Professor Delbert Hutchison and I want to give Whitman Biology and Biology-ES students more opportunities to learn about and enjoy biology in the field. With this in mind, we’ve created a new 1-credit weekend field course. It’s called Regional Biology. Here’s the official course description:
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471 ST: Regional Biology
1
Field biology of a region of the Northwest with emphasis on ecology and evolution in a natural history context. Students will prepare for the trip by researching and developing a presentation that they will give at the field site on a relevant aspect of the site’s biology. Students will also keep field notebooks, which will be turned in at the end of the trip and graded. Trips will be taken over long weekends (typically Thursday to Sunday). May be repeated for credit for different areas. Fee: variable. Prerequisites: BIOL 111, BIOL 112 and declared Biology or Biology-Environmental Studies major or Biology minor.
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For our official inaugural trip, we will be going to Wallowa County, Oregon.
For photos from our UNoffical inaugural trip last semester to Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge, click here.
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IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday, September 1st
Registration opens for this course. Space on the trip is limited to 20 and will be available in the order in which you register.
Thursday, September 4th
7pm - MANDATORY PLANNING MEETING - Science Hall room 151
At this meeting, we will discuss more details of the trip, and each student will select a topic to research prior to the trip
Thursday, September 18th
Morning – Depart for trip
Mid-day – Set up camp at US Forest Service Twopan Campground along the Lostine River, Wallowa Mountains
Afternoon/evening – Explore the natural history of the area within walking distance of camp
Friday, September 19th
All day: Explore the Nature Conservancy’s 30,000+ acre Zumwalt Prairie with Nature Conservancy Biologist Rob Taylor. Experience some of the best and largest remaining mid-elevation bunchgrass prairie in the Northwest, see native plants, and learn about prairie restoration, grazing, invasive plants, and other conservation biology topics. Watch bugling elk and other wildlife.
Late afternoon: Return to Twopan Campground
Saturday, September 20th
All day: Day-long hike (7.3 miles one way) through the Eagle Cap Wilderness to high elevation lakes near the spectacular Eagle Cap Mountain. Start in the mid-elevation Wallowas coniferous forests (~5600’) and hike up through high elevation forests and eventually above tree line to Mirror Lake (7590’). Observe effects of elevation, aspect, moisture, and disturbance on forest, shrub, and tundra communities. Identify plants and animals and learn about various adaptations of species we encounter.
Late afternoon: Return to Twopan campground
Sunday, September 21st
Morning: Break camp and return to Whitman by about lunch time
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The cost is 50$ per student. This covers transportation, food, and camping fees.
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Grades:
Your grade will be determined based on the following:
1. An in-the-field presentation on a pre-determined topic. With our help, you will select a topic relevant to our trip destination at our preliminary meeting the first week of the semester. You will research that topic during the two weeks leading up to the trip and then when we are in the field at a good location to discuss your topic, you will present your information to the class.
2. A field notebook. In your field notebook you will record information learned from others as well as your own natural history observations and interpretations.
3. Thoughtful and positive participation in the various aspects of the trip.