James Burchfield (Associate Professor), Director, Bolle Center
for People and Forests
The Bolle Center for People and Forests was established on the campus
of The University of Montana in Missoula in 1994. Its mission is to
provide "interdisciplinary education, research, and community
service to advance knowledge of the relationships between forests
and people with the goal of ensuring the continued diversity, productivity,
and beauty of forests through the healthful coexistence with human
communities." The strategic plan of the Bolle Center identifies
the development of a new, interdisciplinary curriculum as a major
programmatic response to fulfill the mission of the Center. The curriculum
for the minor, Nature and Democracy, combines understanding of cultural,
political, and ecological contexts surrounding natural-resource issues
with basic skills to participate in conflict-laden decision-making
processes. This curriculum enriches research and learning opportunities
for students, faculty, and residents of the region. Its goal is to
develop effective professional participants in the public affairs
surrounding natural resources decisions. The Nature and Democracy
curriculum examines the effects of people, places and processes on
natural resources management, advancing toward the objective of interdisciplinary
education.
The Nature and Democracy minor provides a semester-based course format
with specialized training modules and community-level problem-solving
experiences. Although presented as a package which provides an academic
minor to upper-level undergraduate students, it is also an open-ended,
regional resource for learning among all interested parties. Course
offerings allow academic credit for graduate students, and outreach
mechanisms incorporated into the design promote distance learning.
The curriculum offers opportunities for interaction between students
and residents of rural communities, providing valuable contacts for
post-academic endeavors.
Admission to the minor: Students are required to apply for
admission to the Nature and Democracy minor. Applications and information
are available from the Bolle Center for People and Forests, Science
Complex 465. Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students from
all departments are eligible with 18-24 students accepted annually.
Prerequisites: An academic foundation in natural science, humanities,
and social sciences is necessary for students entering the minor.
Undergraduate students are required to have at least two courses relevant
to understanding biophysical functions and processes (available within
the natural science perspective of General Education Requirements),
at least one course in introductory economics, and at least two preparatory
courses in the social sciences and humanities. Transfer students may
apply relevant courses at other institutions to fulfill these requirements.
The adequacy of the specific courses will be determined by the Bolle
Center Director, who serves as advisor for only the academic minor
for each student enrolled in the Nature and Democracy minor.
Requirements for a Minor
To earn a minor in Nature and Democracy the student must complete
successfully 24 credits including:
Courses |
Credits
|
FOR/HFD
471 Natural Resource Managment Core Behaviors |
3
|
FOR 472
Building Knowledge on an Integrative Theme |
3
|
FOR/EVST
473 Collaboration in Natural Resources Decisions |
3
|
FOR 478
Montana Community Analysis |
3
|
FOR 479
Nature and Democracy Synthesis |
2
|
One
3-credit ecology course
From BIOL 121N; FOR 330, 462; other 300-level course in BIOL or
WBIO
|
3
|
One
3-credit natural resources management course
From FOR 271, 275, 296, 360, 389, 441; RECM 217; WBIO 370
|
3
|
One 4-credit
internship
(Must be fulfilled prior to enrollment in final semester.
Placement, supervision, and evaluation will be responsibility
of the Bolle Center director.)
|
4
|
|