Unlocking the Carbon Potential of Soils - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE

Recorded On: 10/08/2024

Soils hold 80% of global terrestrial carbon stocks and are critical for carbon drawdown. The nitty "gritty" details of how we work with soils hold the greatest potential for carbon sequestration of any aspect of the built environment. This session shares best practices for maximizing carbon storage in designed landscapes.

Learning objectives:

Dive deep into the "pedosphere," and learn about soil organic carbon (SOC) and how it interacts with the natural carbon cycle.
Learn about the potential emissions associated with disturbing existing soils, tips for avoiding these emissions with low-impact design best standards, and how healthy soil conservation is incorporated into SITES certification.
Review the embodied carbon potential of soils in the constructed landscape, comparing factors of blending, transportation, amendments, and placement.
Learn key best practices and innovative approaches and strategies for enhancing the carbon storage potential of soils through amendments, soil texture design, planting design, and management recommendations.

The GBCI course ID for this course is 920030844, providing SITES-specific CE hours required to maintain SITES AP credentials. Participants will need to pass the exam at the end of the presentation in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants will need to self-report CE hours through their credentials account on https://sitesonline.usgbc.org.

Christopher R. Ng-Hardy, ASLA, PLA

Senior Associate

Sasaki

Chris focuses on the integration of ecology and culture, with a commitment to craft in the built environment. Chris led Sasaki’s CarbonConscience research project team from 2019 to the present and serves as a current co-chair of the ASLA CAC Carbon Drawdown & Biodiversity subcommittee. Through these efforts, Chris has been translating literature reviews and decarbonizing design strategies into tools and educational resources for designers and planners. Chris is actively applying these tools and research to projects in the USA and EU. Chris believes that every project is not only a design opportunity but an opportunity to experiment and learn.

Gillian Davies

Senior Ecologist/Natural Climate Solutions Specialist

BSC Group, Inc. & Visiting Scholar, Tufts University Global Development & Environment Institute

Gillian Davies is a Senior Ecologist/Natural Climate Solutions Specialist at BSC Group, focusing on climate change, wetlands, forests and soils, and assisting communities to develop Nature-based and Natural Climate Solutions. Gillian leads a project to advise Massachusetts DEP on pathways to achieving no net loss of wetland carbon. She’s a Visiting Scholar at Tufts University Global Development and Environment Institute, co-leads SWS Climate Change Initiative, has a master’s degree from Yale School of the Environment and bachelor’s degree from Williams College. She’s a certified Professional Wetland Scientist, registered Soil Scientist (SSSSNE), and Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI).

Rachel Lindsay, Affil. ASLA

Head of Site Design

Regenerative Design Group

Rachel works principally with organizations and homeowners to create productive, resilient landscapes. Rachel draws from experience in organic farming, anthropology, and ecological design to craft a design process with cultural sensitivity and environmental integrity. Rachel applies soil, carbon, and water conservation understanding from agricultural practices into site design work. A worker owner at Regenerative Design Group, Rachel was a member of the steering committee for the ownership transition process and has been a Board of Director since its establishment in 2022. Rachel holds an MS in Ecological Design from The Conway School and a BA in Anthropology from Wesleyan University.