Zoo Landscape Design?

O

Otter Lord

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I'm a senior who is going into college next near and I need help choosing a college(even though there are 16 days left). I have realized that I am really passionate about zoo design and I want to join a landscaping design company that specializes in zoos and natural parks. This is far off and down the road, but what I really need help with is understanding the road to get there. I know that I may need a landscaping design degree and some zoology background maybe. I'm probably also going to go to graduate school. So far I have been accepted by 4 schools and rejected by 1(that is really my first choice and I'm appealing for a long shot to get in, gotta try it atleast...) The four schools are UC San Diego, University of Wyoming, University of Hawaii (all with great zoology programs) and then SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry. At UCSD, I only got in for Environmental Systems (Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution) though I may need to switch to visual arts if I want to go to graduate school for landscape design. The school that I want to go to, but got rejected by is UC Davis (which is supposed to be an easier school to get into than UCSD), which has both zoology and landscape architecture. So disregarding housing, cost, transportation, distance from home, etc, which college do you thing would be suit me to becoming a good zoo landscape designer? Also, any other information about the zoo design field would help.

Thanks.
Otter Lord
 
Hi OT

I can't speak to the merits of your schools...but you could post to this Forum of Landscape Architects and students and get their opinion: Discussion Forum - Land8Lounge.com

I assume that when you write "landscape designer" you mean "landscape architect." If not, then my first piece of advice is "Go for Landscape Architect." Get good on CAD (because that is generally the entry position with L.A. firms)

I don't see any professional importance for a degree in Zoology. Subjects like geography, ecology, etc. would be more useful and marketable, IMO. Studying the animals is great, but in a zoo design project it is the Owner (the zoo) that generally provides expertise on animals and animal care. If they lack it, they are most likely to trust their colleagues at other zoos.

Since no company (that I know of) deals exclusively in zoo design, the other work would be park design and nature park/reserve design. So ecology applies there. There are programs in Reserve Design that may be helpful.

Hope this is helpful
 
Zooplantman said:
Hi OT

I can't speak to the merits of your schools...but you could post to this Forum of Landscape Architects and students and get their opinion: Discussion Forum - Land8Lounge.com

I assume that when you write "landscape designer" you mean "landscape architect." If not, then my first piece of advice is "Go for Landscape Architect." Get good on CAD (because that is generally the entry position with L.A. firms)

I don't see any professional importance for a degree in Zoology. Subjects like geography, ecology, etc. would be more useful and marketable, IMO. Studying the animals is great, but in a zoo design project it is the Owner (the zoo) that generally provides expertise on animals and animal care. If they lack it, they are most likely to trust their colleagues at other zoos.

Since no company (that I know of) deals exclusively in zoo design, the other work would be park design and nature park/reserve design. So ecology applies there. There are programs in Reserve Design that may be helpful.

Hope this is helpful
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I see what you mean by landscape design and landscape architecture. Its like the difference between a cook and a chef really. In all honesty, I do want to become an expert at zoo design so I want the best and most broad of an education as possible.

I know that the companies that do zoo design aren't mainly zoos, but also do park design and natural park/reserve design as you mentioned. I hope to be employed by one of these companies and I do see myself doing park design or other landscape projects as entry-level work.

I agree about what you said about zoology. It probably is better to know more ecology, geography, structural engineering, and soil science than zoology. I found that when projects are being built teams that consist of a director, designers, animal and guest advocates, security, and keepers, so why have zoology when the keepers got it covered. I figured that I should have some background with zoology so I could have productive conversations with keepers and understand what they mean and possibly contribute ideas that they did not thing of. Though, I think reading on zoo design trends and such will help with animal enrichment ideas and management.

I think I'm leaning toward SUNY-ESF as far as college. It's far but it has landscape architecture and I want a snowy climate. I have 2,000 dollars from them off my tuition too.

Thanks a lot for the link, there were several forums on that site about some other students writing their thesis on zoo design and I got some lists of books and a link to writings by Jon Coe.
 
Sounds to me like you've thought this out very well.

It's not that the zoology study is a wrong idea or not useful - only that it ought not to rank as a major for you.
In addition to what you've planned, the single most helpful experience you can have is working at a variety of zoos as an intern or seasonal (IF you can get into the animal or any department that doesn't involve selling hamburgers)
 
Lol Otter Lord! Great to know you are interested in zoo design. In fact I sort of want to start my own zoo. I am intersted in the way they lay out exhibits and plants. I just joined this website because it is really helpful in finding great pictures of zoos! The Bronx Zoo pictures are amazing and I just really want to learn how to do tropical landscaping for my peafowl mainly. For now I would start off with a peafowl zoo. From what I have seen with the Australia Zoo, to become a landscaper or designer you usually have to work your way up proving them you can handle that field of work.

Good luck to you!
 
Dang, I will be in college during September in Syracuse, NY. Maybe I can fly back for this. Would it be advantageous to take some of these classes they have at the conference?

Zooplantman, do you take college interns for ZHCD? :D
 
Otter Lord said:
Dang, I will be in college during September in Syracuse, NY. Maybe I can fly back for this. Would it be advantageous to take some of these classes they have at the conference?

Zooplantman, do you take college interns for ZHCD? :D
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Sorry, no interns. I'm a one-man shop! :eek:

At the conference there is a one day Design Course as part of the Zoo Horticulturist certification process. But it focuses on the design process rather than how to design, so I wouldn't fly cross country to take it if I were you (although ironically I am flying cross country to be one of the instructors!). You ought to learn about that at SUNY. The course on Browse and Toxic Plants ought to be worthwhile, though.

What is most valuable about the conference is presentations on new exhibits (I will be doing one on Elephant Exhibits... comparing Nashville and Dallas. Don't know yet what other presentations are planned) and especially meeting zoo horticulturists and talking about what their work life is like. Terrific group!
 
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I am really interested in how to group plants and place them so they look like they naturaly grew that way. Any good tropical plants you know of? I really am trying to see what plants work well. I am going to hopefully have a peacock/plant set up and eventually if I get enough land I might try something more along the lines of a zoo...
 
I guess it would depend on your climate and what kind of soil types are in your area. Since you live in Florida, you shouldn't have much trouble with tropical plants. You might also want to try some native plants too; That's what I did in my own garden.
 
Yes I have been trying some natives too like magnolias, one of my favorite trees and I also use oaks and wild grapes. Even though I am in Florida I am almost in Alabama so instead of being in zone 9 we are in zone 8, yet we can still grow tropicals, just not as much as other parts of Florida. Hopefully my bamboo will grow quickly. It takes it two years to get big and I can't wait!
 
Thanks Zooplantman, it was a great read. I wish I could be a student working for the horticulture staff at the Dublin Zoo.... =\
 
Otter Lord said:
Thanks Zooplantman, it was a great read. I wish I could be a student working for the horticulture staff at the Dublin Zoo.... =
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If and when you are ready for an internship in a zoo horticulture department, I'll gladly help guide you to the better ones.
 
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