Contested Ecologies and Boundaries in Action: Invasive, Native, and Heritage Species In this course, students will examine ideas about invasive species, delving into the complex, contested relationships between control over nature and differing human perspectives on natural and national landscapes. We will read natural and social science literature and policies that govern land management. Students will analyze “invasive,” "native," and "heritage" designations, examine how these beliefs drive landscape restoration projects, and consider tradeoffs between “managing against” and “managing for.” Through field trips, conversations with conservation practitioners, and case studies, students will gain an applied understanding of the interplay between human beliefs and control over land. ENVS majors with a focus in the humanities/arts or natural sciences may count this course as a cognate requirement for the major.  Katie Michels ‘14.5 is a Masters of Environmental Science and MBA candidate at the Yale School of the Environment and Yale School of Management. She studied Geography and Environmental Studies at Middlebury, and is interested in land conservation and land stewardship, especially on working lands.   Jesse Callahan Bryant is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at the Yale School of the Environment. His research interests revolve around the intersection of conservative thought and the environment, with a particular emphasis on the emergence of ecofascism. Specifically, he explores the complex relationship between conservative ideology and environmentalism, and how far-right movements are currently utilizing environmental discourse to advance their agendas./

Jesse Bryant

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This course was a fun, easy j-term elective. There were few readings and applied projects, but the heart of the class was in the daily discussions during lecture. I would recommend this course to underclassmen students. 

Both instructors taught the course and were very excited and knowledgeable about the material. There was lecturing but it felt conversational, and there were a few papers including a longer final paper, but they were graded quite fairly. We also got outside several times to get a more hands on look as invasive species.