Dr. Gail Hansen
Professor / Sustainable Landscape Design
Gail Hansen is an associate professor who specializes in landscape design. Her teaching and extension programs address sustainable science-based and art-centered landscape design practices that take into account the social dimension of green urban environments, environmental protection, and the quality of life for urban dwellers. Dr. Hansen is faculty in the Center for Land Use Efficiency, an advisor to the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program™ and the Extension Specialist for landscape design. She currently teaches two studio courses in residential landscape design.
Standards for High Performing Landscapes
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RESEARCH
Dr. Hansen’s research activities focus on landscape performance metrics and strategies for aligning visual quality and environmental function of Florida-Friendly landscapes and stormwater ponds. Activities include collecting performance metrics for Florida-Friendly and traditional Florida landscapes to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of each landscape. Landscape research plots that replicate Florida-Friendly and traditional landscapes are used to collect environmental and economic data, including water use and maintenance inputs. Focus groups are used to collect social data about preferences, perceptions, and attitudes about Florida-Friendly landscapes to develop policies and approaches for extension programs to promote behavior change.
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TEACHING
Studio courses include LDE 3410C Residential Landscape Design, which emphasizes elements and principles of urban landscape design, the design process, and the right plant-right place principle. The second course, LDE 4404C Advanced Residential Landscape Design, emphasizes socio-environmental design practices with a focus on water conservation, resource protection, and the social and cultural dimensions of landscapes. In 2013 Dr. Hansen received the Teacher Fellow Award from North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) and the Gainesville City Beautification Award for the Alto Straughn Conference Center Florida-Friendly demonstration and teaching landscape.
Courses Taught
- LDE 3410C Residential Landscape Design
- LDE 4404C Advanced Residential Landscape Design
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EXTENSION
Dr. Hansen’s extension programs emphasizes socio-environmental design practices with a focus on water conservation, resource protection, and the social and cultural dimensions of landscapes, including barriers to adopting new landscape behaviors. Activities include workshops and presentations to promote Florida-Friendly landscape design as a strategy to conserve water and improve water quality through the use of landscape buffers on stormwater ponds and appropriate plant selection. The cultural dimensions of landscapes center on the social norms and attitudes that influence perceptions and preferences for visual quality of landscapes and the use of social norms as leverage for behavior change. Extension presentations and publications include landscape design principles, edible landscapes, Florida-Friendly landscapes, demonstration and teaching gardens, and sustainable landscape construction. Creative works include ten demonstration garden designs and a smart phone application for Florida-Friendly landscape plants.
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EDUCATION
- Ph.D. Landscape Architecture, University of Florida, 2008
- M.L.A. Landscape Architecture, University of Florida, 1994
- M.S. Exercise Physiology, University of Arizona in Tucson, 1981
- B.S. Phys. Ed., California State University Sacramento, 1978
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PUBLICATIONS
EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS
- Adopting a Florida-Friendly Landscape: Steps for Converting a Typical Development Landscape to a Florida-Friendly Landscape
- Arbor, Trellis, or Pergola—What's in Your Garden? A Mini-Dictionary of Garden Structures and Plant Forms
- Color in the Landscape: Finding Inspiration for a Color Theme
- Community ButterflyScaping: How to Move Beyond Butterfly Gardening to Create a Large-Scale Butterfly Habitat
- Design Strategies for a Sustainable Home Landscape
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book: Sample plant lists and designs for four Florida regions: USDA Hardiness Zones 8A and 8B, North Florida
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book: Sample plant lists and designs for four Florida regions: USDA Hardiness Zone 9A, North Central Florida
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book: Sample plant lists and designs for four Florida regions: USDA Hardiness Zone 9B, South Central Florida
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book: Sample plant lists and designs for four Florida regions: USDA Hardiness Zones 10A, 10B, and 11, South Florida
- Florida-Friendly Plants for Stormwater Pond Shorelines
- Landscape Design: Aesthetic Characteristics of Plants
- Landscape Design: Analyzing Site Conditions
- Landscape Design: Arranging Plants in the Landscape
- Landscape Design: Drawing a Planting Plan
- Landscape Design: Finding Inspiration for a Design Theme
- Landscape Design: Putting Your Yard on Paper - Site Measurements and Base Maps
- Landscape Design: Ten Important Things to Consider
- Landscape Design with Edibles
- Landscape Elements for a Florida-Friendly Yard
- Perceptions of Florida-Friendly Landscapes: Linking Visual Quality and Environmental Health through Landscape Codes
- Questions and Answers: 2009 Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Legislation
- Right Plant, Right Place: The Art and Science of Landscape Design – Plant Selection and Siting
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Aggregates and Precast Pavers and Blocks
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Brick
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Concrete
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Materials and Products -- Life Cycle Assessments'
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Manufactured Lumber
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Metal
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Materials and Products -- Paints and Stains
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Plastics and Rubber
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Materials and Products -- Reduce, Reclaim, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle, and Renew
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Materials and Products -- Wood
- Sustainable Landscape Construction: Materials and Products -- Wood Preservatives
- Ten Strategies for Working With Your Home Owner Association to Convert to a Florida-Friendly Yard
- Twenty-Two Ideas for a Low-Care, Low-Cost Landscape
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN PROJECTS
Landscape projects for several teaching and demonstration gardens were designed for various UF IFAS facilities and extension offices, including:
- UF/IFAS Lake County Discovery Gardens Demonstration/teaching landscape, 2014 Landscape plan for a front yard edibles garden and a dry garden
- UF/IFAS Austin Cary Forest Conference Center Demonstration Landscape, 2014 Landscape plan with all native plants that are drought and deer tolerant, and fire-resistant.
- UF/IFAS Volusia County Extension Office Demonstration Garden, 2013 Landscape plan with edibles, a shade garden, children’s garden, turf plots, butterfly garden, and rain garden. The office was awarded $56,000 in grant funds for installation.
- UF/IFAS Landscape Unit Research and Demonstration Landscape Plots, 2013 Design for research plots for Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology.
- UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Clinic Florida-Friendly Demonstration Landscape, 2012 Planting plan includes a small fruit orchard, perennial garden, and water retention area.
- UF/IFAS Frank Stronach Plant Science Center Demonstration Landscape, 2012 Landscape plan for a butterfly garden, dry garden, FFL garden, and tropical garden.
- UF/IFAS Alto Straughn Conference Center Florida-Friendly Landscape, 2011 Landscape plan for a Florida-Friendly demonstration/teaching landscape. Project awarded the Gainesville City Beautification Award for Institutional Facilities in 2013.
- UF/IFAS Putnam County Extension Office Edible Plants Demonstration Garden, 2010. Design plans for an edible plants demonstration garden for urban areas.
- UF/IFAS Baker County Extension Office Teaching Arboretum, 2009 Landscape plan for a teaching arboretum. The office was awarded $19,000 in grant funds for installation.