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Melbourne Beach, FL., after three hurricanes, 2004 season, removed several feet of sand dunes. [JVS; 11/2004]

Islands in the Stream is a course is about coastal conservation and current national commitments to protecting natural resources especially islands, coastal wetlands, and river mouths.

The seashore is a magnet for people. More than half the nation lives within one hour of the coast and among the fastest growing parts of the country are ocean front communities. Worldwide over half the planet lives in coastal areas where 60 percent of the fishery resources of the ocean are spawned or spend part of their life cycle.

The sea’s shifting salient isles, mistakenly called "barrier islands," are a very dynamic and vulnerable edge, requiring preservation. The class combines drawing, visual thinking, writing and verbal activities to assess your ideas with respect to community design for coastal settings.

Divided into four parts merging science, geography, policy and ecological design the course explores better ways to live beside the ocean through redesigning vulnerable barrier islands. By understanding the limitations of physical space, the constraints of biological communities and the necessity of assuring human health, participants in designing safer communities on barrier islands are confronted with a need to learn how to balance both seashore biology and ocean physics with social and economic necessities.

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William Merritt Chase, "At the Seaside," 1892; Oil on canvas: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Syllabus

Readings

Rachel Carson, The Edge of the Sea.
Joseph Siry, Marshes of the Ocean Shore.
Marston Bates, The Forest and the Sea, pp. 3-42.
Henry Williamson, Tales of Moorland and Estuary.
Henry Beston, The Outremost House.

Suggested readings and reserves

Sim Van der Ryn, Ecological Design
Ian McHarg, Design with Nature
T. C. Boyle, When the Killing's Done (A Novel)
Oren Pilkey, The Beaches are Moving
Brown, Tompkins & Adger, Making Waves
Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, Urban Design Plans.

Carl Safina, The Song of the Blue Ocean

Joseph Siry. et. al. (ed.), Feeling the Heat in Florida,

Joseph Siry, "Coastal Zone, Everglades", Encyc. of Conservation & Environmentalism, 1994.

Joseph Siry, "Wetlands," Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, 1990.

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Office: Beale Room 105. –Park Ave. side– Hours: M & W 2PM - 4PM, Tues. 1PM-2PM (407.646.2648)

Computer graphic of the Santa Barbara, California Coast.

Draft Syllabus

SYLLABUS for ENV–347.01, Islands in the Stream
Spring, 2015
Location: Bush Science Center, Room 202. Class meeting time is Tuesday – Thursday, 3:30 PM to 4:45 PM.

Islands in the Stream is an active learning class about coastal conservation and development concerning current national commitments to protecting natural resources, especially on islands, along rivers, & in coastal wetlands.

The seashore is a magnet for people. On or near these islands more than half the nation lives within one hour of coastal regions. Among the fastest growing parts of the country are ocean front communities. Worldwide over half the planet lives in coastal areas where 60 percent of the ocean fishery resources spawn or spend part of their life cycle in coastal waters. Coastal counties generate fully half of the United States economic productivity.

The sea’s shifting salient islands are the world’s vulnerable edge, requiring preservation to protect the core of their biologically productive capacities. Join us for the sand, surf, sun, and stupendous discussions about the beauty of the sea and protecting island, wetland, and coastal regions from erosion, contamination, and loss of wildlife and fisheries. Learn how the value of these regions has been underrated so that we may accentuate the significance of wetland restoration & island preservation.

I. COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1) To present an overview of the science and literature of coastal ecology and how conservation policies originated and are practiced today to protect islands, settlements, and natural resources.
2) To infuse specified concepts of estuarine circulation and ecology into a multidisciplinary analysis of the conservation of coastal island and river mouth regions.
3) To engage and elevate students’ interest and curiosity in coastal habitat protection and expose them to those allied sciences used in the study of policies to protect islands, near shore waters, and oceans.
4) To reveal in the literature and history of this “water-surrounded world” the whereabouts and the extent of scenic beauty, biological productivity, and coastal vulnerability when promoting policies of conservation and development.

II. Student Learning Outcomes:

1) Identify in writing how sustainable practices regarding coastal and estuarine resources (such as fisheries, hydrocarbons, & recreation) are crucial to influencing the world economy, your present, and future lives; especially the lives of island residents.

2) Demonstrate how estuaries and coastal habitats are key conservation areas because they are connected to and derive nourishment from major Earth processes, such as atmospheric and oceanic circulation, hydrological & chemical cycles, & plate tectonics.

3) Analyze the importance of coastal conservation as part of global initiatives and political decisions to protect fisheries & wildlife dependent populations on islands today to promote the co-sustainability of human and marine populations in the future.

4) Explain the productivity of estuarine marshes and the relationship of coastal geomorphology to shoreline features of islands along the ocean shore.

5) Delineate & appraise how atmospheric & oceanic circulation systems shape coasts, rivers, & islands.

6) Describe the principles involved in the generation of waves & tides to evaluate their dynamic effects on island coastal processes and populations in estuarine regions.

7) Summarize the major physical and chemical properties of seawater and how each affects estuarine life.

8) Accurately explain the relationship between plants and animals along the coast and how the cycling of matter and energy nourishes fisheries and wildlife in estuaries, on islands, and within near-shore waters.

9) Categorize and examine the consequences of a rise in sea level on islands along the coastal zone and society with or without possible mitigation and adaptation strategies to protect people and property.

My hopes are that serious participating students exceed the customary habits of arriving promptly to class having read the assigned texts for that meeting day by being eager to discuss concepts arising from the assigned readings. I expect you may consistently share passages, questions, or insights from the authors when so motivated on the course wiki. Expressly in our class, I would wish you may experience, the delight and enjoyments of being moved by the profound power of ideas and ability of articulate prose to describe experiences so vividly as to lift your spirits, amend your behavior, nourish your more curious sensibilities, and even move you to act prudently to enrich yourself and the world simultaneously.

III. ASSIGNMENTS:

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IV. Grading Procedures:

Grades are earned based on the work you submit expressing comprehension of the readings by use of multiple examples and especially contrasting one author's ideas with the others.

Participating students will correctly demonstrate 7 of the 9 learning outcomes to effectively pass the course.

The quality of your writing grades is based on a rubric that is posted on Blackboard™ for you to review before you submit a paper. I count the number of references and frequency of citations in all of your papers.

The quality of your active class participation grade is derived daily from your particular references to the texts when speaking. By reading or referring to extensive passages in the books, or to information from use of the class web site or wiki you may improve your participation grade for the days you are in class. The goal here is for you to practice verbal communication skills in order to inform yourself and others of a book's meanings.

I am here to excite and encourage you to excel in learning new concepts and practicing your writing and speaking abilities to improve your expression and in an effort to create meaningful discourse. My purpose is to feed your inquiring intellect with significant ideas in a coherent and challenging manner. I anticipate you will ask questions and actively work together to overcome the challenges the course material may pose for you in achieving an excellent level of performance based on an improved, articulated understanding of the readings. I recommend you to discuss perplexing ideas, passages, and assignments with me–at length–during my office hours.

What is CORE? The way the class is organized into sequential parts leading to you successfully evaluating sources of coastal conservation and protection of island communities.

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V. My policies:

Active learning
Keep in mind that participation in this course involves not only alertness and verbally contributing your ideas, but also listening respectfully without interrupting other speakers who are presenting their views on the assigned readings. Paying attention to others and to me is a sign of respect that I will reward. The use of electronic media, texting, or web browsing for other than class purposes is treated as an absence since texting, internet surfing, e-mailing, or being digitally inattentive to our discussion during class meetings robs us of your intellect’s contributions to our discourse. Students on unauthorized Internet site will be asked to leave the class for that day and lose participation points for the week. Active participation includes prompt response to e-mail communications and may include meeting with me to confer during office hours. Class often begins with a writing prompt to allow you to reveal your comprehension of the assigned readings for that particular day.

Late papers
Submit all assigned work on or before the start of class on the day the assigned work is due. Late papers cannot earn the same credit as those received on time in fairness to the punctual students. This is really because we discuss in the class the day the essays are due some of what you had written. Always back-up your work as you write, start at least a week before, and keep a printed copy of the essay you give me.

Paper format
The look of any college paper is always a professional document with an accurate date and page numbers indicating when the work was completely written. I ask you to place a cover page with your name, phone number, essay title, and an abstract of two to four sentences covering the substance of your essay for purposes of privacy because I make extensive comments on your work, that you must read in order to revise the essays. Spelling and grammar errors are unacceptable. All papers are to be typed, double spaced, in Arial or Times New Roman font, have one inch margins with 22 lines to the page as a minimum.

Assignments
(a) The wetland restoration analysis – What are the minimum requirements? Select a series of paintings or photographs we have used in class and compare them to photographs or paintings you research into a particular wetland restoration project accurately describing its purpose and effectiveness:
(1) Create a chronologically sequenced storyboard that portrays the restoration steps.

(2) Interpret the material used by depicting the project and tie description to ideas in the texts to best convey the remedies used and the anticipated impacts of such alterations on that region.

(b) Essay – In writing and revising this paper based on all of the authors, you should pay particular attention to the development of ecological understanding of island communities and the rise of environmental protection. Use all of the authors to convey what you think triggered and sustained the preservation of fisheries and wildlife while describing conservation policies that led to environmental protection today.

(c) Two open-book and open note exams are based on the required texts: Siry, & Carson.

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VI. Academic accountability, honesty, and writing with integrity.

Cheating, borrowing ideas, or copying without proper citation diminishes the integrity of any writing. The habitual resort to these less than responsible practices amounts to plagiarism–a most serious academic offense of novices and experts alike. By the use of words or ideas that are not your own and are insufficiently accredited, or not acknowledged at all, you undermine an essay’s reliability. The consequences are that you can fail that project, or even fail the class, since these offenses are a violation of the College’s honor code. As such, I am obliged to report such violations to the Dean.

Each student in this course is expected to abide by the Rollins College Academic Integrity, Honor Code. Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work. [Optional: For this course, collaboration is allowed in the following instances: wiki postings.] You are encouraged to study together and to discuss information and concepts covered in lecture and the sections with other students. You can give "consulting" help to or receive "consulting" help from such students. However, this permissible cooperation should never involve one student having possession of a copy of all or part of work done by someone else, in the form of an e-mail, an e-mail attachment file, a diskette, or a hard copy. All help must be stated in writing on any submissions to the instructor.

During examinations, you must do your own work. Talking or discussion is not permitted during the examinations, nor may you compare papers, copy from others, or collaborate in any way. Any collaborative behavior during the examinations will result in failure of the exam, and may lead to failure of the course and disciplinary action. Should copying occur, both the student who copied work from another student and the student who gave material to be copied might both automatically receive a zero for that particular assignment.

A student signature on the following pledge is a binding commitment by the student that lasts for his or her entire tenure at Rollins College: The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my academic endeavors and by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others. This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add to the paper, quiz, test, lab report, etc., the handwritten signed statement

"On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work."

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VII. Accommodations: A statement about accommodating students with significant concerns.

Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities.
If you are a person with a disability on this campus and anticipate needing any type of academic/medical accommodations in order to participate in your classes, make timely arrangements by disclosing this disability in writing to the Disability Services Office at (Box 2772)–Mills Building, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 32789. Schedule appointments by calling 407-646-2354 or by emailing: gridgeway@rollins.edu

VIII. Inclusivity Statement

We understand that our members represent a rich variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The Environmental Studies department and the Science Division are committed to providing an atmosphere for learning that respects diversity. While working together to build this community we ask all members to:

• Share their unique experiences, values and beliefs.
• Be open to the views of others.
• Honor the uniqueness of their colleagues.
• Appreciate the opportunity that we have to learn from each other in this community.
• Value each other’s opinions and communicate in a respectful manner.
• Keep confidential discussions that the community has of a personal (or professional) nature.
• Use this opportunity together to discuss ways in which we can create an inclusive environment in this course and across the Rollins community.

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Calendar
IX. Tentative Course Schedule (see your syllabus for the correct dates)

[requires participants to keep a weekly (wiki) journal]:
(May change to accommodate guest presenters & participating students' needs)

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Islands in the Stream
CALENDAR – TUESDAY & THURSDAY – Spring Term 2015: classes start January 12 2015 until April 28 2015.

          TOPICS           READINGS            ASSIGNMENTS

JANUARY
13 INTRODUCTIONS: What is coastal conservation of Islands and how is that significant?
15 COASTS & ISLANDS AS RESOURCES: "The meanings of Venice, the Galapagos, & Wallace's line"
20 BATES, pp. 1-32. The Atoll What are Bate's 6 points?
22 THE MENDOCINO ECOLOGICAL STAIRCASE, The values of "isolated wetlands." See – "The Jughandle trail"
27 WHO ARE YOU & DESCRIBE YOUR INTERESTS IN ISLAND SHORES? Student Reports
29 CARSON, "The Marginal World," pp. 1-37.

FEBRUARY
3 CARSON EXAM OPEN BOOK AND OPEN NOTE EXAM
5 CARSON, "The Rocky Shores," pp. 39-123. The case of Marine Iguanas
10 CARSON, "The Rim of Sand," pp. 125-189.
12 CARSON, "The Coral Coasts," pp. 190-247. The case of Key Deer
17 CARSON, "The Enduring Sea," pp. 248-270.
19 WETLAND RESTORATION I: what does it do and how can it achieve ecological ends?
24 Student progress reports on their selection of wetland restoration projects.
26 SIRY, Introduction and Estuaries as frontiers, pp. 3-33.

MARCH
3–5 SPRING BREAK, no class meetings

10 SIRY EXAM OPEN BOOK AND OPEN NOTE EXAM entire text: Marshes of the Ocean Shore.
12 SIRY, How did the seashore naturalists change our ideas? pp. 34-61.
17 SIRY, Conflicts in coastal areas between commerce & the public trust, pp. 62-111.
19 SIRY, The start of oceanography and ecology in understanding islands, pp. 112-133.
24 WETLAND RESTORATION: Flip the Marshes lecture on mediasite.
26 SIRY, How the new ecology altered perceptions of estuarine wetlands, pp. 134-156.
31 SIRY, Preservation of estuaries, coastal areas and islands, pp. 157-187.

APRIL
2 SIRY, "Americans and the Tidal Seas," pp. 188-192. Student Reports
7 WILLIAMSON: "TALES OF MOORLAND AND ESTUARY" pp. 129-133. development's consequences
9 SWOT analysis: Delineating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats to wetland restoration.
14 WETLAND RESTORATION II: How has it failed and how can it recover ecological goals?
16 Student Reports
21 "Ecological Accounting Informs Design" selected pp. Sim Van der Ryn, Ecological Design
23 Student Reports
28 Reserved for Fox Day or Field trip make-up day.

May 5
Final Exam Tuesday, May 5th – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. [ 3:30 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday classes.]

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X. Texts to read, interpret, and use in your writings:

Marston Bates, The Forest and the Sea.
Rachel Carson, The Edge of the Sea.
Joseph Siry, Marshes of the Ocean Shore.
Henry Williamson, Tales of Moorland and Estuary.
Sim Van der Ryn, Ecological Design. See – http://www.ecodesign.org/People/sim.html

IX. Tentative Course Schedule [requires participants to keep a weekly (wiki) journal]: 
(May change to accommodate guest presenters & participating students' needs)

Calendar 

Tuesday & Thursday  

Weeks	dates	Topics	Readings	Assignments
1.1	Jan 13	Introductions: What is coastal conservation of Islands and how is that significant?
1.2	Jan 15	Coasts & Islands as resources: "The meanings of Venice, the Galapagos, & Wallace's line."
2.1	Jan 20	The Atoll	Bates, pp. 1-42.	The Forest & the Sea
2.2	Jan 22	The Mendocino Ecological Staircase, The values of "isolated wetlands."
3.1	Jan 27	Who are you & describe your interests in island shores?	Seashore painters	Student Reports
3.2	Jan 29	Carson, "The Marginal World," pp. 1-37.	Edge, pp. 1-37.	What are 3 or 4 types of seashores?
4.1	Feb 3	Carson Exam	Open book and open note	exam
4.2	Feb 5	Carson, "The Rocky Shores," pp. 39-123.         The case of Marine Iguanas.	Edge, pp. 39-123.
5.1	Feb 10	Carson, "The Rim of Sand," pp. 125-189.	Edge, pp. 125-189.	verbally explain a restoration project.
5.2	Feb 12	Carson, "The Coral Coasts,"pp. 190-247.	Edge, pp. 190-247.	The case of Key Deer.
6.1	Feb 17	Carson, "The Enduring Sea," pp. 248-270.	Edge, pp. 248-270.
6.2	Feb 19	Wetland restoration I:  what does it do and how can it achieve ecological ends?	See this web page.	How do we achieve ecological ends?
7.1	Feb 24	Student verbal & written statements	Submit one - two pages.	written progress reports on their selection of wetland restoration projects.
7.2	Feb 26	Introduction to Siry, Marshes of the Ocean Shore
8.1	Mar 10	More to come.Siry Exam       Open book	and open note	Exam
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8.2	Mar 12	How did the seashore naturalists change our ideas?	Siry, pp. 34-61.
9.1	Mar 17	Conflicts in coastal areas between commerce & the public trust	Siry, pp. 62-111.
9.2	Mar 19	The start of oceanography and ecology in understanding islands and tidal wetlands.	Siry, pp. 112-133.	Meade Gardens
10.1	Mar 24	Flip the Marshes lecture on mediasite.	See this web page.	Student Reports on restoration projects
10.2	Mar 26	How the new ecology altered perceptions of estuarine wetlands,	Siry, pp. 134-156.	Student Reports on restoration projects Meade Gardens
11.1	Mar 31	Preservation of estuaries, coastal areas and islands,	Siry, pp. 157-187.
11.2	Apr 2	"Americans and the Tidal Seas,"	Siry, pp. 188-192.	Meade Gardens
12.1	Apr 7	WILLIAMSON: "TALES OF MOORLAND AND ESTUARY" development's consequences	Siry, pp. 129-133.	Student Reports on restoration projects
12.2	Apr 9	SWOT analysis:	Ignorance Based World View essay	Meade Gardens
13.1	Apr 14	14 WETLAND RESTORATION II: How has it failed and how can it recover ecological goals?	Siry, on line
13.2	Apr 16	Student Reports on your wetland restoration project		Student Reports on restoration projects Meade Gardens
14.1	Apr 21	"Ecological Accounting Informs Design"	selected pp. Sim Van der Ryn, Ecological Design	How do we Make Nature Visible to people?
14.2	Apr 23	Student Revised reports on Wetland Restoration projects. Present images & Interpretations.	Meet in Meade Gardens	Do five minute rehearsed reports.
Final	May 5	Final Exam Tuesday, May 5th – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.	[ 3:30 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday classes.]	Verbal reports explaining your wetland project, interpretations

Spring Term 2015:  classes start January 12 2015 until April 28 2015.

January                            

February

March

April

May
       

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Late assignments are severely penalized, but going to TJ's, the writing center, & Olin Library is rewarded. (Read more about grades and evaluating your work on my web site.)

Assignments | Writing | Attendance | Grades