How are we working with or against nature? Are we mowing lawns and fields too much? Is the tilling of gardens and croplands destroying soil health? Mowing, weeding, and woods cleaning are homeowner activities that may be beautiful and comforting, but are usually disruptive to ecological systems. What about clear-cuts and cornfields? Logging and farming are economically important, but if done wrong, can be damaging to soils, water quality, and native plant communities. We will discuss these topics, along with current issues such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and invasive species.

We will learn from local naturalists, farmers, and land managers in discussion sessions and in the field. There will be three focus areas - forests, fields, and wetlands - and we will study a key wildlife and plant indicator species in each ecosystem. For the second half of the course, we will head out into the field to explore local farms and wildlife management areas, and observe how natural communities are impacted by human activities.