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An Interactive Handbook in Natural Resource Management
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Robert H. Giles, Jr., Ph.D. |
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Introduction
Capper is a distance-learning unit and decision aid that was once designed to accompany the Web site book Forest Faunal Systems by Robert H. Giles, Jr. That book is now available on the Web and the programs, once in Basic code, have been revised and edited and made available in this new form. The text with its interactive programs may be used effectively with many other modern textbooks in wildlife management, animal ecology, and forest zoology. The text and interactive units provide examples, illustrations, and the means for students of natural resource management and workers therein to learn quickly and realistically about the complex systems with which they must work. Emphasizing general systems theory, the Capper units allow users to explore theory and, just as importantly, to work actively with the solutions provided.
There is little documentation for the programs except that which is in Forest Faunal Systems and from other active links.
Often the units will be useful in constructing paragraph- or page-inserts to documents to meet local conditions and achieve special objectives.
We think that having a list of active aids for the large number and variety of computations, decisions, and memories faced by the rural system worker can improve his or her performance and thus improve rural and natural resource management. That's one of our major aims.
Some aids seem silly when calculators are abundant and you have one on the computer. Having quick answers is important to thought, learning, and improved decision making. For example Multiply 137.1 times 341.6. For fun, time how long it takes to do this without error by hand. The answer will arrive much more quickly than if it is derived by hand.
The answer will arrive much more quickly than if it is derived by hand.
Some aids may seem silly. A small hand calculator can give quick answers. You need to get quick answers to mental questions such as "what is the approximate length of one side of a square acre which has 43560 square feet? (This may be of interest as you consider animal and forest edge relations.) In the following form, enter the desired number at the left. By tapping the "Copy Back" button you can move your answer back to the left side and check your results ... or answer other questions.