Ecological Restoration, Master of Science, Full-time
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The Ecological Restoration program at BCIT and SFU is a 36-credit program that combines coursework and applied components to train students in the techniques needed to restore terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The program features experiential learning, case-based learning, and field visits to active restoration projects. Graduates will be qualified for employment with organizations whose mandates involve the restoration of natural ecosystems, particularly fish and wildlife habitats.
Program Outline
Outline:
Course Requirements This program consists of 36 credits or 12 courses. The courses are divided into core and elective courses. Core courses are built into the program, while elective courses are chosen by the student with approval from the Supervisor for program relevance. Students should take two elective courses: a BCIT specialty elective course or an SFU or Western Dean’s Agreement course, and an SFU elective graduate course. The elective graduate course at SFU is necessary to fulfill the 50% residency requirement to receive a M.Sc. degree from SFU. Class hours For in-class courses, classes will be scheduled as 3-hour sessions, one day a week for 15 weeks. Most classes will be scheduled on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (subject to change). Exceptions are the electives, which will be delivered according to their specific schedule. Specific times when classes are scheduled will vary depending on classroom availability and instructors’ schedules. Program matrix Level 1 Credits ECOR 9110 Level 1 Credits ECOR 9110 Planning and Monitoring for Ecological Restoration Designed for students with no experience in ecological restoration, this course develops broad knowledge and skills needed to plan and implement restoration activities. The course begins by reviewing a step-by-step process applicable to a wide range of ecosystems for developing, implementing, monitoring, and refining on-the-ground restoration projects. We will focus especially on designing defensible monitoring programs needed to assess restoration success, including appropriate use of statistical design (e.g., controls, sampling design) and qualitative information (e.g., photo monitoring). Students will identify and critically review a restoration plan in terms of this step-by-step process. A major component of this course entails students incrementally developing a restoration and monitoring plan for a degraded site in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Field sessions outside of scheduled class time will be required. Techniques to communicate effectively will be examined and integrated into the assignments.Prerequisite(s): Acceptance into the M.Sc. Program and ECOR 9210 course outline 0 and ECOR 9210 Restoration of Terrestrial Ecosystems The Pacific Northwest is a global ecological “hotspot” because of its relatively healthy native ecosystems, a high degree of biodiversity, and the number and scope of restoration initiatives that have been undertaken there. This course gathers and presents the best examples of state-of-the-art restoration techniques and projects. Students will be profiling a chosen ecosystem (e.g., bunchgrass system, Garry Oak system, old-growth forests, riparian), and researching and presenting case studies of restoration projects conducted in each of the chosen systems. Students will conduct seminars on physical and ecological issues in a chosen case study about the restoration techniques used (whether they were they successful or not), how the case study did/did not follow critical steps associated with a formal restoration plan, incidences of adaptive management, presence/absence of strong experimental designs, challenges and solutions, and uncertainties, etc. Through this course students will learn about appropriate restoration techniques to be used in different ecosystems, while critically reviewing relevant works and strengthening past approaches. Students will design a restoration proposal and plan for a specific degraded terrestrial ecosystem. Field sessions will complement lecture material.Prerequisite(s): ECOR 9100 and ECO 611 and ECOR 9110 or ECOR 9220 course outline 0 or ECOR 9220 Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems This course will give an overview of limnology and focus on specific aspects of theoretical and applied limnology and environmental engineering required to undertake ecological restoration of lakes and reservoirs. The overview lectures discuss lake formation and basin morphometry, stratification and circulation, water chemistry (including nutrient and carbonate chemistry), BOD tests, and hypolimnetic oxygen depletion. Applied aspects of the course include experimentally determining re-aeration rates and sizing of hypolimnetic aeration/oxygenation and destratification systems, calculation of nutrient loading programs for lake and reservoir enrichment, calculation of heat budgets, and use of nutrient-loading models to assess eutrophication risk. Students will participate in lectures and group sessions and design a restoration proposal for a eutrophic winterkill lake.Prerequisite(s): ECOR 9100 and ECO 611 and ECOR 9110 Level 2 Credits ECOR 9100 Level 2 Credits ECOR 9100 Concepts of Ecological Restoration and the Physical Environment This course focuses on scientific study of the physical environment, with an emphasis on its effects on living organisms and their restoration. We will examine concepts of rivers and their attributes; inland waters and limnology; geomorphology; and terrestrial processes. Through lecture and field experiences, students will become familiar with physical and chemical processes in water, especially those that have a direct effect on biological organisms. Field sessions outside of scheduled class time will be required.Prerequisite(s): Acceptance into the M.Sc. Program. course outline 0 ECOR 9200 course outline ECOR 9200 Field Applications of Restoration Principles This course is specifically designed to provide students hands-on training and application of techniques used in restoring habitats and associated monitoring. Techniques will include vegetation sampling, water sampling (multiparameter meters, flow meters, turbidity meters, etc. ), sampling for ground-water levels, fish and wildlife sampling, chainsaw safety, coarse woody debris, habitat structure, CABIN, and G.P.S. Course design will include modules that need to be completed before class, to enhance the hands-on training. The course will run as a two-week field course at the end of level 2 (spring).Prerequisite(s): ECOR 9100 AND ECO 611 AND ECOR 9110 Level 3 Credits ECOR 9300 course outline 0 Level 3 Credits ECOR 9300 Applied Research Project Development Part 1 Students will be able to access the network and Library during summer.Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline Level 4 Credits ECOR 9400 Level 4 Credits ECOR 9400 Applied Research Project I The purpose of the Applied Research Project course is to enable students to pursue a topic relevant to ecological restoration. In addition, students will develop certain skills that will be useful in their future employment in the various areas of ecological restoration. These skills range from general to specific. General skills include the ability to: 1) conceptualize and formulate a manageable restoration project or research question, 2) organize the required steps, 3) integrate and synthesize concepts and findings of other researchers, 4) collect and analyze data, 5) evaluate the strength of evidence or conclusions, 6) integrate all this information into a detailed, effective, and well-organized restoration plan, or similar deliverable, and 7) communicate effectively both in writing and orally. Students will also improve their abilities in specific skills such as pre- and post-restoration monitoring, interacting with and communicating complex approaches to clients and project partners, proposal writing, designing restoration plans, decision analysis, statistics, risk assessment, conflict resolution, strategic planning, and others. In ECOR 9300 (Applied Research Project I) students select a specific site and develop a professional relationship with their chosen client. Students will conduct reconnaissance surveys of their target ecosystem and appropriate reference ecosystems to identify the primary issues and stressors associated with their target ecosystem. They will then develop a proposal detailing the general approach to developing a restoration plan, all the while interacting with their client to ensure the approach and deliverables meet the client’s needs.Prerequisite(s): Level one and two of the program. course outline 0 ECOR 9301 ECOR 9301 Wetland and Estuary Restoration This course covers the fundamentals of wetland and estuary form, function, classification and restoration in Canada. The wetland section of the course covers wetland classification, examines mechanisms of wetland loss and the importance of wetlands in storing carbon, and the physical, chemical and biological mechanisms by which constructed wetlands remove pollutants from urban storm water. The steps for building groundwater wetlands, surface water wetlands, wetlands with liners and floating wetlands will be examined, in addition to the steps for building and maintaining constructed wetlands. The estuary section of the course covers estuary classification, reviews the high ecological importance of estuaries and reviews the physical, chemical and biological nature of estuaries. Procedures for restoring estuaries is covered, including dealing with invasive species (plant and animal) and legacy contaminants. The course will focus on re-establishing the carbon flux and storage in the estuaries through re-planting of sub tidal eelgrass, emergent sedges and strategic placement of large woody debris. Students will participate in a one-hour seminar discussion each week with specific emphasis on critically reviewing the concepts and their application to ecological restoration. Seminar topics will follow directly from the lecture material and be guided by leading questions. Students will prepare and lead each seminar discussion with guidance from the instructor. Students that have taken RENR 8106 would not be able to take this course for credit in the M.Sc. program. Students will participate in a field trip to design a wetland for construction, construct a wetland, or monitor the performance of a recently constructed wetland. This trip is typically scheduled during the second or third week of class.Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline 0 ECOR 9302 course outline 0 ECOR 9302 Restoring Wildlife Populations Restoration plans must take into account the needs of current or desired wildlife species in project areas. This course gives ecologists, restorationists, administrators, and other professionals involved with restoration projects the tools they need to understand essential ecological concepts, helping them to design restoration projects that can improve conditions for native species of wildlife. This course interweaves theoretical and practical aspects of wildlife biology that are directly applicable to the restoration and conservation of animals. It provides an understanding of the fundamentals of wildlife populations and wildlife-habitat relationships as it explores the concept of habitat, its historic development, components, spatial-temporal relationships, and role in land management. It applies these concepts in developing practical tools for professionals. The course is based on Morrison, M.L. (Restoring Wildlife: Ecological Concepts and Practical Applications) and Maehr et al. 2001 (Large Mammal Restoration), both published by Island Press, Washington, USA. Case studies will be used to illustrate concepts while field labs will train students on key concepts. Students will work in teams to develop a detailed restoration plan for a selected species of concern and present their plan to the class. Students that have taken RENR 8107 would not be able to take this course for credit in the M.Sc. program. Students will participate in a one-hour seminar discussion each week with specific emphasis on critically reviewing the concepts and their application to ecological restoration. Seminar topics will follow directly from the lecture material and be guided by leading questions. Students will prepare and lead each seminar discussion with guidance from the instructor.Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline 0 ECOR 9304 course outline 0 ECOR 9304 Restoration of Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystems This course will give a detailed overview of freshwater restoration techniques used primarily to mitigate losses of salmonid habitat and stocks. The spectrum will examine physical, chemical, thermal, and biological restoration technologies used in this province, some of which are new and innovative, while others have been used extensively over the last 100 years. Aspects of this course will include; spawning channels, fish ladders, development of off-channel habitats, in- stream woody debris placement, lake fertilization, stream fertilization, hypolimnetic cold-water withdrawal, mitigation of Total Gas Pressure (TGP) supersaturation at dams, lake destratification, hypolimnetic aeration/oxygenation, fish passage and culvert re-design, and biomanipulation. Students will participate in a one-hour seminar discussion each week with specific emphasis on critically reviewing the concepts and their application to ecological restoration. Seminar topics will follow directly from the lecture material and be guided by leading questions. Students will prepare and lead each seminar discussion with guidance from the instructor. Students that have taken RENR 8102 would not be able to take this course for credit in the M.Sc. program.Students will require a laptop and access to the internet to complete some in-class assignments. Field trips will emphasize the concepts discussed in class.Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline 0 ECOR 9500 course outline 0 ECOR 9500 Directed Studies The Directed Study course aims to provide students the opportunity to undertake supervised elements of study that are not offered elsewhere across BCIT, UBC, SFU or another post-secondary institute available through the Western Dean's Agreement. While students are expected to select courses whenever possible from the available structured academic offerings, students may pursue through directed study a complementary course that has a supportive focus to the curriculum within the Ecological Restoration Graduate Program. The directed study course is structured to allow pursuit of a well-formulated and synthesized study plan. The course may be completed individually or with more than one student (with approval of the Graduate Program Committee). The directed study course is separate from the Applied Research Project (ECOR 9300 and 9400) and will not constitute a part of the final Capstone submission. The student must submit a Directed Studies Approval Form (See Graduate Student Handbook). The Directed Studies Approval Form outlines the statement of intent, objectives, milestones and schedule and includes a supporting bibliography. The form is to be signed by the student's Supervisor and Program Director/Head prior to the student's eligibility to register for this elective. The student works under the direction of their Supervisor or other BCIT faculty approved by the Supervisor. The student and supervisor shall meet as required.Prerequisite(s): With completion of the Directed Studies Approval Form and the Supervisor's and Program Head/Director Approval. course outline 0
- For information on courses offered at SFU, visit SFU's Master of Science in Ecological Restoration.
- Total Credits: 0 Total Credits: 0 _Assessment:_ Each student is required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 (75%). The overall progress of students in the program will be monitored and evaluated by The Applied Research Committee, and a report on each student’s progress will be sent to the Graduate Program Committee once a year. If the student’s progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory by the Graduate Program Committee, the student may be required to withdraw, or improve in specific ways within a defined period of time. _Teaching:_ The program consists of both coursework and applied components. The use of experiential learning is a major strength of the program, with many courses offered in-class at BCIT or SFU (Burnaby) or in the field. Through experiential learning, students integrate and apply theories, concepts, and observations firsthand. Through experiential learning, students will experience the variability and uniqueness of ecosystems, and the difficulty of applying the same concepts to all sites. A case-based learning methodology will also be used throughout the program to provide students exposure to restoring ecosystems in other areas of the world. Case studies will illustrate how concepts can be integrated and applied to complex ecological systems. Students will be actively engaged in discussion of specific problems in complex, real-world situations. This method is student-centered and involves the exchange of ideas among participants. The instructor’s role will be that of a facilitator, while students address problems collaboratively. A key component of the Ecological Restoration degree will be the field visits to active restoration projects in the Lower Mainland and other parts of the province. The extensive ecological disturbance and damage that has occurred throughout the Lower Mainland provides real-world opportunities to apply skills in a broad range of restoration activities. Real-world scenarios in ecological restoration will be presented through assignments and team-based projects within courses. These projects will allow students to apply their knowledge from classroom and lab sessions. _Careers:_ There is currently a shortage of qualified restoration biologists and practitioners trained in the techniques needed to restore terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in British Columbia and other jurisdictions in Canada and abroad. Similarly, there are few opportunities to complete a graduate-level program in Ecological restoration in North America. This program will provide a solid foundation for students wishing to embark upon a career involving the conservation, maintenance and restoration of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Graduates will be qualified for employment with organizations whose mandates involve the restoration of natural ecosystems, particularly fish and wildlife habitats. Upon graduation, students will have the skills and knowledge to qualify for existing positions and develop rewarding careers with municipal, regional, provincial and federal government agencies, private industry, stewardship groups and other NGOs as restoration practitioners, intermediate biologists, and habitat restoration specialists.
