Natural History Minor

How can we recognize the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms with which we share the world? What are their lives like? How do species and whole ecosystems evolve and change through time? What does it mean to “read the landscape?”

These are the questions that naturalists find answers to every day, and through their work as interpreters, naturalists connect people with the natural world and teach others how to find answers to these questions for themselves.

Click here to see the course requirements for the Natural History Minor.

Humans have been naturalists as long as we have been humans

The study and practice of natural history is fundamental to our existence as human beings and is foundational to our relationship with the natural world. Today, naturalists use field methods that emphasize observation, identification, description and interpretation. Natural History coursework blends natural sciences with training in field journaling, keeping species accounts and species lists, and related interpretive skills such as illustration and education.

The Natural History Minor is designed to complement studies in other areas such as Outdoor Education, Environmental Humanities, Sustainable Agriculture and related Self-Designed majors. A Natural History course of study can also be taken as an emphasis area within the Ecology major.

Naturalists find livelihoods as guides, park interpreters, environmental educators, outdoor program instructors, field technicians and conservation consultants.

Organizations Sterling Naturalists have worked for:

EarthWalk
Camp Denali
Teton Science School
Hulbert Outdoor Center
Kroka Expeditions
National Park Service
North Woods Stewardship Center
Natural History Sample Classes:
Natural History of the North Woods
Vertebrate Natural History
Field Botany of Flowering Plants
Field Botany of Mosses, Ferns and Allies
Marine Natural History of the North Atlantic
Natural History Illustration
Nature Mentoring

Organizations Sterling College Graduates have worked for:

The Nature Conservancy
Vermont Land Trust
U.S. Forest Service
National Park Service
American Museum of Natural History
Howard Gardner School
Teton Science School

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The Gear Design and Repair course being held in partnership with @alpine_luddites will give students the hands-on tool skills necessary to design, make, and care for outdoor gear and equipment. Students will be introduced to the history of gear manufacturing and learn about what goes into material selection and the manufacturing process. Students will also learn hands-on skills to do common gear repair both in and out of field situations.

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Things are on a roll at Sterling (pun intended) 🍱 Last Tuesday, the Sterling Kitchen hosted a Sushi Workshop featuring Faroe salmon and Ahi tuna from Stowe Seafood. Director of Dining Services, @eachad '14, demonstrated how to make Spicy Tuna, Salmon Avocado, and Philadelphia rolls - and the students made those and basically whatever the heck they wanted (even peanut butter made an appearance).

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Join us virtually by Zoom on Thursday, April 15th, 6:30pm - 7:30pm as we welcome Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx and the Majora Carter Group, for a discussion on Environmental Justice: Implications of America’s Land Uses

The built environment plays an important role in community talent retention or repulsion. When the majority of success stories migrate out, communities are more vulnerable to the consequences of dirty power, transport, and waste management practices.

Join the Sterling College Environmental Justice Beyond Borders class as we explore the work of Majora Carter, environmental justice activist dedicated, in her words, to “greening the ghetto,” encouraging urban renewal, green-collar jobs, and environmental justice.

Majora Carter will share how her projects and policy initiatives have progressed over the years and produced valuable lessons across several fronts in the quest to make America as good as its promise. She is responsible for the creation and successful implementation of numerous economic developments, technology and green-infrastructure projects, policies, and job training and placement systems.

Majora’s pioneering sustainability work from one of America's most storied low-status communities, the South Bronx, has garnered a MacArthur 'genius' Fellowship, a Peabody Award, and 8 honorary PhDs, including one from Sterling College.

She and her teams at the Majora Carter Group develop vision, strategies, and the type of development that transforms low-status communities into thriving mixed-use local economies. Her approach harnesses capital flows resulting from American re-urbanization to help increase wealth building opportunities across demographics left out of all historic financial tide changes.

This event is made possible by a generous Sterling family and is part of a Spring semester series that encourages listening to and conversations with distinguished and accomplished people working in mission-aligned focus areas to advance ecological thinking and action. Stay tuned for future events!

Link on bio.

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When we think of words to describe Sterling, community tops the list. When we think of ways to illustrate that, we think of current student, Aidan Levesque. Aidan has been spending his time in the Sterling Kitchen and making danishes for the weekend brunches. Nourish to flourish!

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"When you are new at sheep-raising and your ewe has a lamb, your impulse is to stay there and help it nurse and see to it and all. After a while, you know that the best thing you can do is walk out of the barn." - Wendell Berry ⁣
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#sheepofinstagram #farming #lambingseason #lambing #lambingtime #wendellberry

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Things are really taking off on the glasshouse, where we start all the seedlings for our summer gardens! Tiny pepper plants have been transplanted by our work college garden crew, and every day students adjust temperatures, water, and keep tabs on the progress of the seedlings.

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Brennan Gallagher of the Wendell Berry Farming Program drives Molly and Mindy and brings up two sections of a northern red oak from the woodlot which will be used for a variety of green woodworking projects as we start work on our woodland workshop in the weeks to come. #wendellberryfarmingprogram

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We are pleased to announce the addition of a dazzle of Mountain Zebras to the Sterling College farm to compliment our fiber arts program!

"With the rise in demand for low impact black and white fiber, zebras offered an excellent solution for Sterling College to differentiate ourselves in the sustainable fiber market," remarks faculty who wish to remain anonymous. The pandemic allowed us the time to try our hand at zebra shearing, short haired equestrian yarn making, and the results have been tremendous! ⁣
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#aprilfoolsday

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From the Kitchen // We've been working with the Sterling Kitchen lately to highlight the goodness that is baked into every bite and also reinforce that even our dining hall is a component of our mission to advance ecological thinking and action (and eating).

So let's stir the soup:

Meet Bobber’s Seafood AKA (@bobbers_seafood )

We sourced monkfish from "Cranberry Bob" that were caught off the coast of New Hampshire from the F/V Rimrack - a family owned fishing business based out of Rye, NH since the 1970s.

U.S. wild-caught monkfish - also known as “poor-man’s lobster” for its flavor similarities - is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.

Bonus! Besides fish - the cranberries we all love as the holidays near are from Bobber as well!

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A rainy compost pickup with Susie, the Haflinger, with the help of students Gabby Shulkin, Emmet Gilbert and Andrew Wlodarczyk.

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Student Takeover // This spring students took part in a challenging hands-on, wheel throwing class. Students explored and developed some mastery with a range of pottery forms and techniques. This was an intensive, studio based, skill building workshop in wheel throwing techniques.

By the end of this course, students were able to throw a variety of basic pottery forms including bowls, mugs, tumblers, lidded jars, pitchers, and candleholders. Students gained some proficiency in a variety of surface decorating techniques including altering, carving, stamping, and glazing. Students also developed a vocabulary to discuss and critique pottery in terms of anatomy, form, craftsmanship, style, and functionality.

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Dig In!

Our Work at Reserva las Tangaras

I started my morning on the porch with a hot cup of Ecuadorian chocolate, watching Empress Brilliants, White-tailed Hillstars, and Purple-throated Woodstars jostling at the hummingbird feeders mere feet from me. A…

Update from the Foraging and Wildcrafting Class

Summer is a magical time where the demand of everyday living is lessened by the whimsy and silent wonder that is this time of year—at least it seems this way…

Gravity & Gravidity

So here’s a fun fact—I don’t understand reproductive people. With the majority of the adult population either actively reproducing or having a history of reproduction, this poses a bit of…

Natural History Minor