Design-Build & Consulting

We directly influence design and avoid common pitfalls by applying our experience in native landscaping and ecological restoration. Working with our in-house landscape architects in a design-build capacity or working on a consulting basis with your design team or regulatory agency, we help streamline the design and permitting process ensuring you receive the right solution for your project.

We identify and avoid common problems with site issues, construction schedule, construction methods, and performance criteria. Examples include issues with site soils or engineered soil mixes; plant availability; timing of installation; herbivory protection; appropriate drainage structures; realistic performance criteria and monitoring protocol; and accurate install or maintenance budgeting. By avoiding these problems at the outset, we save our clients time, money, and provide lasting solutions.

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Featured Case Study:

Pine Dunes

Quality Products & Labor

Native landscapes and restoration differ significantly from “traditional” landscaping. They require knowledge of a different plant pallet, utilize unique installation or maintenance methods and timing, employ specialized equipment, and are highly dependent upon the use of applied science and experienced labor.

Our management staff possess degrees in the environmental sciences and practical field experience. Our field staff are full-time union laborers with decades of experience specific to landscaping and restoration. We are dedicated to year-round employment of our employees, ensuring that their specialized experience and institutional knowledge remain a benefit to our clients.

The quality of native seed and plants used in a project has a direct impact on permit sign-off. We have relationships with reputable suppliers who provide us with native seed that’s been tested for viability and plants that pass our established standard for quality.

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Featured Case Study:

MWRD Blue Island

Stewardship & Monitoring

Sometimes native landscapes or natural areas are sold as “no maintenance” landscapes, however this is simply not the case…especially when seeking permit sign-off. Beginning immediately after installation, we utilize an adaptive management approach where we alter our maintenance strategies based on weather, site conditions, and performance goals.

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Critical to permit sign-off, vegetative monitoring is typically a requirement by the permitting agency. We approach this in two ways. First, regardless of permit requirements we employ an internal quality control assessment of each site to determine performance as it relates to our own standard of quality. Second, we utilize a formalized monitoring protocol where scientific data is gathered by our project ecologist and incorporated into an annual report. The report documents the progress towards meeting performance and outlays additional steps needed to attain permit sign-off on time.

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Featured Case Study:

Chicago Botanic Garden