Jeff Schurek BLA

Director

ISL Engineering and Land Services

As Manager of ISL’s Landscape Architecture and as a senior landscape architect with more than 20 years of experience, Jeff regularly engages directly with clients and stakeholders to develop client-driven solutions for complex multidisciplinary projects. 

Low Impact Development

Jeff has been a long-time proponent of LID in Alberta and British Columbia, building his knowledge based on over 40 successful LID installations across both provinces. His LID work extends over the last 15 years with a primary focus of installations in the Edmonton region.  Jeff and ISL has been involved in the design and construction of some of Edmonton’s first LID streetscape applications including project’s like 105 Avenue Green Street, the Quarters Phase 1, and Imagine Jasper. His work also involves several City of Edmonton / EPCOR LID Demonstration areas, including Eastgate and Twin Brooks Rain garden and bioretention facility.

Jeff’s passion for LID grows from his of knowledge on plant / soil interactions. As a landscape architect, Jeff believes that change comes through education and studying the success and challenges from previous designs. He experiments with a variety of native and non-native plant materials making vegetation recommendations based on past project knowledge and consideration of local environmental factors. 

Jeff regularly works with the public to change negative public impressions of LID facilities. He works collaboratively with communications teams to demonstrate the many benefits of LID to stakeholders, the public and communities. Jeff has found acceptance of a number of LID facilities through designing formalized landscapes that over time naturalize into informal facilities.  Jeff strongly believes that the ALIDP can continue to develop better, more cost-effective LID facilities through common sharing of knowledge, both successes and failures.  Collaboration between companies, and across municipalities is the key to furthering the goals of the ALIDP. Jeff is an active contributor to the ALIDP Research and Monitoring Working Group.