2019 Annual WASLA Conference

Greater Tacoma Convention Center, March 22, 2019

3:00 - 4:00 PM
Discovering Our Roots: Green Connections

Description:

How are landscape architects the best facilitators for connections between environmental and community health in green spaces? This panel focuses on integrative approaches that bring together communities, agencies, and businesses to transform corridors in order to create sustainable, healthy, and ecological restorative spaces. Examining urban corridors, complex areas with increased social and ecological implications, requires a set of professional partners to co-design and implement solutions for targeted programming that a regenerated corridor can support. In this way, corridors offer an opportunity to be key sites connecting partnerships, nature, and communities. A sense of discovering roots is a common ground for all stakeholders: Respecting traditional ecological knowledge through indigenous participation in native species selection, engaging communities in planting and learning about the natural environment, improving health and well-being through inclusion of walking trails and restful places, and fostering ecological literacy and stewardship through volunteer "citizen science" activities. Partnerships with artists can further amplify through public art a sense of custodianship and connection with the multiple ecologies of urban corridors.

Speaker Bios:

Nancy Skipwith McLean, Principal, Nancy McLean Landscape Architect

Nancy Skipwith McLean is a registered landscape architect and urban planner who has served as Landscape Coordinator, Development Planner, Park Development Manager, Waterfront Manager, and Director of Parks and Recreation over her extensive career. With a passion for inclusive design, Nancy has led a number of government and donor-funded initiatives for institutions, parks, facilities, and community environmentally sustainable projects. She served as President of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects, Chair of the Public Practice Committee of the ASLA, Member of the Landscape Architecture Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee, and Co-Chair and Member of the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association Parks Spring Training Committee. Nancy's key interests are making connections among communities and organizations to create sustainable community assets, and her work has led her to present most recently at the Vatican.

Sylvia Grace Borda, Lecturer-Artist

Sylvia is an ecological artist and lecturer who is acknowledged for her research and observations about the built environment and eco-urban systems through contemporary art practice. In particular, her work aims to provide new visual perspectives and alternative forms of observation and discovery of city ecologies through artistic interventions. Sylvia pioneered digital artworks depicting urban farmers in both her native British Columbia and in Finland in the series entitled Farm Tableaux which are panoramic portraits accessible in Google Street View. The series was awarded the Lumen Prize under the international arts media award in 2016, and Sylvia continued to accrue awards for her works under the Frontiers in Retreat Fellowship Program in Finland, Latvia, and Scotland. Her current artistic residencies include Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Minoru Centre, both of which highlight research and public participatory engagement.

Robin Clark, Robin B. Clark Inc

Robin Clark is the founder and lead of Robin B. Clark Inc. – an interdisciplinary Natural Resource consulting firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Robin has provided forest- related services to industry, government, and First Nations since 1994. Coordination of projects related to natural resource management and environmental stewardship has been a long-standing priority. Based on the belief in conserving nature through responsible use, Robin promotes, designs, and implements innovative natural resource initiatives. He focuses on results that are economically viable, socially favourable, and environmentally sustainable. Robin is also co-author of an eBook – The Tree of Life – which compares the growth of a tree with humans.

Learning Objectives:

Integrate and apply diverse perspectives to design healthy and sustainable urban corridor solutions.
Demonstrate the design and professional enhancement from interdisciplinary design and approaches to urban corridor landscape development within healthy communities.
Identify and address human effects and future sustainable use of urban corridors through designs for responsive, responsible, and resilient landscapes.