May 2020 Newsletter

ASLA UTAH MAY 2020 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

Victor Stanley: Virtual LA CES™ Webinars
Utilizing Site Furnishings to Enhance Open Spaces.
Credits: 1.0 PDH – HSW, Thursdays, 12:00PM MST
REGISTER HERE

ASLA Utah Emerging Professionals Virtual Employment Panel Friday, June 6th, 12:00pm Zoom Registration email Kyle Funk at kyle@loftsixfour.com

ASLA Utah Conference on Landscape Architecture,
Friday, 11th of September
Gateway Mall, SLC
REGISTER HERE!

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Leadership Express

Lauren Smith, Chapter President

Dear ASLA Utah Members,

I hope everyone has been able to get outside safely and enjoy some of the nice weather we’re experiencing. I know that I personally have been enjoying my small garden space even more this year with current social distancing and needing to limit my social interactions. As a reminder, ASLA is here for you during these times. Take a look at the National COVID-19 Resources Page which is being updated as more resources are available and please reach out to us if there’s anything we can do to assist during these unpredictable times.

First, I’d like to thanks everyone who filled out the 2021-2022 Federal & State Legislative Priorities Survey! ASLA Utah had a 29.7% response rate, which was an increase by 6 times from last year. We had a goal to triple our responses this year and you all knocked it out of the park! We really appreciate you taking the time to help National set the legislative priorities for the coming year.

In terms of ASLA Utah, we are putting out a call for volunteers to join a new Task Force Committee. The focus of this committee will be to work on a special Educational Campaign for our profession. ASLA Utah would like to come up with a state specific presentation and handout materials that can be shared with a wide variety of individuals (allied professionals, clients, students, etc.) to showcase the vast expertise our profession touches as well as the importance of landscape architects on all projects that have exterior improvements. If this is something you think you might be interested or have questions, please contact me at laurenksmith.asla@gmail.com.

Stay safe, stay healthy,
Lauren

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Make a difference in your professional world -
Nominate someone or yourself for ASLA Utah Executive Committee!

OPEN POSITIONS: Treasurer, Secretary, VP of Membership, VP of Visibility, President Elect

**Nomination Deadline: FRIDAY, May 29th by 5 p.m.**
Please email nominee’s name to:
President Elect, Seth Bockholt at seth@bockholtla.com 

CPC Spring Conference

Seth Bockholt, President Elect

One of the exciting benefits of serving with the chapter leadership is the opportunity to attend various events. Before becoming the incoming President I had never heard of the Spring CPC in DC but was pleasantly surprised when I was told in February I would have the opportunity to attend this event in April. I have not been to DC since the Mall was updated was stoked to see it. However, this year’s Spring Chapter Presidents Council was held virtually. Lauren Smith, Jenny Sonntag and I logged in to participate April 23rd, 24th and the 25th. Over the three days there was six webinars, and three workshops. While I was disappointed, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to go to DC, and meet all the other Chapter Presidents in person I was relieved I could keep up with my workload from home while I listened to all the Webinars. I tried my best to have an open mind as we approached this virtual meeting but have to admit I was skeptical. 

It was not the same as an in-person meeting, but I was really surprised at how well it worked and how fun it was.  I had not been on a zoom meeting with such a large group, and it was nice to see everybody there. While the break-out sessions were fun my favorite were the ‘Virtual Happy Hour’ at the end of the day Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s happy hour asked people to wear a wig, mask or glasses, and Fridays was ‘Fun Shirts’. These were hilarious. I had to turn my mic and camera off because my three kids had too much fun commenting on everyone’s attire.

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On a more serious note we heard from the Government Affairs Team about all the great work being done at National. Sounds like they have their hands full advocating on the Living Shorelines Act, TREES Act, Green Roofs for Public School Act, Great American Outdoors Act, New National Environmental Policy Act Rules, and  STEM Designation.  That is a lot of Acts. There is also cause to celebrate. The Community Assistance Partnership is celebrating 20 years in 2020 woop woop!  And coming up in 2022 it will be the bicentennial of Frederick Law Olmsted ASLA. The National Association for Olmsted Parks are planning to coordinate a celebration called Olmsted 200 Celebration this year. You can find out more about that Here.

The Webinar on Virtual Member engagement was very interesting. Colorado’s President Elect David Sprunt showed an inspiring example of how the Colorado/Wyoming Chapter with over 400 members spread across two States has been able to encourage more participation. Not just lunch and learns but more geographic diversity on the Excomm using Zoom for board meetings. They even did their awards Jury online in March. In fact, this webinar moved our own Executive Committee to adopt Zoom with an eye to duplicating Colorado/Wyoming’s results and connect our chapter members from the University in Northern to our too often but understandably absent friends in St. George.  

Continuing the online trend LA CES is moving courses online. Sam Thorley our VP of Professional Development has been busy registering our Chapter with LA CES to be able to facilitate more CEU’s at our chapter events and hook up those future Zoom meetings with CEU’s too. 

Other highlights included ASLA National President Wendy Miller’s Update. Students now can join ASLA without a financial commitment. National hopes to essentially double the number of Students members from 1500 to around 3000. They are also developing programs specific to students including mentoring to pave the path for growth. They are also clarifying how chapters can waiver dues in cases of hardship. Hardship shall include unemployment.  An individual is eligible for a due’s waiver because of unemployment for a total of two years in their lifetime.  A member may buy back this benefit by paying past dues. 2. Waivers are granted in six-month increments and renewable. 3. Process: Written request to national HQ detailing circumstances for waiver plus written support from chapter president.

Thanks to CPC Chair Jessica McWIlliams ASLA and Mellissa Gobrecht, Manager Chapter Relations for putting on such a well-executed online conference. I know it was a success because I didn’t get any work done while I listened. It was too much fun to participate!

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The Utah Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects is pleased to issue a formal call for entries for the 2020 ASLA Utah Professional Awards Program!

 Participation in the awards program helps to broaden professional boundaries, increase public awareness of the role of landscape architects, raise the standards of the discipline, and bring recognition to organizations and individuals who demonstrate superior skill in the practice or study of landscape architecture. 

It is important for us all to take time to reflect and step back at all of the great work we have accomplished in the past and celebrate together those successes, whether small or great.  Consider yourself eligible. 

**Awards will be presented at Lunch during the ASLA Utah Conference on Friday, 11th of September as the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake.

All submissions are due Friday, June 19, 2020 at 5PM. We look forward to seeing your entries submitted! 


Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors for their continued support!

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Special Thanks to ASLA Utah Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Gold Sponsors
Live Earth Products

Silver Sponsors
Amcor/Belgard | Ameristar | Anova | Chanshare Farms
Hunter/FX Luminaire | Landscape Forms | LuckyDog Recreation | Utelite

Bronze Sponsors 
AMIAD |  CES&R | Confluence Products | Contech | Delta Stone | Forms + Surfaces  |  GPH Irrigation Garrett & Company |  Graber Manufacturing | Hess Pumice | Hydrotech |  Inman Interwest  |  IRONSMITH    Maglin  |  Miller Companies  |  MUSCO Lighting  | Omega II Fence System | PlaySpace Designs   Sonntag Recreation |  Starker Parson | TORO | Vortex Aquatic Structures Intl

Learn More About Our Sponsors

**Click Here to become a Sponsor

April 2020 Newsletter

ASLA UTAH APRIL 2020 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

Victor Stanley: Virtual LA CES™ Webinars
Utilizing Site Furnishings to Enhance Open Spaces.
Credits: 1.0 PDH – HSW, Thursdays, 12:00PM MST
REGISTER HERE

NEW DATE: ASLA Utah Conference on Landscape Architecture,
Friday, 11th of September
Gateway Mall, SLC
REGISTER HERE!

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Leadership Express

Lauren Smith, Chapter President

Office Mate/Pet ‘Joey’ enjoying lunch in the lawn

Office Mate/Pet ‘Joey’ enjoying lunch in the lawn

Dear ASLA Utah Members,

Well, we’ve made it another month. I hope you and all of your families are holding up well and staying safe. Finally, the weather is getting warmer and blooming trees are in full effect, meaning it’s beginning to my my favorite time of year! Which also means: it’s election time! You should have all received a call for nominations, if you’re interested in volunteering or know someone who would be good for the job, reach out to Seth Bockholt, nominations are due May 29th by 5pm!

ASLA Utah is working in the background on getting more virtual resources available for your use during this time as well as in the future. Chapter President Elect, Seth Bockholt, Executive Direction, Jenny Sonntag and I participated in the first virtual Chapter Presidency Council meetings just last week. We missed being in the same room as all the other Chapter Presidents, in our nations capitol, however the meetings were extremely smooth and productive from afar. We were able to brainstorm ideas and get implementation advice from other chapters around the country on how they’ve implemented virtual continuing education sessions, socials, as well as resources that may be useful during this time.

As a reminder, ASLA National has a webpage set up with a lot of COVID-19 Resources (located here). Check it out, you might find something useful that you didn’t even know you were looking for. I, in particular, found the webinar “Out of Office: Tools, Teams, and Togetherness for WFH” to be interesting and helpful. As always, please reach out to me, or any of the Executive Committee Members if there’s something we can do for you. We’re here to help.

Stay safe, stay healthy,

Lauren K. Smith, PLA, ASLA

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World Landscape Architecture Month - #WLAM

Bryce Ward, ASLA Strategic Plan Advisor - ASLA Utah Sub-Committee

Since April is WLAM where we try to enlighten those not familiar with what we do as Landscape Architects, I'd like to propose that we, ASLA members explain what is landscape architecture in two sentences. We invite you to share your definition during the WLAM Campaign (and beyond) showing your own professional experience. Since everything is virtual now, please post this to your social media accounts and don't forget to @ASLAUtah and #WLM2020. We look forward to seeing your definitions!

Advocacy Update — Ali Lewis, Vice President Advocacy

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EXCITING NEWS! Please read & take action!

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is currently accepting nominations, for the first time in over a decade, to the National Scenic Byway program. This exciting development is a result of your successful advocacy for this important national status.

Under the National Scenic Byways Program, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads based on their intrinsic qualities. FHWA promotes the collection as America's Byways. To be designated a National Scenic Byway, a road must possess characteristics of regional significance within at least one of the intrinsic qualities, including archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, or scenic.
 
As you know landscape architects help to preserve and enhance many of our community’s public spaces, including special roadways, but public officials are often not aware of it. So in an effort to celebrate World Landscape Architecture Month we urge you to contact your governor to support your state’s efforts to nominate a roadway to the National Scenic Byways Program.
 
All nominations must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation by May 15, 2020.

When Pittsburgh’s city leaders sought a more efficient waste collection process, they turned to the Victor Stanley Relay™ smart waste management system. This data-driven solution fit hand-in-glove with their ambitious goals in the fight against climate change – to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases, increase renewable energy use, and attempt to achieve Zero Waste.

With no way of knowing when each of the city’s 2,000 litter receptacles needed collection, crews had to drive the full collection routes every day. Inevitably, some would already be overflowing by the time they arrived, while others might still be almost empty.

Relay data showed that, on any given day, only about 13% of the city’s containers would reach the 90%-full threshold representing critical need for collection. 

With Relay, sensors embedded in litter receptacles measure how full they are. This dramatically reduces unnecessary collection runs, which saves fuel, time, and lowers emissions. Thanks to Relay’s data, 16 of Pittsburgh’s 25 public works employees previously assigned solely to trash collection have been reassigned to higher priority tasks. This more efficient system helps the city reduce its carbon footprint and re-engage with deferred public works responsibilities, while saving millions of dollars in the process. 

With the Relay system’s data, Pittsburgh is well positioned to lead the way on two fronts – the global, ongoing battle against climate change, and improving the seemingly simple task of collecting the trash.

Read the full report online at http://www.victorstanley.com/pittcasestudy.

Read Utah’s Landscape Architect JAN STREIFEL’s article in Devour Magazine!

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In Memoriam:

Brent Morris

“Life is too serios to be taken seriously” --- words often spoken by Brent D. Morris who peacefully passed away April 5, 2020.

As a Landscape Architect, graduating from Utah StateUniversity in 1973, his philosophy was “the best time to plant a tree was yesterday.”

Brent had a passion for making the environment more inviting, creating beautiful and functional designs throughout his long and successful career. Brent had the opportunity to work on various projects which included university campus Master Plans, designing the first skateboard park within the state of Utah, projects for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, collaborations with UDOT, parks in southern Utah, numerous projects with the State of Utah, and working with teams to create LEED driven projects. With Zero Scaping, he became a maven of rock placement, using he favorite Utah red sandstone. His talent resulted in several awards for his firm, Brent Morris Associates which he directed for over 40 years, leaving a legacy of design excellence in the field of Landscape Architecture.

Brent was a world traveler, always ready for a new port-of-call and loved experiencing new cuisines. Other actives which brought him joy, were a day on the water or skiing in the mountains and later a quick game of pickleball with family and friends. In his spare time, he was a perpetual builder, always looking forward to the next opportunity to improve his home or yard.

Brent will be remembered for his vibrant personality, his enthusiasm, integrity, commitment to do what’s right, dedication and leadership as a husband, father, friend and professional. He and his wife, Shauna, were always active with family, friends, church, youth, scouts, and community.  Brent was very enthusiastic about being a Landscape Architect and he will be deeply missed.

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors for their continued support!

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Special Thanks to ASLA Utah Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Gold Sponsors
Live Earth Products

Silver Sponsors
Amcor/Belgard | Ameristar | Anova | Chanshare Farms
Hunter/FX Luminaire | Landscape Forms | LuckyDog Recreation | Utelite

Bronze Sponsors 
AMIAD |  CES&R | Confluence Products | Contech | Delta Stone | Forms + Surfaces  |  GPH Irrigation Garrett & Company |  Graber Manufacturing | Hess Pumice | Hydrotech |  Inman Interwest  |  IRONSMITH    Maglin  |  Miller Companies  |  MUSCO Lighting  | Omega II Fence System | PlaySpace Designs   Sonntag Recreation |  Starker Parson | TORO | Vortex Aquatic Structures Intl

Learn More About Our Sponsors

**Click Here to become a Sponsor

March 2020 Newsletter

ASLA UTAH MARCH 2020 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

CEU Free Webinar Courses Hosted by PlaySpace Designs
REGISTER HERE!

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NEW DATE: ASLA Utah Conference on Landscape Architecture, Friday, 11th of September Gateway Mall, SLC
REGISTER HERE!

Leadership Express

Lauren Smith, Chapter President

Dear ASLA Utah Members,

With current events surrounding COVID-19, we find ourselves in uncertain and unprecedented times. We are facing challenges we couldn't have expected. In order to abide by the government and CDC guidelines, ASLA Utah will be postponing all in-person events until further notice. In the case we will still be social distancing in May, we have decided to postpone our Utah Annual Conference until the 11th of September. We feel strongly about doing out part in the health and safety of our members, sponsors, and community. We, and ASLA National, are working on getting more on-line resources available for you. For now, check here for resources available at the national level. 

We are lucky to live in a world where most of us are connected via technology. We are able to work remotely, keep in touch with friends and family from a distance and continue life, even though altered from our normal. Like many of you, I have found myself in a new, makeshift office space located in my home. As well as two new coworkers: my fiancé and Joey, my dog. I am adapting, as I'm sure many of you are; especially those who are also adjusting to their second job of being a home school teacher. 

As Wendy Miller, ASLA President, wrote in her email to us last week, Landscape Architects are optimists. We have the ability to envision the future, where our outdoor spaces are crowded and alive again. Our work will be there when life returns to normal and this crisis ends. Hopefully this will just be a short blip in our history. I'd like to remind everyone to try and take advantage of the approaching spring weather, sit outside, spot the tulips sprouting up, get some Vitamin D. I think we all could use it at the moment.  

ASLA Utah will be here, from a distance, while we work through this crisis, and we will be here to celebrate once we can be together again. In the meantime, please reach out if we can be of assistance and/or you have any ideas on how to collaborate together during this time. 

Best,
Lauren K. Smith, PLA, ASLA

Advocacy Update

Ali Lewis, Vice President Advocacy

Great American Outdoors Act.

Last week the Senate introduced the Great American Outdoors Act which would fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and would provide much-needed funding for the National Park Service and other public lands agencies to tackle their deferred maintenance backlogs. Please join ASLA National in supporting this bill by signing onto this letter. 

You can sign up and read more here. 

WEBINARS — Free to all ASLA Members

Rebroadcast: The Economics of Parks: Creating and Sustaining Successful Public Realm - 1.0 PDH (LA CES/HSW). Wednesday, April 1, 2020. 12:00–1:00 pm MST
Join us on April 1 to learn why the economics of parks is ever more important—educating clients on the costs of creating public realm; developing funding strategies to build; balancing revenue generation with creating respite; planning for governance, operations, and maintenance to preserve investments for future generations; and valuing design.

Rebroadcast: Breaking Free from Tropical Hardwoods: New Alternatives for Sustainability - 1.5 PDH (LA CES/HSW). Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 12:00–1:00 pm MST Join us on April 15 as we discuss how the dependency on tropical hardwoods is unsustainable given current rates of use, ecosystem degradation, and slow renewal rates. Fortunately, there are new alternatives that are durable, beautiful, and renewable. In this rebroadcast, you will learn how to use and work with thermally modified, acetylated, and polymerized woods, fused bamboo lumber, and black locust.

Rebroadcast: Drawing Matters: Exploring the Value of Drawing in Landscape Architecture - 1.5 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW). Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 12:00–1:00 pm MST Join us on April 29 as we discuss why drawing still matters. Rather than the familiar debate over digital versus hand graphics, this session explores the value of drawing as a process connected to seeing, thinking, and engaging throughout design.

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors for their continued support!

biograss_logo.jpg

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Rain Bird | Victor Stanley

Gold Sponsors
Live Earth Products

Silver Sponsors
Amcor/Belgard | Ameristar | Anova | Chanshare Farms
Hunter/FX Luminaire | Landscape Forms | LuckyDog Recreation | Utelite | Vortex Aquatic Structures Intl.

Bronze Sponsors 
AMIAD |  CES&R | Confluence Products | Contech | Delta Stone | Forms + Surfaces  |  GPH Irrigation Garrett & Company |  Graber Manufacturing | Hess Pumice | Hydrotech |  Inman Interwest  |  IRONSMITH    Maglin  |  Miller Companies  |  MUSCO Lighting  | Omega II Fence System | PlaySpace Designs   Sonntag Recreation |  Starker Parson | TORO

Learn More About Our Sponsors

**Click Here to become a Sponsor

December 2019 Newsletter

ASLA UTAH DECEMBER 2019 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Leadership Express

Lauren Smith, Chapter President

Winter Social // January 2019

Winter Social // January 2019

Happy Holidays!

As we approach the end of the year, and decade, I wanted to take a moment to recognize all the great things ASLA Utah has been able to accomplish in 2019.

ASLA Utah started off the year with our annual Winter Social hosted in January in our new offices shared with AIA Utah. This even brought together members to thank our sponsors for supporting our chapter and our members throughout the year. We spent a great evening together networking, having dinner and getting comfortable in our new offices.

In February, David Garce presented to the ASLA Executive Committee on his involvement in the ASLA Diversity Summit. David Garce participated in the ASLA Diversity Summit in 2018 and 2019. This year was ASLA's sixth Diversity Summit and focused on developing a deeper understanding of how landscape architecture can better represent the communities and people it serves.

USU Students traveled down to the ALSA Utah offices in March to meet with a variety of professionals for our annual portfolio review event. ASLA Utah prides itself on it's collaboration with USU's LAEP Student Chapter. Our professional members have been an amazing resource to the students and we continue to strive to create an open connection between professionals and students within out state.

#WLAM2019 // April 2019

#WLAM2019 // April 2019

For World Landscape Architecture Month (#WLAM19), April, ASLA Utah hosted a walking tour event featuring the work completed along the S-Line in South Salt Lake City. A group of members came together and walked the S-Line from central station all the way to Sugarhouse while having a variety of project team members talk about the process and collaboration that happened in order to get this project complete.

In May, ASLA Utah was able to have three Executive committee members attend ASLA Advocacy Day and the Spring Chapter Presidency Council meetings. Tina Gillman, JoEllen Grandy and myself we able to meet with four of our state legislators or their staff in their offices in DC. We focused on thanking those who have already supported or urged them to support three specific bills: Restore our Parks Act, Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, and Transportation Alternatives Enhancement Act.

ASLA National Headquarter // May 2019

ASLA National Headquarter // May 2019

Evermore Park Walking Tour // May 2019

Evermore Park Walking Tour // May 2019

Also in May, Past President, Bryce Ward put on a fantastic Annual Conference, Get Outside, in Pleasant Grove. Those who attended were able to meet and hear from National President Elect, Wendy Miller, John Scott, Jake Powell, Josh Steadman, and Rachel Buck. We even had a great meditation exercise with Thomas McConkie! Those who were brave enough to get out in the rain were able to Get Outside and walk over to see DoTerra's grounds as well as the unique Evermore Park.

Over the summer, ASLA National put out a call for Committee Volunteers. ASLA Utah has had a number of members apply and be selected for national committees. We are proud to have representation at the national level from our chapter members! We want to thank everyone who has volunteered at the local, and national level. Notably, Danyel Mezzanatto and Kali Clark, both students at USU, were selected to hold positions on two separate committees.

Our Emerging Professionals Chair, Kyle Funk, kicked of the Lessons Learned Lunch fall series in August. Kyle brought in four seasoned professionals with a variety of backgrounds to speak directly to our emerging professionals, in a smaller forum, to encourage a more lively and personal discussion on how professionals have been able to grow their career.

The National Advocacy Summit was hosted by ASL Utah in September in Salt Lake City. This summit brought Advocacy Chairs from chapters all around the country to discuss advocacy efforts. The Summit consisted of panel discussions, break-out sessions, presentations and a walking tour of the S-Line. Congressmen Ben McAdams attended the walking tour and spoke to the 50-person group, as well as Fox News, about the history of the S-Line and his impressions of the project. ASLA Utah is looking forward to making a walking tour an annual event, get in touch with Ali Lewis, our Advocacy VP, if you're interested in getting involved!

But that's not all for September! Nate Jaramillio teamed up with Hailey Wall to pull together Park(ing) Day (click the link for a summary)! ASLA Utah occupied 8 parking stalls on 100 South with 3 parklets, 3 food trucks, and a lot of seating! Even with the rain, there was a great turn out, including an interview of President, Colin Olson by the local news.

In October, Colin Olson announced the 2020 Annual Conference theme as adapt and gave a teaser to our members that the conference will be hosted in The Gateway and focus on how people and professionals must adapt throughout our lives and careers. Also, a fall outing was hosted by Victor Stanely in Zion National Park.

The Conference on Landscape Architecture was hosted in San Diego, CA in November. ASLA Utah was able to send three Executive Committee members to the fall Chapter Presidency Council meetings where we participated in break-out sessions, workshops, presentations, and panel discussion to gain insight on the direction of ASLA National and give us the tools to better lead our chapter.

December, generally a pretty quite month for ASLA Utah, but this year we were able to launch our brand new website. This website is modeled off the template for ASLA National and is a great tool for our chapter. We're looking forward to all the opportunities this will open up to allow up to offer you more content and resources on a regular basis!

Wow, it's been quite a year! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all our members, sponsors, and volunteers. ASLA Utah is a team effort and we couldn't do what we do without you.

Cheers to another great year in 2020!
Lauren Smith

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!REGISTER BY JANUARY 31st FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS. CLICK HEREWe've chosen The Gateway as the venue for the conference. Most of you are probably aware of the history of the Gateway. In the not so distant past, it was the prem…

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

REGISTER BY JANUARY 31st FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS. CLICK HERE

We've chosen The Gateway as the venue for the conference. Most of you are probably aware of the history of the Gateway. In the not so distant past, it was the premiere commercial space in Salt Lake City. A few years passed, circumstances changed, and The Gateway appeared to be doomed. With some fresh investment and a creative vision, new life was breathed into The Gateway. It emerged from the ground and crawled right out of the graveyard! The ADAPT theme for the 2020 ASLA Utah Conference on Landscape Architecture is very fitting for this venue and for our role as landscape architects.

Get to know your Executive Committee Members

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UASLA: Why did you choose Landscape Architecture as your profession?

SETH: I love to create things. I am inspired by art that connects us to the earth like Andy Goldworthy, and Robert Smithson. I believe landscape architects have the greatest potential to reach that goal, sometimes using creativity for clients, sometimes for myself-art for art-sake. I have really grown to appreciate the power of our profession to help us live more in-sync with our environment and do the least harm.
DON: I enjoyed drawing and taking drafting classes as a kid and in high school, but also my upbringing with my Dad being a forester and being with him in the woods in Western Oregon. The combination of working with the built environment and nature together was very appealing.

UASLA: Tell us about your educational background and any past professional experience.

SETH: BS in Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning from USU in 2009. Certified Green Roof Professional (Green Roofs for Healthy Cities) 12 years experience as a Design-Build Landscape Contractor before opening my own practice in Landscape Architecture. Won three Utah ASLA design awards; One in Planning and two for Residential Design.
DON: After high school, I attended Ricks College (Rexburg, ID) with an associates degree in Landscape Horticulture. I then transferred to Utah State University with my Bachelor in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning in 1997. My first job out of school was in Las Vegas and have been back to Utah since 1998.

UASLA: How do you presently practice Landscape Architecture?

SETH: Self Employed Landscape Architect focusing on Native Residential Gardens in the Wasatch Integrating Sculpture into designs.
DON: I work for Langvardt Design Group, a small private LA office here in SLC.

UASLA: What project have you been involved in that you take great accomplishment in and why?

SETH:Pro Bono Project for Seven Canyons Trust Planning for the Daylighting of Emigration Creek as it passes under Herman Franks Park and the intersection at 13th south and 7th East in SLC. This projects long term vision could help turn the narrative from Auto-centric to Nature centric planning & Design in our own backyard.
DON: Cory B. Wride Memorial Park, in Eagle Mountain, UT. To go from start to finish for the largest park project in my career, it was very satisfying to work on such a great project and create a unique destination for people of all abilities and ages to enjoy.

UASLA: What is a project outside your design influence that impacted you greatly and inspires you?

SETH:Lawrence Halpren's Freeway Park.
DON: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The collection of paintings, sculpture and tapestries, built as a 15th-century Venetian palace.

UASLA: What are your top three goals that you would like to accomplish while serving on the ExCom Board?

SETH:1. Raise the bar for ASLA's professional acclaim through Ethics education. 2. Program for increased Senior LA & Principal level participation. 3. Continue the work of connecting us to other professional organizations.
DON: 1. Using my past experience to assist with the Annual Meeting. 2. Find ways to encourage members to get involved. 3. Help with sponsorships

ADVOCACY UPDATE & OPPORTUNITY

VP of Advocacy Ali Lewis met with representatives from AIA, AGC and ACEC for lunch last week to discuss the upcoming legislative session that is to commence January 27th.  The purpose of the discussion was to identify any bills that might concern landscape architects, architects, contractors and engineers. 

At this juncture, many bills aren’t published online, so we’re not yet aware of any legislation to track.  As these become available, we’ll follow up with our members so you are made aware of relevant legislation.  Last year, many of you emailed us personally to identify bills you found concerning and we encourage you to do the same this year.  The more eyes we have tracking this session the better!
 
If you would like to be personally involved on the hill, during the entire General Session (from January 27-March 12),
AIA’s Government Affairs Group will meet every Wednesday at 8AM in the East Senate Cafeteria to touch base.

WINTER SOCIAL 2020

To All ASLA Utah Sponsors and Members,

ASLA Utah Chapter would like to invite you and your guest to the Annual Winter Social

Thursday, January 23rd at 7:00pm

Chapter Headquarters, Ford Building, 280 S 400 W #150, Salt Lake City

Space is limited so register soon: Click Here

Please join us for a lovely evening celebrating you as our Sponsors, landscape architecture and the ASLA Utah Chapter

UNLA GREEN EXPO 2020

UNLA is generously comping ASLA Utah Chapter a booth at the Green Expo in 2020 as well as allowing current ASLA Members discounted member pricing to attend the Expo! Use the links below to register and stop by the ASLA Utah Chapter booth while you are there!

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Newsletter Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support!

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