Objective: The management of old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest is complex and ever changing. This assignment will demonstrate what you’ve learned about the challenges of old growth conservation in the Pacific Northwest (particularly the social, but also biophysical dimensions). It will demonstrate your ability to communicate in writing key insights about forest management and to articulate a general strategy for conserving old-growth on public land in our region.
Description: Imagine you have a good friend living in New York city. They are college educated and care passionately about the environment but have never visited Oregon. Write a short essay (roughly 3 pages) with your friend in mind that summarizes why old growth conservation in the Pacific Northwest is challenging, noting social as well as biophysical dynamics. Then propose some policy/management strategies (again, both social and biophysical) that seem sensible to you in light of the challenges you’ve identified and the opportunities we’ve explored this quarter. Finally, explain to your friend how what you’ve learned about people’s relationship to forests in this region has shaped your thinking about human/nature relations generally?
Formatting Guidelines: This assignment must conform to the common writing conventions for all your portfolio assignments.