Portfolio preview by Rachel Sohmer

PORTFOlIO RaChEl SohMER

analysis communication design

RaCHEl SOHMER

ras598@cornell.edu | 202.465.5756

ITHACA, NY Master of landscape architecture Cornell University

WASHINGTON, DC Smart Growth Program natural Resources Defense Council

MADISON, WI M.S. Conservation Biology & Sustainable Development University of Wisconsin

AUSTIN, TX B.S. Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology University of Texas

KAILUA, HI hometown

CONTENTS

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS Planting plans Construction details

GARDEN DESIGN Residential garden | Washington, DC Creole kitchen garden | New Orleans, LA

COMMUNICATION Infographics for biostatistics NRDC Switchboard street connectivity essay Earthwatch Radio story set

JACOB RIIS PARK | Jamaica Bay, New York

[Endure] Coastal resiliency and historic preservation in the age of climate change

JACOB RIIS PARK

Wetland Loss

historic range 1 current extent 2

JAMAICA BAY, once home to an extensive salt marsh that reached into what is now southern Brooklyn and Queens, forms part of the Gateway National Recreational Area—the first urban national park in the U.S. and arguably one of the most ecologically- and culturally-complex protected landcapes in the country. rine

Not surprisingly—considering its location at the tail end of one of the most densely developed watersheds in the U.S.—ecological threats to Jamaica Bay are largely urban in nature, from historic dredge and fill operations that all but eradicated the original wetland system, to current day stressors such as increased tidal ranges and pollution due to sewage discharge and stormwater runoff. Likewise, the widespread use of hardened shorelines has displaced valuable wetland and intertidal habitat, and ultimately tends to exacerbate rather than prevent coastal erosion.

Par k

way

Coupled with the troubling eventualities of climate change, Jamaica Bay is increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise, tidal inundation, and extreme weather events, as evidenced by the devastating

Jamaica Bay

Atlantic Ocean

RESIlIENCY SCHEMaTIC

impacts of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy. Storm surge, in particular, has been identified as the greatest projected threat to NYC’s shoreline communities.4 Within this context, the overall objective of this studio project was to integrate well-considered coastal resiliency measures within a flexible, adaptive design that respects the historical character of Jacob Riis Park, one of several important Robert Moses-era beach parks located on New York’s Rockaway Peninsula. An initial analysis examined wetland and dune ecology, coastal geomorphology, wave attenuation techniques, floodplain storage potential, and other factors, resulting in a park-wide schematic resiliency plan, later refined for an area centered on the vast (and vastly underutilized) surface parking lot and the disconnected bay side of the park.

STUDIO: Urban Design & Planning, Fall 2013 [3rd year] INSTRUCTOR: Peter Trowbridge, Cornell University

elevated parkway

hybrid sea wall / living shoreline

FO C

upland habitat restoration

a aRE

salt marsh tidal basin

historic district

golf course / stormwater park floodable ground floor pavilion constructed dunes artificial reef

STORM SURGE INUNdaTION 3

hurricane category 1 3

2 4

groin removal / beach expansion

Superstorm Sandy

TERRACE COMPLEX A modular, waveattenuating terrace caps the bayside bulkhead, adopting geometries from the historical (but largely vanished) layout of the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back Beach (at left).5 Court sports and other recreational amenities are relocated here, woven together with flexible modules for coastal habitat, native plant nurseries, research trials, etc. as budget, programming goals, and environmental parameters allow. This feature offers inherent opportunities for public education and citizen science. ELEVATED PARKWAY The westbound lanes of Beach Channel Drive, which currently severs the connection from ocean to bay, are elevated 13 ft. to clear peak storm surge. A new flex lane system facilitates daily traffic flows and emergency evacuations. Eastbound lanes are reserved for lowspeed, local traffic only (at grade).

dune grassland

transitional salt shrub

SALT MARSH TIDAL BASIN The 13,000car parking lot is excavated to sea level within its existing footprint and transformed into a 39-acre tidal salt marsh, which connects to the bay via a network of tidal channels and culverts. Wetlands with constructed edges provide significant floodplain storage potential,4 and succesfully exclude Phragmites australis by eliminating a salinity gradient.7 Inspired by Washington, D.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constructed Tidal Basin and modeled on the largescale salt marsh restoration at Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay. HIKE & BIKE NETWORK a new system of pedestrian paths, dedicated bike lanes, and convenient bikeshare stations encourages movement throughout the park, including the unique experience of hiking or biking across an extensive low salt marsh. The marsh trail takes its looping form from the historic shoreline of Rockaway Peninsula circa 1880,6 and includes a loop designed to emerge only at low tide.

high salt marsh

let tidal in

low salt marsh LOW TIDE

intertidal mudflat eelgrass bed

GENERAL CELL SERIES Tidal elevation above MLLW at Barren Island8 :

+8 ft.

+5 ft.

+3 ft. + 0 ft.

HIGH TIDE

ing exist

etry bathym

MHW: + 5.2 ft. MLW: + 0.2 ft.

MSL

rock sill

dredge fill

existing bulkhead

pedestrian ďŹ&#x201A;yover

terrace complex

10 elevated ďŹ&#x201A;ex lane parkway

pedestrian path

tidal inlet

11 underpass parking

low-tide loop walk

tidal channels

12 parking lot [original surface]

bikeshare station

low salt marsh

13 bus stops

bike path

SE HA

SIO

N TE

11 10 7

8 9

2 5

0 ft.

400 ft.

800 ft.

PEDESTRIAN PATHS

tidal basin loop & historic shoreline trail

ezy Bre

nt Poi

BICYCLE NETWORK

dedicated bike paths on-street & multi-use routes [existing]

nsi

po Ne

bikeshare stations

rec. / event space flexible program wetland modules upland modules

VEHICLE CIRCULATION

n tio

ac ev

rou

local traffic only tidal channels

flex lane parkway elevated above peak storm tide

gated culverts

primary bus stops

stormwater drainage

JACOB RIIS PARK

surface parking additional bayside metered parking

DESIGN GOALS + Attenuate storm surge, accommodate flooding, and anticipate sea level rise + Increase critical habitat area, prioritizing low salt marsh restoration (the rarest vegetation community) + Provide a physical framework for flexible, adaptable park programming, including opportunities for research, public education and citizen science + Improve connection to parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underutilized bay side and encourage movement between ocean and bay + De-emphasize car travel to and within park; expand and improve pedestrian and bicycle network within park + Provide a reliable evacuation route for surrounding communities + Preserve historic features from period of significance (1936-1937) HIGH TIDE

works cited 1. U.S. Geological Survey, Brooklyn [map], 1:62500, Topographic Quadrangle Map, Reston, VA, 1897. 2. National Park Service Vegetation Inventory. (2008). [Graph illustration of North Atlantic Salt Marsh, Gateway National Recreation Area]. Retrieved from https://science.nature.nps.gov/ im/inventory/veg/mapviewer/mapviewer.html. 3. OASIS, Center for Urban Research. (2013). [Graph illustration of Coastal Storm Impact Zones]. Retrieved from http://www.oasisnyc. net/map.aspx. 4. NYC Office of the Mayor. (2013). plaNYC: A Stronger, More Resilient New York. New York, NY. 5. National Park Service. (1992). Jacob Riis Park: Cultural Landscape Report. Denver Service Center. 6. U.S. Geological Survey. (2005). Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) to Sea-Level Rise. Reston, VA. 7. Vasquez, E. A., et al. (2005). Salt tolerance underlies the cryptic invasion of North American salt marshes by an introduced haplotype of the common reed Phragmites australis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 298, 1-8. 8. NOAA, Jamaica Bay and Rockaway Inlet [nautical chart], 1:20:000, 1983.

LOW TIDE

BAGG’S SQUARE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION | Utica, New York

[Bagg’s Squared] Putting the square back in Bagg’s Square with community-engaged planning and design The Rust to Green (R2G) Capstone Studio is the principal community design course taught in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University, and a perennial project of the Rust to Green NY Action Research Initiative housed within Cornell’s Community and Regional Development Institute. This servicelearning studio engages students in placemaking theory and practice, participatory community design, and democratic professionalism within the framework

PROCESS & TIMELINE

of sustainable development and urban resilience. Students work collaboratively with community partners engaged with R2G Utica, in this case, the Bagg’s Square Neighborhood Association--a group of dedicated urban pioneers, investors, and small business owners working to reverse the trend of disinvestment and disinterest in Utica’s historic core. Over the course of four months, students conducted collaborative research, analysis, and design generation in frequently shuffled teams, CONCEPT PLAN DEVELOPMENT

co-developed concept plan and narrative; researched precedents; developed case for maintaining traditional intersections in lieu of DOTproposed roundabouts

contribution pathway role within team

Under the Overpass Bagg’s Square Crossing Whitesboro Mixed-Use Corridor West End Alley Network

‘BEAUTICA’

punctuated by community meetings and workshops held in Utica that continuously reshaped and informed project direction and outcomes. The studio aimed to literally and figuratively “put the square back in Bagg’s Square” as part of strategic vision of an attractive, dynamic, walkable downtown district that celebrates local history and identity, and sets long-term goals for achieving the triple-bottom line environmental, social and economic goals of truly sustainable urban development. FOCUS AREA DESIGN DETAIL, SYSTEMS ANALYSIS co-developed a halprin-esque environmental score to map user experience and energy flows; developed green infrastructure and open space plan

B AGG’S SQUARED PLAN and DESIGN FINALIZED wrangled and reconciled CAD linework from focus area design groups, rendered master plan (at right), assisted with final book production after final meeting

Bagg’s Bike Network Union Station Transit Hub Slower, Greener Streets ORISKANY PARKS & GREENWAY

A grounding exercise for remotely exploring neighborhood identity, activity, and sense of place

ACTIVITIES & BARRIERS

SITE HISTORY

FIRST ENCOUNTERS

TRADITIONAL STREET CHARACTER

Industry

SMART PARKING

Water

Neighborhood Densification

SOCIAL

West Block Alley System

‘RE-IMAGINE BAGG’S SQUARE’

GREEN DREAM

A sustainable neighborhood development primer

ORISKANY PARKWAY OVERPASS

N. Genessee Streetscape

WEST BAGG’S

Highway to Greenway Athletic Campus

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS

framing research, case studies, presentation storyboarding and development

EAST BAGG’S

Re-imagine Hotel Street

HYDROLOGY

BAGG’S SQUARED

Re-UNION to Chancellor Park

ECOLOGY

SYSTEMS

Oriskany Greenway

TRANSPORTATION PERMEABILITY

smart parking

DEMOGRAPHICS

Bagg’s bike & bus loop broad street corridor

‘BAGG’S CONNECTED’

genessee center & circle living history row erie canal linear park

1st meeting

2nd meeting planned: neighborhood ‘walk-

intros, presentation of preliminary work, meet the mayor

abouts’ designed to score and record community member impressions, followed by a mapping session and presentation of latest work role: co-developed meeting activities and agenda, prepared meeting materials raincheck: conference call held due to winter storm [general updates]

bagg’s bend

3RD meeting

4th meeting

FINAL MEETING

presentation of plan alternatives, preliminary feedback

design progress update, feedback on consolidated plan

public presentation and comment session

oriskany parkway

The ‘Aud’ Union Station

an ce Par llor k

proposed infill existing buildings

The Bagg’s Square Vision Plan identifies broad moves — including infill development, roadway reconfigurations, and new public green space — that support the larger vision of a sustainable urban neighborhood. Focus areas offering the most robust opportunities to achieve this ‘green dream’ were identified and developed in detail.

BAGG’S SQUARE VISION PLAN

STUDIO: R2G Capstone, Spring 2014 [3rd year] INSTRUCTOR: Paula Horrigan, R2G Director

0 ft.

TEAM: D. Bolster, R. Brahalla, D. Davis, P. Elfers, G. Fort, E. Martone, H. Moon, L. Rappa, J. Schaub, B. Schneiderman, S. Song, E. Thompson, Y. Xie

400 ft.

800 ft.

1600 ft.

THOMPSON PaRK | Ithaca, New York

[Bioasis] An urban ecological node with damn good coffee Thompson Park, located next to one of Ithaca’s most treasured neighborhood coffee shops, is re-imagined as the urban anchor of a new multifunctional greenway connecting the upper reaches of Cascadilla Creek with Cayuga lake.

PROJECT AREA

CASCADILLA CREEK SUBWATERSHED

Serving as both conduit and unique neighborhood node, this ‘bioasis’ expands the existing urban forest, improves pedestrian and bicycling connections, enhances usable open space, and integrates green infrastructure practices for floodplain storage, stormwater management, and habitat creation. STUDIO:

INSTRUCTOR: PARTNER:

Integrating Theory & Practice II, Spring 2013 Josh Cerra, Cornell University Ruslan Filipau, MLA/MRP (concept and design)

coffee shop public park commercial residential parking lots

TOMPKINS COUNTY

channelized

PROJECT AREA

natural stream

0 mi.

½ mi.

1 mi.

2 mi.

All images (including embedded research) produced individually within a larger collaborative framework framework. Currently revisiting and modifying site design for portfolio.

NYS unique natural areas

[ 1] RIPARIAN AREA CHARACTERIZATION road

creek

road

[1] Riparian habitat along the Cascadilla Creek corridor effectively stops where the creek becomes channelized, several blocks east of the park. While Ithaca’s urban forest is extensive and relatively diverse, canopy cover along the lower reach of the creek is sparse and disconnected.

[2] An inventory and analysis of existing trees on site, not including weedy volunteer species populating the constructed banks along Cascadilla Creek. General trends suggest a correlation between native plant status and ability to tolerant a wide range of environmental conditions.

[3] Building on the previous analysis, a resiliency rubric was developed to more systematically vet the climate adaptation potential of any proposed plant species. Assumption: native status correlates with higher ecological value.

[2] PARK & STREET TREE SURVEY no. of hardiness zones tolerated: 3 4

4 5

5 6

no. of soil moisture categories tolerated: 4-6

7-8

9-10 non-native native

25% native

38% native

57% native

100% native

alley

20’

40’

80’

s ho nt ca ca an ni tri lva ia sy its enn ed Gl us p a in br ax ru Fr us rc ra ue ig Q s n sp. n r gla ie Ju nch ela um Am ubr na r er rica Ac me nii a a em is lia Ti fre ens x n er eki Ac a p r u g rin rob Sy us lata s rc cu icu ti ue Q a re s dio g u rin d Sy cla or no ol m bic Gy us m tu rc ue ca Q run t er as Ac s m ides u rn ano Co lat tre p s er pe Ac am c er ata a Ac ord tan c on lia m Ti us tre s rc lli ue pe a Q am us-g c r er s c Ac egu lia sii o a ie at nif nz Cr s al me u a rb ug So ots ud

e Ps

0’

Structure and Composition a. Weedy, small DBH tree species (e.g. Acer negundo); understory mostly Lonicera spp. b. Wide grass lawn on north side with monotypic row of Syringa reticulata; several mature canopy trees; no shrub layer c. Paved alleys directly adjacent to creek wall; no canopy or understory; ephemeral weedy species in creek bed

[3] VEGETATION RESILIENCY SCORING

(h + t + m)(n) p

h= t = m

total no. of USDA hardiness zones total no. of AHS heat zones > than current zone = total no. of soil moisture categories

p= n

native species multiplier [native spp.=2; nonnative=1] = pest and disease resistance [high=1; moderate=2; low=3]

TRaNSlaTION | Serpentine to Plantations An exploration of iterative and incremental design A selection of work created for a second-year studio focused on the exploration of iterative, investigative design processes. Project briefs called for conceptual designs derived from quick sketches and physical models, later refined for scaled design proposals but always privileging process over product. This studio prioritized physical and digital models over other modes of representation.

urban artifacts

sketch models [printer paper, glue sticks] 1a

scaled model [laser-cut cardstock, wire mesh] 3a

16 ft.

0’

PROJECT 1: Interpreting the City

The City

If the city is both a physiological and phenomenological artifact, what are the ‘things’ that define it? How does the designer interpret the urban condition, both physical and liminal? This project borrows site, precedent, and context from the Serpentine Gallery’s summer pavilion design invitational, tasking students with creating an ephemeral structure that speaks to the experience of ‘the city.’ Deconstructing of the final proposal reveals a topological script of material operations embedded in the model, resulting in a distilled prototype to be tested against a new set of conditions in Project 2.

Rectilinear CUBE-like forms (buildings, rooms, city blocks) define CORRIDORS of movement (streets, halls) in mostly perpendicular and parallel arrangements [1a]. Vertical LAYERS create vertical movement as well as SUBTERRANEAN space [2a]. Temporal BOTTLENECKS form during crowded events and at controlled entryways [1c]. Intricate urban geometries form NOOKS, CRANNIES, and PERCHES that collect people and energy [1d]. Fundamental city forms and flows are compressed into one indivisible TUBE-IN-A-CUBE module [2a]. Bottleneck

20’

40’

80’

effects are captured at entryways and in movement from tube to floor. Modules are layered to created verticality and submerged to create subterranean space [2b]. Additional modules create nooks, crannies, and perches in potentially endless configurations while maintaining parallel and perpendicular relationships [2c, 2d]. The final model is scaled to human dimensions and site context [3a] and oriented to create a stylized bottleneck with the Serpentine Gallery building [3b].

ground material

light quality

site selection

site proposal concept

0 mi.

0.1 mi.

0.2 mi.

0.4 mi.

adapting the prototype

plot

copy, sink

layer, rotate

explode

layer

extrude

10 ft.

PROJECT 2: Topological Mutation

study model collage

This project explores landform and context as the generator for a new design adapted from the operations revealed in Project 1. Design begins with a measured transect recording change across the landscape and serving as the basis for site selection. The prototype mutates in response to specific topography and program (a pavilion that must accommodate four restroom stalls). The final proposal is a rest stop and viewing platform nestled between a hillside and a swale, offering access to and from the hilltop and capturing long views of a neighboring wooded hillside with spectacular fall color.

STUdIO:

INSTRUCTOR:

Integrating Theory & Practice I, Fall 2012 Marc Miller, Cornell University

perceived depth of slope view

transect

TREMaN TRIaNGlE PaRK | Ithaca, New York

In its current form, Treman Triangle Park serves as little more than a blank pass-through area between University Drive and Ithaca’s Cascadilla Gorge Trail. It projects, in effect, a convex energy—one that repels rather than attracts people and activity. By inverting this shape, Treman Triangle Park becomes Cascadilla Circle, a restorative gathering space that invites, engages and holds.

[Cascadilla Circle] A new gathering place at the foot of Cascadilla Falls AN TRIANG EM LE TR C

CA DIL

LA CIRCLE

University Drive

A’

b’

N 0’

20’

40’

80’

A relocated entryway, aligned with an existing bus stop, draws visitors to a circular stepped plaza modeled on the wide, shallow terraces of the upstream creek bed. The plaza cantilevers slightly over the water, better capturing views of Cascadilla Falls and creating a stronger connection to the creek itself. Moveable cafe seating and a sloped grass lawn, buffered from the street by new trees and a mixed shrub border, further encourage visitors to stop, lounge, and linger.

BUS STOP

WALL SEATS

PED. CIRC.

SHRUB BED

BIKE RACK

SCREENING TREES

S A GR

BIORETENTION

VIEWS SL OP

EXISTING TREES E

NEW TREES + UNDERSTORY PLANTS

ED TTER SCA STORY ER UND

C K FA

SCREENING HEDGE

STUDIO:

INSTRUCTOR:

A’

Shuttle bus to Cornell CAMPUS

ROC

b’

Composition & Theory I; Fall 2011 [1st year] Paula Horrigan, Cornell University

Sample of work from first studio project of MLA sequence. Hand drawing [Oct. 2011] + PS color [added May 2014]

0’ 4’

8’

16’

TECHNICal PlaNTING PlaNS Two planting plans completed as part of first-year MLA course requirements at Cornell University (HORT 4190/20; Instructors: Peter Trowbridge & Dr. Nina Bassuk). At right, an ornamental grass/perennial border designed for quick impact and relatively low cost to enhance temporary buildings located on Cornell’s Agricultural Quad (December 2011). On next page, a woody plant stormwater retention practice designed for minimal seasonal maintentance (September 2011).

Key

No.

Botanic name

Common name

Size

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’

White Swan Coneflower

Root Cont.

EuP

Eupatorium purpureum

Joe Pye Weed

Cont.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Dixieland’

Dixieland Maiden Grass

Cont.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’

Gracilimus Maiden Grass

Cont.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’

Srictus Maiden Grass

Cont.

Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’

Shenandoah Switch Grass

Cont.

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’

Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass

Cont.

sCAle: 1” = 20’ - 0”

PVs

Physostegia virginia ‘Summer Snow’

Summer Snow Obedient Plant

Cont.

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan

Cont.

ACAdeMiC suRge sOutH CORnell uniVeRsitY

Sporobolus heterolepis

Prairie Dropseed

Cont.

complies with ANSI-Z60.1-2004 (American Standard for Nursery Stock)

sCAle: 1” = 10’ - 0” RiCe HAll PARKing lOt CORnell uniVeRsitY

Key

No.

Botanic name

Common name

Size

Root

Cornus alba ‘Arctic Fire’

Arctic Fire Redosier Dogwood

12” - 18”

Cont.

Catalpa speciosa

Catalpa

2” - 2 1/2”

B&B

Nyssa sylvatica

Tupelo

2” - 2 1/2”

B&B

Physocarpus opulifolius

Common Ninebark

24” - 30”

Cont.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Nugget’

Nugget Ninebark

12” - 18”

Cont.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Snowfall’

Snowfall Ninebark

24” - 30”

Cont.

Salix purpurea

Purpleosier Willow

24” - 30”

Cont.

Salix purpurea ‘Nana’

Dwarf Purpleosier Willow

12” - 18”

Cont.

complies with ANSI-Z60.1-2004 (American Standard for Nursery Stock)

CONSTRUCTION dETaIlS

6 601

1 601

Sample of construction details produced as part of required second-year MLA coursework at Cornell University (la 6180: Site Construction; Instructor: Peter Trowbridge). A complete set of construction documents was produced for a 0.25-mile section of Tower Road, an important east-west artery on the Cornell University campus. This semester-long project re-presents Tower Road as a multi-modal green corridor integrating new bioswales, improved bike lanes and sidewalks, and a safer and more efficient arrangement of bus stops, crosswalks, and parking.

6 601

BIOSWAlE Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

gRanite cuRb @ bioSwale Scale: 1”=1’-0”

Additionally, the existing allee of mature red oaks has significantly deteriorated due to parkingrelated soil compaction, calling for a reconfiguration of surface parking and replanting with a diverse but visually consistent line of new trees.

bike lane / Heavy duty aSpHalt Scale: 1”=1’-0”

cuRb cut Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

3 601

6 601

gRanite cuRb @ Sidewalk Scale: 1”=1’-0”

med. duty concRete/StRuctuRal Soil Scale: 1”=1’-0”

4 1

GRANItE StAIR (A & B) PlAN Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

StaiR Rail mount Scale: 1”=1’-0”

GRANItE StAIR (A & B) Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

gRanite tRead Scale: 1”=1’-0”

TOWER ROAD RETROFIT

CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NEW YORK

SOHMER LA 6180 SPRING 2013

SCALE: AS SPECIFIED

dETaIlS 6

GRANItE StAIR (c) PlAN Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

GRANItE StAIR (c) Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

GRANItE StAIR (A, B, c) Scale: 1/2”=1’-0”

L603

RESIdENTIal GaRdEN | Washington, dC

[Oven] A small, south-facing urban garden designed for heatresistant, low-maintenance color, and more importantly...cherry pies!

Plan symbols modified from BoomyRui via DeviantART

Proposed plant palette includes a mix of native and nonnative cultivars suitable for an oven-hot urban garden in Southeast DC. Anchored by a hedge of dwarf spirea, tall informal perennials blend into fine-textured coreopsis at front, while globe allium provides additional interest near the front walk. A sour cherry tree (max. height 10 ft.) will produce edible fruit, and flowering plants will attract butterflies and other pollinators. The overall design is compact without being diminuitive, complies with housing association requirements, and presents a color palette that complements the pale green of this traditional Capitol Hill rowhouse. [June 2014] PLANT SELECTION NOTES

full sun to part shade • heat tolerant • medium to dry soils • neutral to alkaline soils • pollinator support • edible fruit

utilities

0 ft.

Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’

2 ft.

4 ft.

6 ft.

Allium ‘Globemaster’

(interplant with hardy geraniums)

Symphyotrichum laeve ‘Bluebird’

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’

(interplant with spring bulbs)

Phlox paniculata ‘David’

Prunus cerasus ‘North Star’

Douglas, L. (2011). Public spaces, private gardens: a history of designed landscapes in New Orleans. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.

CREOlE KITCHEN GaRdEN | New Orleans, la

[Roots] Reviving a neglected Creole cottage garden in New Orlean’s historic Treme neighborhood A kitchen garden proposed for a 19th-century Creole cottage takes it cues from the classical French quadripartite potager, a garden form typical of 18th- and 19th-century New Orleans. The engraving at left, showing an unusually dynamic arrangement of planting beds, serves as reference for a layout contained within an existing brick border. Existing furniture and a disused fountain are incorporated. Plant selection further roots this kitchen garden in New Orleans history, including herbs inspired by passages from The Picayune’s Creole Cook Book (1901), cross referenced and supplemented with recommendations for particularly summerhardy plants from Louisiana State University’s Burden Research Center. [August 2013]

Barracks building plan, 1729

HERB SELECTION heat & drought tolerant butterfly nectar and/or host plant anise

Mint Marigold

Basil

Oregano, Greek

Bay, Laurel

Oregano, Mexican

Bene (Sesame)

Parsley

Catmint

Pennyroyal

Chives, Garlic

Pot Marigold

Cilantro

Rosemary, ‘Tuscan Blue’

Dill

Sage, Pineapple

Fennel

Rue

Garlic, Elephant

Tansy

hoarhound

Thyme, Common

Lavender, French

Thyme, Lemon

Marjoram

Wormwood

fountain repurposed as a planter [ thyme or french lavender in a sandy soil mix ] 2 ft. oyster shell paths [ use stockpile on property ] new interior brick border [ use stockpile on property ] existing brick border annual vegetable and flower beds edged work paths [ 8 in. ] bench beds reserved for perennial herbs and flowers existing benches 0 ft.

2 ft.

4 ft.

8 ft.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTal COMMUNICaTION

SHaPIRO-WIlK TEST of NORMalITY

Run the Shapiro test for each set of data. If the p-values for both sets are greater than 0.05, use the t-test.Otherwise use the rank-sum test!



= 0.05

p-value

INTERPRETING P-ValUES No matter which test you used, the p-value must be less than or equal to the stated alpha () level for you results to be considered ‘significant’ and not just due to chance. The bar is usually set at  = 0.05, but smaller values may be more appropriate depending on the nature of your study.

INFOGRaPHICS for BIOSTaTISTICS Adapting visual representation skills for science communication Graphics skills developed as a landscape architecture student applied to set of analogies developed during two years as a lab instructor for an introductory investigative biology lab course at Cornell University [BioG 1500]. These visual mnemonics proved effective in helping students both memorize and understand foundational (and frequently confused) statistical concepts in experimental design and analysis.

 = 0.05

signiﬁcant

 = 0.01

VERY signiﬁcant

 = 0.001

HIGHlY signiﬁcant

*REJECTING NULL HYPOTHESES SINCE 1925!

*we have british statistician and geneticist R.a. fisher to thank for developing the concept of p-values in statistical testing (Statistical testing for Research workers, 1925),

GETTING STaRTEd!

ARE YOU COMPARING TWO DIFFERENT SAMPLES?

DO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE SAMPLES THAT CAN BE PUT IN A RANKED ORDER?

SHAPIRO TEST

SPEaRMaN RaNK CORRElaTION TEST

RaNK-SUM TEST Cydia pomonella density (worms/g)

STUdENT’S T-TEST

HISTOGRAM

BOXPLOT

[ parametric data ]

[ nonparametric data ]

Anthocyanin pigment concentration (mg/g)

SWITCHBOaRd | Natural Resources defense Council Staﬀ Blog ‘The hidden perils of poorly-connected streets...or why I am afraid of German Sheperds’ I grew up in a typical subdivision of detached singlefamily homes built in the 1960s, where long blocks and quiet cul-de-sacs ruled the landscape. On the plus side, our small houses and lot sizes made for a somewhat walkable neighborhood, and someone even had the foresight to build a little pedestrian shortcut between my street and my elementary school. But that may have been the only real concession to connectivity pedestrian or otherwise - in the entire neighborhood. Case in point: I lived in one loop of the subdivision, and my friend - let's call her Jenny - lived in another, just on the other side of our school’s kickball field. As the crow flies, Jenny’s house was practically next door, yet it was an absolute hassle to get to. But let’s consider that Jenny had about 27 Barbie dolls, a copy of The Dark Crystal on VHS, and everything ever made by Hello Kitty. I was highly motivated. However, between me and the spoils of Jenny’s indulged childhood lay the proverbial fork in the (badly-planned) road: Which way to go? The safe but loooong route (0.5 miles)...or the treacherous shortcut (0.2 miles)?

Don’t get me wrong, as conventional suburbs go mine could’ve been a lot worse. At least I had the option of walking to my friend’s house in the first place, sparing my mom the even longer drive (0.75 miles).

precious minutes reaching the scene of an emergency, and similar to other public services like garbage collection, operating costs are minimized by reduced travel time and vehicle mileage.

But a well-connected street grid with shorter blocks and frequent intersections wouldn’t have hurt. As Charlottesville, VA-based transportation planner store hannah Twaddell points out:

Of course, let’s also consider the environmental and public health benefits of a well-connected street system: In addition to reducing gas consumption and vehicle emissions overall, school good street connectivity helps decrease traffic congestion on arterial roads, making neighborhoods safer for pedestrians while reducing local hotspots of air pollution that can lead to respiratory illnesses.

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Additionally, connectivity is a key component of the smart growth mix, along with mixed land-uses and higher density, that encourages people to leave their cars at home and be more physically active.

Jenny’s house

Typical suburban cul-de-sacs

dead end

The shortcut was a substantial timesaver for a little kid with little legs, but it meant scaling Jenny’s fence commando-style and running the gauntlet of family dogs’ (read: rabid psycho killer German Shepherd hellhounds) to get to the back door.

I don’t know what they were feeding those dogs, but clearly it wasn’t enough.* Maybe if I hadn’t been totally terrified, I would have realized I was receiving an early lesson in the value of a well-connected street network.

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“Regardless of their size, communities can realize three major benefits from A well-connected street network better connectivity: shorter trips; a wider variety of travel choices; and more costeffective public services and infrastructure.

If you’re in the market for street connectivity design guidelines, check out the street network credit of the new lEED for Neighborhood Development rating system, co-developed by NRDC, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the U.S. Green Building Council. Perhaps if the developers who designed my neighborhood had access to planning resources like these, I might’ve been spared a little mild childhood trauma. As it was, I usually took the shortcut to Jenny’s house despite the dogs. That’s how much I hate following a bad street grid.

*The author is happy to report she eventually outgrew her fear of German Shepherds once she began to outweigh them. She is less happy to report that she also outgrew The Dark Crystal.

Creating more direct connections shortens travel time, which effectively brings people closer to their destinations. With more available connections, community residents can get to schools, shopping centers, and other spots that may have simply been off their radar before -- not because these places were too far away, but because they were too far out of the way.”

Original posting [25-Nov-08]: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/ blogs/kbenfield/the_hidden_perils_of_poorlycon.html

She goes on to explain that good street connectivity also helps firefighters, paramedics, and police officers save

aerial map: Google Earth Photos: Adam Henning; Nina H. via Flickr Connectivity maps: modified from U.S. FHWA

EARTHWATCH RADIO produced by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant DURABLE DIESEL

A 34-year old oil spill still contaminates a Massachusetts marsh. Scientists are trying to find out why.

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Earthwatch Radio was inspired by Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. Launched in 1972, it was the first radio program in the nation to concentrate on environmental news. When the last show aired 35 years later, this award-winning program had become the longest-running program of its kind.

Sample of scripts reported and written for a competitive science writing graduate assistantship at the University of Wisconsin. Complete story set available at http://ewradio.org/ (search by author).

— ewradio.org

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Each script aims to tell a complete and accurate story about complex scientific research in a purely informal, conversational tone - effortlessly absorbed and understood by even the most casual of listeners.

PUSHING POLLUTION THRESHOLDS

Dig a few inches into the marsh of West Falmouth, Massachusetts, and it's 1969. The diesel fuel that spilled into the marsh back then is still there, and it hasn't changed much over the decades. Many of the old compounds in the marsh are still toxic to people and wildlife. Scientists are trying to find out why they won't go away, and what this could mean for cleaning up other oil spills. Chris Reddy is an environmental chemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He used a sensitive new technique to identify petroleum compounds in the marsh and found that there's almost no difference between the original diesel fuel and what's in the marsh today. He says he expected to find that these compounds had been broken down by microbes in the soil.

"One of the big things right now in science is a term called 'natural attenuation,' which basically means that Mother Nature can

clean itself up. And there are some really good examples out there where it's happened. But in this case, at this one location, for some reason, the microbes that usually can eat some of these compounds have stalled." Reddy says the microbes did eat some of the compounds. But he says they had the capability to eat almost all of them. Reddy says it's important to figure out why the microbes stopped breaking down the oil residue at the Massachusetts marsh.

"If we can understand what made them stall, and we can somehow add or help the bacteria, then we can help Mother Nature clean this spot up and potentially other locations." Reddy is the lead author of an article on the West Falmouth spill that appeared last year in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

FERAL, FAT, AND FIT

A new study says ozone pollution at ground level could increase substantially over the next century.

Wild swine in Georgia make great guinea pigs but less than desirable neighbors.

Ozone is a poisonous gas that’s a major component of smog. A new study says this kind of pollution is likely to get worse across the northern hemisphere during the 21st century. Ozone forms when car exhaust and factory emissions hit warm air and sunlight. It can damage the human respiratory system and aggravate health problems for people with asthma.

Spanish settlers brought pigs to an island off the coast of Georgia more than 400 years ago and raised them for food. The pigs on Ossabaw Island have been running loose ever since, and these days people have mixed opinions about the animals. Some say they’re a nuisance. Others say they’re a valuable resource for the study of human disease.

Michael Prather is an atmospheric chemist at the University of California at Irvine. He worked with a team of researchers on computer simulations to predict ozone pollution in the future. Their work shows that ozone levels could increase considerably in the northern hemisphere by the year 2100. The amount of increase will largely depend on human population growth and levels of fossil fuel consumption. Prather says the increase would push everyday levels of ozone closer to the concentrations that are considered unsafe.

That, in turn, would mean that short-term pollution events--like traffic jams on a hot summer day--would push ozone levels past the safety threshold more often. Prather says ozone pollution at ground level is completely separate from ozone depletion in the stratosphere. That ozone occurs naturally and protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.

“There’s this constant confusion between stratospheric ozone where we’re afraid of an ozone hole and ozone depletion, and the nearsurface stuff we have to breathe. People think you can take the near-surface stuff and ship it into the stratosphere and save the ozone hole and save our lungs at the same time, and the answer is no, they’re sort of totally different scales. The amount that hurts our lungs is still very low concentration compared to the stratosphere.” That’s Michael Prather of the University of California at Irvine.

I. Lehr Brisbin is an ecologist with the University of Georgia, and he has studied the feral pigs. He says they’ve developed a low-grade form of diabetes, and it helps them survive an unpredictable diet. Brisbin says the free-ranging pigs survive mainly on acorns. He says their metabolism lets them pile on fat to get through years when acorns are scarce. But he says the pigs don’t show any sign of the cardiovascular problems that are typically linked with obesity.

“The question is, how are these pigs’ circulatory systems, cardiovascular systems, how are they functioning out on the island

when they get really fat and the acorns are falling? Why aren’t they keeling over of heart attacks and strokes like people do when they get overweight and have too much hardening of the arteries?” Brisbin says answering these questions means studying the behavior of the pigs in the wild, not just in a lab. But he says the pigs are hard on the island environment. When acorns are scarce, they look for food in salt marshes. They tear up valuable habitat for shrimp, crabs and oysters. They also destroy the nests of sea turtles. To protect the turtles, natural resource managers in Georgia shoot hundreds of the pigs every year. Brisbin talked about the difficulty of juggling environmental protection and medical research during a recent meeting of the Ecological Society of America.

THANK YOU Portfolio available at http://tinyurl.com/sohmer