LARE Site Inventory and Analysis Flashcards

Which mapping method provides the most accurate existing tree canopy data for a large urban park site inventory?

Answer: LiDAR remote sensing combined with field verification

LiDAR captures three-dimensional canopy structure with high precision, and field verification confirms species identity and health status.

A soil percolation test yields an infiltration rate of 0.5 inches per hour. What does this value suggest about the site's suitability for an infiltration basin?

Answer: Poor — the site is unsuitable without significant soil improvement

Most stormwater infiltration practices require a minimum infiltration rate of 0.5-1 inch per hour, so 0.5 in/hr is at the lower threshold, indicating poor suitability.

During site inventory, a landscape architect identifies a historic stone wall along the property boundary. Under the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, the preferred treatment to maintain its significance is:

Answer: Preservation in place with minimal intervention

The Standards' Preservation treatment calls for stabilizing and maintaining existing historic materials with the least intervention, ideal when the resource is intact.

A site analysis identifies a jurisdictional wetland in the southwest corner of a property, and the required 100-foot buffer would cover 40% of the buildable area. The best initial design strategy is to:

Answer: Cluster development outside the buffer and use the buffer as open space amenity

Clustering development outside the regulated buffer preserves the wetland's function, satisfies regulatory requirements, and converts the constraint into a site amenity.

The K-factor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) represents:

Answer: Soil erodibility based on texture, structure, and organic matter

The K-factor quantifies how susceptible a soil is to detachment and transport by rainfall and runoff, based on its physical and chemical properties.

Which data layer is most critical in a site suitability analysis for a trail that must remain passable year-round in a northern climate?

Answer: Aspect (slope orientation) to identify north-facing slopes prone to ice and shade

North-facing slopes in northern climates receive less solar radiation, retaining ice and snow longer, making aspect a key suitability variable for all-season trail design.

A site inventory map shows existing underground utilities crossing the center of a proposed plaza. The most appropriate early design response is to:

Answer: Locate plaza features to avoid deep excavation over utility corridors

Coordinating plaza layout to avoid deep foundations over utilities prevents costly conflicts, damage, or rerouting during construction.