ASLA UTAH APRIL NEWSLETTER

April 26, 2024 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH APRIL 2024 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**SPORTSWEST -** **Lunch** & **Learn** **May 8th, 2024 |** **12:00PM MST**

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

Happy Arbor Day!

I hope you get to plant some trees this year!

I ran into someone recently who learned I was a landscape architect and immediately wanted to talk about their yard, and how much grass should be installed in the unfinished backyard, if any. I asked a question that I thought was pretty typical, what do you plan to use the space for? They were surprised by the question and responded, ‘I’ve talked to a bunch of landscapers and no one has asked me that, they’ve just give me options!’

This highlights the perspective we bring to the table. Surrounded by other designers who I look up to, sometimes I forget how lucky we are to have such a culture of collaboration. You all are an inspiration to me, let’s keep finding beautiful solutions to the problems in this world.

Also, thank you to Jake Powell, ASLA UT Past President, for putting on a fantastic and well attended Annual Conference last month! It was great to have the energy of the LAEP Students and faculty as well as the support of our generous vendors and presenters. We hope those attended had a great experience and those who couldn’t make it to Logan, we hope to see you at the 2025 Annual Conference in St. George!

2024 ASLA UT Annual Conference Recap

Jake Powell, Past President

The 2024 Utah ASLA Chapter Annual Conference was held on March 28-29 th in Logan, Utah. The theme of the conference was “Cultivating the Profession of Landscape Architecture” and brought over 100 practitioners, 40 students, 5 university faculty, and 49 vendors together to explore how we can collectively support a profession that is growing in need, breadth, and dimension. Although the weather was temperamental, the presentations, vendors, and attendees were fantastic. For anyone unable to attend or who wants to remember, below is a quick recap.

The conference’s keynote speaker, Craig Johnson - an emeritus professor with over four decades of experience growing generations of new landscape architect students was unable to attend due to unexpected medical issues and had his address read by a current landscape architecture undergraduate student, Dallin Clark. The conference also featured panels discussing best practices for assisting emerging professionals, ensuring the legacy of an organization through ownership transitions, and lessons learned from award-winning projects. These panels provided an opportunity for participants to learn from colleagues and were informative thanks to the transparency of the panelists and their willingness to have honest, and often difficult conversations.

Concurrent sessions provided participants with an in-depth exploration of a range of topics from legislative developments related to the profession, to the potential impact of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technologies on the profession. The information provided an exciting opportunity to hear, think, and then talk with colleagues about how the profession will grow amid these opportunities and challenges.

Participants also had the opportunity to mingle with each other and learn about the latest technologies, products, and resources from a network of some of the best vendors in the nation. The conference was capped off with an intense raffle session with prizes ranging from gift cards to a 250-pound, concrete site furniture set.

Thursday evening, LAEP, ASLA UT & Great Western Recreation combined forces to host an Open House at the LAEP Studios.

Friday morning, participants were invited on two site visits to see, touch, and learn from research facilities pushing the boundaries of landscape architecture design and planning. First, participants were welcomed to Utah State University’s Sustainable Electrified Transportation Center. This center researches, develops, and tests technology that is at the conceptual cusp of electrified transportation. Participants were able to learn about in-motion wireless vehicle charging technology advancements, and large, grid-scale technologies under development that may change the face of electrified transportation as we know it.

Finally, participants toured Utah State University’s Research Greenhouses. Faculty and graduate students from the Plant Soils and Climate Department shared how their research on plants is creating a new foundational understanding of how plants can be bred, modified, or enhanced to adapt to drought, heat, and stress.

A huge thanks to all those presenters, vendors, participants, and the Utah ASLA Executive Committee and Jenny Sonntag, Utah ASLA Executive Director for making the event a success! Get excited for the 2025 conference that will be held in the St. George area spring of 2025!

ASLA USU Student Chapter 2023-24 Re-cap

Mary Claire Jennings, ASLA UT Student Chapter President

As the semester is wrapping up, I have been able to reflect on my time as part of USU's student chapter president. Two years fly by! I could not have predicted how much I would grow as a leader and team member in this position. Now, I understand the amount of behind-the-scenes work involved in organizing events. I would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the student ASLA leaders who inspired studio culture in the "unprecedented times" that was fall 2020. As a freshman, ASLA not only helped me understand what the heck Landscape Architecture is but also gave me a sense of belonging in the studios. That's what it's all about. In our last meeting, we passed the baton to next year's presidency, sharing what could be improved, what was successful, etc. Something that Zach Sannar said stuck with me after the meeting ended. Zach is our V.P. of Outreach and was in the presidency last year as well. He jokingly said that sure, we may complain a bit about how much effort really goes into ASLA, but at the end of the day, it's because we care so much about giving the next cohorts what we got. So, thank you to all USU ASLA presidency cohorts, Utah ASLA, and the members. We appreciate you, and your eagerness to make ASLA the best it can be. Each year we build a stronger foundation for the next year.

This year with ASLA has been incredibly special to me. We began the fall semester with a lively welcome meeting to encourage ASLA membership, surpassing 100 members! Our calendar was packed with engaging events like "tech or treat," where seniors generously shared their expertise in unique software and tools like the glow forge, morpholio trace, V-R headsets, and drones. We continued to emphasize the growth and development of new members this semester, hosting a peer portfolio review, and shared software knowledge in Photoshop, InDesign, and Blender. These sessions not only enhanced our technical skills but also engaged members across classes. Speaking of engagement, Kennedy Perry increased social media engagement and marketed events leading to these high turnouts.

Amidst our busy studio schedules, we made time to celebrate! Our holiday party hosted families to decorate gingerbread houses in the common studio. It may have been the best holiday party yet, although I may be biased. Kate Van der Zalm contributed greatly to this success, jumping into various tasks and supporting other presidency members. In the spring, a cereal bar and crafts event with the Interior Architecture program allowed some cross pollination of creatives. Our annual ASLA week at the beginning of Landscape Architecture Month extended these opportunities for community building with a "park[ing] day charrette."

To broaden networking opportunities, we set up free headshots for members, drove them down to the Utah ASLA Awards, and sent 26 to the National ASLA Conference in Minneapolis. Corinne Barr facilitated two firm visits while we were at the conference, too! Additionally, we volunteered for the Logan Ranger District and built a new fence in Providence Canyon under the eclipse in October and cleaned up trash in the Logan Canal this April. Both of these were organized by Tanner Wyatt.

Students were also spoiled with a local ASLA Utah conference which they did not take for granted. It was an awesome day full of inspiring conversations, seeing old friends, and ended with an after party in the studios. After that, who couldn't be proud to be an LAEP Aggie? I want to thank all of the sponsors for their help in making that day a success. Furthermore, I want to thank Hunter Industries and Vortex Aquatic Structures International for hosting lunch-and-learns for our members - we always learn so much from you.

Finally, I want to congratulate the 2024-2025 USU ASLA president, Kate Van der Zalm! Her passion for LAEP, brilliant leadership abilities, and innovation will take her far. I'm excited to see the incredible things she and the rest of the presidency will do. Eli Woodward is adding his knowledge from this year's Treasurer to V.P. of Events. He contributes some of the best ideas to shake things up and increase inclusivity in the activities we host. Shout out to the new officers:

USU ASLA president, Kate Van der Zalm
President-Elect: Ryder McClaugherty
Vice President of Professional Development: Galen Kohlbrecher
Vice President of Outreach: Sara Harris
Vice President of Public Relations: Kayli Shepherd
Vice President of Events: Eli Woodward
Secretary: Hallie Schumacher
Treasurer: Alex Rasmussen
WiLA: Lauren Heaton

I encourage you, professionals, to support and collaborate with this new presidency as they begin to plan next year's activities. They are an outstanding bunch! I encourage current students to be involved with what the USU presidency has to offer, and graduating students to work with the local ASLA chapters in areas you land in. You surely won't regret it. Thank you for an unforgettable journey, here's to all of our next chapters of our ASLA adventure!

All the best, Mary Claire Jennings

Girls Night Out 2024

Thank you RainBird & Tiffany Haveron for another fun event!

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WELCOME NEW SPONSORS IN 2024

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2024 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
Bockholt Designs | Calsense | Denton House | Io LandArch | SEGroup

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH MARCH NEWSLETTER

March 20, 2024 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**RainBird’s 3rd Annual Girls Night Out Thursday, April 25, 5:00pm-7:00pm** Cactus & Tropicals, Draper Utah **RSVP HERE** **(seating limited)**

**VORTEX -** **Splashpad Tour & Lunch** **April 17, 2024 |** **12:00PM MST** Logan Center Block Plaza, 55 North Main RSVP: Michelle Lynn, mlynn@vortex-intl.com

**LAEP SPEAKER SERIES Friday, April 5th, 3:30pm Sarah Creachbaum,** US National Park Service
**Friday, April 19th, 3:30pm** **Chris Creasey**, Intersections of Practice: A Candid Conversation on Career Paths

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

Welcome to spring!

In most of the state it may still feel like late winter, but in sunny St George the first day of spring brings with it blossoms and 70-degree days! I enjoy getting out and getting my hands in the soil, pruning, planting.

Everything that has laid dormant is beginning to show signs of life, and weeds that I thought I had eradicated prove they are still firmly entrenched in the soil. I’m sure many of you share my enthusiasm for your own garden, and I wish you well in your efforts.

If you were able to attend the Utah ASLA conference in Logan, thank you so much for attending! Your presence at our Utah conference is essential for the continued support of our vendors, who many of us turn to daily for assistance in our designs. I enjoyed seeing new perspectives in the sessions, and it was so great to get together as friends and colleagues.

For those of you unable to attend, I wanted to share the good legislative news. Both bills that we have been working toward with the executive committee, and our lobbyist Dave Kallas, have been signed by Governor Cox and will go into effect May 1st (for the professional services amendments) and October 1st (for the LA board changes). A huge thanks to all the effort that has been made toward maintaining our presence and bettering the position of our profession.

Like the weeds in my garden above, the successes we have had in the legislature, while great wins for landscape architecture, don’t spell the end of our efforts. Threats to licensure continue to crop up, and we need your support to continue to better the profession. Take an opportunity to talk with your local and state elected representatives about the impact of your work. Consider a donation to our chapter. Volunteer for a position on a committee in our chapter. We need you!

Utah ASLA Memorial Fund Scholarship

You Can Help a Student by donating just $20.25 for 2025!

In 2013, the Utah ASLA Memorial Fund gave out its first scholarship to an LAEP student. Since that time, we have awarded a scholarship every year, and the amount has grown from $1,000 to $1,500. Our goal for 2025 is to give out a scholarship that will fully cover one semester’s tuition.

In order to meet this goal and continue to grow the fund each year, we need to raise $4,050 to add to the principal of the Memorial Fund. If 200 people would contribute just $20.25 each, we would have this amount covered.

**CLICK HERE TO DONATE**

**Your gift will make a difference in the life of a student.** As our 2023 scholarship recipient wrote, “This award will not only help me achieve my academic and career goals, it will also inspire me to continue to work hard and give back to my community.”

2024 UNLA Conference

Tanner Snow, VP of Professional Development

Earlier this year the ASLA Utah chapter had the opportunity to provide a booth in the Utah Nursery and Landscape Association Green Conference. As exhibitors in the conference, chapter members provided visitors with educational pamphlets and explained benefits of membership in ASLA. The chapter also provided two donations to the Granite Technical Institute and JATC South for the 2024 Student Connections Program. These scholarships were awarded the second day of the conference, January 24, during which I helped to staff the booth. The two students, Jesse Parry and Braelie Strekla, won the scholarships were very appreciative as Bryce Ward, ASLA UT Treasurer presented the scholarship to each of them.

Personally, I was happy to see most of the suppliers I was familiar with in their booths as well, from Hunter and Rainbird to Millers and Progressive Plants. If anyone hasn’t been able to attend the Green Conference, I highly recommend it. During my time at the booth, and conference, I talked with many different individuals ranging from groups of high school students to professionals who were interested in ASLA membership. It was gratifying to be able to promote the education, participation, and importance of the profession.

Talking to groups of students from high schools around the state was a great opportunity to encourage them to investigate the profession and promote Utah State University’s nationally accredited LAEP program. These interactions were well worth the time spent at the booth.

When landscape professionals stopped to talk, we usually found ourselves discussing the topic of becoming a Landscape Architect and what the requirements were for obtaining licensure. I helped encourage those who were licensed or members of ASLA to seriously consider both as ways of elevating their current professional careers. Being licensed as Landscape Architects brings extra credibility to their design and construction work, and being a part of a national association that helps professionals in continuing their professional education and advocating for our profession.

This kind of advocacy for membership in ASLA and as Landscape Architecture professionals is important and helps build the idea that our profession is crucial in the development of our natural and built environments. I encourage each of us to find every opportunity for advocacy, whether it’s explaining, for the thousand time, what a landscape architect is, to participating with ASLA Utah in the efforts of protecting licensure. If you have an idea for promoting ASLA or other professional development, please reach out to me or anyone else on the Executive Committee. We are always happy to work with you in making ASLA Utah even better.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - NICHOLAS STOKES

Tyler Smithson, VP of Membership

Where did you grow up? I grew up primarily in Park City, Utah. But I also lived outside Park City including areas such as Kamas and Heber City. I now live in the Salt Lake Metropolitan area and have been for the last few years.

What led you to landscape architecture? What led me to landscape architecture was the ability to culminate a wide variety of skills that can help produce a physical result, that members of the public can be proud of. As I continue my education at the University of Utah within the City & Metropolitan Planning Department, I've grown an acute interest in collecting various types of knowledge such as urban design principles, management/allocation of green space within urban settings, and other community-driven principles found throughout this industry.

What is your favorite part of your practice? My favorite part of my practice, is being able to see the transformation of an area that could have been considered "dull" at one point, to transforming into an area that members of the community can interact and enjoy on a consistent basis.

What is your favorite hobby? My favorite hobby without a doubt, is fishing the crystal clear waters found throughout the state. Not only when I'm exploring these new waters throughout the state am I in awe to be able to catch something, but in awe of the natural beauty that surrounds this state from its northernmost border to its southernmost.

What do you find inspiring? What I find most inspiring, is the joy and satisfaction we can get by helping others. It's incredible how much better our own lives can become when we make the conscious choice to help others along their life journey.

Describe a notable landscape architecture project you were involved in. A notable project I have been involved with, was the development of a mutli-use parcel within the newly incorporated town of Hideout. This parcel sought to draw more attention to this newly developed area right outside of Park City and was designed in mind to incorporate the old western feel of the state, while also becoming ecologically friendly both within and around the building(s)/parcel. The type of use that is going to be determined at this location is still unknown at this time but whatever it may be, it'll be the needed attention to this newly developed area.

Do you have any questions for ASLA? (Ie. How can we better represent you?) I don't haven any questions for ASLA but I'm excited to meet everyone within the Utah Chapter!

WELCOME NEW SPONSORS IN 2024

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2024 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
Bockholt Designs | Calsense | Denton House | Io LandArch

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

February 29, 2024 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**2024 ASLA Utah Annual Conference & Expo**

**NEXT MONTH —** **REGISTER NOW!**
***Cultivating the Profession of Landscape Architecture***
**Thursday March 28th & March 29th** **Riverwoods Conference Center, Logan Utah**
**CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE**
**REGISTER: CLICK HERE**
**Conference Title Sponsor:** **BIOGRASS SOD FARMS**

**VICTOR STANLEY LACES WEBINAR** **March 14, 2024 |** **12:00PM MST** **REGISTER HERE**

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

My Friends,

Hope you are enjoying February. We have made some progress on the Design Professionals bill, HB343. Thanks to Dave Kallas our lobbyist and to Lars and Bryce for attending the committee meeting and providing comment. Through their efforts the bill has passed the committee with unanimous approval, and subsequently passed both the house and the senate and will go into effect May 1st pending the governor’s signature.

Bill HB354 gives us a combined Landscape Architect/Architect board moving forward. As it stands, we have 2 landscape architects, 4 architects, and 1 member of the public on the board. We will be able to form a subcommittee with the 2 landscape architects and pursue any landscape architecture specific items through that. While this doesn’t give us everything we hoped for it is a huge improvement on the initial proposal. We would have been on the list of boards dissolved if we hadn’t been proactive in this effort.

Lastly, with leap year we have an extra day this year! How often do you find yourself wishing you had an extra day, or even an extra hour?

This year it’s an easy choice, save up that extra day and come to the Utah ASLA conference in Logan. Jake has some pretty great things planned, and I am excited to stomp around Cache Valley and see some old friends and visit some of the trails from my university days.

2024 Conference Keynote Speaker: Craig Johnson

Reflections: The Legacy & Future of Landscape Architecture

Craig Johnson:

“Our discipline is practical and applied. We put things into practice. We need a lot of information — the best and most useful often generated by other disciplines — then combine everything into real-world applications.” (Utah State Today - May 15, 2008)

Craig Johnson, Professor Emeritus joined USU’s LAEP faculty in 1966, fresh out of graduate school where he’d just earned a master’s of landscape architecture at the University of Illinois after earning his bachelor’s in landscape architecture from Michigan State University.

Over the years Johnson has shared his passion, experience and expertise with countless students. It is estimated that he has touched the lives of nearly 1,400 LAEP program graduates. His work in habitat restoration and sustainable landscape design had a profound impact in communities, but also through the students who have spread his valuable teaching throughout the country and around the world. Never one to stop learning, Johnson returned to graduate school, and in 1984 he earned a master’s of science in fisheries and wildlife biology from South Dakota State University.

Don’t miss out on your chance to hear from and reconnect with this admired professor, mentor, and expert storyteller that needs no introduction. Others who may not know Craig will get to know him through this presentation as he shares lessons learned from his life, his personal design work, and his 40+ years as an educator inspiring generations of landscape architecture students. REGISTER HERE

2024 ASLA UT ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPEAKER LINEUP

Thursday, March 28th - Speaker Line Up

Keynote Speaker: Craig Johnson Reflections: The Legacy & Future of Landscape Architecture, (1 PDH)

Supporting Emerging Professionals Panel: (1 PDH) Panel Sponsor: Victor Stanley Josh Quigley, Dave Nicholas, Nate Jaramillo, Corinne Bahr

Concurrent Sessions (1 PDH) Session One: Todd Johnson: Cultivating Studio Culture in Training & Practice Speaker. Session Two: Dave Kallas: Utah 2024 Legislative Debrief: Policies, Legislation & Decisions Affecting the LA Profession

Concurrent Sessions (1 PDH) Session One: Effective Strategies for Transitioning a Business with a Legacy Panel: Mathew Winward, Mark Vlasic, Sam Taylor, Jay Bolwinkel Session Two: Awards, Accolades, and Lessons Learned Panel: Mike Budge, Mike Wonenberg, Jon Ruedas, Mark Goble

Ben George: Design by Algorithm: AI Insights for Landscape Architects (1 PDH)

Student ASLA/LAEP Department Open House - Sponsored by Great Western Recreation

Many LAEP alumni may still wonder what your old desk looks like today, or if that plant you nurtured is still alive? For those without a connection to Utah State University’s Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning (LAEP) program, do you wonder what advanced technologies students are being exposed to that you might want to leverage?

The USU student chapter of the ASLA is teaming up with the LAEP Department to host a department open house. Come enjoy a light meal and ice cream while you mingle with current and emeritus faculty, meet current students, wander the studios, look at samples of student work, and let students introduce you to, and get some hands-on experience with some of the new technologies being used in the LAEP department such as virtual reality design. This event is being generously sponsored by Great Western Recreation based in Cache Valley.

Friday, March 29th - Site Visit Details

Utah State University's Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE) Research Center - Utah State University’s ASPIRE center is an National Science Foundation funded research center that brings together researchers from across the nation to explore the future of electrified transportation and the related infrastructure. From the design, location, and charging stations to realizing parking lots and roads that charge vehicles, this center is the tip of the spear when it comes to advancing thinking, programs, and policies that will change the way you think about and design electrified transportation in the future. Join us to see, touch, and learn about autonomous vehicles, charging station examples and electrified roads.

USU Research Greenhouses - Utah State University’s Plant Soils and Climate (PSC) Department is a national leader in horticulture research specifically drought tolerance and native plant adaptation for the commercial nursery industry.. This site visit will allow participants to visit the USU research greenhouses and hear from PSC researchers on how their research impacts the nursery industry and what research is currently happening in the research greenhouses related to plants and drought stress.

ADVOCACY DAYS - Utah State Capitol

Thomas Eddington, VP of Advocacy

Efforts to advocate for licensure and then Landscape Architect profession is well underway with a multi pronged strategy. One prong is the work of Dave Kallas from Lobby Utah, using his connections and influence and our efforts as ASLA Utah Members by showing up and informing our state representatives and others about how important our profession is to the the State of Utah.

If you are interested in participating in ASLA Utah Advocacy work and events, contact Thomas Eddington

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Capitol Rotunda Tabling January 24th: Tyler Smithson, VP of Membership & Lars Erickson, President Elect

Capitol Rotunda Tabling February 21st: Thomas Eddington, VP of Advocacy & Ladd Schiess, Secretary

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2024 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

It’s not too late! Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
Bockholt Designs | Calsense | Denton House | Io LandArch

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH JANUARY NEWSLETTER

January 31, 2024 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**REGISTER NOW! EarlyBird Pricing ends Jan. 31st**
*Cultivating the Profession of Landscape Architecture* 2024 ASLA Utah Annual Conference & Expo. Thursday March 28th & Site Visit March 29th Riverwoods Conference Center, Logan Utah REGISTER HERE

**ASLA Utah Winter Social & Sponsor Thank You Dinner Friday, February 2nd, 6:30pm-8:30pm** ASLA UT Offices 280 S 400 W Suite 150 **RSVP HERE**

**VICTOR STANLEY WEBINAR**
**Tuesday, February 20th, 12:00PM MST** REGISTER HERE

.

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

The dormant landscape is often overlooked, in favor of the brilliance and life of spring, summer, and even the display of autumn. There are moments that cannot be ignored, when the temperatures are ungodly low, and everything is covered with ice and snow.

Screenshot 2024-01-23 at 11.06.40 PM.png

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…or when a persistent plant blooms despite the cold temperatures.

Winter gives us a chance to look at the landscape with different eyes, giving us a different viewpoint and allows us to look through and see what’s underneath.

Some back and forth with my associates recently has given me another look at some of the projects that I am working on and helped me see things I wouldn’t have looked for. The designs that arise from alternate views are much more interesting and I find such collaboration invaluable. I’m glad to be a part of such a fantastic community of landscape architects! - Paul Stead

Where did you grow up? Where did you go to College? West Jordan. SLCC, USU

Tell me about your family and interests (work and non-work related): I have a lovely wife, two sons, & one daughter. My oldest child is 6. I have an interest in cities, outdoors, hiking, & reading.

What is something that makes you unique? My interests & values. One interest or value alone is not unique. However, the combination of interests & values makes me unique such as urban design & exposure to nature, etc.

Please describe an LA project that you have recently accomplished within the last year/recent years that you are proud of: Historic downtown blocks urban design in Vernal, UT. Partnered with CRS to design a main street back of house block.

What would you like to get out of the ASLA? What can the ASLA improve upon?Education resources & networking opportunities.

What interests you in Landscape Architecture? Interest in user experience in dynamic sites & ecology. Also developed a mantra that my initiative is to help communities be healthier physically, mentally, & socially.

What is your favorite part of your practice? Learning something daily.

What is your favorite hobby? Reading.

What do you find inspiring? Expertly skilled people applying abilities to improve quality of life for others.

New ASLA Member Shoutout! Welcome to ASLA UT Chapter

NEW AFFILIATE:

Jared Adams - Ore Design
Christopher (Critter) Coughlin - Langvardt Design Group
Joseph Wing - GBrown Design
Tate Larsen - Kimley-Horn

NEW & RETURNING STUDENT MEMBERS

Katie Haslam
Adam Isham
Emelia Penner
Jing Vanessa Pien
Nick Stokes

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2024 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

It’s not too late! Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
Bockholt Designs | Denton House | Io LandArch

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

December 31, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH DECEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**REGISTER NOW! EarlyBird Pricing ends Jan. 31st**
*Cultivating the Profession of Landscape Architecture* 2024 ASLA Utah Annual Conference & Expo. Wednesday, March 27th Riverwoods Conference Center, Logan Utah

**UNLA Green Conference 2024 Mountain America Expo Center** January 22th - 24th **REGISTER HERE**

SAVE THE DATE: ASLA Utah Winter Social & Sponsor Thank You Dinner Friday, February 2nd, 6:30pm-9:00pm ASLA UT Offices 280 S 400 W Suite 150 **RSVP HERE**

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

Something that I’ve been thinking about this holiday season is how very finite our time is. I’m sure I am not alone when I say I have a lot of interests, I was in a choir this December and that was great. I have been playing some Christmas tunes on my guitar, spending time with my family. I’ve even done a little woodworking, but there is not enough time for everything.

Utah ASLA has recently invested in a representative, a lobbyist, to help us not only combat some of the threats to our licensure, but also to take the offensive and to help us fight for more opportunities. We are spending our resources, our time to better the profession.

Maybe that is what we need in our lives, a representative on our side to rally our cause. The new year gives us the opportunity to make some resolutions. To evaluate what we could do better, our dreams and hopes. I challenge you to lobby for yourselves, to prioritize, perhaps list down the things that are most important to you. Figure out where you should be spending your time.

Maybe that's at ASLA, building this great profession that we love. Maybe that's shifting focus at work, or at home. Maybe that's moving forward on a hobby, it doesn't really matter what it is as long as you're doing it intentionally. So, I entreat you, my friends, at this time of year, with me, to pursue your passions. Take time out of your schedule, out of the many distractions that we have, and find those things that pull on your heart strings. Whether you want to get back into something that you’ve forgotten or settle your focus and energies into something that really matters to you. I hope you get a chance to find that this holiday season. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

2023 Regional Solutions: Zoning Reform for Housing Attainability

Josh Quigley, VP of Visibility & Public Affairs

ASLA Utah Chapter was happy to support the 2023 Regional Solutions: Zoning Reform for Housing Attainability Conference by becoming an Association Sponsor for the event. As part of the Association Sponsorship I was able to attend the event and am excited to share a summary with fellow members.

Introduction to Speakers:

Dr. Arnab Chakraborty, Dean of the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Utah, delves into the complex interplay between zoning, housing affordability, and collaborative planning in his keynote speech.
Jerusalem Demsas, a Staff Writer at The Atlantic, critically examines zoning reform’s impact on the national housing crisis. With a background at Vox and a co-host of The Weeds podcast, her work transcends political divides, addressing structural inefficiencies and institutional challenges for policymakers.

Current Housing Trends: Highlighting a nationwide surge, Chakraborty notes that between 2021 and 2022, 67 of the top 100 markets experienced unprecedented appreciation. Owner-occupied units surged by over 20% annually, and rental units rose by 12%, surpassing 20% in several metropolitan areas.

Driving Forces Behind the Housing Crisis: Despite a robust economy, the historic under-building persists, intensifying competition for first- time and lower-income buyers. Factors include remote work trends, longer lifespans of baby boomers in primary homes, interest rates, and zoning constraints.

Lack of Housing Affordability Impact: Chakraborty emphasizes the damaging impact of housing unaffordability on GDP, growth attraction, talent retention, and support for essential workers. Demsas emphasizes the disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority residents that are highlighted through widespread cost burdens.

Changing Utah and Effects on Affordable Housing: Utah is undergoing dramatic demographic shifts, transitioning from a small, affordable state to a mid-sized, expensive, multicultural state facing housing affordability challenges.

Zoning Reform and Solutions: Demsas and Chakraborty propose multifaceted zoning reform, including eliminating single- family zoning, reducing parking minimums, promoting missing middle housing, and allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs). They underscore the importance of tailored policies for sustainability and smart growth.

Market Segments and Incentives: Different market segments, such as missing middle, ADUs, and multi-family, are discussed. Incentives and enforcement mechanisms, including public funding and land use flexibility, are highlighted as critical to success.

Addressing Concerns Beyond Zoning Reform: Demsas and Chakraborty address concerns about property values and advocate for a holistic approach to development, including periodic review, frequent policy adjustments, and community input.

Utah ASLA Memorial Fund Scholarship

You Can Help a Student by donating just $20.25 for 2025!

If you contribute before March 15th, 2024, we will be pleased to recognize your name at the Utah ASLA Annual Conference on March 27th in Logan, Utah.

Your gift will make a difference in the life of a student. As our 2023 scholarship recipient wrote, “This award will not only help me achieve my academic and career goals, it will also inspire me to continue to work hard and give back to my community.”

Please reach out to Geoff Ellis, Memorial Fund Manager, oakcrestdesign@gmail.com

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
MHTN | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

November 20, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH NOVEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

Leadership Express

Paul Stead, ASLA Utah President

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was able to spend some time with family, as I hope all of you had the chance to do. The Thanksgiving holiday is unique in that the focus really is just that, time together with the ones we love. As I reflect on the Minneapolis conference this year, and as I step into the position of President, I find myself finding a common theme in my relationship with ALSA, for those I work and associate with in this profession. It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own responsibilities, but coming together with other landscape architects feels like getting together with family. I may not know all of you, but I hope to, and am uplifted by you all.

I want to thank Jake Powell, who is moving into the position of Past President. He’s been a great mentor and I have enjoyed working with him over this last year. He has given generously of his time throughout his term, and I hope to live up to his example. Thanks for everything Jake, glad to have you around for one more year :) Thanks also to Adam Castor, who has been serving as Past President, John Gottfredson, serving as treasurer, Aaron Johnson, VP of Visibility and Public Affairs, and Cameron Blakely serving as VP of Professional Development. I appreciate all the time you have given to help your fellow landscape architects.

I am excited for the coming year and look forward to doing all I can to magnify our profession. I was able to attend a meet and greet with DFCM leadership last week and was surprised to find many friends in the room, and it was great to connect with associates new and old. I hope that we can make some headway in the legislature this year and bring more awareness to our profession. I am optimistic about where we are headed and look forward to a great year.

Happy Holidays! Paul Stead

ASLA Utah 2023 Award Winners

Tyler Smithson, VP of Membership

We had a great turnout this year for award submittals and are excited to present four awards in the two categories of General Design and Analysis & Planning. It is truly an honor to be able to highlight the best projects on an annual basis and I thank the firms who participated in this year's event for all the hard work that went into submitting the projects to the ASLA Utah for peer review with the Wisconsin ASLA chapter. This process provides invaluable insight on and non-biased inquiry that helps determine how each project scores based on pre-established criteria and quantitative metrics. Notable mentions go out to the volunteers who participated in the swap include: Craig Houston, Rob Hussey, August Bateman, Brenda Wadsworth, and Benji Williamson who reviewed projects submitted by the WI chapter that had a very different midwestern context.

In addition to the ASLA Awards, the Urban Design Utah chapter (a joint program of AIA, APA, ASLA, CNU, & ULI) presented two Legacy Awards this year in recognition of excellence and achievement in Urban Design. The first to receive honors was Helper Main Street + Price River Parkway for community revitalization through preservation, activation, and riparian restoration. And the second award went to Downtown Ogden River Corridor for guiding redevelopment with green infrastructure. We thank the continued support and efforts of Urban Design Utah to give accolades to projects which have made significant contributions to communities within Utah!

On Behalf of the ASLA Utah Chapter, I would like to congratulate this years award winners as they were given honors at the awards banquet and images of their projects are highlighted below.

Burch Creek Park in South Ogden City by Landmark Design - Merit Award

Magna Regional Park in Salt Lake County by G Brown Design - Honor Award

Seven Mile Ranch in Bear Lake County, Idaho by Loci - Merit Award

Seven Greenways Vision Plan of Salt Lake City by Design Workshop and Seven Canyons Trust - Award of Excellence

Click Here to view additional details & images of each award winners on the ASLA UT Website.

ASLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT — LISA ADEO

Q: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to College?
I grew up in Gran and Oslo, Norway (Gran means pinetree in Norwegian) and finished highschool at the International School of Geneva (Ecolint) in Geneva, Switzerland. After that I got a BA in Government from Smith College, and much later, an MLA from USU. I am currently finishing a Master in Public Administration from SUU.

Q: Tell me about your family and interests (work and non-work related).
With parent from two countries and cultures (Norwegian father and mother from
Massachusetts), I consider myself “third culture”, in which I feel at home anywhere and nowhere all at the same time. This “condition” is amplified by the fact that my husband is from Peru, and the travels and places we have lived throughout our now 36 years of marriage. Our 3 children feel the same way.

Q: What is something that makes you unique?
Being involved in the arts through my husband’s work I think sets me apart from most people in my current profession. He studied mime with Marcel Marceau in Paris (where we met), and his performances and productions eventually took us to SeaWorld, Orlando, where we produced and managed two original shows. From there we sold our house in Florida and ended up buying and operating a circus (Cirque du Soleil style) in Peru. Those experiences were difficult, but taught us many lessons about hard work, having a vision, and living intentionally. I think I’m just beginning to understand what all that means, but the process is unique to me.

Q: Please describe an LA project that you have recently accomplished within the last year/recent years that you are proud of:
In May the City of St. George inaugurated a 4 acre neighborhood park that I worked on for over a year. That gave me many opportunities for growth, and to see people enjoying its desert garden, playground, and trails gives me great satisfaction.

Q: What led you to landscape architecture?
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue a career path I feel passionate about: Working with Nature; Regenerative Design; Integrated solutions that provide win-wins for people and all other living things.

Q: What is your favorite part of your practice?
Having the freedom to think outside the box and use my creative talents: Be paid for doing something I believe in and enjoy.

Q: What do you find inspiring?
Landforms, colors, textures, sounds, fragrances, cultures, art, languages, deep
conversations, forms of adaptation, simplicity, diversity, music, plants, and animals. The works and writings of Neal Spackman, Vandana Shiva, Natalie Topa, Brad Lancaster, Masanobu Fukuoka, Geoff Lawton, and Bill Mollison.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
MHTN | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

October 24, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**LuckyDog Recreation Lunch & Learn** Monday, November 13th, 12:00pm. **(Virtual Option)** ASLA UT Office 270 S 400 W, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

**GreenBlue Urban. LACES Virtual Seminar** Wednesday, November 15th, 12:00pm **REGISTER HERE**

***SAVE THE DATE!!!

**2024 ASLA Utah Annual Conference & Expo. *Cultivating the Profession of Landscape Architecture* Wednesday March 27th. Logan, Utah.** **More details coming soon!

Leadership Express

Jake Powell, ASLA Utah President

One of the questions I have pondered during my time as the Utah ASLA chapter president is “what does the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA) do for me (and by extension each of you)?” I suppose the underpinnings of this question point to our desire to weigh the comparative cost of our annual dues with the value it creates. I want to delve into that important question and share how my understanding of the answer(s) have evolved through my service in the ASLA. I hope that it will provide you with some answers to that question if you have ever asked it yourself.

Advocacy:

ASLA is actively protecting and advancing the profession of landscape architecture at a national and local level in ways that I have come to appreciate and admire over the past few years. While your great individual work certainly elevates the profession, there is so much critical work happening behind the scenes at a legislative and policy level. Much of the legislative and legal structure our profession currently operates within has been fought for by ASLA since its inception. We owe so much to the ASLA of the past for what we have now!

Currently, ASLA is advocating in the halls of Congress for legislation that protects the profession and that opens up funding streams to support projects that in turn create work opportunities for landscape architects to engage in major national initiatives. This kind of work is happening locally in Utah as well.

The ASLA state chapter leaders have received incredible support from ASLA national in our efforts to protect and advocate for the profession of landscape architecture in Utah. This collaborative effort helped us effectively engage with our local elected leaders, and strategize on the next steps to similarly create more spaces where the skills of landscape architects are recognized and even required in our state.

These processes take time to bear fruit, but I assure you that ASLA is proactively and passionately engaged in the invisible efforts to sustain and grow the profession you depend to support yourself and your family. While likely none of us have the time and expertise to advocate for the profession even part-time, I am grateful that at a national and state level someone is. Your dues and participation in ASLA make that advocacy possible.

Training:

Landscape architecture is a profession that needs to be aware of and often on the cutting edge of so many different things: sustainability, technology, products, and policies to name just a few. ASLA brings that training to your doorstep through online learning, conferences, and local lunch-and-learn training events that expose you to ideas, concepts, products, and processes that you wouldn’t likely discover on your own. ASLA supports the lifelong learning of professionals and makes it accessible for you to acquire it. ASLA supports the formal professional development opportunities as well as the informal learning that happens among colleagues and friends. When else would you pause your work to learn something new? Your participation in ASLA creates new opportunities to expand your knowledge and hone your craft.

Connections:

One of my favorite things about the profession of landscape architecture is the tight-knit community I feel a part of. It happens in the studios as a student, transfers to the office, and is supported by the ASLA. The social events ASLA plans and hosts support the critical interpersonal networking that has created new partnerships, linked future employers to employees, inspired friendships and reconnected old friends and colleagues. Where else can you find a room full of people who 1- actually know what you do for work, 2- are interested in having a stimulating discussion about the complexities of street tree planting best practices, 3- actually care about your opinions regarding the quality of AutoCAD’s new release, and 4- are some of the most down to earth, best people you can spend time with? I would propose there isn’t such a room outside of an ASLA-sponsored event. Your participation in ASLA facilitates the connections that make landscape architecture feel like a big family. A family I am proud to claim allegiance to.

Your membership and support are meaningful, and the value of your dues is multiplied and comes back in likely more ways than I was able to explain above. I challenge you to look for how your membership in ASLA has impacted you, your company, your work, and the larger profession. I also challenge you to reach out to those who are sharing in the benefits ASLA brings to the profession, but are not fully engaged in supporting the efforts that create those benefits and invite them to join and support ASLA.

Our profession is stronger together, and it is only through bringing many voices to the table that we can continue to advocate for the profession.

I want to thank each of you for supporting and participating in ASLA, it continues to be an honor to serve you in this great work of advancing the profession of landscape architecture.

ASLA Utah 2023 Awards Event

Tyler Smithson, VP of Membership

On October 6, 2023 ASLA Utah celebrated the Annual Awards Event at the very hip location, The Shop. Guests feasted on a variety of yummy crepes to the sounds of DJ Moody spinning tunes that kept the evening lively. Award winners and their colleagues and guests were able to meet, mingle network and socialize with a wide variety of landscape architects, state employees and supportive vendors. This event is always so much fun and has become an annual tradition - plan on attending next year! Huge Thanks to Berliner for sponsoring the Awards Event this year

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ASLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Tyler Smithson, VP of Membership

Q: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to College? I grew up in the small town of Evanston, Wyoming. I think this helped smart my creativity as a kid as we tried to find new and fun things to do. I enjoyed the small town feel and got my B.S. degree from Utah State University in Logan, UT.

Q: Tell us about your family and interests (work and non-work related). I currently live in Spanish Fork with my beautiful wife (also from Evanston) and four children. One boy and Three girls ranging in age from one to nine years old. When I'm not spending time with my family, I enjoy working on projects at my home and in my yard or spending time in the mountains hunting. I’ve always been interested in the environmental side of Landscape Architecture.

Q: What is something that makes you unique? When I was 9 years old, I got into a four-wheeler crash with my cousin while in the mountains in Wyoming and had to get 50 stitches in my leg. I’m also allergic to cashews and several different types of fruit, and I don’t like peanut butter.

Q: Describe an LA project that you have recently accomplished recently that you are proud of. I was a part of the team for a recently completed project along US-89 between Farmington and Layton. As part of the project, we developed an Aesthetics Plan for the corridor that included the colors, textures and design for the new walls and bridge structures. We also completed a landscape plan for the area and developed wetland and stream mitigation sites for the project.

Q: What would you like to get out of the ASLA? I hope to grow relationships with likeminded individuals in the industry to help move our profession forward and provide a valuable service to our community.

Q: What interests you in Landscape Architecture? My interest with landscape architecture has always been the breadth and variety or work we can do. And whether you're designing small residential yard, master planning a large community, designing a park, visitors center, or stream mitigation; you're creating spaces to connect people.

Q: What is your favorite part of your practice? I enjoy that every day is different. With my current position, I work a lot in the environmental portion of projects. For that, I’m able to spend a lot of time out of the office visiting project sites to delineate waters and wetlands. Other days, I'm able to create 3D renderings to help communities visual proposed projects, write reports, create figures, or work on park designs for local communities.

Q: What is your favorite hobby? My favorite hobby would be hunting. I’m particularly interested in the challenge of archery hunting.

Q: What do you find inspiring? I find people inspiring that commit their time to a cause. They see a need, and they do something about it. I’m also a sucker for sports movies based on true events.

USU STUDENT HIGHLIGHT - TANNER WYATT

Hi, my name is Tanner Wyatt, and I am this year's Secretary of our ASLA Student Chapter here at Utah State. I am originally from Lehi, UT, and moved to Logan about 3 years ago to study Landscape Architecture. I am committed to bringing excitement and development to the landscape architecture students of USU’s LAEP program, and connecting them with opportunities outside of the studio.

In the studio experience, our students gain many skills that benefit them in their professional experience. As an ASLA Presidency, we like to provide them with new opportunities for networking, character building, and community involvement. On October 14th, we gathered students to help representatives from the Logan and Ogden Ranger Stations in a Canyon Clean-Up event. As a group, we logged over 55 hours of service clearing trash, picking up spent bullet casings, and replacing a damaged fence in a public-access shooting area in Providence Canyon. As a side benefit, we even witnessed the solar eclipse as it took place during our project.

As the end of October draws near, we look forward to sending several students to the National ASLA Conference in Minneapolis! We are very excited to meet and learn and gain experience to ‘Scale Up’ our ability to succeed in this field!

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
MHTN | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

September 29, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**PIKUS TOUR - Lunch & Learn 1 CEU Approved - 3-D Poly Grout** Thursday, October 5th, 2:30pm - 4:30pm Pikus 3D Lab - 9573 S 6400 W., West Jordan **REGISTER HERE** **(Space limited to 18)**

**YOU’RE INVITED! 2023 ASLA UT Annual Awards Event** **Sponsored by Berliner** Friday, October 6th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm **The Shop,** ***350 E 400 S, (3rd Floor), Salt Lake*** **REGISTER HERE**

**PlaySpace Designs Lunch & Learn** Friday, October 20th, 12:00pm ASLA UT Office 270 S 400 W, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

**2023 Southern Utah Green Conference** Wednesday, November 1st, 8:30am – 4:20pm Dixie Convention Center, St. George. **REGISTER HERE**

**LuckyDog Recreation Lunch & Learn** Monday, November 13th, 12:00pm ASLA UT Office 270 S 400 W, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

**ASLA 2023 National Conference** October 27th-30th - Minneapolis, MN **REGISTER HERE**

Leadership Express

Jake Powell, ASLA Utah President

All of you know that what appears on the surface is an edifice that masks countless details that are happening behind the scenes and just below the surface. That is definitely the case with the ASLA, at a national and state level the ASLA is working diligently behind the scenes on a myriad of issues that help protect and enhance the profession of landscape architecture. This month there has been a lot going on behind the scenes that I wanted to make you aware of.

The ASLA Utah Executive Committee has been working behind the scenes for decades to educate and advocate for landscape architecture here in our state. However, these efforts are difficult or often impossible to do adequately amid all of our busy lives. As you can imagine, opportunities to proactively advocate often happen at meetings held during the workday or at events those of us just doing our work are never aware of. The 2023 Utah Legislative Session brought to light that not only does our profession need to be at those meetings to defend our work, but we need to be at those meetings to proactively advocate for, and influence policies that relate to our work.

This month the Utah ASLA Executive Committee has been discussing how to get more actively engaged in the political arena here in Utah. We quickly realized that we lacked the expertise and time required to effectively advocate at the Utah capital, so we made the significant decision to contract with Dave Kallas, a Utah lobbyist to assist us in working behind the scenes to help us defend the profession of landscape architecture and identify areas within our state code and laws where landscape architects are either left out, or our work should be recognized.

This decision has already changed the game with regard to advocacy. It has been a busy month as we have worked to bring Dave up to speed and craft a strategy leading into the 2024 Utah legislative session. Like most things, so much of politics is about relationships, and he has helped us connect with many people we would have never known about. His efforts helped us bring some key people out for a site tour that helped us share that landscape architecture is much more than what they may know and a profession that is going to be critical to Utah’s future.

The ASLA Utah Executive Committee unanimously felt that Dave’s efforts will be critical in our advocacy efforts this year and in years to come. However, like any professional consultant who brings expertise to a project, that expertise comes at a cost. Luckily, previous ASLA leadership has been very prudent and we had sufficient funds in our account to cover the immediate expense. However, our leadership team will be looking for ways to cover the ongoing costs because his expertise will likely be an ongoing need as we look to grow support for our work with those making important decisions that will determine the validity of the profession.

As I have said before, we need to share what we do and the impact of our work. The ASLA Utah Chapter is doing that more than ever, even though it is behind the scenes. We need your support as we support what you do.

Advocacy Event - Church Office Building Plaza Tour

Thomas Eddington, VP of Advocacy

This week, ASLA Utah invited Utah State Senators, Representatives, and Governor's Cabinet to participate in a tour of the newly designed and constructed Church Office Building Plaza in downtown Salt Lake City. The intent was not only to display this wonderful new project but also ensure this influential group of leaders learned a bit more about the field of landscape architecture.

Bryce Ward welcomed the group and then ASLA Utah President, Jake Powell, addressed the attendees before introducing Cory Schupe of Blu Line Designs. Cory led a tour of his team’s work that resulted in a redesign of this plaza, a showcase for the millions of visitors that walk through this beautiful space every year. Cory explained the firm’s design ideology as well as the extent of the efforts associated with the plaza redesign and discussed some of the challenges associated with the project. The discussions with the tour guests centered around the critical role Landscape Architects play in designing projects that enhance the health, welfare and safety of our communities while also protecting our environment. Cory emphasized the efforts to incorporate water and energy saving measures into the design – his team achieved a greater than 30% reduction in water use for the plaza based on their expertise of waterwise design and plant selection.

Efforts to educate and advocate for the Landscape Architect profession have been top of mind this year and the new lobbyist, Dave Kallas, was instrumental in helping create and promote this advocacy tour behind the scenes. This event is the first of a few planned events designed to present the field of landscape architecture to elected officials statewide. ASLA Utah believes it is critically important for our Chapter to continue to advocate for the profession, increase our visibility in the state, and preserve the licensing requirement to practice our profession in the state of Utah.

If you have a project that you believe demonstrates the breadth of the field of landscape architecture and would consider coordinating with ASLA Utah to showcase it to local and state elected officials in the near future, please contact Jenny Sonntag at uaslaexecutivedirector@gmail.com

ASLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - BENJI WILLIAMSEN

Greetings and salutations! I am Benji Williamson. I am a Utah native, and I grew up in South Jordan and now I reside with my family in Lehi. I started my journey toward landscape architecture when I was 2 years old and got my first (I had several) bubble lawn mower. I would follow behind my dad while he mowed the lawn to make sure that nothing was missed and the lines were straight. This started a youthful career in business as I worked hard mowing lawns for my neighbors and various companies.

During my undergraduate schooling I realized that I could have the corner office with a view and be jealous of the guy mowing the lawn and after taking my first design course I knew that I wanted to get into landscape design. I love creating beautiful spaces for people to enjoy. To learn how to design beautiful spaces, I received a degree from BYU in Landscape Management and then earned a master’s at Kansas State University in Landscape Architecture. While in school, I also learned that I enjoyed the meticulous work in creating construction documents and details. In my mind, dreaming of the landscape is great, but building it is better. One of my favorite school projects was detailing out the very complex deck/trellis design I created to mimic the Flint Hill/prairie surrounding Kansas State. It would have been horrible to build but really cool when it was done!

After school I lived and worked in several states before coming back to Utah. Two years ago, I started my own irrigation consulting firm, BW Irrigation Consulting, and I provide irrigation design services for landscape architects and landscape contractors. I love irrigation design because it is the right mix of art and engineering. One of my favorite things about my work is supporting so many great teams and wonderful projects. Working for various firms in my career, I really enjoyed being part of the smaller team that supported the work of the larger team(s). In larger studios, there typically wasn't a lot of change between design teams. But doing irrigation, I was able to cross between teams and work on lots of different project types. While I do many types of projects, I love designing the irrigation systems for parks. The irrigation systems are large, complex, and fun to figure out. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family (Holly, Eliza-2, and Austin-1), traveling, running, and building Lego sets.

Much of my design work is in the San Diego area, ranging from master planned communities and parks, to small retail shops. This project is a park that will be built by a developer as part of their residential community. There is a code/rule that requires developers to provide a city park if their developments are over a certain size, and then the park size grows as the development grows. This park will begin construction soon and I am very excited to be a part of it and to take my family there one day. There are several ball fields, two dog parks, multiple play structures, and an area for a future recreation center. This is a fun and challenging project.

PARK(ING) DAY 2023 - POLLINATOR PLACES!

Aaron Johnson, VP of Visibility & Social Media

Park’ing Day was a huge success! Many people visited the pop up park to learn about the role of Landscape Architects in improving our community as well as the vital role of pollinators. Huge thank you to Tess Menotti and Alaina Parsek as well as the other volunteers who helped with setup/take down and staffed the booth during the day. Shout out to Progressive Plants and Tree Utah for providing the pollinator friendly plants.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
MHTN | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH AUGUST NEWSLETTER

August 29, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH AUGUST 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**2023 ASLA UT Annual Awards Event** Friday, October 6th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm **The Shop,** ***350 E 400 S, (3rd Floor), Salt Lake*** **REGISTER HERE**

**Play Space Designs - Lunch & Learn** Thursday, October 20th, 12:00pm ASLA UT Office - 270 S 400 W, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

**LuckyDog Recreations - Lunch & Learn w/ virtual option.** Monday, November 13th, 12:00pm ASLA UT Office - 270 S 400 W, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

Leadership Express

Jake Powell, ASLA Utah President

One of my favorite parts of teaching is the excitement that comes with a new semester. Students arrive with so much enthusiasm for the coming year that the energy is palpable, invigorating, and inspiring.

Thinking back on my own experiences, I remember being excited to see old classmates and teachers and see what each new class was going to entail. Unfortunately, amid all the excitement there was also the stress of finding new classrooms, new roommates, and adapting to new teachers, subjects, and assignments.

While teaching a group of new landscape architecture students about the evolution of the profession of landscape architecture I was reminded of just how relatively young the professional title of landscape architect really is. The professor I was teaching with shared with the students that early in their career they had worked for one of the figures we were discussing, and related how their work had been influenced by the mentorship of this person. The effort to understand your professional “DNA” will likely only require tracing back a few generations of training, philosophy, and ethics.

I believe some of the professional DNA we inherited from as far back as the Olmstedian era is to quietly do great work and then let the work speak for itself. Although I subscribe to the quiet nobility of this humble approach, the “narrative” the work all too often tells forgets to acknowledge the role of the designer, and has unfortunately relegated many great projects, people, and their positive impacts in the preverbal shadows. The shadows are where we will remain under-valued, under-appreciated, and perhaps forgotten.

I believe that ASLA is in the business of building a brighter future for the profession of landscape architecture. Part of that is shining a bright light on the work of landscape architecture and articulating its positive impacts. Here in Utah, that awareness is going to require our collective efforts to share our work with our neighbors, friends, and on an immediate basis, elected officials.

We cannot continue as a profession that is actively envisioning and literally building the spaces for a better world with no one knowing about it. Just like Central Park was not a relic of nature preserved in the middle of a growing city, like many mistakenly believe, the work you are doing is not creating great places by happenstance.

I think underscoring a portion of the excitement for landscape architecture students is knowing they with each class they are growing skills and developing themselves further into the professionals they admire and hope to become. Those people they hope to become are you! Just like the people that inspired, mentored, and built you into the person you are today, you can have that same impact on the emerging professionals of tomorrow. The excited students I watch each day need to know the profession of landscape architecture is getting better, more recognized, and healthier with each generation. Please help put your work on the pedestal it deserves, tell the story of your work, learn to relate the social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts, show it off. We won’t judge you for being too brazen, we need the positive spotlight!

**Virtual Summit- Thursday, September 21, 1:00pm- 5:00pm**

Climate Summit Article — This month we have an opportunity to participate in the first of its kind, Intermountain West Climate Summit. This summit has been in the works for some time. The Utah and Idaho/Montana chapter leaders have been talking for some time about how we can heighten the awareness of regional issues within our regional membership. Our colleagues in the Idaho/Montana chapter invited our chapter to get involved and they have been leading the effort to put this on.

The profession of landscape architecture is well tooled to engage in creating holistic solutions to the climate challenges we are bound to face. Unfortunately, well tooled does not automatically mean capable. We must educate ourselves and put the profession in the forefront through what the profession knows, and what the profession does.

An opportunity to begin that education is happening on September 21, 2023 from 1:00- 5:00 Mountain Time at the Intermountain ASLA Chapter Climate Summit. The summit is virtual and is free to attend. Attendance will qualify you for LA/CES PDH hours and will feature presenters from across the region talking about climate related issues and solutions.

Please take a minute block your calendar and plan on engaging and growing yourself and the profession on how a changing climate will affect our region. Registration information will be coming soon, look for a forthcoming email with that information.

2023 ASLA Utah Executive Committee WINNERS

Thank you all for your willingness to give your time and talents to help ASLA Utah Chapter excel! The new Executive Committee Members will take office November 2023.

Lars Erickson - President Elect

Josh Quigley - VP of Visibility

Tanner Snow - VP of Profess. Development

Thomas Eddington - VP of Advocacy

Adam Castor - Treasurer

PARK(ING) DAY 2023 - POLLINATOR PLACES!

Aaron Johnson, VP of Visibility & Social Media

Date: September 15th

Location: approx. 300 S Main St (more details to come!)

Its that time of the year! With colder weather and fall just around the corner, Utah ASLA is excited to highlight the green spaces that bring us so much joy and advocate for more creative and contextually relevant open space opportunities. Every year on the 3 rd Friday of September Utah ASLA embraces the movement called PARK(ING) DAY! This global event repurposes two parking stalls into a mini park for the day, providing a much needed contrast from the harsh reality of our parking lots and how much space of our public realm they consume!

This year we are teaming with National ASLA to highlight the importance of pollinators and their critical role in our environment and their lasting impact. This years parking day theme will show how we can make a difference by providing small/manageable opportunities for our amazing pollinators.

We are very excited for this upcoming event and want invite everyone to think about how you can make an impact in your own way AND to come celebrate with us at PARK(ING) DAY!!!

Look out on social media for more information!!!

Platinum Sponsor Article

Come see for yourself!

PIKUS TOUR - Lunch & Learn 1 CEU Approved - 3-D Poly Grout Thursday, October 5th, 2:30pm - 4:30pm Pikus 3D Lab - 9573 S 6400 W, West Jordan REGISTER HERE (Space limited to 18)

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
MHTN | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training

Learn More About Our Sponsors

ASLA UTAH JUNE/JULY NEWSLETTER

July 25, 2023 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH JUNE/JULY 2023 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**REMEMBER to VOTE!** ASLA UT Executive Committee Elections *Voting closes 6pm, Friday, August 25, 2023* **VOTE HERE**

**Hunter/FX Luminaire Lunch & Learn** Tuesday August 15th, 12:00pm - 1:00pm ASLA UT Offices, 280 S 400 W, Suite 150, SLC **REGISTER HERE**

**UNLA Women in the Green Industry Lunch & Roundtable Event** August 10th, 12:00pm – 1:00 pm Botanicals Design, 8610 State Street, Sandy **REGISTER HERE**
**2023 Southern Utah Green Conference** Wednesday, November 1st, 8:30am – 4:20pm Dixie Convention Center, St. George. **REGISTER HERE**

Just in case you need a justification for your recent lethargic behavior: According to Wikipedia: The Dog Days of Summer are the hot, sultry days of summer from July 3 to August 15th. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star"), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

So put your shorts and flip flops on, grab your favorite cool beverage and plop down for a nap in the shade. If your tongue hangs out while you sleep, no worries, you’re just fully embracing your inner canine during the Dog Days of Summer.

Leadership Express

Jake Powell, ASLA Utah President

ELECTION TIME - 2023 ASLA Utah Executive Committee Nominees

Voting closes 6pm, Friday, August 25, 2023

WRITE IN CANDIDATES ALLOWED

click here to vote

VP OF VISIBILITY & PUBLIC AFFAIRS

2023 Call for Presentations

This is an exciting opportunity to submit a presentation proposal for the Climate Summit this fall Cohosted by the Idaho Montana and Utah Chapter!

The Summit is September 21st from 1:00pm to 5:00pm Mountain Time. Please see the attached template as well as a populated version for your reference. Submissions are due via email by August 14th, 2023.

Please contact Brent Jacobsen, jacobsen.brent@gmail.com or Chad Lorentzen , clorentzen@thelandgroupinc.com for the submission template & any other questions.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2023 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Click here to become a 2024 ASLA Utah Sponsor or Partner!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation l Pikus | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Corporate Partners
Denton House | Io LandArch | SGLA Technical Training