Natural Resources Law

Description:

This is a new course in the curriculum, a survey course that focuses on the non-public land aspects of natural resources law. The course explores the field of natural resources law on a function-by-function approach, looking at how nature is divided into use rights, allocating those use rights, resolving conflicts over use rights, integrating use rights into landscapes, and adjusting and reallocating use rights over time. We also consider which use rights spring from land ownership, and which are severed, available for separate acquisition. The focus is mostly on state law. Along the way, we examine numerous natural resources, including water, wildlife, oil and gas, and mining, and even ice and seaweed.

Grade is based on a take-home examination and class participation. Optional paper is possible with permission of the instructor.