Land scape protocol

1. Landscape protocol BEST Plots Small and Large Scale Measurements

2. Why is it important to study the land? • We rely on Earth’s surface to supply most of what we need to live. Therefore, mapping and monitoring this surface is critical to our wise use and protection of it. • Wildlife habitat • Agricultural lands • Development • Watersheds • Recreation

3. Why is it important for our experiment? • What will make our bioenergy blocks differ between districts? • Each school will have the same seed mix and treatments! • Each school will have different: • Soil types: nutrients, soil moisture and water retention • Surrounding land use – different seeds will come into the plots • Topography and elevation – water movement and weather • Pollutants – runoff from parking lots or smog from cars

4. Small scale • It is important to know what types of vegetation and land use surround the plots • Influence what seeds enter the plots – future “weeds”! • Slope will influence water movement and erosion

5. Large scale • It is important to know the history of the land • Identify habitats surrounding the plots for visiting birds, mammals, and insects (pollinators!) • Human impacts to the land – are habitats fragmented? Has lots of agriculture changed the soil or nutrient levels in the water?

6. Activity 1 Small Scale

7. 100 m 100 m 100 m 100 m

8. DISCUSSION Groups share transect data and discuss how land use types would influence plots if they were built at KBS

9. Activity 2 Large Scale

10. Aerial image of KBS

11. Overlay the grid

12. Color each square for the land uses present

13. Color each square for the land uses present

14. Color each square for the land uses present

15. Color each square for the land uses present

16. Count the number of grid cells that fall into each category Ex. 10 forest = 10% forest 7 water = 7% water

17. DISCUSSION Groups share grid counts and how these large scale land uses should influence plots at KBS and demonstration school district