Lee Skabelund, ASLA

Lee R. Skabelund, ASLA, Associate Professor in Landscape Architecture / Regional and Community Planning at Kansas State University, has taught courses in Landscape Ecology, Land Analysis & Site Planning, Environmental Issues & Ethics, Planting Design, Research Methods, Natural Systems and Site Analysis, Natural Resources & Environmental Science, Ecological Planning, Design & Management, Landscape Architecture Design Studios, and Environmental Impact Assessment.

I have worked in both public and private practice, and of particular note, led work on the following planning/design efforts: Ecological Restoration and Construction Administration at Furstenberg Nature Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Sustainable Development of Forestlands Project in Southwest Virginia and Tom’s Creek Riparian Restoration Project in Blacksburg, Virginia; and the Kansas State University Stormwater Management Project (ongoing).

I received a BLA from the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at Utah State University in Logan, Utah and an MLA from the School of Natural Resources & Environment at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I worked as a planner/designer for the US Forest Service; Johnson, Johnson & Roy (an interdisciplinary environmental, landscape architecture, engineering and land planning firm); and Pollack Design Associates (landscape architecture/ planning).

Community service-learning projects at Virginia Tech and Kansas State University (including the awardwinning KSU-ISC Rain-Garden Project and several other design-build projects) have been a significant part of my focus as a scholar and educator. I regularly advise students, residents, landscape architects, planners, engineers, and local officials on topics related to landscape ecology, environmental planning/design, ecological restoration, and water sensitive site planning, design and development.

Publications include:

• “Growth of prairie plants and sedums in different substrates on an experimental green roof in Mid-Continental USA.” In Science of the Total Environment [STOTEN], Vol. 697. 2019. Liu, J.L., Shrestha, P., Skabelund, L.R., Todd, T., Decker, A. & M.B. Kirkham. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134089
• “Urban Green Infrastructure Performance: Learning from Living Roofs, Rain-Gardens, and a Created Meadow.” Accepted abstract; presented at the US-International Association for Landscape
• Ecology Annual Mtg., Fort Collins, CO (8 April 2019). Sole Presenter: L.R. Skabelund (with support from many collaborators, incl. 13 abstract co-authors).
• Four Published CELA 2018 abstracts (presented at CELA in Blacksburg, VA): 1) Panel Discussion on “Ubiquitous Landscape Monitoring: Fitting the landscape with sensor technology for continuous monitoring and data collection.” C.D. Ellis, M-H. Li, L.R. Skabelund, and H. Whitlow. LRS presentation: “Using Sensors to Improve and Guide Green Roof Design & Management” (Mar 24, 2018). 2) Panel Discussion on “Living Architecture and Landscape Architecture Adjacencies and Overlaps.” R. Coffman, L.R. Skabelund, V.L. Russell, and M. Sanchez (Mar 24, 2018). 3) Landscape Performance Presentation: “Transforming stakeholder understandings by actively monitoring and managing two large-scale prairie-like living roofs in north-central Kansas.” L.R. Skabelund (Mar 24, 2018). 4) Landscape Performance/Design Implementation Presentation: “Examining Green Infrastructure Performance: Learning from two university campus sites.” L.R.
• Skabelund and K. Kingery-Page (Mar 22, 2018).
• Green Infrastructure Demonstration & Training: Monitoring & Interpreting Two Sites on the K-State Campus. Report prepared for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) by
• Jessica Canfield, Lee R. Skabelund, Katie Kingery-Page & Stacy Hutchinson.
• Four refereed abstracts accepted for presentation at 15th Annual Cities Alive Green Roof and Wall Conference. Seattle, WA. Sep. 2017. Papers for #1 & #2 subsequently published. 1) “ Monitoring two large-scale prairie-like green roofs in Manhattan, KS .” 2) “ Characterizing green roof vegetation using color-infrared and thermal sensors.” 3) “Experimental-green-roof design: Assessing mixed species, substrate types/moisture depths, and micrometeorological conditions.” 4) “The butterfly effect: Green roofs contributing to urban biodiversity.”
• “ Monitoring Abiotic Inputs and Outputs.” In Green Roof Ecosystems (R. Sutton, editor)—Published Aug. 2015 by Springer Science. L.R. Skabelund, K. DiGiovanni & O. Starry.
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300798267_Monitoring_Abiotic_Inputs_and_Outputs
• “Out of the classroom, onto the roof: A panel discussion of five LA programs’ use of green roofs for research and teaching.” Refereed abstract 2015 CELA Conference. March 2015. KSU. T.
• Woodfin, M. Boyer, B. Dvorak, L.R. Skabelund & R. Sutton.
• “Semi-arid green roof research 2009-2014: Resilience of native species.” 12th Annual Cities Alive Green Roof and Wall Conference. Nashville, TN. Nov. 12-15, 2014. Abstract, presentation &
• paper. L.R. Skabelund, et al.
• “Productivity and the City: Creating Edible Landscapes using Evidence-Based Design.” L.R. Skabelund, Merrill, J., Davey, C., and A. Philips. ASLA 2014 Annual Meeting abstract & handout.
• A Designer’s Guide to Small-Scale Retro-fit Green Roof Planning, Design, and Implementation. Report prepared by L.R. Skabelund and D. Brokesh, Kansas State University, Dept. of Landscape
• Architecture and Regional & Community Planning—for the Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 2013.
• “Stormwater Runoff from a Small Integrated Green Roof System at Kansas State University: A Review of Data Gathered over Parts of Four Years.” Refereed abstract 2013 CELA Conference.
• March 2013. L.R. Skabelund.
• A Designer’s Guide to Bio-Retention Area Planning, Design, and Implementation. Report prepared by Lee R. Skabelund and Dea Brokesh, Kansas State University, Dept. of Landscape Architecture and
• Regional & Community Planning—for the Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Jan. 2013.
• “Monitoring Native Plant Survival, Stormwater Runoff & Other Variables on a Small Integrated Green Roof System at Kansas State University – with Implications for Facilities Planning/Design & Management.” Refereed abstract 2012 CELA Conference. U. Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. March 29, 2012. L.R. Skabelund, C. Blocksome, M. Knapp, S. Hutchinson & R. Janke.“Prairie-based Green Roofs: Literature, Templates and Analogs.” Journal of Green Building. Vol. 7 No. 1: 143-172 (Winter 2012). R.K. Sutton, J.A. Harrington, L.R. Skabelund, P. MacDonagh, R.R.
• Coffman & G. Koch. http://dx.doi.org/10.3992/jgb.7.1.143
• “Turning a Corner: Kansas State University Seeks to Meaningfully Address Green Building and the Sustainable Use of Energy and Resources on Campus and in the Broader Community.” Journal
• of Green Building. Vol. 7 No. 1: 34-66 (November 2010). L.R. Skabelund, R.T. Gabbard, B.G. Anderson, B.L. Champion.
• “Successful Ecological Restoration: A Framework for Planning/Design Professionals.” Peer-reviewed paper. American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Landscape Architecture Technical
• Information Series (LATIS). Washington, DC. December 2008; Skabelund, L.R., M. Kondolf, C.W. Johnson & A. Bukojemsky.
• “New River Parkway, West Virginia – A Scenic Roadway/Greenway Case Study.” Peer-reviewed paper presented at the “Fábos Landscape Planning and Greenway Symposium.” Amherst, MA. March 31, 2007. Skabelund, L.R.