Module 6: Low-Tech Planning Assignment - Individual

Based on the Conservation Planning Process Links to an external site. and Chapter 3 Links to an external site., please start preparing your Low-Tech project report. In this assignment, I expect you to focus on planning, which is highlighted below in orange. The resources you need to conduct the planning process are all on the Birch Creek Planning Process & Data Resources page Links to an external site.. Note, that there over 15 videos that walk through every aspect of the process. It is possible to complete the assignment based just off your reading of Chapter 3 and leveraging the resources provided on the page. The videos are to walk you through specifics of how to (e.g. in GIS) and any background that we may not have covered or you may be rusty on. The videos on that Birch Creek page Links to an external site. are based on doing the GIS work in ArcGIS. Please note that you could complete the assignment without ArcGIS and doing the work in Google Earth and/or by hand mapping. Also, if you prefer to try it in QGIS, here are some instructions and a template Links to an external site. for doing the Planning in QGIS that we use in Anabranch Solutions (Note we are in process of getting RAVE Links to an external site. to work in QGIS).

Every student will prepare their own report and do their own work. You can discuss with each other, but your assessment and design will be your own. Your final report will have a Table of Contents (see this template Links to an external site.) and be prepared using Google Docs. You will submit your progress reports (e.g. this assignment) as Google Docs that you also share with your instructor.

Report Content

• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Background of Birch Creek and Diamondback Wilde Ranch (i.e. synopsis of LECTURE: Watch Birch Creek - Part I)
  • Problem (see slide 15 in Part 2 Lecture Links to an external site.)
  • Purpose of Restoration Project
• Project Site Description & Scope (i.e. synthesis of LECTURE: Watch Birch Creek Project - Part 2, but ideally with your own maps)
• Methods - Low-Tech PBR & Conservation Planning Process (i.e. a brief review and citation of Chapter 3 and 5 of LTPBR Manual Links to an external site.)
• Planning
  •  Problems & Opportunities (see page 5-7 of Chapter 3 Links to an external site.)
    • Broad Management Goals
    • Assessment of Structural Starvation and Appropriateness of Low-Tech
  • Project Objectives (revisit problem and purpose and confirm or clarify and then recast management goals as SMART objectives (see page 8-9 of Chapter 3 Links to an external site.) and in terms of measurable objectives and indicators that tie to riverscape health) 
  • Inventory of Resources (see page 9-13 of Chapter 3 Links to an external site.)
    • Valley Bottom Mapping (refine provided VBET valley bottom and classify into active channel, active floodplain and in-accessed floodplain components)
    • Identified Risks within & Adjacent to Riverscape (map all infrastructure and land use within and adjacent to riverscape, as well as immediately downstream; use risk matrix to evaluate)
    • Risk vs. Opportunity Assessment (Identify and map locations where opportunities are possible and where and if risks can be reasonably mitigated. In other words, what valley bottom space is available for low-tech PBR?)
  • Resource Analysis
    • Assessment of Current Conditions and Recovery Potential 
      • Geomorphic Condition (maps (polygons) of active channel plus floodplain area of valley bottom as  current vs. potential by Cluer & Throne Riverscape Stage)
        • Identification of pathways of recovery (using riverscape evolution model, identify current stage(s) and target stage(s) and articulate what trajectory and geomorphic processes will be necessary to get to recovery potential).
        • Flow Regimes ability to "Do the Work" of Restoration - (Assessment of Flow Regime to do "geomorphic work" necessary to follow desired recovery trajectory)
      • Riparian Condition to support Process of Wood Accumulation (maps of existing and potential woody resources (riparian and upland) for processes of wood recruitment, wood transport and wood accumulation)
      • Riparian Condition Capacity to support Process of Beaver Dam Activity (maps of existing and potential beaver dam activity)
• Design (detail to follow in Design Report)
• Implementation Recommendations(detail to follow)
  • Phase 1 Implementation
  • Anticipated Additional Phases  
• Adaptive Management Plan (detail to follow)
• Recommendations
• Summary
• References

Expectations

For the final report expect:

1. Clear writing, a clear thought process, meaningful engagement with the questions posed in phase one of the CPP  and proper use of citations (i.e. use Zotero)
2. Clear figures with full captions (if reusing or adapting figures, cite properly)
3. Consistent and effective maps Links to an external site. (whether done in ArcGIS, QGIS by hand, or Google Earth). 
4. You to have some questions and struggle through some of this. POST those questions to Planning Questions.

I do not expect perfection. I expect something that is professionally defensible and meets the standard of practice. Finally, this IS NOT a final submission. It is a pacing assignment. We can see how folks are doing and assess where we're at.

Submission

Submit as a Google Doc link (see here Links to an external site.). In addition, please manually share with me (Joe.M.Wheaton@gmail.com) and Mike (mike.clawson3@gmail.com) as editors so we can give you feedback as suggestions. See also low-tech resources.

Examples

I posted some examples of reports on just planning or including planning here Links to an external site..