While I agree that the content of Landscape Architecture magazine is not always substantial, the efforts of the organization undoubtedly are. If you are not familiar with what ASLA as an organization is doing on our behalf-at the national and at the state level, from soil specs to No Child Left Inside-I suggest visiting the advocacy link on their website. http://www.asla.org/GovernmentAffairs.aspx. Advocacy efforts address issues including economic recovery, transportation, sustainable design, livable communities, water & stormwater, and historic landscapes. Here you can find out about the Advocacy Network, public policies, federal advocacy efforts, federal and state legislative bill tracking, licensure advocacy tools (ASLA member-only), and details on licensure and continuing education. Efforts are also underway to improve on our legal abilities to collect unpaid fees from delinquent clients. To learn about what is happening locally, info is available from our local chapter, http://www.socal-asla.org.
No doubt the disappearance of a great many jobs in the field of landscape architecture gives rise to much frustration. While ASLA may not be able to provide every unemployed landscape architect employment tomorrow, they are currently quite active in advancing our profession’s integrity and agenda at both the national and state level.
If we would like ASLA to do more, then we of course must do more. I believe our local chapter would be quite happy to hear from us and the magazine could benefit from constructive input..As an organization, I have received a response to every single email I’ve sent both locally and nationally. Our field is diverse and often little understood. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go it alone, without ASLA.
