Prerequisites: Prior work in ecology and natural resource management.

Course Format

Learning resources consist of videotaped lectures (VHS or DVD format), lecture guides or outlines and PowerPoint supplements, reference books, directed readings, supplemental references, glossaries, and website links. Most material will be provided electronically through the Oregon State University Blackboard Learning and Community Portal system. You should be able to read and write MSWord files.

No textbook is required, but a recommended source of further information is:

• Walstad, J.D., S.R. Radosevich, and D.V. Sandberg. 1990. Natural and Prescribed Fire in Pacific Northwest Forests. OSU Press, Corvallis, OR. 317 p. [Available from the OSU Bookstore.]

Structure: A-F. A minimum of 180 points is needed to earn an A; a minimum of 160 points for a B; a minimum of 140 points for a C; and a minimum of 120 points for a D.

Basis:

Performance on 3 open-book quizzes @ 15 points each	45 points
Performance on closed-book, proctored final exam	50 points
Term project: topic/outline	5 points
Term project: article abstract/citation	5 points
Term project: rough draft	5 points
Term project: peer review	10 points
Term project: final version	50 points
Participation in course activities such as discussion groups, etc.	30 points
Total:	200 points

Late work:At the discretion of the instructors, late work may be penalized one full letter grade for each day an assignment is late. Extensions may be granted ahead of time, but not retroactively, for extenuating circumstances.

Academic integrity (OSU policy): Students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work. Intentional acts of academic dishonesty, such as cheating or plagiarism, may be penalized by imposition of an "F" grade in the course.

Topical Outline

A. Introductory Information

1. Importance of wildland fire in today's world
2. Role of fire in resource management and restoration
3. Scale of costs, acreage, and impacts involved
4. Course logistics

1. Pre- and post-European settlement
2. Regional and temporal variations
3. Fire regimes and biomes
4. Emerging trends

1. Fire intensity, severity, and frequency
2. Fuels and fuel management
3. Climate and weather
4. Aspect and topography

1. Plants and succession
2. Wildlife
3. Aquatic ecosystems
4. Microflora, microfauna, and microorganisms
5. Soil, water, and air
6. Communities, watersheds, and landscapes
7. Alternatives and tradeoffs

1. Public policy questions and socio-political issues surrounding wildland fire
2. Protection of human life and property
3. Protection of resources (e.g., air and water quality, timber, recreation areas, habitat)
4. Risk aversion, public trust, social acceptability, decision making
5. Wildland/urban interface problems
6. Evolution of fire policy

1. Low severity fire regimes: e.g., ponderosa pine
2. Moderate severity fire regimes: e.g., pinyon pine/western juniper/sagebrush
3. High severity fire regimes: e.g., coastal Oregon forests
4. Other important fire types/regions: e.g., lodgepole pine, chaparral, tropical
5. Use of prescribed fire
6. Effects of fire on carbon cycling and climate change
7. Other topics

Description of Assignments

Videotaped lectures: The videotapes convey the majority of factual information in this course. Watch and review as necessary, according to the class schedule.

Website: Powerpoint slides used in the videotapes, outlines, study guides, additional readings, and links to online reference materials may be accessed through Blackboard. The intent is to reinforce your understanding of the material presented in lecture, and to help you further explore content areas of particular interest.

Participation in discussions: A new discussion topic will be posted on Blackboard each week, with instructions for posting messages and for responding to fellow students' messages. Just click on the "Discussion Board" button in the left-hand column and select the appropriate forum for each week. In a distance course such as this, the discussion forum is one of the most important vehicles for learning. Regular, timely and meaningful participation during the entire term counts for 30 points toward your grade (out of 200). For informal communication with classmates, please use the "Hallway" discussion forum.

Quizzes: There will be three graded quizzes, during the 1st, 2nd, and 5th weeks of class (see schedule for exact dates). Each is to be taken online (Blackboard), is "open-book," and is worth 15 points. Ungraded practice quizzes will also be available on Blackboard to help you determine whether you are prepared for the graded quizzes and the final exam.

Final Exam: The final exam is given during the 7th week of class (see schedule for exact dates). You need to specify a proctor for your exam. Please provide the name, title/position, address, phone, fax, and email (if available) to Extended Campus by the end of the first week of classes. Students usually locate proctors at community college testing centers, OSU Extension offices, or local libraries. According to OSU policy, co-workers or work supervisors may be acceptable test proctors if no other proctors are available. We mail the exam to the proctor, along with a stamped return envelope. The final exam is "closed-book" and is worth 50 points.

Term Project: You will complete a written report, 10-20 pages in length (double-spaced) that demonstrates your understanding and integrative knowledge of the subject. In order to assure timely completion, you will receive 5 points for submitting a topic and outline by Sunday following the 3rd week of class, 5 points for submitting a summary abstract and properly-formatted citation of a peer-reviewed reference article by Sunday following the 4th week of class, 5 points for submitting a rough draft of the report by Sunday following the 8th week of class, and up to 10 points for peer reviewing a classmate's rough draft by Sunday following the 9th week of class. The final version is due by the last day of the 10th week of class (see schedule for exact dates). The final version of the report will be graded on the merits of its content, for a maximum of 50 points.

The format of the term project may follow any of the following options: 1) prepare a fire management assessment for a particular area (e.g. an environmental assessment or silvicultural prescription); 2) conduct a retrospective analysis of a wildland fire incident (e.g. the Yellowstone fires); 3) develop a case study for a region of interest (e.g. the Sierras); 4) compare and contrast scenarios that might occur in a given area under different fire policies (e.g. fire use vs. fire exclusion); 5) prepare a briefing paper for a Congressional committee wrestling with a wildland fire issue (e.g. "let burn" policy for the National Park Service). Regardless of format, elements common to the written report should include a description of the biome, fire regime, history, fire behavior and effects, and social and policy considerations.

Grading criteria for term project:
Appropriate length and format: minimum of 10 pages text, typed, double-spaced (or 5 pages single-spaced), not counting illustrations or references; maximum length 20 pages. Clearly identified with title, name, and page numbers. Font size 12, margins 1", Times New Roman or equivalent font.
Writing Style and Organization: well-organized, succinct, good sentence construction, correct spelling (use a spellchecker, but watch out for homonyms)
Content: clear thesis statement, full coverage of topic (common elements outlined above) No "Filler": Restatement of general information learned in this course will not count toward page requirements for this report.
Include at least 1 map and 1 chart that support the topic and help illustrate main ideas.
Utilize at least 3 articles from peer-reviewed journals, and a total of at least 8 sources of information.
Cite all sources used for the report in reference section at the end of report and within the text, including maps, charts and Internet sources, using CBE (Council of Biological Editors) name-year format. For more info on CBE format, see http://writing.colostate.edu/references/sources/cbe/index.cfm. For citations within the text, use the (name, year) format.
Demonstrate academic integrity: absolutely no copying from sources without quotes and proper citation!).

For help with the term project, OSU librarian Bonnie Avery has put together an excellent reference page: osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/instruction/classign/for446.htm

Students with disabilities

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, should contact the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.

For more information, contact:

E-mail: Mark Reed (Please include "FOR446" in the subject line)
Phone: (541) 737-1345
Snail mail:
Mark Reed
Forestry Media Center
Oregon State University
250 Peavy Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-5702
OSU Extended Campus: 1-800-667-1465 or 541-737-9204 (M-F, 8-5 Pacific Time)