Round Two!

1) Spend a few minutes looking over the Andrews Forest website (make sure you visit the "Arts and Humanities Section") http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/

    and also look at the OSU's Spring Creek website http://springcreek.oregonstate.edu/

    Maybe you'll see something of interest or it might raise some questions for you.

2) Reflections! By popular demand, I've posted a few of what I think are some of the more intriguing writing reflections... When you read them, pay attention to the connection the writer makes with the land; is an ecological/scientific element present and how much is it discussed? Are you as readers feeling as though you're learning something about the ecology and biological processes of this forest from reading these pieces? Which ones do a better job? Most importantly, what do you think of them??

• Coffey, Jane. "Juxtaposition." (Fall 2007). 4 pp. http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/research/related/writers/wir/coffey2.pdf
• Kimmerer, Robin. "Interview With a Watershed." (Fall 2004). 7 pp. http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/research/related/writers/wir/kimmerer1.pdf
• Durbin, Kathie. "Reflections on Change, Natural and Otherwise: A Forest Journal." (Spring 2007). 10 pp.http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/research/related/writers/wir/durbin1.pdf
• Lovin, Christina. "Five Poems." (Spring 2007). 7 pp. http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/research/related/writers/wir/lovin1.pd

3) My research question. I'm resolved to the fact this question will be an evolving process--and I think that's fine. My goal is to encapsulate the best question at this time for the proposal as well as possible.

So ... here's an evolution of my research question of the past few months. Has the questioned evolved for the better?  (We'll discuss Monday the direction I'm trying to go).

• From back in the day: Through the first five years of a long-term project, what characteristics about human relationships to nature have been revealed through the writing reflections at Andrews, and how do the trends in those relationships shape a personal and cultural ecological ideology?

• So last term: Over the first five years of a 200 year program, what ecological themes and environmental ideologies have emerged from the writing reflections at Andrews in regards to human connections to nature through the experience of "place?"

• Current Situation(?): In the first five years of a 200 year program, does a deeper appreciation of the forest ecosystem emerge from the writing reflections as a personal connection to the land and develop into an ecological awareness?

So yep, there you have. Happy reflecting!