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# **Glossary**

**Beaver Pond** A water body created by beavers (*Castor sp.*) through damming streams or rivers, supporting diverse habitats and ecosystems.

**Castor sp.** A genus of beavers, including North American (*Castor canadensis*) and Eurasian (*Castor fiber*) species, known for their ecosystem engineering.

**Ecosystem Engineers** Organisms, such as beavers, that modify habitats and create new ecosystems through their activities, benefiting other species.

**Firn** Compacted, granular snow that is an intermediate stage between snow and glacial ice.

**Firn Line** The boundary on a glacier between areas of snow accumulation and areas of exposed glacial ice.

**Glacial Geomorphology** The study of landforms created by glacial processes, including erosion, deposition, and ice movement.

**Hyporheic Zone** The area beneath and adjacent to a stream where surface water and groundwater mix, supporting nutrient exchange and biodiversity.

**Landscape Architect** A professional who designs and plans land use with ecological, aesthetic, and functional considerations.

**Moraine** Accumulations of rock and soil debris deposited by a glacier, often forming ridges or mounds.

**Plastic Flow** The movement of glacial ice under its own weight, where ice behaves like a plastic material under pressure.

**Pleistocene Epoch** A geological time period from approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, characterized by repeated glaciations.

**Runnel** Small canals dug by beavers to provide water access for their ponds and dams.

**Terminal Moraine** A ridge of debris deposited at the furthest point of a glacier's advance.

**Till** Unsorted glacial debris deposited directly by melting ice, consisting of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders.

**U-Shaped Valley** A valley carved by glacial activity, characterized by steep sides and a flat bottom.

**Watershed** An area of land where all water drains to a common water body, such as a lake, river, or ocean.

**Zoogeomorphology** The study of how animals, like beavers, impact geomorphic processes and shape Earth's surface.


Glossary

**Landscape Architecture Design Brief**

**Project: Designing a Beaver-Assisted Water Retention Landscape**

**Learning Objectives:**

· Identify the signs of beaver presence on the landscape

· Analyze beaver presence on the landscape relative to their ecological and geomorphic impacts.

· Investigate the geomorphic features and processes associated with beaver ponds in mountain floodplain landscapes, focusing on hydrology, sedimentation, and landscape evolution.

· Evaluate the ecological and geomorphological implications of beaver presence in landscape architecture with the integration of beaver-induced features into landscape design.

**Imagine** you are on a project team supporting the city's development of water retention landscaping to ensure water security. Your team comprises one landscape architect, one physical geographer, and one conservation biologist. The city wants to incorporate and integrate nature into new urban planning and construction within budget constraints. The conservation biologist on your team suggests using *Castor sp.* as an ecosystem engineer and partner in the landscape intervention. 

**Team Project:** The team will develop a landscape architecture design brief to create a water retention landscape intervention that incorporates nature and supports biodiversity. The team will present the site analysis to city managers.

**Project Statement:**

Water retention landscapes assist in the sustainable architecture if interventions to manage water flow and retention for human communities. Moreover, the wetland features reduce flooding and promote biodiversity. Beaver (*Castor canadensis*) ecosystems serve as natural models for such landscapes because of their ability to modify environments through dam-building, a process known as **ecosystem engineering**. Beaver activity significantly impacts geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology, exemplifying **zoogeomorphic agency**. Landscape architects must integrate these ecological concepts to create innovative, resilient designs that harmonize with natural processes.

In this project, students will design a water retention landscape for a human community using beavers as partners in the process. Designs should reflect an understanding of both the physical and biological impacts of beaver-engineered environments and address community needs for water management, recreation, and biodiversity conservation.

**Tools:** The team may use any combination of the following tools to perform research and generate visualizations, timelines for work, and budgets.

*Generative AI (Chat GPT, Dal-EE, Claude, etc.)
*Geographic Information Systems (Quantum GIS, ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Pro, SAGA, etc.)
*Sketches (Pen and Ink or Pencil)
*Watercolor
*Diagram Applications (Draw.io, Excalidraw, etc.)


**Pin-Up Requirements:**

**Seven (07) 11” x 17” Sheets (Landscape Orientation):**

1.  **Site Analytics:**

    - Existing site conditions, water flow analysis, current challenges.

    - Infographics on beaver habitat requirements and behavior patterns.

2.  **Concept:**

    - Design statement connecting beaver ecosystem engineering principles with landscape architecture.

    - Sketches illustrating the role of beavers as natural engineers.

3.  **Proposed Masterplan:**

    - Fully rendered and annotated plan showcasing water retention zones, beaver habitats, and community integration.

4.  **Isometric of Key Features:**

    - Rendered 3D views of critical structures (e.g., beaver dams, lodges, flood management features).

5.  **Cross-Sections (2-3):**

    - Sections showing the relationship between human spaces, beaver habitats, and water management infrastructure.

6.  **Additional Visuals:**

    - Perspectives and analytic drawings highlighting ecosystem dynamics and benefits.

7.  **Design Performance:**

    - Description of how the design improves water retention and biodiversity using infographics and metrics.

    - Comparison of natural versus traditional engineering approaches.

**Presentation Instructions for Landscape Intervention:**
*Describe the Design, Ecological Intervention, and Conservation Measures*
For your audience, **explain** the landscape design of your intervention for each of the seven points above. Focus on the ecological engineers and features that promote water retention within an urban environment. 

**Highlight** how these features support the principles of reconciliation ecology. Further, detail the specific conservation measures you propose, such as creating natural habitat zones or incorporating sustainable water management practices, to help mitigate any incidental harm to species that may be affected by urban development.

**Describe** how the design aligns with conservation goals for the city, and how the measures laid out in the plan will maximize water retention and mitigate climate impacts to the city. Be sure to reference how the plan adheres to best practices for conservation and environmental protection, and emphasize its role in the long-term preservation of natural species within urban environments.


Landscape Architecture Design Brief

### **Grading Rubric: Beaver-Assisted Water Retention Landscape Design**

| **Criterion**                     | **Inadequate**                                                              | **Basic**                                                                         | **Accomplished**                                                                    | **Exemplary**                                                                                   | **% of Grade** |
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
| **Site Analytics**                | Missing or inaccurate site analysis and beaver-related data.                | Basic site conditions mapped, but beaver data lacks depth.                        | Site analysis covers conditions and beaver presence with reasonable detail.         | Comprehensive site analysis including in-depth water flow and beaver impact evaluation.         | **15%**        |
| **Concept & Design Storytelling** | Concept lacks clarity, no connection between beaver engineering and design. | Basic connection between beaver ecosystems and design; minimal narrative.         | Clear concept illustrating the role of beaver engineering; requires verbal support. | Excellent conceptual narrative; effectively integrates beaver principles with landscape design. | **20%**        |
| **Graphic Design Quality**        | Poor visuals; inconsistent layout, colors, and annotations.                 | Basic graphic consistency; limited clarity in visuals and layout.                 | Good visual quality; clear layouts and annotations, consistent design.              | Outstanding visuals; cohesive and professional graphic design across all sheets.                | **15%**        |
| **Technology Proficiency**        | Lacks digital tool integration; low-quality maps and visuals.               | Basic use of digital tools; visuals lack refinement.                              | Proficient digital tool use; maps and graphics are clear.                           | Advanced digital proficiency; high-quality visuals and seamless integration.                    | **10%**        |
| **Research & Analysis**           | Missing or superficial research on beaver impact and geomorphology.         | Basic research with limited analysis of beaver impacts and landscape integration. | Detailed research on beaver geomorphic impacts and ecological benefits.             | Excellent research; deep analysis and innovative integration of beaver features into design.    | **25%**        |
| **Content Completeness**          | Several required components missing or incomplete.                          | All required components present but lacking depth or details.                     | All sheets and visuals present with minor omissions in details.                     | All components present with detailed, professional-quality execution.                           | **15%**        |
