The results of a landscape renovation project were unveiled Thursday at Southern California Edison's Villa Park Substation.
The three-acre project on Taft Avenue features 37 species of drought tolerant plants and trees.
The results of a landscape renovation project were unveiled Thursday at Southern California Edison's Villa Park Substation.
The three-acre project on Taft Avenue – which features 37 species of drought tolerant plants and trees – reflects a new standard in landscaping that will be used as a model for others to follow.
A project of Orange County Coastkeeper and Southern California Edison, the SmartScape retrofit will reduce water consumption by half, trim maintenance costs, eliminate dry-weather runoff, reduce the site's carbon footprint and create a habitat for urban wildlife, primarily birds.
At 2,500 linear feet of street area, the project reflects the latest in sustainable landscape practices, including living soils, bioswales, percolation trenches and detention basins that can store up to 36,000 gallons of water on site.
Garry Brown, executive director of Orange County Coastkeeper, said the Edison project – and a series of sustainable demonstration gardens spearheaded by Coastkeeper at Santiago Community College – reflect practices that can and should be adopted by Southern California homeowners and businesses.
A two-year monitoring program will analyze and verify savings in water, maintenance and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The project was coordinated by Coastkeeper, SCE, Clark and Green Associates, Stivers and Associates, and Harvest Landscape Enterprises, Inc.