The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has released the report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Climate Change and Reliance, outlining key perspectives by the professional association, including:
- Designing and planning in concert with natural systems promotes resilience, capitalizes on the benefits of natural systems and provides greater long-term return on investment. Key strategies include use of green infrastructure, native plants, urban and suburban tree planting plans, and healthy soil management practices.
- Compact, walkable, and transit-oriented “smart growth” communities reduce energy use and are climate smart.
- Special attention must be paid to vulnerable communities in coastal and inland flood plains and underserved and low-income communities.
- Transportation should be considered critically as not only a connection point between home to work/services, but also as a source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a contributor or detractor to a community’s appearance and function in light of a weather event.
- Agricultural systems must be addressed because they are being stressed by unsustainable farming practices and farmland is being lost to expanding development and sprawl.
HRC’s landscape architects embrace these perspectives and apply them in the work we do daily on behalf of clients.
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