PUBLIC LANDS

 

GEOGRAPHY 361

 

FALL 2004

 

 Instructor: Dr. Roth

Office and office hours:

      133 Cook Hall

      M 10:00-11:00, T 2:00-3:00, W 10:00-11:00, Th 2:00-3:00

Telephone: 831-5443/5558; E-mail: rroth@radford.edu; www.radford.edu/~rroth

 

Goals of the course: After satisfactorily completing this course, students should have a basic understanding of -- and be able to communicate with others about -- the major federal land management systems in the U.S., their policies and management techniques, and current issues affecting them.   Students will gain insights into the history, organization, institutions, and contemporary politics of the major federal land management systems and the legal landscape within which federal land policies are created and shaped.  Students will also improve their writing and research abilities.

 

Course Content: This course introduces students to four federal land management systems:   the National Forests, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and BLM lands.  While there are significant issues concerning other federal lands as well as state and local public lands, these will not be the focus of this class.  However, many of the planning and management issues and techniques – e.g., planning under the National Environmental Policy Act, cost-benefit analysis, and multiple use management -- are similar and can be applied in other settings. 

 

The course will cover the following:

 

Overview and introduction to natural resources planning and management.   Chapter 1.

 

Institutional framework for federal land management.  Chapters 2, 3.

 

Land management decisionmaking: criteria, models, and information. Chapter 4, 5, and 6.

 

Multiple use management:  the National Forests and BLM lands.  Chapters 8, 9 and 10.

 

National Wildlife Refuge planning and management. Chapter 11.

 

National Park planning. Chapter 12.

 

Ecosystem management. Chapter 13.

 

Required readings:  Readings referred to above are from our text:  Integrated Public Lands Management (2nd ed.), by John Loomis, Columbia University Press, 2002.   Other readings may be assigned.  Because the class will focus primarily on the text, it is critical that you faithfully keep up with the readings.  You should be prepared to read and perhaps re-read 40-50 pages per week.

 

Tests, assignments and grading:  There will be an inclass midterm exam and an inclass final exam.  Each student will prepare a 15-20 page research paper on a topic to be approved by the instructor.

Final grades will be determined as follows:

Participation:  20%

Research Paper:  35%

Midterm:  20%

Final:  25%  (Final exam:  Wednesday December 15, 8:00 a.m.)

                                   

NOTE:  By accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand, support, and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception. Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated. This class will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code. Refer to your Student Handbook for details.