The fees cover expenses for transporation, use of campsites, other facilities, and class related supplies, e.g., handouts and field measuring equipment. They do not cover costs for food, camping gear and texts for the course. Checks should be made payable to the University of Richmond.
Enrollment is limited, and on a first come-first served basis.
The goal of the course is to acquaint students with ecological communities in the Appalachian Mountains, and to help students develop skills in conducting field studies. The course includes hiking, camping and learning in remote regions of the mountains. To fully enjoy the wilderness, we usually park the vans and hike to campsites, carrying packs of camping gear, food supplies and personal items for use over several days. The sites will be primitive, distant from medical services, and require use of water from streams and springs, and use of pit toilets. No prior experiences in camping are required, but proper preparation for the challenges will be necessary.