Study of special topics that are not covered in depth in regular courses in the department.

This class will provide an introduction to some of the common trees of California and some of the nonnative species planted on the Berkeley campus. We will go over characteristic traits of these species, their functions in ecosystems, and general tree identification skills that can be applied to other ecosystems. Beyond that, we aim to increase awareness about ecology, ecosystems, and people, including Indigenous land management, history of California ecosystems, current land-management issues, and what trees/forests mean to people culturally and spiritually. This knowledge will contextualize the technical skills of tree identification both socially and politically and will help students develop a well-rounded appreciation for ecosystem-human interactions. Garrett Hesser: ghesser@berkeley.edu

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