CLA Environmental Sustainability & Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The concept of 'green infrastructure' in urban planning primarily refers to:
- Installing green roofs on all commercial buildings
- A network of natural and semi-natural systems providing ecosystem services (Correct answer)
- Using recycled materials in hardscape construction
- Planting street trees at 30-foot intervals
Correct answer: A network of natural and semi-natural systems providing ecosystem services
Green infrastructure is an interconnected network of natural and managed spaces that provides ecological, social, and economic benefits to communities.
Question 2: Which invasive species management strategy has the lowest ecological risk when used in a sensitive riparian area?
- Broadcast herbicide application
- Controlled burning
- Manual removal and replanting with natives (Correct answer)
- Soil solarization
Correct answer: Manual removal and replanting with natives
Manual removal avoids chemical runoff and fire risk near water, and immediate replanting with natives suppresses reinvasion with minimal ecological disruption.
Question 3: Under NEPA, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) allows a federal agency to proceed without preparing a full:
- Categorical Exclusion
- Environmental Impact Statement (Correct answer)
- Record of Decision
- Biological Assessment
Correct answer: Environmental Impact Statement
A FONSI is issued after an Environmental Assessment determines that a proposed federal action will not significantly affect the environment, eliminating the need for a full EIS.
Question 4: A landscape architect designing a constructed wetland for tertiary wastewater treatment should prioritize which plant community?
- Upland prairie grasses
- Emergent macrophytes such as cattails and bulrush (Correct answer)
- Xeric shrubs and cacti
- Floating aquatic ferns only
Correct answer: Emergent macrophytes such as cattails and bulrush
Emergent macrophytes in constructed wetlands absorb nutrients and support microbial communities that break down pollutants through biological and physical processes.
Question 5: The Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation process applies when:
- A private developer builds on non-federal land
- A federal nexus exists, such as federal permits or funding (Correct answer)
- State-listed species are present on any land type
- More than 5 acres of habitat will be disturbed
Correct answer: A federal nexus exists, such as federal permits or funding
Section 7 requires federal agencies to consult with USFWS or NMFS when a federal action may affect listed species, triggered by any federal nexus including permits.
Question 6: Carbon sequestration potential in landscape design is maximized by:
- Installing annual flower beds with high turnover
- Establishing long-lived trees and deep-rooted native perennial communities (Correct answer)
- Using concrete mulch to reduce maintenance
- Choosing fast-growing exotic species for rapid biomass
Correct answer: Establishing long-lived trees and deep-rooted native perennial communities
Long-lived trees and deep-rooted perennials store carbon in woody biomass and soil organic matter for decades, far exceeding annual or shallow-rooted plantings.
Question 7: Which approach best describes integrated pest management (IPM) for a public park landscape?
- Scheduled monthly pesticide applications regardless of pest pressure
- Monitoring pest thresholds and using least-toxic controls first (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all non-native plants to remove pest habitat
- Applying systemic insecticides preventively each spring
Correct answer: Monitoring pest thresholds and using least-toxic controls first
IPM uses monitoring, economic thresholds, and a hierarchy of controls — cultural, mechanical, biological, then chemical — to manage pests with minimal environmental impact.
CLA Environmental Sustainability & Management 3
The concept of 'green infrastructure' in urban planning primarily refers to: