Native Plants and BMP Maintenance

Transcription

1 Blair County Green Infrastructure Initiative Workshop #4: Sustainable Landscapes Native Plants and BMP Maintenance Kelly Gutshall, RLA, ASLA Andrew Korzon, RLA

2 Schedule

3 Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association PLNA o The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) is the leading trade association representing Pennsylvania's $6.8 billion green industry. o Founded in 1904, its members include landscape contractors, retail garden centers, wholesale nurseries and greenhouses produce outdoor living environments that improve economic value, air quality, water quality and human health. Mission Statement: The mission of PLNA is advocating for the green industry and its members while building and demonstrating professionalism. Vision Statement: PLNA will be a leader in PA for the environmental, health, and aesthetic benefits of the green industry.

4 Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturalist (PCH) o Formal training and certification for the landscape or nursery professional to test their knowledge and gain professional credibility. o An 80% or above must be attained in each of the four sections of the competitive test. o Those that reach this goal are then designated as a PCH. Purpose of Certification: To advance the state of the practice of landscape design, installation and maintenance

5 Sustainable Landscape Certification (SLC) o PLNA s new certification for sustainable landscapes that will piggy-back on the Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist. o New program will certify knowledge in the area of using plants to provide ecosystem services. o A PCH-SLC - specialized knowledge about how plants can be used most effectively to provide ecosystem services that improve water quality, air quality and enhance human health and performance.

6 What are Sustainable Landscapes

7 Sustainable Landscapes - The concept of using sustainable landscapes to improve the local and regional environment is a cost effective approach to make measurable environmental and societal improvements - Use of plants to provide ecosystem services that improve water quality, air quality and enhance human health and performance.

8 What are Sustainable Landscapes Sustainable: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. Landscape: the landforms of a region in the aggregate or a portion of a territory that can be viewed at one time from one place. Sustainable Landscapes: enable natural and built systems to work together to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

9 Driving Forces in Support of Sustainable Landscapes o Climate Change o Water Quality Degradation o Increased Impervious Cover o Reduced Biodiversity o The negative effects of the rapidly changing landscape are driving the need to pay closer attention to what we plant and how we manage the remaining open space

10 Functional Landscapes o Provide benefits beyond aesthetics o Transform the purpose of landscape design from single function to multi-functional systems that mimic the intricacies of natural systems o Create multi-functional, natural systems instead of artificial systems that require intensive maintenance to sustain o Environmental, economic, and social factors

11 Functional Landscapes Single Function Multiple Functions

12 What is Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development o Green Infrastructure o the intentional use of the ecosystem services provided by plants in the managed landscape. o Low Impact Development (LID) o Best Management Practices (BMP s)

13 Case Study City of Lancaster Green Infrastructure Plan o Goals o Strengthen City s economy and improve health and quality of life for its citizens o Create green infrastructure programs responding to water quality issues o Reduce pollution and erosive flows from urban stormwater and combine sewer overflows o Lower cost, higher benefit on infrastructure o Establish Lancaster City as statewide and national model in green infrastructure implementation

14 10 Guiding Principles of Sustainable Site Design* 1. Do No Harm 2. Precautionary Principle 3. Design with Nature and Culture 4. Use a Decision Making Hierarchy of Preservation, Conservation, and Regeneration 5. Provide Regenerative Systems as Intergenerational Equity 6. Support a Living Process 7. Use a Systems Thinking Approach 8. Use a Collaborative and Ethical Approach 9. Maintain Integrity in Leadership and Research 10.Foster Environmental Stewardship * Developed by the Sustainable Sites Initiative

15 Summary of Sustainable Landscapes o Complex challenges are driving the need for Sustainable Landscapes o Considers the short and long term needs of the environment and community o A new functional landscape that serves multiple purposes and benefits

16 A New Age in Landscape Aesthetic

17 A New Age in Landscape Aesthetic

18 Natural Cycles and Human Impacts on the Environment o Sustainable Landscapes strive to mimic and minimally impact these natural cycles within the built environment Hydrologic Cycle Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Phosphorus Cycle

19 Hydrologic Cycle

20 Carbon Cycle

21 Nitrogen Cycle

22 Phosphorus Cycle

23 Point and Non-Point Source Pollution o Point Source o Non-Point Source

24 Case Study Chesapeake Bay Dead Zones

25 Pesticide and Chemical Cycles o Risks o Even proper use can disrupt ecosystems and harm non-targeted organisms o Children and animals o Multitude of side effects o Each year, American homeowners use approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides to maintain their lawns, mostly for aesthetic purposes.

26 Ecological Footprint o Measuring Human Impacts o Carbon Neutral

27 Reducing Human Impacts Summary o John Rogers: Five Measures of a Healthy Yard and Their Benefits o Habitat Diversity o Carbon Balance o Water Balance o Nutrient Balance o Chemical Avoidance Reducing human impacts to natural cycles is an important component of sustainable landscaping.