State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Cranberry Lake Biological Field Station (http://www.esf.edu/clbs/): Ecological Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment (EFB202) is the one of the keystone courses in the Environmental and Forest Biology curriculum. Students enrolled in this immersive course live at the Cranberry Lake Biological Station in the unique Adirondack Mountain ecosystem of New York State for three weeks. During the first two weeks of the course, students study a wide variety of taxonomic groups of organisms, and are introduced to a broad range of field, laboratory and analytical methods. Students then complete a group research project during the third and final week of the course. The research projects require proficiency in field sampling methods, basic experimental design and statistical analysis, and the ability to cooperatively solve problems. The course culminates in a research symposium during which groups present their findings to their peers and a panel of judges. Ecological Engineering in the Tropics in Costa Rica (ERE 311/511): Students study and create ecological engineering designs that include appropriate technologies and permaculture approaches for the sustainable delivery of water, food, energy, and health resources. Ecosystem Restoration Design (ERE 434/634): Travel in a less developed country, examine degraded and restored ecosystems, use contemporary problems as source material for course projects, consider restoration needs in less developed countries, and how that shapes design and evaluation.