Environmental Landscape Management (EVL)

This subject will present to the students, a variety of machinery and equipment commonly used in the parks and landscaping field. We will focus on tractor-loaders as well as turf cutting machines. An important aspect of understanding the operation of equipment is to become familiar with the safe operation of it. We will also cover basic maintenance and preventative maintenance requirements for the machinery.

Turfs are important in human activities from a functional, recreational and aesthetic standpoint. The value of turfgrass industry in Ontario is estimated over $200 million. With the anticipated continued expansion in population and urban development plus increased leisure time available for outdoor recreational activities, the value and importance of the turfgrass industry will continue to grow. With the new Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act the turf care industry has had to eliminate the use of herbicides and pesticides that have been used in the past. In this course we examine the concept of sustainable turf and how to achieve healthy lawns while still protecting the environment.

Horticulture is a major component of our communities and an increasingly growing industry. It is the ability to learn how to make gardens beautiful through proper maintenance and plant selection that will allow you to succeed in the horticulture field. This course will introduce you to the many types of plants commonly used in residential and commercial gardens as well as the maintenance and cultural requirements of these plants.

Through practical experience working on campus gardens you will gain the necessary skills to prepare you for a future career in horticulture.

Recognition of the need to restore natural ecosystems and the movement to do so are becoming well established. Public parks and conservation areas, municipal green-spaces, schoolyards, private gardens and yards are all experiencing this naturalization. Re-establishing native plant communities, natural biological processes and biological diversity are at the core of the movement.
This subject provides the foundation in ecological fieldwork necessary to plan and implement ecological restoration projects in any of the afore mentioned green-spaces and gardens. It develops foundation knowledge of the native plant species used in naturalized landscape design. It develops knowledge of the process of community involvement, organizational partnerships and funding sources for ecological restoration projects. This subject also begins the process of introducing students to the concepts of ?The Ecosystem Approach? to project planning, Ecological Goods and Services, Low Impact Development, Ecological Land Classification and Geographic Information systems (GIS) mapping.
This foundation subject is followed by; EVL 285 ? Terrestrial Ecosystems, EVL 385 ? Aquatic Ecosystems, and EVL 485 ? Restoration of Natural Ecosystems, which also take an applied restorative approach.

The management of environmental service organizations in both the public and private sector requires a good understanding of how to provide an effective service to meet public demand while maintaining ecological integrity. Areas such as planning, leadership, decision making, customer service and employee development will all be discussed and applied to case situations. This can be beneficial information if you work for a public parks organization in your future career or a private contractor.

Greenhouse and Nurseries are a key sector of the Landscape industry as they grow, nurture and supply the plants required for garden centers, contractors, parks, and municipalities. Greenhouses also grow many of our local vegetables, houseplants and more recently Cannabis Crops. In this subject, students will gain an understanding of various greenhouse operations, structures and the crops that are commonly grown and cultivated. Students will explore the physiology and anatomy of plants, different propagation methods, plant nutrition requirements and pest and disease management. Students will assess the important factors needed to successfully grow crops in a greenhouse environment. The course will consider greenhouse trends such as edible crops and urban farming, vertical farming and interiorscaping (I.e. landscaping an interior space).

The use of plants in a landscape and their maintenance is the primary objective of much of the work done with plants in the Landscape field. Those that reach this objective do so by understanding the linkages of the principles of landscape design with the growth characteristics and cultural requirements of plants. This subject will help you acquire knowledge of the cultural requirements of annuals, perennials and shrubs with particular reference to their identification, use and maintenance requirements.

Prior to European settlement, Ontario was densely covered with mixed forest and scattered meadows. Driven primarily by agriculture, much of the southern part of the province has been cut over, reducing forests to small islands. Some wildlife species benefited from the change and others declined. Many pest species thrive. This subject explores the habitat and biology of organisms in the different types of terrestrial ecosystems of Ontario. Emphasis is on understanding what contributes to a healthy ecosystem and how we can restore biological diversity in degraded ones.

This work term will provide students with a college-approved work experience in areas of landscape management, horticulture and ecology, in order to gain a sense of the career opportunities available in specialized and general landscape companies, horticultural nursery and greenhouse operations, municipal parks departments and conservation authorities, as well as golf courses, tourist resorts and other private and public parks.

In this course, students will apply skills learned in the academic setting as well as gain new workplace skills. Students will interact with industry professionals while developing and expanding their critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills in a professional work environment. Through the work experience, students will gain an understanding of workplace accountabilities for their role, the role of team members and leaders in the workplace. The work experience will also provide the student with a variety of situations and opportunities to further develop their listening and communication skills, both oral and written, as pertinent to the job function and industry requirements.

Trees play an essential role in the Canadian landscape. They are a material of design, not only used for their aesthetic value but also for their functional value as shelter, windbreaks, erosion control and air quality improvement. This subject is designed to cover the fundamental and practical methods of Arboriculture.

Computers have moved into all facets of the workplace. The Landscape/Horticulture Industry is adopting computer aided drafting (C.A.D.) to help improve efficiency. Students with capabilities in this area should have an increased advantage when seeking careers in the industry or may wish to apply it to their own personal/business application.

The role of small business in our economy has increased significantly. Small landscape firms constitute an important part of today?s business successes. This subject is designed to provide you with a sound understanding of the important business operations including the collection, the disbursement, cash flow management and the interpretation of financial statements. The subject examines the process of strategic planning for a landscape business. Administrative and financial controls relating to small business will also be discussed. Business simulations and case studies will be introduced to challenge the student to analyze business problems that may be encountered in small landscape business enterprises.

Landscapes are a major component of our outside environment, whether it be a boardwalk or a water feature in a residential garden. With hard landscape materials being a costly portion of our landscapes, careful selection and proper installation is a priority. This course will cover landscape materials and installation methods commonly used in landscape construction. The use of the laser level will also be covered.

Leonardo da Vinci stated that ?water is the driving force of all Nature.? The degradation of streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands not only results in a lowering of water quality, but impacts other ecosystems and even the human economy as well. This subject explores the definition, structure, and biology of different types of freshwater ecosystems in Ontario. Consideration is given to the stewardship of healthy ecosystems and the
restoration of degraded ones.

Driven by the Landscape Ontario Horticulture Trades Association, the Landscape industry is known for peer to peer networking and mentoring with a strong emphasis on the importance of social responsibility.  As an orientation in this area, students will learn about the support and continuous training opportunities that exist within the industry and have a better understanding of the skills required to advance their careers.  Within the course, students will construct a professional portfolio and engage in volunteer and professional development opportunities that enhance their skills and knowledge as environmental landscaping professionals.  The purpose of this course is to enable the student to make a smooth transition from an academic to a work environment.   Students will also undertake 28 hours of professional development activities or volunteer activities in parallel to the course.



 

A Landscape Designer should have the ability to apply the principles of sound Landscape Design to the use of open spaces. In addition to basic design ability, they must also understand the interaction between key landscape materials (water, fire, wood, stone, climate, and plant material/vegetation) and be able to address these aspects into a technical design for clients. These designs must also reflect the climate in which they function and the human use to which they are being adapted. In this course, students consider how to create effective sustainable and aesthetically-pleasing designs using technological tools and the principles and practices of design.

Form, function and sustainability of landscapes contribute to healthy environments. The awareness of the interaction of these aspects is an important area for environmental landscaping professionals. This course requires students to evaluate human impacts on landscapes and to understand environmental principles and applications that promote sustainability and reflect current trends in landscape design. Students also consider the important areas of ecological and fusion design, and how to apply these areas to create innovative, aesthetically-pleasing and sustainable landscape designs.

This subject is designed to cover areas of Pest Management and control in landscape industry and municipal areas Particular emphasis is placed on Ontario Ministry of Environment integrated pest management (IPM) and plant health care guidelines (PHC). A significant part of the course is devoted to pathogens, pests and environmental stresses including their diagnosis, identification and cultural control. Adequate knowledge of physiological disorders, biotic agents, biological control agents and resistant cultivars are fundamental to the development of an effective and environmentally sound plant health care program. The development and the implementation of IPM and PHC in municipal and landscape environment will be discussed .This course will cover material included in the ministry of environment IPM accreditation program.

Building on the subject material from EVL 375, students will learn about the process of operating a small business and the ongoing management requirements. This subject is designed to encourage students to take advantage of expanding management opportunities in the landscape, horticulture industry. Students considering starting their own small business will benefit from this course as well.

Urban environments present unique challenges to environmental landscape management. The course will explore landscape management options related to urban biodiversity conservation, the urban heat island effect and climate change, storm water management, invasive species, permaculture, smart growth/new urbanism, road ecology and human/nature interactions. Social, political, and economic influences on urban ecosystems will also be examined, with discussions focused on the planning and development of sustainable urban environments.

Building on the previous three semesters of study on ecological communities, this course will introduce students to the variety of field and lab techniques and protocols developed to monitor and assess the health and well-being of natural habitats. Successful completion of this course will also provide students with skills relating to data interpretation and analysis, report writing, and concepts in planning and development in natural environments. The course will be taught through a combination of in-class lectures and on-campus field work and field trips.