Applied Ecological Services, Inc.
Wisconsin Office
17921 Smith Road,
P. O. Box 256
Brodhead, WI 53520
Phone: 608.897.8641
Voicemail: 608.897.4898
AES Fax: 608.897.8486
TCRN Fax: 608.897.2044
Info@AppliedEco.com

Illinois Office
120 West Main St
W. Dundee, IL 60118
Phone: 847.844.9385
Fax: 847.844.8759
Info.il@AppliedEco.com

Kansas City Office
1904 Elm Street
Eudora, KS 66025
Phone 785.542.3090
Fax 785.542.3570
Info.ks@AppliedEco.com

Minnesota Office
21938 Mushtown Rd
Prior Lake, MN 55372
Phone: 952.447.1919
Fax: 952.447.1920
Info.mn@AppliedEco.com

East Coast Office
1100 E. Hector Street Suite #398
Conshohocken, PA 19428
Phone: 610.238.9088
Info.pa@AppliedEco.com

AES introduces new design/build division, catering to smaller-scale residential and corporate landscaping projects

John Gishnock can't wait to get his hands dirty in backyards and corporate campuses throughout Madison, Milwaukee, Rockford, Chicago, and beyond. As lead designer for AES's new division, "Native Landscapes by AES," he's getting the chance to do just that.

"We already do native landscape design, but the difference with our new division is that we'll be focusing on a smaller-scale residential and corporate clientele," explained Gishnock, a spring graduate of UW Madison who has served as AES field crew supervisor for three years. "Most of these smaller projects will probably be more aesthetically-driven than for ecological purposes, but we're going to remain true to ourselves and to AES' strong ethics."

John Gishnock

Providing excellent customer service and developing personal relationships with clients will be important to the success of AES' design/build projects. Clients will work directly with Gishnock to determine their wants and needs, and he will personally design the landscapes, spec the native plants and materials (wildflowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs and trees), and work one-on-one with AES contractors to install his designs. "We want to offer our ecological expertise directly to clients, and also partner with other landscape contractors and designers when they have clients who need our consulting services," he added.

Gishnock acknowledges that his new role may include considerable education of clients and the general public. "A lot of homeowners and business owners know they want to install a prairie landscape, but they don't know much about it. And unfortunately, many contractors who have tried to get into native landscaping have done more wrong than right." To foster ecological integrity in his designs, Gishnock will even conduct historical research of a site upon request, to show what the land would have looked like before settlement and manipulation by others.

"The beauty of these landscapes is that they are dynamic, not static. They evolve," Gishnock said in support of the native restoration decision. "Even throughout the winter, a native prairie is just pretty, and that is something our clients will come to appreciate for a lifetime. And, compared to traditional landscaping, native landscapes are low maintenance, requiring no fertilizer, pest control or irrigation. The long-term cost savings in maintenance makes it worth it, not to mention the environmental benefits."

The benefits: Why design/build?

Design/build projects present many benefits to the land owner/client, including flexibility, accountability, lower cost, and a simplified chain of command. The standard practice of separating designer, builder, and material supplier means that the process and products must be clearly defined. Tasks are emphasized, not goals; it is assumed that the goal will be reached if the tasks are completed. However, as we know, ecological restoration doesn't always work that way.

Carl Korfmacher teaching
a group about landscaping

Design/build shifts the emphasis away from specific tasks and toward goals. The same party (AES) that designs the project provides the materials, installs them, and then manages the site. In the rare instance that a failure occurs, there is only one responsible party - and at AES, "we don't make excuses and look for someone to blame, we fix the problem," said General Manager Carl Korfmacher.

"To me, the definition of design/build is where the designer, the builder, and the client work together to define goals. That is the essence of design/build - to establish goals and set forth the process of getting it done right," described Korfmacher. "For example, say we have a client who wants a prairie. They have seen one in someone else's backyard, but they have no idea how you go about it. In that case, we are going to help them set specific goals like, 'we're going to establish 20 species, at least 10 of which will be flowering species that will be attractive during growing season,' etc. Always, we will be involved in the goal setting, driving the process towards a high quality project that will ultimately result in a diverse and healthy landscape."

By working with Native Landscapes by AES, clients have the benefit of scientific ecologists on staff and field crew professionals who have been planting natives for years.

Stout Property in bloom

"One of our advantages is that we can supply scientific research to tell our clients whether or not the goals are being met, whereas a typical landscape contractor probably can't do that. They don't have the necessary skills to go out and identify native plants and use scientific methods to create a quantifiable, reproducible study that can be done year after year to see the changes," said Korfmacher.

"And, a company that is just a landscape designer or consultant probably doesn't do the actual native landscaping work, and is probably not up to date on the best approaches. Native Landscapes by AES offers the advantage of combining all those aspects."

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