[Marc Chapelle]

We cannot even get 50 states to agree on what Landcape Architecture is, and if it is worthy of regulating, on behalf of the general public. Kentucky is fighting DE-licensing by the Professional Engineers, and it took several tries in Colorado, to convince their governer that we LAs actually make a difference in that state. ASLA is pushing a program, “50 by 2010”, to try and get all the states on-board the licensing band-wagon. But even then, there is no uniformity from state-to-state. In VA, it is just a Title state, whereas in CA its a Title/Practice…Vermont, and Washington DC (home of ASLA) don’t give a damn either way, and fight licensure at every turn.

Adding the other 191 countries of the world (Is Taiwan a seperate country? How about Vatican City?) and trying to get any uniform opinion…Well, they can’t even agree on the same kind of measuring system (metric vs feet). Get a UN resolution about Landscape Architecture? That would be fun to see! Sorry to be such a wet blanket on this one. 🙂

[Marc Chapelle]

Hello, Walter ~ I’m also certified in VA as a Landscape Architect. TVirginia does have a group, called “Virginia Society of Landscape Designers”, which you can join, for a fee, but it has no weight in eyes of the law (http://www.vsld.org/) The Commonwealth exempts single-family, with no licensing/certification required for residential landscape design (VA Title 54.1-402).

Maybe you’re thinking of Residential Architecture certification which is, indeed, broken out as a seperate license in a lot of states like NV, CA, AZ, etc…..Anyone may use the title of “building designer” or “landscape designer” in the broadest sense, without going through a certification/licensure process.

Thanks for the input, though!!

[Marc Chapelle]

1989 – and I’ve only been able to remember a handful of fellow alumni that went to school with me…Sorry; I’ve filled my brain with other stuff since ’89. My apologies, but you’re kinda on the bottom of the stack. Plus, I was on the “7-year track”

[Marc Chapelle]

henry cohen said:

If you’ve used the correct plants, they’ll do just fine.

Henry, sadly for the rest of the US, we are not all blessed with 60″/year in rain like PA. When I practiced in VA, you just kicked it into the hole and waited for the clouds. Unfortunately, if you don’t irrigate it here in the arid West, it won’t grow. Local code requires 1 tree for every 30 lf of frontage, etc., so planting Sage or Russian Olive isn’t gonna cut it with the local inspector. Drip systems are the big ticket, here.

Tried LandCad for a while – too cumbersome for me. We just bang out irrig. plans with hand calcs & AutoCAD. Not probably the best, but it works. Or better yet, on the really big jobs, farm it out to an irrigation consultant!

[Marc Chapelle]

With the exception of VT & Washington, DC the other 49 states agree with you – at least for Commercial projects: http://www.asla.org/members/govtaffairs/licensure/map/mapus/imgmap.htm

Here in NV, we even have an LAIT law (LA-In-Training, like an EIT but not manditory). There are private certification groups (like APLD & ANLD). What I hope to discover is if ANY of these other 49 licensing/certifying states have bothered to step past just “Title” or “Practice” acts to address the residential design competency issues.

I don’t think our residential clients really give a rip, unless they get “burned” by a bad designer. By-the-way, I collect “bad design” examples as a marketing tool…Handy to show them what I’m *NOT* going to produce. ~M

Brandon Reed said:

…..that sure would weed out all of the mom and pop shop designers and contractors that have no skill or understanding of good design and what it takes to meet the needs of all the homeowners out there…

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