Welcome to FORS 2010: Field & Safety Practice
~ The knowledge and skills to work in the field of forestry ~
Image: A group of people discuss thinning operations at the Jackson Mountain Stewardhjsip project on the San Juan National Forest
This course is taught for credit at New Mexico Highlands University within the department of forestry! Please enjoy the materials if your are not a student in the class, and consider enrolling if you are interested in furthering your career in forestry.
Welcome to FORS 2010 – FIeld and Safety Practices
Welcome to Forestry Field Safety Practices. In this class, we will work as a team to learn and understand various elements of forestry while out in the forest. This class aims to collaborate and mutually share and learn as a group. We will spend most of our time together outside, so be prepared to have fun while learning!
Forestry Field Safety Practices (FORS 2010) will be an adventure in learning about the different ecosystems and forestry practices in Northern New Mexico. We will gain knowledge and skills in using forestry equipment, safe field practices, monitoring, plant identification, and communication. We will meet with a variety of professionals in forestry.
This website contains links to recorded lectures, readings, and assignments for the class. If you are enrolled in this class at New Mexico Highlands University please refer to your course page and the posted syllabus for due dates and deadlines.
Syllabus:
The paper syllabus with complete campus resources is available here ~
Course Information
Course Number:
Course Name:
Lecture Meeting Time:
Lecture Meeting Place:
Course Instructor:
Office Location:
Email:
Phone:
Website:
Zoom Information:
FORS 2010
Field and Safety Practice
Moonday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
July29th-August9th
505-454-3320
HSCI 135
Michael Remke
IA 220
This class cannot be attended via Zoom
Student Hours:
Monday: 12:00-2:00pm lunch hour
Tuesday: 2:00-4:00pm seltzer hour
Wednesday: 9:00-11:00am coffee hour
Student hours are times when my office is open for drop in conversation regartding course work or anything else forestry, tree, ecology, or life related. These times can be accessed via the Zoom link here
Zoom office hours : Zoom Room
If the listed student hour times do not align with your schedule and needs, please use the below link to schedule an alternative meeting time. Please be flexible with this tool as my schedule may not allow the time you choose.
Have a question or comment regarding class? Scan this QR Code to submit an anonymous question or comment. This can be academic-related or otherwise.
Books and Readings:
While no books are required for this class; the textbooks photographed to the right of this text inspire lecture material and selected readings from these books are provided as .pdfs.
I do require a write-in the rain field notebook, which I will periodically collect for grading.
Learning Goals:
1. Mastery of content knowledge
2. Critical and reflective thinking skills
3. Ability to communicate effectively
4. Ability to use technology
1. Understand interdisciplinarity of foresty
2. Critically think about how to sustain ecosystems for multiple objectives
3. Understand the values offered by participants, landowners, communities, society, and the ecosphere
4. Demonstrate an understanding of both scientific and traditional ecological knowledge systems
5. Demonstrate professional and ethical behavoirs and be able to critically think regrading ethics from diverse viewpoints
6. Understand the value of diverse people, perspectives, and practives
This course will focus on knowledge and skills to be successful in leadership in forestry field settings. We will consider field safety plans, workflow, and implementation, as well as post-field checklists.
NMHU Learning Goals:
Society of American Foresters Learning Goals:
Course Learning Objectives:
Knowledge:
Skills:
1. Weather and Climate Basics
2. Geography principals
3. Plant traits, families, and communities
4. Natural History
5. Watershed health and function
1. Assessing hazards and generating field safety plans
2. Map reading and orientation
3. Plant identification
4. Forest stand assessments
5. Communication skills including data analysis
Readings and Assignments:
Click these icons to access assignments
Click these icons to access readings
Click these icons to access lecture slides
All readings are due the day they are listed. All worksheets from class are due at the beginning of the next class - so if a worksheet is posted for Thursday, it is due on Friday
Day
Date
Topic
Location
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Monday
7/29
Course Overview
and First Aid
Where are you at?
NMHU,
Rio Gallinas
First Aid. Resources--
Tuesday
7/30
Orientation
Orientation assignment
Las Vegas NWR
Wednesday
7/31
Plant Communities
Las Vegas NWR
Keddy & Laughlin - A general framework for community ecology.
Thursday
8/1
Natural History
Pecos
Reflection on place; Natural History
Friday
8/2
Natural History
DuBuys- Brothers on the Fault Line
Pecos - Fire
Monday
8/5
Watershed Restoration
Collins Lake
Tuesday
8/6
Watershed Restoration
Collins Lake
Tuesday
1/23
Stand Dynamics - Applied forest ecology
Ashton & Kelty ch 4
Thursday
1/25
Stand Dynamics and Ecology in practice
Mixed wood Silviculture in North America -
Kenefic et al. 2023
Wednesday
8/7
Forest Assessment
Burch and Sanchex Meador, 2018
Collins Lake
Turn in Data
Thursday
8/8
Volunteer day with HPWA
Gallinas Canyon
Friday
8/2
Data analysis and summary
Final survey and reflections
NMHU Campus
Week
1
Day
Date
8/12-8/16
Topic
Final Paper
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Outline of paper due;
Schedule a 1-1 meeting with Dr. Remke
7
9/23-9/27
Final Paper
The first draft of paper due;
Schedule a 1-1 meeting with Dr. Remke
15
11/18-11/22
Final Paper
Final Paper Due
Class Format
Hands-on
This is an active learning, hands on field class. We will be working in teams and actively doing various tasks in forestry. Your active engagement is required; remote participation is not possible.
Reading Discussion
Every class with an assigned reading due will have a 20–30-minute reading discussion. Participating in reading discussions is a mandatory part of your participation grade.
Grading:
This class will be graded based on the following categories: participation, examination, lab, and final project. These categories are outlined in terms of there total points towards your final grade below.
Category
Points
Participation
200
Percent of total
30
Field work assignments
160
25
Written Assignments
100
15
Final Paper
200
30
Total:
660
100
Description
10 days of class * 20 points per day
Assignments completed while in class each day
Multiple homework assignments
Final paper and self assessment
Grades are reported to the university using the standard grading scale outlined below based on the percentage of your total grade. Please consider the rubric categories as opportunities for growth rather than focusing on your grade alone. Since your participation grade is a daily grade, you always have the opportunity to improve in the next class.
Grade
Percent Range
A
>90%
Rubric Category
Excelling (4)
B
80-89%
C
70-79%
D
60-69%
F
<60%
Sufficient (3)
Developing (2)
Needs Improvement (1)
Absent
Late assignments:
Attendance:
Assignments will be posted to BrightSpace and will always be due at the beginning of the class period for which their due date is listed.
Late assignments will result in a 10% grade deduction for every day they are late.
Professional settings mandate proactive communication for missing deadlines, so this late assignment penalty can be waived with reasonable proactive communication.
If you nees help learning how to talk with your professor, remember we are humans with our own humaness and flaws, but also see these:
How to communicate with your professor
Attendance is mandatory. If you live in Las Vegas and are not ill, then I expect you to attend in person. If you are ill or have an extraneous circumstance, please contact me. The hands-on nature of this class requires in-person participation.
Should you miss class – Well shoot. Every day is special. The biggest consequence in my opinion is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). In professional settings, missing an obligation is acceptable with proactive communication and a dedication to making up missed material independently. Interpret this for how you wish in your self-assessment.
If you miss class, these are helpful :
What to do when you miss class.
Rules of Engagement:
We develop these rules as a group on the first day of class. The point is to ensure we have a respectful classroom setting everyone can agree with and feel comfortable with. If someone is violating these rules, we can politely point out the situation and remedy the problem as a group or as individuals within the group. The point is to ensure we are all empowered and supported rather than me, the professor, holding disproportionate rule-making and enforcing authority.
Example Rules:
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Be present
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Assume positive intent
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Critique ideas, not people
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If you identify a problem, present a solution as well
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Make mistakes
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If you take space, make space
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Respect each others time - the time you dedicate may look different than what someone else dedicates and this is not a reflection of value or intellect but rather a reflection of our diversity.
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Be patient - we all have different learning skills and processes and therefore learn at different rates.
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Help each other
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Collaborate - we all have diverse knowledge, note sharing and teamwork (even on indiviudal projects or studying) can help diversify our knowledge by allowing us to learn from each other.
Academic Integrity Policy:
New Mexico Highlands University students and faculty are expected to maintain integrity through honesty and responsibility in all their academic work.
Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, Cheating, Collusion, Facilitation, Fabrication, Multiple Submissions, and Falsification of Records.
ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools help look up questions or ideas; however, copying and pasting AI-generated answers is still academically dishonest.
Additional Resources:
This course follows the Highlands Academic Integrity Policy as described in the catalog:
Cell Phone and Electronics Policy:
Cell phones can both distract and enhance the learning environment.
We will develop rules regarding cell phone use together as a class, please reference the Rules of Engagement for more details.
Preparedness and Etiquette Policy:
Having the proper etiquette for the day means having a good attitude and being part of the team that is our class.
Specific Rules of Engagement will be made on the first day of class and added to this syllabus
Support and Resources
Health and Mental Health Services
Service
Description
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Benefits
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Contact Information
505-454-3218
901 Baca Street
Las Vegas, NM,87701
The NM Crisis and Access line is a 24/7 phone service for counseling and mental health emergency support line.
They also offer warm peer calls and text messaging for non-crisis but need-to-talk-to-someone moments.
Any mental health challenge or emergency can be met with professional counseling and confidentiality by calling this number.
Crisis and Access Line
Call only:
1-855-662-7474
Peer-to-Peer Warm Line
Call or text:
1-855-466-7100
Food Resources
A general store and food pantry
Emergency Funding
The student extreme hardship fund can support students with challenging financial circumstances
The outdoor recreation center offers gear, including jackets, for outdoor recreation.
Eating a healthy diet helps us focus and thrive
505-454-3529
SUB Room 110
This can help students pay for rent or groceries when facing hardship. There also the Dean Farmer Fund
Students can rent camping gear, jackets, rafting gear, bikes, and many other items to enjoy outside.
Hint: could be useful for class ;)
Adrian Gallegos
505-454-3495 or
505-454-3050
Academic and Professional Development Services
Service
Description
The ARMAS center is a place for studying and peer support in the sciences.
The dean of students is a resource for all student affair related questions and concerns.
Human Resources is the office that ensures fair hiring and payroll.
Professional development can connect you with on and off campus jobs
Academic databases, books, digital media and more
Professional Job Boards
Job boards are where professionals list employment opportunities
"Writers helping writers", The NMHU Writing Center supports undergraduate and graduate writers in all disciplines regardless of where you are in the process and what you’re writing.
Benefits
Contact Information
Having a study community and place to work on campus can enhance productivity and sense of belonging in the academic community
The Dean is an administrative role at the University and the Dean of Student brings student functions to University Administrations.
The human resources office can help with any and all issues related to payroll and hiring.
This center offers interview practice, resume building and more services
The library can help you with research support and finding academic resources. The library also loans computers to students!
Connects you to opportunities nationwide and internationally where you can build experience and your professional network.
We’ll support you as you brainstorm, draft, rewrite, and revise. We provide support on academic, professional, creative, and personal writing. If you’re looking for feedback, the writing center is here to help.
Harassment and Crisis Services
Service
Description
Benefits
Contact Information
Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc.
If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to contact the Center for Advocacy, Resources, Education, & Support (HU-CARES)
HU-CARES is a confidential and professional service with individuals who are trained in helping students with these unfortunate circumstances.
HU-CARES will facilitate making a student’s campus and off-campus experience safe and can help connect students with housing opportunities if they are displaced because of violence or harassment.
See the website for scheduling an appointment. HU-CARES also offers counseling and confidential crisis support services.
Title IX is a law that prevents discrimination based on sex.
Title IX has online reporting forms (see website) and offers professional and confidential ways to report incidents.
Campus police can be called for any non-emergency situation. Locked out of a room? Locked out of your dorm? Call campus police.
Campus police are friendly and helpful members of our community. They help us all when we need help and help make our campus a safe and vibrant place.
Immediate emergency: 911
On-campus emergency: (campus phones) 5555,
cell phones 505-454-3278
Non-emergency: 505-454-3278
Additional Support and Services
Service
Description
Personal Needs
Field-based coursework and college in general can be challenging and bring us out of our comfort zones.
Finding peers in the classroom our outside of class to talk through our challenges can help us grow as foresters.
Benefits
Communicating with friends and peers in the class builds community and connections.
Other people probably feel similar challenges and validate our experience and can help offer solutions we had not considered.
Contact Information
Call your friends, talk with someone in class, or contact me, Michael. I try to be understanding and supportive of all circumstances
505-454-3320
In accordance with federal law, it is university policy to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you believe you have a physical, learning, or psychological circumstance that creates extra challenges in your learning, we have services to help overcome those challenges.
These can include physical injuries, dyslexia, mental health circumstances and many others.
Seeking services from the school can help by increasing the time allotted for you to take examinations, giving you quiet study rooms to take exams, offering alternative assignment and exam formats and/or finding additional mentors to help you learn how to live with exactly who you are.
These services are confidential and respect student privacy.