As pollinator populations decline as a result of habitat, solar farms may be a part of a solution that is beneficial to both wildlife and humans. Trials of native plants in conditions mimicking those found under ground-mounted photovoltaic solar sites show positive results.
Featuring Native Plants in Your Landscape
ELA’s Native Plant Tours are an enjoyable way to see native plants in all kinds of landscapes – urban to rural. Hosts generously share their gardens for a few hours, but they also share invaluable lessons they’ve learned about incorporating natives into their landscapes. Two former hosts share how they became interested in native plants and their insights into use of native plants in home landscapes.
ELA News – June 2019
Learn about upcoming programs and find out what’s happening within the organization.
Gleanings from Headline News – June 2019
We’ve scanned media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience.
Pioneering Higher Ground: Green Roof Lessons for Planting Design
by Laura Hansplant
While a green roof planted with a carpet of sedum will manage stormwater efficiently, a design that incorporates more sophisticated habitat structure and diverse native species will increase habitat value and overall resilience. Observations from successful plantings in extreme conditions also translate into lessons for resilience for on-ground landscapes.
Proactive Weeding of Our Gardens of the Future
by Bethany Bradley
Humans are very good at introducing new invasive plants and spreading them far beyond their native ranges. Given the expected pressures of climate change on native species, what role might humans play in assisting native species that will need to migrate further and faster than natural dispersal will allow?
“Every parcel has promise”- Restoration in the Urban Habitat
by Miho Connolly
The Challenges of Restoring Urban Native Habitat, presented by Dr. Steven Handel at the 25th Annual ELA Conference, centered around a modern reality: with population growth and the spread of urban areas, cities have become a new and important habitat type. While many might consider cities to be ecologically sterile sources of environmental problems, Handel sees environmental opportunity.
Documenting the Spontaneous Flora of New York City with EcoFlora
by David Atha and Brian Boom
The New York Botanical Garden is documenting the flora of New York City using all available tools from traditional botanical techniques to modern technology and broad community participation. The goals of the project: document the spontaneous flora of NYC, enhance botanical and ecological understanding, and conserve the native biodiversity.
Book Review: Cultivating the Designer’s Mind
Written by Walter Cudnohufsky with Mollie Babize
Reviewed by Trevor Buckley and Emily Davis
Cultivating the Designer’s Mind: Principles and Process for Coherent Landscape Design, readers will find a window into the mind of Walter Cudnohufsky, founder of the Conway School of Landscape Design and a visionary educator in design and planning. Accompanied by co-author Mollie Babize, a Conway alum and former administrator of the graduate program, Cudnohufsky presents an ably written and accessible book that demystifies the sometimes elusive design process and espouses a democratic design ethos. Through the lenses of landscape and ecology, they lay out a vision for applying a deliberative and compassionate mode of design-thinking to our complex and frenetic world.
ELA News – May 2019
Learn about upcoming programs and find out what’s happening within the organization.
Gleanings from Headline News – May 2019
We’ve scanned media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience.
Leaf Mulch – New Options on The Greenway
by Darrah Cole and Anthony Ruggiero
In 2016, The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy began an exploration of leaf much, or leaf mold, as an alternative to the bark/compost mulch blend previously used. They found both positive results and a few concerns over the course of two years.