Welcome to FORS 4240: Pest Management
~ Integrated Forest Health ~
Image: Roundheaded pine beetle attack on ponderosa pine in southwestern, Colorado. Roundheaded pine beetles are the smallest pine beetles and are unique in that they have fall, instead of spring, flights. These beetles are uncommon north of Mexico but recent attacks have compounded activity from the mountain pine beetle and are creating intersting pockets of mortality in previous plantations.
This course is taught for credit at New Mexico Highlands University within the department of forestry! Please enjoy the materials if your are not a student in the class, and consider enrolling if you are interested in furthering your career in forestry.
Welcome to FORS 4240 – Pest Management. Pest management in wildland forests can be considered integrated forest health, and this is how we will frame this course.
This course will cover topics ranging from forest health to taxonomy of common forest pathogens and biotic disturbance agents in Northern New Mexico. We will explore relevant case studies locally and globally to learn about forest health topics.
This website contains links to recorded lectures, readings, and assignments for the class. If you are enrolled in this class at New Mexico Highlands University please refer to your course page and the posted syllabus for due dates and deadlines.
Syllabus:
The paper syllabus with complete campus resources is available here ~
Course Information
Course Number:
Course Name:
Lecture Meeting Time:
Lecture Meeting Place:
Course Instructor:
Office Location:
Email:
Phone:
Website:
Zoom Information:
FORS 4240
Wildland Pest Management
Monday, Wednesday
1:00-1:50pm
IHS 271A
505-454-3320
IHS 135
Michael Remke
Lab Meeting Time:
Thursday
8:00-9:50am
Teaching Assistant:
Dhanu Jayanto
Lab Meeting Place:
IHS 361A
Zoom Room; Password: Pests
Student Hours:
Monday: 10:00am-12:00pm coffee hour
Tuesday: 2:00pm-4:00pm seltzer hour
Wednesday: 11:00am-1:00pm lunch hour
Student hours are times when my office is open for drop in conversation regartding course work or anything else forestry, tree, ecology, or life related. These times can be accessed via the Zoom link here
Zoom office hours : Zoom Room
To submit an anonymous question or comment, use the QR code below - I will respond to questions and commets to the whole class
If the listed student hour times do not align with your schedule and needs, please use the below QR code to schedule an alternative meeting time. Please be flexible with this tool as my schedule may not allow the time you choose.
Books and Readings:
While no books are required for this class; the textbooks photographed to the right of this text inspire material for lecture and selected readings from these books are provided as .pdfs.
I highly encourage students to consider these books for their own personal forestry library.
In addition many selected peer-reviewed books are provided in the readings and assignments section.
IMPORTANT: In addition, the Field Guide to Disease & Insects is required but is available for free as a pdf here. Please consider having the pdf available in class or purchase the book. This book will be useful for assignments and exams.
This course will feature many peer-reviewed papers as required reading. These readings will be posted to Brightspace and will be foundational for discussions and in-class activities in lectures.
Learning Goals:
1. Mastery of content knowledge
2. Critical and reflective thinking skills
3. Ability to communicate effectively
4. Ability to use technology
1. Understand interdisciplinarity of foresty
2. Critically think about how to sustain ecosystems for multiple objectives
3. Understand the values offered by participants, landowners, communities, society, and the ecosphere
4. Demonstrate an understanding of both scientific and traditional ecological knowledge systems
5. Demonstrate professional and ethical behavoirs and be able to critically think regrading ethics from diverse viewpoints
6. Understand the value of diverse people, perspectives, and practives
This course will focus on the understanding of common forest pathogens and insects and how to consider them in an integrated forest health lens.
NMHU Learning Goals:
Society of American Foresters Learning Goals:
Course Learning Objectives:
Knowledge:
Skills:
1. Ecology of forest organisms and their interaction with common pathogenic agents
2. Understanding of climate interactions with disturbance agents
3. Awareness of taxonomy of biotic disturbance agents
4. Available resources with pest experts
1. Identify common fungi, insects, and other pathogenic agents using keys and other tools
2. Be able to model and interpret patterns of mortality
3. Recognize signs and symptoms of forest health agents
4. Independent research and critical thinking
Readings and Assignments:
Click these icons to access assignments
Click these icons to access readings
Click these icons to access lecture slides
Click these icons to access data sets
All readings are due the day they are listed. All worksheets from class are due at the beginning of the next class - so if a worksheet is posted for Monday, it is due on Wednesday.
All lab worksheets are due at the start of the next lab.
Week
Day
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Week
One
Monday
1/15
No Class
No Class
Wednesday
1/17
Introduction and overview
No Reading
Thursday
1/18
Lab: Overview and Introduction
No Assignment
Week
Two
Monday
1/22
Mortality and Health
No Reading
Wednesday
1/24
Mortality and Health
No Reading
Worksheet - Due 1/29
Thursday
1/25
Lab:
Modeling Mortality
Modeling Mortality assignmentdue 2/8 at start of lab
~ Chi-square table
Monday
1/29
Regulators and Terminators
No Reading
Week
Three
Wednesday
1/31
Regulators and Terminators
Hot drought terminators -
Hammond et al. 2023
Worksheet - Due 2/5
Thursday
2/1
Case Study:
Alaska White Spruce
~ optional practice material
Monday
2/5
Population Dynamics
Optional Reading -
Bottom-up regulation, viva la resistance
Johsnon and Sniezko 2021
Week Four
Wednesday
2/7
Alien Invasions
Optional Reading -
Top-down regulation of invadors-
Crandall et al. 2022
Thursday
2/8
Campus Tree ID
Lab with graphs from week 2 due
Tree ID worksheet due at and of lab
Week
Day
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Monday
2/12
Insects
Week Five
Wednesday
2/14
Bark Beetle and Management
Thursday
2/8
Insects
Insect ID worksheet
Monday
2/19
Spruce Bud Worm
Week Six
Wednesday
2/20
Other Insects
Thursday
2/21
Symptoms
Symptoms
Monday
2/26
Fungi
Week Seven
Wednesday
2/28
Stem Rot and Rust
Thursday
2/29
Fungi!
Fungi ID worksheet
Monday
3/4
Root Disease
+
Rust
Week Eight
Wednesday
3/6
Review
Work on Exam
Thursday
3/7
Mid Term Exam
Take Home Exam due by 5 pm
Monday
3/11
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK
Week Nine
Wednesday
3/13
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK
Thursday
3/14
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK
Week
Day
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Monday
3/18
Go over exam
Week Ten
Wednesday
3/20
Assign Projects
Thursday
3/21
Signs and Symptoms
No Lab: Work on Projects Due: 4/25
Monday
3/25
Mistletoe
Week 11
Wednesday
3/26
Mistletoe
Thursday
3/27
Mistletoes and Plants
Mistletoe ID and incidence rate worksheet due 4/4
Monday
4/1
Biodiversity and conservation
Week 12
Wednesday
4/3
Wildlife Conservation
Thursday
4/4
Field Trip
World College Field Trip
Monday
4/8
Silv and Management
Week 13
Wednesday
4/10
Silv and Management
Thursday
4/11
Celebration of
Knowledge
HPCC Field Trip
Week
Day
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments Due In Class
Thursday
4/18
Work on Projects
Lab Practical
Monday
Week 14
Wednesday
4/15
4/17
Looking to the future
Projects
Class time to work on projects
Advanced reproduction as a key co-morbidity -
Vikers et al. 2023
Week 15
Monday
4/22
Case Study:
SBW in Colorado
No Reading
Wednesday
4/26
Work on Projects
Work on Projects
Thursday
4/25
Field trip?
Work on Projects
Monday
4/29
Course Summary
No Reading
Week 16
Wednesday
5/1
Wrap up activity
No Reading
Final Paper Due
Thursday
5/2
Project Presentations
Project Presentations
FINALS
Monday
5/6
Final Exam
@ 7:30 - 10:30
Final Exam
Class Format
Lecture
The lecture will emphasize material content from readings and focus on concepts, theories, and principles of forest health. The lecture will be interactive, and participation is mandatory (see grades)
In person attendance during lecture is required if you are in Las Vegas.
Attendance via Zoom is acceptable if: you provide advance communication of a need to attend remotely OR you live somewhere besides Las Vegas
Reading Discussion
Lab will focus on taxonomy of common disturbance agents and will consist of learning how to identify and recognize these organisms. A short portion of Lab will have lectures; labs will be interactive and consist of a combination of taxonomy, excel (or R), and field based activities.
Attendance for lab is required to be in person with no option to attend via Zoom.
The Teaching Assistant, Dhanu, will be the primary lab instructor and will be available to answer questions, but of course, I will also be present to support and answer questions.
Reconstructing Historical Outbreaks-
Nergrón et al. 2020
Optional Reading -
Recovery but different-
Rodman et al. 2022
Warming and tree mortality-
Robbins et al. 2022
Optional Reading
Compounding effects of agents-
Dudney et al. 2020
Optional Reading
Local Responses and Systemic Resistance-
Dreischoff et al. 2020
Optional Reading
Old growth forests and fungi -
Majdanová et al. 2023
Southwestern North American megadrought
Williams et al. 2022
Fire and insect interactions -
Fettig et al. 2022
Resistance to drought and bark beetle-
Bernal et al. 2023
Fungal endophyte inoculation? -
Bullington et al. 2018
Bark Beetles and bee diversity-
Davis et al. 2020
Additional Readings
Assign final project-
Mistletoe and Seed Dispersal
van Ommeren and Whittman 2022
Types of monitoring and types of questions -
Hutto and Belote 2013
Optional Reading
Stand structure and root disease
- Flores et al. 2023
Landscape disturbance and Lynx-
Squires et al. 2020
Grading:
This class will be graded based on the following categories: participation, examination, lab, and final project. These categories are outlined in terms of there total points towards your final grade below.
Category
Points
Participation
350
Percent of total
30
Examination
300
26
Lab
300
Final Project
200
Total:
1,150
26
18
100
Description
10 points / lecture = 320 + 30 points overall grade and professionalism
3 exams @ 100 points per exam (including final)
Lab activities
Final paper and self assessment
Grades are reported to the university using the standard grading scale outlined below based on the percentage of your total grade. Please consider the rubric categories as opportunities for growth rather than focusing on your grade alone. Since your participation grade is a daily grade, you always have the opportunity to improve in the next class.
Grade
Percent Range
A
>90%
Rubric Category
Excelling (4)
B
80-89%
C
70-79%
D
60-69%
F
<60%
Sufficient (3)
Developing (2)
Needs Improvement (1)
Absent
Late assignments:
Attendance:
Assignments will be posted to BrightSpace and will always be due at the beginning of the class period for which their due date is listed.
Late assignments will result in a 10% grade deduction for every day they are late.
Professional settings mandate proactive communication for missing deadlines, so this late assignment penalty can be waived with reasonable proactive communication.
If you nees help learning how to talk with your professor, remember we are humans with our own humaness and flaws, but also see these:
How to communicate with your professor
Rules of Engagement:
Attendance is mandatory. If you live in Las Vegas and are not ill, then I expect you to attend in person. If you live outside of the Las Vegas area, are ill, or have an extraneous circumstance, attending via Zoom is acceptable. Discussions will be much more meaningful in person, and I will do my best to make Zoom and equally inclusive learning experience.
Should you miss class – Well shoot. Every day is special. The biggest consequence in my opinion is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). In professional settings, missing an obligation is acceptable with proactive communication and a dedication to making up missed material independently. Interpret this for how you wish in your self-assessment.
If you miss class, these are helpful :
What to do when you miss class.
We develop these rules as a group on the first day of class. The point is to ensure we have a respectful classroom setting everyone can agree with and feel comfortable with. If someone is violating these rules, we can politely point out the situation and remedy the problem as a group or as individuals within the group. The point is to ensure we are all empowered and supported rather than me, the professor, holding disproportionate rule-making and enforcing authority.
Example Rules:
-
Be present
-
Assume positive intent
-
Critique ideas, not people
-
If you identify a problem, present a solution as well
-
Make mistakes
-
If you take space, make space
Academic Integrity Policy:
New Mexico Highlands University students and faculty are expected to maintain integrity through honesty and responsibility in all their academic work.
Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, Cheating, Collusion, Facilitation, Fabrication, Multiple Submissions, and Falsification of Records.
ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools help look up questions or ideas; however, copying and pasting AI-generated answers is still academically dishonest.
Additional Resources:
This course follows the Highlands Academic Integrity Policy as described in the catalog:
Cell Phone and Electronics Policy:
Cell phones can both distract and enhance the learning environment.
We will develop rules regarding cell phone use together as a class, please reference the Rules of Engagement for more details.
Preparedness and Etiquette Policy:
Having the proper etiquette for the day means having a good attitude and being part of the team that is our class.
Specific Rules of Engagement will be made on the first day of class and added to this syllabus
Support and Resources
Health and Mental Health Services
Service
Description
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Benefits
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Contact Information
505-454-3218
901 Baca Street
Las Vegas, NM,87701
The NM Crisis and Access line is a 24/7 phone service for counseling and mental health emergency support line.
They also offer warm peer calls and text messaging for non-crisis but need-to-talk-to-someone moments.
Any mental health challenge or emergency can be met with professional counseling and confidentiality by calling this number.
Crisis and Access Line
Call only:
1-855-662-7474
Peer-to-Peer Warm Line
Call or text:
1-855-466-7100
Food Resources
A general store and food pantry
Eating a healthy diet helps us focus and thrive
505-454-3529
SUB Room 110
Emergency Funding
The student extreme hardship fund can support students with challenging financial circumstances
This can help students pay for rent or groceries when facing hardship. There also the Dean Farmer Fund
The outdoor recreation center offers gear, including jackets, for outdoor recreation.
Students can rent camping gear, jackets, rafting gear, bikes, and many other items to enjoy outside.
Hint: could be useful for class ;)
Adrian Gallegos
505-454-3495 or
505-454-3050
Academic and Professional Development Services
Service
Description
The ARMAS center is a place for studying and peer support in the sciences.
The dean of students is a resource for all student affair related questions and concerns.
Human Resources is the office that ensures fair hiring and payroll.
Professional development can connect you with on and off campus jobs
Academic databases, books, digital media and more
Professional Job Boards
Job boards are where professionals list employment opportunities
"Writers helping writers", The NMHU Writing Center supports undergraduate and graduate writers in all disciplines regardless of where you are in the process and what you’re writing.
Benefits
Contact Information
Having a study community and place to work on campus can enhance productivity and sense of belonging in the academic community
The Dean is an administrative role at the University and the Dean of Student brings student functions to University Administrations.
The human resources office can help with any and all issues related to payroll and hiring.
This center offers interview practice, resume building and more services
The library can help you with research support and finding academic resources. The library also loans computers to students!
Connects you to opportunities nationwide and internationally where you can build experience and your professional network.
We’ll support you as you brainstorm, draft, rewrite, and revise. We provide support on academic, professional, creative, and personal writing. If you’re looking for feedback, the writing center is here to help.
Harassment and Crisis Services
Service
Description
Benefits
Contact Information
Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc.
If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to contact the Center for Advocacy, Resources, Education, & Support (HU-CARES)
HU-CARES is a confidential and professional service with individuals who are trained in helping students with these unfortunate circumstances.
HU-CARES will facilitate making a student’s campus and off-campus experience safe and can help connect students with housing opportunities if they are displaced because of violence or harassment.
See the website for scheduling an appointment. HU-CARES also offers counseling and confidential crisis support services.
Title IX is a law that prevents discrimination based on sex.
Title IX has online reporting forms (see website) and offers professional and confidential ways to report incidents.
Campus police can be called for any non-emergency situation. Locked out of a room? Locked out of your dorm? Call campus police.
Campus police are friendly and helpful members of our community. They help us all when we need help and help make our campus a safe and vibrant place.
Immediate emergency: 911
On-campus emergency: (campus phones) 5555,
cell phones 505-454-3278
Non-emergency: 505-454-3278
Additional Support and Services
Service
Description
Personal Needs
Field-based coursework and college in general can be challenging and bring us out of our comfort zones.
Finding peers in the classroom our outside of class to talk through our challenges can help us grow as foresters.
Benefits
Communicating with friends and peers in the class builds community and connections.
Other people probably feel similar challenges and validate our experience and can help offer solutions we had not considered.
Contact Information
Call your friends, talk with someone in class, or contact me, Michael. I try to be understanding and supportive of all circumstances
505-454-3320
In accordance with federal law, it is university policy to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you believe you have a physical, learning, or psychological circumstance that creates extra challenges in your learning, we have services to help overcome those challenges.
These can include physical injuries, dyslexia, mental health circumstances and many others.
Seeking services from the school can help by increasing the time allotted for you to take examinations, giving you quiet study rooms to take exams, offering alternative assignment and exam formats and/or finding additional mentors to help you learn how to live with exactly who you are.
These services are confidential and respect student privacy.