Michael Reeves ‘Capital Metro Light Rail: Landscape planning and sustainability’

Capital Metro is Canberra's light rail project and an important part of the ACT Government’s vision to deliver a truly sustainable and creative city. The light rail will extend from the city centre to Gungahlin, passing through distinct precincts, each with its own character, land-use, urban density and building typology. This talk will discuss the plans for biodiversity improvement, through ecologically sensitive planting and protection of vegetation during and after construction, to provide shade, improve micro-climate and air quality, and enhance overall urban aesthetic, by protecting existing habitats and creating more habitat; and preparing fauna and flora habitat action plans and strategies.

Michael Reeves has over 30 years’ as a registered landscape architect, and has built his career on landscape design and construction for engineering infrastructure. He is experienced in arborist services, major urban infrastructure and highway road corridor landscape projects. Based in Canberra, Michael brings detailed local knowledge and experience, and shares the team’s vision for a vibrant Canberra Metro service that moves its residents, enables growth and enriches their lives with an iconic landscape design. Michael is a local Landscape Architect with a solid history of designing Canberra’s recognisable landscapes through his consultancy DSD Landscape Architects. He has prior involvement in the Canberra Metro project via its Vegetation Assessment Review and Expert Arborist Advice. In creating landscape designs for Canberra Metro, Michael will apply his vast local experience to review and constructively challenge performance criteria and ensure the landscape design is delivered with robust detailing and design integrity, to contemporary ACT Government standards.