October 7, 2022

GENUS ASSOCIATE SPEAKS AT THE ISA 2022 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Team G member Grant Thompson, Ph.D., PLA, ALSA, ISA, spoke as a panelist alongside Deborah Hilbert, Johan Östberg, and Cecil Konijnendijk at the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) 2022 Annual International Conference in Malmo, Sweden. The team of four presented, “Widening the Funnel: Understanding and Addressing Low Urban Tree Diversity” which touched on efforts of tree diversity in the urban environment and how the overuse of planted tree species threatens the resilience of the urban forest. Grant presented the findings of ‘Conceptualizing the Human Drivers of Low Tree Diversity in Planted Urban Landscapes’, a research paper that aimed to detail the complex cycle of tree producers and consumers. The paper identifies the problem (producers tend to grow only what is profitable and consumers only purchase what is available) and creates a conceptual framework that can be used as an educational resource and aid in finding solutions to increasing tree diversity in urban environments.

Attending events such as this one allows members at Genus to grow professionally and educate our Team and clients. Traveling internationally also allowed Grant to see how urban environments through a different lens – A successful trip of teaching and learning!

 

Click here to view ‘Conceptualizing the Human Drivers of Low Tree Diversity in Planted Urban Landscapes’.

 

September 30, 2022

2022 IOWA ASLA AWARDS | COMMUNITY VISIONING

Genus has had the opportunity to work with Iowa communities as a part of Community Visioning, a planning and research program that seeks to empower Iowa communities by providing design resources. Team G member Dylan Jones was awarded an Honor Award in the Planning and Analysis category as a part of the 2022 ALSA Awards for his contributions to the Community Visioning Program, directed by Iowa State Professor Julia Badenhope. This award allowed Genus to reflect on the past 16 years of partnering with Community Visioning, and the opportunity it provided to work alongside Trees Forever, Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Program as well as ISU students and community residents in developing transportation enhancement plans and improving the overall identity of a community. It has been a privilege to collaborate with 20 communities across Iowa and provide resources that aim to improve the lives of those who live there.

 

September 16, 2022

2022 IOWA ASLA AWARDS | DES MOINES CATHOLIC PASTORAL CENTER

Genus is honored to be recognized in the 2022 Iowa ASLA Awards for our work on the Des Moines Catholic Pastoral Center in Des Moines. Designed by well-known modern architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the 1960’s, the primary goal of this project was to rehabilitate the historically significant plaza while respecting the original design intent. Now home to Catholic Pastoral Center, the site is deemed a Local Landmark since early 1990’s by the Des Moines City Council and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places [ NRHP ].