HOME Den Site
 

Who we are
Our Philosophy
Gail Y. B. Lash,Ph.D.
Nevin Lash, ASLA
 

What we do
Concept Planning
Master Planning
Zoological Design
Visitor Services
Ecotourism Planning
Community Development
 

Selected Projects
Master Planning
Zoological Exhibits
Ecotourism Planning
Community Development

Selected Publications
 

Nevin Lash, ASLA
Principal

Mr. Lash has close to thirty years of Environmental Planning and Landscape Architectural experience.  During that time, he has been involved with projects ranging in scale from residential garden design, major corporate campus development, commercial and mixed-use planning to regional environmental assessments.  During the ten years associated with CLRdesign (a nationally recognized zoo design firm), he specialized in the design of "landscape immersion" zoos.  This experience brought together his interests in ecology, environmental education and conservation of natural resources with those of park planning and design.

While at CLRdesign, he was responsible for managing multi-million dollar projects as the prime contractor, supervising not only his own staff of five to ten professionals, but coordinating the efforts of the entire design team.  To meet the needs of all users, zoo projects typically utilized special consultants including life support engineering, interpretive planning/design, and exhibit fabricators who need to be integrated into each project.  He has developed a knowledge of all facets of a project, including programming, animal holding criteria, cost estimating, project management, scheduling, as well as each discipline's scope of work.  This has led to his success at keeping projects under budget and on time.

Mr. Lash has participated in Master Plans for such zoos as Zoo Atlanta, Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Honolulu Zoo and Parc Tsimbazaza in Madagascar.  He has also participated in the detail design and construction documentation of major exhibits such as Northern Trail, an Alaskan taiga exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, an Asian Tropical Forest Exhibit in Honolulu, African Savanna Exhibits at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and more, including all of the redevelopment of Zoo Atlanta; East African, West African and Asian exhibits, Visitor Services Plazas and Animal Facilities.

Since forming Ursa International in 1994 with his wife and Partner, he has aimed at reaching a broader audience.  Utilizing his skills in programming and design, he continues to work with other conservation-minded organizations to bring "landscape immersion" and environmentally sensitive planning into each project.  Some of his recent completed projects include developing the facility plan for Chimp Haven, the Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat in Cochrane Ontario, Master Plans for Cape May Zoo, Charles Paddock Zoo and Brook Run Nature Park.  Projects on the boards are for the Cherokee Wildlife Park in Cherokee, North Carolina, the Roger Williams Park Zoo's North American Trail, renovations and additions to Franklin Park Gorilla Exhibit and an Interpretive Center for Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

Mr. Lash has traveled extensively around the world, and studied many varied ecosystems and their inhabitants (the flora, fauna and human populations).  He believes that each project can incorporate a site's natural beauty, express a client's environmental ethic, and successfully attract visitors to the site.
 



 


 
 

 

Ursa International -366 Oakland Avenue, S.E. - Atlanta, Georgia 30312 - 1-404-222-0488 - E-mail: bearmanor@ursainternational.org



designing human communities in harmony with nature ... designing wildlife communities in harmony with people

Home Den Site
Who we are
Gail Y. B. Lash, Ph.D.       Nevin Lash, ASLA
What we do
Master Planning    Zoological Design    Visitor Services    Ecotourism Planning   Community Development
Selected Projects