COURSE HIGHLIGHT
WATER IN URBANIZING LANDSCAPES LA 531 BY HANNAH MOORE
The way water moves through a landscape shapes not only the physical geography, but the composition of the soil, the types of plants and organisms that occupy it, and the way they all interact as well. Understanding the way a hydrological system works is integral to the care and management of the environment. In a world that is becoming increasingly urban, our ability to maintain or enhance the health of the environments we inhabit is extremely important. A course offered through the Landscape Architecture program addresses these ideas and connects them to how we live in urban and suburban settings. The course,
Water in Urbanizing Landscapes (LA 531), explores the ways water shapes and alters our environment and the ways these processes can be managed and mitigated using natural systems. More specifically, LA 531 is a lecture and laboratory class offered every spring that touches on a range of hydrological topics, including best management practices, stream classification, and urban storm water management. Students are challenged and encouraged to think about the mechanics of water processes within the scope of a broader ecological system, while collecting and analyzing data and gaining field experience. Course instructor Dr. Chris Sass has two main objectives in mind for this class: “First, to help students observe and comprehend natural and humaninduced processes regarding water. Second, to show that everything is connected somehow. To paraphrase John Muir, pull a string in nature and find it connected to everything else.” Dr. Sass’s extensive background in biology and environmental design allows him to provide his students with
a uniquely ecological perspective of landscape design and management. His enthusiasm for studying natural water systems and pathways is evident in his approach to teaching: “My undergraduate research was to look at successional sequences of reclaimed floodplains along the Missouri River. This research sparked my interest in water movement and biotic responses in riparian and stream systems, and I try to bring those interests and excitement to the class. I enjoy working outside, and seeing students understand and experience the things they’ve been learning in the classroom outside is always great.” The class typically heads to a local park to assess a stream every Friday during the later part of the semester. A relatively small class size (usually capped at twelve students) allows for individual attention during lectures and especially out in the field. Dr. Sass encourages any student interested in working with water to consider LA 531, particularly those with a strong desire to deepen their knowledge about how water moves through the landscape and what we can do to mitigate some of those issues using natural systems. The course load involves a combination of individual work and some group work, all intended to be simultaneously enjoyable and educational. Dr. Sass says he enjoys “watching the students leave the course thinking about how they could improve the environment incrementally, which hopefully will begin to make a big contribution to society.”
Students who are interested in or have questions about the course can reach Dr. Sass via email: chris.sass@uky.edu
Top Left: Students on a local waterfall Bottom Left: Students in a local stream
10 NRES Newsletter