CPRE Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recreation agency wants to implement a zero-waste event policy. Which waste hierarchy approach should be prioritized FIRST?
- Recycling all materials generated at events
- Composting food waste from concession areas
- Reducing the amount of waste generated at the source (Correct answer)
- Recovering energy from residual waste streams
Correct answer: Reducing the amount of waste generated at the source
The waste hierarchy prioritizes source reduction above all other strategies because preventing waste from being created is more effective than managing it afterward.
Question 2: Which type of environmental review is required for federally funded park projects that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment?
- Environmental Site Assessment (ESA Phase I)
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA (Correct answer)
- State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR)
- Categorical Exclusion Determination (CED)
Correct answer: Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires an Environmental Impact Statement for federal actions that may significantly affect the human environment.
Question 3: A park agency installs a bioswale along a parking lot edge. The PRIMARY environmental benefit of this feature is:
- Reducing noise pollution from vehicle traffic
- Filtering stormwater runoff and reducing pollutant loads entering waterways (Correct answer)
- Providing wildlife habitat equivalent to a natural wetland
- Decreasing urban heat island effect by shading asphalt
Correct answer: Filtering stormwater runoff and reducing pollutant loads entering waterways
Bioswales are designed to slow, infiltrate, and filter stormwater runoff, removing pollutants before water reaches streams or groundwater.
Question 4: A park manager discovers that a contractor used a pesticide not listed in the agency's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. The BEST immediate response is to:
- Allow the application since the contractor is licensed
- Document the incident, stop further unauthorized applications, and review the IPM plan (Correct answer)
- Report the contractor to the state environmental agency immediately
- Test soil and water samples before taking any administrative action
Correct answer: Document the incident, stop further unauthorized applications, and review the IPM plan
The immediate priority is to stop further unauthorized pesticide use, document the incident thoroughly, and review the IPM plan to prevent recurrence.
Question 5: Which approach to turf management BEST aligns with sustainable grounds maintenance principles?
- Applying pre-emergent herbicides on a fixed calendar schedule
- Establishing grass-free natural areas and mowing only when growth thresholds are met (Correct answer)
- Replacing all natural turf with artificial surfaces to eliminate inputs
- Using high-nitrogen fertilizers to maintain dense, competitive turf coverage
Correct answer: Establishing grass-free natural areas and mowing only when growth thresholds are met
Reducing turf area and mowing based on actual need rather than fixed schedules minimizes chemical inputs, fuel use, and maintenance costs while supporting biodiversity.
Question 6: A park agency participates in a regional habitat corridor initiative. The PRIMARY goal of habitat corridors in urban park systems is to:
- Increase real estate values adjacent to greenway connections
- Allow wildlife to move between fragmented habitat patches, supporting biodiversity (Correct answer)
- Create recreational trails that connect multiple park units for users
- Comply with state open space preservation mandates
Correct answer: Allow wildlife to move between fragmented habitat patches, supporting biodiversity
Habitat corridors link fragmented natural areas, enabling wildlife movement, genetic exchange, and species survival in urbanized landscapes.
Question 7: When calculating a park agency's Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions, which source is included?
- Natural gas combustion in park buildings
- Vehicle fuel consumption by park maintenance staff
- Electricity purchased and consumed by park facilities (Correct answer)
- Methane released from organic waste in park compost bins
Correct answer: Electricity purchased and consumed by park facilities
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the organization.
CPRE Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability 5
A recreation agency wants to implement a zero-waste event policy.
Which waste hierarchy approach should be prioritized FIRST?