In celebration of World Landscape Architecture Month and EARTH month, the Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community (LARC) is sharing resources on designing Bay-Friendly landscapes and examples of Bay-Friendly landscapes.
The Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines were created by Stop-Waste.Org, a public agency that works to reduce waste in Alameda County, and are now managed by the nonprofit organization, Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Garden Coalition.
Whether designing a private or public landscape, to become a certified Bay-Friendly landscape, seven best practices must be implemented (pages 10 and 11 of the Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines):
- Landscape locally
- Landscape for less to the landfill
- Nurture the soil
- Conserve water
- Conserve energy
- Protect water and air quality
- Create and protect wildlife habitat
The Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines lists actions that can be taken to design a space that follows the seven best practices and includes a scoreboard that can be used to determine if your landscape is Bay-Friendly.
If you would like to learn more about designing Bay-Friendly landscapes, check out the following resources:
https://www.rescapeca.org/resources
https://www.rescapeca.org/rated-landscapes
https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/depart/cd/recycle/garden.htm.
Additionally, here are some examples of Bay-Friendly landscapes for inspiration:
951 Turner Court, Emeryville Greenway, and San Lorenzo Community Park.
Social Media Posts: View our social media posts about Bay-Friendly landscapes on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
