ASLA UTAH OCTOBER 2024 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**Landscape Forms - Lunch & Learn Wednesday, Nov. 6th 2024 - 12:00pm ASLA UT Office 280 S 400 W, #150, SLC** **REGISTER HERE**

**Dear LAREy AMA Webinar** **Wednesday, November 13, 11:00am, MST** L.A.R.E. candidates can get questions answered by LA Professionals before December exam. **ASLA members Free** & **$20 for non-members**. **REGISTER HERE**

**Luckydog Recreation - Lunch & Learn Wednesday, December 4th 2024 - 12:00pm ASLA UT Office 280 S 400 W, #150, SLC** **REGISTER HERE**

————-—SAVE THE DATE ————-—— ASLA Utah 2025 Annual Conference Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah! Friday, April 11th, 2025

Leadership Express - Landscape Architecture: From many points of view

Lars Erickson, ASLA Utah President

Hello, ASLA Utah!

I’m fresh off ASLA National meetings in Washington D.C.. What an eye-opening experience it was to see the amazing level of effort our national leadership puts into organizing our professional association. Ever since that trip, it’s been a busy transition into the role of current President. I appreciate all that Paul Stead and Jake Powell have done over the past few years. More so now than ever. I applaud our current Chapter leadership, both past and present as Utah was identified several times for the efforts, they see our Chapter making! As a chapter we’ve got a lot to be excited about and a lot more to accomplish.

The Utah Chapter Executive Committee is meeting soon to strategically plan the next year, we have a great group of leaders who all want to add value for the membership and strengthen the practice of landscape architecture in the State of Utah. We’ll be focused on the Chapter’s Strategic Plan pursuits of:

Awareness & Advocacy – Raising the visibility and influence of the profession
Membership Services & Support – Increasing membership and expanding engagement
Supporting the Future of the Profession – Growing the profession and mentoring the next generation of Landscape Architects
Governance & Management – Providing informed, strategic leadership for the Chapter
Strategic Action Plans - Focusing on Environmental Stewardship and Diversity and Inclusion

A year ago I was challenged to define what our profession is. That began a thought process I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. I’ve come to the realization that our individual paths in this profession coalesce to define what Landscape Architecture really is. Each of our viewpoints add to the vista. I’ve realized that to understand the profession I need to better understand who you are as a professional. I believe that our true strength comes from our differences and abilities to pursue collaborative solutions to real world problems. I’m excited to start this conversation with you as Utah Chapter President. I look forward to understanding you and the profession of Landscape Architecture better!

Licensure Summit Recap

Jake Powell - Past President

ASLA National invited the Utah Chapter to present at the Council of Landscape Architecture Licensing Board (CLARB) and American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) 2024 Joint Licensure Summit. This summit brings together ASLA members, and licensing board members to discuss relevant and pressing challenges related to the profession and licensure. I was asked to attend and present on the recent outreach and legislative efforts of the ASLA Utah Chapter. To keep the Utah Chapter up to date I wanted to provide a report on the event and share some general thoughts.

The 2024 conference theme was “Empowering Opportunity” and the conference provided ample opportunities to connect with other chapter members from across the U.S. and Canada, and learn about national efforts to protect and enhance licensure. One of the general themes from the presentations and my conversations with other attendees was a concerning reminder that there remains a growing political contingent and a host of very vocal and well-organized organizations calling for, among other things, the elimination of licensure and education credentials within a broad range of professions.

I suppose that this effort may be well-meaning in its theoretical underpinnings, as these groups say their efforts are intended to eliminate perceived barriers to a workforce that is in demand and can reasonably engage in the work. However, their actions represent a concerning threat to a profession like landscape architecture, whose licensure provides assurances that those responsible for designing the physical environment are qualified, competent, and committed to doing so within a credo of ethics, professionalism, and safety.

The de-licensing rhetoric is not only growing nationwide, it is growing in the Intermountain West. We should not be surprised when this kind of language begins to pop up in Utah politics and subsequent policies

A clear message was that the profession of landscape architecture must continue to be proactive at a national level, and State Chapters must make a concerted effort to share the impact of their work with elected officials and policymakers. We need to continue to support the validity and importance of licensure for landscape architecture and other professions (allied or not). Also, we need to ensure that professionals in Utah no longer humbly and quietly do good work and let it speak for itself. You must step out of the shadows of your work and let people know that qualified, dedicated, highly trained professionals living and contributing to your community are the workforce that visualizes, collaborates, and executes the projects that are changing Utah for the better.

Another topic discussed at length was the national push for states to begin adopting CLARB’s universal standards for licensure. This effort is intended to align landscape architecture licensing requirements across states and create a standardized process for reciprocity. In CLARB’ Universal Standard successfully passing the Landscape Architects Registration Exam (L.A.R.E) will remain a requirement, however, the standard would not only allow graduates from an LAAB Accredited University with a specified number of years of experience but also alternative combinations of education and experience to similarly achieve licensure. This effort is intended to provide multiple paths to licensure without lowering the standards or rigor that ensures professional competence. After this conference, I am convinced that Utah’s Licensing Board should begin conversations with practitioners and CLARB representatives to conceive a path toward alignment with this new national standard.

It was an honor to represent the ASLA Utah Chapter and share the great efforts happening in the State of Utah!

Awards Dinner Slide Show

Thank you to UNILOCK for Sponsoring such a fun evening! Congratulations to all Award Winners!

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

ASLA UTAH OCTOBER NEWSLETTER