ENVS 372 - Natural Hazards Planning

This interdisciplinary course emphasizes creation of safer human settlements through application of hazard mitigation strategies in community planning, site selection and layout, infrastructure design, and building design. The course provides a survey of meteorological and geological hazards. It integrates insights from environmental design disciplines for minimizing losses from natural hazards such as global warming, severe storms, wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, and landslides. These approaches can also be applied to human-caused hazards such as levee failures, chemical and radiological releases, and terrorism. It also addresses how hazard mitigation can increase long-term community resilience through pre-disaster and post-disaster recovery planning. The course will discuss the mandates and responsibilities of various levels of government. Students will gain hands-on experience through projects assessing state and local mitigation plans and case studies. This course is intended to provide an understanding of natural hazards, as well as the tools, techniques, and processes available for their mitigation. It blends various specialized areas of knowledge within the overall purpose of creating safer, more disaster resistant and sustainable communities. Students leave the class with a foundation in disaster-resistant community design principles, including land use, structural, infrastructure, and financing solutions. They also obtain an introductory knowledge of routine planning, design, engineering and public policy tools for reducing losses from natural hazards, and facilitating suitable post-disaster redevelopment (e.g., general planning, zoning, subdivision review, transportation systems, water systems, geotechnical and structural design).

Prerequisites & Notes:
ENVS 203 or EGEO 203 or GEOL 211; ENVS 361 or ESTU 369 or instructor permission.

Credits: 4
Grade Mode: Letter