David Buckley Borden is an interdisciplinary designer and artist working at the intersection of art, design, and ecology. Informed by research and community engagement, David promotes a shared environmental awareness and heightened cultural value of ecology. David’s place-based projects highlight both pressing environmental issues and everyday phenomena. Using an accessible, often humorous, combination of visual art and landscape design, David’s work manifests in a variety of forms, ranging from site-specific public art installations in the woods to data-driven cartography in the gallery.

David is currently a Fellow in Innovation and Leadership at the Landscape Architecture Foundation where he explores the question, “How can science-communication be reimagined as a collaborative design process between landscape architects and research scientists at long-term ecologic research sites?” As a Harvard Forest Associate and Designer-in-Residence at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, David continues to collaborate with scientists to champion a cultural ecology supported by interdisciplinary environmental-communication. David’s creative practice is supported by his critical writing with research scientists including recent co-authored work in MIT’s Leonardo Journal, Boston Art Review, and the Routledge Handbook of Art, Science, and Technology Studies. In support of David’s public facing projects, his collaborations have been featured in a wide variety of media outlets ranging from Landscape Architecture Magazine, Hyperallergic, Orion Magazine, Arnoldia, and NPR’s Living on Earth.

David studied landscape architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and worked as a designer at Sasaki before focusing his social practice at the intersection of landscape, creativity, and cultural event. David continues to periodically work with landscape architecture firms as a consultant, including recent collaborations with Agency Landscape + Planning, Sasaki, and Rios.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education

2011, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Master of Landscape Architecture

1998, Northeastern University, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Dual Concentration in Entrepreneurship and Marketing, Magna Cum Laude

Selected Academic Appointments

2024- Present, Associate, Center for Science Communication Research, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2021 – 2024, Fuller Design Fellow, Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes, Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2021 – Present, Courtesy Faculty, College of Forestry, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2020 – 2023, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2017 – Present, Associate, Harvard Forest, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

2016 – 2017, Charles Bullard Fellow in Forest Research at Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

Grants

2024, Landscape Architecture Foundation Fellowship in Innovation and Leadership, Landscape Architecture Foundation, Washington, D.C.

2024, LTER Creative-Practice Research Grant, Oregon State University Foundation’s Andrews Forest Fund, Corvalis, OR

2023, Sustainability Faculty Fellow Grant, University of Oregon Sustainability Fellowship for Community-Engaged Learning, PNW Just Futures Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2022, Exhibition and Documentation Grant, Ford Family Foundation, in association with Colin Ives and the Center for Art Research, Roseburg, OR

2022, LTER Creative-Practice Research Grant, Oregon State University Foundation’s Andrews Fund, Corvalis, OR

2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, Fuller Design Fellow Research Grant, Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes, Eugene, OR

2019, Now + There Public Art Accelerator Program, Boston, MA

2018, Somerville Museum Community Curator Grant with Penelope Taylor, Somerville, MA

2017, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's Berkshire Environmental Endowment Grant with Hoosic River Revival, North Adams, MA

2015, MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists, North Adams, MA

Selected Publications

Borden, D. B., 2023. Forest Fashion. Arnoldia, Fall 2022, Volume 80, Issue 3, 48-56.

Borden, D. B., 2022. Creative Feedback Loops for Community, Education, and Stewardship. Ground Up Journal, Issue 11.

Ellison, A. M. & D. B. Borden. 2021. Hemlock Hospice: landscape ecology, art, and design as science communication. To appear in H.S. Rogers, M.K. Halpern, D. Hannah, and K. Riddler-Vignone, editors. The Routledge Handbook of Art, Science & Technology Studies.

Ellison, A. M. & D. B. Borden. 2021. Constructive Friction Creates A Third Space for Art/Science Collaborations. Leonardo, MIT Press, Volume 54, issue 3.

Ellison, A. M. & D. B. Borden. 2019. The University Campus as a Space for Public Art: A View through Warming Warning. Boston Art Review, Vol: 4: 110-116.

Ellison, A. M. & D. B. Borden. 2019. Ecological art: aesthetics, communication, provocation, or call to action. The Goose: A Journal of Arts, Environment, and Culture in Canada, Vol: 17 , No. 2 , article 3.

Ellison, A. M. & D. B. Borden, 2018. Learning from art: Hemlock Hospice inspired new ways of doing science. Sciart Magazine, Vol :33. (October, 2018). Available online: https://www.sciartmagazine.com/october2018contents.html

Borden, D. B., 2017. Envisioning New England Landscape Futures. The Site Magazine, Vol: 37: 123-131.

Borden, D. B. 2014. Graphic Adaptation. Landscape Architecture Frontiers, 2(5): 150-158.

Residencies

2025, Senior Fieldscape Fellow, Fieldscape Fellowship at Fuller Farm, Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Design, School of Architecture and Environment, Waverly, PA (upcoming)

2025, Bloedel Reserve Creative Residency, Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge, WA (upcoming)

2024, Senior Fieldscape Fellow, Fieldscape Fellowship at Fuller Farm, Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Design, School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2021, Artist-in-Residence, Overlook Field School, Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Design, School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

2020 – Present, HJ Andrews Long-Term Ecological Network Designer-in-Residence, H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Blue River, OR

2020, Special Agent (Artist-in-Residence), Agency Landscape and Planning, Cambridge, MA

2019, Artist-in-Residence, Studios at MASS MoCA Assets for Artists Residency, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA

2019, Sasaki Gallery Artist-in-Residence, Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA

2019, Artist-in-Residence, Long Term Ecological Reflections Residency Program, Oregon State University, H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Blue River, OR

2017, Water Rights Artist-in-Residence, Santa Fe Arts Institute, Santa Fe, NM

2016, Artist-in-Residence, Studios at MASS MoCA Assets for Artists Residency, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA 

2015, Artist-in-Residence, Teton Art Lab Residency, Jackson, WY

2014, Artist-in-Residence, Trifecta Editions’ Hibernaculum Residency, Ticonderoga, NY

 Selected Exhibitions/Installations

2022, Ghost Forests, Trustman Gallery, Simmons University, Boston MA, Gallery Installation

2021, Universal Beacon, Universal Plaza, Tigard, OR, Public Art Installation

2019, Data Decision Trees, Pennsylvania State University, Abington, PA, Public Art Installation

2019, Remnant Glacial Profile, Remnant Brewery, Somerville, MA, Courtyard Mural with Jack K. Byers

2019, Community Nature: People, Place, and Practice, Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA, Corporate Gallery Installation

2018, Warming Warning, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Public Art Installation with Dr. Aaron Ellison et al.

2018, Triple Decker Ecology, Somerville Museum, Somerville, MA, Community Museum Installation with Curator Pennie Taylor et al.

2018, Suite New England, Studio Allston Hotel, Allston, MA, Hotel Installation

2018, Proposed Futures: Then and Now, Urbano Project, Jamaica Plain, MA, Gallery Installation

2018, Hemlock Hospice Fieldwork, Maine Audubon, Falmouth, ME. Photography Exhibition with Dr. Aaron Ellison

2018, Site Visit, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA. Gallery Installation 

2017, Hemlock Hospice, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA, Public Art Installation with Dr. Aaron Ellison et al.

2017, Forest; Interdisciplinary Science Communication, Fisher Museum, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA, Museum Exhibition 

2015, Campwood, Jackson Hole Center for the Arts, Jackson, WY, Public Art Installation

2015, Snack Stand, L.C. Bates Natural History Museum, Hinkley, ME, Public Art Installation

2015, Flagging Forests, DeCordova Corporate Art Lender Program, Cambridge, MA, Corporate Installation 

2015, Greater Yellowstone, Daly Projects, Jackson, WY, Gallery Installation

2015, Hibernaculum, Innovation and Design Building, Boston, MA, Gallery Installation

2014, Wild West at BDGA, Bodega, Boston, MA, Retail Installation

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023, Field Reports, Peavy Hall, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, Collaborative Group Exhibition

2023, Holding Fire, Well Well Projects, Portland, OR, Collective Exhibition with Colin Ives et al.

2022, Fuel Ladder, Center for Art Research, Oak Street Gallery, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Collective Exhibition with Colin Ives et al.

2022, Landscape Makers, LaVerne Krause Gallery, Lawrence Hall, College of Art and Design, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Collaborative Group Exhibition

2019, Art's Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Shaping Our Genetic Futures, Gregg Museum of Art and Design, NC State, Raleigh, NC, group exhibition with Dr. Aaron M Ellison et al. curated by Hannah Star Rogers

2019, This Land Is, Elaine L. Jacob Gallery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, group exhibition curated by Jennifer Belair Sakarian

2019, Dear So and So, Distillery Gallery, Boston, MA, group exhibition curated by Mary E Lewey and Helen Popinchalk

2019, Welcome to Weird West, Weird West, Jackson, WY, group exhibition curated by Teton Art Lab

2019, Untold Possibilities at the Last Minute, Gallery 344, Cambridge, MA, group exhibition curated by Cambridge Arts Council

2018, Shifting Sites, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, group exhibition with Lateral Office and Snøhetta

2018, Dynamic Entities, Spring 83 Room, Watertown, MA, group exhibition

2017, The Open Pass, All Day Everyday, Los Angeles, CA, group exhibition

2016, Parts Unknown Flag Show, Aviary Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition

2016, Juror’s Choice, Uforge Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition 

2016, Fun-A-Day Boston 2016, Aviary Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition 

2015, Trifecta Year Two, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA, group exhibition

2015, Fun-A-Day Boston 2015, Aviary Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition

2015, Bless this Mesh, Thomas Young Gallery, Boston, MA, group exhibition

2014, Trifecta: Year One, Fourth Wall Project, Boston, MA, group exhibition

2014, Fun-A-Day Boston 2014, Voltage Art and Coffee, Cambridge, MA, group exhibition

2014, Animals, Aviary Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition

2013, You Are Here: Maps and Art, Nave Gallery, Somerville, MA, group exhibition

2013, Fun-A-Day Boston 2013, Aviary Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA, group exhibition

2010, Maps..., Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA, group exhibition

Selected Talks and Workshops

2024, Forest Field Reports from the PNW WUI, University of Washington, College of Built Environments, Department of Landscape Architecture, Seattle, WA (Upcoming, May 17 2024)

2024, Forest Field Reports from the PNW WUI, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2024, Interdisciplinary Co-labs: LTER Creativity in the Field, Michigan State University, Department of Forestry, Emily Huff Lab, East Lansing, MI (Upcoming, Feb 15, 2024)

2024, Enviro-Comm for Resource Management, Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Corvalls, MA

2023, Forest Field Reports from the PNW WUI, hosted by HJ Andrews Experimental Forest and the College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2022, Forest Comm; Harvard Forest to the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, Arboreal Inquiries Symposium (online), presented by Great Lakes Design Lab, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

2021, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, hosted by OSU Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, OSU ART-SCI, and the Corvallis Art Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2021, Forest Community; Harvard Forest to the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, Webinar with David Paul Bayles, hosted by HJ Andrews LTER and Spring Creek Project, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2021, Novel Ecosystems, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Tufts University, Medford, MA

2021, Professional Plots; Highs, Lows, Swamps, and other Hotspots, University of Washington, College of Built Environments, Department of Landscape Architecture, Seattle, WA

2021, Professional Plots; Highs, Lows, Swamps, and other Hotspots, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

2020, Professional Plots; Highs, Lows, Swamps, and other Hotspots, University of Oregon, College of Design, ASLA Student Chapter, Eugene, OR

2020, Devlish Detail, Craft, and Material Culture in Feral Praxis, University of Washington, College of Built Environments, Seattle, WA

2020, Professional Plots; Highs, Lows, Swamps, and other Hotspots, Conway School of Landscape Design, Easthampton, MA

2020, Experiments in Knowledge and Creativity, University of Oregon, College of Design, Eugene, OR

2020, Environmental Narratives Through Art and Design, LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, Baton Rouge, LA

2020, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Agency Landscape and Planning, Cambridge, MA

2020, Ghost Forests Arts Administration Workshop, Simmons University Department of Art and Music, Boston, MA

2019, Data Decision Trees, Pennsylvania State University, Abington, PA

2019, Hoosic Virtual Tour, Elaine L Jacobs Gallery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

2019, Warming Warning Walk Through, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2019, Bridging the Interdisciplinary Gap, Workshop, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA

2019, Visual Arts for Sci-Comm, Workshop for REU Summer Program, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2019, Eco Arts Installation, Workshop for Sasaki Staff, Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Pennsylvania State University, Abington, PA

2019, Novel Ecosystems, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Boston Society of Landscape Architects Conference, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

2019, Environmental Art: Reflection Versus Action Workshop, The Chrysalis Symposium: Courageous Transformation for the Climate Crisis, hosted by Spring Creek Project, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, University of Oregon, College of Design, Department of Landscape Architecture, Eugene, OR

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, ASLA Portland Chapter, Metro, Portland, OR

2019, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Clark College, Vancouver, WA

2019, Eco Signs Workshop, Clark College, Vancouver, WA

2019, Hemlock Hospice Revisited, Northborough Garden Club, Northborough, MA

2019, Hybrid Vigor by Design: Ecology X Art X Design, Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architects, Cambridge, MA

2018, Environmental Art: Reflection, Provocation, and Action, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 

2018, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, MetaLAB, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

2018, Novel Ecosystems, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Le Laboratoire, Cambridge, MA

2018, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, Conway School of Landscape Design, Easthampton, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Tufts University, Medford, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Lexington Public Library, Lexington, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Urbano Project, Jamaica Plain, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Maine Audubon,  Falmouth, ME

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Broto Conference, Provincetown, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, LTER Symposium, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Northeastern University, School of Architecture, Boston, MA 

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Smith College, Northampton, MA

2018, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA

2018, Creative Collaboration For Ecosystem Science Education,  Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Winter Harbor, ME

2018, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, New Directions in the American Landscape Symposium, New London, CT

2018, Hybrid Vigor: Ecology X Art X Design, New Directions in the American Landscape Symposium, Philadelphia, PA

2017, Hemlock Hospice, with Dr. Aaron Ellison, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2017, Sci-Arts Communication Workshop, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA

2016, Ecological Reflections: Integrating the Arts and Humanities with Science at Long-Term Ecological Research Sites,  Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities Conference, Denver, CO

2016, Contemporary Sci-Arts, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

2016, Sci-Comm Data-Viz, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2016, Re-Imagining Trails, with Clarisse Hart and Maya Apfelbaum, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2015, Hybrid Vigor: Art X Design X Ecology, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA

2015, Designer Gone Rogue, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA

2015, Hybrid Vigor: Art, Design and Landscape, American Society of Landscape Architects, Georgia Chapter, Savannah, GA

2015, Art X Ecology, Teton Artlab, Jackson, WY

2014, Community Engagement by Design, Boston Society of Architects, Boston, MA

2014, Landscape a Day, Fourth Wall Project, Boston, MA

2013, Designer by Design, Boston Society of Architects, Boston, MA