Browsing by Author "Robinson, Laura"
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Item BWI-Patapsco Greenway(Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS), 2016) Dalal, Avantika; Franklin, Joshua; Poole, Jason; Ren, Jen; Robinson, Laura; Ellis, Christopher D.The proposed Patapsco Greenway Exchange would serve to connect the Patapsco Valley State Park, the BWI Transportation Zone, and the Baltimore Metropolitan. It is designed to do so for users of all ages and abilities while increasing overall access to DNR property along the way. This path would serve as a catalyst for economic development by opening up access to natural sport and leisure opportunities as well as providing educational programming to the region. This book details the paths masterplan as designed by a team of graduate students of landscape architecture at the University of Maryland. Many alternative routes were examined and considered. Final decisions were chosen in order to maximize the use of existing infrastructure, providing accommodating access to pedestrians and bicyclists alike while avoiding unnecessary costs. Such usage includes the following: (1) The path crosses over both Stony Run Creek and the Amtrak railway via Stoney Run Rd over a wide shoulder on the right side of the road. (2) Route 295 is crossed via a shoulder on Ridge Rd. (3) A tight underpass on Furnace Ave. which runs below the Amtrak railway is used for safe crossing. The project team has proposed that the road immediately surrounding the tunnel be converted into a two way, traffic light controlled, one lane pass. The other lane would become a shared use path for pedestrians and bicyclists. There are few areas where new infrastructure is suggested (aside from the typical asphalt paths that would be required for off-road pedestrian and bicyclist use), mainly an apx. 450-500 feet of boardwalk along the Halethorpe zone, as well as a small track between Elkridge and Furnace Ave and a small proposed connection to the boardwalk near the MDOT headquarters off of Corporate Center Dr. The scope of this project would require consideration from several stakeholders which include the Anne Arundel County Department of Planning and Zoning, the Anne Arundel County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, the Howard County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Maryland Department of Transportation.Item Proposals for Addressing Exotic Invasive Species: The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area and Surrounds(Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS), 2015) Allen, Nathan; Bolabo, Ann Michelle; Friant, Kevin; Garrick, Tyreese; Hsu, Yung-Ting; Mendis, Delath; Poole, Jason; Robinson, Laura; Roebuck, Kontessa; Ruano, Edy; Scott, Lucas; Sorvalis, George; Wallach, Meredith; Williams, Cristen; Wilson, Lionel; Xu, Bisheng; Myers, David N.This report describes efforts undertaken by students as part of LARC 452 Green Infrastructure and Community Greening, Fall 2015. The course is divided into three sections. Section one focuses on land preservation principles and programs in the State of Maryland. Section two focuses on greening standards in the site development process including the implementation of the Maryland Forest Conservation Act and the District’s Green Area Ratio. Section three focuses on green interventions related to stormwater efforts and the implementation of Maryland ESD requirements. This research served as the project for the primarily lecture- based course. This research served two purposes for the overall course. First, it provided students with the opportunity to review and propose solutions to practical, real world invasive species issues. Secondly, the two field trips allowed students, particularly those with minimal vegetation or plant science background, real field experiences and the opportunity to learn from Howard County staff and other students. This was a valuable experience. The overall document provides three primary outcomes. The results of the field days provided data from sampling of 20 permanent vegetation plots in the northern section of Northern Conservation Area. The Northern Conservation Area has approximately 34 plots. Invasive species occurred in 100% of the 20 plots. The most prevalent species were Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum, and Rosa multiflora. The second outcome is a series of proposals for addressing invasive species. The proposals draw on the adjacent land uses—schools, golf course and residential. The third outcome is a compilation of reference annotations that were investigated to support the development of the proposals. In the discussion of invasive species, students gained an acute and tangible understanding of the problem of invasive species and the challenges of addressing this widespread problem. The proposals reflect a consensus that public-private partnerships supported by both public and private leadership are needed to address the quality of forest environments and a difficult problem such as invasive species.