NOT all edible landscapes are environment-friendly. I am a witness to this reality as a field agriculturist for almost five years and even if when I was already in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

In 2006, the provincial government took the lead. With the cooperation of the private sector, NGOs, and LGUs, organic agriculture made its way forward. Thus the start of edible landscape that is environment-friendly, sustainable and replicable.

Actually, even before this, I have been bringing people to some organic farms who were ahead already, like that of Campo Verde of BIND at Moises Padilla, Buro-buro Farm, and that of Ariel de la Cruzs at the mountains of Talisay City, Fresh Start Organics and of course, Pealosa Farm in Manapla and Victorias City, which is my focus for today.

When I went to his farm to interview MS Ramon Pealosa, I wanted to hear and see more of his dynamism in the farm.

Besides the transformation in the landscape, I have seen the 8-bedroom new building for the in-house visitors. The construction is ongoing and maybe the next time I bring some visitors there it will be finished already.

The motto of MS Mon is that No Filipino should go hungry in his native land. This is the very essence why he has managed to create an agricultural landscape using indigenous technology that is doable, sustainable and replicable. This is the reason why many wanted to go to his farm and learn because he does not withhold anything as far as what makes the farm dynamic is concerned.

For a farmer to create such kind of edible landscape, he must have a revolution of mindset. From being a farmer-producer to being an entrepreneursuch is the advocacy of MS Mon. This is what the farmer-scientist who calls himself an agri-preneur wanted to impart to the learners who visit his farm.

So what do you see now when you visit his farm in Victorias is an integrated micro-model edible landscape that became an agro-tourism destination where you can learn the opportunities for sustainable agriculture, integrated farming system, zero-waste management and many more.

You will taste what they produce in the farm if you book for lunch. The welcome tea from lemon grass with mint has always been my favorite. Among the different types of sauce for the green salad that is always present in the lunch is the honey mustard.

Not only is the Pealosa Farm pro-organic, it is also market- driven. That is what he wanted to convey to the farmers who come to learn from him and even in his lectures across the country when he is invited to speak.

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Environment-friendly edible landscape

Traffic zips past the revitalized medians on Granada Boulevard this week. Ormond Beach commissioners signed off last month on the second phase of the project that will cover a stretch from Orchard Street to State Road A1A.

A nearly $1 million effort to revitalize medians and sidewalks along another portion of Granada Boulevard marks the second phase of a project to refurbish Ormond Beachs main thoroughfare.

City commissioners approved a $939,400 project last month to landscape medians and sidewalks along Granada from Orchard Street to State Road A1A. The majority of funding comes from the Florida Department of Transportation. The Granada bridge slopes are also included in the project.

The new designs will mirror the landscaping on Granadas medians that was completed last year from Washington to Beach streets. The city also installed an irrigation system, LED lights and buried power lines along Granada, Lincoln and New Britain avenues.

In addition to landscaping medians, the city will also remove east Palatka holly and crepe myrtles along Granada and replace them with palm trees. City landscape architect Paul MacDonald said the trees are blocking the windows and signs of businesses, and the palm trees will alleviate that problem because they will be higher. Grates surrounding the trees along the sidewalks will also be removed to make the sidewalks more pedestrian-friendly, MacDonald said.

The project is expected to begin in March and end in October. The tree-planting will require the city to close one lane on Granada after 7 p.m. on a few occasions.

The city also plans to spend $39,000 for a new irrigation system from its downtown trust fund. The total cost of all the work is $4 million to $5 million, MacDonald said.

The goal of this project is to make downtown more walkable and business-friendly, he said.

Doug Rand, owner of Billys Tap Room on Granada, said he was in favor of any project that would bring more visitors downtown. Adequate parking, however, may be a future issue that the city will need to address.

I think its going to be good for everyone down the road, he said about the upcoming construction. The quicker they can get it done, the better it will be for everyone.

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Granada makeover: Part 2 Sidewalks, medians next stage in $1 million renovation

Carol R. Johnson Biography: Childhood [1 of 11]
Anecdotes and images from Johnson #39;s childhood give insight into her later career as a landscape architect. Interviewed by Charles A. Birnbaum, July 2006. For...

By: The Cultural Landscape Foundation

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Carol R. Johnson Biography: Childhood [1 of 11] - Video

By Jim Bloch Voice Reporter

By the time the city of Detroit entered bankruptcy in July 2013, the beauty signified by the name Belle had become drab and tattered. In February 2014, as part of the bankruptcy restructuring, the Michigan Emergency Loan Board entered into a 30-year agreement with the state of Michigan to operate Belle Isle as the states 102nd state park. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which operates the state park system, does not pay rent to the city; instead, the city saves the $6 million or so per year it had been spending on the island.

This is our ninth month at Belle Isle, said Karris Floyd, manager of Belle Isle and the Milliken Nature Center, the wetland state park west of the Renaissance Center, speaking to 14 environmental and outdoor journalists on Oct. 24. He spoke in the Casino on Belle Isle, built in 1904 and used as an event hall ever since.

The Casino was not in good condition when we got here, said Floyd. Weve basically turned this into a very energy efficient building. We replaced all the lighting in here. Weve gone through and done a total cleaning. A lot of the windows were not energy efficient, so we changed those. This building is rented daily for weddings, meetings, you name it, year round. So we really put a lot of time and effort and money into this building.

The poor condition of the casino was the tip of the iceberg.

Because of the bankruptcy, the state wanted to come in and get Belle Isle back to what it was, said Floyd. We have a lot of specific items under the lease that were responsible for. That includes getting all the buildings back up and running. When we came in, we encountered a lot of homeless people living here. We encountered a lot of buildings in disarray, no roofs, no toilets, no sinks. All of that was a real challenge. Were also responsible for bringing the community back to Belle Isle. We are working to make the island safe again. We have a partnership with the Michigan State Police and also the Michigan Conservation Officers. They patrol the island for us. They do it 6 a.m.-10 p.m. every day.

The DNR plans to invest $20 million in the island through 2017.

The turnaround to date has been remarkable.

Belle Isle is emblematic of whats going on in Detroit, said Dan Wyant, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. It fell into disrepair. It has come back. The DNR and the state deserve a lot of credit for that.

If were not fulfilling our end of the lease, the city of Detroit at any time can take the island back, said Floyd. Continued...

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Michigans 102nd state park thrives under DNR

WEST DES MOINES Truro native and former site planner Randy Downs has been promoted to assistant director, site planner at Hy-Vee, Inc.

Downs graduated from I-35 High School and attended Iowa State University receiving a bachelors degree in landscape and architecture in 1989. He then worked in Hy-Vees engineering department as director of landscape architecture from 1999 to 2005. After spending several years working as a landscape architect/project manager for Snyder and Associates in Ankeny, Downs rejoined Hy-Vee as a site planner and a member of the executive staff.

Randy has tirelessly worked to get our new sites approved by municipal, county and state governmental agencies. He always has our customers convenience and safety at the top of his mind when designing sites, and he works extremely hard to control site costs on new construction and remodels, said Jeff Markey, senior vice president of store development at Hy-Vee.

The promotion was announced last month at the companys annual stockholders meeting. Thirty-four employees were promoted, including nine at group vice president, four at assistant vice president and three at senior vice president.

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Truro native Downs promoted at Hy-Vee

By Domenic Poli

dpoli@reformer.com @dpoli_reformer on Twitter

Scott Wunderle

SAXTONS RIVER >> The owner of the landscape architecture firm tasked with designing the park slated for the center of Saxtons River now represents Vermont on the national stage.

Scott Wunderle, who owns TERRIGENOUS in Chester, began his term as president of the Vermont chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He recently attended the Chapter Presidents Council biannual meeting in Denver, Colo., and will do so again this spring in Washington, D.C., and next fall in Chicago.

Wunderle, who earned two bachelor's degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design and sports a background in fine art and construction, said he advocates for the profession of landscape architecture and for the design process in general.

"The most successful projects I've worked on combine design, construction management, and hand craft," he said. "I control the macro and the micro throughout the process, and rely on others to do everything in between."

Wunderle told the Reformer the membership of the Vermont chapter which boasts about 60 people voted in the fall to make him president. He said he has since helped organize a holiday party and the 2014 Doug Crowell Lecture Series that featured Seattle-based architect James Cutler who designed the house of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as part of Burlington City Arts. Wunderle also organizes monthly meetings of the Vermont chapter of the ASLA.

He said he also is in the middle of organizing the 2014-15 Public Places Awards, which will be held at the Vermont Statehouse. Wunderle told the Reformer the awards are a biannual event to honor landscape architects and members of allied professions who have worked on any outdoor space project.

Wunderle said his tenure has been a great experience so far and he appreciates who he gets to work with.

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TERRIGENOUS owner representing Vermont on national stage

Career Spotlight Series Landscape Architect

By: Dave Cable

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Career Spotlight Series Landscape Architect - Video

Welcome to our blog about the process and proposals for the new LARP building! With so much going on and the process moving so quickly, we wanted a way to keep our faithful alumni and future students updated on what is going on. Well post on this blog when we reach big milestones, so keep watching this space!

Its hard to overestimate what having a new building will mean for LARP. Many of you know that Hills was originally built as a dormitory, and was repurposed for academic life. Its had a good run and weve all built great memories here, but everyone who visits knows we obviously need an upgrade. This has become even more pressing in recent years, as mold issues mean that not all of the faculty can even enter the building. Because of our outstanding faculty we have been quite successful over the years despite Hills. Weve always liked to think that the best programs are often in the worst spaces, but Im not so sure anymore. I look forward to proving that the best programs can also be in the best spaces. It is invigorating to think about what we will be able to do with a beautiful new space.

The new building will bring together LARP with Architecture (now a program, but likely to be a department by the time we all move) and Building and Construction Technologies (also currently a program, but likely to merge with Architecture by the big move).

A few big picture facts:

Our architecture team is world class: Leers Weinzapfel, with principal Andrea Leers as the lead designer. You can see examples of their work at: http://www.lwa-architects.com/. Our landscape architects are Stephen Stimson Associates, http://www.stephenstimson.com/. Stimson is an alumni of the MLA program and has taught in our department. His firm did the beautiful design which puts green infrastructure to work in UMass Southwest concourse.

With such a big, complicated, fast project UMass got an Owners Rep on board early. We have been very happy with the work of Collaborative Partners in Cambridge MA in keeping us all represented in the process and doing just what their name suggests encouraging collaboration, but also assuring that we keep moving along.

The big question is WHERE! The architects are developing proposals for Lot 62, which is the parking area right across from the Fine Arts Center, or for upgrading and connecting to Clark Hall. Ultimately the final location is a decision the Chancellor will make.

Ah, but what will happen to Hills, you ask? It is destined to come down altogether, and become a parking lot. If we can work it out with the lawyers, were dreaming of having an alumni event where for $25 you can swing a sledgehammer at the building once we are all moved out! That sounds like a party.

This Friday (January 10th) the architects will present the options and their initial designs. Watch this space for a video of their presentation! In future blogs well talk more about the building design, the sustainability features, the studio concepts, and the landscape design, maybe reminiscence on Hills and more.

Happy New Year! -Elisabeth Hamin, Head of Department

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Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning

Stuart O. Dawson Biography: Prelude [1 of 10]
A landscape architect for over 50 years, Dawson still loves to work with his colleagues and clients. Interviewed by Charles A. Birnbaum, June 2009. For more ...

By: The Cultural Landscape Foundation

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Stuart O. Dawson Biography: Prelude [1 of 10] - Video

Daniels Public Lecture: Kathryn Gustafson "A Place that Fits: Landscape Architecture"
On March 4, 2014, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design welcomed landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson to present the 2014 Michael Hough / Ontario Association of...

By: UofTDaniels

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Daniels Public Lecture: Kathryn Gustafson "A Place that Fits: Landscape Architecture" - Video