Restoring Watersheds in Urban Environments

AIA|LA Urban Design Committee presents...
Restoring Watersheds in Urban Environments
Presented by North East Trees.
Wednesday, March 9 (7pm)
AIA Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Please RSVP to Will Wright at

AIA|LA Urban Design Committee presents...
Restoring Watersheds in Urban Environments

Presented by North East Trees.

The concept of "Green Streets" must necessarily include the best practices of managing surface water runoff so that it ends up in local aquifers and watersheds instead of being rushed out to the ocean in the storm drain system. Systems and methods for incorporating these elements into parks and streetscapes are reviewed by North East Trees, which pioneered the Green Street concept and constructed the first one in Los Angeles, breaking down bureaucratic barriers to the permitting process at the same time. This has led to the development of the new Low Impact Development ordinance in Los Angeles, which seeks to use these elements and reduce hard surface paving in public spaces.

The methods, practices and soil engineering issues are key to developing a functional water runoff capture system. North East Trees will review these practices in their presentation and answer questions regarding applicability to different urban design situations.

SPEAKERS:

Scott Wilson, LA, Founder, NET
North East Trees was founded in 1989 by Mr. Scott Wilson, a retired LAUSD high school teacher and licensed Landscape Architect. Mr. Wilson's pledge to plant 5 trees a day for the rest of his life, and his parallel commitment to helping At Risk teenagers find meaningful employment in the green industry began with NET. Since then the nonprofit group has created miniature parks along the Los Angeles River's concrete channel and, under Wilson's supervision, taught gang members how to green up open spaces along the highly urbanized Red Line transit route, among other projects, which include areas along the LA River.

Bill DePoto, PE, ASCE, Board Member, NET
Bill is a Supervising Civil Engineer with Los Angeles County Public Works
LID and Green Roof Committees of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute
American Society of Landscape Architects (Student Member)
Sustainable Practices Professional Practices Group
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals

Laurie Barlow, AIA, Board Member, NET
Local Planning Commissioner (1997 -2007) and urban design review, Residential and Commercial Design Guidelines Project design and management, commercial and institutional work in local architectural firms
Blogger at GreenswardCivitas.blogspot.com

Last Updated: January 25, 2011