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A Vote for Landscape Architects in the Last Frontier
Last week, the Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors took the first step to change the landscape architect's seat on the board from "temporary-nonvoting" to "permanent-voting" status. Although the multidisciplinary board has regulated the practice of landscape architecture since 2000, there has only been representation for the landscape architecture profession by one nonvoting member. Several landscape architects—including the current board member, Burt Lent, ASLA—have worked diligently in that capacity through the years. Their service has been just as rigorous as their counterparts but without the power to vote on board matters.
The board action forwards the recommendation for legislative action to add a landscape architect member as a permanent seat on the board. Such legislation is necessary to make this change and is expected to be submitted in 2008. The permanent seat on the board was supported not only by ASLA, but also by the Alaska Professional Design Council, with a membership that includes the Alaska chapters of the professional societies representing architects, engineers, land surveyors, and interior designers. The Alaska chapter of ASLA is also a member of the council. In addition to several letters of support from landscape architects and allied professions, Terry Schoenthal, ASLA, Chris Mertl, ASLA, and Alaska Chapter AIA President-Elect Marcie Errico testified in Juneau in support of this change.
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