Environmental Science

ENV 101
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
5 credits
Scientific approach to understanding nature and scope of contemporary problems in our environment. Meets distribution credit in Natural Sciences.

ENV 141L
FRESHWATER ECOLOGY
5 credits
General principles of limnology and ecology in the context of common freshwater environments of the Pacific Northwest. Fieldwork involving moderately strenuous walking and wading of streams required.

ENV 201L
INTRODUCTION TO FOREST ECOLOGY
5 credits
Introduction to forest ecosystems, including tree anatomy, growth dynamics, and role of disturbances in stand development. Management strategies to promote desired forest characteristics presented and analyzed. Examination of old growth forest ecosystems and consideration of future management options. Prerequisites: ENGL 111, MATH 99. Must have ability to move through and work in dense forest over steep terrain for long time periods under challenging climatic conditions. Meets distribution credit in Natural Sciences.

ENV 230L
SALMON IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
5 credits
Multidimensional approach to studying Pacific salmon based on their natural life cycle. Study how salmon have adapted to their habitats; the diverse array of ecological interactions that salmon have across freshwater and marine ecosystems; how humans have impacted salmon populations; and how society is responding to declining salmon populations. Prerequisites: ENGL 111, MATH 099. Involves moderately strenuous activities, such as walking through densely vegetated areas and wading streams. Meets distribution credit in Natural Sciences.

ENV 260-269
TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
1-5 credits
Provides opportunity to explore a wide variety of specialized topics in environmental science. Courses offered by topic. Participants may take more than one topic for credit, provided additional credits are taken in different topics.

ENV 270L
MARINE ECOLOGY
5 credits
Ecological interactions between specific marine habitats and their biological communities. Includes field trips to local marine environments.

ENV 272L
FOREST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
5 credits
Team project where class members combine the theory of forest ecology, sampling theory and inferential statistics, mensuration, and use of GPS and GIS to use computer simulation to design and evaluate alternative strategies to promote attainment of multiple uses of forestlands, including timber production and propagation of biodiversity. Introduction to the landscape management system, structural retention, and alternative silviculture. Prerequisites: ENV 201L, SURV 100, SURV 260, and CAT 140.

ENV 295
PUGET SOUND RESEARCH SEMINAR
2 credits
Class includes preparation for attending the Georgia Basin / Puget Sound Research Conference held annually in the area. This international research conference focuses on Puget Sound/Georgia Basin transboundary ecosystem issues and integrating efforts of scientists and decisionmakers. Conference provides a learning experience for individuals considering careers in life sciences and resource management, as well as for those interested in the process of science and the state of the aquatic environment. Class members attend the conference as participants and prepare by reading and critically evaluating a series of studies written by some of the leading researchers in the region. Class members also conduct their own independent research. The class will culminate with an informal sharing of each individual’s findings.

Certificate in Natural Resources
The Natural Resource Management Certificate combines courses in Freshwater Ecology, Forest Ecology, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The knowledge base and technical skills derived from these courses are integrated in the capstone course, Forest Ecosystems Management, an intensive 11-day course where individuals are placed into the role of a natural resource manager. Presented with a resource management problem, participants engage in a systematic process of mapping, data collecting in the field, development of a complex database, and the manipulation of that data using the Landscape Management System (LMS) to project resource management options. Class members complete both a comprehensive written report and a PowerPoint presentation detailing their analysis, results and recommendations. Individuals completing the certificate will have a project that demonstrates their ability to combine theoretical knowledge with field measurement and computer simulation technology to solve a complex problem in a pragmatic environment. The Natural Resource Management Certificate should be of interest to those who are contemplating an advanced degree in the environmental and natural resource sciences and to working professionals seeking to advance their knowledge and skills in resource management.

Certificate Requirements

CAT 140 Introduction to Microsoft Excel
ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENV 141L Freshwater Ecology
ENV 201L Introduction to Forest Ecology
ENV 272L Forest Ecosystem Management
MATH 099 Intermediate Algebra
SURV 100 Navigating with GPS
SURV 260 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Surveying-Geomatics Technology
The Surveying and Geomatics Technology program at Peninsula College is an essential ingredient in the study of environmental science and natural resources. Nearly every aspect of environmental science and natural resource management depends on the use and application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), both key components available to students through the Surveying-Geomatics Technology Program.

Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University at Peninsula College
Earn your BA or BS degree in Environmental Studies while studying and living in the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound region. In Huxley College’s program on the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas, two degree paths are offered:

The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy prepares students to enter professional fields involved in the sustainability of the human and natural environment. This interdisciplinary program teaches the skills and knowledge necessary to promote positive change through problem solving and the achievement of shared visions. The program readies students for employment in planning and policy agencies as well as in private organizations, and provides a firm foundation for graduate study.

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science provides a solid basis for a career in local, state and federal government work, in universities, or in the private sector. The program draws on basic knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, and quantitative aspects of natural systems, and imparts the skills necessary for solving problems that are largely created by human activities.

The Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation. The College's academic programs reflect a broad view of our physical, biological, social, and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has won national and international recognition due to its comprehensive upper-division and graduate degree programs. Students from around the world come to pursue academic programs that are global in their frame of reference, interdisciplinary in their content, and innovative and experimental in their concept. Huxley’s program on the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas utilizes the resources of the main WWU campus in Bellingham, and supplements them with outstanding faculty and learning opportunities focused on the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound regions.

Classes are offered evenings and weekends at Peninsula College in Port Angeles and at the Poulsbo branch of Olympic College. Some courses are taught via interactive TV, broadcast from Western’s main campus in Bellingham, while others are presented face-to-face. Faculty for all courses meet Western Washington University’s rigorous standards for scholarship and teaching excellence. Participants who are able to devote full time to their studies can complete the program within two years.

Huxley's curriculum is mainly upper-division. Students complete the required prerequisite courses before applying to the College; Peninsula College students must complete their associate of arts/science degree or DTA with prerequisites before they can enter Huxley. Admission is selective and based upon preparation and prior academic performance. To be considered for application to Huxley College students must apply to, and be accepted by, Western Washington University admissions, in the winter or spring before the fall they wish to start. For more information, please contact "Huxley on the Peninsula": Nancy Bluestein-Johnson, Program Coordinator (360.417.6521, Nancy.Bluestein-Johnson@wwu.edu) or Dr. Jim Allaway, Program Director (360.650.2203, James.Allaway@wwu.edu).

New and Additional Courses
During the course of the school year, additional courses may be added to the list of courses approved for meeting degree requirements. In that event, the college Registrar will publish addenda listing those course additions; however, any course to be applied to meet degree requirements must be listed in an addendum published by the college Registrar. New and additional courses in Environmental Science will also be posted here as they become available.