photo by Brandon Godfrey

The good news is that the United States launched its first voluntary rating system for sustainable landscapes in November, 2009. And it’s about time. The American Society of Landscape Architects, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the U.S. Botanical Garden have partnered to develop the rating system. The system will be part of the Sustainable Sites Initiative, which will test a series of pilot projects over the next two years. Although Macdonald Environmental Planning, PC wasn’t able to submit for a pilot project, I can say that we are hopeful to participate in such projects in the future.

I am personally excited to see if the new LEED rating system for landscapes can generate as much interest in sustainable landscapes as it did for sustainable buildings. But more importantly, will the rating system challenge our traditional landscape model? And even so, will designers and contractors take it upon themselves to change their traditional work standards? Let’s hope so.

Bryan Bailey, LEED AP
Macdonald Environmental Planning, PC
503.224.1225

Water conservation is becoming a very worrisome topic in the United States – and for good reason. Currently, the EPA estimates the water deficit at about 3,700 billion gallons per year. This means we are consuming more clean water than nature can pump back into our environment.

To combat this trend, our nation needs to become creative in finding a way to balance the water deficit. Landscape irrigation is a great place to start.

North Main Village in Milwaukie, Oregon is a great example of innovative water conservation design. The project consists of a main courtyard rain garden and adjacent green street. These features collect and filter water that is channeled from the roofs and parking lot areas, so the amount of water going to the stormwater treatment facility is reduced or eliminated.

What about irrigation? Well, native and adaptive plants are grown in the courtyard and green street, so the irrigation is reduced to drip lines in some areas within the courtyard. These drip lines supply minimal amounts of water during the dry season.

Landscape Architecture holds a large influential position within our country for the design of public exterior spaces like parks, urban plazas, greenways, and golf courses. As professionals and stewards of the land, they are educating clients on the importance of water conservation and how these methods can be applied to their projects.

Bryan Bailey, LEED® AP
Project Manager
Macdonald Environmental Planning, PC