about the project
Keeping Up is a 16-month research initiative examining one of the most significant yet often overlooked challenges in landscape architecture: the long-term maintenance and management of ecologically vibrant landscapes. Led by Atlas Lab’s Brenna Castro Carlson in collaboration with Dr. A. Haven Kiers of the University of California, Davis, the project was funded through the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Research Grant in Honor of Deb Mitchell.
As communities increasingly seek landscapes that support biodiversity, climate resilience, and habitat creation, many projects continue to face barriers long after construction is complete. Through interviews, case studies, and research with landscape architects, public agencies, institutional land managers, maintenance professionals, and ecologists, the team investigated how maintenance practices, organizational structures, funding models, and cultural perceptions influence the long-term success of ecological landscapes.
The research identifies systemic challenges while highlighting innovative maintenance approaches that enable landscapes to evolve and thrive over time. Rather than viewing maintenance as a routine operational task, Keeping Up positions stewardship as an essential component of design, one that requires collaboration, adaptive management, and new ways of measuring project success.
The resulting report provides actionable recommendations for designers, owners, and land managers to better align design intent with long-term ecological performance. By reframing maintenance as an integral part of the design process, the project contributes to a broader shift in professional practice toward resilient, biodiverse, and enduring public landscapes.
Full Report: https://bit.ly/4wW66Ep
