Environmental Studies 344 - Managing Complexity:America's Public Lands

Institution:

Colgate University

Subject:

Description:

P. Pinet, R. Turner Public land management is inherently complex. Typically there are multiple interested parties and potentially competing goals such as wilderness preservation, recreational accessibility, and resource exploitation. Also, the management of public lands may rest with several agencies. Management decisions made in pursuit of one goal often have implications for other goals, stakeholders, and management agencies. Complexity theory offers a new perspective for understanding the complicated workings of ecosystems, economies, and political systems. Such complex adaptive systems are characterized by feedback loops, chaos, nonlinear dynamics, self-organization, and emergence. The aims of this course are to apply complexity theory 1) to model qualitatively the intricacies of both natural and human-built systems, 2) to propose and evaluate fresh ecological strategies and management policies for conserving public lands, and 3) to investigate new procedures for mitigating tension among competing interests in the use of public land. The course will include Beyond Colgate field trips. Prerequisites: ENST 100/ CORE 127 and ENST 101, or permission of the instructors.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.colgate.edu

Phone Number:

(315) 228-1000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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