Climate Action Committee

The climate crisis is already reshaping our landscapes and cities in Southern California. It is predicted to bring increased heat, drought, wildfire, risk of flooding, and sea level rise over the coming decades. It will continue to affect the health and welfare of millions of people, the future of the agricultural economy of the state and food supply for the United States, and the extinction and ecological displacement of the flora and fauna that make California the most biodiverse state in the country.

The Landscape Architecture profession can address this climate crisis by its ability to synthesize the complex relationships between environmental, social, cultural, and natural systems. Our profession can provide climate adaptive solutions for all populations of our world and strategies to reduce greenhouse gases and use plants wisely to sequester carbon.

OUR GOALS

• Educate and create awareness of the current and future impacts of the climate crisis.
• Inspire climate action locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration to establish dialogues and actions toward holistic solutions and community engagement.
• Demonstrate how landscape architecture as a profession can help guide us to a better future.

Webinar: Tools to Protect Biodiversity and Further Climate Resilience

Summary California’s 30x30 Initiative highlights the pathways to conserve 30% of the State’s land and coastal waters by 2030 to protect biodiversity. In doing so, climate resilience and public outdoor access goals are also furthered. Working together, the State of California and Esri created CA Nature, a suit of authoritative data and interactive tools [...]

9th Annual Net Zero Conference Wrap Up

SoCal ASLA’s Climate Action Committee Chair, Ronnie Siegel, organized a session of four landscape architect presenters for the 2022 Net Zero Conference at the LA Convention Center on Sept. 15, 2022. The session’s title was Landscape Architecture—Design for Resilience. The summary of the talks were that Landscape Architecture is at the confluence of carbon, climate, [...]

ACTIONS:

Wildfire Resilience

Wildfire Summit for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments on Nov.4, 2021. Here is the link to the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah1h3qdRNTs

Protection of our Water Supply

Promote the USGBC-LA’s Landscaper Certification Program which teaches native plant landscape maintenance and provides a Certification when completed. Link: https://usgbc-la.org/initiative/landscaper-certification-program/
Work with NGO’s and water companies to promote the use of drought tolerant and California native plants.

Reducing Urban Heat and Preserving Biodiversity

Greening Schools Initiative- Work with our academic institutions and non-profit organizations to contribute design expertise to ongoing initiatives that replace extensive asphalt paving with nature in our urban schools.
Partner with NGO’s and County and City agencies to plant shade trees to cool urban neighborhoods.

Promoting Sustainable Agriculture

Help non-profit organizations with their work promoting, and constructing community vegetable garden projects in underserved communities and supporting educational programs on sustainable gardening.

Public Education About Climate Change

Organized the 2021-2022 Landscape Architecture and the Science of Climate Change Speaker Series in partnership with Cal Poly Pomona Department of Landscape Architecture. See past recordings: https://www.cpp.edu/env/landscape-architecture/news-events/public-lectures.shtml
Participate in the USGBC-LA’s 21^st Annual My Green Building Conference & Expo with a booth on Community Day.
Provide educational resources to Universities.