Mixing Wetlands with Storm Water

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Mark Boyer, assistant professor at the University of Arkansas Department of Landscape Architecture, will present "Interdisciplinary, Sustainability: Building a Case for Collaboration in the Classroom," to an International Think Tank on Education for Sustainability March 12, in Doncaster, UK.

The conference, sponsored by both the Land Design Institute at Ball State University and the Earth Centre in Doncaster, UK, will actually take place at the Earth Centre. It opened March of 1999 with the mission "to become the centre of first choice for the understanding and application of sustainable development in everyday life."

Boyer's summer wetland course started in the summer of 2000 when he discovered a way to combine his interest in wetlands and stormwater with collaborative problem solving.

"I saw designing this course as a great opportunity to use an interest in wetlands and stormwater to build a course in collaboration," he said.

By bringing together students from five different disciplines-biology, civil engineering, environmental science, crop soil and environmental science, and environmental soil and water science-he designed a " more sustainable dialog on the growing problem of urban stormwater management," he said.

"I want our students to get used to being on a team of other professionals, hopefully in a leadership role, but I also want other disciplines to realize more of the breadth and depth of landscape architecture and the role landscape architects can play in generating creative solutions," he said.

In 1988 Boyer came to the University, where he has taught a number of courses, including a construction class which designed and built the Happy Hollow Pavilion in Fayetteville and a landscape architecture course in Bath, England. In 2001 he was selected as faculty advisor for Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society and nominated for the ASG/SAB University Outstanding Teacher Award. Last fall he presented "A Comparison of Wetland Techniques" at the Environment International Conference in London.

Assistant professor of the department of landscape architecture in the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, Dr. George Smith says that Boyer was chosen as a presenter because of his role in "design and implementation of a multi-level cross-disciplinary Education for Sustainability Network."

According to the U.S. Global Research Information, "Education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process that leads to an informed and involved citizenry having the creative problem-solving skills, scientific and social literacy and commitment to engage in responsible individual and cooperative actions. These actions will help ensure an environmentally sound and economically prosperous future."

Proceedings from the Think Tank will be available to non-attendees in April or May, through Ball State University, said Smith.

In addition, Smith said that two follow-ups to the Think Tank would continue to generate more ideas on education, "including a web-cast" and a conference at Ball State University in 2003.

###