CSLA Resource Library

With ecological collapse looming large—potentially surpassing the threat of climate change—it’s clear that humanity’s alteration and exploitation of landscapes pose the greatest danger to global biodiversity. Landscape architects play a vital role in reversing this trend by planning and designing places that promote ecological resilience.

In this webinar, landscape architect Alexandra Steed will explore Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), a framework for enhancing biodiversity through development. Drawing from her 20 years of experience in the UK and internationally, she will discuss practical approaches for scaling BNG, offering real-world examples. This session will provide tools for creating landscapes that restore and support biodiversity while contributing to global regeneration and climate adaptation.

Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 2:00 ET

Disability Justice and Climate Change. Because of multiple intersecting factors, people with disabilities are more vulnerable to the health effects of climate change and could be disproportionately impacted during extreme weather events. Inequalities exacerbated by climate change could be addressed and prevented, by ensuring a full and effective participation of disabled persons in climate action at all levels. This report by the Prairie Climate Centre conveys the perspectives on Disability Justice at the intersection of climate change, as expressed by participants at the event: Cripping Climate Adaptation.

The Climate Atlas of Canada is an interactive tool for citizens, researchers, businesses, and community and political leaders to learn about climate change in Canada. The articles, maps, and videos in the atlas tell a compelling story: climate change is here, it’s a serious challenge, and we can take action. The atlas can help you make sense of climate change. 

The objective of this project is to develop an interactive online mapping application which provides accurate information about the geographic distribution of the vulnerability and exposure of major Canadian communities to heat waves while also specifying, for each geographic unit, the intensity of these weather events. In our view, such tools give the public meaningful and context-appropriate information for a geographic analysis of the vulnerability of communities living in Canada’s major urban centres. With this information, public authorities will be better equipped to deal with heat waves and the health effects they can cause.

Joanna Eyquem discusses progress and examples of efforts to mainstream consideration of nature-based solutions, ranging from strategic approaches and technical guidance, to integration in municipal management and financial reporting. Presentation slides with resource links

Presented by Fadi Masoud, Parks in Action highlights the role of parks, open spaces, and the public realm in fostering climate action in Toronto. Urban green spaces range from expansive ravine networks to pocket gardens and from street rights-of-ways to schoolyards and green roofs. Regardless of their scale, they are valuable tools for urban climate change mitigation and adaptation. Toronto’s parks fulfill essential social and environmental prerogatives, including mitigating urban heat island effect, supporting biodiversity, and improving air quality. Similarly, they offer crucial water management goals and reduce the impact of extreme weather events. Well-designed parks also act as inclusive gathering places, fostering social interaction, health, and well-being. “Parks in Action” aims to demonstrate how climate action in the public realm is also generative of participatory design and social engagement—from the scale of small local installations “hubs” to “tower communities” along urban watersheds. Central to this work is the link between social equity and climate adaptation—ensuring that all communities, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds, have equal access to green infrastructure and their benefits.

This webinar is offered through landADAPT: A new continuing education program to promote building capacity through professional development opportunities for Canadian landscape architects, supported by Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Adaptation Program.

Building on a year-long internal research project, Sasaki has developed the Carbon Conscience App, a free tool to help designers assess carbon impact from the early stages of planning. In urban design projects, many decisions that lead to high carbon emissions are made early in the planning process, and so that stage offers the greatest opportunities for impacting the ultimate outcomes. How can we measure embodied carbon of our designs from the earliest concept design phase?

Eco v6 is a model that uses tree measurements and other data to estimate ecosystem services and structural characteristics of the urban or rural forest. Eco is a complete package that provides: Sampling and data collection protocols - For plot-based sample projects, total population estimates and standard error of estimates are calculated based on sampling protocols. For complete inventories, eco calculates values for each tree. Flexible data collection options – Use the mobile data collection system with web-enabled smartphones, tablets or traditional paper sheets. Automated processing - A central computing engine that makes estimates of the forest effects based on peer-reviewed scientific equations to predict environmental and economic benefits. Reports - Summary reports that include charts, tables and a written report.

Pathfinder is a web-based application allows registered users to estimate the carbon footprint and time to carbon neutral for landscape projects based on site design and management. It may be used for projects in the design phase or already completed projects. The only required inputs are project type, site boundaries, and percentage of impervious and pervious surface; however, supplying more information will result in a more accurate estimate. Users enter project type, define site boundaries, and supply the site’s percentage of pervious and impervious surface. Users may then enter detailed information about their project regarding materials and site features like paving; walls, curbs, and headers; fences and gates; site elements; drainage and irrigation; subsurface elements, and mulch and soil. Users may then enter information on carbon sinks including wetlands, trees, lawn, and shrubs. Finally, users may enter information on maintenance including gas- and electric-powered equipment and fertilizer. The output is the Climate Positive Design Scorecard, which includes estimated years to carbon neutral for the project, amount of carbon sequestered and net impact over time up to 100 years, and embodied carbon profile. The site also provides design suggestions to help designers reduce the carbon footprint in the design phase. 

Our world is grappling with complex challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and socioeconomic inequality. Those that plan, design, and engineering our communities and ecosystems have a pivotal role in shaping solutions that promote future resilience. In this webinar, internationally recognized landscape architect Pamela Conrad will share insights into addressing these crises through tangible approaches. She will introduce Pathfinder 3.0, Climate Positive Design Toolkit strategies, and highlight project examples emphasizing Nature-based Solutions. This session offers tools and guidance for integrating ecological, social, and economic benefits into projects while contributing to global efforts to combat climate and biodiversity challenges.

How do we halve the emissions of the built environment this decade?  How can landscape architects, architects, planners and engineers be agents of mitigation and systems change?  Kelly Alvarez Doran speaks to the unique agency and advocacy landscape architects and designers have to address the challenges we face, sharing recent work focused on low-carbon, climate adaptive design approaches to landscape and public infrastructure.

Joanna Eyquem discusses progress and examples of efforts to mainstream consideration of nature-based solutions, ranging from strategic approaches and technical guidance, to integration in municipal management and financial reporting.