Reflections On What I've Learned

After such a rewarding and fun filled weekend, I was ready to plunge back into work. I got right down to it, I'm pleased to say.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I attended lecture in the afternoon. It was a discussion with my Urban Regeneration professor. He was discussing how to create an effective and engaging environment by implementing variety of spaces that reveal new scenes as get closer, peaking your interest. This can be achieved using archways and tunnels to frame views. A similar architectural language can tie spaces together over a wide area in a city.

Last night, I once more returned to the improv group and enjoyed many laughs! I also finished applying to a Chicago summer internship.

Today I had a full day of lecture on Land Contamination Restoration, and more specifically how to introduce effective plantings. What should you look for in a species for a site like this and what are some techniques to use to establish them in difficult acidic and toxic soil conditions. In other words how can you ameliorate the soil. I'd tell you all about it, but it took the professional 7 hours to explain, so I'm guessing I can spare you. :D

So what are some random facts and observations I learned today?

• The Brits are pros at backing-up! They do it with such ease!
• A tip is a British word for garbage dump. I think it might be a little less official than a municipal one. It's just where they dump all their rubble.
• Unfortunately, there was a tragedy in the 1970s in wales, when a dump site became a mud slide and buried an entire school, killing all its occupants. It jump started the restoration movement in England. It was a real tragedy.
• There is a native British butterfly species called, The Big Blue Butterfly! (Yet it looks pretty small!) It went extinct in the UK in the 70s, but was recently re-introduced from the Netherlands.
• The pros and cons of using various herbivores (cows vs. sheep vs. goats vs. rabbits vs. horses) for managing and achieving a target grassland. Apparently there is enough information to cover 20 slides. Also, I learned that sheep seem to be the least desirable as they can't graze in too wet of fields, and only nibble at grass and so aren't as effective as some of the other animals. I also learned when the best times of the year were to let them graze to protect other animals in the ecosystem.