Edmonds Community College
INSTRUCTIONAL SYLLABUS
TITLE:
COURSE NUMBER:
INSTRUCTOR:
DIV./DEPT.:
Ecological Design for Urban Agriculture
HORT 256
Dave Boehnlein, 360-840-8483
dave.boehnlein@edcc.edu
Office Hours: by Appointment
Business, Horticulture
Introduction
An introduction to a whole systems approach to designing systems for urban agriculture.
Course involves applied concepts of agroecology, permaculture design, and special cropping
system applications appropriate for urban areas. Students will gain an understanding of the
ethics, principles, and methods of ecological design. Early in the course we will focus on
reading the landscape and in-depth site assessment. Students will then learn design process
as a vehicle to apply these tools. Once the students have a conceptual understanding and a
process to use, they will learn the necessary basics of a variety of topics such as soil, water,
annual and perennial cropping systems, waste management, aquaculture, urban production
strategies, livestock management, and more. Each of these topics will be focused specifically
on what students need to know to make good design decisions rather than day-to-day
management and operations. The course will also incorporate hands-on exercises to deepen
understanding of these topics. In addition, students will work together in groups to complete a
capstone design project in urban agriculture. These projects will require students to operate as
a team as well as providing individual work detailing an aspect of the design of their choosing.
Course Objectives: after completing this course, students will be able to...
1. Discuss and apply ecological design concepts, process, methods, strategies, and
techniques. (Communicate; Act)
2. Analyze and assess urban site conditions and user/client needs and identify the most
relevant constraints and opportunities. (Reason)
3. Create professional quality design products that demonstrate an understanding of the
concepts of ecological design. (Reason; Act)
4. Evaluate multiple options leading to different design pathways and select the most
appropriate techniques based on ecological appropriateness and responsiveness to
client needs. (Reason; Explore)
Course Resources
Required Text (available in the EdCC bookstore):
• Edible Forest Gardens, Volume 2: Design & Practice, Jacke, D & E Toensmeier.
Other Resources:
• Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd ed., Hemenway T
(recommended)
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Introduction to Permaculture, 2nd ed., 2002, Mollison B (recommended resource)
Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual, 1988, Mollison B (recommended resource)
Vertical Vegetable Gardening: A Living Free Guide, 2013, McLaughlin
(recommended)
Other readings/media resources may be provided as appropriate.
Tutors are available at no charge through the Learning Support Center, Tutoring Office
in Mukilteo Hall Room 113 or call 425-640-1750. If you are having difficulty at any time,
seek out a tutor. Tutor study partners are also very helpful for self-testing. If you require
an accommodation for a disability, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities
at MLT 159, 425.640.1320 or ssdmail@edcc.edu.
Course Mode
This class will be supplemented with an eLearning class website. However, as this is a new
course this capacity will be getting developed this quarter. Resources may include the
following...
• Articles
• Links to videos
• Other reference materials you may find useful.
Students will be able to access those resources via Canvas at some point during the quarter.
For more information about eLearning classes, visit www.edcc.edu/elearning. Student
Technical Support: Contact START at www.edcc.edu/elearning 425.640.1101.
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Course Schedule (subject to change)
5/12
Small Livestock
Pest Management
Annuals & Staple Crops
Seed Saving
Food Processing & Storage
Design for Wildlife
Hands-on
5/19
Siting & Access
Structures & Natural Building
Studio Time
Soil Fertility & Management
Fungi
Methods of Design, Pt. 2
Design Process
Reading the Landscape
5/26
Holiday; No class
6/2
Energy Systems
Appropriate Technology
Hands-On
4/28
Water in the Landscape
Rainwater Catchment
Hands-On
6/9
Aquaculture
Aquaponics
Wetland Systems
Studio Time
5/5
Forest Ecology
Perennial Systems
Tree Crops
Agroforestry
Forest Gardening
Structural Forests
Windbreaks
Bamboo
Studio Time
6/16
Invisible Structures
Finance & Economics
Land Access
Social Systems
Design for Disaster
Final Design Presentations
4/7
Course Layout & Expectations
Whole Systems Design
Permaculture (PC) Ethics
PC Design Principles
Patterns In Nature
4/14
Climate & Weather
Site Analysis & Assessment
Scale of Permanence
Methods of Design, Pt. 1
Mapping Basics
4/21
TBD Rooftop Systems
Vertical Production Systems
Policy & Code
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Course Requirements
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Attendance at all classes is required. Punctuality is mandatory. If you must
miss a class, email the instructor. Students will be responsible for abilities and
information covered in missed classes. Students may be dropped from the
class after three (3) absences. Repeated tardiness will affect grades.
Students are expected to produce near-professional quality products for
presentations. That means drawings will be to scale, writing will be legible & it
will be clear that you put time into thinking about layout and presentation. If
you would be embarrassed to charge a client for what you have produced, it
isn’t high-quality enough. See the instructor if you have questions about your
design products before you create them.
Due to the holiday on May 26, you will have a class session scheduled on
another day. That day will be spent with Zsofia Pastor focusing on rooftop
systems, vertical production systems, and legal/code issues. Once
scheduled, if you cannot make that session for any reason, an alternative way
to get credit for that content will be provided.
Since rescheduling for weather isn’t feasible, you need to come to class
everyday prepared to go outside (rain or shine). In addition, the class days
marked with “Hands-on” projects, you need to come prepared to get dirty.
Actual hands-on projects are yet to be determined, but could involve planting
trees, composting, or other projects, so you may want to bring a change of
clothes (no one will be excused from participation for lack of proper attire).
Group Design Project:
Students will work in teams to move through the design process presented in
class. Together each team will conduct a site analysis & assessment and client
interview. With this information you will use design methodologies to produce a
permaculture master plan & accompanying documents for your client.
Benchmarks will be provided to help you move through the design process in a
timely manner. You will need to meet with your design team outside of class to
get this project done. Details will be provided on a handout.
Individual Design Project:
Each student will select an aspect of their group’s master plan and detail it to the
best of their ability. This is an opportunity for each student to “go deeper” on an
aspect whole systems design that has piqued their interest. This could mean
creating a detailed planting plan for an orchard, a blueprint for a building, a
design for an electrical energy system, a plan for water harvesting earthworks,
etc. Each student can check with the instructor to make sure the detail they have
selected is appropriate. Details will be provided on a hand-out.
Studio Time:
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Portions of each class session marked with “Studio Time” will provide time for
design teams to work on their projects during class. During this time the
instructor will be checking in with each group to make sure they are on the right
track. This is the best time to ask questions.
Presentation:
There is no exam for this course. However, during exam week present the
designs you’ve worked on all quarter. You and your design team will have 25
minutes to present the design work you’ve done on both your group and
individual projects. Every student must participate in the design presentation.
Guidelines will be provided on how you may want to structure this presentation.
Class Participation:
Students will be assessed on their level of class participation. This ranges from
simple attendance at the most basic level to providing leadership during class
exercises involving groups of students or the entire class. All students are
expected to be actively engaged in any classroom wide or small group activities.
See participation grading rubric below.
Course Assessment:
Students are assessed according to their ability and effort in meeting the
requirements of the class and demonstrating that they are active learners. Final
grades will be based upon the combination of class attendance and participation
& performance on individual & group projects.
A final number grade will be ascertained by weighing class elements as follows:
100
----33
27
40
total points available
Participation (3 per class)
1=
I showed up on time & did what I was told.
2=
I showed up & contributed more than asked for.
3=
I showed up & went above & beyond. My instructor learned
something from me.
Individual Project
Group Design Project
Statement on Academic Honesty
Edmonds CC students shall demonstrate Academic Integrity. I am expected to
report all violations of Academic Integrity (cheating and plagiarism) to the
College. The College's database of such incidents will be monitored by the Office
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of the Vice President for Student Services. Data will be maintained for three
years. Evidence of repeat incidents will result in additional action by the Office of
the Vice President for Student Services as governed by the Student Code of
Conduct. In this class, cheating and plagiarism will result in an assignment or
grade penalty ranging from (insert minimum penalty here) to (insert maximum
penalty here). A second incident in this class will result in an assignment or grade
penalty ranging from (insert minimum penalty here—must be at least a zero on
the assessment) to (insert maximum penalty here).
Student Resources
Useful Student Resources:www.edcc.edu/students
Academic Calendar:www.edcc.edu/calendar/academic.html
Advising:www.edcc.edu/advising
Center for Student Engagement and Leadership:www.edcc.edu/csel
College Policies and Procedures:http://catalog.edcc.edu
Counseling and Resource Center:www.edcc.edu/counseling
Diversity Student Center:www.edcc.edu/dsc
eLearning Information:www.edcc.edu/elearning
Enrollment Services:www.edcc.edu/es
Library, including online resources:www.edcc.edu/library
Services for Students with Disabilities:www.edcc.edu/ssd
Student Printing Information:www.edcc.edu/acs/printing
Student Support Resources:www.edcc.edu/support
TRIO:www.edcc.edu/trio
Emergency Preparedness
The Triton Alert System information is here: www.edcc.edu/alert/triton. This
System will be used to send notifications regarding campus closures, emergency
situations, or evacuation orders in the event of an emergency or inclement
weather. Edmonds CC students and employees are automatically enrolled to
receive Triton Alerts through their college email addresses. Sign up to receive
text and voice messages on your mobile or home phones and/or additional email
notifications to personal email addresses.
In the event of inclement weather or similar event, communications will happen
via the course’s Canvas site.
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