Managing change in rural communities : the role of planning and design

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Managing Change in
Rural Communities

T^e Role of Planningii^
and Design

National Endowment for the Arts
Design Program

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U.S. Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources
I* It Conservatior) Service

On October 20, 1994, the
Soil Conservation Service
became the Natural
Resources Conservation
Service. To avoid confu-
sion, the agency is referred
to as the Natural Resources
Conservation Service
throughout this publica-
tion, even though it was
the Soil Conservation
Service at the time of
the Rural Design
Demonstration Project.

Contents

Preface 2

Introduction 4

Profile: Golden Hills RC&D 9

Creating a Scenic Byway 10

Profile: Oconee River RC&D 14

Analyzing Highway Alternatives 16

Profile: Castleland RC&D 19

Enhancing a Flood Control Project 20

Visual Simulation Technology 25

Evaluating Rural Resources 26

Countryside Assessment Process 29

Conserving Water Through Design 30

Expanding Environmental Education 34

Results in Rural America 38

Additional Information and Assistance 40

Project Documents 42

Acknowledgments 43

Preface

Americans who make their Hving from the land — and
those who hve in small communities closely bound to
the land — know the importance of stewardship.
Conservation and development, when balanced and complemen-
tary, enable families and towns to be both economically and
socially viable, while ensuring that future generations will enjoy
rural America's bounty and heritage. Such stewardship applies
equally to the environment humans have made as it does to nat-
ural resources.

This booklet is about stewardship — with a twist. It's
about the benefits of adding design skills to the mix of talents
found in rural America. Specifically, it recounts the experiences
of three landscape architects whom our agencies placed in three
Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) areas for a
2-year pilot project. We asked them to apply their skills within
the context of RC&D objectives chosen by local citizens. They
used inexpensive computer-based imaging technology to com-
municate graphically various conservation and development
alternatives.

The results in Georgia, Iowa, and Utah were exciting and
gratifying: citizens were eager both to improve the stewardship
of their land and to participate in shaping their communities in
new and productive ways. We offer here a sampling of the stories
and the techniques used, as well as information about available
resources.

As you can tell, this booklet is also about creative partner-
ships among the design professionals and the many public and
private sector players who took part in RC&D-sponsored projects.
It's also a celebration of a unique partnership between our agen-
cies. Signifying the breadth of its conservation concerns and its
goal of bringing appropriate technical assistance to bear on rural
resource issues, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) has changed

its name to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
For its part, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) places a
priority on serving the cultural needs of all rural communities,
both by supporting indigenous talent and by bringing the best in
the performing, visual, and literary arts to citizens in small towns.
Through its Design Program, NEA also supports community pro-
jects in architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation,
planning, and other design fields. Shaping town and countryside
in ways that are pleasing to the eye while also meeting both
human and ecosystem needs is truly an art, and one in which all
people can participate.

"A productive nation in harmony with a quality environ-
ment" is the vision of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service. But in reality, it should be every citizen's credo, for
every American, whether in rural, suburban or urban settings,
receives the benefits and therefore bears the responsibility for
our use of this country's extraordinary rural landscape. We hope
you will find in this booklet both inspiration and down-to-earth
practical information to apply to resource issues in your commu-
nity and to share with others.

y CX^^^X UJ ' -^ ''I'-v-'ytrL-'X.

Jane Alexander Paul W. Johnson

Chairman Chief

National Endowment Natural Resources

for the Arts Conservation Service

Introduction

■I

Across rural America, many communities face the prospect
of change. Their economies rely less and less on the
traditional bedrock sources of agriculture, timber, and
mining. Whereas some communities are in decline and losing
population, in others, leaders are discovering new ways to create
products from farm and forest, such as developing specialized
truck farming to serve new urban markets. Still others have
attracted service-oriented businesses, such as data-processing
and catalog marketing firms freed from urban dependence by
new telecommunications technologies. Many also are becoming
exurban bedroom communities for distant cities, or attracting
second-home developments whose residents are drawn by scenic
and recreational opportunities.

However economic development comes about, it can place
growing burdens on the quality and character of rural landscapes
and the amenities offered by smalltown life. If not properly man-
aged, growth can harm rather than enhance the diverse natural
and cultural resources that rural areas offer.

Wherever change is affecting the way towns and country-
side look, citizens and their elected officials are searching for
techniques to sustain a balance between the parallel goals of
development and resource conservation. It is in this area that
design professionals can make a significant contribution to local
decisions about land use and economic diversification, while con-
serving the quality of the places where people live and work.

A Design and Conservation Partnership

This was the inspiration behind the Rural Design Demonstration
Project, a joint endeavor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the National Endowment for the Arts. Sponsored by
Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service and NEA's
Design Program, the project placed design professionals in plan-
ning assistance roles in Georgia, Iowa, and Utah.

The goal of the demonstration project was to explore, over a
2-year period, how design professionals, in this case landscape
architects, can help local people take advantage of resource oppor-
tunities and solve environmental problems. The potential for
using these design skills in rural settings remains largely untapped.

The President's Council on Rural America recom-
mended in 1992 that government "adopt a flexible approach
to locally-conceived rural community development, support-
ing it with technical assistance, v^ith funding support, and
with the involvement of businesses, educational institutions,
private foundations and volunteers." The demonstration
project fit well into this broad philosophical framework by
showing that design professionals can assist rural Americans in
their search for sustainable economies while preserving the
character of their landscapes and small towns.

The RC&D Framework

In partnership, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and
the Design Program were uniquely qualified to introduce the
skills of landscape architects into the planning processes of rural
areas. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has long
administered programs to help people conserve, improve, and
sustain natural resources and the environment on private lands.
Unlike such agencies as the National Park Service, U.S.D.A.
Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, which address
federally owned land, the Natural Resources Conservation
Service concentrates on helping private landowners and local
units of government. One way it does this is through the
Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program,
established by Congress in 1962. The nationwide network of
RC&D areas was founded specifically to encourage locally spon-
sored rural efforts.

In 1988, the Design Program commissioned a study on the
use of landscape architects by Federal agencies. It pointed out
that the profession's contributions in broad areas of environmen-
tal design, planning, and management
remained largely unknown and under-
utilized in much of rural America.
This study led the two agencies to
choose the RC&D Program for the
Rural Design Demonstration
Project because it encourages active
involvement of local residents

Coordinator Mac Hayes meets
with planning committee for a
greenway project sponsored
by the Oconee River RC&D
Council, Watkinsville, Georgia.

RC&D areas selected in Utah, Iowa, and Georgia
brought a variety of community and resource issues
to the demonstration project.

within a public-private organizational structure
that effectively accomplishes lasting change in
rural communities. Each of the 277 RC&Ds in
the Nation is a non-profit, independent organiza-
tion headed by a council of citizens and local
government officials in a multi-county area. The
Natural Resources Conservation Service employs
a full-time coordinator in each RC&D and pro-
vides both staff and funding support. The coordi-
nator develops public-private partnerships and
seeks additional funds needed to implement
projects adopted by his or her council. Local
initiative, an entrepreneurial spirit, and teamwork
are the hallmarks of the RC&D approach.
The interdisciplinary emphasis of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service and the local
framework provided by the RC&Ds seemed ideally suited to the
Rural Design Demonstration Project. Three RC&D areas were
competitively chosen to participate: Oconee River in northeast
Georgia, Golden Hills in southwest Iowa, and Castleland in
southeast Utah.

Tapping Design Skills

Regardless of their specialization, design professionals such as
architects, landscape architects, planners, and engineers are
trained in certain fundamental skills, which include analyzing
resources and user needs, envisioning alternative solutions, and
communicating those alternatives to others. They are accustomed
to working in interdisciplinary teams with fellow designers and

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collaborating with a variety of other specialists, such
as sociologists, economists, and developers, whose
skills are necessary in understanding and bringing about
appropriate change in the built environment.

Whether responding to the needs of a specific site or devel-
oping a management plan for a broad area of the countryside,
landscape architects take a comprehensive approach to the envi-
ronment, weighing the functional, cultural, and aesthetic conse-
quences of design alternatives. In doing so, they must often take
into consideration the many diverse and sometimes competing
interests in communities and regions where people care deeply
about their surroundings. As design professionals, they are able
to synthesize and translate their knowledge and the specialized
input of others into comprehensive plans or design concepts that
will meet the varied needs of clients and user groups while also
respecting the landscape's role in the larger ecosystem.

The different environmental, economic, and social condi-
tions in the three pilot RC&D areas provided a diverse yet fitting
laboratory in which to put this array of design skills to work. The
Natural Resources Conservation Service selected the following
professionals for the job: Alison Krohn, for the Oconee River
RC&D in Watkinsville, Georgia; Mimi Askew, for the Golden
Hills RC&D in Oakland, Iowa; and Ken Ruhnke, for the
Castleland RC&D in Price, Utah.

Three Oakf JnA PbeK
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Demonstration Activities

The balance of this booklet highlights some, but not all, of the
activities undertaken by the three landscape architects in the
demonstration areas. During their 2 years in the field, these indi-
viduals responded to a wide variety of projects adopted by their
respective RC&D councils, which also encouraged them to seek
out additional opportunities. Their level of involvement ranged
from informal consultation on site-specific design problems and
opportunities to facilitating comprehensive planning efforts.
During the course of the demonstration project, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service and NEA selected nine projects,
three from each RC&D, for documentation as case studies.

HARRISON

As Federal employees dealing with private land, the land-
scape architects limited their involvement to providing conceptu-
al design services. Therefore, when the implementation phase of
an activity was reached, detailed design and construction draw-
ings and plans were undertaken by the private sector. Another
aspect of the demonstration project involved testing the effec-
tiveness of image-processing technology and a countryside assess-
ment methodology. The landscape architects were asked to
adapt these tools to local circumstances, as appropriate, and to
evaluate their applicability in rural situations.

Case studies and related information are available from
each of the RC&D offices participating in this project. In addi-
tion, reports on image-processing and countryside assessment can
be obtained from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
For information on how to obtain them and for additional sources
of assistance, see page 40.

Landscape architect Mimi
Askew (top); eroding
channel in deep loess soils
(bottom). The Loess Hills
border productive farm-
land along the Missouri
River (opposite, top); con-
ceptual plan for recreation
area heals environmental
problems while providing
for diverse uses (opposite,
bottom).

8

PROFILE: Golden Hills RC&D

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1

The Golden Hills RC&D
serves eight counties in
southwestern Iowa. Bordered
by the Missouri River, the
area is roughly 90 miles long
and 50 miles wide. Although
the region's population of
190,167 has remained rela-
tively stable since 1900, there
has been a steady shift away
from the rural areas to the
larger cities and towns, where
72 percent of the people live.
The RC&D area derives its
name from the deep loess
soils, very productive but
highly erosive soils found in
steep, rolling landscapes. At
its western limit, the loess
forms spectacular bluffs hun-
dreds of feet high, framing
the river with golden hills.

Some of the issues fac-
ing the region are soil erosion;
the development of recre-
ational and environmental
education opportunities; eco-
nomic diversification to pro-
duce off-farm jobs and stabi-
lize the rural population;
development of tourism as
part of the economic base;
and the protection of scenic,
natural, and cultural resources

in a distinctive landscape.
Mimi Askew and the Golden
Hills RC&D addressed these
issues in a variety of ways,
such as educating landusers
on methods of stabilizing
streambanks, providing envi-
ronmental materials for
schools, and developing a
master plan for conversion of
abandoned gravel pits into the
Nisha Bend Recreation Area.

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Creating a Scenic Byway

Golden Hills RC&D, Iowa

Forme, it was an

opportunity t
increas^a^arei
of the Loess Hills
They are very frag^T^
ile. And we were *
going to se
down on the nver
bottom if so^'
thing wasn't done.

d G^thmon

Former Mills County "■'^Kii.
Supervisor, ^Wl^i

Glenwood, Iowa

M^.

The Loess Hills region, seven counties which form the
southwestern boundary of Iowa along the Missouri
River, is often called "Iowa's best kept secret." The
region's soils were formed over 10,000 years ago from rocks laid
down by massive glaciers during the Pleistocene Ice Age. The
movement of the glaciers ground the rocks into silt, which was
carried down the river valleys by snowmelt in the slowly warm-
ing summers. The fine, lightweight particles then were blown
by strong westerly winds into tall bluffs which, over time, have
been carved by wind and water erosion into the sharp ridges
and deep ravines that characterize the hills today.

Rising hundreds of feet above the adjacent Missouri River
floodplain, the hills form a unique environment on the North
American continent. The character of the loess soils makes
them extremely sensitive to wind and water erosion. Any dis-
turbance of the plant life that protects the surface can be cata-
strophic. In a lifetime, a small drainage ditch can deepen into a
canyon.

For Mimi Askew, who suspected a lack of awareness
among local citizens concerning the significance of their region,
the character of the hills posed both a challenge and an opportu-
nity. The pressures of new development were creating demand
for rock from local quarries, for landfill space, and for exurban
housing. At the same time, agriculture and grazing were
encroaching upon steeper areas. The threat to landscape integri-
ty created by increased development and changing agriculture
created an opportunity to educate residents about the value of
their environment and suggested a way to diversify the economic
base through tourism. County officials and local organizations
approached the Golden Hills RC&D asking for help in expanding
upon a fledgling scenic byway effort that had begun in adjacent
counties. With approval from the council. Askew worked with
more than 140 volunteer residents on the development of what
was to become a 221 -mile-long central route through the 7 coun-
ties, accompanied by 12 excursion loops. The byway offers visi-
tors and residents a means of experiencing the region's variety of
scenery and vistas in an organized yet flexible manner.

Scenic view of the Loess Hills
(top) is altered on computer
(bottom) to simulate visual
impact that quarry operations
and roadside signs could have.

As former Supervisor Gammon noted, "We are 15 minutes
from downtown Omaha. The project was a catalyst to bring
awareness of the hills to people outside. And tourism is definite-
ly picking up." The Loess Hills Scenic Byway hugs the bottom
of the bluffs in some locations, offering magnificent views of the
region. In other locations, the route travels through the heart of
the hills, with breathtaking vistas on both sides of the road.
Through the process of assessment, which included identifying
natural and cultural resources as well as analyzing visitor facilities
and safety factors, the final selection of routes rested on a firm
foundation of landscape values as articulated by the people of the
Loess Hills. The byway became a reality with official designa-
tion by the Iowa Department of Transportation, the posting of
route signs, and the production of a descriptive brochure on the

11

The Loess Hills Scenic Byway
offers residents and visitors
numerous opportunities to
discover and explore the
landscape of western Iowa.
Whatever their form of
transportation, choice of
recreation, or length of stay,
tourists give a boost to the
rural economy.

geology, natural resources, and history of the region. The Loess
Hills Scenic Byway was recognized by Scenic America as one
of the nation's "Ten Most Outstanding Scenic Byways" in 1992.
In addition, the Missouri Valley, Iowa, Welcome Center reported
a 237-percent increase in visitors at its facility between 1989
and 1992.

The process of creating the scenic byway revealed that no
information had been gathered concerning natural and cultural
resources in the seven-county area for conservation planning pur-
poses. This led to formation of the Loess Hills Alliance, a grass-
roots group concerned with promotion of the scenic byway and
with land management issues in the region. Volunteers fanned
out beyond the corridors bordering the scenic byway to collect
data and gather information from public and private agencies and
organizations. The study's final report, entitled Loess Hills
Landscape Resource Study, explores the resources of the land-
scape in detail, including critical resources maps, attitude surveys
of residents, and a list of residents' favorite places. It is accompa-
nied by a video, "Ours to Care For: The Loess Bluffs of Western
owa.

"We surveyed about 500 households for the landscape
resource study," said Askew, "and found they have very strong
beliefs about land use, scenic value, tourism, and all of the issues
that go along with land management."

12

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PLYMOUTH

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THURSTON

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LOESS
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Designed to promote leisurely
exploration, the scenic byway
consists of a 221-mile-long
paved "spine" and twelve
excursion loops. With funding
from the Federal Highway
Administration, representa-
tives from the seven counties
are now developing a corridor
management plan to guide
future enhancement, conserva-
tion and development of
resources and amenities along
the route.

CASS

MILLS

FKEMONT

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ATCHISON '

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NEMAHA

RICHARDSON

MO.

KANSAS

29

13

r

PROFILE: Oconee River RC&D

Landscape architect Alison
Krohn discusses dairy farm
improvements with the
Stewart brothers (above
right); addressing circula-
tion, drainage and roadside
visibility, the plan was
featured in Successful
Farming magazine (right).
Concept plan for a Veterans
Memorial Garden around
the Danielsville, Ga., court-
house integrates paving,
ground cover, evergreens,
and deciduous trees
(above).

Work will be
completed this
summer based on
detailed plan.

SUCCESSFUL FARMING, MAYJUNE, 1992

14

The Oconee River RC&D
area comprises 10 coun-
ties in northeastern Georgia.
Stretching from the South
Carohna border to metropoh-
tan Atlanta and north to the
Appalachian foothills, the area
covers 2,987 square miles in
the heart of the old Cotton
Belt. Poultry production pre-
dominates in the northern
counties, and cattle or dairy
herds are more prevalent in
the southern portion. In both
areas, red clay Piedmont soils
are highly susceptible to ero-
sion. Consequently, improv-
ing water quality is one of the
Oconee River RC&D
Council's most important
resource issues.

Diversifying the econo-
my while protecting the rural
character of the landscape is
another pressing issue as
Atlanta pushes eastward, and
Athens, home to the
University of Georgia, spreads
in all directions. Between
1980 and 1990, population
within the 10-county area
grew by 20 percent, to
277,912. Most of this growth
is occurring in rural areas
where there is little or no zon-
ing or land use planning. -
Among the projects designat-
ed by the council for design
assistance were a veteran's
memorial garden, a construct-
ed wetland, a farmstead plan,
and a walking tour brochure
and public amenity plan for a
small town.

Managing growth, protect-
ing water quality and
preserving rural lifestyles
are among the issues facing
residents in the RC&D area.
Plan (above) shows place-
ment of artificial wetlands
on a hog farm to reduce
ammonia so water can be
reused.

15

NORTH

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^

Analyzing Highway Alternatives

Comer, Georgia

r

The video imagery
is really valuable
in just getting the
point across — ^the
audience under-
stands what you're
talking about, they
get excited.

Alison Krohn

]CT\i)\

Oconee River RC&D

One of the quickest ways to change a rural community is
to widen its major highway. When the Georgia
Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced
plans to widen State Route 72, linking Atlanta and Columbia,
South Carolina, the announcement quickly caught the attention
of the residents of Comer, Georgia, a small town located along
the highway. Homeowners were concerned with lumber and
other heavy trucks coming through their historic neighborhoods,
and with access to downtown shops. Merchants worried that a
bypass could drain business away. Nearby farmers were troubled
by the possibility that a bypass, if adopted, would split fields,
making agricultural operations more difficult.

Comer Mayor Dudley Hartel wanted more information on
potential impacts, particularly on traffic patterns, and requested
assistance from the Oconee River RC&D. Alison Krohn recruit-
ed landscape architecture students at the nearby University of
Georgia School of Environmental Design to make a thorough
study of the road-widening proposals and their anticipated
impacts on the community. GDOT proposed three alternates:
widening the road through Comer from two to five lanes; split-
ting traffic into a pair of east- and west-bound streets; and mov-
ing the new highway a block south of the existing route, linking
it with new construction to the existing road.

"Comer offered enough complexity to make it a good stu-
dent project," said Krohn, who herself videotaped the proposed
routes. The students analyzed each alternative and assisted
Krohn in developing a series of visual simulations to help
Comer's residents understand what the new highway might look
like. A student survey of townspeople revealed varying perspec-
tives and concerns, but also a common interest in preserving the
character and vitality of the downtown. At an open house for
Comer residents, Krohn presented GDOT's proposed plans and
the student analyses of them, along with computer-generated
"before and after" views of the streets as they presently are and
as they might be if the plans were implemented.

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16

ONE WAY PAIR

Proposed High\Vay Alignment

PI

'Development pressure downtown;
residential use replaced
by commercial.

*200^ net increase commercial activity.

^TrafTic, pollution, and noise increase
downtown.

*Cross-to^vn trariic (north-south) more
difTicult.

*10 (+/-) structures arrected.

-^fct^UCAfef' ,i«MMEj:c.IAl. One^AOOf-

COMER, GEORGIA

©

HIGHWAY 72 IMPACT STUDY ;

OCONEE RIVER RC&D March 1, 1992

Plan (above) shows one option
for handling increased traffic
through downtown Comer
(right), via a pair of one-way
roads.

Lumber and other heavy
trucks found on many two-
lane highways in the area
(top) present a particular
challenge to Comer's down-
town and adjacent historic
neighborhoods (bottom).

17

Krohn also called upon assistance from the preservation
program at the University of Georgia and the Georgia Trust for
Historic Preservation, whose suggestions for potential down-
town Comer enhancements, such as trees, awnings, sidewalk
repairs and building facade restorations also appeared in the
video.

According to Mayor Hartel, the road widening in Comer
has been delayed by GDOT for several years, illustrating the
long-term nature of professional involvement in rural commu-
nity design issues. "The work we did will be brought up
when we talk about economic development. It provides a
baseline for future initiatives," he said.

Although the Comer project has been delayed, it has
been the inspiration for successful downtown revitalization in
nearby Elberton, Georgia, whose residents saw the benefits of
involving a design professional. Other Georgia towns have
requested similar assistance.

COMER

TOWNSCAPE ,^_
STUDY p

FRONT STREET
EXTENSION PROI'OSAL

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Castleland scenes (clock-
wise from above) — the
Crystal Geyser near Green
River, a mountain bii<er, the
vast landscape of the LaSal
Mountains, and a Navajo
ceremony — represent just
a few of the varied commu-
nities, cultures, and
resource issues addressed ^
by landscape architect Ken
Ruhnke.

Citizens meet to discuss
design options for highway
and business district (above);
plan prepared by university
design class shows possible
street and sidewalk improve-
ments (below).

18

PROFILE: Castleland RC&D

The Castleland RG&D area
encompasses 11.2 million
acres in four large counties of
southeastern Utah. This vast
area contains a rugged, beauti-
ful landscape of astonishing
variety, ranging from arid
desert and sandstone bluffs to
deep gorges and alpine forests.
In 1990, the total population
was only 57,000, with 90 per-
cent concentrated in small
towns and cities. Only 16 per-
cent of the land is privately
owned. The remainder is
either managed by Federal and
State governments or falls
within the Navajo Reservation

along the border with Arizona.
Much of the area has experi-
enced a boom-and-bust econo-
my based on mineral extrac-
tion, coal mining, and energy
generation. Only 215,000 acres
are used for crops, whereas
some 7 million acres of private

and public lands are devoted to
livestock rangeland. To the
south, the area centered
around Moab has experienced
a boom in tourism; in recent
years more than a million
tourists have flocked annually
to the Whitewater rafting,
mountain biking, hiking, and
scenic wonders offered by
Arches National Park,
Canyonlands National Park,
the Manti-LaSal National
Forest, and other recreation
areas. Conserving water,
spreading the burdens and
benefits of tourism
more equitably through-
out the area, and enhanc-
ing the livability of com-
munities for residents are
key issues faced by local
leaders. The projects
adopted for design assis-
tance by the Castleland
RC&D Council included
conceptual design for the
restoration and enhancement
of Crystal Geyser, one of three
large, cold-water geysers west
of the Rocky Mountains; analy
sis of alternative sites and rec-
ommendations to the Navajo
Nation for a new fairground;
and urban forestry planning in
several small communities.

' -^J^n

19

Enhancing a Flood Control Project

Castleland RC&D, Utah

In Moab, Utal
there is probably a
larger mix of out-
looks on the envi-
ronment and relat-
ed values than in
any other town
in Utah. It became
apparent that
we couldn't move
very fast, that we
had to include
the public in the
decisionmaking,
to get as many
people into
that process as
were willing to
participate.

Ken Ruhnke

Castleland RC&D

■^iii^

Southeastern Utah, including Moab, does not suffer from a
shortage of tourist interest. In recent years, more than 1
million people annually have been attracted to recreation
areas like the Green and Colorado Rivers, Manti-LaSal National
Forest, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and the millions
of acres under stewardship of the U.S. Bureau of Land
Management. In addition, Moab, like many small cities in the
desert Southwest, has faced the prospect of infrequent, yet major,
flooding when the nearby LaSal Mountains experience unusually
high rainfall or rapid snowmelt.

When the city asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
investigate long-term flood control measures along Mill Creek, it
also asked the Castleland RC&D to look into ways that flood
control could be modified to improve recreational opportunities,
aesthetic values, and habitat. The 1992 Corps of Engineers
study evaluated a full range of flood protection measures, and
was used as the basis for a broader Sixteen-Year Flood Control
Project with Recreational Amenities plan, prepared by RC&D
landscape architect Ken Ruhnke working with Moab city planner
Kathlyn Collins. The plan was developed with the help of a citi-
zens advisory committee and representatives from the Corps of
Engineers, State Divisions of Wildlife and Water Rights, State
Department of Agriculture, Grand County Soil Conservation
District, Moab Irrigation Company, and Castleland RC&D. The
plan developed by Ruhnke and the team identified ways to con-
trol flooding without sacrificing aesthetic values or wildlife habi-
tat. It also incorporated recreational opportunities, including a
proposed Mill Creek Trail system to provide access to existing
public lands and valuable pedestrian and bicycle links within the
community.

"The Mill Creek project demonstrates the expertise that a
landscape architect can bring to a community in non-traditional
design of flood control alternatives," Ruhnke said. "Small com-
munities are often overwhelmed when trying to undertake a
large, costly, complex engineering project. The projected costs
boggle the mind, engineers speak in a technical language that is
foreign to the public, and citizens sometimes do not learn about
what is going on until the construction equipment is in their
backyards." Through production of two videos, one aired on
local cable television; open houses; and a variety of flyers,
brochures, and newspaper articles, Ruhnke said, "we got people
to visualize the different options for flood control treatment on
Mill Creek."

20

Existing conditions along iVIill
Creel< and computer-generated
simulation of potential improve-
ments for public access and
amenities. (Note: Although
based on low-resolution video
images, such simulations were
very effective in communicating
design concepts and alternatives
to local decision-makers.)

Two-thirds of Moab's commer-
cial and residential core would
be at risk in a 100-year flood,
as shown on the map below.

21

tXISTING

PROPOSED

,ir^~

WILL CREEK

■■

aOOD CONTROL LEVEE

=---^

BiKE LANE

aOOD CONTROL WALL

- • '

CONTOUR LINE

ZirflHHI

WALKWAY (PEDESTRIANS ONLY)
TRAIL (PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES) '

PROi'ERTY LINE

RETAINING WALL

m

VEGETATION

PARKING AREA
PRIVATE DRIVBVAY

'-' — ;

BUILDING

o

TREES

SCALE

^■\ '•

22

AND OTKPR ENHANCEMENTS TO THE SECTION 205 RECONNAISSANCE REPORT FOR
FLOOD CONTROL, MILL CREEK AT MOAB, UTAH - OCTOOER 1992 - CORPS OF ENGINEERS

&©^'

:^^^*^

>^^-

.^p-'-*f ja>-

Large public works projects, like that proposed for Moab,
take years to implement. Another of Ken Ruhnke's activities,
the Downtown Helper, Utah, River Enhancement Project,
demonstrated how a designer can facilitate community improve-
ment on a much smaller scale.

"It was originally sold as clean-up of a critical transient
problem. But we knew it would be a major tourism draw. It's an
incredible bang for the buck," said Ron Cooper, the project's
coordinator in Helper. Community leaders in Price and Helper,
about 100 miles from Moab, had long contemplated a hiking/
biking trail to link the two cities, which are 10 miles apart on the
Price River. A wide range of problems, including an unwilling-
ness to spend tax dollars and the diversity of land ownership
along the route, combined to impede the project.

But when Helper residents decided on the more modest goal
of transforming a small section of the river, they gained momentum.
The river in downtown Helper, next to the historic district, offered
the advantages of being city-owned and close to local residents who
would use the facility. And when the new mile-long park, complete
with a pavilion, games areas, and fish habitat enhancements, was
dedicated in May 1994, Helper had changed a community liability
into "a major economic development project for Carbon County,
Utah," said Cooper.

Conceptual plan for Mill Creek
(above) uses hiking-biking
trail to link schools, parks, and
neighborhoods to the business
district, while pinpointing
opportunities for improved
wildlife habitat. Left: Mill
Creek Advisory Committee.
Below left: Volunteers clear
brush along the trail.

23

Cooper credited the Castleland
RC&D and Ken Ruhnke with
successfully communicating what
the concept would mean to local
residents. "The mainly senior
citizens here thought that we
were going to create a nice place
for the hobos to live," Cooper
said. "But through Ken's ability
to communicate design alterna-
tives and respond to questions, we alleviated fears. Cooperation from
local citizens went to 99 percent, compared with 90 percent disap-
proval in the beginning."

Ruhnke began by helping to organize a committee in which
concerned citizens and elected officials could explore alternatives.
The downtown Helper area was chosen as the best demonstration
site. He worked with the Utah Division of Wildlife and the City of
Helper to develop a conceptual plan and cost estimates. Ruhnke
later prepared conceptual drawings for the trail, signs, and parking,
and recommended disability design guidelines.

"We've taken a $25,000 river enhancement grant," Cooper
said, "and leveraging it eight to one with in-kind contributions
created a mile-long, 8- foot-wide trail accessible to the disabled.
It's a class act."

Historic commercial area adjacent to the Price River in Helper,
Utah (top right). Mayor Mike Dalpiaz (top left) and city council
members at ground-breaking ceremony. Schematic plan drawn on
computer (below) shows proposed project, now called the Helper
City Centennial Parkway.

Top photo shows existing
marshy land between cropland
and forest. Simulating a
restored wetland, the low-
resolution image (middle)
took 1/2 hour to construct;
greater detail in the high-
resolution simulation (bottom)
required 8 hours of computer
use by designer.

-J

24

Visual Simulation Technology

Visual simulations have
long been a tool in the
arsenal of the professional
designer, beginning with sim-
ple sketches and progressing
to color renderings. With the
appearance of affordable desk-
top computers capable of
manipulating sophisticated
landscape images, visual simu-
lations have become a practi-
cal, cost-effective way of
showing the visual conse-
quences of land use decisions.
The computer field calls
this technique image process-
ing. The movie industry, for
example, uses it to produce
special effects. The same
kinds of three-dimensionaJ
images provide valuable diag-
nostic information to the med-
ical profession. The technolo-
gy i's useful whenever visual
communication of ideas and
designs can enhance under-
standing, and has been used
by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service since
1987 in planning, design, and
environmental impact analysis.

The three landscape
architects were enthusiastic,
yet cautious, about the use of
visual simulation. "I think it's
very valuable," said Iowa's
Mimi Askew. "In rural design
and conservation, for example,
it can play a very strong role as
a communication tool."

"It was a tool," echoed
Utah's Ken Ruhnke, "and I
found that I used it quite a
bit. The key to image pro-
cessing is to use it when it is
warranted."

Using either a video
camera or a scanning device
for print photographs or sHdes,
images are captured as com-
puter files. Once in the com-
puter, different elements of

compatible
computer
graphics '

the image can be moved or
deleted, or other images can
be imported to produce alter-
native scenarios.

Using the technology
may be time-consuming — it
can take a day's work to create
a high-quality reconstruction
of a given scene. However, it
greatly extends the reach of
the designer's ideas by show-
ing both existing conditions
and the impact of alternatives
in context. The resulting sim-
ulations can be displayed in
different formats — photo-
graphs, videos, television, or
cable broadcasts— thereby
enhancing citizen participation
in the planning process.

videotapes

compatible

computer

graphics

film recorder/
printer

25

Madison County
is an emerging
county, and the
study proved
why a new crop
of people HM
moved here —
the important
qualities of the
landscape.

Barbarianne Russell

Executive Director,
Madison County
Ctiamber of Commerce

Evaluating Rural Resources

Oconee River RC&D, Georgia

In 1989, the Georgia legislature required local governments to
develop plans that would guide future growth. The
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center had pre-
pared a comprehensive plan for Madison County by the end of
1990, which included a requirement to update it in 1995. In its
land use section, the plan called for Madison County to "accom-
modate natural and planned growth in an efficient, practical and
coherent manner without unreasonable intrusion into the rural,
home town way of life of its people or destroying in an indiscrim-
inate way the natural beauty evidenced in its landscape of gently
rolling hills, wooded areas and open spaces."

This was the inspiration for the Madison County Land-
scape Assessment, which established a baseline of what residents
thought about their environment in a county where, at least in
the early 1990s, no billboards advertised fast food restaurants.
Residents knew that change was coming, with a projected growth
rate of nearly 20 percent in the next 10 years. The assessment
was requested from the RC&D by the county-wide Chamber of
Commerce in 1991.

Alison Krohn adapted the NRCS countryside assessment
methodology for the Madison County study. Volunteers pho-
tographed different areas of the county in different land use cate-
gories, with emphasis on scenic quality, environmental integrity,
or historical-cultural significance.

These photographs then were used to create posters and an
accompanying questionnaire that provided a means of gathering
the opinions of more than 350 county residents at various public
functions. The resulting compilation, revealing local preferences
for the county's landscape resources, was published as the
Madison County Development Primer, which identified
and described "environments where people want to live,
shop and spend their free time." The booklet also high-
lighted residents' concern about the stewardship of his-
torical sites and growing interest in protecting the
Broad River watershed. Because of this interest, a
newly formed land trust, the Broad River Watershed
Association, was able to map the river corridor; and it
used the information obtained to nominate the
watershed to become one of Georgia's Regionally
Important Resources, which could in turn lead to
development of a management strategy for the area.

Georgia

As a result of the
landscape assessment,
and because of the
expanding pressures of
economic development,
Madison County enacted
a zoning ordinance favor-
ing agricultural uses in

December 1993. Barbarianne Russell put it best: "We struggled
for 7 years with the independent nature of rural people — they
want to do just what they want with their land. We had to con-
vince them that if they didn't have restrictions, they could lose
what they valued most."

A design professional brought a lot to the discussion of the
future in this rural society. "I see a need for similar expertise all
across northern Georgia," said Mayor Hartel, "especially where
we're talking about preliminary steps in a long-term project."
The Regional Development Center is now weaving the process
into its planning assistance for other Georgia counties.

Survey of county residents
led to the identification of
favorite places, shown on the
map below. The Broad River
corridor and historic resources,
such as covered bridges and
Main Street areas, ranked
high.

+ 150 RESPONSES

75-149 RESPONSES

20-74 RESPONSES

8-19 RESPONSES
1-7 RESPONSES

MADISON COUNTY

FAVORITE PLACES

27

Residents rated commercial
strips, trailer parks and
poorly maintained farmland
low, while favoring areas of
natural beauty and recreation,
traditional housing patterns,
and signs of good steward-
ship. The Development
Primer (page 26) summarized
their preferences as a guide
for future development and
conservation efforts.

V^Sf^RUrZrfrl^

LAND USE:

please rate the following
scenes based on the land
use or activities occurring
in them.

MADISON

COUNTY

COUNTRYSroE

ASSESSMENT

28

Countryside Assessment Process

getting
organized

V

>

understanding
the study area

V

(

Countryside
Assessment
Methodology

selecting and
calibrating indicators

evaluating units and
mapping visual quality

Many people associate
landscape architecture
with site-specific projects
such as public spaces, residen-
tial lots, and corporate office
parks; not with the broad
resource analysis, planning,
and design skills used in the
demonstration project. The
three landscape architects
were encouraged to use land-
scape assessment techniques
where possible to involve
local residents in the identifi-
cation of resources and the
articulation of their signifi-
cance.

The jumping-off point
for landscape assessment was
the Natural Resources
Conservation Service's coun-
tryside assessment process, a
visual analysis methodology
keyed to scenic values.
Basically, the methodology
attempts to break down the
qualities of a landscape into
its constituent parts: character,
or harmony; uniqueness;
fragility, or its ability to absorb
change; fitness, or how well it
is cared for; structure, or the
way it looks formally; informa-
tion, or how it engages the
viewer; and, finally^ its mean-
ing in a cultural sense.

The process of assessing
a landscape begins with find-
ing volunteers willing to sur-
vey its scenic, natural, and
cultural resources photograph-
ically. The results of the sur-
vey then are used to widen
the reach of the assessment.

Survey photographs and an
accompanying questionnaire
are used to give the public an
opportunity to express prefer-
ences for different aspects of
the landscape. The public
also can be offered the oppor-
tunity to visualize the results
of potential improvements in
land use, using computer-gen-
erated images.

The process depends on
the active involvement of the
people it affects — the resi-
dents who, after all, will live
with the decisions about land
use that are taken. In both
the Oconee River and Golden
Hills RC&D areas, country-
side assessments demonstrat-
ed that pragmatic involve-
ment by design professionals
in the rough-and-tumble
of rural politics can make a
difference.

29

s

Conserving Water Through Design

Castleland RC&D, Utah

Water is critical in
the West. The aim
of this project was
to demonstrate the
numerous ways —
from conservation
measures to
appropriate plant
selection — that
public and private
landowners can
achieve both
beauty and water
efficiency.

Ken Ruhnke

Castleland RC&D

The arid lowlands of southeastern Utah average from
4 to 8 inches of rainfall each year, and even less during
drought conditions. The availability of water affects
residents' ability to landscape homes and public spaces, grow
crops, feed livestock, and develop businesses, tourism, and
industry. For many years, the RC&D Council had listed water
conservation as a high-priority goal, and when Ruhnke arrived it
asked him to address the issue.

Ruhnke's preliminary research indicated that water con-
sumption could be reduced dramatically. Forty percent of
residential usage went to outdoor landscaping of non-native,
water-intensive plantings, such as lawns, shrubs, trees, and
flowerbeds. There were no educational programs directed at
either the public or local government officials to encourage
efficient water practices.

After surveying Western States on successful water conser-
vation programs, Ruhnke and the RC&D staff developed and
implemented a public information campaign that targeted the
general public and water department managers, city council
members, and mayors in the four-county RC&D area and on the
nearby Navajo Reservation. With financial support from the
Rural Community Assistance Corporation, "Water Efficiency
Workshops" were held featuring speakers from the Rocky
Mountain Institute, Utah Department of Water Resources, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, and the City of Provo. The aim was to
build effective partnerships among academics, plant specialists,
public officials, business people, and the public.

Excessive irrigation (left) and
water-demanding plants are
inappropriate in semi-arid and
arid landscapes. This residential
development (opposite, below)
uses drought-tolerant plants such
as pinyon and mugo pines, yucca,
sumac, barberry, and spirea.

30

One key goal of the educational
campaign was to demonstrate the use
of alternative landscape plants with
low-water requirements appropriate to
the area. To determine whether exist-
ing plant guides for the Southwestern United States would be
suitable for the Castlelands area, Ruhnke assembled
an interdisciplinary team which included an Extension Service
horticulturist at Utah State University and a plant materials
specialist, soil scientist, and range conservationist from NRCS.
He prepared schematic designs for three demonstration land-
scapes to be installed at two public libraries and a museum in the
area. He also secured a grant to enable the Extension horticul-
turist to produce a Horticultural Guide for Southeastern Utah,
to be published by Utah State University in 1995 and distributed
through county Extension offices.

Use of turf on median strip (above) results in high maintenance
and water costs for municipalities. Water conservation options for
both public and private landowners were addressed at workshops
sponsored by the Castleland RC&D.

Trees to shade west
side of library

Gravel strip under roof drip
line to disperse water and
landscape fabric to minimize
weed growth

Children's story circle

Smooth edging stones
installed flush with turf
form low-maintenance hedge

Full-sun-tolerant turf
demonstration plots

Sandstone gravel over
landscape fabric to reduce
evaporation and minimize
weed growth

Earth berm to redirect
runoff and increase
infiltration into soil

Native shrubs and perennials
adjustable drip or bubbler
irrigation routed to each plant

CLEVELAND LIBRARY

WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE

Ten irrigation zones and
controller/timer allow
maximum watering flexibility

Improve soil by mixing
in silty loam and organic
matter

This computerized version
of a conceptual plan for the
Cleveland Library emphasizes
careful use of materials to
conserve water. A "berm"
of mounded earth increases
penetration of stormwater
into soil; landscape fabrics
and mulch materials minimize
evaporation and weed growth;
and irrigation systems opti-
mize watering efficiency for
drought-tolerant, native
vegetation. Surrounding trees
reduce the library's energy
consumption by providing
shade in summer and sunlight
in winter.

32

Trees to shade east
side of library

Wood privacy fence

Earth berm to redirect
storm runoff and increase
infiltration into soil

'''^^o;Z-^^.o

Af^Ts

'^07>

Son /. ""Id .

Wildflower area

Shade tolerant turf
demonstration plots

/i>v'-i?>«-r!£>

Mesa County Library (far left).
Grand Junction, Colo.,
combines blue fescue, red-leaf
rose, and manzanita for an
attractive, drought-resistant
landscape; microspray irriga-
tion system (left) minimizes
water waste, while gravel
mulch retains moisture in soil.
Above: Yarrow is among the
species featured in Utah State
University's plant guide for the
RC&D area.

33

*^

The project has
grown to a point
where the city is
bringing in two
additional trails
that will use the
Nature Center as
part of a trailhead.
It's amazing the
number of things
that are tying M
together on this ^ |
project. I've never
seen so many
people get so
interested and
step forward
to help.

William P. Johnson

Superintendent,
Iowa School for
the Deaf

Expanding Environmental
Education

Golden Hills RC&D, Iowa

The 25-acre campus of the Iowa School for the Deaf in
Council Bluffs provided Mimi Askew with an unusual
opportunity: to develop an outdoor environmental learn-
ing center accessible to people of all abilities and to make the
landscape part of the learning experience for 5,100 students at
the school.

Askew prepared an inch-thick report that contains the over-
all conceptual design for the project. Initially, the idea had been
"to use a very small plot in their backyard." After listening to
school officials discuss the need for environmental education, and
evaluating the limited opportunities for people with disabilities
in the Council Bluffs-Omaha area. Askew proposed that the cam-
pus itself be converted into the Nature Center.

Instead of one small outdoor classroom, as envisioned in the
original plan. Askew proposed a series of 21 exhibit areas ranging
from a wetland to a prairie plains remnant to an exploration of
Loess Hills habitat, all connected by a hard-surfaced path with
accessible side pathways of different challenge levels. The plan,
recognized that the quality of the experience for visitors of vari-
ous ages and abilities could be severely compromised unless
close attention were paid to material selection, siting, construc-
tion specifics, and maintenance implications. For example, tac-
tile and color-coded pavement strips will be installed in the main
path for 36 inches before a person walking on the path encoun-
ters a change in path materials or a potential hazard. The plan
also recommended guidelines for plant materials and furnishings
that would complement campus buildings and urged careful con-
sideration of installation and future maintenance requirements.

Having anticipated that phased installation of the Nature
Center would take 5 to 10 years. Superintendent Johnson is
optimistic that the timeframe will be much shorter due to local
enthusiasm for the project. "This grew from a little idea into
something much larger," he said. "We'll probably put a quarter
of a million dollars into it. Right now, I see every penny of it
being donated."

■EE

34

FUTURE SITE OF:

m uvm

mm

"■f .<iJ>UL3e^a tiHr^wi ■«>:>

Sign (above) announces first
phase of Nature Center imple-
mentation. Right: Teenagers at
the school sow seeds to
restore prairie grasses, while
NRCS staff shows teachers and
younger students how to
plant trees. Over $208,000 has
been raised thus far for these
projects and for orchard
expansion, wetlands construc-
tion, and arboretum planting.

..tSI

Master plan (pages 36-37) addresses circulation patterns and relation-
ship of the 21 proposed exhibit areas to campus facilities. Italicized
information highlights uses and design features of each area. Together
the plan and detailed report give the school a comprehensive frame-
work for achieving, in phases, its vision of exemplary environmental
education for both school and community users.

35

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Results in Rural America

\V

4

Throughout rural America, people are trying to create
economies that work and yet sustain the natural
resource systems and amenities that enhance the quality
and character of their lives. The Natural Resources Conservation
Service/NEA Rural Design Demonstration Project was an effort
to show the benefits of integrating design into the process of
rural change. While the 2-year project could not address many
of the long-term problems faced by local communities, it did
demonstrate much more clearly the issues, resources, and options
involved. It also revealed the advantages that local communities
can reap by involving design professionals in the day-to-day
give-and-take of managing change. In Georgia, Iowa, and Utah,
design professionals invigorated public participation in the
decision-making process, and brought new technologies to
bear on the subject of planning for the future physical shape
of communities.

The vision of the Natural Resources Conservation Service
is to help create "a productive nation in harmony with a quality
environment," or in other words, to help communities develop
economies, institutions, and a social fabric that can be sustained
over time. Clearly, economic vitality rests on producing a profit
for those who depend on land for their livelihood and for those
whose business is providing goods and services in rural communi-
ties. Yet as Lyle Asell, Assistant State Conservationist for the
Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa, points out,
there is also another type of profit — "community profit" —
which must be created if rural areas are to continue being vital,
desirable places in which to live, work, and raise families.

Though not easily quantifiable in dollars and cents, com-
munity profit results when people invest their time and energy
in examining resources and opportunities, discussing differences,
sharing visions, and involving those less vocal or motivated.
According to Asell, the Rural Design Demonstration Project
showed the validity of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service approach of delivering interdisciplinary skills to assist
locally determined conservation and development projects.
At the same time, it showed the benefits of broadening the array
of skills available by adding the services of landscape architects
as resident professionals familiar with local issues and able to
involve more people in the process of shaping their future.

Some of the activities assisted by the landscape architects
have a clear link to economic vitality, such as the attraction of
tourist dollars to the Loess Hills region of Iowa through a new

scenic byway. Other examples, such as the routing of State
Highway 72 and the revitahzation of downtown Comer, Georgia,
will take years to unfold. Yet as Mayor Dudley Hartel acknow-
ledges, the work in Comer and across Madison County lays a
foundation for sustainable economic development in the future.
He sees the engagement of so many more citizens in the exami-
nation of issues and options as producing immediate community
profit and predicts it will ultimately lead to more effective
resource use and traditional economic benefits.

Achieving community consensus on the kind of economic
diversity that is desirable, on where further development should
be encouraged, and on what important natural and cultural
resources exist and should be protected creates a framework
within which both public and private investment decisions can
be soundly made. A community with a firm sense of its heritage
and a clearly articulated vision of how it wants to grow is particu-
larly attractive to business owners and investors, who appreciate
knowing what the ground rules are in any potential location.
Similarly, a community that has evaluated its resources and
enhanced recreational and other amenities to improve local
quality of life is also more likely to induce its young people to
stay and to attract new residents, visitors, and businesses.

Whether or not the projects described in this booklet
reached or will reach implementation, all have laid a foundation
for future action. In fact, each of the participating RC&Ds has
made the services of a landscape architect a part of its continuing
assistance activities.

The demonstration project clearly revealed the advantages
of having a design professional resident in rural areas, and of
making him or her an ongoing part of a team approach to rural
conservation and sustainable development. Across the country,
other communities are searching for ways to involve design pro-
fessionals in their daily work of managing change in the environ-
ment. Two options are available through the RC&D framework.
A design professional either can be hired as a Federal employee
in the coordinator's office or can be retained through a mix of
public and private contributions using the council's organizational
structure and non-profit status. For more information on
RC&Ds, including how to start one, contact your local office of
the Natural Resources Conservation Service or its headquarters at
PO Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013.

39

Additional Information
and Assistance

Good places to begin look-
ing for assistance from
design professionals include
offices of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Natural
Resources Conservation
Service and Forest Service.
The 275 RG&D offices,
appropriate offices of State
and local government, public
and private universities that
have design schools, and local
or statewide organizations
involved with conservation
and development issues also
are good sources, particularly
those involved in economic
development, community
development, planning, and
historic preservation issues.
Regional councils of govern-
ment and planning agencies
also are well worth consulting.

Many universities and
schools of design offer com-
munity service programs,
although their scope and
quality may vary depending
on the involvement of faculty
and the continuing turnover
of students. Information on
professional design practition-
ers, regional and statewide
chapters of professional design
associations, preservation
organizations, and schools of
design can be obtained from a
number of sources, including:

American Society of
Landscape Architects

4401 Connecticut Avenue, NW,
5th Floor

Washington, DC 20008
2021686-2752
(FAX) 2021686-1001
The ASLA is a national pro-
fessional society representing
private, public, and academic
practitioners of landscape
architecture. The Society's
Open Committee on the Rural
Landscape publishes a quar-
terly newsletter and provides
a forum for members, other
design professionals, and relat-
ed organizations with an inter-
est in agriculture and rural
landscape issues. For informa-
tion on the Open Committee,
the nearest ASLA chapter,
and accredited undergraduate
and graduate programs in
landscape architecture, contact
the Society's headquarters in
Washington, DC.

American Institute
of Architects

/ 735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
2021626-7300
(FAX) 2021626-7421
The American Institute of
Architects is the Nation's prin-
cipal professional society for
licensed architects, with 301
chapters nationwide. The
AIA's Community Design and
Development Department
provides technical assistance
to cities and towns through
two programs. Using volun-
teer architects, the department
puts together Regional/Urban
Design Assistance Teams that
visit host communities to
engage citizens in intensive
design "charettes" or work-
shops that emphasize a multi-
disciplinary, problem-solving
approach to local issues. For
information on this and other
AIA programs or for the
address of the nearest chapter,
call or write AIA headquarters
in Washington, D.C. For
information on the nearest
school of architecture, call
the Association of Collegiate
Schools of Architecture at
202/785-2324 or (FAX)
202/628-0448.

40

American Planning Association
Public Information Office

1116 Massachusetts Avenue, NW,
4th Floor

Washington, DC 20036
2021872-0611
(FAX) 2021872-0643
The American Planning
Association is the Nation's
principal membership society
for professional land use plan-
ners. As a non-profit educa-
tional and research organiza-
tion, the APA is devoted to
protecting and improving both
the built and natural environ-
ments. Based in its Chicago
office (312/431-9100), the asso-
ciation's Planning Advisory
Service provides research assis-
tance and advice to communi-
ties across the country. Also
located in Chicago is the
Planners Bookstore, which car-
ries a variety of publications
devoted to smalltown and rural
planning. The association's
Small Town and Rural
Planning Division, a network
of planners and community
leaders, publishes a quarterly
newsletter examining issues
affecting rural and exurban
areas. The Public Information
Office in Washington, D.C. can
provide addresses for the near-
est APA chapter, division
members, and accredited
schools of planning.

National Trust for Historic
Preservation

/ 785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
2021673-4000
(FAX) 2021673-4038
The National Trust is a private,
non-profit membership organi-
zation chartered by Congress to
foster appreciation of America's
diverse cultural heritage and
encourage the preservation of
its historic environments. The
organization has several special-
ized programs that may be of
interest to rural communities.
These include 1) the Rural
Heritage Program, which pro-
vides information and limited
technical assistance on rural
planning and preservation
issues, including scenic byways
and heritage areas; 2) the
National Main Street Center,
which provides publications,
training and technical assistance
on the revitalization of down-
town and neighborhood com-
mercial districts; and 3) the
Heritage Tourism Program,
which assists individual commu-
nities and multi-county areas
interested in developing and
marketing sustainable tourism
based on cultural and historic
resources. In addition, the
Trust operates seven regional
offices, which advise local com-
munities on basic preservation
procedures and are the initial
point of contact for the organi-
zation's grant and loan funds.
For information on these and
other programs, contact the
Trust's Response Center which
also has information on under-
graduate and graduate programs
in historic preservation.

Design Access

401 F Street, NW, Suite 322
Washington, DC 20001
2021272-5421
(FAX) 2021272-5432
Design Access is a national
information and resource cen-
ter for the design disciplines,
created under the auspices of
the National Endowment for
the Arts and the National
Building Museum. It main-
tains a database listing all
grants awarded by the
Endowment's Design Program
and a non-lending library of all
final reports and products sub-
mitted. Design Access also
maintains a national design
events calendar and a database
of information on non-profit,
professional, academic and
advocacy organizations serving
the design disciplines and
related fields. Information
specialists can provide free
searches and print-outs of
these databases and will pro-
duce photocopies of final grant
reports for a nominal charge.

41

Project Documents

For additional copies of
Managing Change in Rural
Communities: The Role of
Planning and Design, call the
Soil and Water Conservation
Society at 1-800-THE-SOIL.
Case studies and topical
reports related to the Rural
Design Demonstration Project
are available from the follow-
ing locations:

Case Studies

Oconee River RC&D
10 White Hall Road
Suite A
PO Box 247
Watkinsville, GA 30677

• Madison County Landscape
Assessment

• Comer, Georgia, Highway 72
Analysis and Visual
Simulation

• Sidney Station Farm
Constructed Wetland

Golden Hills RC&D
120 North Main Street
PO Box 536
Oakland, I A 51560

• Iowa School for the Deaf
Nature Center Master Plan

• Loess Hills Scenic Byway

• Loess Hills Landscape
Resource Study

Castleland RC&D
PO Box 141

652 W. Price River Drive
Price, UT 84501

• Mill Creek Flood Control
and Recreation Project

• Water Conservation Issues
and Techniques

• Crystal Geyser Restoration
and Enhancement

Topical Reports

National Landscape Architect
USD A, Natural Resources
Conservation Service
PO Box 2890
Washington, DC 20013

• An Introduction to Image
Processing for Visual
Simulation

• The Use of Visual Simulation
in Rural Design and
Development: The SCS
Experience

• Countryside Assessment

42

Acknowledgments

The Natural Resources
Conservation Service and
the National Endowment
for the Arts wish to thank the
following individuals as
representative of the many
people who contributed to the
success of the Rural Design
Demonstration Project.

Adams, Carolyn, ASLA, Landscape Architect, West National

Technical Center, NRCS, Oregon
Adkins, Martin W., EWP Coordinator, NRCS, Iowa
Asell, Lyle W., Assistant State Conservationist, NRCS, Iowa
Askew, Mimi W., ASLA, Landscape Architect, NRCS, Iowa
Beckwith, John E., Assistant State Conservationist, NRCS, Utah
Bouchard, Carl E., Asst. Director, Community Assistance and

Resource Development Division, NRCS, Washington, DC
Duesterhaus, Richard L., Deputy Chief for Soil Science and

Resource Assessment, NRCS, Washington, DC
Eastman, Kresha, Coordinator, Castleland RC&D, NRCS, Utah
Hayes, James M, Coordinator, Oconee River RC&D, NRCS, Georgia
Holt, Francis T., former State Conservationist, NRCS, Utah
Jann, Gary J., National Recreation Specialist, NRCS, Washington, DC
Krohn, Alison, ASLA, RC&D Coordinator, NRCS, Maryland
Quraeshi, Samina, Director, Design Program, NEA, Washington, DC
Read, Hershel R., State Conservationist, NRCS, California
Riekert, Edward G., former Director, Watershed Projects Division,

NRCS, Washington, DC
Ruhnke, Kenneth, ASLA, Landscape Architect, National Park

Service, Oklahoma
Vonk, Jeffrey R., Regional Conservationist, NRCS, Nebraska
Welborn, Noel H., Coordinator, M&M Divide RC&D, NRCS, Iowa
Wells, Gary W, ASLA, Landscape Architect, Midwest National

Technical Center, NRCS, Nebraska
Williams, Freddie, Assistant State Conservationist, NRCS, Georgia

Project Managers

Hawley, Peter E., Program Specialist, Design Program, NEA,
Washington, DC

Tuttle, Ronald W, FASLA, National Landscape Architect, NRCS,
W^ashington, DC

Production Credits

Writer
Editor

Photo Research

Design

Art Director

Carl N. Nelson, Washington, DC

Sarah Laurent, NRCS, Office of Public Affairs,
Washington, DC

Robert Corry, NRCS, Washington, DC

Supon Design Group, Washington, DC

Julie S. Olson, USDA Design Center,
W'ashington, DC

43

Photo Credits

All photographs courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
except as noted:

Cover: sidewalk vendor,
Galesburg, IL

Page 7: Greeneville, TN (top)
Page 10: country road
Page 13: tourists

Page 14: (top and bottom)

Page 17: neighborhood

Page 19: LaSal mountains

landscape architect
Page 20: rock climber
Page 22: brush clearing
Page 26: lily pads

Page 27: downtown

Page 28: houses

Page 30: water

residential watering

Page 31: median strip

house
Page 32: library
Page 33: all photos

booklet cover

Page 35: all photos

Page 38: wheat

National Trust for Historic
Preservation,Washington, DC

National Trust for Historic
Preservation, Washington, DC

National Trust for Historic
Preservation, Washington, DC

Doris Irene Jepson, Loess
Hills Hospitality Association,
Moorhead, lA

Mike Boyatt, Successful
Farming, Des Moines, lA

James R. Lockhart, Georgia
Dept. of Natural Resources,
Office of Historic Preservation,
Atlanta, GA

Sam Cunningham, Moab, UT

Sun Advocate, Price, UT

Sam Cunningham, Moab, UT

David Olsen, City of Moab, UT

Supon Design Group,
Washington, DC

James R. Lockhart, Ga. Dept.
of Natural Resources

James R. Lockhart, Ga. Dept.
of Natural Resources

Supon Design Group,
Washington, DC

Larry Rupp, Utah State
University Extension, Logan,
UT

Larry Rupp, Utah State
University Extension

Ed Leland, Lakewood, CO

Ed Leland, Lakewood, CO

Larry Rupp, Utah State
University Extension

Utah State University Press,
Logan, UT

Iowa School for the Deaf,
Council Bluffs, lA

Supon Design Group,
Washington, DC

44

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs and marital or
familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for com-
munication of program information (Braille, large print, audio-
tape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications
at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD).

To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 20250, or call
(202) 720-1127 (voice) or (202) 690-1538 (TDD). USDA is an
equal employment opportunity employer.

November 1995