TREES IN THE LANDSCAPE DATES

Please not the date change. The class will meet on Tuesdays from 1:00-4:00 p.m. starting August 31st and ending October 19th.
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Aug 23, 2010 12:04:34 PM

TREES IN THE LANDSCAPE 2010 BAC

THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

BOSTON ARCHITECTURAL COLLEGE

TREES IN THE LANDSCAPE FALL 2010

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The proper use and care of woody plants in the residential, commercial and public landscapes requires knowledge of tree biology. This course will relate the physiological and structural basis of a tree with its ultimate success in being the anchoring element in the landscape. Understanding tree structure and the biological systems of a tree are essential in making good decisions in the care of the tree. Students will develop an understanding of basic tree biology tracing the development of a tree from the seedling stage to maturity. Concepts in tree development will be related to the proper design decisions, planting methods, and short and long term maintenance requirements.

PROFESSOR'S BIOGRAPHY: Rick Churchill was formerly the Associate Editor of People Places & Plants, a gardening magazine based in New Gloucester,ME which has suspended publication and the past English Editor of the journal Hunan Forestry Science & Technology based in Changsha, China. His many years of college teaching, professional speaking engagements, and municipal arborist experience and horticultural/arboricultural consulting allow him to bring a broad range of experiences to the classroom. He is a licensed arborist and concentrates his consulting business in the area of arboriculture.

Credits: 1.5 GR

LEARNING GOALS: The goal if this course is to provide a learning experience that will allow the student to develop an understanding of the physiology of a tree in relationship to successfully planting, maintaining and utilizing trees in the modern landscape. At the successful completion of this course the student shall have an understanding of tree growth requirements and maintenance practices necessary to become a successful landscape design professional.

WEEKLY COURSE OUTLINE & LEARNING OBJECTIVE GOALS: The course will meet 3 hours per week on Tuesdays from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, August 31st to October 19, 2010

WEEKS 1 -3: Tree Biology- The student will study the and demonstrate an understanding of the phenology a tree studying each phase of a tree's life cycle and relating this understanding to the successful use of trees in the landscape.

4-8: The student will study and demonstrate an understanding of the biological basis for decision making concerning selection, planting, and care in the landscape.

Field Component: The class members will examine examples of tree selection and care in the Boston area as well as at one class meeting at the Mount Auburn Cemetery.

TEXT & REFERENCES None required. The professor will provide all the necessary material for this course.

STRUCTURE & FORMAT OF THE COURSE: Each class session will be divided into a lecture, classroom discussions, practicum’s and the last hour will be spent examining trees of the landscape in Boston. The course will be supported by a blog. http://rickstrees.vox.com/

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Pocket knife and 10X hand lens.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Each student in addition to attending and participating in each class shall meet the following requirements to successfully fulfill the requirements for the course.

Four Class Practicum’s- These activities are designed to develop an understanding of tree biology, selection and care. The practicum’s require in-class and out-of-class time to complete. They are due the week following assigning with the exception of the first one which will be due the third week of class. This practicum will also involve a practical examination. They count10 points each, with a total of 40 points

Twenty -five Annotated Bibliographies- using in-class and external references, five due each week(weeks2-6). 10 points total

Urban Tree Assessment Project- completed in teams of students or as individuals. Students shall select an established landscape to identify and assess a sampling of the trees, interview the tree care givers with a pre-determined set of questions developed in class which will be used to develop tree management recommendations. Due the last class meeting where presentations will be given concerning the results. 50 points

In the above project where references are sited the web references below may be of use: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/turabian.html, http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml

Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm

Specific questions about citation may be directed to the Learning Resource Center at learningcenter@the-bac.edu or writingcenter@the-bac.edu .

Academic Integrity: Please refer to: http://www.the-bac.edu/x367.xml

GRADING:

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: It is expected that each student will develop their own learning goals and achieve those goals at the level that satisfies their needs. The necessary time required to achieve these goals is student specific and may vary from a few hours per week to a few hours per day.

PROFESSOR RESPONSIBILITY: The professor will warn students if their achievement at any time appears to not meet the standards of the course which could result in a failing grade.

Letter grade numerical equivalents are as follows and based on a possible 100 points.

A 96-100

A- 91-95

B+ 86-90

B 81-85

B- 76-80

C+ 71-75

C 66-70

C- 61-65

F 60 or below

There is no grade of A+ . A grade of C+ (75 or lower) is considered unsatisfactory and does not count toward a Certificate.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT: http://www.the-bac.edu/x434.xml

ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES:

http://www.the-bac.edu/x383.xml

Contact between classes: Richard C. Churchill, Jr. 75 Coombs Road Box 55 Newry, ME 04261 207 824-3464 rickctrees@Gmail.com

Aug 7, 2010 9:43:42 AM

BOTANIZING SWEDEN

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Jun 24, 2010 12:54:50 PM

FIELD BOTANY 2010 SYLLABUS

THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

Boston Architectural College

COURSE SYLLABUS

2010

TITLE: Field Botany of New England I L162

PROFESSOR: Rick Churchill rickctrees@Gmail.com 207 824-3464 CREDITS: 4

SCHEDULE :& LOCATION: Students will meet July 23, 24 and 25, 9:15 am-3:15 pm, at the BAC, Boston, MA. The second weekend August 13, 14, 15 in Newry , ME .

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course will use the out-of-doors as a classroom providing the student with the opportunity to participate in a field botany experience. Class activities integrate the course material into the student's professional and personal lives with an emphasis on developing skills of value to the landscape designer. The common plants of the region, a study of the growth and development of plants, the distribution of plant communities, and an appreciation of the role that plants have played in the traditions, economy and landscape of New England form the basis for the course.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learners will:

develop an understanding of the binomial system of plant nomenclature.
appreciate the role early botanists of the region played in advancing the knowledge of the science of field botany.
identify the morphological features- Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds-of plants used in plant identification.
apply their knowledge of the parts of the plant to develop identification skills.
apply their knowledge of the tools-dichotomous keys- used to identify plants in the field.
apply their identification skills to properly identify flora of the region including representation from woody and herbaceous higher plants and the ferns and fern allies.
prepare a collection of flora of the region.
develop an understanding of plant ecology in relation to plant biomes, communities and populations and the relationship of these areas to the field of landscape design.
select a plant and present its characteristics, its uses, and its importance to the New England landscape.
interview an individual familiar with a regional plant and prepare a presentation to be presented in class.
develop an appreciation for the role field botany has played in the introduction and use of plants in the field of landscape design.

GRADING REQUIREMENTS:

1) Plant identification techniques will be presented including the use of keys to assist the student. Each student will develop their own plant identification key. Keys will be developed using different morphological features and of different categories of plants i.e. trees ,herbaceous wildflowers, ferns... The key shall be completed and presented on Sunday of the first weekend. [R] [5 points]

2) Each student shall select a botanist who did field work in New England to study in depth. This study will prepare the student to present material in class on their selected field botanist. A bibliography including at least five references is required. [R] [5 points]*

3) Each student will identify and collect woody and herbaceous species representing the native and introduced flora of the region. Collecting will be done in a manner so as to not impact a population. The collection may be presented as pressed specimens or as photographic images and it is strongly recommended you utilize the latter. Each student shall submit a collection of the flora of the region which shall include: 10 deciduous trees, 10 evergreen trees, 5 deciduous shrubs, 5 evergreen shrubs, 5 vines/groundcovers, 5 herbaceous monocots, 5 herbaceous dicots, 5 ferns and allies. Within these plant categories a total of five invasives as listed by IPANE, see http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/ipanespecies/current_inv.htm. Specimens shall be labeled with herbarium required information including: common and scientific names, family, description including size, leaf type and arrangement, and flower and fruit description, location of collecting, date, collector. For invasive plants indicate country of origin. [R] [20 points]**

4) Each student shall select a native plant and present its characteristics, its uses, and its importance to the New England landscape. In addition each student will interview an individual familiar with the plant-this shall be an individual who has used this plant- and using any medium(taped[audio/video], written) record the interview. The interview will be developed from the perspective of a landscape designer interested in learning a particular plant. The interview material shall be presented during the second weekend. [R] [10] "*"

5) Each student will complete a plant identification practicum which will be given the last day. The practical examination will require the student to identify specimens representing each of the groups of plants studied during the course. Any references may be used. The examination will have a time limit; if you wish to provide evidence that you require greater time than that allotted please request such consideration at least 24 hours before the examination. (10)

Due to the nature of the course meeting for only two three day weekends and the necessity of students to present materials in class, materials due the second weekend are designated with a "*." Those designated with "**" are due by using snail mail (Please enclose a SASE for return.) by September 2nd.

Your final grade will be determined according to the following:>45 A, 40 <45 B,

35<40 C, <35 failing

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

Flower Finder , Tree Finder, Fern Finder, Berry Finder . By: Nature Study Guild Box 10489 Rochester , NY 14610

Fruit & Twig Key To Trees & Shrubs Harlow, William . Dover Pub. NY

Forest Trees of Maine . Maine Forest Service, Augusta , ME

REFERENCES PROVIDED BY THE PROFESSOR:

Baumgardt, John Phillip How to Identify Plant Families. Timer Press. Portland , Oregon

Bliss, L.C. Alpine Zone of the Presidential Range Self-Published

Cobb, Boughton. A Field Guide to the Ferns. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston

Cobb, Boughton; Farnsworth, Elizabeth; Lowe, Cheryl. A Field Guide to Ferns. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon and Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America . Harper & Row NY

Gleason, Henry A. and Arthur Conquist. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern U.S. and Canada , NY Botanic Garden Press NY

Hale, Mason. H ow to Know the Lichens W.C. Brown Dubuque , Iowa

Heinrich, Bernd. A Year in the Maine Woods . Addison Wesley. Reading , MA

Heinrich, Bernd. The Trees in My Forest . HarperCollinns Books, NY

Little, Elbert. Audubon Field Guide to North America Trees . Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. NY

Marchant, Peter. North Woods- An Inside Look at the Nature of Forests in the Northeast . AMC Boston

Mickel, John How to Know the Ferns and Fern Allies. W.C. Brown Dubuque , Iowa

Newcomb, Lawrence Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Little Brown. Boston

Niering, William and Nancy Olmstead. Audubon Field Guide to North America Wildflowers. Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. N.Y.

Peterson, Lee Allen. A Field Guide to EdibleWild Plants. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston

Peterson, Roger Tory and Margaret McKenny A Field Guide to Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston

Thoreau, Henry David, Edited by Bradley Dean Wild Fruits. W.W. Norton Co. NY

FITNESS LEVEL & CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS :

Each day there will be significant time spent in the out-of-doors. A level of fitness allowing one to be in the out-of-doors is expected, but the course does not require strenuous activities. There will be many stops during the day to study the plants and to rest. There also will be a wetland plant exercise where there will be uneven footing and wet areas encountered. Clothing appropriate for this course includes: hiking boots, clothing ranging from shorts and T shirt to pants, top and outer gear that provides warmth and water repellency. A small backpack to carry clothing, reference material, food and water is suggested. Sun screen is recommended. A pocket knife, a thick(>1.5") phonebook for pressing specimens or digital camera and a handheld 10X lens is required. Please communicate with the professor(email is best) prior to the course if there are questions concerning any of the above.

May 4, 2010 1:43:28 PM

FIELD BOTANY PRECOURSE ASSIGNMENT

PRE-COURSE ASSIGNMENT:

The course will focus on the woody and herbaceous plants common to the Northeast and the student will have the opportunity to study a representation of these plants from the perspective of a field botanist..

Each of the plants listed below are commonly found in this area. Select a plant from below. and determine the derivation of the scientific name such as: Maianthemum canadense which means May flower of Canada. In addition to determining the derivation become familiar with the binomial system of plant nomenclature and be prepared in the first class meeting to participate in a discussion of this naming system and the derivation of the name of the plant you select. Carl von Linné, ( who latinized his name to Carolus Linnaeus is considered the father of botanical nomenclature and published Species Plantarum in 1753.

Abies balsamea

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Chionanthus virginicus

Dianthus deltoides

Gaultheria hispidula

Helianthus giganteus

Juniperus communis

Linnaea borealis

Potentilla tridentata

Rosa rugosa

Solidago cutleri

Trillium undulatum

May 4, 2010 1:35:41 PM

Mar 25, 2010 7:12:52 PM

UPLIFTING TREE

The root system of most trees tends to be in the upper foot of soil. Evidence of this is shown in this video shot in 50mph winds at 20 below zero in Newry,