FRS 002I — Sec. 001 — (2 units) — CRN 93012 — M 5:10 – 7:00 pm — 127 Wellman
Exploring the Landscape of the Cache Creek Watershed

Instructor: Caroline Bledsoe, Department of Land, Air & Water Resources, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Description: An adventure in local landscape ecology: learning about the geographical, biological, economic and cultural landscape of Cache Creek watershed, a 45 minute drive NW of Davis. The watershed has its headwaters at Clear Lake and extends along the farms, orchards, and oak woodlands of Yolo County and out into the valley basin. We will explore this local area near UC Davis from the classroom and from 2 field trips. Two all-day Saturday field trips early in the quarter will introduce the students to the landscape and its geographic context. Classroom presentations by the instructor, invited speakers and students will provide information for subsequent significant classroom discussions. Classroom tools include maps, digital images and videos of the Cache Creek watershed. Presentations by local Cache Creek residents, local experts and officials will give varied perspectives on the structure and function of the Cache Creek watershed. Questions and discussions will focus on interactions of landscape components and how they complement and conflict with ecosystem functions (e.g. productivity, nutrient and water cycles, plant and animal [including human] population dynamics). This seminar will enable the students to: 1) gain an appreciation for multiple aspects of a nearby landscape, including organization of landscape components; 2) study landscape interactions that elicit unique issues essential to its functions; 3) develop skills for interdisciplinary research 4) learn a landscape approach to understanding "a sense of place" and 5) enjoy and experience a local natural ecosystem.

Format: Class meets weekly for 1.5 - 2 hrs for class presentations and discussion. Two all-day Saturday field trips include: (a) a hike and motor trip into wild areas adjacent to Cache Creek and through the Capay Valley, and (b) a tour of farms [organic and conventional] and valley businesses.
Suggested concurrent or preliminary readings:
1. McPhee, John. 1971. Encounters with the Archdruid. Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, NY. 245 pp.
2. Stevens, Michell & Andrea Ryan. 1997. Ethnobotany of the Putah & Cache Creeks Eco-Region. Public Service Research Program, UC Davis, (530) 752 7823
3. NW Earth Institute Ecology Education. 2003.
3. Discovering a Sense of Place. http://www.nwei.org/pages/bioregion.html
4. The Putah-Cache Bioregion Project.2003. http://bioregion.ucdavis.edu/who/overview.html
5. Fulks, Andy. 2003. Yolohiker. http://volohiker.org
6. Yolo County Resource Conservation District. 2002. Cache Creek Watershed Coordination. http://www.volorcd.ca.gov/programs/Cache%20Creek/CVV.html
7. Cache Creek - Indian Bingo & Casino.2003. http://www.cachecreek.com/ Students will be responsible for active participation in discussion of class topics. Early in the quarter there will be more outside information brought into the seminar; this will taper into an increase in student-lead meetings and increased discussion later in the quarter. Students will be expected to write a short paper exploring further some aspect of topics raised in class. Some students may make media presentations to the class. Participation in 2 all-day field trips (Saturdays, October 11 & 25, 2003) is required . Seminar will be directed by Dr. Caroline Bledsoe; in addition, Dr. Lewis Bledsoe, Assoc. Prof. Landscape Ecology (Retired, Civil & Environ. Engineering, UCD) will provide additional expertise. Grading: Students are expected to: [a] participate in class discussions and field trips (50% of grade), and [b] write an original paper on an aspect of the Cache Creek Landscape (50%).

About the Instructor: