ENVSTY 101 memo #1 calls on you to describe two examples of the natural capital (natural resources and ecosystem services) that you encounter as you travel between two locations on a regular basis. An example might be the natural capital that you observe on a regular walk to the grocery store, a drive to a relative’s house, or a Train/bike ride to University. The memo should be between 600-750 words, so it requires that you provide some detailed description of the two types of natural capital you observe, as well as your analysis of the ecosystem services they provide. You must cite at least one source (for instance, the City of Boston, Mass Dept of Transportation, MBTA, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, etc.) for each example and include a References or Works Cited page of properly cited sources as an appendix (this page will not count toward the word limit).
To help you along, I’m providing an outline of a memo below that gives you a template to follow:
To: ENVSTY 101 class
From: student name
Date: due date (or submission date if earlier)
Subject: [state the assignment question/issue/topic, e.g., Natural capital between ______________ and ______________.
I. Restate the question/issue/topic
This memo provides a description of two types of natural resources and the respective ecosystem services they support that I observe on a regular basis as I travel between ______________ and _______.
II. Describe the trip you take, including information about your method of transportation, how long the trip takes, the general environment you’re passing through, and how your mode of transportation affects the observations you’re able to make (for example, a bike ride provides different opportunities for observations than a walk or a subway trip).
III. In two paragraphs, describe your two examples of natural capital. For each example/paragraph, describe:
· what natural resource(s) you observe [e.g. trees, open fields]
· what ecosystem services are provided and how they serve society
· what condition the natural capital is in [e.g., healthy, degraded] and why
· whether it is likely or not to endure as a sustainable.
Cite relevant sources as evidence supporting your analysis.
IV. Conclusion
As outlined above, on my regular trip between __________ and ____, I observe two significant examples of natural capital. [Now make a few comparative/contrasting reflections that tell us what you can conclude from these different observations.]
