Paleontological Resource Management in Wilderness: 2 Inventory & Monitoring   

Course summary: 

To know if wilderness character is being preserved, including the paleontological resources that may be present, conditions and changes to those conditions should be monitored. This course, the second course in the Paleontological Resources Management in Wilderness course of study, provides an in-depth look at the inventory and monitoring process associated with paleontological resources. Specific topics include selecting indicators and monitoring methods and protocols. 

Course objectives: 

After completing this course, learners should be able to: 

• Explain the difference between inventory and monitoring. 

• Explain the basic techniques for these activities when managing paleontological resources in a wilderness setting. 

• Complete a threats matrix. 

• Recall the four indicator criteria. 

• Select a monitoring methodology using six basic considerations. 

Recommended background: 

It is strongly recommended that you complete the free The Wilderness Act of 1964 e-course before beginning this course. Without foundational knowledge of the Wilderness Act, you will not be able to get the most out of this course and could find the content confusing. 

Course topics include: 

• Key Terms 

• Need for Monitoring 

• Inventory and Monitoring Process 

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 ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu for assistance.