Boris Salak

The Landscape Ecology MOOC by ETH Zurich offers a comprehensive introduction to landscape ecology through three main units: Landscape Ecology Foundations, Land System Modelling, and Landscape and Society. The course combines theory with practical applications through video lectures, expert interviews, quizzes, and interactive simulations. Students learn about landscape patterns, modeling techniques, and the relationship between landscapes and society. Prerequisites include high school mathematics, basic GIS and statistics knowledge, and fundamental understanding of ecology. The course features case studies presented by leading experts from different continents, covering topics such as oil exploration and plant conservation, transport infrastructure impacts on wildlife, urbanization, renewable energy conflicts, and urban ecology. Through collaborative learning and feedback from experts, students develop skills to address real-world landscape challenges. The course emphasizes both theoretical understanding and practical problem-solving, enabling participants to contribute to landscape and spatial planning, forest management, and agriculture solutions.