Envmt 30 Ecological Restoration: Uplands

Envmt 30 Ecological Restoration: Uplands Code 24507
SYLLABUS SPRING 2010
Robin Freeman, robinf5713@aol.com, 434-3840; 510-915-1452 cell

Thursdays 6:30-8:20pm Saturday Sunday 9 or 10am-3 or 4pm
!!!!!NOTE: Field Times and dates may be re-arranged. Check with instructor beforehand!!!!!!

DESCRIPTION:
Principles/techniques of ecological restoration: Emphasis on use of native trees, grasses, shrubs,wildflowers in urban/suburban/parks/wildland areas "Uplands" distinguishes this course from "Wetlands Restoration" and "Restoration and Monitoring of Watercourses", which are either within the intertidal zone, in- stream, aquatic or bank focused. Uplands receive precipitation and ground water, but not standing or flowing water and include terrestrial from low to high elevations.

ASSIGNMENTS: This class is primarily a lecture and field course compressed into a short time. There is basic background reading, some research and a class project that support what you will do in class.
1) Read SER Primer (see "Text") . Use additional research and resources as needed. Review Merritt East Bay Watershed community documents on CD
2) The course project is reviewing our on-site materials and projects at Merritt and the adjacent parks, organizing, and/or implementing a restoration, planning or research project here. You may organize your project using appropriate section headings from the SER Primer and from what you learn in the course. You can use any resource books or other material as handbooks to help plan your project. If you choose to take the course Credit/Non-Credit, you don't have to do a project. If you are using the course towards a certificate or degree, then take it for a letter grade,. You may do your project as a group if you wish. 3) Ongoing research for our course site visits and logistics organizing.

TEXT: The SER (Society for Ecological Restoration) International Primer on Ecological Restoration. Free download : http://www.ser.org/content/ecological_restoration_primer.asp#5 Or GoogleThe Primer for a PDF version. It is a short general introduction from which you can draw project goals. Recommended:.Arthur Kruckberg, Introduction to California Soils and Plants, UC Press - useful uplands restoration information.

Thursday 2/4 INTRODUCTIONS, goals, schedule, assignments
What is “Uplands” Restore to What; Scale and Goals
Assignment: Read SER Primer (15 pages) by 2/18; begin research on sites below and Ca Watershed Manual

Thursday 2/11 Restoration is a Social Act – Artisinal, Psycho-Social, Caretaking and Community,Economic, Scientific, Scale Alhambra Creek Watershed report in class

Thursday 2/18, Charli Danielson, Native Here Nursery, California Native Plant Society, Tilden Park: Local Plant Material; Selecting, Propagation And Care Alhambra Creek Watershed report in class (if time allows and it is needed)

Saturday 2/20 9:00am -3:pm (45 min from Oakland) Strentzel Meadow, Alhambra Creek workday, tour, canyon hike, Beaver Damn http://www.ccrcd.org/alhambra.html#strentzel

Sunday 2/21 FIELD TRIP options; You schedule for Native Here volunteering groups of 3-5 only. Friday 9-noon, Sat 10-2, Tues noon-3 Possible Skyline Serpentine Prarie; Huckleberry Preserve restoration project, On campus projects

Thursday 2/25, Stew Winchester, Vegetation Communities Of The Bay Area And The Environmental Influences That Shape Them

Thursday 3/4, Student EBWC project planning – Invasives/Guest Sausal Creek report in class

Saturday 3/6 10:30 FIELD TRIP Friends Of Sausal Creek; meet at the Dimond or Redwood site for a walkthrough "lecture" and an hour of work (10:30-12:30?), lunch; nursery day 1:30-4:30 meet at the nursery at 1:30

Thursday3/11 Student EBWC project planning – Invasives/Guest Pacific Open Space/grasslands report in class

Saturday 3/13 Pacific Open Space Nursery, Petaluma

Thursday 3/18 Daylight Savings Merritt East Bay Watershed project hands on and planning discussion.