Start Date
04/29/2025
End Date
04/29/2025
Description
Rural cemeteries were among the first public landscapes in America to adopt expansive formal lawns, a legacy with far-reaching ecological, social, and financial consequences. Today, in the face of the climate crisis, The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is working to adopt compelling alternatives, from less resource-intensive grass species to testing strategies for low native meadows. Learn the benefits and challenges of these approaches, understand what it takes to steward these dynamic plantings in a cultural landscape, and see how they could have applications beyond cemeteries.
Distance Learning
Yes
Course Equivalency
No
Subjects
Historic Preservation
Residential Design
Sustainable Development & Design
Health, Safety and Welfare
No
Hours
1.50
Learning Outcomes
Analyze the historical significance of rural cemeteries in establishing lawn-focused landscapes in America and get a basic understanding of their long-term environmental, social, and economic impacts.
Identify key site preparation strategies for transitioning from ornamental turf to alternative plantings, with particular focus on the challenges that are posed by changing climate conditions and controlling invasive warm-season grasses.
Understand various management approaches for maintaining taller vegetation in historic cemetery landscapes, including strategies for balancing aesthetic expectations with ecological benefits.
Instructors
Sara Evans & Jenna Webster
Course Codes
Provider
New Directions in the American Landscape