Anchor reflection
Course: Introduction to Sustainability. Land 2310
Early in my Landscape architecture education, I took introduction to sustainability. Retrospectively, I can see how this course has set the stage for my every design project I have done since. I this class I was able to learn about practices in working towards sustainability and the essential integration of sustainability and landscape architecture. This was not only about the the ecological functionally of a space, but also about how proper and thought-out design can create spaces that facilitate humans as well. Through lens of sustainability, we as designers are able to create aesthetic, long-lasting, and resilient designs.
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We learned the impact plants have on our environment. Pictured is chamomile from a volunteer day at UGarden as part of Land 2310.
One of the biggest take aways from this course was learning how to do ecological assessments on sites. We were able to practice these skills by looking at various places on the University of Georgia’s campus, focusing on the functions of the current landscape and analyze ecosystems services that it provides. With this information we then looked toward ways we could mitigate any potential problems that the local built environment may be negatively effecting it. This includes but is not limited to: pollution, non-native plant species, stormwater collection and habitat fragmentation. Collecting this information helped me be able to further asses what modern day technology and practices can be used to aid these landscapes. By looking at the older landscape architecture infrastructure I was then able to brainstorm new ways to design to prevent these issues through the lens of sustainability. I know see how when we integrate sustainable project management and practices at the start of a project we are able to create healthier spaces for humans and the environment.