This week of landscape links as we head toward 2013

Staten Island Landfill Park Proves Savior in Hurricane | Michael Kimmelman | NY Times
During Hurricane Sandy, the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island absorbed a critical part of the storm surge.

Urban renewal for the planet | Adrian Higgins | Washington Post
From a wasteland of empty lots and rundown buildings has sprung whole blocks of plush apartments, hotel suites, offices and bistros.

Living with Sandy: New York and Our Very Real Climate Change Future | Urban Omnibus
Superstorm Sandy and its continuing messy aftermath have provoked many serious conversations about New York City’s future. These range from private concerns about flood insurance and temporary housing to more public anxieties about the city as a coastal metropolis.

2012′s Notable Developments in Landscape Architecture | Charles A. Birnbaum | Huffington Post
With that said, here’s my list of 2012′s notable developments in landscape architecture

Metro Vancouver tree damage worst since 2006 storm | CBC
A week of heavy rain, snow, and wind have wreaked havoc across the Vancouver and at least 200 trees have fallen in Pacific Spirit Park, which separates Vancouver’s western edge from the UBC campus.

New Website Puts Spotlight on Blue Carbon | UNEP
Marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltwater marshes, can capture and store a significant amount of atmospheric carbon.

A Biodiversity Map, Version 2.0 | Rachel Nuwer | NY Times
“We’re not inventing anything here, we’re just implementing Wallace’s vision at an age where we have tons of DNA and more information on where species are on the planet.”

IMAGE CREDIT | Flickr user gsz (Garrett Ziegler)