SUNY ESF
Courses at Cranberry Lake
Schedule of Summer 2025 Courses at CLBS
| Session | Courses | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Session A - 3 Weeks | EFB 202 | May 18 - June 6 |
| Session B - 3 Weeks | EFB 202 | June 8 - June 27 |
| Session C - 2 Weeks | Electives: TBA February 2025 | June 29 - July 11 |
| Session D - 2 Weeks | EFB 296: Adirondack Ecology Field Studies (Must be taken with EFB 296: Foundational Research Methods in EB, offered in Spring Semester) | July 13 - July 25 |
Registration Information
Information sessions for summer courses will be held in January, dates forthcoming. Pre-registration for students requiring EFB 202 or a field elective will be open from March 3rd to March 14th. Registration will then be closed until it reopens on April 3rd to all students. This registration will be conducted on a first come, first serve basis.
Visiting students, including transfer students wishing to take a Cranberry Lake course before beginning class in the Fall must complete the registration form, and the visiting student form below. Note that you may complete the Cranberry Lake registration form during the pre-registration window, and the visiting student form later.
Course Descriptions
EFB 202 Ecological Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment (3)
Instructor of Record: K. Sheehan
This is one of the keystone courses in the Environmental and Forest Biology curriculum. Forty-five hours of lecture, laboratory and field instruction per week for three weeks. During the first two weeks of the course, students study a wide variety of northeastern North American terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic biodiversity with a focus on vascular plants and animals. Students then complete a group research project during the third and final week of the course. The research projects require proficiency in field sampling methods, basic experimental design and statistical analysis, and the ability to cooperatively solve problems. The course culminates in a research symposium during which groups present their findings to their peers and a panel of judges.
EFB 337 Field Ethnobotany (3)
Instructor: Dr. Robin Kimmerer and Tusha Yakovleva
Two hours of lecture per week and six to eight hours of field work and discussion each day for two weeks. A field-based introduction to the identification and traditional cultural uses of plants in the Adirondack region for food, medicine and fiber. Topics include plant identification, traditional ecological knowledge and use of ecological and ethnobotanical methods. Satisfies elective field course requirement in programs offered by Department of Environmental and Forest Biology. Cranberry Lake Biological Station. Summer. Students must register for summer session, to which appropriate tuition and fees apply in addition to travel and lodging costs.
EFB 306 Wildlife Field Techniques (3)
Instructor: Dr. Vanessa Rojas
Field, laboratory, lecture. The study of theory and application of common field techniques for monitoring wildlife populations. Concepts and methods include ethical care and use of wildlife in field research; identification of New York mammals by tracks, photos, and in-hand specimens; assessment of habitat quality; monitoring of elusive forest species; techniques for capturing, handling, and measuring wild animals; radio telemetry; acoustic surveys. Satisfies field study elective requirement in all Environmental Biology majors. Room, board, transportation and course fees will apply. Summer Prerequisites: Two semesters of General Biology (EFB101,102,103,104) or equivalent
EFB 496 Field Mycology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Andy Cortese
Two hours of lecture, and eight hours of fieldwork and discussion each day for two weeks. An integrated field and laboratory course designed to provide an introduction to the collection, identification and ecology of fungi and fungal-like organisms. Included in the course are Oomycetes (Kingdom Straminipila) and Myxomycetes (Kingdom Protista), as well as the more familiar groups of Kingdom Fungi. Satisfies field study elective requirement in Environmental and Forest Biology. Summer, Cranberry Lake Biological Station. Students must register for summer session, to which appropriate tuition and fees apply in addition to travel and lodging costs. Prerequisite: General biology or general botany.
EFB 496 Field Entomology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Fierke and Dr. Emily Arsenault
A field course that introduces students to the diversity, behavior, and ecology of aquatic and terrestrial insects of the New York Adirondacks. Students will learn methods for collection and observation of insects in a variety of habitats and will use microscopes and dichotomous keys to identify collected insects based on unique morphological features. Students will apply skills learned in the course to conduct a group research project related to insects of the Adirondacks. Prerequisite: One year of general biology.
EFB 496 Adirondack Trees (3)
Instructor: Levi O'Brien
Adirondack Trees will lead students to develop observational skills, and a historical and biological understanding of trees, using the trees of the Adirondacks. Students will learn to identify all of the most important trees in the Adirondacks region by bark, leaf, habit, cone, and other available features. We will cover the fundamentals of wood characteristics and identification, tree anatomy and physiology, and how these factors and their inter-species variation have impacted the historical uses of trees. Through the lens of ecology we will understand how these trees are distributed throughout the landscape. Daily lectures, lab activities, and demonstrations will complement this primarily field-based course. Room, board, transportation and course fees will apply.
EFB 296: Adirondack Ecology Field Studies (2)
Instructor of Record: K. Sheehan
This course is being offered as a petitional pathway to replace EFB 202 Only this year. It must be taken in conjunction with EFB296: Research Foundations in Environmental Biology offered for 1 credit in Spring 2025 on main campus. The one credit course will cover foundational research skills that will then be refined and expanded on during the two-week course at CLBS where you will apply these skills to field ID, sampling methodology, and group research projects. Room, board, transportation and course fees will apply.
Estimated Costs of Attendance
EFB 202
| Description | Instate | Out of State |
| Tuition and Fees | $1,056.99 | $2,535.99 |
| Room and Board | $945.00 | $945.00 |
| Total | $2,001.99 | $3,480.99 |
Electives
| Description | Instate | Out of State |
| Tuition and Fees | $1,056.99 | $2,535.99 |
| Room and Board | $630.00 | $630.00 |
| Total | $1,686.99 | $3,165.99 |
EFB296: Adirondack Ecology Field Studies
| Description | Instate | Out of State |
| Tuition and Fees | $761.99 | $1,740.99 |
| Room and Board | $630.00 | $630.00 |
| Total | $1,391.99 | $2,370.99 |
*Note these are estimates, please refer to the ESF Bursar's website for most up-to-date information.