GESTIONE DELLE AREE A VERDE, PARCHI E GIARDINI

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 green infrastructure in Mediterranean environment.

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 PowerPoint 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 green infrastructures. The realization and presentation of the final project in PowerPoint 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.

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.  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.

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.

Note and schemes of the lessons provided by the teacher

Dover, J.W., 2015. Green infrastructure: incorporating plants and enhancing biodiversity in buildings and urban environments. Routledge Studies in Urban Ecology. Taylor

& Francis Ltd

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 PowerPoint 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.

Votes will be attributed according to the following scheme:

Unsuitable

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Significant shortcoming and inaccuracies

Analysis and synthesis skills: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize

Use of references: Completely inappropriate

18-20

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At threshold level. Obvious imperfections

Analysis and synthesis skills: Barely sufficient ability

Use of references: Barely appropriate

21-23

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge

Analysis and synthesis skills: Is able to analyze and synthesize correctly. Argues logically and coherently

Use of references: Uses standard references

24-26

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good knowledge

Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. Topics are expressed consistently

Use of references: Uses standard references

27-29

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good

Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable analytical and synthesis skills

Use of references: Has deepened the topics

30-30L

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge

Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable ability to analyze and synthesize.

Use of references: Important insights.

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?