Achievement

The LEAP course taught in fall 2009 focused on the concept of ecosystem services. Emily Minor, a landscape ecologist, coordinated the course but guest speakers from other departments and from Chicago area partners participated in the course. With faculty guidance, interdisciplinary groups prepared a research proposal which was presented in both written and oral form. Students evaluated trade-offs and choices and predicted the effects of various policies and environmental changes on ecosystem services. As part of this course, trainees attended the Nature and Wildlife Research Summit hosted by the City of Chicago held at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. At the conference students participated in break-out sessions designed to identify research priorities for natural areas in the Chicago region, identified long-term research needs, and discussed opportunities for expanding citizen scientist networks.