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More Than a Rain Garden: Green Infrastructure Addresses Environmental Problems Across Scales

By on December 15, 2019 in Managing Water in the Landscape, Stormwater Management

by Kate Cholakis and Seth Charde

Green infrastructure is trending, achieving buzzword status within the fields of civil engineering, landscape architecture, city planning, and climate resiliency. Professionals in these fields might use this term to describe a rain garden, green roof, or plant-based sewage treatment plant. The term might also be used to describe a forested city park, restored urban stream corridor, or expanded coastal marsh. These strategies share the connecting thread of water management.

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Tools to Help Landscape Professionals Tackle Climate Change: An Ongoing Challenge

By on December 15, 2019 in Climate Change, Developing Healthy Landscapes

by Amanda Sloan

Many landscape professionals realize they are in a unique position both to notice changes to the local environment resulting from greenhouse gas emissions and to propose and enact creative solutions to counteract those changes. In 2018, ELA began discussion at the board level about what kinds of practical tools could be developed and promulgated to help landscape professionals transition to methods that do not cause greenhouse gas emissions. Subsequently, the ELA’s Carbon Working Group was formed and is looking for input.

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An Urban Oasis Designed with Community in Mind

By on December 15, 2019 in Designing Ecological Landscapes, Landscape Design

by Jennifer Kimball

At the end of a block of brick row houses in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston sit four abandoned lots overgrown with shoulder high weeds. Six raised garden beds speak to the desire of area residents to reclaim this space and to build a community garden in their neighborhood. Those lots are now poised to become a new public green space that will provide residents of all ages a place to gather, attend public performances, enjoy nature, and grow their own food.

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Book Review: Protecting Pollinators

By on December 15, 2019 in Beneficials/Pollinators, Book and DVD Reviews, Landscaping for Wildlife, Resources

Protecting Pollinators by Jodi Helmer is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the myriad small and amazing creatures so crucial to our survival as a species. Reading the book is like having a dear friend share with you all the fascinating things she’s learned about pollinators during her journey to becoming a successful beekeeper, then placing all her resources at your fingertips.

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Deciduous Plantings for Winter Interest

By on November 15, 2019 in Designing Ecological Landscapes, Featured Members, Landscape Design, Resources

Contributors: Andi Pettis, Sarah Saltino, Chris Sawicki

After autumn winds strip foliage from deciduous plantings, new colors, shapes, and textures gain prominence in the landscape as berries, bark, and seed heads gain visibility. We invited a few ELA members to comment on plants they especially appreciate in the winter.

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