Tools

With missions in far-flung locales like Bolivia, Tanzania and Slovenia, Mark Robertson's occupation demands stealthy work and a sparse trail of evidence.

He's no CIA operative, but he does strive to work undercover. As the principal owner of MESA Landscape Architects Inc., Robertson implements eco-centered design solutions that blend with the environment.

“Our goal is to leave a project site that functions as close as possible to how it did prior to development,” he says. “I want to engage others in thoughtful reflection of the natural environment they are a part of.”

He's been doing that since interning for MESA in 1986, long before green design and sustainability were buzz words. His work, which includes design and consulting on projects ranging from rainwater harvesting and green home design to ecological restoration and neighborhood planning, is second nature to him. Robertson spent much of his childhood camping, hunting and fishing with his family in Arkansas.

Green at Home

Today, he instills his philosophy in other Arkansans by lecturing statewide on topics like “Green Infrastructure” and “Green Collar Jobs and the Green Economy.” Additionally, he exacts his influence through involvement in a plethora of organizations, including the Arkansas chapter of the USGBC, the Little Rock Sustainability Commission and the Legislative Task Force on Green Building Design and Practices.

Globally, he helps developing countries enjoy the economic opportunities associated with their environmental assets while also protecting them. His work in Bolivia involves a park system and consulting for NGO's.

Back in Arkansas, Robertson is implementing a strategic plan for greater collaboration between architects and landscape architects and a stronger focus on sustainability in the state as advisory board president for the University of Arkansas School of Architecture.

“We can't continue the pioneer philosophy that ‘We've got a lot of it, and we can afford to waste it,'” he says. “My goal personally and professionally is to bring awareness to all that while we are blessed with lots of green land and open water, we are susceptible to that being gone one day.”