HRT 415: Natural Landscapes, Native Plants and Landscape Restoration

Course Code: HRT 415

Credits and Offerings

3 credits
Fall semester of even years

Course Description

Natural landscapes, native plants and landscape restoration options for the natural and built environment. Planning and design approaches, site engineering, construction practices, and management guidelines. Case studies, regulatory policies, contract services, resources and issues of concern will be discussed.

Course objectives

To develop an understanding of natural plant communities and native plant species and as they relate to new development and restoration approaches for landscapes in the natural and built environments.
To examine design techniques, site development practices, resources and materials and management guidelines used in project implementation.
To expose students to relevant issues involved with natural landscapes in private and public sectors projects

Topics

Ecological restoration, landscape restoration and natural landscape options
Eco-regions and their relevance to natural plant communities and native plants
Natural range, provenance, genotype and phenotype
Planning and design approaches used in landscape restoration and natural landscape
Site engineering and construction techniques
Regulatory issues: federal, state and local
Contract services: public and private sector
Resources and suppliers of plants and other materials
Management guidelines
Current topics and relevant issues: biological diversity; invasive plants; environmental impacts