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MauiBob is spot on.  This “profession” is a disaster for my family and me.  I am now praying for a call-back from Petco and my wife, also a licensed landscape architect, is working 20 hours in a retail position.  Why would any firm hire a landscape architect when they already have engineers that can legally do everything we can, and more…[Read more]

I looked into getting my insurance through ASCE at one point, wasn’t much cheaper than getting it privately at the time.  Granted they have a lot more members and therefore more financial and political clout (http://www.asceinsurance.com/). 

The state ASLA chapters for me have always been a strong connection to the national, providing seminars a…[Read more]

Its a racket, thats for sure, and makes no sense. Our car insurance is out of TX, our liability from somewhere on the east coast. I am (perhaps mistakenly) under the impression that the new health care reform, if its sticks, will allow interstate health insurance… 

mauiBob, they have always tried to take over our jobs….we just have to continue to do our job  better than they do. I think a lot of the problem, besides the economy, is the weaker education students are getting now makes our profession doable by anyone….I interviewed some students recently and learned, much to my shock, that they no longer…[Read more]

By end of 2014, it will be 100% unemployed, because the profession will be obsolete. Prepare for a another career…now or perish!! The Planners, Architects and Engineers are taking over as I see it in my current job.

Watch out for China!!!

I know someone (Landscape Architect) from Honolulu who worked there in 2010. Things were going smoothly for 5 months, then suddenly the firm stopped paying him. To his fault, he kept working and was explained he would be paid soon. It went on for 2 months and he finally gave up. Where could he go and who to seek for advice?…[Read more]

Tonie, Don’t agree too much! The health insurance suggestion is, well, won’t work. Read Jason’s comment below. Otherwise, State of New Mexico would get a huge surge for health insurance. Good thing I read everyone’s comment before responding and thus, avoiding repeating verbiage.

To the post: I am a RLA and not a member of ASLA. Never been one…[Read more]

AOYA Design Group http://www.aoya-hk.com/. They haven’t updated their english website, but here are the links to their jobs posting for landscape design, they are currently looking for all levels from entry to senior positions.

http://www.aoya-hk.com/en3/yjs.php
http://www.aoya-hk.com/en3/job_detail.php?id=14

The problem with group insurance is that you can only do it on the the state level, and usually through some kind of recognized corporation (I don’t know if they would recognize some kind of co-op or group buy). You cannot purchase health care across state lines, so it doesn’t make sense for National ASLA to try to offer it. It is is the ONLY pr…[Read more]

Not more accolades – appropriate representation. Sadly, I can’t volunteer if I can’t afford the dues…

No shooting read into the message.  Good discussion.
ASLA has had an insurance program in the past for both life and health.  Not sure where they are with that these days.
Sounds like you are volunteering to get more accolades for women!  Bravo!  We need to do the same for minorities.  There was a movement afloat for that when Dennis Otsuji was…[Read more]

Golden Gate Park!

De Young Museum, for sure should be on your list. Also, Andy Goldsworthy’s installation at the Presido, “Spire” and the surrounding park is a treat to see. 

The more I read Tanya’s posts, the more I agree with her.  This is a very practical incentive.   

Hey Brett,
Don’t forget to get across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods and up the coast a bit to Point Reyes. http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm 
http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm   Enjoy.

A quick list having worked in the City for the last 14 years:
Mint Plaza, neat little urban plaza done by CMG Landscape Archtecture
Yerba Buena Gardens, nice open space in SOMA area
Crissy Field, Presidio, location, location, location
Drew School Assembly Wing, something completely different a vertical garden done with Patrick Blanc using like…[Read more]

Seems like there are some good ideas for John’s original questions, but I suspect he might have detected an underlying dissatisfaction with ASLA. I am hopeful that the dissatisfaction doesn’t read as (and hopefully isn’t intended as) shooting the messenger because overall I’m pleased that they are starting to ask questions….there are a lot of ot…[Read more]

EcoLand

ASLA is not a government agency. We choose to join it or not to join it. They are an entity that is membership driven rather than an organization with an obligation to hand out support to the down trodden. Like any big organization, it is as much about being an industry of its own (not a slam, just a reality). I believe that membership has the p…[Read more]