Michael Van Valkenburgh explains Landscape Urbanism in a short video to Popular Mechanics as part of Detroit 2025: After the Recession, a City Reimagined
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Green space skills: 2009 National employer survey findings, a survey commissioned by CABE and English Heritage, is the first to reveal the full extent of skills shortages in the green space sector in the UK. The report has found that 14.9% of national employers found landscape architects hard to recruit due to skills shortage. Landscape architects were also on top of the table as the hardest to recruit out of all the green space skills. 22% of respondents from the Private sector stated that it was harder to find landscape architects whereas only 8.5 of respondents in the Public Sector found it hard to find landscape architects due to a skills shortage. Green space skills shows an urgent need to address the skills shortfall to tackle climate change. Planning, design and management are what are needed to help to adapt green spaces to a changing climate, and these were exactly the skills which employers felt their staff most lacked. The report also identified several priorities to counter the shortage including: - Develop and maintain a strong evidence base to make the case for investment in green space skills - Improve the availability and quality of training, including continual professional development - Increase awareness of the sector and the opportunities it offers, to encourage more people into the sector Download the report at the [SOURCE: CABE] ![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=95333add-f2af-44f3-99a6-a1b47e944db4)  Image via Wikipedia Beijng is planning to build six lakes and two wetlands along the currently dry Yongding River (known as the Mother River of Beijing). Part of the river flows for 170 kilometres through several districts of Beijing. The six lakes to be constructed are Mencheng Lake, Lianshi Lake, Xiaoyue Lake, Wanping Lake, Daning Lake, and Daotian Lake, and will 50 kilometers long and 270-hectare water area. Recently, the construction of Wanping Lake and Lianshi Lake started simultaneously at the lower reaches of the Yongding River. These lakes and wetlands are part of a bigger ecological corridor 170km long project which is budget to cost 17 billion yuan (2.5 billion USD). The water required for the project is 130 million cubic meters is needed to recover Yongding River, and the water will mainly come from reclaimed water and rain. The Qinghe, Xiaohongmen, Lugou Bridge, Wulituo and Mencheng reclaimed water plants will help provide Yongding River with quality water resources that meet the three-star surface water standard. In addition, two million cubic meters of rain can be stored every year for use. A wetland will be built at the upper reaches of every lake in order to further purify the water and ensure that the water in the Yongding River can meet the three or even four-star standard of surface water. The four lakes will be constructed and filled with water by the end of 2010. The bigger 170 kilometers long ecological corridor projects will be completed by 2014. Bond University located on the Gold Coast of Australia is to introduce a new school of architecture due to the increasing demand for sustainably built environments. The new school will open in January 2011 in a newly built 6-star Green Star rated School of Sustainable Development building. The Soheil Abedian School of Architecture will offer 50 commencing places in 2011 for the six semester undergraduate program. Professor George Earl, who will oversee the establishment of the School said, “The demand to design living environments that are sustainable and to address climate change issues are increasing exponentially. “Climate change has required we evolve the way we design buildings. Two years ago, the school undertook a survey of green rated building in Australia with 12 projects identified. The survey is currently being repeated but with 140 projects now participating. Professor George Earl, who will oversee the establishment of the School said, “The demand to design living environments that are sustainable and to address climate change issues are increasing exponentially. “Climate change has required we evolve the way we design buildings. Two years ago, the school undertook a survey of green rated building in Australia with 12 projects identified. The survey is currently being repeated but with 140 projects now participating. ![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=21cb34ad-96f5-4400-b2a8-4aa8eedffa21) Natural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have published Green Belts: a Greener Future. The first major survey of the environmental state of Green Belt land and the benefits it provides for people and wildlife. Helen Phillips, Natural England’s Chief Executive, said: “By containing urban sprawl, the Green Belt has been a great success story of post-war planning. We need to look at ways in which it can expand on its success to date and play a full role in supporting England’s wider network of protected areas and open spaces. The Green Belt is an important environmental resource that, managed effectively, can help tackle climate change, support wildlife and provide health and leisure opportunities for millions to enjoy.” Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive of CPRE, said: “This report confirms that the countryside around our largest and most historic towns and cities is a vital, but fragile, environmental asset. We must continue to strengthen our Green Belts and make full use of the opportunities they provide to allow people to appreciate their local countryside. Where Green Belt land is underused, or in poor condition, the answer is to improve its quality, not to build on it.” 30 million people live in or next to Green Belts which cover 13% of the land surface of England. Download website for Summary and Full Report of Green Belts: a Greener Future ![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=7fadffe9-d1cf-4197-b8d5-c1d3b792ce37) |
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