Philosophy

Before the Europeans explored and eventually settled North America, there existed a vast interconnected network of ecosystems and human societies. Prairies, wetlands, woodlands, rivers, lakes, savannas and deserts covered every square inch of what was to become the United States. These systems stretched from ocean to ocean with no breaks in their continuity. It was a seamless gradient of systems that flowed naturally from one area to the next. With elevational, soil or moisture changes, the plant communities (and thus insect and animal populations) would subtly change, and what affected one system would invariably affect the adjoining system. These systems are dynamic. They change. Changing a few plants will change the insect community present. A fire from the North side but not the East will result in two slightly different communities of plants, insects and animals.

Our native plants have evolved to use these disturbances as part of their life cycles. For example, prairie plants accustomed to dry, hot summers have root systems that can be up to 15 feet deep! They allocate a large percentage of their energy to developing deep root systems to easily survive drought. Additionally, due to their deep root systems, they have become highly adapted to fire, re-sprouting within weeks of burning. Our natural areas are not fire tolerant, they are fire dependent! The natural world is self-regulating, and we humans are a part of it.

Remnants of these original systems still remain in our lands today. Most have been fragmented, marginalized, and/or destroyed due to the introduction of agriculture and development. What typically remains now are degraded natural areas. Plant, insect and animal species are being lost at the fastest rate the world has ever seen. These losses threaten human survival and long-term existence. We must protect, restore, and respect the planet, for we ourselves depend upon nature in all facets of our lives. This means that experienced, knowledgeable ecologists will be essential as we move forward, incorporating Ecological Restoration into modern day development, agriculture, and municipal spaces. Ecological Restoration is the cultural, political, social, and environmental facets of a natural community being restored simultaneously.

Pizzo & Associates, Ltd. is a firm focused solely on Ecological Restoration. We create, restore, and steward natural areas using cutting edge principles and techniques. In our years of experience, we have found that the best solution to many of today’s problems is to simply work with Mother Nature, not against her. Working with public and private landowners, we convert high maintenance, low function, chemically intensive landscapes to low maintenance, highly functional natural areas that become home to our native birds and butterflies. At Pizzo, we truly are environmental stewards!

From our headquarters in Leland, IL, 60 miles west of Chicago, Pizzo serves clients located throughout the country including:

  • Landscape Architects and Planners
  • Civil Engineers
  • Development Teams
  • Private and Public Landowners
  • City, County, State and Federal Government Agencies
  • Homeowners Associations
  • Golf Courses
  • Corporate Campuses
  • Non-Profit Organizations
Philosophy