These are self-paced, continuous enrollment courses offered through the UM Wilderness Institute.
Course summary:
It's often taken for granted that soil and water will always be there: clean, plentiful, and productive. In wilderness, natural processes prevail—processes that help renew water and soil. This course will allow learners to understand better the importance of monitoring soil and water resources, the laws that govern their management, and the steps necessary to implement this knowledge.
Course objectives:
After completing this course, learners should be able to:
· Describe the tie between watershed attributes of soil and water and the National Wilderness Preservation System.
· Explain the essential elements of managing soil and water resources in wilderness.
· Recognize the ecological function of biological soil crust resources.
· Recognize potential threats to and issues concerning soil and water resources in wilderness.
· Identify management strategies and guidelines.
· Discuss several monitoring programs available for soil and water resources.
Recommended background
It is strongly recommended that you complete The Wilderness Act of 1964 e-course before beginning this course. Without a foundational understanding of the Wilderness Act, you will not be able to get the most out of this course and could find the content confusing. Other recommended courses are the Minimum Requirements Analysis courses (both Writing and Evaluating) and Natural Resource Management in Wilderness: Fundamentals.
Course topics include:
· Key Terms
· Law and Policy
· Wilderness Character
· Stewardship Goal
· Stewardship Model
· Step 1: Identify Goal
· Step 2: Inventory
· Step 3: Is Action Necessary?
· Step 4: Action Alternatives
· Step 5: Evaluate Actions
· Step 6: Monitor and Adapt
Elements of the course:
· Informational text
· Interactive practice activities
· Supplemental reference materials
· Final assessment
This course is self-paced, allowing learners the flexibility to complete the course as quickly or slowly as they need.
After completing all course content and activities, you will complete a final quiz to demonstrate your understanding of key course concepts. Upon successful completion of the quiz, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.
Please Note: After successfully registering for this course, login information for the online learning platform, Canvas, will be emailed to you at the address used for your account creation. This process could take up to 48 hours to complete. If you do not receive the login information in 48 hours, please email for assistance.