Vegetation management techniques have only recently been applied to the preservation of historic designed landscapes mainly because vegetation was not previously recognized as an important component of the historic sites. An example of a lack of vegetation management planning is seen as Hills and Dales Park in Dayton, Ohio. This Olmsted Brothers site design reveals several strong levels of historic significance. Resource managers predominately deal with budget constraints and maintenance priorities which emphasize public health and safety before preservation concerns. The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology to capture the historic character of the Hills and Dales Park and subsequently translate it into a preservation vegetation management plan (PVM). This strategy may be adapted by other researchers for use on additional sites.The primary data sources used in this study originated with historic photographs and digitally captured topographical and early 1900 survey maps. The data were appraised using previous verbal site descriptions documented by (Vernon 1987, 1988), and on site field reconnaissance. Analytical models were developed based on topography, soil, slope/aspect, disturbance, and boundary edge data. Random samples were taken using a variable plot method and a ten factor basal area prism. Field data were collected and used to determine plant species composition, forest types, tree basal area, tree diameter breast height, vegetation physical condition and aesthetic composition of plant groupings. Data were synthesized into recommendations for the Hills and Dales Park vegetation management strategy. Analysis and the proposed PVM scheme were undertaken using Intergraph's Geographic Information Systems spatial modeling software.The PVM strategy for Hills and Dales Park was developed from the above methodology for evaluating vegetation on historic landscapes. Once the site was inventoried and assessed, a sustainable vegetation management strategy was proposed based on proven ecological and silvicultural techniques. This scheme's main objective was to protect the park's historic integrity, sense of place, and historic vegetation composition. / Department of Landscape Architecture

The purpose of this creative project was to develop a conceptual landscape plan for integrating residential development on an historically significant property, located at North Bend, Ohio, known as "Aston." The plan, designating areas suitable for residential development, was designed so that most of the features and elements of the property that defined its historic character were not destroyed or, at least, not unreasonably compromised. Priority was also placed on protecting the aesthetic and environmental qualities of the site. An inventory of the existing physical attributes (soil and bedrock geology, surface hydrology, topography, structures and other built features, etc.) of the property was conducted focusing on identification of historically significant elements. Additionally, written and photographic documentation established the general historic character and appearance of the property and identified important features that were no longer present in the current landscape. The documentation of the history of the property and its historic features was presented in narrative form (supported by historic and current photographs) in this study. It is probable that further documentation of this significant property is unlikely to occur since it is presently owned by a development company. The two areas of the property that were found to contain concentrations of historic resources (structures, drives, vegetation, walls, ponds, etc.) were designated as "Historic Core Areas" for preservation. Another area where the Ohio Department of Natural Resources had discovered a population of an endangered plant species was also withdrawn for preservation. Based on the implications of the physical attributes of the property, further areas were designated as unsuitable for development and will function as open "greenspaces" for the proposed community. The remaining acreage of the property constituted the areas designated as suitable for residential development. In these areas, the suggested road layout, lot sizes, siting of condominiums or housing structures, and pedestrian trails were designed. Finally, recommendations for guiding the more detailed design of the architectural and landscape architectural elements of the proposed residential development were presented. This completed creative project presents a suggestion for how modem residential development may be accommodated without substantially destroying the documented historic, environmental and aesthetic values of this significant property. / Department of Landscape Architecture