Principles of Ecological Landscape Design – Getting It Right

There is growing expectation and demand that designed landscapes—from public parks to backyards—should not only be beautiful and functional, but also sustainable. For constructed landscapes to perform as we need them to, we must get their underlying ecology right. Based upon his recently released Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, Travis Beck helps translate the science of ecology into design practice.

In this webinar, Mr. Beck explains key ecological concepts and their application to the design and management of sustainable landscapes. Through photos and descriptions, Travis Beck takes us on a tour of Mt. Cuba Center, discussing the real world implementation of ecological concepts from his book.

Located in the Piedmont region of Delaware, Mt. Cuba Center is a botanical garden that spans nearly 600 acres of natural lands, grounds, naturalistic and formal gardens. Moving along a continuum from the wildest to the most intensively managed areas, Beck, Mt. Cuba’s Director of Horticulture, will shed light on the opportunities and challenges of applying ecological understanding to landscape design and management.

Travis Beck is the Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware, where he oversees the care and evolution of 582 acres of native plant gardens and natural areas. Prior to Mt. Cuba, Travis worked at the New York Botanical Garden, where he managed large landscape design and construction projects. He is a registered landscape architect and holds a master’s degree in Horticulture from The Ohio State University. His book, Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, published in 2013 by Island Press, applies current scientific thinking to the design and management of successful, sustainable landscapes.