Syllabus

EUS Practicum (EUS 305): SUSTAINABLE TRAIL DESIGN
Fall 2015: Tuesday and Thursday 3:10-4:30, RKC 115
with Tom O’Dowd. Office Hours (Albee 205): Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (TBD)

Download the PDF version here (NO LONGER ACCURATE; REFER TO THE WEB SYLLABUS!!!):
Syllabus – EUS Practicum – Sustainable Trail Design – Fall 2015

Catalog Description:

Walking and biking are some of the most sustainable forms of transportation and great ways to interact with nature and neighbors. How can we design trails/paths/sidewalks that work for pedestrians, communities, and the environment? What does this look like “on the ground”? These are questions we will be answering in a real way in this EUS Practicum. Working with the Director of Bard’s Landscape and Arboretum program and Bard’s Sustainability Manager, as well as several campus and community partners, class members will develop, implement, and evaluate projects that enhance Bard’s landscape and other Hudson Valley locations. Examples may include Bard’s trail system, the Tivoli Bays trail system, trails in Red Hook, and rail trails in Kingston. The course will touch on and develop projects related to the diverse interests of EUS students (conservation, environmental education, historic preservation, landscape architecture, parks, public health, site design, stewardship, sustainability, urban planning, water quality, wellness, etc.) and will provide a stepping stone to EUS-related senior projects, internships, and careers.

Course Goal:

The goal of this course is to provide students practical experiences with sustainable trail design.

Objectives: After completion of this course, students will be expected to …

• identify key concepts in sustainable trail design, prominent trail organizations and publications, as well as tools and techniques used in sustainable trail design
• critique existing trails in terms of layout, design, construction, maintenance, wayfinding, interpretation, and impacts on the economy, environment, and society
• design, develop, & evaluate sustainable trail designs with peers and professionals
• make connections between sustainable design and their academic goals (e.g. Senior Project) and career goals
• develop and recognize personal passions and skills: physical skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills

 

Assignments:

To achieve the course goal and objectives, each student will complete the following:

1. Case Study
   • Pick a hiking trail, rail trail, or multi-use trail to study
   • Analyze its layout, design, construction, maintenance, wayfinding, interpretation
   • Analyze its impacts on the economy, environment, and society
   • Make a slide show of 5-10 slides, with captions, to present to the class
2. Field Study
   • Pick a hiking trail, rail trail, or multi-use trail to visit
   • Observe its layout, design, construction, maintenance, wayfinding, interpretation
   • Take 5-10 photos of the trail, capturing your observations
   • Make a slide show of 5-10 slides, with captions, to present to the class
3. Volunteer for a sustainable trail organization
   • Pick a hiking, rail trail, or transportation organization to assist
   • Arrange for 8 hours of volunteering
   • Take 5-10 photos of your work (you w/supervisor, w/tools, & in action, etc.)
   • Make a slide show of 5-10 slides, with captions, to present to the class
4. Final Project
   • Pick a hiking trail, rail trail, or transportation problem to address
   • Work with a trail/transportation organization to define the problem
   • Write chapters on layout, design, construction, maintenance, wayfinding, interpretation, as well as the economic, environmental, and social implications
   • Include maps and other images (photos/drawings)
   • Class members (and guest evaluators) will critique each student’s work and many drafts will lead to a final document.
   • Make a slide show of 5-10 slides, with captions, to present to the class

Students will also complete various in-class and homework assignments and readings to satisfy the participation requirement (free-writes, group/individual quizzes, charrettes, etc.).

Assessment:

• Participation (10%)
  • Attendance, Preparedness with readings, Quizzes, Constructive criticism of peers
• Case Study (15%)
  • Do you give a full picture of the successes and limitations of this trail?
• Field Study (20%)
  • Do you give a full picture of the successes and limitations of this trail?
• Volunteer Work (25%)
  • Do you follow through? Do you reflect on your experience? Bonus: Adopt trail
• Final Project (30%)
  • Do you engage in the workshopping/critiquing process? Bonus: Plan adopted

 

Two required texts:

Appalachian Mountain Club. AMC’s Complete Guide to Trail Building and Maintenance. 4^th Edition. AMC Books. 2008.

Kaplan, Rachel, Stephen Kaplan, and Robert L. Ryan. With People in Mind: Design and Management of Everyday Nature. 1^st Edition. Island Press. 1998.

 

Recommended gear:

Notebook for classroom free-writes

Pocket (waterproof?) notebook for field trips

Proper attire for field trips: layers of clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear

Out-of-class responsibilities:

I am asking a lot for you to do out-of-class field studies and volunteer hours. I will try to support your trips by either helping provide/coordinate transportation and/or reimbursement by mileage.

Honesty and plagiarism:

Honesty is expected, plagiarism will not be tolerated. Whenever possible, please give credit to the person from whom you are borrowing (especially in written text or during presentations).

Course Schedule and Due Dates

Day	Date	Topic	In-Class Activities	Readings Due	Homework Due
Tues	9/1	Intros	Overview & Intros	None	None
Thur	9/3	Red Hook Trails	Trails Plan Feedback; Case & Field Studies	Red Hook Trails Website: Complete the survey	Write down 5+ problem areas for pedestrians & cyclists in Red Hook area.
Tues	9/8	Hiking Trail Basics	Quiz; Maintenance; Choose a Case Study Trail	AMC’s Complete Guide: Chapter 1 and 10: Trail Design Slide Show	Choose a trail for Case Study; List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Thur	9/10	Nearby Nature	Quiz; Parking Lot; Choose a Field Study Trail	With People in Mind: Chapter 3 and 5	Choose a trail for Field Study; List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Tues	9/15	Hiking Trail Triage	Walk & Talk Bard Trails with Leigh Draper	“A Trail Designer’s Job” (WSJ); ; AMC’s Complete Guide: Chapter 7	Explore Bard/DEC trails w/this map. List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Thur	9/17	Trail Experience	Quiz; Poet’s Walk Park Quest; Choose vol. org(s).	With People in Mind: Chapter 6; AMC’s Complete Guide: Chapter 9; NYNJTC blog: “When is a hike really a hike?”	List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading; What’s your trail etiquette?
Fri	9/18	Volunteer Work on Bard’s Trails
Tues	9/22	Multiple Benefits of Trails	Visit from Karl Beard	Social Justice & Cycling; Bike Lanes & Equity; Wilderness Trails = Free?	Officially Propose a Volunteer Project (in writing)
Thur	9/24	Multi-Use Trails	EXTENDED Field trip to Hyde Park w/Karl Beard	Peruse these Hyde Park Trail Maps; Active Living	List & Define Top 10 concepts from the Visit from Karl Beard
Tues	9/29	Rail Trails in Kingston	Field Trip to Kingston Point Rail Trail w/Tim W.	Rails-to-Trails History; Rails to Trails: Toolbox. Complete Streets	Case Studies due; List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Thur	10/1	Rail Trails in General	Visit from Tim W.	KRPT Feasibility Study (Parts 1+2); Road Diets video; Detroit Greenways	Field Studies due; List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Tues	10/6	Review	Case Study Presentations	None	Case Study Presentations
Thur	10/8	Review	Field Study Presentations	None	Field Study Presentations
Sat	10/10	Trails Conference at Marist College
Tues	10/13	FALL BREAK
Thur	10/15	Trail Networks	Bryan Roberts visits	American Trails article: NYS Trails Plan Executive Summary	List & Define Top 10 concepts from reading
Tues	10/20	No Class: Optional Environmental Education Activity
Thur	10/22	Working with Stakeholders	Discussion; How it can go wrong; Class Check-ins	With People in Mind: Chap. 10	Volunteer Projects Due; List & Define Top 10 concepts from readings
Course Schedule and Due Dates (continued)
Day	Date	Topic	In-Class Activities	Readings Due	Homework Due
Tues	10/27	Choosing Final Project	Roving Flip Charts; Criteria Ranking; Discussion	Pick three possible final projects and study. Read two: Designs/Policies/Studies.	Propose a Final Project (in writing)
Thur	10/29	Review	Volunteer Project Presentations	None	Volunteer Project Presentations
Tues	11/3	Layout/Design	Playing with clinometers, levels, survey tape	AMC’s Complete Guide: Chapter 4; With People in Mind: Chapter 7; Trails Toolbox	List & Define Top 10 concepts from readings
Thur	11/5	Construction/ Maintenance	Present Layout/Design; Try bench-cutting?	AMC’s Complete Guide: Chapter 7 & 10; Scan the NYNJTC Trail Maintenance Manual	Rough Layout/Design ideas; List & Define Top 10 concepts from readings
Tues	11/10	Interpretation/Way-finding	Present: Construct/Maint.; Playing with signs, etc.	With People in Mind: Chap. 4; AMC’s Complete Guide: p. 206-222 & Chap. 12	Rough Construction/Maintenance ideas; List & Define Top 10 concepts from readings
Thur	11/12	Maps/Drawings	Present Interp/Wayfinding; Playing with Maps,	With People in Mind: Chap. 4; Map Apps	Rough Interpretation/Way-finding ideas; List & Define Top 10 concepts from readings
Tues	11/17	Transition to 1st full, complete draft	Present Maps/Drawings	With People in Mind: Chap. 10; Hudson River Foundation Grant	Rough Map(s)/Drawing(s); How can you use the reading to craft your project/presentation?
Wed	11/18	Talk: “Access for All” with Mohonk Preserve’s Education Director
Thur	11/19	Final Project	Critiques	Read/edit your project	1st Draft sections
Tues	11/24	Final Project	Critiques	Read/edit your project	1st Draft due!!!
Thur	11/26	THANKSGIVING BREAK
Tues	12/1	Final Project	Practice Presentations & Classmate Critiques	Read/edit your project	2nd Draft due!!! Practice Presentations?
Thur	12/3	Final Project	Practice Presentations & Classmate Critiques	Read/edit your project	3rd Draft due!!! Practice Presentations?
Tues	12/8	Final Project	Practice Presentations & Classmate Critiques	Read/practice/edit your presentation	Final Draft & Practice Presentations
Thur	12/10	Final Presentations	Final Presentations	Read/practice/edit your project	Final Presentation
Tues	12/15	Completion	Party/Evaluations	None	Party/Evaluations
Thur	12/17	Days	TBD	TBD	TBD