lawn

Completing the Puzzle

As landscape architects get on board with sustainability, our hopes for a clean and healthy world grow.
by Susan S. Szenasy

The long line snakes then redoubles at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. At their annual meeting, appropriately titled “Designing with Nature: The Art of Balance,” landscape architects are eager to learn about a program that is sure to change the way they practice their profession. Walls are moved out of the way, and room is made for the overflow crowd. We settle in to learn about the Sustainable Sites Initiative, developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanic Garden, and other organizations. The new metric will expand our growing knowledge of the built environment as put forth by USGBC’s LEED rating system, which on its own has begun to shift the methods of construction along with land use. ...

More at: http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=3089

Illustration: Lisa Maione

Treehugger has posted an interesting item today about householders who are skulking around in the middle of the night to water their lawns during times of drought. Lawns as you dobtless know are a huge drain (pun intended) on water resources, and usually entail the use of pesticides and herbicides to maintain their pristine look.

So why not look beyond the lawn, and landscape with native plants for lower maintenance and a healthier environment? The discipline known as permaculture can help guide you, and there are lots of places online where you can learn more.

What is permaculture? Here are some definitions. According to Guy Baldwin, "Permaculture is a holistic approach to landscape design and human culture. It is an attempt to integrate several disciplines, including biology, ecology, geography, agriculture, architecture, appropriate technology, gardening and community building."

If you live in the western states, consider taking a course from the Permaculture Institute. The next offering is in Albuquerque on August 11. 

Or take a learning vacation where you can both relax and get your hands dirty. The Art Farm still has space available in its three day permaculture course in France (pictured). 

If you're in the Pacific Northwest you can take the whole family for a three week intensive experiencethat includes adult learning and a concurrent Permaculture Youth Camp at the Bullock Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island. Or how about a course in Green Ecology at Kibbutz Locan in Israel? There are classes and learning vacations in almost every state and many countries, most of them listed on Permaculture.net.

And BTW, congratulations to Treehugger, which has just been acquired by Discovery Communications. It is good news for all of us to see our "niche" garner attention from the mainstream!