Section 4 Study Resources and Materials

[LARE]

A collection of the Section 4 Materials from the old LARE Google Group are available for download here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8H0N5A23wXxU3RWQnZoWEZya0k

Other Section 4 Materials include:

PPI Books - Section E: Vignettes and Section D: Practice Problems

Corson Learning Webinars: http://corsonlearning.com/passing-lare-section-4/

Please notify the site administrator if any of this information is under copyright and it will be removed immediately.

[KJOY]

Additionally, because this f*ing group was deleted, here is a  book list from a post from the last group from someone who passed section 4.

Professional Practice of Landscape Architecture (Rogers)

Site Analysis (LaGro).  Absolutely mandatory for Section 2.  

Basic Elements of LA Design (Booth) . Also a good refresher, some chapters are relevant for Sections 1 and 3.  It's a good academic reminder for things like texture, color, space, form, that you may not discuss as often during daily office work.

Landscape Planning: Environmental Applications (Marsh).  This is a VERY useful book.  I don't know why it isn't on the "official" lists, it should be.  Buy this book!  Especially for Sections 4 (and 3, and 2)

TSS 

LA Graphic Standards (Hopper).  Some is repetitive compared to TSS, but it is not all the same material, so if you're going to take all 4 sections, you may as well add it.

Site Engineering for Landscape Architects.  100% necessary for Section 4.  I did not use the accompanying workbook (additional, must purchase separately), but one of my coworkers found it very helpful.

[TG]

As I see it, the new LARE Orientation Guide for 2017 essentially reorganized the Section 4 content into the development of various plans (i.e. Develop Layout Plan, Develop Grading Plan, Develop Irrigation Plan, Develop Traffic Control Plan, etc.)  However, after I reviewed the recommended readings I don't see that the resources suggested actually address the development of all of the various plans.

Does anyone have resources for developing each of these plans, or are there books/resources anyone would recommend for this information?  

I took Section 4 in December and don't remember it being organized so heavily around developing all of these plans.  There was some plan development, but definitely not to the extent presented in the new Orientation Guide.  Does anyone have insight about this?

Thanks and good luck!

[gs spen]

Hi all,

Just passed section 4! It's all in my head...don't need the books now ;)

Site Engineering for Landscape Architects Hardcover – Feb 11 2013 by Steven Strom (Author), Kurt Nathan (Author), Jake Woland (Author)  -new, barely used  Site Engineering for Landscape Architects Workbook Paperback – Apr 6 2009 by Jake Woland (Author)  -fair condition  Sold as a set for $100 Canadian (retails for USD$180)

See ad on kijiji

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-textbooks/city-of-toronto/study-books-for-lare-exam-engineer-reference-2-for-1/1236456162?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

cheers,

k

[Kirsten Radomski]

I am struggling with how to interpret this information as well.  The new topics seem vague and oddly specific at the same time.  

There is some limited information in the very front of TSS (construction documentation...).  But I haven't been able to find anything in the recommended readings about traffic control plans, mitigation plans...  I can start pulling information from outside sources, but what is CLARB going to use as a standard? 

Anyway, I know this doesn't help you much but I've been looking around for resources too!  

[Becky Ellis]

I bought a book that I found as a recommendation over at Corson Learning. The book is LA Documentation Standards
It is great so far and details what should/should not be included on all sorts of drawings.

BTW, I thought this was hilarious b/c it is so true.

The new topics seem vague and oddly specific at the same time

I feel like the mitigation plan and swpp plan are very similar - like an erosion control plan. The traffic control plan is confusing b/c does it mean onsite traffic? construction access? on road traffic? In Ontario there are regulations for on road traffic control and worker safety during construction (Book 7) and I am sure there is something similar in all states. But that is different from establishing a construction access or controlling the movement of pedestrians, bikes, cars, etc on a site during construction.

[Elliott Smith]

Are there any portions of TSS that we should give more time to than the others for section 4?  Thanks!

[TG]

I wasn't planning on stressing about the traffic control plan since I haven't been able to find any study material, detail about what will be tested, and just a gut feeling that there won't be many questions on this topic.  I happened to mention it to a transportation engineer at work who directed me to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).  They have a chapter about Temporary Traffic Control: https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009/part6.pdf

I'm not sure if Temporary Traffic Control is what will be tested, but doesn't hurt to spend 5 mins browsing through this document (which for me means checking out the pictures/diagrams).

Hope this is hopeful for someone.

[Carolyn P]

I referred to the MUTCD as well for this section. I could see them asking a question that has to do with making sure continuity of movement is provided for ALL users (including bikes, peds and it must be ADA accessible).

[Ray Freeman]

The book by Design Workshop (Denver based firm) is pretty new I believe. Go to the Amazon website to review the table of contents and some of the introductory pages. This provides some basic insight into levels of info provided at various stages of design.

Temporary traffic control undoubtably refers to traffic control measures during construction. However, most municipalities require construction traffic plans of some type, meaning...haul routes to/from the site, whether parking spaces will be blocked, lane closures, flagmen or other devices.

[Ray Freeman]

<I feel like the mitigation plan and swpp plan are very similar - like an erosion control plan.>

I believe the mitigation plan would refer to Wetlands Mitigation requirements. SWPPP is more or less interchangeable so far as CLARB is concerned with Sedimention and Erosion Control Plans. In the US Federal agency world, SWPPP refers to all sorts of storm water pollution control, not just construction related sources. This would include discharges from industries and municipal facilities, runoff from pavement, runoff from agricultural and horticultural uses (pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, etc)

[ADMIN]

I'm going to lock this thread and remove all posts except the top one to keep things clean, so please post any relevant study files to this thread prior to mid-June.

[ADMIN]

Actually, I will probably just start a new thread with the download links, there are some valuable posts on these threads... Still please post new materials by mid-June.