The Tanglewood Biological Station allows hands-on, inquiry-based, place-based learning. More specifically, Tanglewood enables UA students to explore educational opportunities that capitalize on the unique outdoor learning environment. Below are examples of Biology courses that use the station regularly:
General Ecology Lab (BSC 385): Dr. Kaleb Heinrich facilitate General Ecology Lab field trips to Tanglewood during Fall and Summer semesters. Students are exposed to field ecology research and gain experience in the scientific process through creating a research proposals, designing and carrying out an experiments, and presenting research posters and reports. Currently, Department of Biological Sciences is pursuing funding for equipment and supplies to continue supporting these activities.
Ecohydrology (BSC 497/696): Dr. Nate Jones leads weekly labs at Tanglewood during Fall semesters. Focusing on two small streams on the property, students learn about the components of the hydrologic cycle, measure those components through empirical data collection, and then analyze the data they collected. Unique to UA, this course combines fundamentals from engineering, geology, and aquatic ecology. Equipment for this course was obtained through a grant from the Alabama Water Institute.
Forest Resources Conservation (BSC 486): Dr. Christina Staudhammer‘s course visits Tanglewood to discuss legacy of land use on forest structure, collect data on forest structure to demonstrate field techniques, and illustrate transect sampling along an edaphic gradient to collect data that illustrate the influence water availability on forest tree composition.
Dendrology (BSC 314): Adjunct Professor S. Wayne Ford’s Fall Dendrology course regularly visits Tanglewood for tree identification labs.