Study Guide Ch. 8 Plants, Parks, and Sports Flashcards
Questions related to vegetation will simply address how evergreen and deciduous plants are used in different applications (e.g., evergreen plants are superior for blocking wind, and deciduous trees will allow areas to receive sunlight in the winter), as well as the scalar differences between grass, shrubs and trees (e.g., trees can block sight lines, whereas low shrubs will not)
Will require you to pay attention to the placement of trees on a site, specifically as it relates to safety and climate
Ecological benefits
Vegetation sequesters CO2, filters air, removes pollutants, reduces erosion and improves water quality while also providing habitat and food opportunities for wildlife
Human benefits
Plant materials can be used to mitigate the negative effects of wind, harsh light, temperature and humidity on site, thereby increasing comfort for human users.
Heat island effect
Vegetation can reduced the heat island effect when it replaces hardscape surfaces, or shades hardscape from the sun
Scale
Larger, taller, and wider tree canopies produce more shade than those with lesser dimensions
Seasonal impact
Deciduous trees provide shade in the summer when the sun is most intense, and (by dropping their leaves) allow beneficial heating from the sun in the winter
North
Windbreaks should be located on the north side of a site given that northwestern slopes receive cold winter winds and northern slope are coldest in the winter
South
Southern slopes receive the most sun in winter months, and buildings are often oriented toward the south to take advantage of passive heating. If trees are located to the south of a building, deciduous trees should be selected given that they do not produce shade in the winter months
East
Vegetation placed to the east of site features generally had little impact on the site microclimate
West
West-facing site features receive the most heat during the summer. Trees should therefore be located to the west of any feature or building that requires shade in the summer.
Windbreaks
Vegetation for windbreaks
Woody, evergreen vegetation is best suited for windbreaks and air funneling, and various sources state that evergreen windbreaks should be at least three plants deep to be effective (and deciduous windbreaks ten plants deep).
Note that taller herbaceous plantings such as grasses have little impact on wind, and deciduous plants do not block wind during the winter.
Windbreak location
Vegetation should be placed in the direct path of the prevailing wind, with adequate spacing from a structure to provide insulating “dead air”. Windbreaks should be placed at least half of their height away from the face of the structure to provide sufficient dead-air space.
Windbreak scale
All other things being equal, taller and thicker windbreaks provide superior protection from wind
Be familiar with general characteristics and programming requirements of parks, as well as the differences between parks and parkways
Neighborhood parks
Should be centrally located in the neighborhood that they serve and connect to broader circulation networks (especially sidewalks) to facilitate ease of access and encourage use.
Can range in size from 1 acre (typically existing parks in urban areas) to up to 10 acres, but - as a general rule - neighborhood parks will be around 5 acres in size and should be at least 3 acres in size if possible.
Should be contiguous and uninterrupted by roads or other barriers, including wetlands, rivers and lakes
Sites not suitable for other forms of development are also not suitable for use as neighborhood parks
Neighborhood parks typically contain the following amenities
- play areas for multiple age groups
- ADA-accessible circulation loop that connects to adjacent pedestrian circulation, including sidewalks and regional trails
- well-maintained open space for informal uses
- sports features such as a basketball half-court, volleyball court, multi-use paved area and/or tennis court
- general site amenities, such as benches, picnic areas, trash containers, and security lighting
- ornamental features to enhance aesthetic appeal, including landscape planting and well-detailed site furnishings
- “natural” areas that also accommodate stormwater infiltration
- limited parking, given that most users can walk to the site or use on-street parking
Large urban parks
Provide a broader range of uses to a larger population than neighborhood parks
At least 20 acres in size, with 40 acres considered to be ideal
They are designed to serve multiple neighborhoods and are often framed as regional destinations depending upon the specific amenities that they offer
Should connect to existing circulation networks and - due to their size and importance - they are often used as the start or terminus of important regional trail systems and greenways
Large urban parks typically contain
- all of the amenities found at a neighborhood park, albeit in larger quantities/scale
- group picnic facilities
- extensive networks of looped internal trails designed for a variety of users
- large, well-maintained open spaces for passive and active use
- some formal athletic facilities (e.g., swimming pool) that can blend into the character of the park
- special-use facilities that to serve a specific cross-section of the public (e.g., campgrounds, dog parks, skateboard parks)
- dedicated parking lots to prevent spillover into on-street parking of adjacent neighborhoods
Regional Parks
Designed to service multiple municipalities and will generally be several thousand acres in area.
Typically cross multiple political boundaries, and a regional park authority is typically created to oversee and manage all of the regional parks in a given area.
Note that regional parks are typically oriented around significant natural resources or areas with a distinct character, and the amenities of the park will typically correspond to the assets within that park (e.g., a boathouse and swimming areas if there is a lake).
No definitive rules for what activities and features are characteristics of regional parks, but they will generally have:
- connections to major transportation networks
- integration into regional multi-user trail networks
- amenities necessary for day use, including seating areas, restrooms, water fountains and interpretive signage
Parkways
Essentially linear parks that also serve as transportation corridors between specific features within a city, including public parks, important historical or cultural sites, as well as key commercial areas, and they often follow linear natural features such as rivers.
Parkway length varies dramatically depending upon context: some parkways will encircle an entire metropolitan area, whereas others may be one to two miles in length.
Given their linear nature, however, all parkways will generally be between 200 ft. to 1,000 ft. in width, and landscape features (including trees, lighting, signage and site furnishings) are usually placed at regular intervals along the parkway to delineate it from surrounding areas.
Greenways
Should not be confused with parkways, primarily because greenways are created to protect and buffer key ecological resources, including sensitive natural areas and wildlife corridors.
However - like parkways - greenways often follow a linear configuration intended to connect key resources to one another, with greenways providing connections between lakes, wetlands and remnant landscapes, among others.
Typically designed such that their boundaries preserve and/or connect the highest quality and most unique natural resources found in an area. As such, greenways may intersect with existing parks or other outdoor recreational assets, and therefore also provide passive-use recreational opportunities, including trails, interpretive signage and rest areas. In these instances, recreational infrastructure should be designed such that it facilitates human use without detracting from the ecological value of a site
Candidates should consider how programming can activate or otherwise augment public space.
Studies on public space have shown that the availability of food and the activity of eating are strong stimuli that attracts users to a space.
An underperforming public space could therefore be revitalized simply through the addition of programming, but - under the same example - consideration should be given to the hours of operation associated with additional programming.
A farmer’s market may attract large amounts of people on a specific day and would likely be a seasonal use, whereas a “pod” of food trucks may attract fewer users, but do so on a daily basis throughout the year.
Athletic Complexes
Real world - Often located inside the footprint of a large urban or community park
LARE - should be designed as stand-alone facilities, given that they detract from the character of large park settings
Will generally be located on sites in excess of 20 acres (with 40-80 acres being considered optimal)
Typically designed to serve entire communities
Should be well integrated into existing circulation networks with access from main vehicular routes being particularly important
Require large expanses of relatively flat topography to accommodate playing fields, and supporting amenities such as restrooms, bleacher seating, picnic areas and concession areas are critical to the success of the site
