James Patchett

Considered one of the innovators in melding art, science and engineering in design, James Patchett, FASLA, LEED AP, founded Conservation Design Forum in 1994, with offices in Elmhurst, Illinois, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. Patchett is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading pioneers in the design and promotion of sustainable site planning methodologies that integrate innovative water resource management and ecological restoration measures into built and natural environments. Trained both as a landscape architect and hydrologist, Mr. Patchett has served on a variety of national technical advisory committees including the ASLA Sustainable Sites initiative. He is also co-founder of Conservation Research Institute, Conservation Land Stewardship, and Solutions in the Land. Mr. Patchett is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and a LEED-Accredited Professional. He received an undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture, and master’s degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering (water resources) from Iowa State University. Mr. Patchett has completed the necessary course work towards a PhD degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources.