At the annual Florida ASLA Convention, I took several courses to continue my Landscape Architecture education and share ideas with other industry professionals. I walked away from the weekend enriched with current and relevant insight, and fresh inspiration. Here are some highlights I brought home for you.
THE FLORIDA MANGROVE PRESERVATION AND TRIMMING ACT
An issue that arises in nearly every Florida landscape architect's career is mangrove trimming. Although landscape architects have a role in being professional mangrove trimmers as designated by the state, specific guidelines must be followed to protect our shorelines. These guidelines are found in the Florida Mangrove Preservation and Trimming Act.
. The course discussed the Act thoroughly and explained possible exemptions vs. general requirements when trimming and preserving mangroves.
MODERN LANDSCAPES
This course was given by James Burnett, a company based out of Houston and San Diego, that focuses on community projects all over the nation. It was inspiring for me to learn the perspectives of other landscape architects when designing in modern contexts.
NATIVE LANDSCAPING: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH IN TSUMAMIS AND HURRICANES
Local native flora, regardless of locale, is our primary defense to storms and has been for tens of thousands of years. Native species are here because they can handle the conditions in which they find themselves. We only see a 200 year snippet of a 10,000 year timeline. When the recent tsunami hit Phuket, Thailand, the areas hit the hardest were those beaches that had been cleared for resorts. These areas suffered the most fatalities and the most impact. Communities less than five miles away were undamaged, with no deaths sustained, because the existing native flora was left untouched. In our own climate, hurricanes pose a much bigger threat. Mangroves provide an unmatched defense. Mangroves can withstand hurricane force winds and protect shorelines, whereas Australian Pines or Brazilian Peppers are the first to blow over and cause
damage. Eliminating invasive species and protecting natives are ways we can preserve our ecosystem and protect our communities from natural climatic disasters.
FLORIDA ACCESSIBILITY CODE FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
This course explained upcoming revisions proposed to the Americans with Disability Act Design Guidelines, particularly as they pertain to Florida's landscape architects.
WATER ECONOMY: MEASURING THE COST TO BENEFITS OF IRRIGATION WATER CONSERVATION
This course reinforced an understanding of the savings, in both cost and resources, that result from going from a traditional irrigation system to a low volume system. Presenters of the course site research showing up to a 40% savings from the switch.
THE GREENING THE CAMPUS: A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT'S ROLE IN GREEN DESIGN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
One of the teachers of this course was my former professor Glenn Acomb
, to whom congratulations are in order on two counts: he is becoming a Fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects, and he is getting married August 9th. The course went over LEED certifications and the new LEED 3.0 point system, specifically how it pertains to landscape architects. Glenn discussed the current movement at the University of Florida to get every new building certified LEED Gold or higher, and achieve a carbon footprint of net zero by 2010. There are case studies on the UF campus to investigate future applications, such as green roofing and wall design.
|
