Sustainable Sites Report Gets it Right
by Susan
Big news! The Sustainable Sites Initiative, a joint project of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the U.S. Botanic Garden to develop guidance for designing and building sustainable landscapes, released its much-anticipated preliminary report this week for public comment. Now I haven't read all 106 pages but I've read enough to be very favorably impressed with the hard work of the 32 experts involved and the breadth and depth of their accomplishment. They tackle not just the expected subjects like run-off, pollutants, waste and habitat but even human health, cognitive function and social dynamics. This big-picture approach is missing in so much of the "sustainable gardening" advice being broadcast lately (see prior rant) and it's a relief to see these folks get it right.
And here's why this report matters. Once the recommendations are incorporated into the LEED program for rating "greenness" of building and landscape projects, developers will have incentives to discontinue practices such as scraping away the topsoil, causing erosion during the construction process, and installing monocultures and "resource-intensive features like manicured lawns and annual beds." This is so exciting, I'm cautiously optimistic that it'll really change land practices.
See for yourself - the report and form for submitting your comments between now and January 11, '08 are here.
To read the press release, click "continue reading".
Austin, TX, November 1, 2007 - A report released today will help usher sustainable
landscape design into mainstream use. Featuring over 200 recommendations for
designing and building sustainable landscapes, the report is part of the
Sustainable Sites Initiative, a partnership between the American Society of
Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the
University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden to create
voluntary guidelines and a rating system for sustainable landscape design. The
report is available at www.sustainablesite
"We want to identify the gold standards in sustainable landscape design and marry them to a practical, real-world approach so that designers, planners, builders and developers can utilize them," said Nancy Somerville, Executive Vice President and CEO of ASLA. "This report is an important step to bring sustainable landscape practices into widespread use."
The Preliminary Report on Standards and Guidelines represents thousands of hours of work in the past year by 32 experts in fields ranging from design and construction to soils, hydrology, and public health. The findings examine the positive environmental impact sustainable landscapes offer. For example, appropriate vegetation can help control erosion, filter out pollutants, provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators and supply oxygen for the air we breathe. The preliminary report also details practices that degrade landscapes and should be avoided, as well as techniques for designing landscapes that benefit the environment.
"The truly exciting thing about sustainable landscapes is that they actually help us confront some of the most serious environmental problems the world is facing now, including climate change," said Susan Rieff, Executive Director of the Wildflower Center. "Plants absorb carbon dioxide -a greenhouse gas and a major cause of global warming-from the air and soils can capture it and hold it. Native grasses may be even more effective in sequestering carbon than trees. This can help mitigate climate change."
"People want to do the right thing, "said Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the United States Botanic Garden, "but they need guidelines. The standards developed under Sustainable Sites will integrate landscape into the overall green movement. Without the landscape component, a truly sustainable lifestyle isn't possible."
The preliminary report is the first of three for
the Sustainable Sites Initiative. A primary purpose of releasing this
preliminary work is to solicit feedback, comments and additional information
from professionals and other stakeholders who can contribute to knowledge about
ways to achieve sustainable landscapes. Interested persons can join this review
process at www.sustainablesite
Eventually, Sustainable Sites will create a rating system that will apply to large and small sites, and can be used independently or incorporated into other green rating systems. The U.S. Green Building Council is lending its support to this project and plans to adopt the Sustainable Sites metrics into future versions of LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) Green Building Rating System.
After feedback is gathered from the review process, a comprehensive report will be published in October 2008 with the release of final Standards and Guidelines for Sustainable Sites planned for May 2009. The Sustainable Sites Initiative plans to produce a rating system by May 2011 and test the guidelines with pilot projects in 2010 and 2011.
Additional program partners include the U.S.
Green Building Council, the Environmental Protection Agency's GreenScapes
Program, the National Recreation and Parks Association, the American Society of
Civil Engineers' Environment and Water Resources Institute, the National
Association of County and City Health Officials, the Nature Conservancy'
About ASLA
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional
association for landscape architects, representing more than 18,200 members in
48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. Landscape architecture is a
comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management,
preservation, and rehabilitation. ASLA promotes the landscape architecture
profession and advances the practice through advocacy, education, communication,
and fellowship. Members of the Society use their "ASLA" suffix after their names
to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of
the profession. Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org.
About the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center
The Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to
increasing the sustainable use and conservation of native plants and landscapes.
Founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady, the Wildflower
Center maintains an extensive native plant botanic garden and offers
professional and adult education. The Wildflower Center also conducts research
on landscape restoration and plant conservation at its 279-acre site, promoting
the role of native plants in addressing ecological problems. Recent research
initiatives focus on native turf grasses, green roof technology in a
sub-tropical climate, prairie restoration methods including prescribed fire, the
control of invasive species, and ways in which native plants can aid in
combating climate change in urban landscapes. Learn more at www.wildflower.
About the United States Botanic
Garden
Dating from 1820, the United
States Botanic Garden (USBG) is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North
America. The Garden informs visitors about the importance and fundamental value
of plants to the well-being of humans and our planet. It also highlights the
diversity of plants worldwide, particularly their aesthetic, cultural, economic,
therapeutic, and ecological significance. Formally placed under the jurisdiction
of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress in 1856, the U.S. Botanic
Garden is administered through the Office of the Architect of the Capitol in the
Legislative Branch since 1934. With nearly a million visitors annually and
located on the National Mall, the USBG strives to demonstrate and promote
sustainable practices for individuals, organizations, and institutions. Learn
more online at www.usbg.gov
I forgot to mention the definition of "sustainability" used in the report. It means using practices that "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." A good one!
Posted by: susan harris | November 03, 2007 at 07:57 AM
Susan: I can't believe this posting didn't generate more comments from readers. As you know, this is job one for me and others out here on the West Coast. I've been following the sustainable sites progress and starting to work some of their approach into landscape guidelines for all projects undertaken by the Santa Barbara, CA. But I think it would be best to await the final report, then buy in.
Keep up the vigilant job of flying this flag. BG
Posted by: gardenwiseguy | November 05, 2007 at 09:44 PM
I gave this a writeup on my blog, too. The Web site itself is a good resource.
Posted by: Xris (Flatbush Gardener) | November 13, 2007 at 07:58 PM