The workings of the Earth are a puzzle and field methods are essential to find the pieces in order to solve it. All subdisciplines within the broad field of Earth and Environmental Sciences share common strategies to collect, analyze, and report field data. Such data forms the basis of accurate and repeatable laboratory analyses and computer modelling, which both presuppose standardized and high quality field observations. This paper introduces students to field techniques across a range of topics, including: geology, geomorphology, soil science, climate science, coastal and freshwater science. Students will collect and examine a range of data types from our Port Waikato field area and explore the cross disciplinary applications of the data to answering some of society's most relevant questions.

This paper and ENVSC201(Environmental Monitoring) provide a complementary set of practical skills in collecting and analyzing field data. Students considering a career involving field work in Earth or Environment Sciences should take both papers.

This paper is primarily a field course, but is supplemented by pre field trip practical sessions and a post field trip report and presentation. There will be one two-hour practical session per week for the first half of the paper, plus a five day field camp. A term presentation to the class will occur during the third week back after the semester break (i.e., Paper Week 11). Practicals involve both theory, laboratory, and / or work outdoors on campus and potentially off campus.

The Port Waikato field camp will run from 17th to 21st April 2023 (Monday to Friday). Students will undertake a series of field. investigations, compile a field note book, and collect data to write up for a term report and presentation.

Students require stout footwear (boots), a sleeping bag and suitable wet and cold weather gear for the trip. A weatherproof fieldnotebook is required: the Rite in the Rain Geological Field Book (No 540F) is recommended and can be purchased from suppliers suchas Amazon, or Trig Instruments.

Students will be required to make a financial contribution towards the costs of accommodation and food ($25 per night = $100 total) –details around payment will be provided closer to the field trip. Please make payment direct to the University Bank Account according to the EARTH251 Fieldtrip Payments notice to be downloaded from the Moodle page, making special attention to the what you should include in the 'Particulars' and 'Reference' fields.