A one-room shack. A University of Wisconsin professor. Wolves. Trees. This class has everything you could want about the basics of forest and wildlife ecology. Forest and Wildlife Ecology 110 is the perfect class for an incoming freshman who has any interest in the natural world. This 3 credit course taught by Professor Berkelman in the fall semester is an amazing class that gets your outdoors and also provides you with great information about forests, animal species, the ecosystem and more!
One great aspect of the course is the emphasis on Aldo Leopold, a former UW Madison professor. His book, A Sand County Almanac, is studied at one point during the semester and a field trip to his small shack an hour from campus is provided! This part of the course is the most exciting, so feel free to do check out the Aldo Leopold Foundation to see the shack and learn more! https://www.aldoleopold.org
The course requires two field trips, and a large array of options are provided by Professor Berkelman, so all you need to do is get outside and enjoy nature! Don’t miss out on this amazing and unique course to introduce you to the wonders of ecology and all that this field has to offer. “But I don’t plan on going into forest and wildlife ecology. So why should I want to take this?” A great question and the same one I had! This class is designed for the non-major, so previous education on these materials is perfectly okay! It is also a great class to take if you are on the fence, as it provides basic information that will be helpful if you choose to pursue this study of wildlife.