ES 300 - Ecology and Management of Forest Landscapes in Southwest Germany and the Swiss Alps

Students will be introduced to the ecology and management of typical forest landscapes in Southwest Germany and the Swiss Alps. Along an elevational gradient, students will study flood plain forests in the Rhine valley, mountain forest ecosystems in the Black Forest and alpine forests in the Swiss Alps. Students will analyze the structure and dynamics of typical forest ecosystems of Central Europe. They will learn to understand that current forest landscapes are a result of the interaction between natural and anthropogenic factors on various scales in time and space. The course includes several one-day excursions, field trainings and a three-day field study trip to the Swiss Alps