EEEB GU4100

The biggest area of learning for me was the practical aspects of conducting forest ecology research.

I learned how to take important measurements of forest vegetation and environmental factors and many of the aspects that determine plant communities, succession, ecosystem services, and more.

I learned a significant amount about forest structure, ecological interactions, forest inventory techniques, and forest management. By the end of the course I was able to identify several plant species of the Northeast and I had improved my field techniques.

I learned a lot of different topics related to forests ranging from purely scientific ones (like dendrochronology and biogeochemistry) to topics that have a social side/are more interdisciplinary (like forest management). I also learned how to perform FIA plots, take tree DBHs, identify common plants in the NE region, and manipulate this data.

I learned a lot about the structure and function of forests--what happens within them, and how they are part of a larger global system. It's also super informative about fundamental principles of ecology, if you don't have that background yet (which I didn't) so it remains approachable.

The course covers the methods necessary to gather data on forest ecosystems, and how to assess that data. There are also in depth modules on the various types of ecosystems, and environmental factors impacting different forest ecosystems. There is also a lot of scientific writing involved.

I learned a lot about how to measure forests and how to think about forest ecosystems.

This course is great if you want the best of both lectures and field work! But it's also a large time commitment so be prepared.

I would recommend this course to people who care about forests that are also okay with 2 overnight trips (one of which with a very intense hike). I really loved what I learned in this class, but I would also caution people who may have any form of disability that would make camping and hiking difficult.

My favorite class I've taken at Columbia, would highly recommend for people who are interested in ecology and looking for a way to get outdoors more often. You get to visit some really great places around the mid Atlantic and bond with a cool group of people.