AGRICOLTURA, ALIMENTAZIONE E AMBIENTE (Di3A)Environmental and landscape planning and sustainabilityAcademic Year 2022/2023

9795490 - GESTIONE DELLE AREE A VERDE, PARCHI E GIARDINI

Teacher: Daniela Maura Maria ROMANO

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide the biological and technical tools to manage the design, installation and maintenance of green spaces in the Mediterranean environment, also in order to identify sustainable solutions from an environmental point of view.

Knowledge and understanding

The student will acquire the necessary preparation to identify the most suitable biological materials and cultivation techniques for the creation of sustainable green spaces capable of providing ecosystem services.

Applying knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course the student will be able to identify the most suitable type of plant, thanks to the understanding of the characteristics of the different groups of plants, and the planting techniques capable of increasing the sustainability of Mediterranean greenery.

Making judgements

The student will be able to independently make the most suitable biological and technical choices for the creation of sustainable green spaces. This ability is refined both during lessons and exercises, and during the preparation of a power point presentation on a topic chosen by the student.

Communication skills

The student will strengthen the technical language on the cultivation and use of ornamental plants and on the techniques of planting and maintenance of greenery. The realization and presentation of the final project in power point will allow to refine the technical language and communication skills.

Learning skills

The student will be able to autonomously expand their knowledge on the management of green spaces by deepening the reference texts and the ideas offered by the seminar activities organized within the teaching.

Course Structure

The course includes lectures in the classroom, with the aid of a video projector, analysis of case studies and technical visits to green spaces and nurseries in the area. If teaching is given in a mixed formula or remotely, necessary changes may be introduced to what was previously stated in order to comply with the provided and reported syllabus. Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it. As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the persons of professors Giovanna Tropea Garzia and Anna De Angelis.

Required Prerequisites

Nobody

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance to lessons is not compulsory but highly recommended because it allows the student to acquire a better awareness of the topics covered.

Detailed Course Content

1. Introduction to landscape horticulture: issues and future
2. Landscape horticulture: history and classification criteria of main green spaces.
3. Functions of vegetation and ecosystem services.
4. Landscape horticulture in the Mediterranean environment. Landscape planning. Selecting landscape plants. Landscape trees, shrubs, woody climbing plants, palms and palm-like. Herbaceous plants and geophytes.
5. Planting site preparation. Planting the plant.
6. Green area management. The green area census. Green area maintenance.

Textbook Information

Note and schemes of the lessons provided by the teacher.  

MILLER, L.B., 2009. Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape. WW Norton & Company.

AGOSTONI, F.; MARINONI, C.M., 1987. Manuale di progettazione di spazi verdi. Zanichelli, Bologna.
CHIUSOLI, A., 1999. La scienza del paesaggio. CLUEB, Bologna.
DI FIDIO, M., 1993. Architettura del paesaggio. Pirola Editore, Milano.
PICAROLO, P., 1995. Spazi verdi pubblici e privati. Progetto, manutenzione, gestione. Editore Ulrico Hoepli, Milano.
PIRANI, A., 2004. Il verde in città. La progettazione del verde negli spazi urbani. Edagricole, Bologna.
TOCCOLINI, A., 2002. Piano e progetto di area verde. Manuale di progettazione. Maggioli Editore, Santangelo di Romagna.
ZOPPI, M., 1988. Progettare con il verde. Manuale di progettazione del verde urbano e dei vuoti urbani. 8 voll. Alidea Editrice, Firenze.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Definitions and topics of the course. Diffusion of green areas.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 4-12).
2Typologies of green areas. History of gardens.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 13-35).
3Classification criteria and technical-functional features of the most representative typologies of green areas.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 35-82).
4Analysis of main green area typologies (seminar activities).Notes provided by the teacher. 
5Functions of vegetation and ecosystem services. Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 83-98). 
6The design of parks and gardens. Preliminary studies: identification of the area, analysis of the landscape, climate, geo-pedological environment, and flora.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 99-114)
7The design of parks and gardens. Ornamental plants for green areas in the Mediterranean environment.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 114-127).
8The design of parks and gardens. Choice of plant species. Biology and morpho-functional characteristics of the main groups of plants.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 127-163).
9Characteristics and use modalities of the most common ornamental plants (seminar activities).Notes provided by the teacher.
10The specific features of the garden and techniques and design solutions for the Mediterranean environment.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 164-177).
11The planning of parks and gardens. Drafting of the project: drawings, explanatory report, cost analysis, metric calculations, constraints and opportunities of a regulatory nature.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 177-184).
12The planting of green areas: arrangement and preparation of the area (agronomic aspects); planting of plant species; criteria and techniques for hardscaping. Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 185-195).
13Visits to Sicilian ornamental nursery farms (practical activities).Notes provided by the teacher. 
14Green area management. The green area census. Green area maintenance.Notes provided by the teacher (lesson plans; course notes pp. 196-219).

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

The exam consists of two multiple choice tests (which can take place during the course, recommended choice, or at the end of the course) to evaluate the degree of knowledge of the program carried out during the lessons and in an oral test (subject to passing the tests), which consists in the presentation of a power point lasting about 10 minutes on a topic chosen by the candidate relating to the course program. This will allow to evaluate the candidate's autonomy, the ability to synthesize, analyse and organize information.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

1) What are the main characteristics of a certain type of green area?

2) What are the relationships between the biological characteristics of a species and the possibilities of its use in green area?

3) What are the sustainable strategies for the design and/or management of green spaces?

Versione in italiano