Nancy Striniste

Nancy Striniste currently serves as a lead landscape designer at EarlySpace, LLC, where she specializes in creating earth-friendly, people-centric outdoor environments that foster learning, play, and community connection. With over 25 years of experience in sustainable landscape design, Nancy brings a deep expertise in developing natural playgrounds, outdoor learning environments, school gardens, and children’s parks that are not only visually inspiring but also environmentally sensitive. Her innovative approach integrates ecological principles with playful, functional design, ensuring that each space supports biodiversity, environmental education, and social well-being.

At EarlySpace, Nancy leads collaborative design charrettes involving diverse stakeholders—teachers, community members, architects, and contractors—to co-create spaces that meet the unique needs of each community. She is adept at translating community input into comprehensive site plans and construction documents, managing projects from concept to installation with a focus on sustainability and ecological integrity. Additionally, Nancy actively trains educators on incorporating outdoor environments into their curriculum, emphasizing the role of nature in fostering environmental literacy and experiential learning.

Her expertise extends to facilitating community build workdays, fostering a sense of ownership and stewardship among participants. Nancy’s skill set includes curriculum design, horticulture, site planning, and urban design, allowing her to craft outdoor spaces that are not only beautiful and playful but also serve as living classrooms. Through her work at EarlySpace, LLC, Nancy continues to champion environmentally responsible landscape practices that nurture healthy, vibrant communities and inspire a lifelong connection to nature.