The horrors of the Covid-19 pandemic have pushed climate change news off the front page, but the wild variances in Texas’ weather in recent years have wreaked havoc in our outdoor built environments reminding us that we face additional challenges. By exploring some of the expected climatic impacts at global and our regional level we can predict issues that we can address through improved plant and landscape design specifications. Some changes such increased temperature extremes may be readily anticipated, while others such as impacts on winter chill unit accumulation or effects of elevated mean night temperatures may be subtle but just as limiting to plant growth. We will explore the potential challenges and offer some suggestions to consider when designing your 21st century sustainable landscapes.
Time permitting we will sneak a peek at the latest development plans for Phase II of The Gardens at TAMU.