In this biology course, we investigate a variety of ecosystems and their inhabitants--studying plants, animals, other living organisms, and the environments they depend on. Participants will gain hands-on practice using a variety of methods for inquiry and will leave class with experience identifying local species of plants, mushrooms, invertebrates, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, and with a deeper understanding of ways to study nature. A large portion of this course will be outdoor projects (in varied weather/seasons) and include field observations, experiments, and conservation work.