Get the Dirt on Soil-level Strategies for Climate Resilience and Carbon Drawdown - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

Recorded On: 10/08/2024

Soils are critical for the success of any landscape project, but they are also a critical tool in combating climate change and increasing resilience against the climate changes we are already experiencing.

Learning objectives:

Understand the scientific basics of soil amendment and improvement, and how they impact plant growth and climate change.
Review and understand how to use the new "Compost and Soil Improvement as Tools for Climate Resilient Landscapes" manual in tandem with ASLA's Climate Action Plan.
Understand how to better specify the use of healthy soils and compost soil amendments while evaluating soil product submittals and samples.
Obtain a deeper understanding of soil improvement benefits, walking through a variety of recent projects.

Sally Brown

Research Professor

University of Washington

Sally Brown, PhD., University of Washington – Is an award-winning soil scientist and primary author of “Compost and Soil Improvement as Tools for Climate Resilient Landscapes”. She has worked on studies involving soil health, climate change mitigation, biosolids recycling and wastewater treatment. At the root of her work, she believes that soil amendments, in the form of residuals from different industries (composts, for example), offer the potential to help us to live in a more sustainable manner. Her goal is to turn cities green by making the use and re-use of wastes part of our daily vocabulary.

Ron Alexander, Affiliate ASLA

Horticulturist

R. Alexander Associates, Inc.

Ron Alexander is a horticulturist with 40 years of experience working and specifying compost utilization in landscaping projects. He is an ASLA member and LA CES approved education provider. He has taught thousands of landscape architects about the benefits of soil improvement through the use of compost.

Jake Chalfin

Sales Manager

laurel valley soils

For over 20 years Jake has been producing compost and manufactured soils and providing industry specific products for agriculture, landscape, sports turf, ornamental, and construction. Directly linked to projects as a supplier, Jake has seen first-hand what works and what has not. With this lens he shares his boots on the ground experience for specification writing, soil design and installation best practices.