An intensive quantitative and field-based study of local plants and plant communities.   Work will include intensive documentation of local natural areas with intensive field-work involving plant identification, community sampling, and environmental measurement/description.  In addition, there will be opportunity to learn and apply tools like dendrochronology (tree-ring studies), spatial analysis and mapping with GIS, forest canopy structure analysis using LiDAR, etc. The first few weeks of the term will focus on background research literature and acquaintance with quantitative and statistical tools for studying ecological communities.