Course Descriptions

NR-52 Introduction to Surveying
(4 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU A basic introduction to Plane surveying concepts and practices. Techniques for measuring both vertical and horizontal distances will be covered using pacing and steel tapes along with clinometers and Abney Levels. Angles, bearings, and azimuths will be measured with compasses. Leveling will be done using both direct and indirect techniques with Dumpy and Auto levels and level rods. Closed and open traverses will be run using both transits and total stations. Computations from field data will be done by hand and with computers. Topographic map reading and measuring skills will be covered. Formal maps will be produced using both hand and computer techniques. GIS (geographic information systems) and GPS (global positioning systems) will be introduced and used in field exercises. Prerequisite: IT-161 or MATH-105/106 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-54 Natural Resource Measurements
(3 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU The study of the concepts and practices involved in measuring natural resources for inventory and management purposes. Map reading will be covered, along with measuring distances and directions on the ground and on maps and aerial photographs. Students will learn basic sampling techniques along with measurement techniques and procedures used in wildlife, watershed, and recreation situations. Equipment used will include cloth and steel tapes, diameter tapes, Abney Levels, clinometers, Biltmore sticks, hand and staff compasses, increment borers, relaskops, densiometers, GPS receivers, electronic data collectors, and more. Data analysis will be done by hand and on computers. Recommended: FOR-1; and either IT-161 or MATH- 105/106

NR-57 Route Surveying
(2 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU The basic concepts and techniques of locating, laying out, designing, and preparing roads and trails for construction. Road locations will be flagged to specific grade requirements, and students will collect data on directions, elevations, and cross sections. That data will then be used to design the road, calculating cut and fill volumes required at each station, along with vertical and horizontal curve locations. The designed road will then be staked for construction. Culvert locations and water movement over the road will be considered. Prerequisite: NR-52 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-58 Introduction to Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
(2 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU Measurement of land areas, boundaries, elevations, and tree heights from aerial photographs. Includes the practices and principles of interpreting aerial photographs, with emphasis on forest typing, mapping, and inventory. Remote Sensing principles and images will be introduced with an emphasis on interpretation and classification. Recommended: FOR-1; and either IT-161 or MATH-105/106 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-65 Introduction to GIS
(3 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU An introduction to the use of Geographic Information Systems software to produce a database of digitized and inventory information that can be used to create computer generated maps, charts, and graphs showing relationships between different variables in the database. The course will focus on natural resource data and mapping, and will utilize the ESRI ArcView software. Students will learn how to operate the software, to input data into the computer using digitizing tablets, and to create maps to be plotted and printed showing different resource relationships. Basic GPS operation will also be introduced. Recommended: CIS-1 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-66 Advanced Arcview and GPS
(4 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU An in-depth analysis and practice of advanced GIS (Geographic Information Systems) concepts using ESRI ArcView software needed to develop and maximize spatial and attribute data for the production of computer-generated maps, charts, and graphs. Students will learn to effectively create and edit shape files and import data from AutoCAD, CPS, and the Internet. The ESRI Spatial Analyst extension in ArcView will be covered in-depth. The basic concepts of GPS (global positioning systems) will be covered, along with data collection, differential correction, and data export into GIS. Prerequisite: NR-65

NR-68 Introduction to ARCGIS
(4 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU An in-depth analysis and practice of advanced GIS concepts, using ESRI ArcGIS software, needed to develop and maximize spatial and attribute data for the production of computer generated maps, charts, and graphs. The collection and analysis of GPS data and its application in GIS will be covered. ArcMap, a module of ArcGIS, will be introduced. Prerequisite: NR-65

NR-80 Watershed Management
(3 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU A study of how water resources are managed on forest land and factors that affect water quality and quantity and movement through the hydrologic cycle. Recommended: AG-17 and FOR-1 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-87 Wildlife Ecology/Habitat Inventory
(3 units lecture/lab) Grade Only CSU Explores and address the history of wildlife ecology and the current situations relating to the management of wildlife resources with regards to natural resource and forestry projects. Students will be introduced to the methodologies of wildlife habitat inventory and learn techniques for monitoring and tracking specific species. Recommended: FOR-1 Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

NR-91 Public Relations and Personnel Management in Natural Resources
(2 units lecture) Grade Only CSU A study of the importance of using good communication skills in dealing with the public and co-workers. The course is broken down into two main parts - using public relations in forestry and natural resources to educate the public and to develop support for management policies and practices, and using interpersonal skills in human relations to work well with others in your organization and to supervise effectively. The preparation of a resume and effective interview skills will also be covered. Note: Field trips are required. The College does not provide transportation.

 NR-100 Field Experience: Applied Natural Resource Technology
(2.5 units lecture/lab) Grade Only Repeatable to a maximum of two enrollments An integration of natural resource conservation principles and supervised fieldwork experience. Students learn natural resource conservation skills that target watershed enhancement and restoration practices at a technical level while working in a crew setting.

NR-120 Field Studies in Natural History
(3.5 units lecture/lab) Grade Only A field study of the natural history of selected wilderness areas. Course will include the geography, botany, geology, and human history of each area. Students will also be exposed to the history of the American conservation movement and learn about the conservation ethic.

NR-185 Introduction to Natural Resources Conservation
(1 unit lecture) Grade Only This course is an exploration of earth’s resources and the conservation of these resources. Through lectures, demonstrations, video tapes, and other techniques, the instructor will lead students to an understanding of their role in preserving and replacing the renewable resources.