Urban park success stories have one important thing in common: They’ve prioritized sound management
Island Press Field Notes
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Island Press wanted to share an excerpt with a little green in it. In The Shape of Green, nationally recognized architect and designer...
What if, even in the heart of a densely developed city, people could have meaningful encounters with nature? The idea of a green city, a sustainable city, and even a resilient city are well-understood. Now, the emerging ideal of a biophilic city—which...
For decades, landscape architecture was driven solely by artistic sensibilities. But in these times of global change, the opportunity to reshape the world comes with a responsibility to consider how it can be resilient, fostering health and vitality for...
After directing numerous urban stream restoration projects, award-winning hydrologist Ann Riley has discovered that it is feasible to restore dynamic, functioning stream ecosystems in some of the most...
We need to understand that nature exists everywhere, including in urban environments, and to understand how natural processes work.
April is the month of rain. At least it is in our world: the mid-Atlantic U.S. With sincere apologies to readers who live in current drought, here in Pennsylvania we typically have reminded ourselves that “April showers bring May flowers,” and so we...
Many years ago, when I was first pegged as a "sustainable landscape designer," I gave a talk to a group of students enrolled in one of the world's first sustainable design courses at Schumacher College in England. I was surprised during the question and...
In 2005, following two decades of professional accolades, Margie Ruddick created a new kind of garden that landed her in court. Through selective mowing, planting, pruning, and frequently doing no...
This urban rain garden two blocks from the Island Press office doesn't just help the city manage rainwater, it's also educates urbanites about rain, serves as wildlife habitat and is a...
