Lisa DuRussel

Lisa DuRussel serves as Associate Professor of Practice and Engagement in Landscape Architecture at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), where she bridges ecological design practice, community action, and academic instruction. Her work centers on transforming urban landscapes through participatory processes, with current focus on Detroit's vacant land reclamation initiatives.

• Founder of PERIMETER.LA design practice
• Leader of Field Office community engagement initiative
• Vice President of Education for Michigan ASLA Chapter
• Michigan Representative for ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Network
• City Parks Commissioner for Manchester, Michigan

Her educational background includes a Master of Landscape Architecture (2006) and Bachelor of Science in Resource Ecology & Environmental Policy (2002), both from SEAS. Her research focuses on community-based ecological transformation, with current projects including Detroit RePLOT (vacant land conversion), Flight Pattern (drone-based ecological mapping), and Buffer Zone (industrial edge remediation).

Her recent publications demonstrate expertise in climate-responsive design frameworks and community engagement strategies, with work featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine and Wetland Science & Practice. Notable projects include the $200M Governors Island Park and Hills development in New York City.

• 2024: CELA Excellence in Service Learning Award
• 2021: ULI Award of Excellence (Governors Island)
• 2020: EDRA Honor Award (Hunter's Point South)
• 2019: ENR New York Best Green Project
• 2018: NYC Public Design Commission Excellence Award
• 2017: ASLA-NY Chapter Honor Award

DuRussel directs the Field Office initiative connecting graduate students with community organizations, and leads the Detroit Land Lab project funded by Engage Detroit Workshops grants. Her MiDNR Spark Grant ($865,000) and Urban Forestry Grant ($218,000) support Stephenson Park reactivation and street tree planting in Morenci, Michigan. She serves on the Great Lakes Region Climate Action Seminar Planning Committee and advises organizations like Detroit Vacant Land CDC.

Her PERIMETER.LA practice implements plant-forward ecological strategies while her research explores drone-based mapping systems for scalable climate-resilient decision-making. Current projects integrate environmental data collection with resident collaboration to transform Detroit's 19 square miles of vacant land into climate-adaptive infrastructure.