Syllabus

GEOG 4742: Environments and Peoples—Boulder’s Open Space

Instructor: Elizabeth Pike Email: pikee "AT" colorado.edu
Office Hours: immediately after class & by appointment Office: Guggenheim 104

Class Meeting: Monday-Thursday 9:15-12:15, Guggenheim 201E
Class will not meet June 22-25
course website: GEOG4742.blogspot.com

I. Readings: Required texts: (abbreviation used in syllabus)
• Jill Barron (ed) Rocky Mountain Futures
• Aldo Leopold Sand County Almanac

II. Required reserve readings:
Additional readings will be assigned in class. Reserve readings are accessible online.

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% Daily 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 4742 Summer 2009: Schedule of Class Meetings and Assigned Readings

Weekly Schedule

June 1 (Monday): Introductions

Intro, review syllabus

definitions, maps, etc

Kesda lab web exercise

June 2 (Tuesday): Demography and Land Use

Read Preface and Chapter 1 in Rocky Mountain Futures

Read Leopold “Conservation Esthetic” and “The Land Ethic”

Test on assigned reading (RMF and Leopold) and Monday material

Bill Travis guest lecture

June 3 (Wednesday): Forest Zones in Boulder County

Read Chapters 9 and 10 in Rocky Mountain Futures

Test on Reading, Tuesday material

Teresa Chapman guest lecture

June 4 (Thursday): Tallgrass Remnant Field Trip

Read Chapter 11 in Rocky Mountain Futures

Test on Reading, Wednesday material

Meet in the classroom at 9:15. Bus leaves from Rec Center Turnaround at 9:30.

Hike with COB OSMP Naturalist Dave Sutherland

June 8 (Monday): Heil Ranch Forestry Field Trip

Read Chapter 11 in Rocky Mountain Futures

Test on Reading, Thursday material (on the bus)

MEET AT THE RCTA. BUS LEAVES AT 9:15.

Hike with Nick Stremel of BoCo POS Forestry Department

June 9 (Tuesday): Midterm Exam I, Conservation Easements

Midterm I

Lecture on conservation easements

June 10 (Wednesday): Conservation Easement Field Trip

Reserve reading, articles by Wright

Field trip with Janis Whisman of BoCo POS

MEET AT THE RCTA. BUS LEAVES AT 9:15.

June 11 (Thursday): Research at CU and OSMP Volunteers

Read Leopold “Wildlife in American Culture” and “Wilderness”

Read the City of Boulder OSMP Visitor Master Plan

Test on Reading, Wednesday material

Guest speakers: Susanne Larsen (Earth Science Library) and Susan Ross (CoB OSMP)

June 15 (Monday): Public Opinion about Open Space

Finish reading the Visitor Master Plan

Test on Reading, Thursday material

Analysis of public comments on various open space issues

June 16 (Tuesday): Recreation Advocacy

Read Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Trail Study Area Plan

Test on Reading, Monday material

Guest lecture: Mike Barrow from Boulder Mountainbike Alliance

June 17 (Wednesday): Doudy Draw Field Trip

Finish reading Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Trail Study Area Plan

Test on Reading, Monday material

Meet in the classroom at 9:15. Bus leaves from Rec Center Turnaround at 9:30.

Field trip to Doudy Draw

Hike with Brett Ochs, trail designer at Loris and Associates

June 18 (Thursday): Midterm Exam II, projects

Midterm II

discussion of project topics

June 22-25 NO CLASS

EP available via email

June 29 (Monday): NO CLASS

June 30 (Tuesday): Poster session I

Half of class will present their research proposals and posters

July 1 (Wednesday): Poster session II

Half of class will present their research proposals and posters

July 2 (Thursday): Final Field Trip

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/