Trees and forests in urban areas and in the wild provide essential benefits to people and the environment but face increasing challenges that put them at risk. The course will take place in person and online, and will explore forest ecology through three units that include field exploration, classroom instruction, discussions, and presentations:
- How ecological principles operate in forests at individual, population, community, and ecosystem scales.
- Current environmental issues impacting forests such as the biodiversity crisis, global climate and environmental change, and more.
- Current methods in forest ecology.
Participants will gain a rich understanding of the biodiversity, ecological importance, and conservation practices for forests, and explore forest ecology in practice at the Arboretum and at other local sites.
Instructors: Spencer Campbell, MS, plant clinic manager; Megan Dunning, PhD, manager of adult learning programs, The Morton Arboretum
Credit: 4 semester hours (or equivalent), upper division undergraduate
Prerequisites: For additional information on prerequisites, travel requirements, and registration, please review the What to Know section.
Age: This course is open to students currently enrolled in the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) consortium. An option to audit the course is also available by selecting the Audit option in the Availability section.
Course number: ACCA-FE
Instructors
Spencer Campbell, MS, plant clinic manager, The Morton Arboretum
Spencer Campbell is dedicated to inspiring people to develop a deeper connection with the natural world. His horticultural and natural areas management experience guides his work in The Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic, a service to educate professionals and the public about how to select, care for, and protect plants. He leads classes, workshops, seminars, and public presentations about gardening techniques, ecological restoration, climate change, and wilderness conservation. His teaching philosophy is that true knowledge of the natural world is best acquired by immersing oneself in the company of the plants and the animals.
Megan Dunning, PhD, manager of adult learning programs, The Morton Arboretum
Megan Dunning has been working in education at the Arboretum since 2007. She oversees curriculum development and program management of the Arboretum’s educational programs for adults, college students, and green industry professionals. These programs focus on subjects ranging from trees and nature, gardening and horticulture, tree care, ecological restoration, nature art and photography, and wellness, and include both in-person and online classes. Before entering the world of public gardens, Dunning studied the co-evolution of plants and their pathogens at the University of Chicago, where she completed a PhD in genetics. She believes in the importance of hands-on learning and has been known to pull the car over to identify plants.
What to Know
General biology and either introductory botany OR environmental science OR ecology OR permission of the instructor are required prior to enrolling in this course.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Arboretum and to and from any field trips.
There is not a required textbook for this course; a variety of course readings will be provided through the class website at treelearning.mortonarb.org. Your favorite field guide to trees will be useful.
For currently enrolled students at the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) schools, tuition for this course is collected through the ACCA school where the student is enrolled. No additional course fee is due to the Arboretum.
There is an audit fee of $600 for those not enrolled through the ACCA schools and wishing to audit the course. The discounted cost for Arboretum members is $520.
To enroll, you will need to register online through the Arboretum in addition to contacting your advisor and the registrar’s office at your school.
Please direct questions about registration to the registrar at registrar-ed@mortonarb.org.
Program Schedule
This program includes five Saturday meeting times in person at the Arboretum and at local sites of interest, February through April and online meeting times on Mondays, February through April. The complete syllabus will be emailed to students two weeks prior to the start of class.
In Person
Saturday, February 1, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 15, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Please note that Saturday, March 29, 2025 is reserved as a backup date in case of inclement weather.
Online
Mondays, February 3 through April 28, 2025, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
The first in-person class meets at the Thornhill Education Center on the Arboretum’s West Side. Parking is available in Parking Lot 22
