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ELA Joins Sustainable Sites Initiative

by Tobias Wolf, ASLA

The ELA Board is excited to announce that the organization recently joined the Sustainable Sites Initiative as a Participating Organization. The Sustainable Sites Initiative, also known as SITES, promotes sustainable landscapes through voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for design, construction, and maintenance.

As a Participating Organization, ELA will participate in the review of the initiative’s programs and documents, will continue to disseminate information on SITES through our educational events, and will inform our members and constituents of opportunities to participate in the initiative’s evolution and growth.

SITES was founded in 2006 by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the United States Botanic Garden. It published its first set of guidelines and benchmarks in 2009, and is currently refining them using feedback from over 150 pilot projects. Upon release of the new guidelines and benchmarks in 2013, SITES will begin accepting applications for project certification. Certification of landscape professionals is expected to follow in 2014.

ELA looks forward to working with SITES to promote sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and maintenance practices. We invite our members and supporters to learn more about SITES by visiting www.sustainablesites.org and by participating in future ELA conferences and eco-tours.

About the Author

Tobias Wolf is a landscape architect who works with homeowners, businesses, and non-profits to make places that are practical, beautiful, and authentic. He has taught at Cornell, RISD, and the Landscape Institute, and will be teaching this winter at the New England Wild Flower Society. You can reach Toby through his website at: http://www.tobiaswolflandscape.com.