My name is Casey Howard. I'm the 2016 National Olmsted Scholar from the University of Oregon.
During my education, I learned in depth about some of the greatest challenges of our lifetime,
resiliency to climate change, food security, and the preservation of both habitat and biodiversity.
I didn't know then how I would become involved, but I was determined to make these complex,
interconnected issues the focus of my career. Pursuing a degree in landscape architecture
provided me with the skills and opportunities to have a positive impact in the world.
During a design studio, my teammates and I developed a concept for an international
biomimicry competition focused on food systems. We went on to take first place in the design
round, propelling us towards making our ideas into a reality.
Agriculture, fundamental to society, is unfortunately also a leading cause of water
pollution and environmental degradation, as fertilizers often apply to soils and quantities
greater than the plants can absorb. Through surface runoff, groundwater, or drainage,
excess nutrients are carried away from fields, eventually concentrating downstream.
This causes eutrophication, perhaps the most commonly known example of which is the 5000 square
mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. My team turned to nature for solutions,
studying the ways various organisms and systems filter and absorb nutrients. We found the vehicle
for our solution and the existing drainage technology commonly used in agriculture.
Our project combines renewable materials and microorganisms to create a living filtration
system, capturing excess nutrients in runoff before they reach waterways. The microorganisms
temporarily use and store the nutrients, then return them to the soil in a more stable form,
or exchange them directly with plant roots. Through symbiotic relationships, the living
filtration system will restore soil health, protect watersheds, and help farmers by preserving
productive lands and providing economic incentives. Once our design is fully developed, we will use
GIS data to determine areas which are best suited for this type of restoration at a regional scale.
We can begin working with municipalities and watershed councils to initiate large-scale
remediation by analyzing climates, soil types, crops, and connectivity to watersheds.
Our profession has the ability to play a significant role in addressing the environmental
and social issues we face in coming years. It is a great honor to be a part of the emerging
professionals and experts working in collaboration to face these challenges together. I'm very
grateful for the support of the Landscape Architecture Foundation and Olmsted Scholars' Community,
which has enabled me to continue searching for solutions to complex environmental issues. Thank you.
