Spring 2007 Course list 
Ag Econ Home | Instructor: | Dr. Webb Smathers | |
| 293 Barre Hall | ||
| 656-5764 | ||
| Class Time/Location: | 2:30-3:45 MW, A-202 P&AS |
| Course Description: | An integrated approach to the study of the economics of wildlife. Topics include determination of market and nonmarket value, single and multiple species management, enterprise cost and returns, marketing wildlife, leasing methods, complementary and competitiveness with agricultural and forestry enterprises, and timber and crop damage cost estimates and control. |
| Prerequisites: | APEC 202, WFB 306, ECON 200, FOR 304, or equivalent. |
| Required Textbooks: | Salvatore & Diulio. Schaum's Principles of Economics.
2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. New York. Ballantine Books. |
| Handouts as assigned. |
| Course Objectives: | The major goal of this class is to teach students the economic importance of wildlife resources and how economic principals can impact feasible wildlife management principles and decisions. Specific goals include: | |
| a. | To develop a working knowledge of how economics can be applied to basic wildlife management principles. | |
| b. | To understand the importance of demand to management of wildlife resources. | |
| c. | To understand the interrelationships between the economics of agricultural and forestry policies and practices with wildlife management objectives and values. | |
| d. | To understand the practical economic aspects of wildlife leases and legal liabilities. | |
| e. | To understand the trade-offs between wildlife values and crop and forest product values. | |
| f. | To understand the importance of the triad of biology, economics, and the political process in wildlife management decisions. | |
| Tentative Topical Outline: | |||
| Unit 1: | Introduction and course requirements (1 class, 50 minutes) | ||
| Unit 2: | An overview of the importance of economics in wildlife management (3 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 3: | Estimating market demand for wildlife (3 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 4: | Estimating nonmarket demand for wildlife (4 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 5: | Management costs and returns (4 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 6: | Review (1 class meeting) | ||
| Unit 7: | Exam (units 1 through 5, 1 class meeting) | ||
| Unit 8: | Quality versus quantity management (6 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 9: | The economics of population dynamics (3 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 10: | The economic relationships between agricultural practices, forestry practices and wildlife management; joint products, substitutes, complementary (3 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 11: | Crop and timber damage and control (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 12: | Wildlife leases and legal liabilities (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 13: | Review (1 class meeting) | ||
| Unit 14: | Exam (units 8 through 12, 1 class meeting) | ||
| Unit 15: | Field Trip to Fants Grove (1 class meeting) | ||
| Unit 16: | Proposed Case Study -- Non-market Valuation Project (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 17: | Topics of interest to the class (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 18: | Topics of interest to the professor: Looking forward (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 19: | The future of wildlife values (2 class meetings) | ||
| Unit 20: | Summary and review (1 class meeting) | ||
| Final Examination: Scheduled exam date and time | |||
| Suggested Reading: | |
| Moulton & Sanderson. 1997. Wildlife Issues in a Changing World. Delray Beach, FL: St. Lucie Press. | |
| Bob Warren. Special issue: Deer Overabundance. The Wildlife Society Bulletin, 25:2. | |
| Caughley & Sinclair. 1994. Wildlife Ecology and Management. Cambridge: Blackwell Science. | |
| McNeely, Jeffrey A. 1988. Economics and Biological Diversity: Developing and Using Economic Incentives to Conserve Biological Resources. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. | |
| Bailey, J. A. 1984. The Principles of Wildlife Management. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. | |
| Spencer, M. H. 1986. Contemporary Economics. Worth Publishers, Inc. | |
| Hawley, Alex W., Editor. 1993. Commercialization and Wildlife Management: Dancing with the Devil. Krieger Publishing: Malabar, FL. | |
| Journal of Wildlife Management | |
| Student Evaluation: | Two Examinations | 50% |
| Case Study/papers | 25% | |
| Final Examination | 25% | |
| Grading will be based on a curve. However, 90% will insure and A, and 55% or less will ensure an F. | ||
| Students enrolled in 675 will be graded on a higher curve and will be expected to write papers and cases on more complex problems as well as demonstrate more rigor on both papers and examinations. | ||
Class Attendance Policy:
University policy on class attendance (see Student Handbook).
According to the handbook a student may be dropped from a course
for excessive absences.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic integrity is expected. The Clemson University official statement on Academic Integrity is as follows: "As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a 'high seminary of learning.' Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form." The Clemson University regulations regarding academic dishonesty will be enforced in this class.
Office Hours: By appointment and immediately after class.
Spring 2007 Course list Ag Econ Home 
2007 by Webb Smathers,
Professor, Department of Applied Economics & Statistics, Clemson University,
Clemson, SC 29634-0313.