www.sunset.comThrough my experiences at the City of Moscow and my studies as a student of Landscape Architecture at the University of Idaho I continually find myself excited by the possibilities that Landscape Architecture offers to municipalities, residences, and businesses. Thoughtful Landscape Design takes what would be considered a handicap and turns it into a strength.
Common challenges on the Palouse include storm water management and soil erosion control. The very characteristics we love about this region, rolling hills and ambling creeks, also provide the greatest challenges to homeowners and municipalities. How do we develop properties in a sustainable way? What can homeowners do when their backyard starts sloughing off from rain and wind? What needs to be done to create outdoor living areas that extend from indoor living spaces?
Residents of the Palouse are thoughtful, forward thinking people who strive to make positive changes in the world. One way we can do this is by designing with nature, not forcing it. We often see the repercussions of ignoring natures way when we develop in flood plains, fill in wetlands, and ignore important factors such as solar aspect and slope.
An example of thoughtful design would be incorporation of stormwater as a design feature. For many years stormwater has been managed by canaling and piping it away as quickly and efficiently as possible. Instead we are finding that a better idea might be to utilize it onsite for plant irrigation, and water features. Rainwater Harvesting offers beautiful ways to celebrate water and its importance in our daily lives. Additionally we often see runoff from parking lots run straight into storm drains that make their way into Paradise Creek. These issues could be dealt with through swales and other mitigation areas that would provide beautification and filtration of toxic substances as the water percolates back into our aquifer.
These are just a few of the ways that Landscape Architecture points to a brighter, more sustainable future. These are not new ideas, but rather we have forgotten much of the wisdom from past generations. Often these challenges have simple solutions that force us to think outside of the box. We are here to help you with that!
Common challenges on the Palouse include storm water management and soil erosion control. The very characteristics we love about this region, rolling hills and ambling creeks, also provide the greatest challenges to homeowners and municipalities. How do we develop properties in a sustainable way? What can homeowners do when their backyard starts sloughing off from rain and wind? What needs to be done to create outdoor living areas that extend from indoor living spaces?
Residents of the Palouse are thoughtful, forward thinking people who strive to make positive changes in the world. One way we can do this is by designing with nature, not forcing it. We often see the repercussions of ignoring natures way when we develop in flood plains, fill in wetlands, and ignore important factors such as solar aspect and slope.
An example of thoughtful design would be incorporation of stormwater as a design feature. For many years stormwater has been managed by canaling and piping it away as quickly and efficiently as possible. Instead we are finding that a better idea might be to utilize it onsite for plant irrigation, and water features. Rainwater Harvesting offers beautiful ways to celebrate water and its importance in our daily lives. Additionally we often see runoff from parking lots run straight into storm drains that make their way into Paradise Creek. These issues could be dealt with through swales and other mitigation areas that would provide beautification and filtration of toxic substances as the water percolates back into our aquifer.
These are just a few of the ways that Landscape Architecture points to a brighter, more sustainable future. These are not new ideas, but rather we have forgotten much of the wisdom from past generations. Often these challenges have simple solutions that force us to think outside of the box. We are here to help you with that!
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