2025 Award of merit - sustainable landscape
a sustainable landscape that teaches and feeds
The Ecology School, Saco, ME • Completed September 2025
Project Team:
Master Plan & Construction Architects (2016-2021): Richardson & Associates (Todd Richardson, Landscape Architect); Kaplan Thompson Architects; Simons Architects; BRIBURN Onsite Landscaping Design and Implementation: Marguerite Wiser, Farm Manager, The Ecology School
Project Description:
Since 1998, The Ecology School (TES), an education nonprofit in Saco, has brought innovative sustainability education programming to over 200,000 children and adults throughout Maine, New England and nationwide.
TES opened its River Bend Farm environmental living and learning center in June 2021 with the goal to teach ecology and sustainability through hands on learning with a focus on organic gardening and natural landscaping. In 2016, TES engaged a four-member architecture team—Richardson & Associates, Kaplan & Thompson, Simons Architects, and Briburn—to create a Master Plan for the River Bend Farm property, which included a 1794 farmhouse and an 1840s barn. The 105-acre property was under a conservation easement that allowed for development only in the 8.75-acre farmyard area. This farmyard became the footprint of the new educational upper campus, which included construction of a solar-power dormitory and dining commons. These buildings were the first to be built to the Living Building Challenge standard in Maine, and the Master Plan for the entire campus was the first Living Community Challenge–approved Master Plan in the world.
In response to growing climate-related challenges, TES designed climate-smart landscaping around the campus buildings producing nutritious food (for humans and other animals alike!) through agroecology gardening and landscaping practices, energy net-positive infrastructure and community engagement and education. Agroecology uses conservation-minded practices to (1) improve soil health, (2) sequester carbon, (3) promote biodiversity, (4) preserve water resources, and (5) reduce extractive inputs.
Examples of this “edible & sustainable landscaping” include the raised garden beds behind the kitchen, wildflower pollinator gardens next to the farmhouse, a new fruit tree orchard planted by Girl Scout volunteers in partnership with ReTreeUS, state-of-the-art rain gardens to capture runoff overflow, and a new food forest built in front of the dormitory.
Highlights from the Judges:
“An ideal situation for a learning center. Soil health and community involvement/education is exactly where the every-day homeowner can see gardens and landscapes in action that they can then take home and implement there.”