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Dear MD ASLA Community,
I am teaching an Environmental Resources course this semester at Morgan State University. We have been discussing ecosystem services and yesterday took a field trip to Marshy Point Nature Center with Eric Hadaway. Eric is the Director of Environmental Services at Daft, McCune, Walker, and a fount of knowledge on all topics related to wetland delineation, forest stand delineation, mitigation, soils, you name it.
Over the past few months, I have also spent a considerable amount of time along the edge of the Inner Harbor. Early morning walks with my puppy, Chappie. Early evening walks with Chaps. And at noon.
My point is that I feel like I have a hyper awareness of the delicate balance of our ecosystem right now. Particularly as it is evidenced through the health of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Since May, Chappie and I have seen ducks, with their strings of ducklings, geese and their goslings, lots of crabs, a few turtles, and one morning a very regal blue heron wading by the Science Center. It is so heartening to witness an active and productive ecosystem right in the midst of our city. But then last week there was a fish kill that resulted in thousands of dead fish floating on the surface of the water.
While it turns out that it was not the result of man-made pollution, or a toxin in the harbor, it was still disturbing. Scientists have called it a “thermal inversion” caused by the recent cold temperatures coming so early in the fall. The upper water gets colder and heavier and flips places with the water at the bottom. Fish and crabs that normally live at the bottom of the harbor can’t get the oxygen they need, so they die and float up to the surface. Although not caused by an oil spill or something similar, these cold temperatures at night are a direct result of climate change and that is definitely attributed to human behavior. And that brings me to the ASLA Climate Action Plan and our Chapter’s contribution to this vision.
As I get ready to hand over the leadership as President of MD ASLA, I have been reflecting on this busy year. One year is not nearly enough time to make a difference or affect any true change, but I am pleased with one thing I accomplished as Chapter President. I am proud to be a part of the Professional Development / Climate Action Committee and to have helped make the Climate Action Plan Challenge for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed a reality. We received some innovative and inspiring submissions and were able to grant award money to three student teams thanks to our sponsors, Grace E. Fielder, President of Grace E. Fielder & Associates, and Tracey Friedly of Nolan Brands. Thank you both! All submissions will be exhibited at the National ASLA Conference on the Expo floor, so please stop by and take a look for yourselves.
The ecosystem is a delicate dance and landscape architects can help to improve the balance and harmony of our natural areas and systems. It is wonderful to see graduate students in our region thinking along these lines and bringing a vision for climate action into their work in studio. It gives me hope for the future of our profession and for the future of our natural resources.
I hope to see you all at the ASLA Conference in a few weeks. If not, I hope to see you at the Happy Hour on Tuesday, October 8th (details in the newsletter)!
Many thanks,
Sarah Trautvetter, ASLA
2024 MDASLA President
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