Course Content and Outcome Guide for LAT 272
- Date:
- 29-SEP-2006
- Posted by:
- Curriculum Office
- Course Number:
- LAT 272
- Course Title:
- Sustainable Landscaping
- Credit Hours:
- 3
- Lecture hours:
- 30
- Lecture/Lab hours:
- 0
- Lab hours:
- 0
- Special Fee:
Course Description
Discusses methods used to protect and conserve natural systems and resources within the landscape. Deals with the health of people, plants and the environment and looks a new approaches to landscaping. Recommended: WR 115.Addendum to Course Description
Class utilizes videos, internet sites, guest speakers and field trips to provide information and to stimulate class discussion of themes and topics.Intended Outcomes for the course
- Increased awareness of environmental systems impacted through landscape practices.
- Rethinking of past beliefs and practices in the design, installation and maintenance of landscapes.
- Understand the environmental impacts of landscape operations on soil health, water conservation, air and water pollution and energy consumption.
Outcome Assessment Strategies
- Written paper explaining personal view of “sustainable landscaping” including support material from class lectures.
- Participation in class discussions
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Themes, concepts and goals:- Recognition of the landscape as an ever changing environment.
- Understanding that changing demographics, population and life styles require us to look at landscaping as part of the “larger” environment and ecosystem.
- Landscape design, installation, and maintenance can be done in environmentally sensitive ways and still provide healthy, useable, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces.
- Understand the long term economic and environmental impacts of “older” landscape methods.
Competencies and skills:
- Discuss the concepts of hydrozones, microclimates and “xeriscaping”
- Select plants for sun/shade exposures, drought tolerance and soil preference
- Discuss use of plants to control wind and temperature, both outdoors and for structures
- Discuss water conservation through the proper selection and positioning of plants
- Discuss water conservation and plant health relative to proper irrigation techniques
- Discuss proper use of turfgrass and groundcovers in the landscape
- Discuss and explain the concept of “Integrated Pest Management”
- Discuss fertilization needs and methods relative to plant health, energy consumption and pollution
- Discuss landscape equipment selection and use relative to energy consumption and pollution
- Discuss recycling within the landscape including composting, use of mulches and yard debris
- Discuss the soil as an ecosystem and the maintenance of soil health