Forests, Mountains, & Beaches: New England Field Ecology & Nature Writing: Home

Forests, Mountains, & Beaches: New England Field Ecology & Nature Writing 

From the LSI course catalog. "From the rocky shorelines of the Atlantic Ocean to the vistas of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the ecosystems of New England have inspired scientists and writers for hundreds of years. In this course, you will spend much of your time doing fieldwork and processing your data and findings in the classroom. You will study the habits and histories of local species of plants and animals, as well as how they interact with, compete for, and utilize natural resources. You will also gain a deeper understanding of the ecological processes through techniques used by ecologists to collect, document, and store field data and specimens. Simultaneously, you will reflect on environmental issues and the natural world, drawing inspiration from your field studies to craft creative and reflective written pieces. Studying a range of authors, you will learn to develop your own voice and personal narrative style. By opening up the classroom, exploring the environment, and studying seminal works by nature writers, this course gives you the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between nature and culture, as well as exploring your own connection to the natural world. Day and overnight field trips, lab studies, and cumulative written pieces are integral parts of the course experience. You will also participate in a final class debate, learn how to navigate through the wilderness with the appropriate gear, and a lab on dehydrating fruits and vegetables and understand how it related to yourself. You should come to campus prepared to get wet and muddy, to climb mountains and explore tidepools, among many other once-in-a-lifetime experiences!"