Here Are Some Projects We’re Thinking About During Landscape Architecture Month

In celebration of April being World Landscape Architecture Month, we’d like to highlight a few of the Envision verified projects that use landscaping to make our communities healthier, more resilient, and more beautiful.

In 2013, the Snow Creek Stream environment zone restoration in North Lake Tahoe, Placer County, California earned Envision Platinum for implementing solutions like enhancing and restoring wetlands and other water bodies. Native plants including yarrow, mountain sagebrush and silver lupine were selected to eliminate pesticide and fertilizer use and prevent surface and groundwater contamination.

In 2014, the Sun Valley Watershed Multi-Benefit Project in Los Angeles County, California earned Envision Platinum. The project restored native habitat to the project site with native landscaping, and incorporated wetlands, infiltration trenches and basins, bioswales, and treatment drains to reduce pollutant load concentrations prior to ground infiltration.

In 2015, the Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Facility in Ontario, on the shores of Lake Huron, earned Envision Platinum as the first ISI Envision verification in Canada. The site was rehabilitated to native conditions with a constructed wetland and tallgrass prairie restored on-site, which created naturalized prime habitat. The project team worked with local conservation groups, volunteers, and municipal staff to develop a plan that supports the elimination of invasive species. It also restored habitat critical to threatened native species, including the Monarch butterfly, snapping turtle, and Bobolink.

In 2016, the Nashville Metropolitan Government West Park Equalization Facility in Tennessee received Envision Platinum. The first joint wastewater and park project to be verified, the project planted more than 200 trees, including six new native species to increase biodiversity within the riparian area of Richland Creek.

In 2017, the Greenough Greenway project in Watertown, Massachusetts earned Envision Bronze. The project added nearly 200 new shade trees as part of the construction of a tree-lined, ten-foot wide, multi-use path. Natural landscaping was restored using only local or non-invasive plant species for the landscaped elements and incorporating plant species that do not require the use of fertilizers or pesticides.

In 2018, the Surrey Biofuel Facility Surrey in British Columbia, Canada, received Envision Platinum award as the first waste sector infrastructure project to be verified. The facility both produces Class A organic compost available for use in landscaping applications and introduced significant landscape elements to preserve species biodiversity. Although situated in an industrial area, the project included a wide range of native and non-native shrubs and planted more than 20 trees.

In 2019, Willingdon Linear Park in Burnaby, BC received Envision Silver. The project, which included roadway rehabilitation, park construction, and trail development, retained 31 existing trees along the avenue and added 211 trees. The addition to the urban forest helps improve air quality along the busy corridor. The project team identified and mapped perennial weeds and invasive plants, including extensive Japanese knotweed, for removal and disposal. Park management, guided by an integrated pest management approach, involves monthly monitoring of invasive species to maintain control of these species within the park.

In 2020, Alliant Energy’s West Riverside Energy Center project in Beloit, Wisconsin, earned the Envision Platinum. In addition to energy generation, the project delivered multiple community benefits, including restoring 67 acres surrounding the facility with native prairie grasses and flowers, creating new habitats and improving habitat connectivity. A new 0.6-mile trail extension overlooks the native landscaping and connects to nearby trail system. Alliant Energy also incorporated the community’s input on aesthetic features, including landscaping berms and trees to enhance the view.

In 2021, the Riverfront Revitalization Project in Omaha, Nebraska earned Envision Platinum. The project, which transformed downtown Omaha along the Missouri River by connecting three parks near the city’s downtown core, installed extensive landscaping, including more than 1,500 new trees and 100,000+ native and adaptive plants. Flower gardens and native grasses intermingle with amenities like sculpture gardens, event lawns, playgrounds, and plazas.

In 2022, the Bologna Bypass Project in Italy earned Envision Platinum as the first highway infrastructure project in Europe to receive the award. It strengthened an urban section of the A14 expressway and established a network of landscape-friendly infrastructure assets along the entire highway corridor. Specific consideration was given to how this new infrastructure would integrate into the urban and landscape context. The project included adding cycle-pedestrian paths, improving urban underpasses, reclaiming more than 130 hectares of “softscape,” planting more than 30,000 new trees, and reinforcing/enlarging urban and rural parks.

In 2023, Los Angeles River Way, San Fernando Valley Completion Project (Vanalden to Balboa) in California, earned Envision Gold. The project addressed habitat fragmentation by removing barriers to the movement of species along the river channel and adding new habitat throughout. Landscaped areas include native plants, many new trees, and unique pollinator houses. Plants were selected to be low-maintenance and heat-/drought-tolerant with bioswales to capture stormwater. To help with extreme heat, shade zones with full canopy trees were maximized at the street end ingress and egress.

In 2024, the NE 16th Street & Jefferson Avenue NE Stormwater Green Streets Project in Renton, Washington, was recognized as Envision Verified for its efforts to revitalize an in-need community with these new infrastructure upgrades. The project’s landscaping features were intentionally chosen based on being native to the region, pest resistant, soil tolerant, and non-invasive so that no pesticides or fertilizers would be required for ongoing maintenance. In addition to upgrading stormwater infrastructure, the project introduced trees, planter strips, and other roadway improvements to increase community green spaces and connectivity.

In 2025, the Lift Station 87 Project in Sarasota, Florida, USA, was recognized with Envision Silver. The project incorporates native plants into the landscaping to support natural habitats of flora and fauna and manage invasive species. Lift Station 87 is helping to restore the water quality in the Hudson Bayou and the Sarasota Bay, which further supports  marine life and the region’s variety of plants, reptiles, and exotic bird species. Micro-tunneling construction techniques were used to minimize construction impacts on the community, safeguard water quality, and protect the Grand Oak trees in Luke Wood Park.