National Landscape Architecture Month 2006
This year's National Landscape Architecture Month was the most successful to date and gained widespread press coverage on both the national and local levels.

National Landscape Architecture Month (NLAM) 2006 was a success at both the national and local levels throughout the month of April. The theme, “Discover Landscape Architecture,” allowed chapters to focus on any area of the profession that they felt was relevant, and gave ASLA National a broad platform to promote the various types of work that landscape architects perform.

National activities

At the national level, four areas were identified as weekly themes:

• Week 1: Security Design and Disaster Preparedness
• Week 2: Careers in Landscape Architecture
• Week 3: Green Building and Sustainable Design
• Week 4: Residential Landscape Architecture

A new tactic this year included reaching out to allied organizations for partnership opportunities. In exchange for web, editorial, and media coverage of their organization, partners agreed to cover NLAM on their websites and in member publications and exchange member mailing lists for NLAM outreach. This year’s partners included the American Horticultural Society, the American Institute of Architects, the American Nursery & Landscape Association, the American Planning Association, the American Public Health Association (and National Public Health Week), GreenDC Week, PLANET, Project Evergreen, the Cultural Landscape Foundation, Urban Land Institute, and the U.S. Green Building Council.

More than 28 chapters celebrated National Landscape Architecture Month by planning local events that helped their communities "Discover Landscape Architecture." There were dozens of wonderful events across the nation, but 11 chapters went above and beyond the call of duty to plan events that were original, creative, and fun for the general public.

Week 1: Security design and disaster preparedness

Each week, a detailed email outlining the week’s activities was distributed to key media outlets. During week one, a video news release was released over the national wire and was made available online for chapters to use.

Also during week one, a number of National Building Museum (NBM) sessions took place. On April 1, Laurie Olin, FASLA, led two tours of the Washington Monument. As a result, the Associated Press released a widely received article over the domestic wire, which subsequently ran in more than 900 online and print outlets.

Laurie Olin, FASLA, leads a tour of the Washington Monument to kick off National Landscape Architecture Month.

On April 3, Kevin Shanley, FASLA, of SWA Group spoke at the NBM about his firm and their project work. In addition, he participated in a radio media tour (RMT) that following Friday, discussing the landscape architect’s role in disaster preparedness and rebuilding in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Shanley’s RMT reached five markets (in the Gulf Coast states) and more than 81,000 listeners.

On April 8, ASLA hosted an NBM construction watch tour of the green roof. Chris Counts, ASLA, and John Fritz of Forrester Construction spoke to a sold-out crowd.

Week 2: Careers in landscape architecture
During week two, a matte release was distributed titled, “Career Shopping? Check Out This Hot Option.” A second RMT was also scheduled featuring Ramiro Villalvazo, ASLA. Villalvazo completed both Spanish and English language interviews and reached five markets, including CNN en Espanol (nationwide audience). In total, his RMT reached more than 2.28 million listeners.

Week 3: Green building and sustainable design

Week three’s focus on green building and sustainable design helped prime the media for the following week’s green roof dedication. A second matte release was distributed over the national wire titled, “Making Your Home More ‘Green.’” This release served not only as a first announcement of the green roof dedication date for the media, but offered consumer-friendly tips on how to make homes more environmentally friendly.

Members of the media were also formally invited to the following week’s green roof media tour dedication during week 3.

Week 4: Residential landscape architecture/green roof unveiling

Week four encompassed not only the fourth and final theme for NLAM, but the announcement of the 2006 Professional Award winners and the official unveiling of the new ASLA green roof.

The 2006 Professional Awards recipients were announced on April 24 in LAND Online and over the news wire. So far the awards have been covered in ArchNewsNow and Residential Architect Online. Local media hits include D Home in Dallas for MESA Design Group’s “Henry C. Beck Jr. Park”, the Portland Tribunefor “SW 12th Avenue Green Street Project” by Kevin Robert Perry, ASLA, and “Sonoran Living Live,” a TV show on the ABC affiliate in Phoenix that plans to interview Steve Martino, FASLA, on May 24 from 9:00 to10:00 AM, MDT.

The media preview on April 25 featured a tour of the green roof and presentations by Chris Counts, ASLA, John Fritz of Forrester Construction, and ASLA Executive Vice President Nancy Somerville. Eleven media outlets were represented, including The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Associated Press, Governing magazine, Home & Design magazine, Chemical & Engineering News, Kiplinger Newsletter, Greenwire, USA Today, and American Gardener magazine.

The morning of the green roof dedication on April 26, Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA, and Chris Counts, ASLA, participated in an RMT discussing the project. The tour reached seven markets (including one national outlet) and more than 719,400 listeners. That afternoon, at the ceremonial opening of the green roof, D.C. Council Chair Linda Cropp assisted President Dennis Carmichael, FASLA, with the formal dedication, cutting a green ribbon. In addition to Cropp and Carmichael, Van Valkenburgh and Steven Peck, president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, made remarks.

D.C. Council Chair Linda Cropp and ASLA President Dennis Carmichael cut the ribbon to dedicate the ASLA green roof. Representatives from several government agencies as well as those who donated funds and materials to the roof were on hand to enjoy the festivities.

So far, media coverage of the project include USA Today, Garden Design, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Greenhouse Grower's Editors' Blog,and MSNBC. The Associated Press released a story over the international wires and a U.S. story is in the works. CNN featured the AP international wire story on its home page under "Latest News" as a top story, and the China Post and media outlets in India ran the story. Garden Design magazine and House & Garden magazine are currently working on stories as well.

That night, Steve Martino, FASLA, spoke at an NBM session, discussing his award-winning work. During the week, a final RMT was booked for Dean Hill, ASLA, in which he discussed residential landscape architecture. His tour reached 4 markets and more than 54,200 listeners.
 

Chapter Activities

More than 28 chapters celebrated National Landscape Architecture Month by planning local events that helped their communities “Discover Landscape Architecture.” There were dozens of wonderful events across the nation, but 11 chapters went above and beyond the call of duty to plan events that were original, creative, and fun for the general public. These 11 chapters were recognized at the mid-year meeting in Washington, D.C., this month.

Sheila Brady, FASLA, leads the tour of the National World War II Memorial, organized by the Potomac Chapter. The South Carolina chapter works with students at Long Middle School on a planting during their Landscapes for Learning Symposium.

2006 Award-Winning Chapters:

• The Alaska chapter held a series of Garden Design workshops, where local landscape architects offered home owners information and initial design ideas on how to improve their properties.
• The Colorado chapter participated in the widely publicized Doors Open Denver, an annual free event offering residents and visitors the opportunity to experience Denver’s works of architecture and landscape architecture over a weekend of tours.
• The Idaho/Montana chapter received great local media coverage on its Hillner Park Restoration Day where chapter members worked with the Lockwood School’s Sixth Grade Leadership Class to clean up, light, and do tree work in a park in Billings, Montana.
• The Indiana chapter hosted a long list of events throughout the month of April, including several design charrettes, a Student Office Hop, an Earth Day Festival, and its Third Annual Family 5K Run/Walk.
• The Louisiana chapter installed a temporary park in an on-street parking space for its Park from Park(ing) event, as part of the Downtown Spring Spectacular in Baton Rouge. The local CBS news affiliate aired a segment on it later that evening.
• The local FOX news crew covered the North Carolina chapter’s Greensboro Center City Park Luncheon. The celebration continued across the street on the top of a parking deck overlooking the park construction where a presentation was given from a bird's eye perspective.
• The Oregon chapter went all out this year with a long lineup of events including the Fountain Festival, which made the 5:00 news. The Black Box opening was well attended and even brought in members of the general public. The symposium had approximately 160 attendees forming a diverse audience and was followed by a good turnout for our Residential, Sustainable, and Urban Legacy tours of Portland.
• The Potomac chapter organized a very successful walking tour of four featured monuments located along Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Sixty participants were guided by the projects' designers and expert fountain consultants, who described the design process and the conceptual origins of the water features.
• The Southern California chapter participated in a career day at a Santa Ana middle school, giving away ASLA pins and the career discovery brochure to more than 250 students. They also worked with the students to design their quad area, which was a huge hit.
• The South Carolina chapter worked with students, teachers, parents, and community volunteers to put on a symposium with Long Middle School to envision and implement a series of outdoor learning areas on the school's campus.
• The Wisconsin chapter produced an exhibition featuring more than 80 display boards in the state capitol rotunda in Madison during the month of April. Legislators, workers, and visitors to the capitol learned more about landscape architecture, the ASLA green roof, and award-winning Wisconsin projects.

Overall, efforts during NLAM were a success. Not counting the media coverage of the green roof outlined previously, NLAM has received more than 40 media hits nationwide. And, we’re still counting!