Field Botany Biology 332/532

syllabus

Requirements:

1. Attendance is mandatory. (100 points) Class will mainly consist of field trips, and these cannot be missed or made up later. Because we'll be working together in the field, everyone needs to work with alacrity and a positive attitude. This will be fun, so this shouldn't be difficult.

2. Field notebook. (100 points) During class, you will create a field notebook that includes names and sketches of plants, and notes on their location. Spot checks will occur, notebooks will be checked during the Final.

3. Quizzes. (200 points) These will cover key terms for plant identification, plant sight identification, plant keying, and the description of plant species when given their name.

4. Final Exam/Quiz. This will be a comprehensive quiz covering everything. (100 points)

Other Requirements:

1. Because we will be in remote areas, please notify me asap if you have ANY medical condition that I should know about. This will be kept confidential if you wish. I should be aware of things like severe allergies (e.g. to bees) as well as medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy). You might also make me aware of chronic problems (e.g. crone's disease) in order that I can either accommodate your needs or just be able to make things a little easier.

2. Please dress for the field.
Please wear long pants or pants with zip-off legs and/or wear shorts under baggy pants. Please note that coolmax-type fabric is useless against stinging nettles and briars. I have some light nylon field pants and even these don't work very well with nettles.
Please wear a lightweight shirt (short sleeves are fine).
Please wear solid walking shoes that you don't mind getting wet or if possible, are waterproof. I like to wear either high-top workboots/hiking boots or old sneakers and I bring some wettable sandals. If you'd like, bring sandals or a change of shoes for later in the day.
Please bring a hat and sunscreen, and a raincoat.
Please bring water/drinks and lunch / snacks.
Please have both a pencil or two and a pen or two and some kind of notebook.
If you have a pocket knife, bring it.
If you have a whistle, bring it.
If you have a compass, bring it.

3. During weeks two and three, we will be camping. Hopefully, you can share tents etc. Otherwise, you can borrow or rent a tent and other items from outdoor rec. For these field trips, please bring a change of clothing (or two) and a reasonable amount of camping gear. We'll be cooking out so please bring two lunches, a dinner, and a breakfast. Flambeau will not have any stores nearby, so plan accordingly. Our trip to the north will also include visiting a clearwater lake, so if you have a mask & snorkel, please bring it. Be prepared to at least walk the perimeter of the lake and get a little wet.

Dr. Evan Weiher

weiher@uwec.edu