Brittany Dyer
December 10, 2018
In September of 2017, the "Managing Forests as Complex Adaptive Systems" program was held in Tuscany, Italy. Grad students from diverse majors throughout Oregon State University departed for Tuscany to participate in the program with Dr. Klaus Puettmann. Brittany Dyer, an Ecampus graduate student in Natural Resources, was among them. In Tuscany, they met up with students from the University of British Columbia, the University of Quebec, and the University of Florence to take part in a field course designed to teach them about applying theoretical concepts from complexity science in real world settings.
The theory and application of complexity science is not commonly taught in forestry. However, Dr. Puettman is among those who think it is not only easily applicable to natural resources management, but essential to solving the problems of tomorrow. Complex adaptive systems science is a bottom-up approach that looks at adaptive capacity in ecosystems and ecosystem services, instead of the traditional top-down model of silviculture. This theory has emerged in forestry as a way to adapt to climate, economic, and social changes that have been accelerating. As a multi-dimensional theory, it helps natural resource managers work with the many-faceted issues that are now coming their way. This course is designed to expose students to complexity theory and how it works within forests. When Brittany participated in the program, students studied the theory beforehand during an online course and then gained field experience out in the forests of Vallembrosa, Tuscany.
Dyer herself had traveled and studied internationally before, but felt that there was something different about this experience. Taking a graduate course abroad with students from different backgrounds and cultures opened her eyes to new perspectives and ways of thinking. She feels it helped teach her a lot about herself and her own perspectives and approaches to science, all while forcing her to adapt to new processes, formats, and ways of thinking while immersed in a different schooling system.
Overall, Dyer saw her “natural resource decision maker toolbox” expand as a result of this program. She felt like her self-organization improved, as well as her ability to identify thresholds and incorporate the role of scale into uncertainty measurements. She does caution that this way of thinking takes some getting used to after the rigid format of school and that an open mind and flexibility to adapt are crucial for success. The looser structure and freedom of the course itself mimicked the process in the real world beyond the classroom: dealing with multifaceted problems without knowing all the possible outcomes or the “right” answer. This was something she believes made the course so applicable to real life.
If you are a grad student interested in an experience like Brittany’s, this course will be held again over winter break 2019. You will travel to Chiloé Island, Chile to learn alongside graduate students and faculty from universities in Canada and Chile. Visit our website or contact Kerry Menn for more information!
The theory and application of complexity science is not commonly taught in forestry. However, Dr. Puettman is among those who think it is not only easily applicable to natural resources management, but essential to solving the problems of tomorrow. Complex adaptive systems science is a bottom-up approach that looks at adaptive capacity in ecosystems and ecosystem services, instead of the traditional top-down model of silviculture. This theory has emerged in forestry as a way to adapt to climate, economic, and social changes that have been accelerating. As a multi-dimensional theory, it helps natural resource managers work with the many-faceted issues that are now coming their way. This course is designed to expose students to complexity theory and how it works within forests. When Brittany participated in the program, students studied the theory beforehand during an online course and then gained field experience out in the forests of Vallembrosa, Tuscany.
Dyer herself had traveled and studied internationally before, but felt that there was something different about this experience. Taking a graduate course abroad with students from different backgrounds and cultures opened her eyes to new perspectives and ways of thinking. She feels it helped teach her a lot about herself and her own perspectives and approaches to science, all while forcing her to adapt to new processes, formats, and ways of thinking while immersed in a different schooling system.
Overall, Dyer saw her “natural resource decision maker toolbox” expand as a result of this program. She felt like her self-organization improved, as well as her ability to identify thresholds and incorporate the role of scale into uncertainty measurements. She does caution that this way of thinking takes some getting used to after the rigid format of school and that an open mind and flexibility to adapt are crucial for success. The looser structure and freedom of the course itself mimicked the process in the real world beyond the classroom: dealing with multifaceted problems without knowing all the possible outcomes or the “right” answer. This was something she believes made the course so applicable to real life.
If you are a grad student interested in an experience like Brittany’s, this course will be held again over winter break 2019. You will travel to Chiloé Island, Chile to learn alongside graduate students and faculty from universities in Canada and Chile. Visit our website or contact Kerry Menn for more information!