News

Lakeview Park Opens in Provo

A new playground, tennis courts and a large grassy berm are just a few of the amenities at the City of Provo’s newest Lakeview Park. More than 100 people, including Mayor John Curtis, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony this month for the new $1.3 million, 13-acre park. LSD developed the master plan for the neighborhood park adjacent to Lakeview Elementary. To address safety concerns, and increase student visibility within the park, LSD designers chose Austrian and Scotch pine trees. Residents young and old made use of the new picnic pavilions and tables, walkways, play areas and tot lots and soccer fields. LSD worked closely with Provo staff and the community to achieve a design that meets the community’s needs and provides a safe and enjoyable place for residents to gather and play.

Recent Publication by LSD Archaeologist

A new book published in November by the University of Utah Press includes a chapter co-authored by LSD archaeologist Christopher Watkins. In the chapter, Interaction and Exchange in Fremont Society, Watkins and his co-authors reflect on how prehistoric material moved from its place of origin to its location of archaeological recovery in the Great Basin, and why it matters. Order Perspectives on Prehistoric Trade and Exchange in California and the Great Basin Edited by Richard E. Hughes online.

LSD to survey Delamar Lake for Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative

LSD archaeologists will be conducting GIS modeling and a pedestrian inventory to identify archaeological sites at Delamar Lake in Lincoln County, Nevada.

The remote, dry lakebed, west of the Delamar Mountains, dates back to the Pleistocene period. More than fifty sites of early human activity in Nevada and Utah associated with the Pleistocene period have been identified by the LSD Team. Our goal is to locate and record sites of early human activity to help the Bureau of Land Management in the Southern Nevada District meet its agency goals. The BLM established the Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative (LCAI) to allocate monies from the auction of public land to fund archaeological inventory, evaluation, protection, and management of cultural resources in Lincoln County. Proposals are submitted annually to the BLM. Following a rigorous, competitive process, awards are made based on the quality of the proposed research, how that research fits the needs of the LCAI, and the overall qualifications of the applicant.

LSD Project wins Valley Forward’s coveted President’s Award

The environmental organization Valley Forward has recognized three LSD projects for environmental excellence: US 60 Gonzales Pass, the Saguaro Transplant Research Study, and the Maricopa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The US 60 Gonzales Pass project, a road widening project that involved the inventory of more than 35,000 native plants, won the President’s Award (Best in Show) recognizing Arizona Department of Transportation’s dedication to environmental sensitivity as well as highway safety. The project was featured on the September 19 episode of the PBS television news program Horizon.

In addition to the President’s Award, the U.S. Gonzales Pass won a first-place Crescordia Award in the Site Development and Landscape (Public Sector) category.

In addition to LSD, three civil engineering firms and another landscape architectural firm teamed with the USDA Forest Service and ADOT to complete the project. LSD submitted the project for Valley Forward’s review.

More information about the US 60 Gonzales Pass project click here.

Click here to watch the story on the PBS news program Horizon.

US 60 Gonzales Pass Project Featured in August Issue of
Landscape Architecture Magazine

Landscape Architecture Magazine, published by the American Society of Landscape Architects, featured US 60 Gonzales Pass project in its August 2011 issue. “35,000 Transplants” recognizes the approximately 10-mile road widening project for how well it demonstrates a “close relationship between environmental form and function" as well as integration of “transportation, restoration, and beauty.” This award-winning project involved widening a dangerous, narrow segment of US 60 between Florence Junction and Superior, Arizona to a four-lane highway. Gonzales Pass is the gateway to the scenic lands of the Tonto National Forest and communities in eastern Arizona. More information about the project click here.

The August issue of LAM is available at https://www.asla.org/lamsubscription.aspx.

Valley Forward Recognizes Three LSD Projects for Environmental Excellence

The environmental organization Valley Forward has recognized three LSD projects for environmental excellence: US 60 Gonzales Pass, the Saguaro Transplant Research Study, and the Maricopa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Based in Maricopa County, Arizona, Valley Forward recognizes projects that demonstrate a high level of environmental commitment and contribute to the region’s overall sustainability through its annual Environmental Excellence Awards program. The US 60 Gonzales Pass project, a road widening project that involved the inventory of more than 35,000 native plants, was recognized in the Site Development and Landscape Category. The Saguaro Transplant Research Study, which investigated the survivability of transplanted saguaros, and the Maricopa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which is helping 44 “at-risk” communities protect themselves against the danger posed by wildland fire, were both recognized in the Livable Communities, Sustainable Communities Category.

ADOT Local Government Manual Under Review

LSD recently delivered the draft Local Public Agency Projects Manual to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT’s) Local Government Section. It is currently under review by ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). A number of local governments will also review the manual before it is finalized in December. The manual is designed to guide local governments through the process of identifying and applying for federal funds and complying with regulatory requirements, in addition to topics like certification acceptance and self-administration. It should also serve as a useful resource for ADOT personnel and local community staff involved in projects utilizing federal funding.

LSD Performs Visual Resource Inventories of Million Acres of BLM-Managed Lands

LSD recently completed visual inventory for three Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field offices in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana and is completing inventories for 10 field office in Utah and Colorado. Inventories will be used as a basis for land-use planning decisions as they affect the visual landscape.

Peoria opens Palo Verde Open Space Park

Congratulations to Peoria for opening the Palo Verde Open Space Park! The 4-acre, park at 73rd Drive and Briles Road, is built atop what was the largest Hohokam settlement along the New River. Last fall LSD archeologists studied the site and excavated artifacts for preservation. LSD completed a National Register of Historic Places nomination for the prehistoric site of Palo Verde Ruin for the Arizona Register. And, the nomination is currently being processed for NRHP listing.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/2011/09/07/20110907peoria-palo-verde-open-space-park.html

LSD Celebrates 21st Birthday

LSD is having a coming-of-age moment this month. The firm is celebrating its 21st birthday by thanking the more than 100 employees who support the company with their time and talents.

LSD Biologists Map Vegetation at Great Basin National Park

Ten LSD biologists are wrapping up field work in eastern Nevada as part of an assessment of the Great Basin National Park’s vegetation mapping efforts for the National Park Service. Attractions at the 77,000-acre park include Wheeler Peak, the second highest peak in Nevada, 48 miles of streams, and more than 400 springs. This winter LSD will produce a vegetation map that provides accurate information on plant community composition, distribution, and abundance that meets the management needs of the Park.

Recent Publications by LSD Archaeologists

The latest issue of Journal of Arizona Archaeology includes three articles by LSD archaeologists Christopher Watkins and Dr. Michael Foster.

In The Organization of Agricultural Labor Among Smallholder Irrigation Agriculturalists: Implications for the Phoenix Basin Hohokam, Watkins proposes that share cropping arrangements existed in prehistoric Hohokam communities.

Watkins was the lead author of Dating Hohokam Canals: A Methodological Case Study. Of four methods reviewed, Watkins suggests that thermoluminescence (TL), a heat-sensitive technique used on pottery and other archaeological samples, is a viable way to date Hohokam canals accurately.

Dr. Foster co-authored Salt, Seashells and Shiny Stones: Prehistoric Hohokam Resource Exploitation in the Papaguería and Northern Gulf of California, which describes routes and strategies the Hohokam used to procure and transport valuable materials for tools, ornaments and food.

Biologist Richard Remington Honored for Efforts to Conserve Bighorn Sheep

The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society has honored LSD Wildlife Biologist Richard Remington with its John Russo Award, which is given to recognize dedicated and continued efforts to conserve bighorn sheep in Arizona. Richard is the third recipient of this award since 2002. Big-game wildlife have been a special focus throughout Richard’s career; which included nearly 30 years with the Arizona Game and Fish Department in addition to more than seven years at LSD.

LSD Evaluates Survival of Replanted Saguaros for ADOT

An article recently published in the Arizona Republic highlighted LSD’s research and evaluation of nearly 800 saguaro cacti along ADOT highways that were salvaged and replanted because of new roadway construction projects. Utilizing their extensive plant research experience, LSD conducted field surveys to determine the cacti’s survivability. LSD’s research indicated a 71 percent survival rate of the relocated cacti and provided cost-saving recommendations to ADOT for future native plant relocation and salvaging projects.

A full copy of the Arizona Republic article can be found here:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/05/19/20110519arizona-highway-saguaros-removal.html

LSD’s Award-winning US 60 Gonzales Pass Project to be Featured in
Landscape Architecture Magazine

Landscape Architecture Magazine will to publish a story featuring LSD’s award-winning US 60 Gonzales Pass project in its August 2011 issue. The 10-mile US 60 Gonzales Pass project involved the widening of a two-lane highway to four lanes in order to improve the safety and capacity of the roadway. LSD’s landscape architects addressed the aesthetic, restoration, and environmental components. This project has won several awards, including the 2009 ADOT Partnering Award from ADOT, the 2009 Top 10 Project Award from Roads and Bridges Magazine, and the 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects – Arizona Chapter Professional Design Award.

LSD Leading EIS for 300-mile 500kv Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line

LSD is working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a third-party contractor to develop an environmental impact statement (EIS) for Idaho Power Company’s planned 500kV Boardman to Hemingway transmission line. This complex EIS must meet the requirements of the BLM, USDA Forest Service, and state and local agencies in two states. As part of preparing the EIS, LSD is coordinating with more than 20 cooperating agencies and several tribal governments.

LSD Qualified to Provide Environmental Services by GSA Contract, Classified as
Small Business

LSD is qualified as a small business under our GSA contract (GS-10F-0063P). Under this contract, we can provide environmental services under Special Identification Numbers (SINs) 899-1 and 899-7. For additional information, visit LSD’s GSA page.

LSD Preparing Environmental Assessment to Allow the Take of Wolves

LSD is preparing an environmental assessment for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow the take of wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. This highly controversial and politically charged project is a result of proposals from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Montana Fish and Wildlife and Parks departments to remove wolves from specific areas in order to improve survival of elk. The environmental assessment provides the legal framework for the decision to allow the killing of an endangered species.

LSD Presents at 3rd Annual Historic Preservation Compliance for Energy Projects Conference

LSD Director of Cultural Resources Kathryn Leonard recently co-presented on the topic of Managing Section 106 Compliance for Multijurisdictional Energy Projects at the 3rd Annual Historic Preservation Compliance for Energy Projects Conference. The presentation focused on the benefits of using third-party contracting assistance for cultural resources and tribal consultation coordination on large-scale, multi-state projects on public lands. Case studies of the Mountain States Transmission Intertie 500kV Transmission Line and Ruby Pipeline projects were used to provide real-world examples of how agency staff and consultants can work together to meet Section 106 requirements efficiently.

Maricopa County Dust Abatement Handbook and Field Guide Wins Prestigious Awards from National Association of Environmental Professionals, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The Maricopa County Dust Abatement Handbook and accompanying Dust Control Guide for the Construction Industry was recently awarded two prestigious national environmental awards: the 2011 National Environmental Excellence Award, given by the National Association of Environmental Professionals, and the Clean Air Excellence Award, given by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection (EPA). The Maricopa Air Quality Department enforces county-wide air quality regulations such as Rule 310 (Control of Fugitive Dust from Dust-generating Operations). Dust emitted from unstable or disturbed dirt surfaces (fugitive dust) is one of the county’s largest sources of air pollution and is often generated by construction activities. The handbook offers a comprehensive, illustrated explanation of Rule 310 requirements in laymen’s terms and provides hands-on methods for controlling dust. The accompanying Dust Abatement Field Guide for the Construction Industry was designed as a brief, illustrated “back-pocket” tool to help identify common dust-generating situations and provide real-world methods for how to control it on the jobsite.LSD was Maricopa County’s consultant for the development of these publications.

LSD Biologist Bruce Palmer Receives Distinguished Service Award from Desert Tortoise Council

LSD Director of Biological Resources Bruce Palmer recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Desert Tortoise Council for his work as senior co-chair of the organization’s board of directors. The Desert Tortoise Council works to assure the continued survival of viable populations of the desert tortoise throughout its range.

LSD Documents New Occurrences of Rare Plants along Lake Powell Pipeline

LSD recently confirmed new occurrences of Welsh’s milkweed along the 180-mile Lake Powell Pipeline project corridor in Arizona and Utah. Welsh’s milkweed is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Previously, LSD documented five new sites for the Las Vegas buckwheat, a candidate for federal listing. These new records expand the known ecological and geographical range of the species.

Tres Rios Environmental Restoration Project in Construction Phase

LSD is part of a design-build team responsible for restoring habitat along a 1.5-mile stretch of the Salt River in west Phoenix adjacent to Phoenix International Raceway. We are working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Phoenix, the Maricopa County Flood Control District, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department to restore the natural Sonoran Desert aquatic and riparian habitats that once occurred along the Salt River corridor. LSD developed a plan to eradicate the invasive salt cedar, create mesquite bosques, plant willow and cottonwood trees, and help create a wetland marsh environment. The project is under construction and is expected to be complete in Fall 2012.

BLM Awards Visual Resource Inventories for Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana to LSD

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently selected LSD to complete the visual resource inventories for Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana under two separate contracts. The first contract covers the Moab, Price, Richfield, Vernal and Salt Lake field offices in Utah, and the second contract includes the Miles City, Montana and the North Dakota and South Dakota field offices. Field work begins this fall and both contracts will be complete by the end of summer 2011. More than 40 million acres of land will be inventoried.

LSD Provides Visual Resources Training to BLM Staff

At the request of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Utah landscape architect, LSD recently assisted in providing visual resources training to BLM Moab Field Office staff in Utah on the agency’s Visual Resources Management System. Training focused on potential visual resource impacts associated with oil and gas projects and also included case studies on the use of mitigation measures to reduce visual impacts.

LSD Awarded Skunk Creek Equestrian Trailhead and Multi-Use Path

The City of Peoria recently selected LSD to master plan and develop construction documents for an equestrian/multi-use trailhead and shared-use path along Skunk Creek for multiple types of recreational trail users. The path will feature seating, shade, and landscape elements as well as connections to the Peoria Sports Complex and the Peoria Downtown Entertainment District. The project also includes an equestrian trailhead which will provide trail access and a staging area to Maricopa County’s regional trail system. The trailhead will include facilities for vehicles and amenities such as water troughs and hitching posts as well as an overlook for an adjacent wetland area.

Logan Simpson Design Launches New Website; Staff Email Addresses Change

LSD has launched a new website that features a simplified URL (www.logansimpson.com) and a fresh look that is part of the continued update of the LSD brand. In addition to the launch of the new website, LSD staff email addresses have changed to logansimpson.com.

Logan Simpson Design Awarded Final EIS on Calico Solar Project for Tessera Solar

LSD is preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 850-MW Calico Solar Project, which is located on public lands near Barstow, California. As the lead federal agency, the BLM has designated this approximately 8,000-acre project as one of 15 “fast-track” renewable energy projects in the agency’s California Desert District. In addition to meeting the requirements of NEPA, the project is required to comply with California Energy Commission power plant siting regulations. The EIS also addresses proposed amendments to the BLM’s California Desert Conservation Area Plan.

Happy Valley Road (67th Avenue to Lake Pleasant Parkway) Wins Awards

Congratulations to the City of Peoria! Its Happy Valley Road project from 67th Ave to Lake Pleasant Parkway has won two awards this year: 1) 2010 APWA Public Works Project of the Year in the Transportation ($25 million - $75 million) category, and 2) the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Globe Award. LSD provided landscape design, native plant inventory and salvaging, permitting, biological, and cultural resources services for this project.

LSD Providing Environmental Services for Ford Arizona Proving Ground Expansion

LSD is providing CWA Section 404 permitting, native plant inventory, and biological services to the Ford Motor Company for the expansion of its 2.1-mile-long testing facility at the Arizona Proving Ground near Wittmann. Services include a biological review for threatened and endangered species occurring in Maricopa County; a Section 404 jurisdictional delineation; and native plant inventory per Arizona State Land Department requirements