Course Title: The Art and Science of Urban Stream Ecosystem Restoration
Instructor: Kenneth Belt, Engr '91 (MEE), Engr '94 (PhD)
Brought to you by Odyssey
October 22, 2025 -November 26, 2025 (6 Sessions)
Wednesday, 6:00PM ET - 7:30PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
Course Description: This course examines urban stream restoration using a broad view that spans historical, eco-engineering and cultural. Some technical aspects will be briefly covered, but the focus will be on bringing diverse life back, as well as the nature-based benefits to people. We’ll talk about the state of the engineering-based watershed & stream restoration and more socio-ecologically based methods and goals. We will see that the implications of such a transformation are potentially great. It is plausible that urban streams can achieve a more natural state, with a family of novel but functioning, valued ecosystems.
We’ll spend significant time on the needs and roles of organisms and their communities (microbes, insects, fish, plants/algae, etc.) in establishing biodiverse and functional ecosystems. We’ll see that biota need cleaner, less flashy streams and that they also contribute to cleaner, more functional streams.
These concepts will be placed within a contemporary urban context by imagining a more enlightened approach to engineering-based stream restoration. Novel, creative approaches to an ecologically based engineering are feasible. New thinking and collaboration along these lines could bring about transformative benefits for both urban waters and residents.
Coverage will be global at times, but we’ll often focus on local (Baltimore) stream systems to illustrate concepts. Art, essays, photography and videos will be used to provide a foundation for this. Presentations will be designed for the broad community but will be based on science. Readings from the literature will be provided, should folks want to go further in their learning. Optional field visits may be available, if there is interest by local folks. These materials, as well as, recorded lectures and slides, will be made available on the web.
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