Integrated Environmental Planning

This course is an introductory study of water in our environment including its properties, the natural processes which affect it, climate and weather, and practical experience in the collection and analyses of field and laboratory data using standard techniques and equipment.

This course covers the practical use of common survey instruments and techniques used by environmental technicians. As well, the course will introduce the student to various sampling methods used to collect, assess, classify, and evaluate field data. Emphasis is placed on the proper care and use of basic surveying and measurement tools and the skills involved in collecting and interpreting precise and accurate field data.

This course is an introduction to the basics of Botany and Ecosystem Classification. Botany lectures will focus on plant classification, botanical terms, plant morphology, and plant physiology. Topics include: plant cells, tissues, and organ structure and function, photosynthesis and respiration transpiration and translocation. During botany labs, students will learn to identify about 100 native plants commonly found in the West Kootenay Region of BC.

Ecology lectures will focus on ecosystem classification using the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification System (BEC) of BC. Other key topics include the study of climatic factors and climate change, disturbance and succession, and landscape and stand structure. Ecology labs focus on classifying ecosystems (including soils, site and vegetation) to site series using BEC. Labs are mainly field based.

This course will cover the identification of common rocks and minerals, landforms and soils of British Columbia. Learners will be introduced to the study of physical geology and geomorphology in relation to management of the forest environment and landscape. Learners will gain skills and knowledge in rock and mineral identification, description of the physical and chemical qualities of soils, and identification and classification of landforms and terrain. Skills will also be developed with respect to interpretation of geology, landforms and soils for environmental management.

This course builds on computer skills students have previously acquired. Applied intermediate to advanced computer applications specific to career opportunities in the environment and geomatics sector are covered including file management, word processing for report writing, spreadsheets and an introduction to databases.

This is an applied math course, focusing on the technical math skills required in Renewable Resources work. Topics include: computation, 2-D and 3-D trigonometry, conversion factors, derived and empirical formulas, exponentials and logarithms, and map scales.

Prerequisites:

Principles of Math 11, Principles or Applications of Math 12, Math 80 or equivalent.

A review of basic English skills is undertaken in this course. Also included is an introduction to general principles in written technical communication and its application to renewable resource management. Classroom sessions focus on developing writing skills, academic research and documentation, the organization and interpretation of data, oral presentation skills, and job search techniques.

This course emphasizes the practical application of maps and air photos in resource management. Students become familiar with types of maps and air photos, indexing systems, using maps and air photos in the field, map reading and measuring techniques, photo interpretation and measuring techniques, obtaining data for mapping, stratification of air photos, and remote sensing techniques. This course will also cover web-based remote sensing technologies and applications in environmental management.

This half-semester course is an introduction to geographic information systems (GIS) theory and applications. Participants will become familiar the basic GIS concepts and apply GIS technologies to environmental, renewable resource management, and planning fields. Emphasis will be placed on how geographic data is represented, collected, managed, analyzed, and displayed using GIS tools. Hands-on experience will be developed with the most widely used and comprehensive desktop GIS software, ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop.

This 1/2 semester course will cover the navigation skills required in the workforce. The focus is on hands-on use of navigation tools in field settings including map, air photo, compass, altimeter, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) techniques. Pre-trip planning in a navigation context will also be covered including developing access plans and route plans, and estimating travel times. This course will build on skills introduced in ENVR 160 Surveying and Field Measurements and ENVR 154 Applied Mapping and Remote Sensing courses.

Corequisites:

This course builds upon the concepts from ENVR 162 with further studies of local forest ecosystems. Students will identify key forest structural components and study the role that disturbance (such as fire), environmental gradients, and competition play in defining a species’ niche. Participants will also examine the role of primary and secondary growth, nutrient uptake, reproduction, and survival mechanisms for plants. Winter plant identification, ecosystem form and function, and plant adaptations to timberline will also be examined. A practical field based assignment will form a major portion of the term assessment.

This course will cover identification and ecology of vertebrate animals, habitat requirements, and habitat disturbance implications. Learners will gain experience in applying guidelines and management strategies to minimize impact of other resource uses on fish and wildlife habitat and species.

This course covers standard tests and techniques of statistics and the application of these statistical measures in renewable resources management.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of MATH 160.

An introduction to general principles in written technical communication and oral presentation. Lectures focus upon business correspondence, the informal and formal report, technical style, and graphic illustration. Students practice delivery techniques for oral presentations of technical data in renewable resource management. Collaborative activities and teamwork skills are practiced and encouraged.

Prerequisites:

TWC 150.

This course will cover applied ecological restoration and remediation techniques common in the environmental planning fields. Restoration project planning and implementation will follow techniques developed by the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER). Topics covered will include project scoping and plan development, field data collection, plant propagation techniques, project implementation in the field, routine and intensive monitoring, and report preparation. Learners can expect to be in the field every day and working on data collection and synthesis during the evenings. This is an intensive 32 hour course offered in a one-week time block in the spring semester.

Prerequisites:

This course will cover an environmental planning topic with a field focus. Learners will cover project scoping for environmental planning, stakeholder consultation, field data collection, research, and report preparation. This is an intensive 32 hour course offered in a one-week time block in the spring semester.

Prerequisites:

In this course, the first of a two-course sequence including IEP 251, small teams of students apply the knowledge and skills acquired previously and concurrently in other program courses to design and begin to implement a comprehensive, self-directed study to achieve a specified planning objective in a designated geographic area. Each team establishes study requirements, develops a complete study proposal and work plan, obtains and evaluates relevant existing information about the study area, collects and compiles field data needed to verify or update existing data or to describe additional environmental characteristics of the area, and prepares and submits a baseline data report.

Prerequisites:

This course is an introduction to the science of ecology, building on concepts and information introduced in first year ENVR courses. Emphasis is placed on the basics of ecology, and will focus on the structure and function of various communities including alpine, subalpine, wetland, and riparian ecosystems. Labs will explore various methods of sampling, analysing, and reporting on the physical site factors, habitat, vegetation and wildlife components of these communities.

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

This introductory applied environmental microbiology course covers basic microbiological theory and skills including safe lab practices; aseptic technique; preparation of media; isolation and growth of pure cultures; gram staining; microbial enumeration using pour plates, spread plates, membrane filtration and optical density; and identification of micro-organisms using biochemical tests.

Prerequisites:

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides the capability to effectively analyze spatial data to assist in the decision making process for those in government, industry and consulting. This course introduces the fundamental concepts and applications of GIS as relevant to environmental planning. Emphasis is placed on developing hands-on expertise with desktop GIS software (ArcView) for displaying and querying spatial data, manipulating tabular data, initiating queries, developing charts and producing map layouts.

Prerequisites:

This introductory environmental chemistry course covers chemical theory and laboratory skills. Laboratory exercises address basic skills including laboratory safety, quantitative measurement, and use of common laboratory apparatus. Laboratory exercises are derived from standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. The course goal is graduates will master basic chemical theory, use environmental chemistry references, demonstrate safe chemistry laboratory practices, and perform standard methods for the determination of total, suspended and dissolved solids, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity and turbidity in water and wastewater samples.

This course is a continuation of Math 290 - Resource Statistics I. Topics include linear regressions and correlation, inferential statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, goodness of fit and contingency tables.

Prerequisites:

During the spring of the 4th semester, second year students will participate in a field trip to study away from the Castlegar campus. The field trip provides an opportunity for students to see first hand, current management practices, ecosystems and resource management issues in other regions of the province. Students will be actively involved in trip planning and will be presented with opportunities to develop communication skills, job finding skills and professionalism. This course is available only to students registered in the second year of the IEP Program. The course fee changes yearly dependant upon trip logistics.

In this course, knowledge and skills acquired in other program courses are again used by established, self-directed student teams to complete the planning studies initiated in IEP 250. This course focuses on analyses and aggregation of data collected in the previous semester, predictions of environmental effects of different development options, evaluations of the ecological and socioeconomic significance of those effects, a comparison of the options based on those evaluations, and the selection and presentation of a final development plan.

Prerequisites:

IEP 250.

This course is a more in-depth study of the effects of water on our environment. Practical examples are presented for examination, data collection, analyses, and interpretation in several areas including: weather and climate, snowpack, limnology, groundwater, surface runoff and flooding, small hydropower and hydraulic modeling.

Prerequisites:

IEP 254.

This course explores advanced analysis techniques in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) relevant to environmental planning issues. Students build upon prior expertise with GIS software to examine applications related to terrain and suitability modeling. Designed as a project-based course, students apply their skills to real-world project management by completing the steps required to take a GIS project from initial proposal to final map production and report generation.

Prerequisites:

This course examines the applied chemistry of water and air pollution. Major topics include: physical and chemical characteristics of water and air, water and air pollution, quantifying water and air pollution, water and air sampling, water treatment, wastewater treatment, mass balance modeling and air pollution dispersion. Applied concepts cover chronic and acute toxicity testing, use of colorimetry and AAS to identify and quantify pollutants, variable speed pumps used with pollution tramping devices for air sampling, gas detection tubes and air sampling meters. Use of spreadsheets for data analysis is an essential component of this course.

Prerequisites:

Sustainability concerns the relationship between humankind and the environment. This course explores that relationship and how, in the words of the Brundtland Commission Report, "we may live to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Clearly, there is no single route to achieving sustainability. Therefore, readings by many authors, technical experts, scientists and philosophers comprise a central component to illustrate the complexity of the topic, the diversity of approaches and resistance to change. There is substantial focus on applied skills related to current applications of sustainability principles across the economic spectrum.

Prerequisites:

This course is a guided independent study of an environmental management topic suitable to the field of study. Learners are required to prepare a project proposal and data collection schedule in consultation with a faculty advisor. Research techniques using library and online resources are required as well as accurate data collection and synthesis. This course culminates with the submission of a technical report to current industry standards and presentation of the research results at the annual spring conference held late in the spring semester.

This course is a continuation of Math 291 - Resource Statistics II. Topics include sampling techniques, experimental design and computer based application. Additional topics may include analysis of variance, non-parametric statistics or time series forecasting.

Prerequisites: