The Archives

What’s New at Ecos

Ecos’s own Shannon Kettering, Chris Dye, and Kelly Sanders lent a hand to clean up the first mile of the BeltLine on Oct. 20. The “One Great Green Mile” clean-up effort was co-sponsored by BeltLine Partnership, Park Pride, Trees Atlanta, and the PATH Foundation, with support from REI. Volunteers pulled kudzu from trees, hauled tires from the future corridor, and collected trash and recyclables. The BeltLine bike trail will stretch 33 miles around Atlanta’s core, supporting parks, greenery and transit options. This first mile clean-up involved citizens in a “hands-on” contribution to making the BeltLine a reality.

The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA) and PATH Foundation were recognized Oct. 25 at the Annual PEDS Golden Shoe Awards Celebration held on the Atlanta campus of SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Kelly Jordan, chair of the volunteer organization Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, and Ed McBrayer, Executive Director of PATH Foundation, were recognized for implementing 15 miles of multi-use trails through the national heritage area, which connects DeKalb, Henry, and Rockdale counties. Ecos is proud to have been involved with both the AMNHA and PATH in the planning and implementation of many miles of trails and protected greenspace throughout the national heritage area.

Alfie Vick, ASLA, LEED AP, Vice President of Ecos, was a featured speaker at the Georgia Urban Forest Council LEED Luncheon in October. He elaborated on the evolution of the LEED program, its potential for encouraging sustainable site development and sustainable building construction, and the new Sustainable Sites Initiative. While Ecos’s projects focus on sustainable site design, there is currently no program in place to claim these sites as LEED-certified where a building is not associated with the project. Mr. Vick and others in the landscape architecture field are working to expand the U.S. Green Building Council’s guidelines for LEED-certification through the Sustainable Sites Initiative.

New Folks Around the Office

Exciting new projects continue to arrive at Ecos, and along with the new work, we’ve added three new faces to our office. Mara Schneider and Gretchen Gigley joined the Greenspace and Planning studio, working on multi-use trail projects and community master planning designs. Meghan Thranhardt now contributes her expertise to the Design and Construction Studio, assisting with hospital and institutional campus projects.

Florida native Meghan Thranhardt, brings to Ecos a BLA from the University of Georgia and experience in private-sector commercial and residential development projects. Her abilities in AutoCAD, computer-based graphics, and site analysis are a great addition to our team. Meghan’s interest in a career path that combined math and science with art and nature led her to landscape architecture. When not at the office, Meghan enjoys teaching kickboxing and self-defense classes.

Mara Schneider hails from Baltimore and arrived at Ecos after completing a BLA at the University of Georgia. Her interest in designing for diversity in outdoor spaces attracted her to a career in landscape architecture. Mara’s strong graphics skills and efficient AutoCAD abilities are greatly appreciated in the Greenspace and Planning Studio. After hours, Mara loves to play a mean game of volleyball.

Gretchen Gigley, a long-time resident of Atlanta, grew up in rural Ohio. Prior to joining Ecos with an MLA from the University of Georgia, Gretchen worked for several years with the Southface Energy Institute to promote sustainable building and site design. Her enjoyment of working with people and her interest in improving public and environmental health brought Gretchen to landscape architecture. At Ecos, Gretchen contributes her abilities to park master planning and trail design. In her spare time, she globe-trots and enjoys playing guitar and writing music.