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The American Ecological Engineering Society
Invites you to become a
Certified Ecological Designer
Program Guidelines
The mission of the American Ecological Engineering Society is to “promote the development of
sustainable ecosystems that integrate human society with its natural environment to the benefit
of both.”
To further that mission, AEES is proud to sponsor a Certified Ecological Designer Program to
foster high quality ecosystem design and function through the application of multidisciplinary
science.
Though sponsored by AEES, the Certified Ecological Designer program is not intended
exclusively for engineers; rather the program promotes an integrated practice and is open to all
interested practitioners from ecology, engineering, landscape architecture, architecture,
planning, or related disciplines.
Two certifications are offered:


Certified Ecological Designer (CED)
Associate Ecological Designer (AED)
The AED certification is designed for applicants who do not fulfill the project portfolio
requirements of the CED. The AED certification is intended for recent graduates and other
professionals who may not yet have three designed and built projects but who otherwise satisfy
all academic and workshop requirements. Moving from AED to CED is streamlined; an AED
whose certification is current may apply for CED certification at any time by submitting a design
portfolio.
Who can apply?
Individuals certified by AEES as Ecological Designers must have demonstrated expertise in the
integration of the science of ecology and practice of design. Certification is based upon a
combination of
 academic credentials (all applicants),
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

active participation in an AEES-sponsored Certified Ecological Designer workshop &
charrette (all applicants), and
experience as demonstrated in a portfolio of completed work (CED applicants).
Successful applicants may represent themselves as Certified Ecological Designers (CEDs) or
Associate Ecological Designers (AED).
When can I apply?
Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. Candidates who have met all
certification criteria will be recognized each year at the AEES annual meeting.
Certification Term and Cost
Certification is good for a term of four years, with the option for renewal at the end of that
period.
Certification costs $150 for AEES members and $250 for non-members. The non-member rate
includes a one-year membership in AEES (current value = $50). This fee must accompany the
certification application.
Current AEDs applying for CED status pay a reduced application fee ($75 for AEES Members,
$175 for non-members) if their AED certification has not expired.
Renewal requires 45 contact hours of continuing education, distributed over at least two of the
preceding four years, and an updated curriculum vitae, noting work performed during the
certification period.
Requirements for Certification
To be certified, applicants must meet the following criteria:
I. Education (All Applicants)
A bachelor's degree or higher in ecology, landscape architecture, engineering, or a related
field is required. (Candidates with extensive work experience may petition the committee
to accept that in lieu of a degree in one of these fields.) Required coursework:
a) Ecological science: 3 semesters or 135 contact hours. Certification as an Ecologist
by the Ecological Society of America, or equivalent knowledge demonstrated
through work experience.
b) Basic design principles: 1 semester or 45 contact hours of coursework in basic
design principles (i.e., landscape architecture, architecture, product design,
engineering). Workshops or demonstrated work experience may also be used to
satisfy this requirement.
c) Ecological design: 2 semesters or 90 contact hours in ecological design topics or
applications of ecological design. Coursework may include a related discipline that
addresses an ecological forcing function, such as fluvial geomorphology, if the
applicant can provide evidence of an ecological emphasis related to design.
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Workshops or demonstrated work experience may also be used to satisfy this
requirement.
II. AEES Certified Ecological Designer Workshop (All Applicants)
All candidates for certification are required to successfully complete the AEESsponsored workshop “Enhancing the Practice of Ecological Design.” This workshop is
exclusively presented by AEES and represents unique, focused content intended to
further the development of collaborative, multidisciplinary ecological design. The
workshop includes a design charrette that all candidates participate in along with
members of the local community.
III. Ecological Design Project Experience (CED Only)
Candidates must have demonstrated ecological design experience. Completed projects1
must have utilized ecological principles and/or natural ecosystems as a model in design.
Documentation of three projects is required, with verification of the applicant’s
substantial role. Project role may be substantiated through letters of reference from the
project manager, publications, stamped plans, or other similar documentation.
At the discretion of the Ecological Designer Certification Committee, projects that have not been constructed
may be considered and may be awarded partial credit towards the required projects.
1
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Application
The Certified & Associate Ecological Designer application package has three parts:
1. A completed application document (all applicants)
2. A Curriculum Vitae (all applicants)
3. A set of design project descriptions (CED applicants)
Use the following checklist to create your application document, providing the information
requested. Send your application and supporting documentation to:
Maia Singer
Chair, Certified Ecological Designer Committee
Stillwater Sciences
2855 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 400
Berkeley, CA 94705
maia@stillwatersci.com
______________________________________________________________________________
________________
Personal Information:
I.

Name, contact information, affiliation

AEES Member? Years as AEES member?
Education:

List all related degrees, Bachelor’s and higher

Identify your field(s) or major(s) of study, and institution(s)

List all relevant academic coursework in Ecological, Biological, or related Sciences;
Landscape or Engineering Design, and related fields.

Identify in this list:
a) Three (3) semesters (minimum of 135 contact hours) or equivalent in
ecological sciences. Certification as an Ecologist by the Ecological Society
of America, or equivalent knowledge demonstrated through work
experience, may also be used to satisfy this requirement.
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b) One (1) semester (minimum of 45 contact hours) or equivalent in basic
design principles (e.g., landscape architecture, architecture, product
design, engineering).
c) Two (2) semesters (minimum of 90 contact hours) or equivalent in
ecological design or applications of ecological design. Coursework may
include a related discipline that addresses an ecological forcing function,
such as fluvial geomorphology, if the applicant can provide evidence of
an ecological emphasis related to design. Workshops or demonstrated
work experience may also be used to satisfy this requirement.
II.
III.
AEES Certified Ecological Designer Workshop:

All candidates for certification are required to successfully complete the AEESsponsored workshop “Enhancing the Practice of Ecological Design.” This workshop
is exclusively presented by AEES, and represents unique, focused content intended
to enhance the successful practice of collaborative, multidisciplinary ecological
design. The workshop includes an ecological design charrette that all candidates
participate in along with members of the local community.

Indicate date and location of completion of workshop.
Ecological Design Experience (for CED applicants):

List the three projects for which you are providing project descriptions and
supporting materials, as described below.

Prepare a set of project descriptions that demonstrate your experience in ecological
design. The project descriptions must follow the format specified below and
include:
o Two (2) pages maximum per project of three (3) built projects (not more),
with each description including:
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
Project date, location, purpose, and overview description
including relevant ecological design goals, principles, and
processes, and ecosystems services provided, and the applicant’s
significant design role on the project. For each project identify
the reference or method of documenting the applicant’s role. At
least one photograph of each completed project should be
included.

Additional supporting drawings, photos, maps, or reports are
encouraged, but the project description described above is what
will be reviewed.
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


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Projects must demonstrate application of ecological principles
and understanding of ecological processes in their design. Project
may include:

Habitat/ecosystem restoration or creation projects,

Civil infrastructure projects,

Landscape design projects,

Research and development projects where working
prototypes were constructed.
Applicant should document their significant design role on the
project, including, but not necessarily limited to:

Letters of reference from the project manager or client

Project reports that clearly document the applicant’s role

Published papers

Certification or stamping of design drawings or documents

Other, similar documentation
Regardless of the type of project submitted, the key criteria for consideration will be
inclusion of ecosystem services in the design of the project with the applicant
playing a significant design role. Projects that have been constructed or are
currently under construction are required1. The size or scale of the projects is not a
determining factor; rather, the ecological design thinking demonstrated is the key
concern.