Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5744053 | Ecological Engineering | 2017 | 8 Pages |
University restoration ecology courses are predominantly offered in departments of biology, forestry, ecology, landscape architecture, and environmental science, and may enroll students who do not have a strong math or engineering background. Three restoration courses at the University of Washington have been strengthened by adding elements of ecological engineering to their lectures and problem sections. Restoration implies the management of natural resources, and there are a number of restoration problems for which better solutions are achieved when the restorer has a good grasp of numerical and engineering methods We have incorporated team activity, problem solving, estimating, and project management elements into three senior level restoration courses that present complex problems to students. The use of ecological engineering methods has given greater authenticity to the classes, and has sparked real student interest in the use of such methods to solve problems in a discipline that has traditionally been more focused on the biology and ecology of ecosystems.