Depave has been replacing local parking lots with paradises by hosting community work parties for more than ten years. With mentions in Time Magazine, the BBC, and The Guardian, it’s become a bit of a phenomenon—so much so it’s now a verb.

We’ve been honored to participate and even help design some of the “depaved” spaces and we’re working on another one right now.

Scarification can be done before new soil is brought in or done in-place, when things are added right on top of existing soil to improve it. Regardless of the method used to create a new planting soil profile, the important takeaway is that scarification makes the soil healthier because the subsoil is loosened a few inches below the new planting soil.

We’re excited to announce that because of our commitment to reducing watershed impacts, healthy-streams advocate Salmon-Safe has recognized GreenWorks with Salmon-Safe accreditation—and we’re the first landscape architecture firm anywhere to do it!

The Portland-based nonprofit Salmon-Safe works with public and private landowners to promote onsite stormwater treatment, water conservation, habitat restoration, and protection of water quality. Firms like GreenWorks are Salmon-Safe accredited for extensive efforts to halt runoff from entering streams and impacting imperiled salmon through integrated stormwater management.