Meet Alexis Trujillo
Alexis Trujillo is a highly engaged, solution-oriented landscape designer providing superior solutions to all landscapes throughout New Jersey. Alexis has diverse experience including some of Monmouth County’s most noteworthy commercial projects including the preservation of The Grove & West Shrewsbury and Brook 35 Plaza & West . Her proudest public work is the restoration of Olmsted's formal gardens, Southern Division, Essex County Branch Brook Park.
Alexis Trujillo is a Monmouth University alumni, with a Masters degree in Public Policy, specializing in green initiatives. Alexis’s vast experience includes speaking engagements at the United Nations, working with non-profits to increase awareness and action around food insecurity and promoting environmental causes. Alexis resides in Keyport with her spouse and their children.
It's in our "earth house”
In 2013 having established consultative status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council Alexis Trujillo began to truly comprehend the far-reaching effects of climate change, its impact on social justice and food insecurity. Holding a Masters of Public Policy and with a love for gardens, green space and public spaces already in the works by way of renowned mentors, garden designer, Danielle Boyle, Lily’s of the Valley LLC and Faye Harwell, Rhodeside & Harwell Landscape Architects, it would be just a matter of time before all of these passions coalesced to become the Terra Casa we know today. A company who actively looks for ways where its time and talent can go toward creating green spaces that serve communities and minimize the impact of adverse childhood experiences through programming, advocacy, and participation.
Essex County, Branch Brook Park, Southern Division
Essex County Department of Parks
Fredrick Law Olmsted, is perhaps best known for the design and build of New York City’s Central Park and often considered the father of landscape architecture. Olmsted believed universal access to nature and beauty in designed landscapes would help elevate community health and in turn social discourse. New Jersey’s Essex County, Branch Brook Park is one such place. At the time, Olmsted felt it was Newark with its heavy pollution from port traffic, factories and dense population (still the case today) that most desperately needed the green space.
Although commissioned first, due to political and financial discord, it wouldn’t be until after Central Park NYC was completed, that the nation’s first county park, Essex County Branch Brook Park was built.
In 2018 Alexis Trujillo was selected to work under the supervision of Faye Harwell of Rhodeside & Harwell. To lead the restoration of Essex County, Branch Brook Park’s Southern Division, the first 90 acres of the 360-acre Olmsted masterpiece. With support from the Essex County Department of Parks and Essex County Archivist, Kathy Kauhl, Alexis was able to access and physically work with original Olmsted drawings, planting plans, lists and essays to design gardens that restored all of Olmsted’s intentions for the park’s formal gardens, from plant species to rolling hills, cobble stone pathways, waterways and stunning vistas.
Once completed in 2021, the Branch Brook Park Alliance in partnership with Jersey Cares would and continues to preserve the landscape through environmental education, programming such as summer job training for at risk youth, parent/adult role model and child volunteer days, corporate and community volunteerism and team building opportunities for folks of all ages and abilities.
Down Bottom Farms - Ironbound Community Corporation City of Newark and The Office of Sustainability
In 2015 Alexis Trujillo answered a call to a most interesting challenge: design and build a farm to tackle food insecurity in Newark’s Ironbound on an asphalt-capped, abandoned lot. No access to water or utilities with no ability to break ground and no zoning laws in existence to demand it. This would be public policy, design, community and drive at its finest. Working with Ironbound Community Corporation, The City of Newark, The School Development Authority of NJ, various funding agencies and the physical support of community members enrolled in a job training program, Down Bottom Farms was built. The ¾ of an acre urban farm is one of the most well known of its kind. Setting a precedent for inclusive zoning laws around community gardens and urban farms in Newark, Trenton, Camden and underserved urban communities throughout the Garden State and beyond.
The farm is designed as a gardened public space featuring a fruit tree orchard, 30’x72’ above ground hoophouse and 14’x20’ greenhouse grows. Provides the Ironbound community with over 10,000 lbs. of produce per growing season with 100% of it donated to the community. It also serves as a public gathering space that hosts community concerts, day camps, field trips, yearly harvest festivals and more. The farm has reported measurable success with involved local young people by way of proven academic, physical health and behavioral improvement.