Side-by-side graphic of a black-and-white border collie named Birdie. Left side labeled “Reality” shows the dog with the caption “Steals muffins off the counter.” Right side labeled “LinkedIn” shows the same image with the caption “Strategic operations specialist conducting high-speed retrieval of priority resources within mixed-use operational zones.” The name “Birdie” appears centered below.

We're back! Reality vs. LinkedIn, office dog edition

Promotional graphic for the Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS). The top banner displays the CRIS logo with bilingual text reading “Climate Ready Infrastructure Service” and “Le Service pour des infrastructures adaptées au climat.” Below, circular photos show a pipeline through a forest, hands holding a small evergreen seedling, a sandy shoreline, and a bridge structure. A central white banner reads “Announcing: The Roster of Climate and Infrastructure Experts.” The background features abstract leaf and globe motifs in green and gold tones. Logos of the Canadian Urban Institute and the Government of Canada appear at the bottom.

LADR is now part of the Climate Ready Infrastructure Service’s Roster of Experts, helping communities across Canada integrate low‑carbon and climate‑resilient design. Learn more: climatereadycanada.ca

A calm, reflective view from Dow’s Lake in Ottawa. A dense line of green trees and shrubs stretches along the opposite shore, their shapes softly mirrored in the still water below a pale sky made hazy by forest fire smoke.

Part of our team is in Ottawa this week, on unceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory, for the 2025 CSLA Congress. We are excited to be learning, making new connections, and contributing to important conversations about issues that affect our neighbours and communities.

#BCSLA

As landscape architects, we work every day to bridge policy and place. We remain committed to designing spaces that honour cultural histories, restore ecosystems, and support future generations.

#BCSLA #cdnpoli

To the incoming government: we urge you to prioritize reconciliation initiatives and Indigenous sovereignty, not in name only, but in action. Centre climate adaptation, invest in projects rooted in equity, and support policies that empower communities and care for the land.

#BCSLA #cdnpoli

Landscape architecture doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Our work is shaped by the policies, priorities, and leadership chosen by voters. Decisions made today influence how we address climate resilience, housing, Indigenous sovereignty, urban design, and infrastructure for years to come.

#BCSLA #cdnpoli

As the results of the Canadian federal election settle in, we reflect on what this moment means for our profession and on our responsibility as landscape architects to the land, to communities, and to future generations.

#BCSLA #cdnpoli

✨ We’re thrilled to share that Bev Windjack, LADR's Founding Principal, has been inducted into the CSLA College of Fellows for her decades of leadership, climate advocacy, and service to the profession.

We’re so proud — and so lucky — to work alongside her.

#WomenInDesign #VictoriaBC #BCSLA #CSLA

Wide-angle photo of a large, modern playground. The playground is filled with children and adults enjoying various wooden play structures, swings, and slides. The space is enclosed by fencing, with pathways and young trees surrounding it. In the background, rows of new houses and construction sites are visible, with a clear blue sky and distant mountains providing a scenic backdrop.

We had a great time last week at the Quarry Park playground opening! Great weather, great turnout, endless fun for all ages. Check it out by the Quality Foods in Royal Bay.

#BCSLA

Colorful Earth Day graphic featuring a mosaic of eco-themed icons in shades of green and blue. The icons include trees, leaves, bicycles, recycling symbols, water droplets, a globe, solar panels, a light bulb, a heart, and various nature-related patterns. The text on the left reads 'Happy Earth Day' and 'April 22'. The overall design conveys themes of sustainability, environmental protection, and celebration of nature.

🌎 This Earth Day, we reflect on what it means to design with the land.

Let’s move from sustainability to regeneration, from ownership to responsibility.

Together, we can root design in justice and grow a future where every community thrives in reciprocity with the Earth.

#earthday #bcsla

a portrait of Tenochtitlan a 3D reconstruction of the capital of the Aztec Empire

We’re not affiliated, but had to share this powerful project passed along by LADR PM Andrea:

Before colonial conquest, there was Tenochtitlan — a marvel of Indigenous engineering and urban design. This stunning visual project reclaims what colonization tried to erase.
🔗 tenochtitlan.thomaskole.nl

Honoring the land starts with honoring the language. This National Indigenous Languages Day, we celebrate the richness of xʷsépsəm lək̓ʷáŋən and the deep roots of Indigenous ecological wisdom.

Explore plant-related words and phrases ⬇️

#LanguageRevitalization #FirstVoices #VictoriaBC

New research shows income inequality is fueling carbon emissions in Canada. As landscape architects, we’re reminded that designing for climate resilience and designing for social equity go hand in hand.

Victoria’s popular blossoms are a tribute to efforts by the deep-rooted Japanese community Blossoming trees like cherry and plum account for nearly one in four public trees in Victoria

The history behind Victoria's iconic cherry and plum trees 🌸

#yyj #victoriabc #spring

A little happy for your feed 🎶

Red-flowering currant in bloom - a sure sign of spring on the island!

xʷixʷk̓ʷiɫč (lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ)
W̱IW̱QIȽĆ (SENĆOŦEN)
Groseillier à fleurs(French)
Ribes sanguineum (Scientific)

Find more plant info at greatplantpicks.org/plantlists/view/1343

For landscape architects, this is more than just a fun tool. It’s a reminder that the land has a deep history, long before cities, roads, or even trees. Thinking about deep time helps us approach design with humility, respect, and curiosity. 🌎💡

Ancient Earth Earth looked very different long ago. Search for addresses across 750 million years of Earth's history.

Ever wondered what your favorite landscape looked like 470 million years ago? Thanks to the Ancient Earth interactive map, you can explore how shifting continents, evolving ecosystems, and prehistoric climates shaped the land we design on today!

😒

DENSE CITY PODCAST REBECCA MAYERS

Looking for some #CanadianContent for your #podcast playlist and interested in urban planning and design? We recommend Dense City Podcast where co-hosts Dr. Rebecca Mayers and Isaac Keast meet with academics to discuss their research on cities.

Investing in parks, flood protection, & resilient streets = investing in health, safety, & community well-being. Landscape architects have the solutions—now we need continued policies & funding.

Image Credit: Berger Partnership / Built Work Photography

We love art inspired by nature, and Shiyuan Xu’s porcelain sculptures are a perfect example: delicate, intricate, and full of organic energy.

Xu’s work reminds us that design is everywhere, from the landscapes we shape to the unseen worlds under a microscope 🔬

#NatureInspired #Art #Science

Webinar Series Français Environment and Climate Change Canada is hosting a free series of webinars to build capacity on environmental justice and environmental racism to inform the development of a national strategy...

The Advancing Environmental Equity webinar series explores environmental justice & racism in Canada, building capacity to inform a national strategy.

Learn from experts, engage in solutions & help shape a more just future.

Sign up for free ⬇️

Webinar title slide with a white background and green, blue, and yellow abstract design elements that resemble leaves. The text reads: 'Environmental Burden & Socio-Economic Impacts, Environmental Justice Webinar Series, March 6, 2025.' Logos of Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Government of Canada appear at the bottom.

Nicola is attending the ECCC's Advancing Environmental Equity webinar series.

Today's webinar explores the application of distributive justice in enviro racism & justice, tackling inequitable burdens & pathways to better outcomes for impacted communities in Canada.

enviroequity.ca/webinar-series

Why is the colour blue so rare in nature? Blue is a very prominent colour on earth. But when it comes to nature, blue is very rare. Less than 1 in 10 plants have blue flowers and far fewer animals are blue.

💙 Did you know? Plants do not produce true blue pigment. Only about 10% of flowers appear blue to human eyes, and this is thanks to light reflection.

#gardening

A side-by-side comparison of a playground construction site before and after the installation of poured-in-place (PIP) rubber surfacing. The left image shows a dark rubber base with bright orange spray paint markings indicating the design layout. The right image showcases the completed, colorful rubber surfacing with blue, beige, and yellow sections, along with circular stepping elements integrated into the design. The wooden playground structures remain the same in both images, with accessible ramps and railings visible. A white arrow between the images highlights the transformation.

Checking in on a PIP rubber install 🌈

✔️ Impact-absorbing for softer landings
✔️ Seamless & accessible for all abilities
✔️ Low maintenance (bye, wood chips)
✔️ Custom colors, shapes & designs 🎨
✔️ Play elements built right in

It's not just about safety, it’s part of the #play experience too!

#BCSLA

Are you a resident of View Royal looking for a new garden plot? There are still a few garden plots left in View Royal Park for this season!
Please email the View Royal Community Garden Society at viewroyalcommunitygardens@gmail.com for availability or other garden plot questions.
Happy gardening 🌻🌷

A photograph of a forest with tall, straight trees and a forest floor covered in a network of exposed tree roots. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting a warm glow. Overlaying the image is a centered quote in white text that reads: "In times of uncertainty, nature reminds us that strength is in solidarity, beauty in complexity, and survival in togetherness. Even when the surface is shaken, we are steadied by what lies beneath." A small geometric logo is below the text. At the bottom of the image, a caption in italics states: "Photo taken on Skwxwú7mesh traditional territory." The image is framed by a white border.

Amidst uncertainty, nature reminds us: strength is in solidarity, beauty in complexity, & survival in togetherness. Even when the surface is shaken, we are steadied by what lies beneath.

Next time you walk a forest path, remember the unseen forces that bind it all & the quiet ties that hold us too.

Resilience Pathways Report | Insights for Disaster and Climate Risk Management The whole of society approach to defining the resilience pathways for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in BC, Canada.

LADR Founding Principal Bev Windjack, BCSLA, & Harshan Radhakrishnan, P.Eng., explore how PAs can lead the charge in DRR & climate adaptation in their article, "The Role of Professional Associations in Disaster Risk Reduction," part of Chapter 3 of the Resilience Pathways Report (2022).

#BCSLA