Liav Shalem is a landscape architect and an ecologist.
Liav received his B.A. in landscape architecture from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and his M.A. in environmental studies from Tel Aviv University. He believes that combining both of the disciplines of landscape architecture and ecology, enables both the construction of a natural biological system and the design of an optimal and sustainable landscape.
Liav works as an ecological consultant to the Tel Aviv municipality, and as the ecologist at Ganei Yahushua Company, which manages the largest metropolitan park in Israel. Liav specializes in the conservation and restoration of wetlands and coastal ecosystems, such as winter pools (vernal pools), wetlands and streams, sandy habitats and red loam soil. His projects take place in the city and open green areas, and employ his unique spatial model which involves the community in the rehabilitation process.
Our firm plans and delivers a wide range of landscape and ecology projects. Including:
Planning nature based solutions as an act to climate changes.
Designing regional landscape master plans with an emphasis on ecological and hydrological aspects.
Creating vernal pools and various habitats with a holistic view of ecosystem requirements.
Consulting for municipalities on ecology and biodiversity.
Restoration of various habitats (vernal pools, streams and sandy habitats etc), raising their ecological and scenic value.
Community Involvement projects for the restoration of ecological systems, using a unique model combining restoration with a site information system.
Project aims
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Increasing biodiversity in open, interfered or deserted land cells
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Creating sites attractive for recreation and enrichment for local communities
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Raising the quality of life for nearby residents as a direct result of landscaping
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Creating of a natural environment
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Community involvement and investment in the natural environment.
Liav works side by side with botanists, soil experts and other ecologists to better understand every site's unique values, thus providing an accurate solution to its needs.
Projects
Rosh Tzipor, Ganei Yahushua
Restoration of a winter pond as a runoff management system and as a nature-based solution in a metropolitan park – Yehoshua Gardens.
Tel Afek- Einat River- Rewild
Restoration of an impacted stream back from a state of a drainage channel into a restored river and wetlands by 'Re-Wilding' and sensitive landscape development.
Tel Aviv winter pond
Restoration of a winter pond in the north of Tel Aviv.
Ashdod Sand Dune Park
Ecological landscape planning of Sand Dune Park in the city of Ashdod totaling 300 dunams. Includes the restoration of vegetation, arrangement of paths and preservation of shelter areas for animals.
Drezner winter pond
'Re-Wilding' of winter ponds as a nature-based solution in an area measuring 50 dunams in the north of Tel Aviv. The restoration included the return of 200 local plant species.
Yaaf winter pond park
'Re-Wilding' of a winter pond by digging a side pool to store runoff water as a nature-based solution.
Recreating urban nature sites, Tel Aviv city
Planning an urban nature site for the community. Recreating and re-wilding by restoring the local flora, planting orchard trees, arranging a trail system and explanatory signage.
HaKfar HaYarok research project
A research project carried out at Tel Aviv University to examine the restoration of open spaces by restoring local vegetation and establishing a winter pond. The project was carried out under the guidance of Professor Avital Gazit and Dr. Yuval Sapir.
Kfar Saba park winter pond
Creating a winter pond in an urban park in the city of Kfar Sava.
Ecological restoration of a coastal park – Ashkelon city
Ecological restoration and 'Re-Wilding' in a coastal park in Ashkelon, sand flora restoration.
Holon city winter pond
Recreating nature in a 20 dunam former parking lot. A rewilding project of de-paving a parking lot and turning it into a thriving community and nature park. Winter ponds were dug in the area and local plant restoration of about 200 plant species was done. The pools are fed by runoff coming from a nearby road. The runoff is filtered in a biofilter facility. This is a nature-based solution project for delaying runoff and enriching biodiversity.
NITZBA Rosh HaAyin
Establishing a nature-based solution for delaying runoff in a light industrial complex in the city of Rosh HaAyin. A re-wilding project for the employees of the complex to go for a nearby walk and relax.
Contact
Bergson 11, Tel Aviv
Liav Shalem : +972-52-2239709
Office : +972-3-5543838