Environmental Writing

I wonder what this scene would look like without the french broom, hemlock, and thistle? Would more water fill this vernal pool? Would this willow change from a tree to a thicket? What plants would fill this space in their stead? And how dense would they grow? What would the animals lose or gain from their removal? Would the spotted towhee lose a place of shelter and refuge? Would the oaks have room to breath and grow mighty? How did we allow this place to change? These conditions to be? - Michael Mees

ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING Fall 13

23 September 2013 Violet Henderson-Green Outside the Self Reliant House

After wondering around for five or so moments trying to figure out where I wanted to take a seat and begin writing, I looked up and down the hill reading the signs and taking in the sights until I turned around and spotted a sign that read “Edible Garden” This is a cool space. Shady, and quiet. I hear the chirping of the birds and I see the scattering of little brow striped spiders as they seam to be investigating why on earth did I choose this spot to plant my butt down and write. I guess it was the color purple that drew me in along with the green leaves. The color combination always reminds me of a natural wonder of God’s perfect color combination. It also makes me think about my name and how two of the most beloved men in my life named me. When I was born my dad named me Violet and when I got married I became Mrs. Green. I wonder what other natural colorful name combinations there are in the world? How about Heather Blue, Grey Brown, Poppy Red or Golden Tan? Or why people always seem to take on the characteristic of their names? When we area not on one accord with nature either we change or the world around us changes. To evolve into something totally different and perfect once again.

TREE TO SEA; A BAY AREA CROSS SECTION - Spring 2013 Syllabus ENVMT 40 (3 Units) Code 22958

Self-Reliant House (SRH)

Instructor Robin Freeman 510-434-3840 (o) 510-915-1452 (cell), robinf5713@aol.com  and/or rfreeman@peralta.edu

 

NOTE: The field locations may change.  Maps and directions will be given  at the class meeting before and by email.  CHECK BEFOREHAND!!

Monday, 4/1: 6:30 – 9:20 Environmental Center (SRH): Introductions,

Brief Field walk, Purpose and methods of the course. Responsible Ecotourism; viewing and visioning a cultural landscape.  Green Infrastructure and the San Leandro Creek Greenway proposal powerpoint and the Upper Watershed.  Gaps, Connecting the Dots and Strategies for Community involvement. Call for scouts. Continued next week.

HEADWATERS

Sunday, 4/7: 10am Meet at Lake Chabot Park in front of gates by path up to the Dam  (Looking at the creek below the dam)

Bring Lunch, Water, Dress For The Weather (Showers?),Camera (If You Have One), Day Pack

9:30 SRH/Merritt If you need a ride and/or are giving one.

Merritt College to Chabot Park From Campus Drive      

Turn left onto Redwood Road

Turn left onto Mountain Blvd unmarked at bottom of hill below church and across from shopping mall

Take the 1st right onto Carson St Under Freeway (signs for State Hwy 13 N)

Turn left to merge onto CA-13 S/STATE HWY 13 S past 98^th and 106^th TOWARD HAYWARD to 580 4ish miles past to DUTTON AVE/ESTUDILLO (see below for directions to the park)

MEET 10:00am CHABOT PARK, SAN LEANDRO

DUTTON AVE/ESTUDILLO go along frontage/McArthrur to ESTUDILLO LEFT UNDER FREEWAY  Uphill from the freeway, Estudillo splits left off Lake Chabot Rd. at the brown EB Parks Lake Chabot sign

BEAR LEFT ON ESTUDILLO a short distance through houses BEAR RIGHT at Not a Through Street sign (Sylvan) which takes you directly across a bridge into CHABOT PARK.  Park where you can. Restrooms

Afternoon – scout bike route in San Leandro TBA

Monday, 4/8: 6:30 – 9:20 (Sunset 7:40) LION CREEK EVENING HIKE

Meet at SRH Environmental Center Studying the maps . Landscape and land use observations

UPLANDS

Sunday, 4/14: 9:30 am meet at Merritt/ Car shuttle to 10am  Lake Chabot Park. Walk to Bort Meadows and Equestrian Center 6 miles minor elevation change, then 200’ climb at the end. Grass Valley Creek, Anthony Chabot Park. West side upper watershed

Saturday, 4/20:  Earth Day Bike Tour, BBQ and optional volunteer work day.

12:30 PM BBQ & Watershed Festival.  Free BBQ for all Earth Day participants! Across from 678 Cary Dr. - lot behind Bancroft Middle School. Park on Bancroft (by Haas Ave. Bridge) and walk in

1:30 PM BICYCLE RIDE  MEET @ Cary Dr BBQ (above) Near S. Leandro BART

Optional volunteer work sites

9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Creek Clean Up Meet at the Starbucks (185 98^th Ave. in Oakland)

10:00 AM– 12:00 PM Cobb Bench Maintenance at Madison Middle School in Oakland. Meet on 105^th Ave behind the Community Reformed Church at 457 Capistrano Dr., 94603

9:30-11:00 AM Creek Clean Up  Root Park E 14^th at Hays St. San Leandro

Sunday, 4/28: Tidewater Center MLK Shoreline San Leandro Creek Canoe Trip low tide 12pm high tide 4:30 TBA

Monday, 4/29: 6:30 – 9:20 Review Field notes, update field trip sites

Sunday, 5/5: Parkridge Dr. Anthony Chabot to Valle Vista Staging Area San Leandro Creek Upper Watershed

Saturday, 5/18: Valle Vista Staging Area to Rancho Laguna Park

Sunday, 5/19: San Leandro Creek Upper Watershed Southeast area TBA

Monday, 5/20: 6:30  SRH Assemble photography and field observations

GRADING: This course may be taken for a letter grade or credit/non-credit (audit).  If taken for a letter grade, this course satisfies requirements for several ENVMT majors. For Credit only; 80% class attendance is required. For a letter grade attendance, participation, and assignments are required. For non-credit you may choose your level of participation. 

ASSIGNMENTS: Most of the work is done in the field where we will record data. The optional text is the East Bay Watershed Center CD which contains the Intertidal Directory  and the Feasibility Guide.  Review these, especially the “Sample Flowchart” in the beginning of the Intertidal Directory and the “Summary”, “Study Uses” and “Goals (focusing on Stakeholders)” in the  Feasibility Guide.  Our responsible ecotourism assignment will be to 1) research and coordinate with local creek stakeholders towards supporting their goals where possible, and 2) enter the data we gather, including photos, in the East Bay Watershed Directory format, or a format for stakeholder use to be determined. You may also choose to help scout hike routes.

FIELD DAY INFORMATION: Each trip will have its own information sheets which will be handed out either the Monday before or the morning of the trip. NOT ALL FIELD DAYS MEET AT THE SAME PLACE. Make sure you contact the instructor beforehand if you do not have the meeting information.  In all cases bring a day pack with your lunch, water, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, hiking shoes or boots with lugs (ie not smooth soles except for on board the boats) camera (optional), any medication you may need, snacks, long pants and sleeves as needed and appropriate clothing for the weather conditions including rain. The hikes are moderate to light and usually not more than 5 miles.  We will carpool between the start and ending sites. Some days we will be driving between several sites. R. Freeman’s emergency cell phone 510-915-1452

80% Attendance or as agreed	Photographs and/or field observations & help assemble them	Scouting or trip directions	A
70% Attendance or as agreed	Photographs and/or field observations	Scouting or trip directions	B
60% Attendance or as agreed	Photographs and/or field observations		C
50% Attendance or as agreed	---	---	D
F – suggest you withdraw			F

Student Learning Objectives

1. 1. 1. . Identify and describe basic landforms , plant community types, and aquatic system types

2. Identify and describe basic land uses related to sustainability

3. Describe and evaluate the health or sustainable characteristics of a land use system.

4. Discuss and document a land use, restoration or design project with local community members.

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who wish to receive services and/or accommodations are asked to submit a form from the Disability Services Program (DSP). Receiving services and accommodations will not adversely affect your grade. This information will be kept confidential (FERPA). Please meet with me in private as early in the semester as possible to discuss your learning needs. If you think that you could benefit from the services offered by DSP, please contact a counselor in R-109, 510-436-2429, or go to our College website for more information: www.merritt.edu, click on "Student Services," and then click on "Disability Services Program."

ENVMT 8 - INTRODUCTION TO RANGER/ NATURALIST, OUTDOOR EDUCATION Spring 2013 Syllabus Code: 23597 (3 units)

Thursdays 6:30-9:20PM @ Self Reliant House, Saturdays; Sundays (see field instructions available before each trip)

Team Contact: Robin Freeman M.A., 434-3840, rfreeman@peralta.edu 510-915-1452 cell  Call or email Robin for office hrs @ SRH.

Nancy Ceridwyn, MS, MEd., 415-640-4270, nancyceridwyn@comcast.net

FIELD TIMES AND LOCATIONS MAY CHANGE - CHECK EMAIL NOTICES OR CHECK WITH ROBIN.

This course is an overview of nature/culture interpretation and education including  planning for age-, theme- and place-appropriate presentations for diverse audiences and settings; survey of park management, planning and community relations.Content will include resources and employment opportunities in the environmental management field.

Text: 

Beck, Larry, and Cable, Ted

Interpretation for the 21st Century: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture, 2nd edition

Sagamore Books

2002

1)     Thursday 2/7.  Introduction

Instructors: Robin Freeman & Nancy Ceridwyn

Introduction to the Course; Brief introductions of class participants and professional interests; Discussion about grades, attendance, mini-internships, journals and presentations either oral or written.

Trail experience: Tour of Environmental Center and Hilton Trail 

ASSIGNMENT: Please begin a class journal and begin with one of two questions: How is the natural world part of our community culture or is it? OR What stuck with you about the evening walk? Text: Purchase. Handout: Syllabus. Bring flashlights, umbrellas for next week.

2)     Thursday 2/14.  Defining the Profession.

Instructors: Robin Freeman & Nancy Ceridwyn

History of the profession, How do we define the jobs of ranger, naturalist, environmental educator as professions and in what arenas do each work? 

Trail experience: Leona Canyon and/or Hilton Trail.

ASSIGNMENT: Write directions to a local park. Text Reading: Intro, 1, 3, 4, 7,15

Begin to think about mini-internship sites.

3)     Sunday 2/17.  Elements of Interpretation: Cultural Interpretation.

Eugene O’Neill’s Tao House, National Park Service Historic Site.

NPS staff with Robin Freeman and Nancy Ceridwyn

Presentation and planning for interpretation of cultural and historic sites.

Meet at Merritt College at 9:00 am and drive to Danville where we will board the Park Service van as a group.  Bring lunch, water and hiking gear.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a rough first draft of the types of mini-internship sites which interest you. Due Thurs 2/21

4)  Thursday 2/21.  Engaging Environmental Education: New Techniques for Learning

Lynn Barakos and Ken Beals-Lawrence Hall of Science, Better Environmental Education Teaching, Learning, Expertise and Sharing (BEETLES)

Innovative, practical strategies for making outdoor science experience more learner-and discussion-centered.

Way Finding- Preparing for the Experience

Instructor: Nancy Ceridwyn/ Robin Freeman

The importance of thorough directions.

ASSIGNMENT: Text: Reading: Chapters 2, 8, 12,13  Handout: Directions to Big Break Visitor Center DUE: Mini-Internship draft list. Begin arranging your site. You may ask Robin or Nancy for help.  These often take time to arrange.

4)     Saturday 2/23. 10:00 - 1:00  Elements of Interpretation

Kevin Damstra, Naturalist, East Bay Regional Park District with Robin Freeman and Nancy Ceridwyn

Meet at Merritt College at 9:00 am or meet the group at Big Break Visitors Center @ 10:00 am.

What is interpretation and why do we interpret? Explore the difference between interpretation and information, techniques, styles, and methods.

Bring lunch and outdoor clothing

Trail experience: Big Break, Antioch

ASSIGNMENT: Journal notes on your impressions of Big Break, developing your style of interpretation and your thoughts on the presentation content.

6)  Thursday 2/28.  Organizing Volunteer Programs and First Aid for Participants

Instructor: Robin Freeman 

Megan Hess Lilla- Volunteerism and Friends of Sausal Creek

Kate Freeman: Safety and First Aid

Discuss Journal assignment

ASSIGNMENT: Reading Text : 6

7) Thursday 3/7.  Who Is the Audience?  From Pre-school to Older Adults.

Instructor: Nancy Ceridwyn    Making programs appropriate for various ages, physical and mental abilities. Matching the program to the learning styles

ASSIGNMENT: Reading Text: Chapters 9, 10.  Journal: What audiences do you feel most comfortable with and why? 

8)  Thursday 3/14.  Teaching without Talking: Outdoor Activities; and Coordinating with Large Park Organizations

Bob Flasher, Golden Gate Park Conservancy with Robin Freeman

Interactive outdoor games and interpretive activities make nature more accessible supplemented with great ranger in-the-field stories.

ASSIGNMENT: Reading Text: Chapters 11, Handout: Directions to Crab Cove

9) Thursday 3/21.Environmental Writing for Brochures and Panels

Michael Charnofsky Naturalist, East Bay Regional Parks,Robin Freeman

Meet at Crab Cove Visitors Center, Alameda 6:30. 

NOTE: Brief proposal of interpretive text and activity, or walk/talk ideas/questions/lousy first draft due April 4

Reminder: Mini-internships will be due in less than a month

ASSIGNMENT: Reading Text: Principles 14. Journal: What were your impressions of Crab Cove Visitor Center?  When has the non-personal interpretation been most useful for you?  When is it less useful? Handout: Directions to Anthony Chabot Eagle Campground

**Spring Break – 3/25-3/29

10) Thursday 4/4.  Park Management 

Host: Janet Gomes, Supervising Ranger, East Bay Regional Parks with Jim O’Conner, Assistant Operations Manager EBRPD, Eric Folmer, TreeWolf Tree Service and former EBRPD Ranger Union President and Robin Freeman

Meet at Merritt at 6:30pm and drive to Anthony Chabot Eagle Campground

The panel will discuss changing views of park maintenance, preservation and community interaction.

ASSIGNMENT: Brief proposal of interpretive text and activity, or walk/talk ideas/questions/lousy first draft due .

Research resources for planning an interpretive presentation; Due April 18.

11)  Thursday 4/11. Experienceology and Story telling

Instructor: Nancy Ceridwyn

Examine 8 steps to a better visitor experiences at your site.  Stories to make your program come alive.

ASSIGNMENT: Journal: What was your best and worst Park or Museum experience? Why?  Handout: Directions to Sunol Regional Park

12)  *Saturday 4/13. Interpretive Plans that Work with Park Activities

Instructor: Nancy Ceridwyn, Katie Colbert, Naturalist, East Bay Regional Wildrness

Meet at 9:00 in the Merritt parking lot and drive to Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness near Pleasanton or at 10 am at the Sunol Green Barn Visitors Center

Interpretive plans connect the themes of a park with park programs.  Participate in two programs generated from Sunol’s interpretive plans. 

ASSIGNMENT: Prepare for April 18 Presentation

13)  Thursday 4/18.  Class Presentations – potluck. Present walk/talk/brochure and comment on each

ASSIGNMENT: Prepare interpretive activities for volunteer program on Saturday

Class members organize the event

14)       Saturday 4/20. Class Volunteer Coordination in Action

Instructor: Robin Freeman

Class members coordinate volunteers for projects and interpretation of San Leandro Creek.

GRADES: For a letter grade (required for Certificate/Degree), reasonable attendance, class participation, and completion of assignments will be used by students to suggest your own grade and evaluate the course.  If the course is taken for Credit/non credit only, participation is required for this option. 

Mini-Internships consist of 5-8 hours volunteering at a park, nature center, camp, outdoor class, volunteer environment clean-up or other venues where interpretation, parks management/maintenance or outdoor/environmental education takes place.  Reporting back verbally to the class or in writing include the name of your intern site, the leader who worked with you, date and times and your impressions if what was most useful to you and what was least useful.

Presentations may be an interpretation,  an environmental education activity of about 10 minutes, a site management activity or plan, or a volunteer activity (on Earthday)  or  designing and writing a brochure or interpretation panel. 

Grading Rubric
80% Attendance or as agreed	Mini-internship: 5-8 hrs,; report back verbally or in writing	Presentation: oral or written	A
60%	Internship	Presentation	B
50%	Internship or Presentation	Internship or Presentation	C
50%	---	---	D
F – suggest you withdraw			F

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who wish to receive services and/or accommodations are asked to submit a form from the Disability Services Program (DSP). Receiving services and accommodations will not adversely affect your grade. This information will be kept confidential (FERPA). Please meet with me in private as early in the semester as possible to discuss your learning needs. If you think that you could benefit from the services offered by DSP, please contact a counselor in R-109, 510-436-2429, or go to our College website for more information: www.merritt.edu, click on "Student Services," and then click on "Disability Services Program."

Spring 2012 Course Syllbi - ENVMT 1, 2, 2L

ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS. ENVMT 1 #24487 1.0 UNIT
Spring 2012 SYLLABUS
Environmental Center, Self Reliant House
INSTRUCTOR: ROBIN FREEMAN 510-434-3840, robinf5713@aol.com

Recommended texts (not required): The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers. Island Press; and What Color is Your Parachute?, 10 Speed Press

Course Requirements:
Environmental Careers is a required core course for Environmental Studies majors. It may be taken for 1) a letter grade (required of majors or for transfer grade point average), 2) for Credit (no grade, gives transfer elective units), or
3) No Credit (does not affect transcript). For those taking a letter grade, you will participate in grading yourself.

1) Course attendance, 2) a minimum of 4 hours volunteer work for any environment related organization or firm, 3) an Informational Interview or Research Report on an environmental career are required for a letter grade. There will be brief evaluations of the interview and volunteer/intern projects (see due dates). An Environmental Career Portfolio will be developed during the course.

Your volunteer work can be for the Environmental Program at Merritt or at a location of your choosing which willing to have you for a short period of time.
Some organizations would rather have you for at least a full day. Of course, you are welcome to put in more than four hours. You should choose work that is interesting to you and fits into your career development. There will be listings available in class or on line, the Ecology Center on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley and numerous government agencies.

Learning Outcomes: You will be able to research and survey environmental job or entrepreneurial opportunities, prioritize your choices and make and execute a plan to work in that career pathway.

SCHEDULE:
January 26, Thurs. 1-4– Introduction to the course, Class Introduction Interviews
February 2, Thurs. 1-4- Preference Profiles, Environ. Careers Slide presentation
February 9, Thurs. 1-6:20, 5 Year Plan, Strategy A and B, Resume, History of Work. To accommodate religious services, you may attend the afternoon only.
Break time for Interviews and Mini-internship
March 15, Thurs. 1-4 - Reports on interviews/internships due, discussion/task,
March 22, Thurs 1-4 - Reports continued, discussion, evaluation.


INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
ENVMT 2, Code: 22656 (3 units)
SYLLABUS Spring 2012, Version 1.0

Team Contact: Robin Freeman M.A., 434-3840, robinf5713@aol.com, Office hrs (call first) @ SRH; Check field day locations and time updates the week before the field trip. Topic days may change.

Wednesdays 6:30-9:20PM & 3 Sunday field days
Text: Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment, 11th to 16th Editions.
Note: You are encouraged to use editions which you can find used. The chapter numbers change in each edition. Find the subject in the title of the lecture either in the Table of Contents or in the Index. There is free information on line for each chapter as well as a pay as you read site. There are copies on 2 hour reserve in the Library in the A Building.

2/1 Introductions; about the course and the ENVMT program Definitions Sustainability, System, Ecology
2/8 Environmental Problems, Their Causes and Solutions, Sustainability and History
2/12 Sunday, 10am Meet at SRH Field Trip to Village Homes in Davis, 1.5 hour drive, bring lunch.
2/15 Urban Land Use, Economics; Politics, Sustainability
2/22 Science, Matter and Energy, Climate Change, Water, Carbon and
Geologic Cycles
2/26 Sunday TBA Community Meeting or event planning; Student presentation
group planning
2/28 Ecosystems, Populations, Communities,
3/7 Risk, Toxicology, Air, H2O Pollution; Minerals, Soil, Water Pollution;
STUDENT PRESENTATION
3/11 Sunday San Leandro Creek event.
3/14 Energy: Climate planning, Resiliency
3/21 Forest Resources, Restoration, Global Warming: Chapters 11-3 through
11-10, 21
3/28 Biodiversity, Restoration: R, Freenan
Pesticides, IPM, Extinctions, Wildlife Conservation
STUDENT PRESENTATION
3/30 Solid Waste, Food Resources and Food Security STUDENT PRESENTATION
4/4 Sustainable Planning Discussion or Speaker event PROJECT REPORTS DUE:
4/11 Class presentations, evaluations, grades;
Spring Break



Course Requirements:
Field Days: If you schedule does not permit you to attend a field day, you may substitute a field day from another course in the Integrated Curriculum this semester.

Weekly Assignment: Each week turn in one brief paragraph for the text reading, or the lecture about how the subject affects your life in some way or, if you do not think it does, why not.

Semester Project:
Option 1 - Choose one of the subjects from the ENVMT 2L lab list and and volunteer a minimum of 8 hours on a project. It can be the same as the Lab project you are doing. It can be in the community or research or work on your own that is useful to the group or sector you choose. We will work with other classes this semester on the integrated curriculum in the San Leandro Creek corridor. Write briefly where you volunteered, what you did, and what was most and least useful to you about the experience and how, or if that particular area of effort affects, or could affect the human (or other species) health and the quality of life both locally and globally. You will present your work in class. You can work in groups.
Option 2 – Select one of the STUDENT PRESENTATION italicized lecture topics above. Research it in the text and anywhere else, use your own experience, if you have experience in the subject. Present a lecture, discussion, or workshop activity on that topic individually or in a group.

Grade You will suggest your grade based on attendance, completion of weekly reading and writing assignments, and completion of your final project. This course is required for all of the Environmental majors. Environmental Studies 2 satisfies certain UC, CSU Social Sciences requirements. You must choose a grade or CR/NC by the beginning of class.


Introduction to Sustainable Systems Lab
Spring 2012 Syllabus
ENVMT 2L (1 Unit) Code: 23930

Robin Freeman, robinf5713@aol.com, (510) 434-3840, Cell: (510) 915-1452

Wednesday, 2/1: 3:00 optional Drop in Orientation, 5:00 Orientation
What is a project? What is a plan?
Wednesday, 2/8 – 5/9 Regular update meetings at 5:30; attend as needed.
Wednesday, 5/16 Project and course Evaluations/pot luck
Each student will make his or her own plan, goals and schedule with me. The Lab schedule will be flexible to accommodate student projects.

ENVMT 2L projects can be combined with ENVMT 50 projects and both volunteer and paid internships.

A completely sustainable system will include everything that humans do. For that reason, this lab course has access to many and diverse projects. Everything we are doing to learn how to live sustainably is a global experiment. You can join working groups from various courses that will be working on multiple projects through Green Works Development beginning in February. They will include all the student initiated projects that are on-going and will include orientations and powerpoint updates. Set individual or group meetings to outline what you want to focus on for the semester.

Course Requirements:
.
1) Select project(s) from this list, or you may suggest your own. Due Feb. 8 a priority list of which projects interest you most and questions you have about them
2) Form working groups
3) Write a lousy first draft of a project plan. Due Feb. 15 A preliminary project plan and schedule
4) Begin Project – meet with Robin to develop final plan agreement.
5) Continue updating via meetings, emails, phone, Wednesday 5:30 meetings
6) Your evaluation of your project is due May 9. You will suggest your grade based on these 6 steps. Your project is an experiment, so it does not have to be a “success”. A successful project will have a plan and an execution of the plan as much as possible and an evaluation of lessons learned.


Ongoing Projects of the Environmental Management and Technology Program and partners.
Green Building:
Self Reliant House Environmental Center
1. Complete lumber rack (Robin)
2. Complete tracking mechanism for Batch Solar Water Heater (Bruce Douglas)
3. Connect water to Batch Heater (Bruce Douglas, John Poon)
4. Paint doors with Zero Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) non-toxic paint (Robin)
5. Repair fence with green materials (Robin)
6. Complete Urban Wood green wall bench
7. Upgrade directional and interpretive signs
8. Build slip form interpretive sign posts
9. Upgrade Local Area Network
10. Other
Friends of Sausal Creek Nursery
1. Hang Bee house
2. General project work with staff (Megan Hess, Jeffrey Chilcott)

Many Generations Health Center Urban Wood Paneling
1. Complete bid(Robin)
2. Complete design
3. Cut and dry lumber, build, install (Treewolf, Noel Woodhouse)

Urban Lumber Milling and drying (Robin)
1. Big Leaf Maple logs
2. See Urban Lumber under Organizing

Housing Ourselves
1. Designing high quality, low income housing in “found” space (Robin)
2. Working on sustainable garden installation at a residence

Ecological Landscape and Stream Restoration:
1. San Leandro Creek Restoration and Greenway Plan and research (also see Urban Planning) We have been working on the San Leandro Creek Greenway as a lab project for both Restoration and Urban Planning You can look up "Waters of Connection" on Wiki to see some of the on-line work that students have done as well as San Leandro Creek on Google Sites as San Leandro Creek Greenway (Robin, David Ralston, many more)
2. Self Reliant House Ecological Study Zone planting and invasive control (Michael Meese, Shirley Knight, Robin)
3. City of Emeryville bayside pedestrian underpass native gardens planning(Robin)
4. Leona Open Space (Michael Charnofsky, Janet Gomes)
5. Lion Creek (Grace Neufeld)
6. Friends of Sausal Creek (Megan Hess)
7. Trout in the Classroom (Grace Neufeld)
8. Feral Cats at SRH

Ranger Naturalist Interpretation:
1. Interpretive signs and brochures at SRH Hilton Trail
2. York trail brochure box
3. Friends of Sausal Creek volunteer interpreter (Megan Hess)
4. Leona Open Space interpretive walks (Michael Charnofsky)
5. Baywood Learning Center and York Trail/Lion creek.

Urban Planning:
1. San Leandro Greenway urban and regional planning with city and regional staff, elected officials and community groups,
2. Emeryville native planting (see Restoration)
3. Urban Lumber Milling and Sales organizing

Solid Waste- Reduce, Re-use, Recycle:
1. Zero Waste Crafts – The Land and the People Student Club (Robin)
2. SRH Compost and wood/yard waste re-cycling (Robin, Leslie Geathers)
3. East Bay Depot for Creative Re-Use volunteer
4. Urban Lumber Milling and Sales organizing

Water Use:
1. SRH Rain Barrel installation
2. Starting a Rainbarrel/Rain Garden design and installation service

Food and food production:
1. Work on the Urban/Edible garden (Leslie Geathers)
2. Culinary sustainable food event or preparation

Planning ENVMT/Outreach/Fundraising:
1. SRH Volunteer Days (Eric Lindberg, Michael Meese, Shirley Knight)
2. 50th Anniversary Program and Speakers (Everybody)
3. ENVMT Transition Team (Wendy Wheeler, Eric, Robin)
4. California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, Davis CA, Summer
5. Grant writing
6. Green Works Development organizational planning events (David Ralston, Robin, David and Janis Poon, many others)

Other:



PROJECT PLAN WORKSHEET
VISION
Why are you interested, what inspires or motivates you about your choice as it fits into your life and creating a sustainable and thriving world? What is the story behind what you want to do or find out about? Use other sheets to write your drafts and plan.



GOAL(S)
What outcome(s) do you expect or hope for? What will happen at the end, what “work products” or other information or learning or observations will lead to a successful effort by your own definition.



OBJECTIVES
Are there smaller pieces that can add up to the goal above?



ACTIONS
What will you do to make the objectives happen? Begin small. For instance, filling in a very rough first draft of this worksheet is an action.



TIME LINE or SCHEDULE:
When will you do the actions? Who will do each action? What has to come before what else?



BUDGET
Will your project cost anything? Where will the money or materials come from? This can be entirely your class time, or it can be funded in some manner.



EVALUATION
What did you learn from the project? How did it fit what you imagined for each element of your plan? Would you re-define “success”?



TEXT
What lectures in ENVMT 2 Introduction to Sustainable Systems or sections of Living in the Environment does your project relate to?

Introduction to Sustainable
SystemsENVMT 2 (3 units) Code: 22656
Freeman, SRH
Wed 6:30‐9:20 PM (2/2‐4/11)
Sun 9:30 AM‐5:15 PM (2/12, 2/26, 3/11)
Interdisciplinary study of the impact of human
civilization on the earth’s major ecological
systems: Issues examined in historic,
contemporary, and future settings, including
both Western and non‐Western contexts;
material presented from a theoretical point of
view, with a focus on core concepts and
methods related to ecology, sustainability,
human population, natural resources, wastes
and pollution; reflection of how human
economic, political, and ethical behaviors are
inextricably interwoven with the
environment; and presentation of
environmental career options.
Introduction to Sustainable
Systems LabENVMT 2L (3 units) Code: 23930
Freeman, SRH
First Meeting: Wed, 2/2 3:00‐6:15 PM
(Lab schedule can be flexible to accommodate student
projects.)
A real world field course that identifies and
works with the sustainable environmental
principles discussed in ENVMT 2. ENVMT 2L
projects can be combined with ENVMT 50
projects.
Introduction to Urban and
Regional PlanningENVMT 11 (3 units) Code: 23931
Freeman, SRH
Tues 6:30‐9:20 PM (3/20 ‐5/22)
Sat 9:30 AM‐4:50 PM (3/31, 4/28, 5/12 )
Survey of sustainable urban and regional
planning: Overview of the problems and
solutions of environmentally and socially
sustainable planning of cities, suburbs and
rural areas: history philosophies and
theories of urban planning; rural land use
and planning strategies; and the regional
approach to planning.
From Tree to Sea: A Bay Area
Environmental Cross SectionENVMT 40 (3 units) Code: 23932
Freeman, SRH and field
Mon 6:30‐9:20 PM (3/26,4/9, 4/30, 5/21)
Sun 9:30 AM‐4:50 PM (4/15, 4/22, 4/29,
5/6, 5/20)
Sat 9:30‐4:50 (5/19)
Hike, bike, and boat the outdoor
environment of the San Francisco Bay
watershed environment and nearby sites;
field study of ecosystems of the bay, hills,
forest lands, creeks and wetlands;
exploration of sustainable cultural,
ecotourism, and economic uses of the Bay
environments.
Special ProjectsENVMT 50 (1‐3 units) Codes: 22410 & 22411
Freeman, SRH
Fri (2/24‐5/25)
First meeting: Fri, 2/24 10:30 AM
Contact: rfreeman@peralta.edu
(Future meetings can be flexible to accommodate
student projects.)
Student‐initiated projects in Green Building,
Ecological Restoration, Ranger, Naturalist/
Outdoor Education, and Community
Development. On‐ or off‐campus internships
and other hands‐on projects and
partnerships are encouraged, including
research opportunities in the environment
and society with the Brower‐Dellums
Institute for Sustainable Policy Studies.

Fall 2011 Course Syllabus

ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS. ENVMT 1. 1.0 UNIT
INSTRUCTOR: ROBIN FREEMAN 510-434-3840, robinf5713@aol.com
Recommended texts (not required): The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers. Island Press; and What Color is Your Parachute?, 10 Speed Press
Course Requirements:
Environmental Careers is a required core course for Environmental Studies majors. It may be taken for 1) a letter grade (required of majors or for transfer grade point average), 2) for Credit (no grade, gives transfer elective units), or
3) No Credit (does not affect transcript). For those taking a letter grade, you will participate in grading yourself.
1) Course attendance, 2) a minimum of 4 hours volunteer work for any environment related organization or firm, 3) an Informational Interview or Research Report on an environmental career are required for a letter grade. There will be brief evaluations of the interview and volunteer/intern projects (see due dates). An Environmental Career Portfolio will be developed during the course.
Your volunteer work can be for the Environmental Program at Merritt or at a location of your choosing which willing to have you for a short period of time.
Some organizations would rather have you for at least a full day. Of course, you are welcome to put in more than four hours. You should choose work that is interesting to you and fits into your career development. There will be listings available in class or on line, the Ecology Center on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley and numerous government agencies.
Learning Outcomes: You will be able to research and survey environmental job or entrepreneurial opportunities, prioritize your choices and make and execute a plan to work in that career pathway.
SCHEDULE:
August 22, 6:30-9:20pm, Monday– Introduction to the course, Class Introduction Interviews
August 29, 6:30-9:20pm, Monday - Preference Profiles, Environ. Careers Slide presentation
Sept 11, 10am-3:30pm, Sunday - Bring bag lunch, 5 Year Plan, Strategy A and B, Resume, History of Work. To accommodate religious services, you may attend the afternoon only.
Break time for Interviews and Mini-internship
October 17, 6:30-9:20pm, Monday - Reports on interviews/internships due, discussion/task,
October 24, 6:30-9:20pm, Monday - Reports continued, discussion, evaluation.



INTRODUCTION TO HEALTHY COMMUNITY SYSTEMS
Envmt 16 3.0 Unit
Team Contact: Robin Freeman, 434-3840, Cell 510-915-1452 robinf5713@aol.com, Office hrs @ SRH, Guest Lecturer: David Ralston PhD Dralston@oaklandnet.com,
September 13, Tues 6:30-9:20pm: Concept Definitions, Introductions of students , faculty, Institute and Merritt Program – SRH tour as an example, Intro to course Health, System, City, Community, Sustainability, Praxis
NOTE: Field locations and times may change; check updates
CLASS EXERCISE – tell your neighbor what your community of interest is and what your community of place is and what the difference is. Who has health insurance? What do you, your family, friends, co-workers do for community health and your own health? Write list for next week choosing an overall health indicator level 1-10 (10 being the highest reasonable level of health activities) for 1-community health profile, 2-your own health profile – due 9/27
COURSE PROJECT – We are using the proposed San Leandro Creek Greenway as our project this semester. We will host a Mini-conference in November. Choose at least one work group and a related healthy community system. Help design, research and execute a part of the mini-conference as an “intervention”. Describe how your project fits into which system(s); your hoped for outcomes and what the outcomes were. Research keywords and/or interview Regional Parks Directors Siden and Dotson as stakeholders, or transcribe and review the tapes of Dr. Leonard Duhl from the 2008Healthy Cities Conference.
September 20, Tues: STATE OF THE CITY & Institutional Definitions World Health Organization/Public Health and Safety Planning , Report on the 2008 Mini Conference and Green Works Development.2010 – FUTURE OF THE CITY: Giving Hope a Plan. Healthy Cities Initiative, Current Visions Oakland Task Forces, San Leandro Creek Greenway, the “Green Corridor”, NGO’s
Assignment: Prepare a first informal list of what a healthy city would be like.
September 27, Tues: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Origins of the City, Patterns of Civilization and their Health Effects, Stress, Authority, Risk, Trauma, Hierarchies VS Thriving, Caretaking, Participation
Discussion: Conference brainstorming based on health indicators and vision of a Healthy City
Assignment: Health Indicator lists due – Conference goals, purpose. Format and contents, whom to invite, and tasks preliminary list due 10/4
October 4, Tues: Tools for healthy planning – Action Planning, Asset mapping, indicators mapping and research, field methods, program planning, urban planning, watersheds and natural systems, using your experience. Addressing untapped sectors as resources for planning needs and solutions
Discussion: Conference planning, timeline and task groups
Assignment: Conference preliminary list due. Begin task group activities
October 11, Tues: Conference Planning and San Leandro Greenway Report critique
Assignment: Choose a sector relevant to Healthy Cities, and research information and/or case studies and on line; and/or research funding sources Prepare to give a brief description of your findings and how they relate or do not relate to the San Leandro Creek community focus.
Task updates due each week.
October 16, Sun 11am-4pm: FIELD TRIP Case Study SAN LEANDRO CREEK GREENWAY–ecosystem; transportation and recreation; food system, signature retail/culture/restaurant, thriving residential multi-use, historic, varied income, parks, open space, trail access, views, schools, community centers, social services, transportation access, health care facilities, employment training and job access, youth programs, family programs, cultural arts
Assignment: Conference preliminary list due. Begin task group activities
Task updates due each week.
October 18, Tues: Guests, Healthy City Research presentations begin
WORKING GROUP SESSION FOR CONFERENCE – Invitation lists and strategy
Task updates due each week.
October 25, Tues 6:30-9:20pm: Case study student research presentations, Guests
WORKING GROUP SESSION
Task updates due each week.
November 2, Tues Case study research presentations, Guests WORKING GROUP SESSION Task updates due each week.
November 6, Sun 10am-3pm: Guests FIELD TRIP WORKING GROUP SESSION
November 8, Tues: Case study research presentations WORKING GROUP SESSION
Task updates due each week.
November 15, Tues: FINAL MINI-CONFERENCE TASK PLANNING
Task updates due each week.
November 20, Sun 10am-3pm MINI CONFERENCE – Working Title, Healthy People, Healthy Watersheds; Connecting the Dots Along San Leandro Creek
November 22, Tues Conference De-brief, guest (Possible Alternative Conference date)
November 29, Tues Next Steps, Case study research presentations; guest
December 6, Tues Potluck, Case study research presentations and next steps continued; Evaluations
Course Requirements and Grading Policy: Course may be taken credit/non-credit – make the choice on line asap. For a grade reasonable attendance, a research presentation and work group participation and completed tasks are required. You will evaluate the course and suggest your grade.



RESTORATION OF WATERCOURSES Envmt 33AA – AC
3 Units Robin Freeman; robinf5713@aol.com; Cell 510-915-1452
David Kaplow
*NOTE: Check with me. TIMES AND LOCATIONS MAY CHANGE!!
GENERAL CONTACT: Robin Freeman 510-434-3840 messages, robinf5713@aol.com. Field trip contacts vary with each trip. Make sure to get current directions and #'s.
ASSIGNMENTS: Along with other ENVMT classes, we will focus on the San Leandro Creek Wateshed as well as ongoing projects with Lion and Arroyo Viejo creeks which are adjacent to our campus. 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")
2) The class project for the course is either a) volunteering on a restoration project and/or b) proposing/designing a preliminary restoration project proposal. The site can be at Merritt around the Self Reliant House, Lion or Arroyo Viejo, or along San Leandro Creek. Describe the goals, materials and plan of the project you volunteered on or which you propose. A proposal will include a preliminary site description, goals and general activities to achieve the goals . Organize your presentation 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 to help plan your project. You can present either what you did as a volunteer or your preliminary design at the last class and provide a list of the information resources you used. 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, based on reasonable participation and a project presentation. You may do your project as a group.
11 WEDNESDAYS 6:30 to 9:20pm SATURDAY/SUNDAYS 10:00 to 3:30, or as arranged.
TEXTS: 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. It is not specific to any location. Faculty members will suggest supplemental readings and resources. California Watershed Manual on line. Merritt Watershed Center CD; both are free.
9/14 Wednesday, SRH Arroyo Viejo Rifle Range Headwaters twilight walk.
Introductions: What experience have you had. Do you have sites you are working on? What do you want to get from this class? , About the class, Follow the Water, Know the People Watershed Center, community groups, consultants, scientists and agencies. San Leandro
Creek lab site introduction. Assignment: Read SER Primer (15 pages)
9/21 Wednesday 6:30 MEET AT DIMOND LIBRARY; walk to creek 7-9 p.m. at the Dimond Library, 3565 Fruitvale Ave; Brief presentation from the City of Oakland Rain Barrel Team., The Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) welcome you to attend our bimonthly member meeting. Designer and horticulturalist Michael Thilgen will present a Native Plant Show & Tell. Come learn about the process of designing your own native garden with an emphasis on choosing plants. We will have plants on hand from FOSC's Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery
Michael Thilgen is co-owner of Four Dimensions Landscape Company, www.fourdimensionslandscape.com , and was one of the co-founders of the Friends of Sausal Creek.
9/24 Sat Optional 10am SRH Rainwater Harvesting Rainbarrel installation with Green Building Lab
9/28 Wednesday Freeman, How do streams and watersheds work?
Guest: Will Stockard, City of Oakland Public Works Stormwater Runoff Rainbarrels and rainwater Harvesting
Assignment: Scan the California Watershed Manual; paying attention to the chapter headings as a model for choosing headings for your project proposal
10/5 Wednesday How watersheds work continued. Restore to What? History and Reference Sites CALFED mantra – Water Quality, Water Quantity and Habitat – multiple uses, multiple goal management. Assignment: Read “Feasibility Guide for Intertidal Creek Restoration”
10/12 Wednesday Feasibility Study and Watershed Management San Leandro Creek restoration opportunities Writing project grants and Project design, Internships
Assignment: Read “Creek Restoration Pre-Design Directory”
10/15 SATURDAY - North Coast Native Nursery in Petaluma
Native plants, riparian restoration project and Ellis Creek wastewater facility water treatment wetlands
October 16, Sun 10am-3pm: Optional Field Trip SAN LEANDRO CREEK GREENWAY–ecosystem; transportation and recreation; food system, signature retail/culture/restaurant, thriving residential multi-use, historic, varied income, parks, open space, trail access, views, schools, community centers, social services, transportation access, health care facilities, employment training and job access, youth programs, family programs, cultural arts
Field day with Healthy Community Systems Class and Friends of San Leandro Creek
10/19 Wednesday Restoration is a Social Act – Artisanal, Psycho-Social, Caretaking and Community Culture, Economic, Scientific, and Land Use Design elements
10/26 Wednesday, Site monitoring, Photo monitoring and Water Quality Monitoring
Planning for appropriate data sampling design to monitoring intent Guest or EBMUD TBA
10/23 SUNDAY Field Day Sausal Creek or San Leandro Creek TBA (Replaces 11/30 Wed evening).
10/29 SATURDAY 10AM TBA San Leandro Creek San Leandro Creek GIS with Oakland High/Katie Noonan and 0.5 day with Dave Kaplow Codornices Creek near 5th St in Berkeley
Bioengineering or Sausal Creek Headwaters hands-on restoration.
11/2 Wednesday Lion and Arroyo Viejo watershed partnership projects.
Art, watersheds and culture – Guests
11/9 Wednesday Fish passage and H20 release Guest. Visit EBMUD headquarters TBA
11/16 Wednesday Kaplow; Restoration and Maintenance
Restoration native plant communities, Maintenance of new restoration sites
Long term management of riparian zones
11/19 SATURDAY 10:00AM-3:30PM Kaplow Alhambra Creek - Martinez
riparian and brackish tidal environments
11/20 Sunday, Mini-Conference; Healthy People, Healthy Watersheds; Connecting the Dots along San Leandro Creek Optional
11/23 Wednesday Final project discussion; conference de-brief



INTRODUCTION TO GREEN BUILDING & ECOLOGICAL DESIGN And LABEnvmt 20 3.0 Units ENVMT 20L Code 43715, 1.0 (See Lab/Class Schedule Notes at end)
Robin Freeman; robinf5713@aol.com; Cell 510-915-1452 Bruce Douglas: lbdpe@sbcglobal.net 510-759-5280
Text: Introduction to Green Building, Freeman, Geathers, Douglas et al. Print $15; CD $2
September 8, Thurs 6:30-9:20pm Freeman, Introductions, Syllabus, grades, ;SRH tour of Oak knoll Ecosystem
Assignment: Read Chapters 1 through 4 in Intro. To Green Building
September 10, Sat 10:30 am-4pm Bring Lunch; dress for work. Freeman, Douglas - Tour of SRH systems, Biomimicry and Building Systems, C&D waste and the building site.
Solar site analysis
Assignment: Systems Input-output informal sketch of where you live.
September 15, Thurs Freeman
Concepts of Sustainable Building Systems Design, Global Systems and Climate
Discuss assignment 1 as it relates to natural and built systems. Roof Water Harvesting overview. Final project ideas.
Assignment: Input/Output/Systems due. Read Intro. To Green Building Chapters 7 and 9 Write architectural program wish list
September 17, Sat 10am-3pm Bring lunch Freeman Field Trip. Meet at 1170 Powell Oakland/Emeryville; corner of Fremont 2 blocks west of San Pablo Ave/Powell/Stanford , Places for Sustainability , Urban Ore, Shorebird Nature Center Assignment:: Write preliminary draft of final project ideas (lousy first draft) Due Sep 29
September 22, Thurs Douglas. Passive Solar Design; Model lab
Assignment Hand out Due Oct. 20 – Read chapters 5,6, and 8
September 24, Sat 10-3:30 ENVMT 20L Lab Begins Freeman, Poon Introductions, Roof Water Harvest installation , Richmond Shoreline Festival; Education Center Site Analysis; Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, Richmond Parkway and Giant Road
Assignment: Environmental Education Center Site Analysis, Participant Surveys
September 29, Thurs Freeman, Imagination, Design, and Thriving; Human Communities; Design determinants and bubble diagrams Tiny houses and Housing Ourselves (See Lab schedule notes)
Assignment: Describe final project Scope of Work and Goal; Prepare bubble diagrams for Pt. Pinole, your chosen project site, or the Place for Sustainability.
October 2, Sun 10-3:30 Lab Site Preparation at SRH; Materials rack design Complete green wall demo – rainbarrel cover and overflow ,Rear overhang work area sliding glass doors, benches and outdoor classroom, Fence, repair path light cases, door lock set, shop area in barn storage shelves, Solar Hot water angle adjustment and leak, Slip- form sign bases
Site visits and field work will be arranged from these options as available, DeBoer Architects- Bamboo and more, Dan Lieberman, Tiny houses, Strawbale Construction, Friends of Sausal Creek Nursery Construction Green Works Development shelter @ San Leandro Creek site, Urban Lumber milling and drying Native American urban wood siding,
Projects: Housing Ourselves next steps
Research project on Carbon footprint metrics SHR – Peralta – US
CO2 levels allowable and target metrics
SRH as a “green business” analysis
Funding, Grant Writing, partners, buying land, Land Trust
October 6, Thurs Freeman, Review Bubble Diagrams, Site project assessment and programming Design Determinants and Architectural Program
Design Basics Sustainable Planning &Transportation San Leandro Creek Greenway Integrating buildings and life (food, society, transportation, biodiversity, waste reduction)
. Assignment: Bubble Diagrams Due.
October 8, Sat 10-3:30 Lab see Oct. 2
October 13, Thurs Freeman The Speed of Green. Recent history of Green Building.- Green Building Materials; Availability, Design and Choice, Natural Building, Regenerative Design, Universal Design, Permaculture Design, Ecological Design – in class design exercise
Assignment: Design project review and graphic presentation in class Final Project group work.
October 20, Thurs Douglas Building Science - how heat, air, moisture, and light flow and interact in buildings effects: comfort, health, durability of bldg, energy consumption.
October 22, Sat 10-3:30 Lab Douglas/Freeman see Oct. 2
October 27, Thurs Douglas, lab with model houses
November 3, Thurs Freeman, LEED, Building Performance Checklists, Permits.
Assignment: Final Project group work
November 10, Thurs Freeman Energy Sources, Scale, the Built Environment and the Future
Assignment: Read Chap. 10 Draft Final Project Due
November 17, Thurs Douglas Intro to energy auditing. Residential energy career paths and professional certifications
Thanksgiving Break
December 1, Thurs Freeman Guest – Applying Green Building
December 8, Thurs Freeman Final Project presentations
Lab/Class Schedule Notes: The Green Building Class and Green Building Lab are integrated Because of late changes, and PROMT computer system errors, our Lab (20L) and Class (20) schedules need to be coordinated to accommodate the greatest number of students. We will be moving as many of the Monday 20L meetings to Thursdays 5-6:30so they connect better with the class. The 20L weekend field days are also available to students who are enrolled in 20 and not the Lab. We are working to eliminate the false conflict between the lab and Environmental 1 Careers.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Course Requirements for a letter grade (Non-credit also available on line): You will grade yourself based on completion of the assignments, reading, attendance, participation and final presentation. This course is required for the Green Building and Energy Management or Greening the Urban Environment majors.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: You will be able to use architectural, construction and green building terms to approach and analyze design and construction projects and to put them into personal, site, local, regional and global context.