Speaker Series: Low Impact Development for Water & Resilient DesignJoin us for another AALA Speaker Series noon-hour event! Developed by the AALA LAT Committee, this speaker series brings together unique voices from across the industry to provide engaging educational sessions that explore important topics in Landscape Architecture. These discussions are intended to inspire critical thinking, encourage meaningful dialogue, and help answer questions relevant to practitioners, students, and allied professionals alike. Speaker and Topic:Speaker: Leta van Duin, B.Sc. | Executive Director (she/her)
Organization: Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership Society Topic:
Low Impact Development: Designing for Water, Performance, and Resilience Low Impact Development (LID) presents a world of opportunity for landscape professionals. From soil cells and enhanced topsoil systems to green roofs, rain gardens, stormwater reuse, and permeable pavement, the LID toolbox offers a wide range of approaches to managing water in the built environment. While these systems are primarily implemented to achieve stormwater management objectives, they also provide numerous co-benefits including improved wellness, urban heat mitigation, enhanced biodiversity, and greater climate resilience. Making these systems successful requires an understanding of how water moves through the landscape and how grading, soils, vegetation, and design details work together to achieve intended outcomes. This presentation will explore key design parameters, plant selection strategies, construction sequencing, and establishment requirements that contribute to long-term performance. Participants will be encouraged to think beyond individual features and focus on the functionality they are helping to create, recognizing that every contour is a stormwater management decision. About Leta:Leta van Duin is the Executive Director of the Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership Society (ALIDP), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing sustainable watershed management and resilient community design through education, collaboration, and innovation. Through her work with ALIDP, Leta supports practitioners, municipalities, researchers, and industry partners in implementing effective Low Impact Development practices across Alberta. She is a passionate advocate for integrated water management and fostering landscapes that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. PDU Credited for Attending |
