Dallas
County Farm Project
Landscape Resource Management
LA 562
Studio in Resource Conservation and Management
Instructor: Paul F. Anderson
Background
Project background
From March through May of 2001, seven students at Iowa State University studied the Dallas County Farm and Care Facility. Students responded to a request from Jeff Logsdon (director of the Dallas County Conservation Department) to study the Farm’s landscape, stakeholders, and facilities. During the brief study period, students completed the following steps:
- Visited the Farm several times
- Interviewed stakeholders (Farm managers, county officials, county residents)
- Researched background information about the Farm and similar institutions
- Hosted at the Farm a charrette/workshop involving eight guests
- Developed landscape resource management recommendations
Each student selected a topic or aspect of the Farm based on their own interests and learning objectives. Their reports summarize their landscape management recommendations.
Course background
The students were enrolled in Landscape Resource Conservation and Management (LA 562) taught by Paul Anderson, professor of Landscape Architecture and Agronomy at Iowa State University. The ISU 1999-2001 Course Catalog includes the following course description:
Developing plans and policies that feature ecological landscape description, planning, and resource conservation. Hands-on field experience with professional resource planners and managers.
Purposes of the course are to (1) help prepare students for making decisions about landscape management practices and (2) help prepare students to create landscape management plans that include practices and policies. Learning objectives of the course include the following:
- Create awareness and understanding of landscape management issues
- Develop abilities to create landscape management plans and policies
- Understand the implications of landscape management practices
During the first half of the semester, students completed reading assignments, presented ideas and information to each other, discussed landscape resource management issues, listened to guest speakers, and wrote reaction papers. Topics included current issues in landscape resource management, developing landscape management plan reports, roles of landscape managers, public involvement in landscape management processes, technology for landscape management, and issues of sustainable agriculture.
This study of the Dallas County Farm and Care Facility provides students with hands-on experiences in applying concepts, procedures, and practices they studied in the first half of the semester. This study provided an ideal opportunity for student learning about the complexities and realities of managing the landscape for people while maintaining environmental quality. After much study and soul-searching, the students feel as though they have just scratched the surface though this study.
Acknowledgements
The students felt fortunate that many people from Dallas County were both generous and gracious in helping them learn about management of the Dallas County Farm and Care Facility. These people included Karen Smith (Facility administrator); David Boots (Farm manager); Chris Nelson (Farm advisory committee member); Peter Malmberg (Conservation Department history specialist); and Marvin Shirley, Alice Wicker, and Julius Little (members of the Dallas County Board of Supervisors).
As he has done so many times before, Jeff Logsdon (Conservation Department director) suggested that students be involved in studying the landscape of Dallas County. He deserves special thanks for providing students with valuable experiences as they prepare for their professional careers.
Barb, James, Kyle, Luke, Marcela, Melissa, Strauss – thanks for making this study so enjoyable.
Oh…and thanks, Karen, for the great food!
Class photos
Fieldtrip to the Farm on 22 March 01
Charrette/Workshop at the Farm on 17 April 01
Fieldtrip to the Madrid area on 14 March 01
GIS modeling
The GIS database used for modeling the Dallas County Farm included the following themes:
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Several themes and additional attributes were developed locally during or prior to the semester project:
- Farm boundary (P. Anderson, July 2000)
- Slope aspect (S. Morgan, July 2000)
- Land use/land cover (P. Anderson, July 2000)
- Soil attributes (B. Olson, July 2000)
- Parcel acquisition (P. Anderson, April 2001)
From the database, the following descriptive and predictive GIS models were developed:
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Here's a sample of some of the GIS models used by class members:
Management reports
 Introduction |
Paul Anderson | 169K |
 Historic
interpretation of institution management |
Strauss Hsieh | 24K |
 A phenomenology of
place |
Kyle Beidler | 38K |
 Rural countryside
trails |
Barbara Olson | 44K |
 Waste management |
Luke Slings | 68K |
 Watershed management |
James Stephenson | 37K |
 Permaculture and
environmental education management |
Marcela Arriagada | 254K |
 Preserving history
and the rural way of life |
Melissa Aaron | 20K |
Photographic study
Strauss Hsieh took photographs of the Dallas County Farm and Care Facility during more than five site visits during April and May. A selection of his photographs follows.
Last revision: 28 September 2001