Environment 170
Environmental Science Colloquium, SPRING 2009
Course Description:
Environmental problems, in general, are dynamic and complex, demanding innovative cross-disciplinary solutions. Such solutions are not easily met due to a variety of political, social, economic, and ecological factors. Each quarter, the Environmental Science degree program sponsors a colloquium series, Environment 170, which explores a diversity of ideas and approaches to environmental issues through natural science, social science, public health, public policy, development, business, and law. Each hour-long presentation is followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. This course is designed for, but is not limited to, students in the Environmental Science major.
Environmental Science Degree Program Credit:
This course is offered Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters with each course carrying 1 unit of credit. Students majoring in Environmental Science are required to complete four quarters of Environment 170.
Instructor:
Dr. Michael Silverman
Institute of the Environment, 300 La Kretz Hall, tel. 310-825-5008(messages)
Office Hours: Monday 12:00-1:00, immediately after class, or by appointment
email: silvermanmc@gmail.com [best to contact by email]
I-course Sites
Course Webpage: Syllabus and announcements are posted on the course webpage http://environment170.wordpress.com/
Podcasts available at Bruincast http://www.oid.ucla.edu/webcasts/courses/2008-2009
Requirements:
Presentations and Discussion:
Each week, a guest presentation, lecture, or class discussion is held. You are required to engage in and actively participate each week.
Community Service:
Once per Quarter, you are required to participate in one organized community service event. This event may take the place of one lecture or discussion. [Lecture or discussion for that week, or one other week will not be held].
Event 1 – UCLA, Stone Canyon Restoration project, on campus, Saturday, April 18 or May 30,
10 a.m. – 1p.m. Meet behind the Anderson Business School.
Event 2 – Tentatively on Saturday, May 2 – UCLA’s Campus-wide Community Service Day.
Contact Fiona Poon [fionapoon120@gmail.com] UCLA Community Service Coordinator
Event 3 – Select your own event from the plethora of Environmental and Sustainability activities both on and off campus. Unsure? … ask the Instructor for suggestions and details.
Document your community service work on our blog http://environment170.wordpress.com/
Grading:
* Grade assigned is Pass (P) or Not Pass (NP).
How to Pass this course:
* Attend ALL colloquia and discussions, ask questions during the Q&A portions, and participate in one community service event. At each class, sign in and write your student ID.
* Participate in one Community Service Event. Document the event and, in particular explain the science or policy connected to the event. Write a one-page (400 – 600 words) blog post, first describing the event; second, explaining your role in the event; third, identifying and analyzing the Science or Policy rationale for the event; four assess the extent to which the event matched up with the science/policy rationale. Post your writing on the blog at http://environment170.wordpress.com/ . Assignment is due before the next class.
Absences:
If you miss one colloquium speaker or discussion, you have three options:
1. Review the associated reading(s) and Podcast for the speaker you missed. Readings/podcasts are linked on http://environment170.wordpress.com/. Document the Presentation. Write a one-page (400 – 600 words) blog post, first identifying the topic; second, defining the main concepts; third, identifying and analyzing the Scientific Research or Public Policy rationale for such research, theory, or practice; four assess the extent to which the presenter’s talk (narrative, analysis …) is/is not supported by scientific research/public policy practice. Post your writing on the blog at http://environment170.wordpress.com/ or email directly to the instructor [silvermanmc@gmail.com] Assignment is due before the next class.
2. Attend one of the Oppeheimer Lectures sponsored by IOE. See http://www.ioe.ucla.edu/calendar/oppenheim.asp Date is Weds. April 15, 7 -9 p.m. Check the IOE calendar online for details. Document and analyze the topic presented. See “Document the Presentation” above. Readings/podcasts are linked on http://environment170.wordpress.com/. Assignment is due before the next class.
3. Attend an additional Environmental/Sustainability focused Community Service event or Speaker presentation. The Mellon Environmental Series meets once, on Weds., April 22, 4- 6 p.m. (See http://blogs.library.ucla.edu/literature/2009/02/17/mellon-lecture-series-a-cultural-pre-history-of-environmentalism/ for details. See “document the event” above. Assignment is due before the next class.
*A second absence either a Speaker or Discussion, without a documented reason, results in a ‘Not Pass’ for the course. A second absence MUST BE made up as well, using one of the three options above. A third absence cannot be made up [except in extreme circumstances] and results in a NP [Not Pass] grade.
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Community Service Event Write-up:
The community service event that I participated in was the Stonecreek Restoration Project on May 30th, 2009 run by the Santa Monica Baykeeper. I was initially really surprised to find a natural creek flowing behind the Anderson School of Business. It is great having this there which is why I totally support the restoration of this area. At the event, we basically worked around the creek and pulled out invasive plants so that more of the native plants and animals can reside there. Their goal was to restore the area and to have more of the native birds come back. We grabbed our gloves and tools and immediately started working. I learned that there were many invasive plants that were taking over the area, which is why it is absolutely necessary to weed them out. We also had to look out for the native plants, marked by flags that were planted during an earlier time.
This project aims to restore the native habitats with problems created by hyrdromodification and channel straightening in and around watersheds. With an increase in urbanization, many streams and watersheds have been converted into concrete channelized streams. The problem with this is that it disturbs the natural flow of the water. With impervious surfaces contributing more to the problem, it also creates problems associated with stream velocity in that the water cannot be reabsorbed back into the ground. Thus, the typical stream interactions of the water with the ‘upland’ and ‘Riparian Zone (Flood Zone)’ are diminished.
As far as policies, there are none that actually protect streams and watersheds. There is the Fish and Game Code, Clean Water Act and the California Coastal Act, but all three policies do very little in specifically helping to preserve these streams. For example, the Clean Water Act only protects “navigable waters,” however, streams or watersheds are certainly not navigable. Since, much of California’s water systems are streams and watersheds this policy does very little in protecting them. Today, there is the Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy and the City of LA Stream Protection Ordinance that are being worked on in order to address these specific problems.
The UCLA Stone Creek is a subwatershed which has undergone a great amount of hydromodifaction. It is a daylighted stream, which is really good, but it is also susceptible to many invasive plants. Two of which are the Algerian Ivy and the Poison Hemlock. Most of the invasive vegetation does not do any good for the stream because they are not eaten by the native organisms and they also do not help with erosion since they are shallow rooted.
With the continued work on this area, hopefully much more of the Stone Creek can be transformed back to its natural state.
Comment by Amelita Joy V. Endrinal June 1, 2009 @ 10:48 pm