Boston Flora

Tag: Ecological Landscape Alliance

  • Thursday, June 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – The Green Alley at Boston Architectural College: Urban Solutions for the Future

    The “Green Alley” is the first project of the Boston Architectural College’s (BAC) Urban Sustainability Initiative created to highlight its academic initiatives in sustainable design and landscape architecture. BAC selected a team led by Halvorson Design to develop comprehensive plans for site sustainability improvements at its Back Bay campus and serve as a replicable model for the City of Boston and Back Bay. The initial phase involves Boston’s first sustainable public alley project, which redirects, collects and infiltrates stormwater runoff from adjacent rooftops through permeable paving surfaces. Ecological benefits include:

    – Localized filtering of pollutants
    – Infiltration of groundwater on site which helps Back Bay’s depleted groundwater table
    – Significantly reduces the first flush stormwater pollutants from entering the Charles River.
    – To date, the system has successfully infiltrated 100% of the stormwater on the site.

    This project includes stormwater monitoring equipment designed and coordinated by Linnean Solutions allowing the BAC to actively monitor the effectiveness and actual benefits of the system.

    This Ecological Landscape Alliance Tour takes place Thursday, June 18, from 10 – noon, and participants will learn about the Green Alley permitting and construction process from both the design team and BAC perspectives; the monitoring aspects including process, tools and challenges; and an overview of how the project contributes to the BAC’s LA program.

    Registration ($30) is limited.  See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/the-green-alley-at-boston-architectural-college-urban-solutions-for-the-future/#sthash.kKka7fql.dpuf

  • Tuesdays, June 16 – June 30, 10:00 am – 1:30 pm – Herbaceous Native Plants for Professionals

    Join Dan Jaffe for this Ecological Landscape Alliance three session class at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Street in Framingham (June 16, 23, and 30) to learn about the best native plant materials available today for use in the design and landscape trades. Covering everything from plants for tough spots to specialty plants for specific habitats, this class will add a host of less familiar native herbaceous species to your plant palette.

    Dan Jaffe is a propagator and stock bed grower at New England Wild Flower Society. Prior to that, he earned a degree in botany from the University of Maine, Orono, as well as an advanced certificate in Native Plant Horticulture and Design from New England Wild Flower Society. After interning at Garden in the Woods, Mr. Jaffe worked for a year as Plant Sales Coordinator at the Garden. $162 for ELA members, $190 for nonmembers.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/herbaceous-native-plants-for-professionals/2015-06-16/#sthash.1WTPha8J.dpuf.

  • Monday, April 6, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Water Conservation: Landscape Design Strategies

    Each year millions are spent on designing, building, and maintaining landscapes that use too many unsustainable resources and rely on unsustainable practices. There is little thought given to water conservation in traditional landscape design and the result is a continuing depletion of our water resources. Gary Krause is committed to landscapes designed with water conservation in mind. As drought conditions become the norm in many parts of the country, the need for water-conscious landscape design becomes more critical. This one hour webinar presentation on Monday, April 6, beginning at 5:30 pm, will address many water conservation techniques including plant choices, material selection, and irrigation options. With careful planning, landscape designs can provide alternatives to our clients and create sustainable landscapes that are both beautiful and water-conscious. The cost to register is $10, and the sponsor is the Ecological Landscaping Alliance.

    Gary Krause holds a degree in design and maintains a wide range of certifications including permeable pavers, drainage systems, rainwater harvesting, and is a Certified Sustainable Landscaper. Gary has over 30 years’ experience in gardening, landscape design, construction, and maintenance. Gary believes that the future for sustainable landscapes is very promising thanks to all of the new technology in plant genetics, ‘Smart Water’ irrigation products, and other water-conserving innovations.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-water-conservation-landscape-design-strategies/#sthash.9Lz6Wsvm.dpuf

  • Wednesday, April 1, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Green Roofs and Living Walls

    Living roofs and walls are popping up everywhere, in social media, magazines, and in our cities. What are they? How do they work? Can you have one? Landscape designer Trevor Smith will explain it all: the pros and cons of the different systems on the market, his successes and failures, and the steps you must follow to take your garden to new heights. The lecture takes place at Garden in the Woods, Hemenway Road in Framingham, on Wednesday, April 1, from 6:30 – 7:30 and is co-sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society and the Ecological Landscape Alliance. $20 for members of sponsoring organizations, $25 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/green-roofs-and-living-walls.  Image from www.houzz.com.

  • Tuesday, February 17, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Soil Biology

    Soil contains an incredible diversity of organisms that make up the Soil Food Web. You may consider yourself a landscaper. In reality you are a landscape supervisor and your workforce is the Soil Food Web. Successfully manage these soil artisans and they create the glorious landscape you desire with minimal input on your part. In this February 17 Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar, from 4 – 5 pm EST, you will learn the invaluable contributions these essential creatures make to the landscape process. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, mycorrhizae and others improve plant fertility while helping manage pests. They sequester nutrients and improve soil structure, which protects ground and surface waters from contamination. A healthy Soil Food Web results in healthy, pest resistant plants minimizing or even eliminating the need for pesticides. Explore methods to maximize the benefits from the Soil Food Web as we dig into the latest tools and techniques of environmentally sound soil management. – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-soil-biology/#sthash.RwbYumsc.dpuf
    Steve Zien founded Living Resources Company (LRC) in 1974 as an organic farm that also rented 1,000 community gardens in Southeastern Wisconsin. Moving to California in 1977, Steve transformed LRC into a horticultural operation providing organic landscape and garden services to businesses, governmental agencies, and the general public. These services include soil analysis, custom organic fertilization formulation and application, organic pest management, consultations, and educational instruction. With Steve’s commitment to education and outreach, he quickly became known as Sacramento’s Organic Advocate while writing an organic garden column in the local paper, teaching courses in organic horticulture at American River College, the University of California Davis, serving as the IPM Specialist at the California State Fair, managing an organic retail nursery and regular appearances on radio talk shows. Steve has worked with and served as a technical advisor for numerous organizations including the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns, Pesticide Free-Sacramento, California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s School IPM Program, Our Water Our World, EcoLandscape California and others. After receiving his Soil Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin, Steve became a Wisconsin Certified Soil Tester. He currently is a California Licensed Pesticide Applicator utilizing only organic practices, a Qualified EcoLandscaper, and a California Certified Nursery Professional.

  • Wednesday, January 21, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Xeriscape: Whole System Planning and Practice

    Christie Green will present an overview of planning and installing xeriscapes using examples from her work in the Southwestern US online on Wednesday, January 21 from 1 – 2, sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance. Her presentation will cover landscapes as living ecological and cultural systems using long-term and large-scale vision in the planning. She will discuss water use zones, passive water harvesting, soil building, selection of plant species for different water zones and purposes and provision of edibles for humans and birds. Learn from examples of each principle how the whole system works together to create a drought-tolerant, beautiful landscape.

    Christie Green is the founder of Down to Earth Designs and Radicle in Santa Fe, NM. Her goal is to design and implement artful, regenerative, innovatively designed small- and large-scale land projects which educate about and inspire stewardship of natural resources and appreciation of food and beauty as necessary components in daily life. Ms. Green has a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of New Mexico. She teaches many classes and workshops on sustainable landscaping topics in the arid west and this year will be a food justice artist-in-residence at the Santa Fe Institute.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-xeriscape-whole-system-planning-and-practice/#sthash.s2cE8Qa3.dpuf.

  • Wednesday, March 19, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Deer-resistant Landscaping

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance and the New England Wild Flower Society will co-sponsor Deer-resistant Landscaping with landscape designer Kathy Connolly on Wednesday, March 19, from 6 – 8 at the Native Plant Center at Nasami Farm, 128 North Street in Whately, Massachusetts. Take your landscape off the menu at the deer café. There is no such thing as a deer-proof plant, but some plants come close. In this seminar, landscape designer Kathy Connolly presents ideas that will help your landscape become a “deer survivor.” Learn about the products that work and how to select the best plants for deer resistance, with special emphasis on our New England natives. We will also review fence ideas and their relative value. We will touch on strategies for managing other uninvited critters as well. Registrations are limited. $24 for ELA and NEWFS members, $29 for nonmembers.  To register call 617-436-5838 or visit https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1010932.

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