Spring 2022 Courses in Natural History & Sustainability
Spring classes run from January 24 – May 27 unless otherwise indicated.
Enrollment is now open! Follow the steps to apply and enroll here.
COVID-19 Update: Courses will be back on campus this Spring! There will be a number of safety precautions: 1) vaccination requirements, 2) face covering requirement, 3) increased air flow (w/ HEPA air filters), 4) regular classroom cleaning, and 5) handwashing stations. To hear more visit: safe.peralta.edu.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Spring will be taught in a variety of formats: In-Person means 100% of the course will be in person and students must attend all lectures, labs, and field trips. Online means that the course will be 100% online; the structure of these courses varies, so be sure to check with the instructor. Many of these courses require students to utilize their Peralta e-mail and Canvas; access them here https://web.peralta.edu/portal/. Hybrid means that there will be synchronous zoom meetings as well as in-person field trips.
New Certificates of Achievement in Conservation & Resource Management (CRM), Natural History & Resources (NHR), and Urban Agroecology (UA) are now approved; the acronyms at the end of each course description indicate the Certificate to which that course belongs; core (required) courses are in boldface. If you have questions about a specific course, please e-mail the professor.
SPRING
Biology (BIOL) Courses:
BIOL 60C (24234): Natural History of the Bay Area: Herpetology. Prof. Andrew Gottscho (andrew.gottscho@gmail.com). Survey of the natural history of reptiles and amphibians of the Bay Area; includes on-site field studies in various state and regional parks. IN-PERSON: Wednesdays 6:00-7:50pm in room M-S421 with mandatory field trips on the following dates: March 5 9AM-12PM, March 26 9AM-4PM, April 9 9AM-12PM, and April 30 9am-5pm. Short course from 3/2 – 5/11. 2 units. CRM; NHR.
BIOL 62S (23561): Natural History of the Islands of California. Prof. Brad Balukjian (bbalukjian@peralta.edu). Biogeography of California’s islands: Botany, zoology, and geology of the Channel Islands, Farallon Islands, and San Francisco Bay Islands. IN-PERSON: Mondays and Thursdays 6:00-7:50pm in room M-S421 with mandatory field trips on the following dates: Saturday April 16 10 AM-2:50 PM; Saturday April 23 9 AM-12:50 PM, 2:00 PM-5:50 PM; and Saturday May 14 10 AM-1:50 PM. Short course from 4/11 – 5/14. 2 units. CRM; NHR.
Environmental Management and Technology (ENVMT) Courses:
ENVMT 2 (23809/23810): Introduction to Sustainable Environmental Systems. Prof. Ben Nelson (bnelson@peralta.edu). Interdisciplinary study of the impact of human civilization on the earth’s major ecological systems: Issues examined in historic, contemporary, and future settings, including both Western and non-Western contexts; material presented from a theoretical point of view, with a focus on core concepts and methods related to ecology, sustainability, human population, natural resources, wastes and pollution; reflection of how human economic, political, and ethical behaviors are inextricably interwoven with the environment; and presentation of environmental career options. IN-PERSON: Tuesdays and Thursdays 9AM – 10:15AM and 10:45Am – 12:00PM in room M-S203. A number of Thursday courses will be field trips to locations throughout Oakland. 4 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
ENVMT 35 (22703/22864): Introduction to Urban Agroecology. Prof. Elizabeth Boegel (elizabethboegel@gmail.com). Introduction to the expanding production and distribution of healthy food and environmentally sustainable agriculture in and near cities: Organic and intensive agriculture, field methods, policy, economy, ecology, and equity. IN-PERSON: Mondays 9:00AM – 10:50AM in room M-S421and Wednesdays 9:00AM -10:50AM at the Self Reliant House. The Self Reliant House is uphill from the E parking lot and right below the track. Please refer to this map: https://www.merritt.edu/campus-map/. 3 units. NHR; UA.
ENVMT 56 (24233): Management of Public Parks and Natural Resources. Prof. Lisette Arellano (LArellano@onetam.org). Current practices and issues in the management of public lands at the federal, state, and local level. HYBRID: Tuesdays 6:30PM – 9:20PM with some field trips to be scheduled. 3 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
Art Courses:
ART 166/166L (Course 22537/22538 or 23612/23613): Beginning Botanical Drawing. Prof. Sheila Metcalf-Tobin (smetcalftobin@peralta.edu). Exploration through drawing of basic plant structures: Recording details of various plant forms; emphasis on rendering form and texture with graphite pencils, graphite powder, white drawing pencils and ink pens. ONLINE. 2 units. CRM; NHR.
Geography (GEOG) Courses:
GEOG 1 (Course 22431): Physical Geography. Prof. Teresa Williams (twilliams@peralta.edu). Basic elements of the earth’s physical systems and processes: Earth-sun relations, weather, climate, water, plate tectonics, landforms, soils, and ecosystems and their interrelationships and global distribution patterns. ONLINE. 3 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
Geology (GEOL) Courses:
GEOL 1 (Course 22432/22433 or 22790/22791): Introduction to Physical Geology. Prof. Teresa Williams (twilliams@peralta.edu). Survey of materials and structures comprising the outer portion of the earth, and geologic processes responsible for sculpturing the earth: Plate tectonics and mountain building; formation of minerals and igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks; deformation of rocks by folding and faulting; and erosion of the land surface. ONLINE. 4 units. CRM; NHR.
GEOL 21 (Course 23536): Bay Area Field Studies. Prof. Teresa Williams (twilliams@peralta.edu). In-the-field introduction to the richness of the geologic environment: Emphasis on the basic geologic processes that shape the earth’s surface. HYBRID: Meets online on 1/31 from 6:00PM – 8:50pm. Field trips dates and locations: 2/5 – Geology of Leona Canyon, 2/12 – Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, 3/5 – Mount Diablo, 3/12 – Urban Geology of San Francisco, 3/26 – Black Diamond Mines, and 4/2 – Angel Island. Short course from 1/31 – 4/2. 2 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
Landscape Horticulture (LANHT) Courses:
LANHORT 2E (23578): Plant Materials: Tree ID and Culture (Evening) Prof. Laura Forlin (lforlin@peralta.edu). Identification and culture of trees used in Bay Area landscapes: Climate, soil, and water preferences; garden culture; pest and disease problems; and pruning and propagation. Slide presentations substituted for lab. ONLINE: with Zoom meetings on Wednesdays from 6:30PM – 9:20PM. 3 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
LANHORT 5B (23579/23580): Plant Materials: Spring Native Plant ID (Day) Prof. Stew Winchester (stewwinchester@sbcglobal.net). Identification and culture of fall native plants used in the landscape: Climate, soil, and water preferences; garden culture; pest and disease problems; and pruning and propagation. IN-PERSON: Wednesdays 10:00AM – 11:50AM and 1:00PM – 3:50PM in room M-H 101. 3 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
LANHORT 23 (22440): Plant Terminology Prof. Laura Forlin (lforlin@peralta.edu). Terminology relating to roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit used in plant identification courses. ONLINE: with Zoom meetings on Thursdays from 10:00AM – 12:15PM. 2.5 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
LANHORT 28A (22446/22447): Permaculture Design I Prof. Lawrence Lee (lelee@peralta.edu). Origin of soils, rocks, and minerals: Physical and chemical properties, water relations of plants and soils, soil fertility and fertilizers, organic matter, soil amendments for clay and for acid and alkali soils, and the cycling of nutrients in nature. ONLINE: with Zoom meetings on Fridays from 10:00AM – 11:50AM and 1:00PM – 3:50PM. 3 units. UA.
Native American Studies (NATAM) Courses:
NATAM 76E (Course 23670): Californian Indian Ecology on the Central Coast. Prof. Darby Price (dprice@peralta.edu). Native American relationships to the California Central Coast: Pre-Indian environment; abundance; human environment interactions; adaptations; challenges; environmentally situated lives; ethnoecology of specific tribal groups; beliefs and worldviews; norms and practices; ecological knowledge bases; resource management. ONLINE: with Zoom meetings from 9:00AM – 10:50AM on Sundays. 1.5 units. CRM; NHR; UA.
Nutrition (NUTR) Courses:
NUTR 31 (Course 22479/22480): Food Production Systems. Prof. TBA. The functions of institutional food-service production: Menu development and standardization; forecasting, purchasing, storage, preparation and service; staffing, equipment selection and maintenance; evaluation of the food-service system; medical diets including texture and nutrient modifications; information technology in food-service settings including budgeting, cost/inventory control, nutritional analysis, recipe development, production forecasting, menu production; selecting or upgrading systems software. ONLINE: with Zoom meetings from 4:00PM – 5:00PM and 6:00PM – 8:50PM on Monday. 3 units. UA.
