Richard A. Roth 
Professor of Geography

I received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1972 and a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning (1989) and a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1993). My academic interests include sustainable communities, green infrastructure planning, rivers, and watersheds.

Courses I teach:

Geography 140, Introduction to Environmental Studies

This course introduces concepts for understanding the interactions between human societies and the natural world and explores issues facing us as we begin the 21st century.  Here is a link to the National Library for the Environment website.  Another fine website for information on a wide variety of environmental topics is the Earth Portal, which also contains links to the Encylopedia of Earth.

 

Geography 202, The Commonwealth of Virginia

Physical, historical, and contemporary cultural geography of Virginia.

 

Geography 241, Environmental Regulation

Laws and regulations for water quality, air quality, waste management, as well as concepts for understanding the environmental policy process and current debates.  Here is a good source for environmental regulatory news. 

 

Geography 361, Public Lands

This course introduces students to four federal land management systems: the National Forests, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and BLM lands.  Covers the history, organization, institutions, and contemporary politics of the major federal land management systems and the legal landscape within which federal land policies are created and shaped.  Here is a resource on writing a research paper (the Writer's Complex at Empire State College).  McConnell Library has handouts for bibliographic citation of both print and electronic sources using APA Style.

 

Geography 362, Geography of Rivers

Physical and biological aspects of rivers, as well as social uses and impacts of society on rivers. A list of journal with river-related content can be found here.  I've also put together a list of links related to rivers and water resources.  A list of books ordered for this course by McConnell Library can be found here.  A resource for writing research papers is here, and the McConnell Library's APA format guides are hereStream channel structure module on EPA's Watershed Academy.  USGS piece on Roanoke Virginia floods and droughts.  Ecological Society of America reading on freshwater ecosystems.  Walsh et al. reading on southeastern freshwater fishes.  A reading on California water law concerning the right to navigate.

 

Geography 492, Land Use

Ecological, economic, and social aspects of land use.  Here is a list of suggested scholarly journals for the research paper, and a very good resource for writers with a whole section on writing a research paper is here.  Land use web links. Here is a resource on Census geography. 

 

Geography 493, Planning Techniques

Comprehensive planning, zoning, subdivision regulations, and other aspects of community planning in Virginia. Proposal writing resources are available.  Here are several links to some useful data on Virginia communities, and here are some planning-related links.  Environmental news links and sustainability links.  Reading on sprawl (Burchell et al.).

 
 

Some organizations I'm involved with and support:

 

 

 

The New River Watershed Roundtable