July 2005

July 13, 2005

• The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved changes to the scope and budget for the ASLA headquarters green roof.  The scope has been expanded to allow for public access to the roof.  The plan was distributed to the Trustees prior to its conference call July 7.  The consultant is working with ASLA to identify/target firms to approach for donated products and services.  Two grants, totaling $45,000, have been received to support construction and additional funding sources are being sought. 
  

• Seventy-four members of the House of Representatives signed the letter to trans-portation bill conferees urging them to keep the Highway Stormwater Discharge Mitigation Program in the bill.  ASLA staff participated in the effort to gather signatures, which was coordinated by the Surface Transportation Policy Project.  Thank your Representative if he or she signed on to this letter. For a list of signers and a copy of the letter: http://www.asla.org/members/publicaffairs/federal.html
  
  
• The Licensure Grant application and guidelines are available on the website.  In FY2006 (to be distributed in Oct. 2005), the budget provides for an aggregate of $25,000.  There is no limit to the amount that can be requested by a chapter; however, it is expected that grants will provide assistance to several chapters.  The application deadline is August 1, 2005 .  http://www.asla.org/membersonly/membership/cow.cfm.
  
  
• The Idaho/Montana chapter is mobilizing for a difficult fight to retain its state board.  The Department of Commerce has informed the Montana State Board of Landscape Architecture that it has been terminated after rejecting the request for a loan to cover the board’s expenses.  Board members believe that the state will be issuing letters to licensees soon to talk about the action and consequences.  At this stage, the chapter is investigating its legal options and asking for financial support to support their fight to retain licensure.
  
  
• Staff attended a meeting hosted by the American Planning Association that addressed the political and policy environment in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Kelo vs. New London decision , which declined to ban the use of eminent domain for local economic development projects.  The U.S. House overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the decision. Legislation has been introduced that would override the decision.  There is concern that the response to the considerable criticism of the decision may trigger legislative action that impacts community redevelopment.  The meeting focused on the best strategies to address some broad based misperceptions about the case, and about eminent domain in general.
  

• A press release announcing the 2005 Professional Awards winners was sent out via the wire to key media around the world, including Canada , Israel , Spain and China .  It is being translated into several languages to ensure international coverage.  So far, the announcement has been picked up on Pruned, Yahoo! Finance UK and Ireland, HispanicBusiness.com, KVVU-TV's Web site, KRON's Web site, and in Malaysia, Canada, Poland, Belgium, Asia, ArchNewsNow, and on the Land+Living blog. 
  
  
• ASLA worked with KQED radio (public radio, Northern CA ) on a story about the latest work by Lawrence Halprin, FASLA, on the new George Lucas facility at the Presidio.  Charles Birnbaum, FASLA, was interviewed about Halprin’s career and impact on the profession of landscape architecture.  The show broadcast July 1.
  
  
• The efforts to build public awareness about the profession launched around National Landscape Architecture Month (NLAM) are displaying impressive metrics:
• The NLAM video news release has been broadcast 128 times in 36 states with an audience of over 68 million viewers. The ad rates for this amount of airtime would be $93,000.
• The two radio public service announcements originally produced in 2003 were re-released in April and have been broadcast 653 times in 43 different states to an audience of over 55 million. The ad rate value of this airtime is over $295,000.
• The two syndicated newspaper columns have so far generated 244 newspaper articles in 35 different states with a readership of more than 24 million.  The fair market value of this coverage would be over $90,000.
• The Annual Meeting & EXPO registration brochure has been printed and mailed. A .pdf of the *registration brochure is available on the ASLA web site for those who don't want to wait to receive their copy in the mail. *(please right click from the link on the website, download, and open locally for the quickest access to the PDF version of the registration brochure)
  

• The 2005 Class of Fellows totals 41 Fellows Elect.  Below is the official list by category of election and chapter:

• Congratulations to all of the newly elected Fellows, and especially to the Chapter’s own. The Fellows-elect will be inducted at the Annual Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale.
  

• ASLA has received the first paper in the 2005 LATIS series that has been revised by its author to incorporate reviewers' comments.  Verification and proofreading of the paper, “Landscape Planning Prediction Modeling Tools and Application for Managing Urban Growth,” are underway.
  

• The opportunity to volunteer for 2006 Committee Service and recommend Potential National Officer Candidates to the Nominating Committee for the 2006 slate is open through August 5.  Please respond directly to Mary Hanson at ASLA and encourage others to do so as well.