Forest Conservation in North America

The wild and wooded lands of North America have been critical for the development of society, and their significance is only expected to grow. In this course we will explore the wide variety of political and economic approaches used to “protect” forested lands, and examine how those approaches shape the landscape around us today. Students will be introduced to the roles of different publicly-owned forests, programs for privately-owned forests, and the challenges those strategies might face in the future. The course will incorporate examples from local forestlands conserved by land trusts, towns, state, and federal agencies. This course counts as an ENVS social science cognate.