#trustee report

Dear Florida Chapter Members, Fellows, and Associates:

Welcome to Part Seventeen of my report series, 'ASLA Membership', telling you just a few notes from our national organization over the last month. If you ever have a question about anything in my reports or would like to share your opinions with me regarding these issues, please contact me at [email protected].

Dana Worthington

Trustee, FLASLA

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

***The Transportation Enhancement Issue is brewing in Washington, D.C. Please stay alert for more information and actions required. Now would be the perfect time to subscribe to the Advocacy Network if you haven't already!*** 

Just as the 2012 state legislative season began, the New Hampshire House of Representatives took up legislation to deregulate Landscape Architecture and several other professions. Although it had some strong support in the House, the bill was narrowly defeated. As legislatures convene across the nation, Chapters are remaining vigilant.

ASLA's Bill Tracking service is your window into legislation impacting Landscape Architects. ASLA monitors legislation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Congress on issues like professional regulation, contracting for professional services, stormwater management, transportation and much more.

Complete Streets legislation continues to receive bipartisan support. Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ) has signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 1780, the Safe and Complete Streets Act. The measure now has 18 co-sponsors and ASLA is working to have a national Complete Streets policy signed into law.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced funding availability for the 2012 Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. Proposals for awards of up to $25,000 are due by February 29. For more information visit the Small Grants Program page.

PR AND COMMUNICATIONS

January 25 was the public announcement of the first three projects to achieve SITES certification. SITES is a partnership of ASLA, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the U.S. Botanic Garden. The projects are:

Novus Headquarters Campus (3-star certification): commercial project in St. Charles, MO.

The Woodland Discovery Playground at Shelby Farms Park (1-star certification): park in Memphis, TN

The Green at College Park (1-star certification): campus green at The University of Texas at Arlington. 

The profession received coverage in the Huffington Post, ABCNews.com, SFGate, Christian Science Monitor, CNBC, Reuters, SFGate, AECCafe, and Planetizen.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Professional Practice Manager, Liz Guthrie, participated in a meeting of the Design/Planning/Development Assistance Roundtable Meetup (DPDAM) hosted by the American Architectural Foundation (AAF). The participating organizations and federal agencies provide technical assistance on design, planning and development-related projects to local governments in the United States. Staff project managers met to share information about key initiatives from each organization and discuss how to maximize opportunities for collaboration.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Dear Florida Chapter Members, Fellows, and Associates: 

Here is the latest Florida Chapter ASLA Trustee Report.

Thank you,

Dana Worthington

ASLA MEMBERSHIP:  IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN A MAGAZINE (PART FIVE)

Welcome to Part FIVE of my report series, 'ASLA Membership,' telling you just a few notes from our national organization over the last month. If you ever have a question about anything in my reports or would like to share your opinions with me regarding these issues, please contact me at [email protected].

FLASLA INTERN PROGRAM

This year will be my second attempt at increasing the availability of summer and fall internships for our Landscape Architecture students in Florida.  I will be sending out a separate email message with all the details for this program.  Please look for this email at the end of the month.

In the meantime, the University of Florida Student Chapter ASLA is helping to organize a student/practitioner Meet & Greet.  Please plan to attend this event at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 18, in the Architecture Building in room ARC 320.  Contact their Student President, Kristin Cornwell, if you plan to attend.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Please submit Green Infrastructure or LID for Stormwater Management case studies now!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated a national rulemaking to establish a comprehensive program to reduce stormwater discharges from new development and redevelopment and make other improvements to strengthen its stormwater program.  EPA announced that during this rulemaking process, it will examine, analyze and evaluate sustainable green infrastructure design techniques that mimic natural water processes that infiltrate and recharge, evapotranspire and/or harvest and reuse precipitation.  This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the work of Landscape Architects and demonstrate to EPA that green infrastructure design techniques and Low Impact Development (LID) are highly-effective and cost-efficient tools for communities to address their stormwater issues.

Upon demonstrating the tremendous value of green infrastructure design techniques, EPA could issue a final rule that encourages more communities to utilize landscape architecture projects to help manage their rainwater and other water quality issues.  This is an important time for Landscape Architects.  Please submit your projects today!

Landscape Architecture & Deregulation

In this tough fiscal year, state legislative activity continues to pose potential threats to Landscape Architecture.  Nevada, North Carolina, Kentucky and Florida are all looking at either broad streamlining or deregulation initiatives.  In New Hampshire, a bill may be filed to deregulate Landscape Architecture.  Staff is working with chapters to support their efforts to defend licensure.

PUBLISHING AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Interest in JobLink is increasing.  As of least week, there were approximately 30 postings, maintaining a weekly average of over 20 for the past six months.  Once again ASLA will offer a special JobLink summer internship promotion to its members.  During the months of February, March and April, ASLA members may post one free intern position per firm, agency or organization.

DEADLINES

The ASLA 2011 Professional Awards program entry deadline is Friday, February 25 and submission deadline is Friday, March 11.