Archive for the ‘conferences’ Category

New TLN page on water in the landscape

Monday, October 31st, 2011
Hibiscus pond. Photo by Henry Domke, www.henrydomke.com

Hibiscus pond. Photo by Henry Domke, www.henrydomke.com

TLN Blog posts have been few and far between (or is that far and few between?) these days. Much traveling and presenting at conferences, including yesterday at the annual ASLA meeting and expo here in San Diego. Here’s a blog post from a month or so ago about our presentation and also what other events might be of interest to our members: ASLA Meeting & Expo! Good stuff this year, and in San Diego.

Jack Carman, Clare Cooper Marcus, and I presented yesterday about water – its role in the landscape as a restorative element; the role that sound plays (original research by Clare); and issues of risk, safety and maintenance, including some preliminary original research by me. Some of our presentation will be available online, and all of the resources we refer to will be online on a special designated TLN page. It’s already up, www.healinglandscapes.org/resources/water, and we’ll be adding more resources and references after the conference. Check it out, and check back for updates.

 

Restorative Landscapes at Greenbuild this week!

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Sand River Forest. Photo by Henry Domke, www.henrydomke.com

Sand River Forest. Photo by Henry Domke, www.henrydomke.com

Tomorrow at Greenbuild, this year in beautiful Toronto, Zolna Russell of Hord Coplan Macht, Peter Schaudt of Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, and I will be presenting “The Human Connection: Landscapes That Promote Health and Well-Being.”

Here’s the session description:

It is well known that humans benefit from exposure and connection to nature. LEED has acknowledged this and requires projects to create meaningful outdoor spaces. This seminar will explore the documented benefits of landscapes for health which are designed using evidence based design. Case studies of several landscape settings including healthcare, school environments and public spaces will demonstrate the principles and outcomes of evidence based design and specific characteristics which make projects successful.

I’m hoping that they tape the session so that we can share it as a resource on the Therapeutic Landscapes Network website. I’ll be sure to let you know. Won’t be blogging much this week, but I’ll be posting updates on sessions through Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so be sure to check there.

 

American Horticultural Therapy Association conference

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Annual American Horticultural Therapy Association conference. Image courtesy AHTA

2011 AHTA Annual Conference
Recovery & Rehabilitation: The Role of Horticultural Therapy in the Therapeutic Community
October 21 – 23, 2011
Asheville, North Carolina

This year’s AHTA (American Horticultural Therapy Association) Annual Conference will be held in Asheville, North Carolina, from 10/21-10/23. The conference is always chock-full of good speakers and information, and is a great way to meet like-minded professionals in healthcare, design, and related fields. This year’s keynote speaker is Sharon Young, Ph.D., Chief Recovery Program Officer & Clinical Psychologist at CooperRiis Healing Farm.  Dr. Young’s presentation, “How to Become a Recovery Revolutionary,” will open the program at the Crowne Plaza Resort.

The tours are always excellent and highly recommended as a way to immerse yourself before the conference begins. Pre-tours will be held on Friday, October 21, and conference presentations will be on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, 2011.

Visit the AHTA website for more details and to register for the conference.

The AHTA website is also a great resource for information about horticultural therapy, for those who know almost nothing about it to those who practice and want to stay informed on the latest research and innovations.

 

Engaging Our Grounds – Int’l Green Schoolyard Conference

Monday, September 5th, 2011
Berkeley Adventure Playground, Berkeley, CA. Photo by SharonDanks

Berkeley Adventure Playground, Berkeley, CA. Photo by SharonDanks

Engaging Our Grounds
2011 International Green Schoolyard Conference
September 16–18, 2011
Berkeley & San Francisco, California
www.greenschoolyards.org

I would so love to go to this conference.

The green schoolyard movement is growing rapidly and flourishing around the world.  Schools near and far are re-imagining their grounds, replacing their extensive paved surfaces with a vibrant mosaic of outdoor learning and play opportunities. Schools in many different countries are leaders in this field, finding innovative ways to weave curricula into their landscapes, diversify their recreational offerings, enhance their local ecology, and reflect their unique location and cultural context.

We are at the forefront of a new paradigm that blends education, ecology, and urban sustainability.  We invite you to join us and become an important part of this exciting movement by registering and supporting this ground-breaking event.

Participate in the first International Green Schoolyard Conference held in the United States—an exciting opportunity to learn about cutting edge schoolyards and school gardens, meet like-minded colleagues from around the world, share ideas, tour fantastic local school grounds (including the Berkeley Adventure Playground, pictured above), and get inspirational ideas for your own community.

Engaging Our Grounds will bring together leading green schoolyards practitioners from the United States and other countries to share the latest trends and innovations, case studies, best practices, and creative thinking in green schoolyard design, maintenance, curricula, advocacy, and funding partnerships. The conference will include a resource and networking fair, keynote presentations by visionary leaders of the school ground movement from Canada, England, Germany, Japan, and Sweden; tours of outstanding local school grounds; and networking time.

Learn more and register at www.greenschoolyards.org.

Thanks to Sharon Danks, conference organizer and author of the terrific new book Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation, for this information and these images.

Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo this month – Discounts for TLN members!

Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo healing garden. Image courtesy Hitchcock Design Group

Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo healing garden. Image courtesy Hitchcock Design Group

Just around the corner, with discounts for TLN members

Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo
September 20 – 22, 2011
Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

The Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo, now in its 24th year, is the original event that brings together the entire team who designs, plans, constructs and manages healthcare facilities.

This year, they will debut a Healing Garden located on the exhibit floor and created and sponsored by Hitchcock Design Group (members of the TLN’s Designers and Consultants Directory). Learn how these landscape architects are creating spaces that improve patient experience outside the building to enhance the healing process. Within this garden, a number of therapeutic elements make this space “healing.” Healing gardens benefit patients by improving medical outcomes, reducing stress and elevating the immune system. For more information visit www.hcarefacilities.com.

And we get special treatment! All Therapeutic Landscapes Network members, including anyone who joins the TLN between now and September 22, will receive a 20% discount on the full conference pass or a VIP ticket for a free pass to the Expo. VIP Tickets include admission on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 to the Keynote, the Exhibit Hall, Healing Garden, educational sessions in the Learning Lounge, and evening reception.

To join the TLN (membership is free, and you’ll receive our monthly newsletter), go to www.healinglandscapes.org/resources/newsletter.