The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Fund has recently announced the recipients of $25,000 in national competitive grants to support research in landscape architecture solutions to climate and biodiversity. The grant awardees, Dr. Daniella Hirschfeld from Utah State University and Dr. Sohyun Park from the University of Connecticut, will conduct research that highlights the benefits of landscape architecture in addressing these challenges.

 
Dr. Daniella Hirschfeld, an Assistant Professor at Utah State University, will focus on landscape architecture and nature-based solutions to combat extreme heat. Her research aims to identify effective design strategies that not only reduce temperatures but also sequester carbon, protect biodiversity, and mitigate climate risks.

Dr. Sohyun Park, an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut, will explore landscape architecture solutions to address the biodiversity crisis. Her research will identify design strategies that promote biodiversity and ecological gains while also improving water quality and management, sequestering carbon, and reducing climate risks.

ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Conneen emphasized their focus on combatting climate change in stating, "While we were developing our Climate Action Plan, landscape architects told us what they needed most was authoritative evidence that demonstrates all the great benefits of their work. We are thrilled to work with Sohyun and Daniella on moving this critically important research forward."

https://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=64004