7th bdla plant planner talks

The 7th bdla Plant Planner Talks will take place in Munich on September 18 and 19, 2024. This year, the focus will be on climate change, which is leading to growing demands for sustainable and climate-resilient open spaces. Current trends in the use of plants will be discussed, as well as new research findings.

Every year, the Association of German Landscape Architects (bdla) organizes a series of talks aimed at plant planners, among others. The 7th bdla talks in Munich will give interested parties the opportunity to learn more about urban nature concepts, tree care, microforests and climate adaptation in historic green spaces. The program also includes current topics such as fire protection for façade greening as well as an excursion program on Thursday, September 19, which complements the specialist lectures.

As a result of climate change, outdoor spaces need to look increasingly sustainable and climate-resilient. This has a significant impact on approaches in landscape architecture and in the planning of plants. We are currently in an exciting phase of upheaval that is turning conventional aesthetics upside down and bringing new challenges with it. This is exactly what the bdla is focusing on at the 7th bdla Plant Planner Talks on September 18 and 19 in Munich.

The event is aimed at landscape architects in planning offices and public authorities. Specialists from the gardening and landscaping sector and the tree nursery industry are also welcome. The North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Architects is expected to recognize the event as further training.

On Wednesday, Claudia Blaurock, bdla spokesperson for the use of plants, will welcome the participants. She will also give a talk entitled “The desert is alive! Do we really have to do everything differently now?”. This will be followed by an insight into news from science and research by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Swantje Duthweiler, including a discussion. Next, Daniela Antoni, an expert in environmental construction monitoring, will provide insights into the challenges and recommendations for action for tree monitoring and tree preservation in the wake of climate change.

Other presentations on the first day of the Plant Planner Talks will focus on climate adaptation for historic gardens, “Places for Life” and rainwater management. There will always be room for discussion and questions as well as many practical examples. After the final discussion, there will be an optional dinner in the beer garden.

On the second day of the Plant Planner Talks, Dr. Wolfram Kunick, plant planner, will discuss the development and durability of seedings. Forest scientist Caspar Möller will then share his knowledge of the Miyawaki method of microforests. Dr. Thomas Engel from the Technical University of Munich will talk about façade greening from a fire protection perspective, followed by various excursions.

The first excursion, organized by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Swantje Duthweiler, will go to the Weihenstephan Gardens in Freising. These research and teaching gardens for urban nature and climate adaptation show how sustainable planting planning can be implemented.

Alternatively, participants can explore new planting concepts in Kirchheim’s local park. Both steppe meadows and wilderness clearings will be on display. Theresa Gläßer will lead the excursion to the green spaces planned by SINAI landscape architects from Berlin.

The third option is an excursion to Prinz-Eugen-Park in Munich. The open space planning for an ecological model housing estate can be seen there. Katja Aufermann from liebald + aufermann landschaftsarchitekten Munich will lead the excursion and provide insights into the work of the office.

Read more: The bdla Plant Days already took place in Munich in 2018.