Sustainable Design and Development Blog

A Community for Landscape Architects and others Interested in Sustainable Design of Landscapes

Global biodiversity down 30 percent May 15, 2012

Filed under: Resources,climate change,Habitat — Keven Graham @ 3:08 pm

The world’s biodiversity is down 30 percent since the 1970s, according to a new report, with tropical species taking the biggest hit. And if humanity continues as it has been, the picture could get bleaker.

Humanity is outstripping the Earth’s resources by 50 percent — essentially using the resources of one and a half Earths every year, according to the 2012 Living Planet Report, produced by conservation agency the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47421743/ns/technology_and_science-science/

 

Federal “SITES” – Something for Everyone? May 15, 2012

Filed under: ASLA,Campus,competitions,Government Affairs,green roof,Habitat,Irrigation,Native Plants,projects,SDD PPN,Stormwater,Sustainable Sites Initiative,Urban — Lisa Cowan, PLA, ASLA @ 10:09 am

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Renovation. Courtesy of the National Park Service

Who or what has the most potential to be the drivers in implementing  the SITES rating system and sustainable sites methodologies?  The SITES Pilot Projects Phase is still underway and presently three projects have been certified.  But where will this new approach get the most traction at the largest scale?

While the federal government system is usually not touted in the media for innovation and cost savings, it may be the place where the most number of projects originate or are being developed using the SITES model.

What does this mean to the rest of us? Can federal initiatives carry over to landscape architects who may not be working on federal projects but are looking for ways to introduce SITES to clients and other professionals?

A little background:

President Obama’s Executive Order (EO) 15314 in October, 2009 got it started by setting sustainability goals for Federal agencies.   Our office is working on federal projects and, given my passion for site sustainability topics, when EO 15314 was issued, I figured it would be a short time before everyone would be talking environmental sustainability goals for site development – municipalities, institutions, businesses and even my neighbor!

The reality is that, while policy may be set with the stroke of a pen, creating the tools for implementing policy takes time, if it happens at all.

Narragansett Wind Solar Green Roof. Courtesy of EPA.

A few months ago, there it was, on the Sustainable Sites Initiative website   the Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes  (Federal Guidelines)  in an easy to read format and downloadable. And it was based in part on the SITES credit system!

Next question – how might the Federal Guidelines help with education and implementation of sustainable design practices in the non-Federal realm?

I decided to experiment with this new document.  I had meetings scheduled with folks outside of our profession, to which I had already introduced the SITES rating system.  In those earlier meetings these professionals expressed some mild interest in SITES, but nothing I would call enthusiastic. My guess was that the professional community was being barraged by other green rating systems and viewed SITES in that context. I sensed (and heard) “Will SITES really happen?” or “Let’s wait and see,” and “Why would our clients want to do this?”

So my very small experiment included one company who did not have any federal work and one company that did a lot of federal work.  I printed out a couple of copies of the Federal Guidelines (on recycled paper), brought them to the meeting and talked about the Federal Guidelines and the SITES rating system together.  I also introduced the idea that the Federal Guidelines were a good “distillation” of SITES and could be used for reference and good sustainable sites practices as well.

The result?  In both cases these professionals seriously reviewed the Federal Guidelines during our meeting, engaged in a more serious discussion about SITES and asked to take a copy of the Federal Guidelines from our meeting.

The other reason for this post is that I had encountered well informed landscape architects (some pretty recently) that were not familiar with the Federal Guidelines.  I figured it was time to sound the horn again and provide some updates about how the Federal Guidelines are working.

I contacted Ray Mims, Conservation and Sustainability Manager, US Botanic Garden (USBG) because he helped lead the Federal working group that developed the Federal Guidelines and was very engaged in working with federal agencies on implementation.  Ray explained that Holly Shimizu, Executive Director, USBG participated in the working group which included a Core Committee and Technical Advisors from federal agencies and institutions from around the country.

Ray was very forthcoming with his own list of federal projects to highlight.  With his help I was able to contact several agency people on the Core Committee who shared ideas on implementation and the evolution of sustainable site development methodologies in their work.

According to Ray, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is including the Federal Guidelines and SITES into its 5-year strategic plan “to address sustainability outside of the building skin”.

Several people associated with development of federal historic properties acknowledged the challenge of implementing the Federal Guidelines and SITES in that context.  Nonetheless, the Development plan for the Department of Homeland Security’s St. Elizabeth’s Campus, a National Historic Landmark, included a “Landscape Integration Plan” that used SITES criteria.

EPA Constitution Rain Gardens. Courtesy of EPA.

Bucky Green, EPA Chief of Sustainable Facilities Practices, noted that GSA is primarily responsible for design and construction of EPA facilities. “But we have implemented many green strategies,” says Bucky.  “These include buildings with green roofs and rainwater harvesting systems, the elimination or conversion of our irrigation systems to highly efficient systems, numerous labs that converted traditional mowed lawns into wildflower meadows, and have incrementally installed native species and wildlife friendly species into our site landscaping.”

Bill Donnelly, ASLA, Smithsonian, acknowledged that SITES and the Federal Guidelines is definitely changing their approach on project planning and design.  “The African American History and Cultural Museum on the Mall (due to open in 2015) is a SITES Pilot Project,” noted Bill. “It includes water features and an irrigation system which will use greywater or water collected on site. Our consultant is handling both the LEED and SITES certification for this project.”

Susan Spain, Project Executive for the National Mall Plan project noted that the National Park Service “has developed the Green Parks Plan, all projects have integrated multi-disciplinary teams and strong public engagement.”  One of the evaluation criteria for the National Mall Design Competition was “Environmental, Functional and Operational Sustainability”.   Also, Susan provided information on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Renovation.  The new design reduces the amount of water presently needed to fill the Pool by over 2 million gallons or a one-third reduction.  The old Pool also required potable city water and periodic refilling, and the new Pool will use re-circulated, filtered water from the Tidal Basin, which will be cleaner and better for public health and safety and wildlife habitat.

US Tax Court Building Plaza. Courtesy of GSA.

Darren DeStefano, Horticulturist, GSA Public Building Service provided information on the US Tax Court, in downtown DC, which has a landscape plaza over a sunken freeway in the urban core and is a SITES Pilot Project.  “The landscape plaza now functions as a biological system, converting stormwater and carbon (from vehicular emissions) into cellulose, oxygen and habitat,” says Darren.  ”Also, the plantings process over 30,000 gallon of stormwater, and have significantly lowered maintenance.  The defunct central fountain was converted to an extensive green roof and serves as an education and demonstration example.”

US Tax Court demonstration rain garden. Courtesy of GSA.

After my own experience with the Federal Guidelines and contact with some very dedicated people who are doing good work, I am more confident and hopeful that the SITES model may actually be embraced by “municipalities, institutions, businesses and my neighbor”.

I believe there is value in regular updates on the implementation of the Federal Guidelines in this PPN venue. Do others in this group feel the same?   What aspects are you most interested in? What concerns you?  Let’s hear from you!

 

Springfield MA Welcomes Ecological Landscaping March 21, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — cecehaydock @ 9:22 am

Image

Celebrating twenty years of promoting environmentally safe and beneficial landscape practices, the Ecological Landscaping Association (ELA) held their early March annual conference in Springfield, MA. While originally a New England organization, the group’s influence has spread to the mid-Atlantic states; ELA now boasts over 300 professional, business, and community members.

This year’s conference was held over two days and offered intensive workshops on urban landscapes and wetland restorations, as well as individual presentations on design, pest management, soil and water. CEU credits were given to landscape architects, as well as arborists, master gardeners, foresters, and pesticide applicators. Presenters included a practitioner from California who spoke on “water neutral” gardens using gray water, as well as a geneticist who dug deep into the subject of soil microbes and the use of beneficial biological products. (more…)

 

We can’t wait to see you in San Diego! October 14, 2011

Filed under: ASLA,Events,SDD PPN,Sustainable Sites Initiative — allegra bukojemsky @ 12:28 pm

The ASLA annual meeting is just around the corner. This year’s schedule includes an amazing array of education sessions and field trips and the largest Expo hall yet. And of course there are also a variety of formal and informal events for networking, socializing, and recognizing leaders in our industry. Of this there is of course a great deal of offerings related to sustainable design including workshops, education sessions, and roundtable discussions on the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES). You can review the full schedule online as well as many of the education session handouts.

Leaders and members of the ASLA Sustainable Design and Development Professional Practice Network (SDD PPN) are giving a variety of talks throughout the conference, and we will be meeting to network on Tuesday, November 1st, 9:15–10:45 am in the Expo Hall.

And don’t forget many of the workshops and education sessions will gain you Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Currently:

  • 75 qualify for GBCI credit to maintain your LEED credential
  • 66 qualify for AICP credit
  • 60 qualify for AIA credit
  • 120 are approved by the Florida Board of Landscape Architecture
  • 105 are approved by the New York State Board for Landscape Architecture

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Do We Need a SITES Credential? Take the Survey Today! September 27, 2011

Filed under: Sustainable Sites Initiative — allegra bukojemsky @ 3:57 pm

SITES is working with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which manages the certification and credentialing programs for LEED Green Building Rating Systems™, to determine the feasibility and value of SITES professional credentialing and project certification. Please take the survey, and forward it on to colleagues who are interested in the SITES program. Survey respondents will be entered to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards. The survey is open through November 2, 2011. Take the survey.

re-posted from sustainablesites.org

 

Uban Garden September 22, 2011

Filed under: edible landscapes,Health & Wellbeing,Urban — Keven Graham @ 10:02 am

Chicago Department of Aviation has installed an urban garden at O’Hare Airport. The garden will supply fresh local sources of produce at the airport food services. A great way to demonstrate what can be done in an unlikely place. http://bit.ly/nFe2an

 

Trees Make a Difference July 21, 2011

Filed under: exhibits,Urban — Keven Graham @ 1:47 pm

It doesn’t take much money or landscaping to transform an unused space into a community gathering spot.  In fact, it can be accomplished with seven trees in colorful planters with flowers.

Recently, Wheaton, Illinois held its annual summer festival that draws around 15,000 people over three days. The event typically has three main sections: an area for carnival rides, an area for entertainment and food and an area featuring a vintage car show. Connecting these areas is a street closed to traffic,Hale Street. Restaurants and shops along Hale Street stay open during the festival, hoping to increase business. In past years, their efforts were not successful. People mainly used the street to walk between the different areas and events. Sales did not increase.

The area, however, had potential to be a popular gathering spot. With a bit of financial assistance from the Downtown Association,Hale Streetwas transformed, without breaking the bank. A local landscape architect created “Park on Hale” – seven maple trees in colorful planters  with flowers and benches were placed in the middle of the street.

The simple change made a dramatic difference. This year, the street filled with families. The weather was hot like years past, but festival-goers this year found a new stopping point with sitting areas under the trees. Restaurants were packed. Children began to perform in the street at a small stage. Benches set around the planters were full.

A new festival midway was born.

A few simple trees had made a space come to life. They helped transform an asphalt street into a fun and lively family entertainment park for two days.

 

To vegetable or not to vegetable…Citizens revolt! July 17, 2011

Filed under: edible landscapes,Government Affairs,Health & Wellbeing,Urban — april philips @ 12:20 am

mama don't let your babies grow up to plant veggies

You can’t have a lifestyle trend such as urban farming or edible frontyards without some controversy. Did you know that there really are many cities and towns with old bylaws or zoning codes that prohibit a person from actually eating any food they grow in their own yard!  While some cities such as San Francisco, New York, Baltimore, Seattle and Detroit have begun to change laws and policy in support of urban agriculture, and as this trend continues to thrive because of food safety and security issues, the growing foodie locavore movement and urban hipster cred, many citizens in other cities and towns have been threatend with jail time or fines for planting a garden or organic farm on their own property. Yes, it seems that vegetable gardens are just not good for you or the community in these towns. Who knew planting a garden or creating an urban agriculture landscape could be the sign of a budding citizen activist. Let the revolution unfold. Here is a round up of some of the latest news of people who want to live a healthier lifestyle and grow their own food but now are being treated like criminals for doing so.

In Vancouver Island, Dirk Becker may soon be joining the lady in Michigan who was recently threatened with 93 days in jail for growing a garden in her front yard.  Becker, of Lantzville, British Columbia turned his 2.5 acre property which was a gravel pit into a thriving organic farm. The Beckers were cited under the  ”unsightly premises”  bylaw for having piles of manure on their property.  According to the post on Grist.org  the letter came on the very day 8,000 compost bins were distributed to residents in their community. So gravel pit = okay but beautiful organic farm with real soil = not okay.  Read the rest of the story and decide for yourself.

Now take the story of Julie Bass in Oak Park, Michigan where after her front yard was torn up to replace a sewer line, she decided to plant a vegetable garden instead of the lawn that was originally there. But instead of being praised for her decision, she has been cited by code enforcement as a misdemeanor because they say that the edible garden is not a “suitable” front yard choice.  (more…)

 

You can help prevent the invasion! July 12, 2011

Filed under: Habitat,invasives,Native Plants,Resources,Sustainable Sites Initiative — allegra bukojemsky @ 4:23 pm

Are you planting or specifying invasive plants? Did your plant supplier or contractor substitute some invasive plants in your project? Do you even know?

Source: www.nps.gov

Did you know that the US spends upwards of $138 billion annually to manage both plant and animal invasive species that threaten and impact crops, managed forests, recreation areas, and wildlife habitats? This does not account for the extensive invasive management efforts by private land owners and managers, non-profit groups, and volunteer crews.  And did you know that there are studies that directly link development to exotic plant invasions, as well as profit driven nursery industries. These are just some of the reasons that the Sustainable Sites Initiative requires you to document that you are not planting an invasive plant with Prerequisite 4.2.

We often assume that nurseries wouldn’t sell us an invasive plant. While this is the law, the law only pertains to plants listed in the national data base of invasive plants. While there is a pretty extensive list of nationally recognized invasive plants, many states and local regions are battling invasive plants that are still widely sold at local nurseries.

Many of us don’t take the time to educate ourselves or others on the project team about  local invasive plants when working on a project. I personally know of a couple of cases where the landscape contractor unknowingly substituted invasive plants on habitat restoration projects when they were unable to obtain all the plants specified in the planting plan.

So how do you educate yourself, your plant supplier, your contractor, and others? (more…)

 

Report on the Health of Our Oceans June 21, 2011

Filed under: climate change,Resources — Keven Graham @ 1:14 pm

A new report from the United Nations brings to question the long term health of our ocean’s and the ecosystems they support.  How we choose to make the link to land development and management is discussed in the story.  As stewards of the land we need to look at continuing means of making wise choices that have positive actions.

 

Webinar Series: The Sustainable Sites Initiative – Part 1 May 20, 2011

Filed under: Events,Resources,SDD PPN,Sustainable Sites Initiative — allegra bukojemsky @ 11:44 am

Please join us on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 6:00 PM (PT) for the beginning of the Land8 webinar series on The Sustainable Sites Initiative. Part 1 of the five-part series will provide an overview of the certification system with a focus on ecosystem services, and the potential of market and industry transformation with this new tool. This presentation will provide an introduction to concepts that will be discussed in more depth in the following series including hydrology, integrated ecology, and an in-depth look at a pilot project.  Early Bird registration is now open.  Register Now >

 

Opportunity Knocks for Us All! EPA Survey for Stormwater Projects March 9, 2011

Filed under: ASLA,Stormwater — hunter beckham @ 1:48 pm

Survey responses are needed by March 31st.

ASLA is working to gather 300 green infrastructure case studies to submit to EPA, to aid in their rulemaking related to green infrastructure for stormwater management.  Please submit information on stormwater management projects from your firm/organization by filling out the green infrastructure project survey.

Your response to this survey is very important to every landscape architect and provides you an opportunity to showcase some of your own work. Here is the link to the recent Land Online for more information. It really doesn’t take too much of your time and your effort will be very much appreciated by ASLA, the EPA and many of your fellow members. Choose any topic you like, permeable paving, slope stabalization, water quality improvements etc… here is one example.

Before photo of a slope that washed out and silted in a pond.

After photo of the same slope with protection methods in place. This hillside will become a berry bramble that the client can harvest while protecting the integrity of the pond.

 

Sustainable Design and ASLA Federal Priorities February 2, 2011

Filed under: ASLA,Campus,climate change,Government Affairs,green roof,Habitat,Health & Wellbeing,Materials,Native Plants,O&M,PPN Updates,projects,Regional,SDD PPN,Stormwater,Sustainable Sites Initiative,Uncategorized,Urban — hunter beckham @ 2:57 pm

Representative Carnahan receiving his ASLA Honorary Membership from Saint Louis Chapter Trustee in a SITES Pilot Project rain garden

It’s true; Federal Representatives really do pay attention to us as Landscape Architects.

ASLA membership recently responded to a survey on Federal Priorities for 2011 and consistently ranked the following issues the most important to the profession:

  • Sustainable design
  • Water and stormwater management
  • Transportation design and planning
  • Parks, recreation, and active living issues

For more about this visit last months LAND e-news from ASLA

As you can see every one of these has relevance to Sustainable Design and Development. We would love to start a dialog about how these Federal Priorities relate to your regional and local issues.

It would also be great to hear about how these priorities might fit into the work some of you are doing with Sustainable Sites Initiative.

Learn more about ASLA Advocacy at asla.org/advocacy.

 

Green Roof Or PV? December 22, 2010

Filed under: climate change,energy,green roof,Stormwater,Urban — Jana McKenzie, AECOM Principal, ASLA, LEED AP @ 12:30 pm

Source: http://greenroofs.wordpress.com

Green roof or photo voltaic cell power panels (PV) on a roof surface – what is the best choice?  Some say a green roof, because it insulates better, increases the life span of the roofing material, increases habitat and aesthetic appeal, and retains stormwater (especially if rain water is collected from the roof for reuse as irrigation water, as studied at the University of Central Florida).

Others say PV isbetter to put on roofs because it generates energy, and makes the most difference in reducing carbon (some researchers report that PV generates more energy than green roofs insulate).  Green roofs in the southwest US require a substantially deeper soil layer, which may be cost-prohibitive from a structural standpoint . Green roofs in arid climates also require irrigation, which then raises other benefit versus impact questions. The University of Arizona is currently studying green roof prototypes for desert environments in hopes of answering some of these questions.

In areas of the country where both are appropriate, and the roof can accommodate both, perhaps you don’t have to choose one over another.  They are not mutually exclusive, and some claim that they may be mutually beneficial.

(more…)

 

Sustainability and the System View November 29, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,climate change,projects,Urban — Michael Stanley, RLA @ 6:21 pm

All the discussions regarding sustainability, whether it is related to products, designs, ideas, etc. we must always remember the most important concept:  the system view.  There have been two very influential books in formulating my understanding of sustainability.  The first published in 2008, written by Peter Newman and Isabella Jennings is Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems.  The other, published in 1996, is The Web of Life written by Fritojof Capra.  While Newman and Jennings specifically compare an evolving ecosystem of a city, Capra takes a holistic view. He incorporates the human mind, theories, mathematics and structures.  Both books discuss the understanding of natural systems and humankind’s place in the systems.

We as Landscape Architects and designers need to continue our understanding these systems.  Sustainability is not achieved by one specific item or instance, but with an understanding of energy flow through the system.

What does it mean to make design decisions based on a system?  It means, understanding the energy flow not only in design, but also in the general public’s lifestyle.  Examine the sustainable design practices that we integrate now, green roofs, porous paving, mixed-use housing, grey-water plumbing, public transportation, low-flow irrigation, high-efficiency windows, and the list can go on and on.  All are integral pieces (and needed) but what is lacking is the public understanding of the system relationship to lifestyle. It is in this role of the arranger, assembler, and educator for the system, that I see Landscape Architects and American Society of Landscape Architects fulfilling.

 

The Power of One – it takes only one student to inspire a village November 28, 2010

Filed under: climate change,edible landscapes,Health & Wellbeing,Urban — april philips @ 2:56 am

The story of a student, a garden and the national obesity epidemic.  An 11 year old middle school student inspires the fight against childhood obesity & promotes environmental stewardship with an organic garden classroom.

The Story:

Childhood obesity has tripled in the last thirty years and America now ranks number one globally with this unwelcome distinction. If you add to this fact the unprecedented escalation of childhood diabetes and a national school lunch program that bases nutrition on numerical chemistry components set  forth by the USDA rather than fresh, nutritious food, the landscape for our children’s health is a mine field of processed foods high in trans fats and sugary beverages with nary a fresh vegetable or fruit in sight. This of course is a sight that is worth shuddering about and getting fired up about. Some adults have been doing just that such as renowned Chef Jamie Oliver’s crusade for reforming the US school lunch program seen recently on national television but seldom do you hear about the message for reform being led by the students themselves.  This is the story of how one 11 year old girl decided to take action to help change this unhealthy landscape through her own actions and thus adding her voice to tackling the broken system.

(more…)

 

Will we see you in DC? August 26, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,Events,PPN Updates,SDD PPN — allegra bukojemsky @ 6:55 pm

We hope so! Every year we gather for education, celebration, recognition, networking and, of course having a little fun at the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO. This year in DC we hope to meet some of you that we haven’t met yet. The officers (and authors of this blog) will be hosting a meeting of the Sustainable Design and Development Professional Practice Network (SDD PPN) on Sunday Sept 12th at 5pm in 146 C, Street Level and we invite you to join us. In addition some of us officers are presenting and a few are becoming Fellows, so there are many opportunities to introduce yourself. Of course there is an amazing collection of education sessions, field trips and filed sessions on a wide variety of topics, many with a focus on sustainable design, others with sustainability as an underlying theme. Here is just a sampling of some that might be of interest (more…)

 

That’s roof-tacular! Personalize your garage with a green roof August 17, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,climate change,green roof,Habitat,Health & Wellbeing,Native Plants,projects,Residential,Stormwater,Urban — hunter beckham @ 8:00 am

Landscape Architects are continually being recognized as a resource for green roof design and consulting. The high-profile green roof designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates at our Societies Headquarters in Washington DC is no doubt our Flagship.  If you haven’t been to the ASLA Green Roof Page you should check it out. It is full of data, design information, resources and tells a great story about how ASLA is staying on top of the issues.  From there you can link to many other educational resources to learn more about the design process and benefits of green roofs.

Green Roof at ASLA Headquarters in Washington DC

An important point to make is that while the green roofs in public or commercial settings are outstanding they could be seen as relatively expensive, something to go see on a field trip.  Everyone should know that we can all have a slice of the green roof pie. I encourage any of you to share your own green roof stories from work or at home. I bet there are more landscape architects directly tied to this practice than we think. Let’s get started…

A few years ago it was time to rebuild my burned out garage one block from the Missouri Botanical Gardens where I live is St. Louis. So here’s how we started, aside from cleaning out all of the garbage and debris (including several skulls and other nasty things) we got a great builder who knew how to structure everything properly and worked directly with me and the waterproofing and roof membrane  representative to make sure there was a structurally sound water tight garage.

What happened over the next few years gets to the point of this post. ‘Everyone should have a green roof’ is a Face book post I made a few months back. It showed a handful of images from this spring with all the flowers popping out.  So instead of burdening face book with all of the green roof junkies it seemed a blog post would be the right setting for this. Skipping all of the construction images (that’s another blog) let’s just jump to some of the good stuff.  (more…)

 

Landscape-Based Recovery for Haiti? July 27, 2010

Filed under: climate change,Habitat,Health & Wellbeing — Ruth Stafford @ 12:18 pm

Integrating tree planting with farming in Haiti. Image credit: Trees for the Future photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/plant-trees/4679392549/in/set-72157623449924166/).

An article in a recent issue of Newsweek (A Tree Grows in Haiti by Jeneen Interlandi) describes how a revitalized landscape is needed to promote economic recovery in the devastated country.  Throughout the 1900s, almost all of Haiti’s forests were felled for timber production and plantations, and to provide farm plots, cooking fuel, and charcoal for a population that tripled during this time.  The result is a denuded landscape that contributes to poverty and food insecurity, and exacerbates the effects of natural disasters. 

International agencies and aid organizations are promoting reforestation as a way to rebuild Haiti, and indicate that this must happen quickly because the country’s little remaining forest is at risk of conversion to subsistence agriculture and harvest for the charcoal trade.  Done right, restoring Haiti’s forests can reduce erosion and renew the soil, and these environmental benefits can ultimately improve the economy.  Non-profit organizations, such as Trees for the Future, propose that a sustainable reforestation program, which includes training of Haitians in long-term agroforestry management, can help provide jobs, food, and energy.

The article states that “in Haiti there can be no economic growth without environmental restoration.”  It is encouraging that a widely-read magazine is reporting not only on human impacts on ecosystem services, but that these impacts can be ameliorated by restoration and stewardship of natural resources, with benefits to human communities.

 

Can Urban Farms Translate Popularity Into Profitability? July 21, 2010

Filed under: edible landscapes,Health & Wellbeing,Urban — april philips @ 12:40 am

Oakland’s City Slicker Farms runs a weekly produce stand in a neighborhood with no large grocery stores. Photo by: Anne Hamersky, annehammersky.blogspot.com

In the recent post, A Growing Concern, in The Earth Island Journal, Sena Christian raises legitimate questions about the national urban agriculture movement. She states that farms and community gardens in city centers seem to have struck a chord with the American public and have become media darlings attracting big grants from major philanthropies and the support of upscale chefs. Many city farms operate off the basic premise that healthy affordable food is a basic human right, in other words, they are a form of “food justice” for all. But, while they may be at the forefront of ecological sustainability, economic sustainability has eluded them. If this new urban landscape is focused on addressing the challenges of our food system, why have most not found a way to thrive in the market economy?  Sena highlights the pros and cons presented by this growing urban vernacular with examples such as Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture and Education Project, in Sacramento, CA, City Slicker Farms in Oakland, CA, and Greensgrow in Philadelphia.

In another peri-urban article in Grist by Breaking Through the Concrete, it was asked if Sandhill Organics in Prairie Crossings was the “urban” farm of the future. The largest part of the Prairie Crossing Organic Farm is Sandhill Organics, which is run by farmers Matt and Peg Sheaffer.

Sandhill Organics at Prairie Crossings, photo by Michael Hanson

Along with their son Avery, Matt and Peg came to the farm from East Troy, Wisconsin, where they had farmed organically for several years. Their crops include a wide variety of vegetables throughout the season, as well as berries and cut flowers. The Sheaffers want the Prairie Farm residents to consider them their neighbors and friends first, the community farmers second. The article ends with a rhetorical but interesting question, ”Which came first, the City or the Farm?”

 

Green Streets July 11, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,Regional,Resources,Stormwater,Urban — allegra bukojemsky @ 9:28 pm

If you don’t follow ASLA’s main blog The Dirt you might want to check it out. The most recent post is about a talk by the Mayor of Edmonston, Maryland, on his community’s innovative green street program.

 

Learning about sustainable design practices can gain you continuing education units July 11, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,Events,Resources,Sustainable Sites Initiative — allegra bukojemsky @ 8:40 pm

Did you know ASLA has a variety of ways you can earn continuing education units, and many can increase your knowledge of sustainable design? It’s true. Here are a few of the ways:

Attend the ASLA Annual Meeting in September in DC. Meeting attendees may earn continuing education credit with the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES), the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) by participating in the meeting education sessions, workshops, general sessions, tours, and field sessions, currently: (more…)

 

Greenhouse Gas Footprint of Maintained Landscapes June 8, 2010

Filed under: ASLA,climate change,Government Affairs,Irrigation,Lawn,Materials,O&M,Sustainable Sites Initiative — Jana McKenzie, AECOM Principal, ASLA, LEED AP @ 1:50 pm

You probably know by now that burning fossil fuels to heat your home, run your appliances and drive your vehicles creates carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG), but you may not have thought about the GHG produced with watering, mowing and fertilizing landscapes.  The problem is that there are not good tools for calculating this. Carbon and other GHG calculators do not typically include the embodied energy of water nor landscape maintenance in their equations. (more…)

 

Sustainability and Annual Plantings June 2, 2010

Filed under: edible landscapes,Health & Wellbeing,Materials,Residential — Keven Graham @ 3:05 pm

An interesting question is beginning to be raised in terms of sustainable landscaping, how can we use annual plants in our sustainable landscape?  This presents an interesting topic for discussion and we would be interested in your opinions.  In most areas of the U.S., annuals can play an important role in many landscapes such as healing environments.  The benefit of certain colors and mental restorative factors is a consideration in landscapes and human health.

So how might we make the use of annual plants more sustainable?  Could we perhaps use better more appropriate soils with healthy biology?  Soils with moisture holding characteristics that slowly release water to the plants and extend the time period between watering.  How about supplemental watering gained from rainwater harvesting systems and the use of composting on site?  The University of Minnesota Sustainable Urban Landscape Series provides some good practices for herbaceous plant maintenance.

Another source or reference looking at the production and growing of plants is VeriFlora.  Like SITES – a focus is placed on ecosystems and protection of our resources. VeriFlora is an agricultural sustainability certification and eco-labeling program recognized as the gold-standard in the floriculture and horticulture industries according to their web site .

As sustainable landscapes become a larger segment of the landscape market place we need to continue looking at all aspect of the landscapes and explore techniques to enhance the sustainability chain.  These are a few of the resources to make your colorful annual plantings a little more sustainable in practice.

 

LEED-ND is an Opportunity for Landscape Architects to Advance Sustainable Community Design June 1, 2010

Filed under: Habitat,Health & Wellbeing,Residential,Urban — Ruth Stafford @ 6:55 pm

Do you want to become a LEED-Accredited Professional, but are not sure whether any LEED specialty suits you as a landscape architect?  Or are you already a LEED-AP, accredited before the revised credentialing system took effect, and are considering becoming a LEED-AP in a specialty?

If your answer is “yes” to either question, then consider accreditation for LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development).  This rating system was launched in April 2009, after going through a pilot stage and subsequent revisions.  LEED-ND evaluates neighborhood planning and development based on the combined principles of smart growth, New Urbanism, and green infrastructure and building.  Developed jointly by the US Green Building Council, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, LEED-ND is intended to establish a national leadership standard for assessing and rewarding environmentally superior green neighborhood development practices within the framework of the LEED Green Building Rating System.  (more…)

 

 
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