, explores some of the ecosystem impacts of commercial fishing, and reviews techniques currently used to achieve sustainable management of exploited marine fish populations.F&ES 60125 - Case Studies in Water Resources F&ES 60125 - Case Studies in Water Resources
3 credits. The freshwater problem, in its multiple dimensions, is one of the most important environmental and human health issues facing the world today. Among its manifestations are water scarcity for humans and ecosystems, inadequate human access to water and sanitation, water conflict, flooding, and degraded water quality. This course uses case studies to deepen our understanding of water resource management, and to address issues such as balancing different demands on water resources; the relationship between science and management; optimizing the distribution and timing of water use; constraints to improved water management; and evaluating the effectiveness of “soft path” approaches. Case studies are presented by the instructor, by outside lecturers, and by students. Three hours lecture, paper, presentation. Enrollment limited to twelve. Prerequisites: F&ES 60108 and F&ES 61016.F&ES 61001 - Marine, Atmospheric, and Surficial Geochemistry F&ES 61006 - A Biological Perspective of Global Change F&ES 61006 - A Biological Perspective of Global Change
3 credits. The course aims to promote understanding of the interface between major aspects of global change and the biospheric systems. Special attention is given to the biological significance of ozone layer depletion, anthropogenic and natural causes of photochemical smog, acid rain, sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, and impact of global warming on the terrestrial biosphere. Three hours lecture and discussion. Term paper/presentation/literature critique.F&ES 61024 - River Processes and Restoration F&ES 61024 - River Processes and Restoration
3 credits. This course studies the geophysical processes of natural rivers with emphasis on qualitative and quantitative aspects of fluvial morphology; the course addresses channel dynamics, urban rivers, human impacts on rivers and climate change. It also addresses restoration of degraded rivers, including dechannelization, dam removal, sediment transport, aquatic habitat improvements, and naturalistic design. Students learn to inspect, classify, identify, and measure river features. Quantitative analyses of river hydraulics and morphology are performed to predict river reactions to human activities and watershed change. The class includes class lectures, readings, problem sets, field labs, and a team project. A previous course in hydrology (F&ES 61018a or equivalent) is recommended.F&ES 62013 - Introduction to Soil Science F&ES 62013 - Introduction to Soil Science
3 credits. An introduction to the fundamental concepts of soil science. Soil topics are presented in relation to natural and managed ecosystems with emphasis on soil processes and their relationship to plant productivity. Two lectures a week. Four all-day Saturday field trips. See https://classesv2.yale.edu/fes62013a.F&ES 62017 - Coastal Ecosystems: Natural Processes and Anthropogenic Impacts F&ES 62017 - Coastal Ecosystems: Natural Processes and Anthropogenic Impacts
3 credits. An examination of the natural processes controlling coastal ecosystems and the anthropogenic threats to the health of these systems. Focus is primarily on tidal marshes and estuarine open-water systems. The course covers a wide range of important physical, chemical, and ecological processes, with greatest detail given to nutrient cycling, primary production, detrital pathways, and marsh accretion. Anthropogenic impacts covered range from local to global, and include nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, sea level rise, invasive species, marsh drowning, and wetland filling. Three hours lecture, several field trips.F&ES 66008 - Organic Pollutants in the Environment F&ES 66008 - Organic Pollutants in the Environment
3 credits. An overview of the pollution problems posed by organic chemicals, including petroleum products, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins, phthalates, chlorinated solvents, and so on. No background in organic chemistry is required, though students with such background can also benefit from the course. The course aims to give students an understanding of the processes governing the environmental fate of organic pollutants (e.g., evaporation, bioconcentration, biodegradation) and of how those processes apply to the pollution problems posed by specific groups of chemicals. We also discuss technologies for prevention and remediation of organic pollution, as well as issues related to specific classes of chemicals (e.g., oil spill response, pesticide choices). Several case studies are examined. Media covered include surface water, groundwater, soil, and biota. Three hours lecture, six problem sets, several field trips.F&ES 70002 - Research Methods F&ES 70002 - Research Methods
3 credits. Elementary principles of the philosophy and methods of science; research planning, including problem analysis and project planning; preparation, criticism, and oral presentation of study plans; communication of research findings; limitations of research techniques; and structure of research organizations. Three hours lecture and student reports.F&ES 70003 - Social Science Research Methods F&ES 70003 - Social Science Research Methods
3 credits. The class surveys the array of theoretical and epistemological approaches used in social science research. Emphasis is placed on understanding how choices over methodology shape data collection and results, and the various qualitative and quantitative efforts currently being employed to address complex social phenomena. Participatory action research methodologies and survey methods are discussed in brief; the primary emphasis of the course is on qualitative research methods. Doctoral students and master’s students doing research projects can use this course to develop their research project proposals.F&ES 76014 - Business Concepts for Environmental Managers F&ES 76014 - Business Concepts for Environmental Managers
3 credits. The objectives of this course are to offer environmental managers a basic understanding of accounting systems to enable them to interpret financial data in corporate and governmental settings, to integrate traditional business concepts with those of sustainable environmental management, and to recognize the role of environmental management among the multiple interests within business negotiations. The first part of the course develops skill in financial accounting, and this knowledge is then applied to areas in environmental financial management, including budgeting, project finance, and valuation.F&ES 77001 - Remote Sensing: Observing the Earth from Space F&ES 77001 - Remote Sensing: Observing the Earth from Space
3 credits. Course topics include the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, satellite-borne radiometers, data transmission and storage, computer image analysis, and merging satellite imagery with GIS in their applications to weather and climate, oceanography, surficial geology, ecology and epidemiology, forestry, agriculture, and watershed management. Preference to students in F&ES, Geology and Geophysics, Archaeology, Anthropology, and Studies in the Environment. Prerequisites: college-level physics or chemistry, two courses in geology and natural science of the environment or equivalents, and computer literacy.F&ES 77006 - Sampling Methodology and Practice F&ES 77006 - Sampling Methodology and Practice
3 credits. This course is intended to provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of statistical sampling, alternative estimators of population parameters, and the design basis for inference in survey sampling. Natural, ecological, and environmental resource applications of sampling are used to exemplify numerous sampling strategies. Sample designs to be studied include simple random; systematic; unequal probability, with and without replacement; stratified sampling; sampling with fixed-radius plots; horizontal point sampling; and line intercept. The Horvitz-Thompson, ratio, regression, and other estimators are introduced and used repeatedly throughout the course. Three hours lecture. Weekly and biweekly problem sets requiring the use of a computer spreadsheet.F&ES 77009 - Introduction to Statistics in the Environmental Sciences F&ES 77009 - Introduction to Statistics in the Environmental Sciences
3 credits. An introduction to probability and statistics with emphasis on applications in forestry and environmental sciences. Includes methods of graphical analysis, introduction of common probability distributions, and hypothesis testing. The final third of the course introduces the topics of regression and analysis of variance that are covered more thoroughly in F&ES 77108b. There are weekly problem sets using MINITAB software, as well as a final project. This course assumes no prior knowledge of statistics; this course (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for more advanced F&ES statistics courses. Three hours lecture.F&ES 77011 - Modeling Geographic Objects F&ES 77011 - Modeling Geographic Objects
3 credits. This course offers a broad and practical introduction to the nature and use of drawing-based (vector) geographic information systems (GIS) for the preparation, interpretation, and presentation of digital cartographic data. In contrast to F&ES 77010b, the course is oriented more toward discrete objects in geographical space (e.g., water bodies, land parcels, or structures) than the qualities of that space itself (e.g., proximity, density, or interspersion). Three hours lecture, problem sets, one class project. No previous experience is required.F&ES 80019 - Entrepreneurial Business Planning F&ES 80019 - Entrepreneurial Business Planning
3 credits. Entrepreneurship is all about starting and running one’s own business. In order to focus thinking and to help assemble the needed people and financial resources, many entrepreneurs write a business plan for their new venture. One of the best ways to learn how to write a business plan is to learn by doingÑa real plan for a real new venture. The work is hands-on, learn-by-doing in nature. Entrepreneurs should be flexible thinkers and highly motivated, with a large capacity for work. They must be persistent and able to thrive in an unstructured environment. Entrepreneurs should be confident self-starters with the ability to take the initiative, overcome obstacles, make things happen, and get things done. This course is for three teams of five students each, who want to write a business plan for their own real new startup company. Students enter their plans in the Y50K Business Plan Contest sponsored by the Yale Entrepreneurial Society. The scope of the work includes doing in-depth market, product, and competitor research; creating a strategy for a sustainable business; and writing and presenting a professional-quality plan (including a financial model and deal structure). Enrollment limited to twenty-five, by permission of the instructor.F&ES 80022 - Environmental Diplomacy Practicum F&ES 80022 - Environmental Diplomacy Practicum
6 credits (3 per term). This yearlong course aims to provide experiential learning of environmental and sustainable development issues at the international level through weekly seminars and internships at U.N. Missions in New York City. The weekly seminars discuss the functions of and decision-making process in the relevant international bodies regarding forestry, marine environment, fisheries, renewable resources, and the atmosphere. Depending on students’ qualifications, they are assigned to work as interns (12Ð15 hours per week) with U.N. Missions in New York to do research, draft papers, attend meetings, and develop specific projects on selected topics. They are also required to submit a substantive research paper or project document in May. Students are evaluated on the basis of their performance in the above three sectors. Enrollment requires application, interview, and approval of Professor Roy S. Lee. Preference to students with practical experience in environmental issues.F&ES 80029 - Local Environmental Law and Land Use Practices F&ES 80029 - Local Environmental Law and Land Use Practices
3 credits. This course explores the regulation by local governments of land uses in watershed areas and the effect of development on the natural environment. The course helps students understand, in a practical way, how the environment can be protected through effective regulation at the local level. It introduces students to federal, state, and regional laws and programs that affect watershed protection and to the laws that delegate to local governments primary responsibility for decision making in the land use field. Theories of federalism, regionalism, states’ rights, and localism are studied. The history of the delegation of planning and land use authority to local governments is traced, leading to an examination of local land use practices particularly as they relate to controlling development in and around watershed areas. Course participants engage in empirical research working to identify, catalogue, and evaluate innovative local laws that successfully protect environmental functions and natural resources. Nearby watersheds are used as a context for the students’ understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of local planning and regulation. Attention is paid, in detail, to how the development of the land adversely affects natural resources and how these impacts can be mitigated through local environmental regulations.F&ES 80032 - History of the Environment and Ecological Science F&ES 80032 - History of the Environment and Ecological Science
3 credits. In this seminar, students explore the tools of historical research and analysis and develop their narrative writing skills. After focusing on environmental history and how it furthers current problem solving, the seminar turns to the history of ecology and ecology’s mixed influence on social and economic theory. Work centers on practical applications of historical research and analysis rather than the historical record, in the expectation that students will articulate their own narratives and gain increased power in problem analysis. History’s analytic tools and perspectives offer social and natural scientists an excellent platform for establishing context and for making long-term projections. The ecological orientation afforded by historical analysis further leads to more successful and ethical policy making through its emphasis on context, on emergent processes, and on the central role of individuals in system dynamics.F&ES 80034 - Environmental Law Clinic F&ES 80034 - Environmental Law Clinic
3 credits. A clinical program with weekly class sessions, alternating between seminars and project team meetings. The Environmental Law Clinic is designed to introduce students to several major environmental policy questions and a variety of methods of advocating for environmental improvement. Students work in small interdisciplinary teams (with students from the Law School and occasionally other parts of the Yale community), ten to twelve hours per week, for a single client organization, such as a local, national, or international environmental organization, a community group, or a local, state, or national governmental entity. Students work on a specific project or series of projects that involve environmental law and policy issues, and that may include litigation, drafting legislation, organizing community action, developing media campaigns, participating in stakeholder working groups, and developing policy proposals. Students may propose projects and client organizations, subject to approval by the instructor.F&ES 80038 - American Indian Religions and Ecology F&ES 80038 - American Indian Religions and Ecology
3 credits. This course focuses on the North American continent from the standpoint of religion and ecology. A cultural-historical method is also used in conjunction with comparative-thematic and worldview approaches. These approaches emphasize the different ways of understanding native continuities in relationship with bioregions over time. Comparisons are also drawn between Native American traditions and different world religions. This course also highlights indigenous ways of knowing that focus on themes of sharing, holism, reciprocity, and personhood in the natural world.F&ES 80042 - Environmental Theologies F&ES 80042 - Environmental Theologies
3 credits. Christian responses to environmental problems vary as widely as Christian diversity. This course reads ecumenically to describe multiple strategies of theological response from around the world such as eco-justice, stewardship, ecofeminism, sacramental ecology, and creation spirituality. It outlines major Western approaches, as well as Eastern Orthodox, Anabaptist, liberation theology, womanist, and African Independent traditions. We assess how the environmentalÊ strategies reclaim, redeploy, or revise theological traditions, and how they frame and address environmental issues.F&ES 80043 - Global Ethics and Sustainable Development F&ES 80043 - Global Ethics and Sustainable Development
3 credits. Especially fitting for those with an interest in international relief and development, mission, and environmental or humanitarian advocacy, this seminar examines the contested concept of sustainable development and its role in attempts to establish globally shared priorities. Since the concept tries to integrate human rights, economic development, and ecological sustainability, readings include introductory theory in each area. Participants write independent research papers.F&ES 80052 - Project in Ecosystem Management: General Applications F&ES 80052 - Project in Ecosystem Management: General Applications
Work should be within six areasÑwildland recreation management, environmental protection and planning, environmental interpretation and planning, urban community forestry, social dimensions of tropical forestry development, and renewable energy systems. A detailed study plan and work schedule are required prior to acceptance.F&ES 80054 - Agrarian Societies: Culture, Society, History, and Development F&ES 80054 - Agrarian Societies: Culture, Society, History, and Development
3 credits. An interdisciplinary examination of agrarian societies, contemporary and historical, Western and non-Western. Major analytical perspectives from anthropology, economics, history, political science, and environmental studies are used to develop a meaning-centered and historically grounded account of the transformation of rural societies. Four hours lecture plus discussion sections.F&ES 80067 - Ecology and Equity F&ES 80067 - Ecology and Equity
This course provides a comparative, cross-cultural perspective on the environmental debate. The first part explores the history of environmentalism in different parts of the world. The cases studied include Wilderness Thinking in America, Gandhian agrarianism in India, and Green politics in Germany. The second part looks at the trajectory of environmental conflicts and ways of resolving them. We focus especially on the sectors of forestry, biodiversity conservation, and resource consumption. The course moves back and forth among the locality, the nation, and the globe.F&ES 83026 - Technology, Society, and the Environment F&ES 83026 - Technology, Society, and the Environment
3 credits. This seminar addresses technology’s dual role as both source and remedy of global environmental change. The seminar first discusses conceptual and theoretical aspects of technological change from an interdisciplinary perspective including social science, history, economics, engineering, as well as management theory. Examples of technological change and its environmental impacts in agriculture, industries, and the service economy are addressed through case studies. Questions discussed include: Why are some technological innovations successful (e.g., cell phones) while others (e.g., fast breeder reactors) are not? What determines rates of change in the adoption of new technologies and how can these be accelerated? How many people can the earth feed? Is dematerialization actually occurring, and why? What are the implications of the Internet’s digital North-South divide and what are strategies to overcome it? Active student participation is an essential ingredient of the seminar; students participate in seminar debates, perform case studies in home assignments, and also write a (short) final term paper on a mutually agreed-upon topic.F&ES 83047 - Social Ecology Field Research Methods and Techniques for Biodiversity Protection and Community Development F&ES 83047 - Social Ecology Field Research Methods and Techniques for Biodiversity Protection and Community Development
3 credits. This year the seminar operates as a studio course in which small teams of students learn the use of an ecosystem model as a frame for the application of specific research techniques. Our interest is in working with local groups to discover and to develop the potential of large protected areas for serving community concerns in balancing and improving safety, health, education, recreation, and economic opportunities for local communities. Specifically we examine two large-destination, transboundary protected areas: West Rock State Park and East Rock Municipal Park in the New Haven region. Our clients are two non-government organizations: Solar Youth and Elm City Parks Conservancy. Our back-up guide to local pattern and process is the Urban Resources Initiative. The first part of the term is devoted to gaining skill in understanding the framework and the application of standard and unique social ecology research techniques. Also our early period permits us to familiarize ourselves with the goals and objectives of our client agencies and the nature and types of communities near these preserves that for over one hundred years have sustained local biodiversity and cultural heritage values.F&ES 83050 - Society and Environment: Introduction to Theory and Method F&ES 83050 - Society and Environment: Introduction to Theory and Method
3 credits. This is an introductory course on the scope of social scientific contributions to environmental and natural resource issues. It is designed to be the first course for students who will be specializing in social science approaches as well as the last/only course for students who take only one course in this area. The approach taken in the course is inductive, problem-oriented, and case study-based. The course is divided into four main sections. Section I deals with the way environmental problems are initially framed. Case studies focus on placing problems in their wider political context, new approaches to uncertainty and failure, and the importance of how the analytical boundaries to resource systems are drawn. Section II focuses on questions of method, including the dynamics of working within development projects, and the art of rapid appraisal and short-term consultancies. Section III deals with new approaches to environmental perturbation and change, examining public discourses of natural disaster and environmental security. Finally, Section IV is concerned with local peoples and the environment, with case studies addressing the issue of indigenous knowledge and its transformation. The course is a prerequisite for F&ES 80153b and F&ES 80157b. Three-hour lecture/seminar. Enrollment limited to thirty.F&ES 83056 - Social Science of Development and Conservation F&ES 83056 - Social Science of Development and Conservation
3 credits. This course is intended to provide a fundamental understanding of the social aspects involved in implementing sustainable development and conservation projects. Social science makes two contributions to the practice of development and conservation. First, it provides ways of thinking about, researching, and working with social groupingsÑincluding rural households and communities, but also development and conservation institutions, states, and NGOs. This aspect includes relations between groups at all these levels, and the role of power in these relations. Second, social science tackles the analysis of the knowledge systems that implicitly shape development and conservation policy and impinge on practice. In other words, we analyze communities but also our own ideas of what communities are. We also examine our ideas about sustainable development and conservation. Finally, we attempt to look at development and the institutions that implement it from the perspective of communities. The emphasis throughout is on how these things shape the practice of sustainable development and conservation. The goal of the course is to stimulate students to apply informed and critical thinking (which means not criticizing others but questioning our own underlying assumptions) to whatever roles they play in sustainable development and conservation, in order to move toward more environmentally and socially sustainable projects and policies. A prerequisite for F&ES 80153b and F&ES 80157b. Three hours lecture/seminar.F&ES 83064 - Energy Issues in Developing Countries F&ES 83064 - Energy Issues in Developing Countries
3 credits. This graduate course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to explore the interrelationships among energy, environment, economic development, and social welfare in developing countries. Throughout the course, we consider the role that people, industries, and state institutions play in supplying and consuming energy-based resources in countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia. The goal of the course is to understand the many ways in which energy is used by the majority of the world’s population and to examine some of the tensions that exist among environmental sustainability, economic growth, and quality of life within the context of non-Western, non-industrialized, and/or industrializing populations. Class meetings consist of a short lecture followed by discussion; therefore reading and participation are critical components of the course and students are evaluated based on their contributions to the discussion. Students are strongly encouraged to have prior knowledge of basic energy issues. F&ES 86025a or equivalent is strongly recommended.F&ES 84040 - Economics of the Environment F&ES 84040 - Economics of the Environment
3 credits. This course provides students with in-depth training using economic analysis to address environmental policies and management. Students are exposed to tools that allow them to assess the efficiency of different environmental policies and management strategies. The course examines when markets manage the environment efficiently and when they fail. It covers a range of topics including preventing pollution, managing renewable resources, and consuming nonrenewable resources. It stresses the importance of science and values in making efficient choices. The course is a prerequisite for all advanced economics and management classes.F&ES 85011 - Environmental Policy Analysis for an Unpredictable World F&ES 85011 - Environmental Policy Analysis for an Unpredictable World
3 credits. This course explores theories of domestic and international environmental policy making in order to understand better the processes through which policy change (and stability) occurs. The course examines traditional domestic and international public policy-making processes, and emerging institutions that seek to privatize environmental governance and restructure power relations among organized interests. The course examines these questions from comparative and international perspectives. Special attention is placed on the international-domestic nexus, and the effects of economic globalization and international governance on domestic policy change.F&ES 85013 - Environmental Politics and Policy F&ES 85013 - Environmental Politics and Policy
3 credits. This course provides an overview of environmental politics and policy. The relations among science, politics, and law are taught via case histories that include pesticides, parks and protected area management, endangered species, radionuclides, facility siting, air pollution, drinking water quality, food safety, hazardous site restoration, and vector-borne disease. The concepts of authority, democracy, risk, secrecy, security, equity, and justice guide the examination of political debate. In each case history, we explore the effectiveness of law and regulation.F&ES 85023 - Markets, Social and Environmental Certification, and Corporate Accountability F&ES 85023 - Markets, Social and Environmental Certification, and Corporate Accountability
1, 2, or 3 credits. This course explores the changing expectations, tools, and impacts of corporate social and environmental accountability in the twenty-first century. Building from case studies of many dimensions of “corporate social responsibility” in the twentieth century, the course reviews the literature on all levels of “social and environmental risk” faced by companies in their markets, including costs of finance, insurance, and reputational protection. It reviews the emergence of “certification systems” for encouraging and rewarding the highest level of corporate social and environmental accountability, drawing examples from global forestry, ecotourism, agricultural commodity trade, mining, and finance. It explores the nature and effectiveness of “markets campaigns” as a tool for promoting corporate environmental accountability. The course features guest speakers from companies that have embraced the new mechanisms for corporate accountability and those that have resisted them, from NGOs that have promoted them, and academic experts who have analyzed them.F&ES 85030 - Private Investment and the Environment F&ES 85030 - Private Investment and the Environment
3 credits. As environmental problems become harder to regulate and public funds available for environmental protection decline, more people are looking to private investment as a tool for improving environmental performance. This course explores the legal aspects of these initiatives, both opportunities and limits. It starts with an analysis of the goals of private investorsÑ as a way to target efforts to change their decisions. It then moves to a review of the legal frameworks within which investors operate (property and tax law), as well as the legal tools that investors use to order their activities (contract law) and that governments use to address market failures (liability, regulation, information, and market mechanisms).It concludes by examining efforts to use combinations of these legal tools to expand private investment in environmentally superior goods, services, and operations.F&ES 86025 - Energy Systems Analysis F&ES 86025 - Energy Systems Analysis
3 credits. This lecture course offers a systems analysis approach to describe and explain the basics of energy systems, including all forms of energy (fossil and renewable), all sectors/activities of energy production/conversion, and all end-uses, irrespective of the form of market transaction (commercial or noncommercial) or form of technology (traditional as well as novel advanced concepts) deployed. Students gain a comprehensive theoretical and empirical knowledge base from which to analyze energy-environmental issues as well as to participate effectively in policy debates. Special attention is given to introducing students to formal methods used to analyze energy systems or individual energy projects and also to discuss traditionally less-researched elements of energy systems (energy use in developing countries; energy densities and urban energy use; income, gender, and lifestyle differences in energy end-use patterns) in addition to currently dominant energy issues such as climate change. Active student participation is required, including presentations in class and completion of problem sets. Invited external speakers complement topics covered in class.F&ES 86048 - Introduction to Planning and Development F&ES 86048 - Introduction to Planning and Development
3 credits. This course demonstrates the ways in which financial and political feasibility determine the design of buildings and the character of the built environment. Students propose projects and then adjust them to the conflicting interests of the financial institutions, real estate developers, civic organizations, community groups, public officials, and the widest variety of participants in the planning process. Subjects covered include housing, commercial development, zoning, historic preservation, parks and public open space, suburban subdivisions, planned communities, and comprehensive plans.F&ES 86059 - Cities and Sustainability in the Developing World F&ES 86059 - Cities and Sustainability in the Developing World
3 credits. Most population growth in the twenty-first century will occur in the urban areas of the developing world, which are expected to increase by 2 billion inhabitants between 2000 and 2030. Urban living poses environmental hazards, which affect the current population, and especially the poor, through immediate, local impacts on health and safety. It also causes environmental degradation, with longer-term, wider-area, and intergenerational consequences. Variations in the incidence and relative severity of a range of environmental problems across cities at different levels of development suggest differences in priorities for action. In coming decades, in order to support sustainable national development, urban areas will need to ensure a healthful and attractive environment for their rapidly expanding populations, while protecting natural resources and reducing harmful impacts on wider regions and later generations. The massive new investment in the capital stock of cities required for the doubling of urban population by 2030 will be critical to environmental outcomes. Using a number of city case studies, the course highlights local solutions, as well as new technologies for monitoring, planning, and managing urban growth. There is a field trip to Johannesburg, South Africa for about fifteen students during the fall break.F&ES 90001 - Professional Ethics: Orientation to the Field F&ES 90001 - Professional Ethics: Orientation to the Field
1 credit. This is a one-credit reading/discussion class. It requires several short written case notes to apply a simple set of ethics reflection guides that will be taught in opening sessions. It meets once a week. A short textbook is required, supplemented by short weekly case and related readings. The course concentrates on developing a clear understanding of what a profession is, what professional ethics codes mean, and how they may be applied in making ethical judgments about situations that arise in environmental and forest management and administration, as well as in scientific research. On completing this course, students will be familiar with the major problem areas of professional ethics and with a range of literature in the field. They will be able to understand and apply ethics codes of whatever professional societies they may enter when they graduate.F&ES 90003 - Applied Risk Assessment I F&ES 90003 - Applied Risk Assessment I
2 credits. This course introduces students to the nomenclature, concepts, and basic skills of quantitative risk assessment (QRA). The goal is to provide an understanding necessary to read and critically evaluate QRA. Emphasis is on the intellectual and conceptual basis of risk assessment, particularly its dependence on toxicology and epidemiology, rather than its mathematical constructs and statistical models. Specific cases consider the use of risk assessment for setting occupational exposure limits, establishing community exposure limits, and quantifying the hazards of environmental exposures to chemicals in air and drinking water.F&ES 96019 - Greening Business Operations F&ES 96019 - Greening Business Operations
4 credits. The course examines various industries from engineering, environmental, and financial perspectives. Methods are drawn from operations management, industrial ecology, and accounting and finance to investigate industrial processes, the potential to pollute, and the environmental and business implications of various sustainability approaches. Discounted cash flow analysis, life cycle assessment, and environmental cost accounting are typical tools that are taught. The class also involves several field trips to companies.F&ES D0005 - Doctoral Student Seminar F&ES D0005 - Doctoral Student Seminar
3 credits. This course is required for all doctoral students during their first two terms. The course is open to all doctoral students at later stages in their programs. The seminar brings together researchers from the natural and social sciences to enhance students&rsquo, abilities to develop effective research proposals, to examine critically the positive and negative aspects of seminars and publications, and to present proposals and research results effectively.F&ES 30008 - Topics in the Tropics F&ES 30008 - Topics in the Tropics
2 credits. Seminar course with topics suggested by the faculty and selected by the students based on class interest. The aim is to discuss current papers, review methods, and discuss our research in progress around the selected topical focus. Students critique papers, discuss and debate methods, and offer their work in progress for group input. The course is graded credit/noncredit only. There are no written submissions or examinations.F&ES 30010 - Tropical Field Botany F&ES 30010 - Tropical Field Botany
3 credits. This course teaches students how to identify the most important tropical plant families, with an emphasis on trees. Students learn key characteristics for identification. We concentrate on those families that have high economic or ethnobotanic value. We also discuss distribution, habitat, and ecology. Different families or groups of families are covered by instructors from the New York Botanical Garden, all world-class experts in their respective families/groups. The course has a strong practical component, and instructors emphasize vegetative characters with which to identify families. The course includes a one-week field trip to Puerto Rico.F&ES 30018 - Conservation Genetics Seminar F&ES 30018 - Conservation Genetics Seminar
3 credits. This seminar is intended to provide an introduction to conservation genetics for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The goal is to provide students with an understanding of the importance of genetic diversity and the means for preserving it.F&ES 30020 - Ecology Seminar F&ES 30020 - Ecology Seminar
1 credit. The ability to read and understand the literature is a critical skill. This seminar is structured to encourage participation in discussions of papers from the ecological literature. The specific papers to be read vary from year to year, however, each year we focus on papers that have made major contributions to the conceptual foundations of ecology. Many of the papers have direct or indirect relevance to applied issues such as the conservation of species and ecosystems. Seminar responsibilities include active participation in weekly meetings and the leadership of one discussion.F&ES 30024 - Topics in Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics F&ES 30024 - Topics in Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics
3 credits. The course includes discussion of original research from students and post-doctoral associates and reading and discussion of recently published papers in evolutionary and conservation genetics, with special emphasis on population-level questions. Discussion of experimental design, project feasibility, and presentation of preliminary data is stressed. It is intended for graduate students interested in research in these fields at various stages of their career. Open to advanced undergraduates by permission of the instructor.F&ES 30125 - Community Ecology F&ES 30125 - Community Ecology
3 credits. The course provides students in-depth understanding of theory on multiple species interactions and dynamics including predation, competition, food chain, and food web interactions. Considerable emphasis is placed on mathematical modeling to formalize ideas about how species interactions structure ecological communities and to specify the appropriate focus of empirical research, study design, and data gathering. The course addresses contemporary issues in community ecology including scaling from individual behavior to community dynamics, the link between biodiversity and system stability, alternative dynamic regimes, spatially extended systems, and metacommunities. Prerequisites: MATH 222a or222b or equivalent, EEB 220a or equivalent. A course in calculus recommended.F&ES 32001 - Methods of Ecosystem Analysis F&ES 32001 - Methods of Ecosystem Analysis
3 credits. This course exposes students to ecosystem-level questions, demonstrates field-data collection and laboratory analyses, emphasizes data manipulation on the microcomputer, and introduces professional data presentation techniques (plotting, transparencies, slides, Web design). Some projects chosen by students have large enough data sets to test hypotheses and develop publishable conclusions. Class sessions consist of a morning lecture and afternoon in field and laboratory. See https://classes.yale.edu:444/fes519b.F&ES 40004 - Archetypes and the Environment F&ES 40004 - Archetypes and the Environment
3 credits. This course explores the mythologies, literatures, arts, and folklore of a variety of cultures in search of archetypal characters whose role is to mediate between nature and society. Beginning with sources as early as The Epic of Gilgamesh and ending with contemporary film and media, the course seeks to examine and understand the ways in which diverse peoples integrate an awareness of their traditional and popular arts and cultures. The course makes use of works from a variety of languages, including Akkadian, Greek, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Chinese, German, French, and Italian, but all readings are available in English, students with reading abilities in foreign languages will be encouraged to examine primary sources wherever possible. The course includes visits to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Yale Art Gallery. Three hours lecture/discussion.F&ES 50002 - Fire: Science and Policy F&ES 50002 - Fire: Science and Policy
3 credits. This course examines the ecological, social, and policy implications of forest and grassland fire. Topics include the historical and cultural role of fire, fire behavior, fire regimes, fire ecology, the use of fire in ecosystem restoration, fire policy in the United States and elsewhere, and controversies around suppressing fires and post-fire rehabilitation practices. Conditions permitting, the course also involves implementing a prescribed fire to achieve management goals in restoring meadow and oak savanna at Yale Myers forest.F&ES 50011 - Managing Resources F&ES 50011 - Managing Resources
3 credits. The challenge of resource management is to provide the many commodity and non-commodity objectives people demand from the terrrestrial ecosystems across time and space. This management can be cost-effective and applicable to many places with the proper integration of management and social scientific knowledge. Students master the scientific basis, methods (and reasons for the methods), and technical tools for landscape (forest) management. The course covers managing an ecosystem with concerns about water, agriculture, grazing, wildlife, timber, recreation, people, and wind, fire, avalanche, and flood hazards. The class examines the basic issues and describes tools and techniques for analyzing and managing. A case study of a specific area is used for many of the analyses. The course covers systems concepts, decision analysis, area, volume, and other regulatory systems, silvicultural pathways, growth models, wind and fire hazard analyses, habitat and biodiversity analyses, water management models, carbon sequestration pools and changes, cash flow, operations scheduling, portfolio management, monitoring, and continuous quality improvement and adaptive management. Class includes lectures and exercises in which students integrate these subjects.F&ES 50023 - Forest Management Operations for Professional Foresters F&ES 50023 - Forest Management Operations for Professional Foresters
2 or 3 credits. The operational aspects of managing forestland are taught, including topics essential to the professional practice of forest management. Operational aspects of regeneration, intermediate tending, and harvesting (planning, layout, implementation, and post-operation evaluation), best management practices, regulatory and wetlands considerations, and socio-economic dimensions of field operations are the focus. The ethical and professional responsibilities of forest managers who are responsible for