LARE LARE Section 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a planting plan, a landscape architect specifies 'Quercus rubra — 3" Cal., B&B.' What does 'B&B' indicate about the plant material?
- The plant is a bare-root specimen
- The plant is balled and burlapped (Correct answer)
- The plant requires special bed and base preparation
- The plant is grown in a biodegradable bag
Correct answer: The plant is balled and burlapped
B&B (balled and burlapped) indicates the tree's root ball was dug with soil intact and wrapped in burlap for transport and planting.
Question 2: Which site analysis factor most directly determines the feasibility of on-site septic system installation?
- Slope percentage
- Soil percolation rate (Correct answer)
- Depth to bedrock
- Aspect orientation
Correct answer: Soil percolation rate
Soil percolation rate determines how quickly water drains through soil, which is the primary criterion for septic system feasibility and sizing.
Question 3: A landscape architect is conducting an inventory of a site with a seasonal high water table at 18 inches below grade. Which design approach is most appropriate for planting trees in this area?
- Use standard pit planting at grade
- Plant in raised berms or mounds (Correct answer)
- Install subsurface French drains only
- Select only shallow-rooted annuals
Correct answer: Plant in raised berms or mounds
Planting in raised berms or mounds elevates the root zone above the seasonal high water table, preventing root suffocation in saturated soils.
Question 4: On a construction document, a landscape architect draws a section through a retaining wall. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this drawing?
- Show the aesthetic appearance of the wall face
- Illustrate the internal structure and footing details (Correct answer)
- Indicate plant material adjacent to the wall
- Specify the color and texture of wall materials
Correct answer: Illustrate the internal structure and footing details
Section drawings cut through structures to reveal internal construction details including footings, reinforcement, and drainage elements not visible in plan or elevation.
Question 5: The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) classifies soils primarily based on which two characteristics?
- Color and texture
- Grain size and plasticity (Correct answer)
- Organic content and compaction
- pH and moisture content
Correct answer: Grain size and plasticity
The USCS classifies soils using grain size distribution (gravel, sand, silt, clay) and plasticity characteristics (Atterberg limits) to determine engineering properties.
Question 6: Which riparian buffer vegetation strategy provides the greatest water quality improvement by removing agricultural nutrients from field runoff?
- Maintained turf grass strip
- Dense herbaceous filter strip with native grasses (Correct answer)
- Hardscape channel with bioswale
- Row of evergreen trees only
Correct answer: Dense herbaceous filter strip with native grasses
Dense native herbaceous filter strips slow runoff velocity, promote infiltration, and uptake nutrients through active plant growth and dense root systems.
Question 7: When calculating earthwork volumes on a grading plan, what does the 'cut' volume represent?
- Material imported to raise existing grade
- Material excavated and removed from the site
- The difference between existing and proposed contours (Correct answer)
- Fill material placed in low areas
Correct answer: The difference between existing and proposed contours
In earthwork calculations, 'cut' represents the volume of soil removed where proposed grade is lower than existing grade.
LARE LARE Section 3
In a planting plan, a landscape architect specifies 'Quercus rubra — 3" Cal., B&B.' What does 'B&B' indicate about the plant material?