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November 2024 | LandStudies LandStudies was founded in 1989 with the sole mission to preserve the environment by understanding and working with natural systems instead of artificially controlling them. Over the past 34 years, LandStudies has assessed over 200 square ...

September 2024 | LandStudies LandStudies provides a range of services related to the interaction of land and streams. Over the past 35 years, we have designed and implemented hundreds of successful projects, pioneering innovative solutions to water resources issues. We ...

Many people think once a “natural” landscape (i.e., one that is made up of native plants and mimics the site pre-human involvement – like warm-season grass meadows and restored streambank buffers) is installed you can walk away and let it ...

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Making golf courses more ecologically sustainable is something that LandStudies has been involved with for more than 15 years. That is why we were pleased to see that the Environmental Protection Agency is now partnering with the Golf Course Superintendents ...

A group of our Field Supervisors and Landscape Architects recently took a day to visit native plant nurseries and two of our recent projects at Longwood Gardens and Mount Cuba Center. At the first tour, we went to Octoraro Native ...

During the summer of 2022, Salisbury Township, LandStudies, and other partners began restoring approximately 1,615 linear feet of floodplain and 2.69 acres of wetland within Gap Park along two severely eroded and unstable tributaries to Pequea Creek. By removing legacy sediment, ...

Eleven water quality projects in Lancaster County, including the Conewago Creek Floodplain Restoration, were bolstered with nearly $3.5 million from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. To celebrate this largest-ever investment in the county’s water quality, LandStudies staff ...

LandStudies staff recently took members of the Cocalico Creek Watershed Association, neighboring landowners, and scientists from The Nature Conservancy on a tour of the Cocalico Creek Floodplain Restoration project in West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, to highlight the benefits of ...

After several years of planning and preparation, the Bull Run Greenway and Kidsburg Nature Playground were officially opened in late June 2022. LandStudies President Kelly Gutshall attended the opening ceremony and said, “This project is a great example of how ...

The Landis Homes wetlands and floodplain restoration was a popular tour associated with this year’s Lancaster County Water Week.  Participants included group tours from local senior living communities who enjoyed learning about the wetlands and floodplain restoration project that was ...

LandStudies own Kelly Gutshall and Eric Lyons, along with local officials and residents including Lancaster County Commissioners Ray D’Agostino, Joshua Parsons, and John Trescot, gathered on June 24, 2022, to celebrate the dedication of the Marietta Iron Furnace Park. This ...

We would like to congratulate our friend and colleague, Dr. Dorothy Merritts, geosciences professor at Franklin & Marshall College, for being the first F&M faculty to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences! This is one of the highest ...

Raising awareness about the role legacy sediment plays in stream ecology is a primary goal for LandStudies. That is why we recently partnered with colleagues at Franklin and Marshall College, Dr. Bob Walter and Dorothy Merritts, to take Natural Resources ...

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A recent article by WUSA 9 discusses why recent rains at the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms golf course in Potomac, MD didn’t stop the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship on May 5-8. It was thanks to the floodplain restoration work ...

[Article originally posted in 2019] Proper maintenance of natural landscapes is essential to the long-term success of the functional aspects as well as the outward beauty that landscapes provide. LandStudies’ team of professionals includes expertise in proper year-round maintenance and ...

LandStudies’ MS4 Program Manager, Mike LaSala, CPMSM, was recently appointed to serve on the Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Goal Implementation Team, which is one of six goal implementation teams working to meet the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement ...

The Chesapeake Watershed Initiative (CWI) at Franklin & Marshall College is a brand new collaborative that will use applied research and knowledge, education, and outreach to achieve stewardship and restoration goals within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This will build upon ...

“By virtue of its function and purpose, floodplain restoration enables the project to utilize the floodplain area in a storm water capacity. While the primary goal is restoration, the secondary benefit is that storm water management requirements for a development ...

Registration is now open for the winter Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) certification program Level 1 training. This interactive three-day course will combine online learning with a field day.  LandStudies' Nick Myers is a certified CBLP Trainer and will be ...

What: LandStudies Director of Design, Ben Ehrhart, will be presenting on the topic of using the floodplain restoration approach to managing stormwater during a webinar hosted by the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center. When: November 10, 2020 @ 1pm How to ...

LandStudies is pleased to expand our services with our new Urban Forestry Department. Our urban forestry expert, Michael Dunn, works to preserve and protect existing tree cover so communities can address regulatory requirements while realizing the financial, environmental and aesthetic ...

Save the date for the fourth annual Lancaster Water Week happening August 7-15th! This year’s events include a mix of self-guided tours, virtual lectures, and opportunities for the whole family to get involved. LandStudies will be sharing our approach to ...

In collaboration with the Cocalico Creek Watershed Association and a private landowner, LandStudies designed and constructed a stream restoration project along approximately 500 feet of the Cocalico Creek in West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, PA. The project is designed to ...

Several Churches in the City of Lancaster have adopted measures to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage and other pollutants into waterways from aging stormwater infrastructure. Saint James Episcopal Church and Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster (CMCL) are highlighted in ...

Combining recreational amenities with efforts to improve water quality and control stormwater are a win-win for communities. LandStudies worked closely with the City of Lancaster and the land development consultant, Lancaster Civil, to develop a master plan and design for ...

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LandStudies’ approach to landscape design uses a customized process that includes site assessment, feasibility, and value analysis to provide consistent, creative, and cost-effective solutions. Our landscape architects and support team are creative design professionals who understand natural system succession and ...

Congratulations to LandStudies’ President, Kelly Gutshall, for being honored with the Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation through PennFuture’s Celebrating Women in Conservation Awards. This award celebrates the lifetime accomplishments of a remarkable woman who has made a difference by ...

LandStudies is thrilled to welcome our new staff member, Cory Rathman! Cory is a Professional Engineer and Project Manager who will be working on water resources engineering and business development for the company. Cory’s previous experience includes 20+ years of ...

Read our December newsletter here! ...

LandStudies’ project along Kurtz Run in Lancaster County shows promise as an example of how floodplain restoration can result in improvement of hyporheic exchange within the system and how that improvement can benefit the health of the system. Issue One ...

Proper maintenance of natural landscapes is essential to the long-term success of the functional aspects as well as the outward beauty that landscapes provide. LandStudies’ team of professionals includes expertise in proper year-round maintenance and offers these tips for maintaining ...

Eric Lyons is a Registered Landscape Architect and Project Manager specializing in sustainable site design and green master planning through the use of native plants, stormwater best management practices, and watershed planning. Eric applies his love of sustainable design to ...

Kelly Gutshall, LandStudies President, is the recipient of Penn State University’s 2018 Arts and Architecture Alumni Award for Landscape Architecture. The award is given to one alumni recipient within each of Penn State’s departments to recognize career achievements in the ...

Read our September Newsletter here! ...

Dr. Doug Tallamy is the distinguished professor of ecology at the University of Delaware renowned for his research on the ecosystem services of plants. His best-selling books Bringing Nature Home and The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in ...

Reid Garner is a Professional Engineer and Water Resource Engineer for LandStudies who has been with the firm for 3 years. Reid manages stream restoration and stormwater management projects from conceptual modeling through detailed design, permitting and construction. Reid explains, ...

Congratulations to the Landis Homes group of environmental volunteers, the Friends of the Woods and Wetlands, who recently received LeadingAge PA’s Distinguished Service Award for the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award.  “This award recognizes individuals or groups who have ...

The video above shows how waterfowl are making themselves at home at the Santo Domingo Regional Water Quality Facility, which was designed and constructed in the late 90s. It was built and is maintained on Warwick Township property, which is ...

Lancaster Water Week 2018 is the second annual event of its kind in Lancaster highlighting the importance of clean and abundant water in a fun, family-friendly festival-like atmosphere. Hosted by the Lancaster County Conservancy, the event runs from June 1st ...

Today marks LandStudies' Field Operations Supervisor, Matt Schavnis’ 9-year anniversary with LandStudies! He is responsible for project management, including the oversight of crews and subcontractors, as well as communicating with clients to ensure our work meets their expectations. His professional background includes ...

Click here to read our April Newsletter! ...

Laurel is a Business Development Associate who has been with LandStudies for 3 ½ years, during which time she received a Master of Science degree in Resilient and Sustainable Communities from Green Mountain College in Vermont. Paired with her bachelor’s ...

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is made up of a series of stormwater management facilities, inlets, pipes, swales, and outfalls that collect and convey stormwater. Ultimately, many of these discharges end up in local waterways, where runoff, if ...

LandStudies is a proud member of the Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network, which is “a community of local businesses and individuals committed to building a just, thriving and sustainable economy in the Greater Philadelphia region.” Recently, LandStudies employees Bob Gray and ...

Click here to read our January Newsletter! ...

Ryerson Station State Park, located in southwest Pennsylvania, is undergoing a “Re-Vision” process to plan for the future of the park, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is getting the public involved to make it an “exceptional ...

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Program LandStudies field operations foreman, Nick Myers, recently obtained his Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Level I Certification and his CBLP Trainer Certification. The CBLP Certification is a voluntary credential system for professionals who design, ...

At LandStudies, our work focuses on restoring natural systems so they can provide valuable ecosystem services for local municipalities and their residents. Ecosystem services are traditionally lumped into four categories: Provisioning, which includes the production of food and water Regulating, ...

Give a Gift to Your Loved Ones and the Environment at the Same Time According to a recent blog on Harvard University’s website, globally the average adult spends $475 a year on holiday presents, half of which are unwanted. Over ...

We would like to introduce you to our newest employee, Paul Artale, RLA, ASLA. Paul will be working on master plans, park and recreational projects, and various projects involving sustainable design, field implementation and educational efforts. After working years in ...

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permitted community needs to monitor their system for potential illicit discharges, as we discussed last month. An illicit discharge can come from a leaking sanitary sewer or water main, illegal sewage connections, landscape ...

Approximately three years ago, LandStudies (LSI) provided a green master plan, engineering, permitting, and related design services for “green infrastructure” improvements that will provide efficient management of urban stormwater runoff for Wrightsville Borough, York County, and improve the environmental function ...

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is made up of a series of stormwater management facilities, inlets, pipes, swales, and outfalls that collect and convey stormwater. Ultimately, many of these discharges end up in local waterways, where water quality ...

Back in April we first introduced you to the Brubaker Run – Lime Spring Square development project in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. LandStudies was brought in by Oak Tree Development Group to design this 11.5-acre floodplain restoration project on ...

So you want to plant a riparian buffer on your property but are wondering how to fund it? Thankfully there are several state and federal sources of funds that you may be eligible for and which we will detail here ...

To Manage Stormwater Runoff, Don’t Forget to Look in the Mirror A lot of the work of stormwater management for a permitted Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) community deals with education and outreach to the public, developers, the construction ...

In the spring we discussed helpful tips for landscaping, one of which was choosing plants that are native to Pennsylvania. Now that fall is nearly upon us, with another good planting window opening up before winter (especially for trees and ...

You might think that spring is the best time to plant trees, and while it is a perfectly good season to do so, fall can be an even better time. Why? Well, the rain and cooler temperatures we get here ...

What is a Master Plan? A master plan provides a long-term vision for one or more sites. LandStudies’ approach to master planning is to ensure that the built environment takes into consideration the ecological opportunities of a property  and maximize ...

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) community’s Stormwater Management Program/Plan (SWMP) contains six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) for achieving their stormwater goals (as discussed in previous posts). In this article we will discuss MCM 1 – Public Education and ...

We would like to introduce you to our newest employee, Bob Gray. Bob will be working on large scale stream restoration projects, multi-municipal pollution reduction plans, and municipal park restoration projects. He says that the work he will be doing ...

As we’ve discussed in previous posts, a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is a publicly-owned storm drain, pipe, ditch, or other means of collecting and transporting rain water (i.e. stormwater) from a town to an outfall that deposits the ...

Central Pennsylvania and much of the state has experienced a wet summer so far, with major storms and flooding in parts of the commonwealth. By this time of the summer in many years past, parts of the state were under ...

Any type of land development, such as the clearing and grading of land for the construction of a housing development, disturbs existing vegetation and soil, and increases the amount of impervious surface. This is turn increases the stormwater runoff that ...

What do you do when you want to control insect pests or weeds on a site but also want to be considerate of other plants and animals, as well as water quality concerns? You choose integrated pest management (IPM) or ...

The Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers Association (SWEMA) and the Chesapeake Stormwater Network found through separate studies that many (i.e. more than 50%) municipalities have no stormwater best management practices (BMP) maintenance program in place, and in many cases didn’t even know ...

In LandStudies’ trend-setting publication, Economic Ecology: Floodplain Restoration, twelve Pennsylvania case studies demonstrate the economic rewards of tackling environmental issues on a regional scale, specifically through floodplain restoration. We want municipalities throughout the commonwealth to benefit from the concepts of ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For additional information contact Bob Gray at (717) 627-4440 ext. 134 or Bob@landstudies.com Philadelphia, PA – LandStudies, Inc., an ecology-focused engineering and landscape architecture company based in Lititz, PA, has been selected to help the Eastern Delaware ...

LandStudies recognizes the importance of long-term maintenance on our restoration and habitat creation projects. Without routine maintenance, installed vegetation may die, invasive plants and weeds can spread quickly, and green infrastructure may fail. Maintenance needs to be a well-thought out ...

Regulated small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) communities must complete six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) as part of their MS4 (NPDES) permit, including an operations and maintenance plan. MCM 6 relates to “municipal operations” and deals with pollution prevention ...

(Annapolis, MD – June 6, 2017) – The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay recognizes LandStudies, Inc. as a Businesses for the Bay Founding Gold Member. LandStudies renewed their membership with a growing partnership of large and small businesses in the Chesapeake ...

As stated in LandStudies’ white paper, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s), Municipalities, and Parks, “Park professionals see firsthand the impacts flooding can have on parks and surrounding areas. They may have to move park structures to higher ground before ...

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal Pennsylvania needs a realistic plan showing how it will provide enough funding and staff to dramatically ramp up its Chesapeake Bay pollution control efforts, or it could face a variety of potentially costly federal ...

Butterfly Acres is a housing development located in Lititz Borough, PA. In years past, a stormwater drainage swale ran through the development that was not well-maintained. The swale experienced significant erosion, was not properly filtering run-off, and was dominated by ...

Radical improvements in the Lititz Run watershed have enhanced the water quality and transformed the stream’s riparian buffer. The project has received national recognition. This change began with a 1999 study by LandStudies, a Lititz-based consulting group. That study persuaded ...

LandStudies has designed and constructed numerous floodplain restoration and riparian buffer projects over the years. Countless hours are spent making sure the site looks and functions as close to pre-European settlement conditions as possible. But sometimes there’s a hitch... even ...

Charles Longenecker doesn’t give up easily, especially when it comes to preserving nature. When the retired Lancaster Mennonite biology teacher moved to Landis Homes 12 years ago, he decided to reintroduce native plants to Leaman Woods, a natural area of ...

Remarks of Mark Gutshall, Founder and Vice President of LandStudies, Inc.: I would like to thank everyone who came out for the Lime Spring Square – Brubaker Run Floodplain Restoration Commencement Ceremony on April 20, 2017. This project, which will restore ...

Pollutant Reduction Plans (PRPs) are a new requirement for 2018 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits/Notice of Intents (NOI). PRPs show how the municipality will reduce the pollutant loads going into a waterway. Any municipal separate storm sewer ...

If left unchecked, stormwater can add pollutants like soil, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and pathogens into our streams and rivers. This may lead to health impacts, unsightly and unpleasantly smelling waterways, and a degraded environment. That is why there are ...

Michael LaSala is a Senior Project Manager and a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program Analyst. He provides technical assistance across all three LandStudies divisions: Landscape Architecture, Engineering & Science, and Construction. Mike has more than 20 years’ professional ...

LandStudies would like to thank Ryan Hartnett for his contributions to our company and his service to the country. Ryan lives in Middletown with his wife, Rachel. Starting in March 2017, he moved to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, ...

It’s spring, and that means it’s a great time for spring planting sprucing up your yard. Whether you are a homeowner, business owner, public works director, or park maintenance manager, the tips we’ll discuss in this article can help you ...

Rife Run, a tributary of Chiques Creek, runs through Lancaster County. Flooding along this stream, which flows through the hearts of Logan and Mummau parks in Manheim Borough, made it difficult to keep the parks maintained and open for use ...

LandStudies’ President, Kelly Gutshall, has been appointed to the Land Protection Committee for the Lancaster County Conservancy. This group of 14 professionals who meet bi-monthly, exists to guide and support the Lancaster County Conservancy’s board of directors and staff in ...

As the rain falls, many communities across the country worry about the very real possibility of flooding. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), heavy downpours have increased in frequency and intensity over the last 50 years, and are expected ...

What is Legacy Sediment? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines legacy sediment as soil “that was eroded from upland areas after the arrival of early settlers and over the centuries of intensive land uses”, such as agriculture. This sediment accumulates ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For additional information contact Christine Le at 717-627-4440 or christine@landstudies.com Harrisburg, PA – HRG, an employee-owned civil engineering and related services firm based in Harrisburg with offices across Pennsylvania, is partnering with Lititz-based LandStudies, Inc., a women-owned ...

LandStudies has 30 staff who work on a variety of projects across south-central Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and beyond. In this and future web posts, we will highlight those staff who make our ecological restoration and design work possible. This ...

Over the years, LandStudies has worked on a variety of wetland creation and restoration projects across the greater Lancaster County area, which you can learn about here. This work is invaluable because wetlands are invaluable. They provide us with multiple ...

Although you might not know it just by looking at it, the Cocalico Creek watershed has water quality issues. Located in Lebanon and north-central Lancaster counties, Cocalico Creek is a tributary of the Conestoga River, which then flows into the ...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others are coming to the realization that public-private partnerships, or P3s, are one solution to regional problems like stormwater pollution. Going it alone is not always the best course of action, especially when it ...

TMDL is sometimes referred to as a pollution diet to help clean up a polluted waterbody. TMDL stands for Total Maximum Daily Load. It is the maximum amount of pollution a waterbody can receive and meet water quality standards. Unfortunately, ...

Routine maintenance is extremely important in order to ensure the long-term success and usefulness of a riparian buffer. Many people are putting time and energy into stream restoration. One way they do this is through the planting of riparian buffers ...

This week, the winter meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) is taking place in State College. Looking at the agenda, it’s great to see that the Department of Environmental Protection’s stormwater program and potential changes to it ...

LandStudies staff have noticed a trend in our business lately... 20 They are looking for technical expertise to help them write their MS4 Program documents and pollutant reduction plans (PRPs) and determine which best management practices (BMPs) will be most efficient ...

In LandStudies’ trend-setting publication, Economic Ecology™: Floodplain Restoration, twelve Pennsylvania case studies demonstrate the economic rewards of tackling environmental issues on a regional scale, specifically through floodplain restoration. LandStudies wants municipalities throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and beyond to benefit ...

LandStudies is pleased to announce that Kelly Gutshall was one of five newly elected members of the Board of Directors for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Alliance Executive Director, Al Todd, announced, "I am delighted to welcome our new ...

Manheim, PA - B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., an excavating, paving and site management company based in Manheim, Pa., and LandStudies, Inc., a landscape architecture firm based in Lititz, Pa., recently received two awards from the Associated Builders & Contractors ...

LandStudies was part of a collaborative effort to transform Big Spring Run into a new, thriving wetland ecosystem. Environmental engineers, geologists, botanists, landowners and F&M students provided 8 years of scientific research and monitoring that allowed LandStudies to design this ...

LandStudies’ subcontractor, B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., received an Excellence in Construction award on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016 for their work on the Logan Park Rife Run Floodplain Restoration project. The awards were hosted by ABC Keystone, a local chapter ...

LandStudies’ Mike LaSala is presenting on Pennsylvania MS4s: Preparing TMDL Plans, Nutrient/Sediment Plans, and Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Plans in Fort Washington, PA on November 10th, 2016. Understand stormwater permit requirements and procedures for small MS4s Determine when a TMDL ...

Do you care about the streams and creeks of Delaware County, NY? Want to learn more about why they are important and how you can protect them? If so, why not attend one of the FREE upcoming public workshops hosted ...

LandStudies’ Mark Gutshall will speak at the PA Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) Park Resource Operations Workshop on October 20 at Cabela’s in Hamburg, PA. This day-long event for recreation, school, and public works maintenance professionals features three tracks, one ...

LandStudies, Inc. was recently featured in the Pennsylvania-Delaware Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 75th Anniversary Commemorative Publication. The PA-DE ASLA Chapter reflected and celebrated its first 75 years by recognizing significant people, places and events that have ...

Landis Homes Retirement Community’s resident group, Friends of the Woods and Wetlands, finds enjoyment in getting outside and admiring the restored floodplain and natural areas LandStudies helped create.  https://www.facebook.com/LandisHomes/posts/10153821843802263 ...

(Annapolis, MD – June 28, 2016) – The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay recognizes LandStudies, Inc. as a Businesses for the Bay Founding Gold Member. LandStudies, Inc. joins a growing partnership of large and small businesses in the Chesapeake Bay watershed ...