A Matter Of Public Health And Safety

A bill pending in the New Hampshire Legislature that would remove licensing requirements for landscape architects in New Hampshire. The health, safety and well-being of the community - as well as the recovery of the local economy - are at stake.

I've been a New Englander all my life. 22 years ago I moved to Itasaro and founded Ironwood Design Group. Since inception I have worked hard and been fortunate to work with over 65 municipalities from Colebrook to Seabrook. The goal of these projects is to achieve a balance between nature and the built environment in order to create vibrant economic and social communities.

Longtime residents of New Hampshire will remember that State Street in Portsmouth was a fast-moving road in Maine. State Street also connects the historic Market Square in downtown Portsmouth to the famous Prescott Park, which hosts major events, and the historic Strawbery Bank. There are huge economic opportunities with a new vision for State Street, and I'm proud that my company was part of the team to make that vision a reality.

As well as managing traffic and revitalizing the town centre, Portsmouth City Council wanted to address a number of infrastructure issues, including separating the sewage system from stormwater. This is important for public safety, because if the rainwater goes down the drain, everything will be contaminated with sewage.

I have a particular interest in natural rainwater filtration systems. In fact, my company worked with the University of New Hampshire to design a rainwater and water quality research facility and create a design plan for the building.

Part of the challenge we face as landscape architects is that when we do our job well, it is almost invisible to most people. My business focuses almost entirely on projects that serve public spaces. I like to create a place where the community can come together.

My company envisioned a new vision for today's historic State Street, and working with CMA's engineering team, we created a space that brings people together, drives new business, and increases value. real estate.

To make State Street safer and more attractive for pedestrians, we reversed the street's pavement ratio and went from wide, fast streets with narrow sidewalks to narrow streets with slower traffic and wider sidewalks to encourage traffic. Pedestrians on local streets. work

Tree-lined streets are not only more attractive, we know they are 10 to 15 degrees cooler than those without trees. However, most street trees die and need to be replaced within 10 years, shading people and wasting money.

The design includes a tree trunk which serves a dual purpose: the root system of the tree has plenty of room to grow and the tree trunk stores plenty of rainwater. So when you see the rainwater grid next to the tree, it's because we're directing rainwater directly into the trunk of the tree. Trees not only provide shade, but also help filter impurities from water.

We also strategically designed rain gardens along the road to absorb rainwater from adjacent parking lots. Like trees, rain gardens help clean up dirt and hold water during storms, rather than flushing it all down a drain.

Wide sidewalks and a rain garden make it a more pleasant gathering place. A local business has also created additional outdoor seating, which wasn't part of our original plans, but it's a great way to show how the community has embraced the new design.

State Street is just one example of the many community projects my company is involved with in municipalities across the state. We are also working with the City of Berlin to build a mixed-use waterfront park as they diversify their economy to attract more tourists.

It's common with landscape architects that we design "everything between buildings", and that's a lot if you look around carefully. When designing spaces, landscapers consider how most people will safely use and enjoy the spaces we create, a responsibility we do not take lightly.

Because landscape architects have a significant impact on public health and safety, all 50 states and the District of Columbia require landscape architects to be licensed. Like architects and civil engineers, landscape architects must gain experience and pass a rigorous four-part exam to obtain a license.

2015 'after' photo of Ironwood Design Group's State Street project in Portsmouth. (Source: Ulin Wood Design Group)

Therefore, license revocation is a matter of public safety, and it also disqualifies New Hampshire landscape architects from bidding on public contracts in our state.

Additionally, one of the biggest challenges for me running a landscape architecture business in New Hampshire is finding and retaining qualified employees. The waterfront is an expensive place to live, and its proximity to the Boston subway makes it very difficult to attract landscape architects, especially young talent, to the north.

If we lose our license, we will not be able to obtain a license in states where landscape architects are not licensed. Combined, all of these factors make it clear that the deregulation of landscape architects is hurting business in New Hampshire.

Jeffrey R Hyland is a director at Ironwood Design Group in Portsmouth. This story was originally produced by the New Hampshire Newsletter, an independent local newsroom that allows the NH Business Review and other outlets to reprint its reporting.

Danger to public health and safety | David Seid - Legal department