GEOG 4430: Conservation Trends—Boulder’s
Open Space
Instructor: Elizabeth Pike
Email: pikee@colorado.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays 12:00-12:45
& by appointment
Office: Guggenheim 104
Class Meeting:
Wednesday, 9:00-11:50 am, Guggenheim 201E
Website:
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_4430_s08/
I.
Readings: Required texts: (abbreviation used in syllabus)
• Donna Erickson, MetroGreen
•
Jill Barron (ed) Rocky Mountain Futures
II.
Required reserve readings:
Additional
readings will be assigned in class. Reserve readings are
accessible via Norlin Library’s electronic reserve system.
III.
The Class Content and Objectives
Boulder’s
“open space” is a crucial foundation of our local identity.
Whether providing a scenic backdrop, recreational opportunities, a
buffer against encroaching urbanization, or wildlife habitat, our
open space is a tangible reflection of community values. How did we
end up with this unique landscape? What challenges face open space
managers in the future?
This class will provide an overview of
the local open space programs in Boulder. We will begin by
looking at the history, holdings, and management tasks facing local
open space departments. Your final project will be a research
proposal that integrates the various topics and issues that we will
discuss this semester. This proposal will be presented to the class
in poster form as well as being submitted in written form. Weekly
tests will encourage you to keep abreast of the significant amount of
basic factual material presented in the class. The midterms will
test more in-depth knowledge and your ability to synthesize what you
have learned. You will also be responsible for summarizing and
developing questions for one week’s work during the semester.
IV.
Grading Details: The final grade will be comprised of the
following components:
10% Summary and Test Question
Preparation
5% Participation
30% Weekly Tests
25% Midterm
Exams
30% Final Project (poster plus proposal)
No makeup
tests or exams will be given. Students who miss a quiz or test
without a documented and acceptable excuse (e.g. medical) will
receive a score of zero for the missed work. If you know of a
valid conflict with any of the scheduled tests or the final exam,
contact the instructor in advance.
Students with special
needs: please contact the instructor as soon as possible to discuss
any necessary arrangements or adjustments which would facilitate your
success in this class.
GEOG 4430
Spring 2008: Schedule of Lectures and Assigned Readings
Weekly Schedule
January 16: Introductions
Intro, review syllabus
definitions, maps, etc
Kesda lab web exercise
January 23: Classifying open space
Read Chapter 1 in MetroGreen before this class
test on reading, week 1 material
discuss, review open space typologies as presented in MetroGreen
place Boulder's Open Space into this context
field trip (weather dependent)
January 30: Local history, Regional demographic context
Read Preface and Chapter 1 in Rocky Mountain Futures
test on Reading, week 2 material
guest lecture
Boulder history
regional demographic changes
February 6: How and why Boulderites value Open Space
Reserve reading—Visitor Master Plan
test on week 3 material
meanings and representations of nature
interviews and letters to the editor, public comment analysis
city vs county OS departments
February 13: Agriculture
Reserve reading—TSA documents
test on week 4 material
conservation easements
field trip to Boulder County Conservation Easement
February 20: Recreation and the TSA process
Reserve reading—TSA documents
Midterm I
guest lecture: Mike Barrow, Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance
February 27: Recreation and the TSA process
Reserve reading—finish TSA documents
test on week 6 material
field trip-Marshall Mesa
March 5: Ecological values in Boulder's Open Space
Read Chapters 10 and 11 in Rocky Mountain Futures
test on week 7 material
guest lecture
March 12: Wildlife/rare plants
Reserve reading--TBA
test on week 8 material
field trip South Boulder Creek Trail with a OSMP naturalist
March 19: Fire I
Read Chapter 7 in Rocky Mountain Futures
test on week 9 material
guest lecture
field trip
March 26: No Class, Spring Break
April 2: Fire II
Reserve reading--TBA
test on week 10 material
forest management
guest lecture
April 9: Other management issues
Reserve reading--TBA
Midterm II
guest lecture
April 16
Poster session I
April 23
test on week 12 material
Poster session II
April 30
Final field trip, written portion of final project due
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact:303-492-8671, Willard 322, and http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professionalcourtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices athttp://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu;303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.htmland at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/