August 4, 2024

Inside This Issue

2024 ACHIEVEMENTS

  • USACE Embracing Nature-based Solutions
  • ASLA Helps Introduce Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Legislation
  • ASLA Federal Advocacy Day 2024 Delivers for Licensure & Water
  • Outdoors for All Act Advances Through Congress
  • Tracking Licensure & State Policy Nationwide

RESOURCES

  • ASLA Member-Only Federal Funding Hub
  • ASLA 125th Anniversary Proclamation Template
  • LARE Prep Week Webinar Recordings

2024 EVENTS

  • ASLA Green Roof Reception a Success
  • Inaugural #PLAday Takes Over Social Media
  • LABash Highlights Career Paths Created by Licensure
  • August is Site Tour Month
  • Registration Open: September ASLA + CLARB In-Person Licensure Summit

OPPORTUNITIES

  • Sponsors Needed: 2024 ASLA + CLARB Landscape Architecture Licensure Summit
  • NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance
  • Policy Internships for Landscape Architecture Students – Apply Now!
  • State Board Vacancies

ACHIEVEMENTS

USACE Embracing Nature-based Solutions

  • As a direct result of ASLA, its members, and other non-federal interest’s advocacy efforts, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced it will expand the use of nature-based solutions in its civil works projects. Now, when USACE provides a final set of planning options—what they call “alternatives”—to communities, those alternatives must include “a fully nature-based solution alternative” if feasible. Read more in The Dirt.

ASLA Helps Introduce Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Legislation 

  • The U.S. House of Representatives introduced H.R. 8812, the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 on June 25. On June 26, the bill passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The House version of WRDA 2024 includes legislative text that ASLA worked with the office of Representative Nydia Velazquez (NY) to include. Specifically, the text provides $25,000,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure, including stormwater management (including combined sewer overflows), in the vicinity of Newtown Creek, New York City, New York.

ASLA Federal Advocacy Day 2024 Delivers for Licensure & Water

  • On May 8, 2024, ASLA advocates nationwide participated in ASLA Advocacy Day - “Shaping Spaces, Changing Lives: 125 Years of Landscape Architecture.” Advocates from 48 states met with federal legislators and congressional staff across more than 100 legislative meetings to urge support for the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act and WISE Act. These efforts produced new cosponsors and interest in the bills. ASLA will continue to advocate for these and other measures that provide landscape architects opportunities for affordable licensure and increase nature-based solutions projects.

Outdoors for All Act Advances Through Congress

  • On April 9, the Outdoors for All Act unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives as a part of the EXPLORE Act package. Now in the Senate, it remains possible that the bipartisan measure can be passed and signed into law this year. “Communities across the country need investment in welcoming, dynamic, and safe outdoor spaces. Landscape architects have deep experience in bringing people and nature closer together,” said Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO of ASLA. Read more in LAND.

Tracking Licensure Impacts

  • ASLA is tracking over 170 occupational licensure bills. As licensure bills and legislation specific to the landscape architecture profession are introduced, members and chapters can track them on the ALSA website. State Government Affairs is also tracking 53 bills related to climate change.
  • In 2024, the State Government Affairs team worked closely with several chapters to comment on or respond to legislative proposals and agency activities related to licensure:
    • Landscape architecture deregulation (Louisiana)
    • Licensing board sunset reviews (Arizona, California)
    • Potential landscape architecture board reform (Alabama, Iowa, New Hampshire)
    • Development of licensure regulations for continuing education (Illinois)
    • Elimination of professional service taxation (DC/Potomac)

RESOURCES

ASLA Member-Only Federal Funding Hub

  • ASLA worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which are bringing unprecedented funding opportunities for landscape architects to create community projects nationwide. To help navigate the large amount of grant programs established under these laws, ASLA developed the Federal Funding Hub. This list of notice of funding opportunities (NOFOs) is tailored for landscape architects to work on climate change and biodiversity, water and land management, parks and recreation, active transportation, and more. The list is accessible only to ASLA members. It will be updated in real time to display new opportunities as they become available.

ASLA 125th Anniversary Proclamation Template

  • This year, ASLA is celebrating a milestone — its 125th Anniversary! The ASLA Government Affairs team has developed guidance and model language to assist Chapters in securing a resolution/proclamation celebrating the 125th Anniversary of ASLA. Resolutions and Proclamations are a great way to bring honor and attention to important issues and unique circumstances.

LARE Prep Resources

  • Do you need specific exam prep under your belt? Don’t miss our LARE Prep Workshops (October 5 & 6) at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in Washington, D.C. (October 6-9). Or check out our on-demand workshop recordings, including ASLA’s LARE Prep Week webinars. These introductory webinars aim to help candidates enhance their understanding of the exam, gain insights into the new LARE blueprint, and clarify questions about the testing process. Registrants are raving about “High Level Testing,” which outlines the basic levels of comprehension that are necessary to utilize knowledge in the application of “skills and abilities” throughout the exams.

2024 EVENTS

ASLA Green Roof Reception a Success

  • To celebrate the 125th anniversary, ASLA hosted policymakers and congressional staff, federal agency officials, advocacy groups, and landscape architects at the ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture. Over 150 attendees joined us on June 5, which coincided with UN World Environment Day and World Green Roof Day. During the event, ASLA showcased its green roof that allowed attendees to learn and experience some social, environmental, educational, and economic benefits of green roofs. The evening also included remarks from President-elect, Kona Gray, FASLA, PLA, and Congresswoman Nadia Velázquez (NY) on H.R. 4270, the Public School Green Rooftop Program Act, which ASLA helped reintroduce.

Inagural #PLA Day Take Over Social Media

  • ASLA celebrated its inaugural PLA (Professional Landscape Architects) Day on April 3 as part of World Landscape Architecture Month. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about landscape architecture licensure and the role PLA’s play in ensuring public health, safety, and welfare. The social media response was overwhelmingly positive, with over 300 posts using the #PLADay hashtag to share personal stories, express gratitude, and highlight the importance of licensure in upholding high standards within the industry.

LABash Highlights Career Paths Created by Licensure

  • On Saturday, March 30, ASLA and CLARB presented at LABash on licensure. CLARB addressed how young professionals can obtain licensure, and then ASLA addressed how licensure creates professional opportunities for landscape architects. Finally, Stephanie Lau, ASLA, PLA shared her personal journey to licensure.

August is Site Tour Month

  • August is officially ASLA's National Site Tour Month. Hosting a site tour can have an enormous impact on the perspectives of local, state, and federal policymakers regarding the responsibility of landscape architects to protect public health, safety, and welfare. As heat waves continue to spread across the country, August is the ideal time of year to demonstrate how landscape architecture projects are significantly cooling the outdoor environment and helping to keep people safe during dangerous periods of the summer.

Registration Open: September ASLA + CLARB In-Person Licensure Summit

OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsors Needed: 2024 ASLA + CLARB Landscape Architecture Licensure Summit

Get ready to make a lasting impression and support professional licensure at the 2024 ASLA + CLARB Landscape Architecture Licensure Summit: Empowering Opportunity. This dynamic summit brings together landscape architecture advocates and licensure boards to explore the latest licensure trends and challenges being experienced across the United States.

Now is your chance to stand out among industry leaders by becoming a sponsor or securing an expo space at this highly important event, taking place in vibrant Buffalo, NY, from September 16-18, 2024.

Our sponsorship packages and expo spaces offer a prime opportunity to showcase your brand, products, and services to a captivated audience. By joining us as a sponsor or exhibitor, you'll gain unparalleled visibility and access to key decision-makers, advocates, and influencers in the landscape architecture community.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to shape the future of landscape architecture licensure while elevating your brand's presence. Contact Daniel Martin, Hon. ASLA, today to explore sponsorship details and secure your space. Let's work together to make a lasting impact at the 2024 Landscape Architecture Licensure Summit!

NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance

  • ASLA invites talented landscape architects like you to join the NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program as volunteer technical assistance providers. By lending your expertise, you can help enhance parks, recreation areas, waters, and wildlife habitats across the nation. Benefits include valuable experience, along with the possibility of your firm paying for volunteer hours. Reply ASAP to express your interest and receive further details. Learn more here (passcode: E^Pvh7^d). Join us in making a difference for our natural spaces!

Policy Internships for Landscape Architecture Students – Apply Now!

  • To help place students in positions to be policy changemakers, ASLA has created a new Student Policy Internships resource that highlights policy opportunities. From internships in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to governors’ offices, state legislatures, and more, this resource is filled with internships and resources cultivated by the ASLA Executive Committee.

State Board Vacancies

Connecticut

Public Member (2) – Contact the Department of Consumer Protection, dcp.occupationalprofessional@ct.gov, for more information.

Delaware 

Public Member (1) - Information to serve on the board is provided by the Division of Professional Regulation. 

Florida 

Professional Member (5) & Public Member (2) - Information on the board is available here and the application process is available here. 

Iowa 

Professional Member (2) - Interested in applying to become a part of the board? Submit an application here. 

Nebraska

Professional Member (1) - Anyone licensed and living in Nebraska can apply online at Boards & Commissions | Office of Governor Jim Pillen. 

New Hampshire 

Public Member (1) - If you're interested, please fill out the online form found here. 

New Jersey

Professional Member (1) & Public Member (2)

Pennsylvania 

Professional Member (1) & Public Member (2) - Please contact Board staff for information on filling the vacancies. 

Rhode Island 

Public Member (1) - Please submit your "Letter of Interest" and "Resume" to Donna.Costantino@dbr.ri.gov. 

Wisconsin 

Professional Member (1) & Public Member (1) - If you are interested in applying to serve, an application can be submitted to the office of Gov. Evers.