Mr. Erik Lees is a member of the APALA, NALA (Nunavut), the BCSLA and is a Registered Professional Planner. He became a Fellow of the CSLA in 2015. He is a founding member and first president of the Green Burial Society of Canada.
Erik’s career grew from his horticulture and parks work in the BC interior, beginning in the early 1970’s. A horticulture apprenticeship led to the Ontario Diploma in Horticulture (Landscape Design) and on to a BLA at the University of British Columbia (1992). He worked for 20 years as a Parks Manager for the Cities of Nelson and West Vancouver. It was during this time he was the chair of the BC Marine Protected Areas working group which led to the first MPA in Canada, off the shores of West Vancouver.
His interest in parks and cemetery management became his passion and the founding vision of LEES+Associates in 1998. He is perhaps best known for his leadership and innovation in cemeteries as community green space keystones and places of meaning. He has led projects across Canada, including the Yukon, Nunavut, in the United States, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa.
The CSLA and the ASLA have recognized his team for their work in cemeteries, outdoor recreation and public memorials. Erik continues to write and lecture on the importance of cemeteries and places of remembrance.
