Natural History Field Studies Summer Classes

[Mona Miller]

If you are in the Maryland, DC, Virginia area you might want to check out these incredible classes. I just finished my Natural History certificate. Great classes! I'm planning to sign up for the "Insect Life" class, which begins on June 29.

http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=557
"Thirty-six Natural History Field Studies courses, offered quarterly on a rotating basis, provide a unique opportunity to learn natural science from experts while exploring the ecosystems of the Central Atlantic region. Intended for the lay person and taught at the college freshman level, these evening courses are open to anyone at least 18 years old. Individual courses are useful to professional and amateurs alike in acquiring knowledge of specific subject matter and enhancing enjoyment of the out-of-doors.

The Natural History Field Studies curriculum has been designed to provide participants with a comprehensive and stimulating overview of the regions natural history and conservation issues and applications with an emphasis on learning in the field. A Certificate of Accomplishment is awarded for completion of a required curriculum of 26 credits.

Classes are offered at several locations around the Washington, DC area, including the Audubon Naturalist Society's Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, MD, and the metro-accessible Capital Gallery (L'Enfant Plaza stop) in downtown DC.

The Natural History Field Studies program is cosponsored by the Audubon Naturalist Society and the Graduate School."

Summer Courses

June 27-September 12
Wetland Ecosystems
NATH 2211E, 2 credits
The National Capital area harbors a rich variety of wetlands, ranging from bogs to tidal marshes. Become familiar with the landscape and ecological processes that form wetlands and how to identify the plants and animals commonly found in wetlands. Gain an understanding of wetland conservation, including wetland restoration, and policy.
Class night and time: Mondays, 6-8 pm
Class meetings: June 27-September 12
Field Trip Dates: July 16, 23, and 30
Location: Woodend, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Terry McTigue
To Register Online: http://www.graduateschool.edu/course_de ... =NATH2211E
Required text: In Search of Swampland: A Wetland Sourcebook and Field Guide(paperback) by Ralph W. Tiner. 2009. Rutgers University Press; 2 Rev Exp edition (9/22/05).
Teresa McTigue is the acting director of NOAA's Center of Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, located in Silver Spring, Md. Her work has primarily involved research into the trophic dynamics of salt marshes and the management of large scale coastal
habitat restoration projects. Ph.D., Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M.

Summer Bird Life
NATH1116E, 1 credit
Bird activity is especially busy in the summer, with courting, nesting, and fledging happening in the space of a few short months. Learn about local summer birds and their breeding strategies, nests and nestlings, habitat requirements, and much more. We will discuss the recent state-wide atlas, and what we can learn from atlasing activities. Two field trips to local parks will help participants learn to identify local nesters, their nests, and young birds.
Class night and time: Mondays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: June 27-August 8
Field Trip Dates: July 9 and July 30
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $259
Instructor: Gemma Radko
To Register Online: http://www.graduateschool.edu/course_de ... =NATH1116E
Required text: The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior by David Sibley.
Gemma Radko is the Communications/Media Manager for the American Bird Conservancy. She completed MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) training through the Institute for Bird Populations in1998. A licensed bird bander, she has operated the MAPS station at Adventure in Potomac, MD since 2000. B.A., Allegheny College.

Evolution
NATH 2201E, 1 credit
Explore the mechanisms and genetic basis for evolution, including founder effects, genetic drift, speciation, altruistic behavior, sexual selection, extinction and environmental factors. Review the intellectual background of Darwin's theories from Aristotle to Wallace and survey the literature of evolution from Darwin and Huxley to Mayr and E.O. Wilson. Topics are presented for the layperson and amateur naturalist, but a background in biology is helpful. ACE College Credit Recommendation Service Reviewed.
Class night and time: Tuesdays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: June 28-July 26
Field Trip Date: July 9
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $259
Instructor: Jane Huff
To Register Online: http://www.graduateschool.edu/course_de ... =NATH2201E
Required text: The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. The Modern Library edition has a nice intro.
Dr. Jane Huff is a natural science educator and former Director of Education for the
Audubon Naturalist Society. She is a recipient of the Graduate School Faculty
Excellence Award. Ph.D., Michigan State University.

Insect Life
NATH 1130E, 2 credits
Learn to identify insects and discover their roles in the balance of nature. Study their life histories, the ecologies of important insect forms, the necessity of insects in biotic communities and principal insect families of the Central Atlantic region. (Photo by Dirck Harris)
Class night and time: Wednesdays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: June 29-August 31
Field Trip Dates: July 16, August 6, August 27
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Don Messersmith
To Register Online: http://www.graduateschool.edu/course_de ... =NATH1130E
Required text: Field Guide to the Insects by Eric R. Eaton and Kenn Kaufman. 2006.
Donald Messersmith is a retired professor of entomology at the University of Maryland and leads international birding trips. Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Summer Wildflower Identification
NATH 1149E, 1 credit
From milkweeds and morning glories to orchids and asters, summer presents a diverse array of wildflowers for study of plant family characteristics and ways to identify different species. Field trips to two scenic locations for summer wildflowers provide an opportunity for practice in the use of identification guides. Previous Spring Flower Identification class or similar course is recommended but not required.(Photo by Janice Browne)
Class night and time: Wednesdays, 7-9:30 pm
Class meetings: July 6-July 27
Field Trip Dates: July 16 (Comus farms) and July 23 (Sugarloaf). Optional kayaking trip at Fletcher’s Cove, July 30
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $259
Instructor: Melanie Choukas-Bradley
To Register Online: http://www.graduateschool.edu/course_de ... =NATH1149E
Required text: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb.
Recommended text: An Illustrated Guide to Eastern Woodland Wildflowers and Trees: 350 Plants Observed at Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland by Melanie Choukas-Bradley and Tine Thieme Brown. (Instructor has loaner copies).
Recommended text: Finding Wildflowers in the Washington-Baltimore Area by Cristol Fleming, Marion Blois Lobstein and Barbara Tufty.
Melanie Choukas-Bradley is the author of three natural history books, including two botanical field guides, and she is a free-lance contributor to the Washington Post. She has led many field trips for ANS. B.A., University of Vermont.