Sustainable Lands Stories

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1 Sustainable Lands Stories Volume 2 Summer 2013 In This Issue Luzerne Bus Tour a Success Floodplain Restoration at Landis Homes Coming Soon: Technical Rain Garden Workshop Green Corporate Campus Workshop this Fall We Want to Hear from You Since 2008, outreach events and publications from the Sustainable Lands Program have impacted Pennsylvanians. Have you or your organization been positively affected by these outreach efforts? Would you like to become a part of one of our many partnerships across the state? If you answered yes to either of those questions we would like to hear from you! Please contact Jessica at jsprajcar@pa.gov to get involved. Keep in Touch with the Program! Find us on the web at: Like us on Facebook: The Sustainable Lands Program is a program of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The program s mission is to work with local non-profits, municipal officials, businesses and other interested parties to make sure both public and private lands are designed and maintained in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner.

2 Luzerne County Sustainable Landscapes Bus Tour On May 31, a small, dedicated group gathered at the Kirby Park Natural Area to learn about invasive species control, porous paving and stormwater detention basins from PSU Cooperative Extension urban forester, Vinnie Cotrone. From there they loaded up the bus and headed to five other sites in the county that feature green and sustainable landscape (and building) design features and maintenance practices. What did they see? A rain garden and vegetated parking lot swales, green lighting and building structure features, riparian buffer plantings, local agriculture, a green roof, an outdoor classroom, and so much more! Plus we got free ice cream courtesy of The Lands at Hillside. It was a great day! A tour of Lackawanna County is tentatively scheduled for We hope you can join us! More details will be available on our website next year. Near storm water detention basin at Kirby Park Natural Area Looking at rain garden at Plains Animal Hospital Seeing green parking lot features at The Lands at Hillside Farm Butler Township Community Garden Green roof at Life Expressions Wellness Center The children s garden at Nescopeck State Park

3 This Issue s Featured Sustainable Lands : Floodplain Restoration at Landis Homes Landis Homes, a continuing care retirement community nestled within the pastoral landscapes and preserved farmlands of Lancaster County, embarked on the South Campus Expansion, which developed the remaining portion of their 114-acre campus. As stewards of their surroundings, Landis Homes has grown to cherish its land and natural resources, as they believe these resources need to be maintained and conserved in order to allow the community to flourish in the future. These values have proven to be influential in the design and development of the remaining property. RGS Associates and LandStudies guided Landis Homes in restoring Kurtz Run, a stream that runs through the eastern portion of the property, which was degraded by centuries of historic human activity such as timber harvesting and clearing the land for farming. These activities caused eroding soils to make their way into lowlands and disconnected the stream from its natural floodplain substrate. With stewardship as a guiding principal, the goal of this project was to improve stream function and the ecological biodiversity of the site while making efficient use of their land which is located within an existing urban growth boundary. In August of 2012, earthmoving equipment started to remove sediment and fill that had built up over the years. Over 27,000 cubic yards of legacy sediment (equivalent to about 40,000 tons of soil or 1,800 large dump truck loads) was removed from the stream corridor and deposited in other stabilized, upland areas of the community. The floodplain was planted with colorful native vegetation, dramatically increasing the biodiversity of the site and serving as a low maintenance, aesthetic asset. Once the buffer is established and functioning, and the stormwater benefits quantified, the Township will evaluate the opportunity to remove conventional stormwater management basins and develop additional residential units in their place, resulting in a more efficient utilization of land within a designated growth area. This would improve the efficiency of existing infrastructure and result in a long-term economic net gain.

4 Floodplain Restoration Article, Continued This project was particularly valuable to Landis Homes due to their location within a defined urban growth area where they are surrounded by preserved farmland and extensive agricultural zoning. Utilizing a restored floodplain for both water quality and storm water control purposes will allow Landis Homes to continue to invest in the redevelopment of their existing campus and accommodate future growth by displacing traditional storm water basins with a more natural and sustainable solution to runoff. Floodplain before (top left), during (top right) and after (bottom) construction. Linford Good, Vice-President of Planning and Marketing at Landis Homes, speaks passionately about how the residents have embraced this restoration as a centerpiece for the community and cherish the commitment to stewardship that this project represents. The residents now enjoy a beautiful walk along the campus trail system which winds through the restoration project. The stream and restored floodplain have created a campus that the residents and community are proud of and embrace. Submitted by Nicole Seuffert, Business Development/Marketing Coordinator for RGS Associates About Land Studies Land Studies, Inc. is a certified Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) providing environmental planning and restoration services with 25 years of experience. They work on the belief that understanding and working with natural systems, instead of artificially controlling them, provides consistently superior, more stable, and longer lasting results. They offer a refreshing approach to conventional site design while balancing stewardship with practicality. About RGS Associates RGS Associates celebrates its 20 th year of client service during They successfully merge art and science to create truly distinctive and sustainable landscapes. Recent awards for such projects include the U.S. Green Building Council s LEED Project of the Year and the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County s Community Revitalization Award. RGS offices include a Downtown York location along with a newly-renovated, historic warehouse location in Lancaster City.

5 Upcoming Technical Rain Garden Workshop On Saturday, September 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Etna Borough Municipal Building near Pittsburgh, we will offer a Technical Workshop on the Design and Maintenance of Rain Gardens for Landscape Professionals. During the morning session you will learn about the proper techniques for siting and designing a rain garden, including the selection of soil amendments and plant materials. You will also learn about the importance of maintaining the garden. During the afternoon you will get to see (and possibly participate in) a rain garden installation near the borough s pool and bath house. The price of the workshop is just $50, thanks to a grant from the League of Women Voters, and includes continuing education credits through PLNA and ASLA, light breakfast, lunch and a binder of handouts. The deadline to register is August 30. For more details and to download the registration brochure, click here.

6 Upcoming Green Corporate Campus Workshop Designing and maintaining a corporate campus or industrial site can be an expensive undertaking, but it doesn t have to be that way. There are sustainable landscape design and maintenance practices that can reduce costs, support a healthier, more productive workforce and protect water quality. Please join us on Wednesday, October 30 at the headquarters of Lutron, located at 7200 Suter Road in Coopersburg, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the Green Design $aves Green workshop. You will hear firsthand from several local companies that are managing stormwater using vegetated swales and rain gardens, lowering energy bills with an enhanced tree canopy, lowering mowing costs by planting meadows, and saving money in the process. Then you ll get to tour the facility and grounds to see what Lutron is doing. The cost of the workshop is $50, which includes lunch, handouts and continuing education credits. Registration materials will be available in September at index.htm.