April Newsletter – What Does Landscape Architecture Mean to You?

April is World Landscape Architecture Month

April is World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM). Established by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), WLAM is a month-long international celebration of landscape architecture and designed public and private spaces.

This year ASLA asks: “What does landscape architecture mean to you?” To our team, it means creating vibrant, inclusive, and meaningful spaces that bring people together and improve our communities. To see some of these spaces our landscape architects have created, click here.

Supplying the blueprint for a lasting legacy: BETA collaborates with the Laura’s Garden Foundation

Established in 2021, the Laura’s Garden Foundation honors the life and legacy of Laura Kirsche Hart – a beloved wife, mother of three, elementary school teacher, and member of the Wethersfield, CT community who unexpectedly passed away last year. A cancer survivor, Laura was known for her courage and grace, and she loved spending time with her family at Standish Park in Old Wethersfield, CT.

With a personal connection to Laura and the family she leaves behind, BETA is honored to collaborate with the foundation and donate landscape architecture services to provide a blueprint for Laura’s Garden, a nautilus-shaped memorial garden that will serve as a tranquil gathering place in the park for friends, family, and community members. The garden will feature granite benches with wood inlays, seasonal plants, a flowering tree, and a small water fountain with a river stone basin to celebrate the historic beauty of the community and to personify the strength and joy of Laura.

For more information on Laura, the Foundation, and BETA’s blueprint for the garden, please visit www.laurasgarden.me.

Celebrating and honoring Frederick Law Olmsted

April 26, 2022 marks Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200^th birthday. Olmsted, who is regarded as the founder of American landscape architecture and the country’s most prominent park maker, is known for designing the grounds of New York City’s Central Park, the landscape surrounding the US Capitol, the Biltmore Estates in North Carolina, and more. After his death in 1903, his sons continued their father’s 38-year career as the Olmsted Brothers.

The landscape architects at BETA have been fortunate to work on updates to several parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, including Walnut Hill Park in New Britain, Connecticut. The team was recently challenged with introducing accessible parking and access to the landscape at the John Brown House Museum in Providence, which was originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the early 1900s. Working with the The Rhode Island Historical Society, the team created a design (displayed above) that strikes a careful balance of providing enhanced accessibility, while also maintaining and respecting the rich history of the site and the legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted. Read more about this project here.

Welcome to the team!

Tricia O’Grady Howard, RLA, LEED AP BD+C, SITES AP joins BETA as a Landscape Architect in our Hartford office. Tricia is a University of Massachusetts Olmsted Scholar and received ASLA Student Honors for her design work constructing a multi-modal greenway and tourist network, and integrating a park system that supports the local economy. She has worked extensively on streetscapes, schools and campuses, and municipal and commercial projects ranging from schematic design through construction. Tricia’s experience with low impact development, ecological design, ADA accessibility, grading, and drainage will be a major asset to our growing team.

Rachel Langhill joins BETA as a Marketing Coordinator. Rachel is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing & Rhetoric in 2017. Rachel brings proposal coordination, B2B sales, social media advertising, and CRM management experience to the firm. She will work closely with BETA’s marketing and business development teams on proposal submissions and marketing initiatives.

Elyse Tripp joins BETA as a Staff Scientist in the Environmental Services group, operating out of our Worcester office. Elyse is a wetland scientist with experience in ecological restorations, lead abatement and removal, and coastal shoreline cleanups. Her work includes support on the Nemasket River Ecological Restoration Project in Middleborough-Lakeville, MA where she performed permitting and design to remove evasive plant species.

Do you want to become an employee owner?

We are currently looking for talented staff across many of our disciplines in offices throughout New England. BETA will challenge you with interesting work and offers the potential for growth and advancement. Browse our current job openings.

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