Ecosystem restoration is defined as “the action of repairing sites in nature to their former function or condition.” Climate impacts negatively affect coastal ecosystem functionality, communities, and infrastructures. Consequently, restoration efforts are increasingly focused on natural and nature-based features (NNBF) to build land and protect assets. However, restored landscapes often differ significantly from their original conditions.

Although restoration frameworks rely heavily on design-oriented processes, landscape designers are rarely involved in their development or implementation. The LSU Coastal Ecosystem Design Studio (CEDS), with support from the USACE Engineer Research and Development Center through the Developing Integrated Engineering and Design Solutions (DEEDS) project, has advanced a Collaborative Ecosystem Design (CED) framework to improve the development of coastal NNBF.

This framework emphasizes the environmental co-benefits associated with NNBF in the Gulf of Mexico and works to develop “design criteria” that quantify relationships between ecosystem structure, function, and ecosystem service valuation—ultimately aiming to reduce uncertainty in evaluating social benefits.

Fabiana Trindade da Silva, assistant professor of landscape architecture, moderated a panel at the State of the Coast 2025 conference in New Orleans, LA discussing the project. The panel, titled “Developing Integrated Engineering and Design Solutions: Foundations and Partnerships,” highlighted the interdisciplinary work happening through CEDS and the DEEDS project—a collaboration aimed at advancing coastal resilience through ecosystem-based design, modeling, and cross-sector partnerships.

The panel was organized by Dr. Traci Birch, associate professor of architecture, and included the following participants:

• Dr. Fabiana Trindade da Silva (Moderator – LSU School of Landscape Architecture)
• Dr. Yao Wang (LSU School of Landscape Architecture assistant professor)
• Dov Block, AICP, CFM (St. John the Baptist Parish)
• Jacob Midkiff (Undergraduate researcher, LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture)
• Joseph Brooks (Undergraduate researcher, LSU Landscape Architecture)
• Casey Jones (Independent researcher, UC Berkeley)

The panel showcased a range of interdisciplinary projects supported by the CEDS Summer Institute, including student-led research, simulation toolkits, green infrastructure planning, and thesis-to-practice case studies across Louisiana’s coast.

“Our session, ‘Developing Integrated Engineering and Design Solutions: Foundations and Partnerships,’ brought together an incredible mix of voices working at the intersection of design, modeling, and coastal resilience,” Trindade da Silva said. “I’ve been part of the CEDS Summer Institute for the past three years, helping to integrate landscape architecture with engineering and environmental science. It’s been a truly rewarding experience—watching students grow, partnerships evolve, and ideas take shape through design, data, and dialogue.”

The panel showcased projects and experiences from the DEEDS initiative, especially through the CEDS Summer Institute, which engages university students across disciplines and institutions to support nature-based solutions and collaborate with community partners along the Gulf Coast.

“I participated in the CEDS Summer Institute last year. I talked about what the experience there was like—working with a trans-disciplinary team to develop a barrier island restoration plan,” BLA candidate Jacob Midkiff said. “Then I shared how that experience shaped my research and led me to create a toolkit that allows designers to run coastal process simulations on AutoCAD and Rhino models. This tool helps quickly test design ideas and assess their effectiveness, ultimately supporting more resilient outcomes.

“I’d like to thank my mentor, Dr. Fabiana Trindade da Silva, for advising me throughout this project and for moderating the panel. Her guidance has been invaluable. I’d also like to thank my friend and colleague Joseph Brooks for collaborating with me on the toolkit, and my fellow panelists.

And last but not least, thank you to Dr. Traci Birch, PhD, AICP, for organizing the panel. It was a fun and enriching experience, and I was glad to be a part of it.”