Managing Oregon’s flood plains, wetlands and wildlife corridors is to invest in the State’s history. From sawmills and gristmills to industrial centers, the watershed of the Willamette River and its tributaries has been a driver of economic growth for centuries.
One local project advancing sustainable development is the Mill Creek Corporate Center, the cornerstone of the 650-acre Mill Creek Industrial Park Urban Renewal Area Redevelopment Project that’s revitalizing an urban watershed for the City of Salem.
When completed, the multi-phased effort will transform a vulnerable site into an ecologically, economically and viable business hub for companies like current anchors, FedEx, Amazon, Home Depot and Henningsen Cold Storage.
Kyle Glynn, DeSantis business development manager and landscape construction project lead, reflects on how projects like Mill Creek are shaping a greener future. Not surprisingly, the hole project team and our client PacTrust and Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR), were totally aligned on sustainably-engineered solutions, said Kyle.
“DeSantis’ experience with energy- and water-saving landscape technologies, green infrastructure and our ability to deliver ecosystem services, like swales and stormwater filtration, was only part of what made us excited to be part of project that would ultimately create a host of new jobs for the community,” he added.
In response to the master plan, DeSantis planted one-half mile of Eastern Redbud street trees, a streetscape border using Forest Pansy Redbuds, Pyramidal Hornbeam and Zelkova trees for impact, built a technology-driven irrigation system, and bioretention swales to collect and quickly absorb rainwater.
Recently, DeSantis launched a maintenance initiative to care for the greenway system at the corporate park’s common areas. “As part of our integrated approach that supports conservation and overall plant health, we’re employing landscape strategies that value natural resources, nutrient needs, and other factors that positively impact how this new outdoor area thrives,” said Kyle.
As a watershed steward, DeSantis Landscapes has a commitment to water management and clean water practices that protect, manage and improve our landscapes, soils, rivers and creeks, and support wildlife ecology.
“But thinking big picture, it’s also about resilience and responsibility – how we can use the land and how we can lead at what we do,” Kyle added.
About DeSantis Landscapes
Headquartered in Salem, Oregon, DeSantis is a leader in proactive landscape practices that enhance the environment and further the goals of its clients throughout the Salem-to-Vancouver market.
For more information, go to www.desantislandscapes.com or contact Kyle Glynn at (503) 782-7356.