ASLA's Government Affairs Convenes at the Annual Meeting

ASLA Government Affairs enjoyed a successful 2007 Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The Annual Meeting offered ASLA members an important opportunity to get involved in the advocacy efforts of the Society and share their experiences and questions about the political process. During this year’s Annual Meeting, ASLA celebrated the one-year anniversary of launching the Advocacy Network. With that milestone, ASLA also celebrated tremendous strides in its advocacy efforts. ASLA members have sent nearly 3,000 messages to their elected officials in 2007, more than half of which have been sent since July 1. Nearly 15,000 individuals are now signed up for the network, and 1,000 have taken action on at least one of the ASLA campaigns.

Legislators are taking notice of the prominence of the ASLA Advocacy Network, as participation by members continues to increase. Recently, congressional members called on ASLA to urge support for the Green Energy Education Act, legislation that provides aid to graduate and undergraduate students studying the latest green building technologies. The strong grassroots activism of ASLA members will allow ASLA to continue to establish contacts and develop relationships in Washington, D.C., and throughout the country.

During the Annual Meeting, ASLA also worked with its chapter presidents to encourage their participation in helping develop and shape public policies affecting the profession on the federal, state, and local levels and provided helpful tips on how to be an effective advocate. Serving as a critical resource for chapters looking to become more involved in advocacy at all levels, a number of chapter presidents offered examples of successful legislative campaigns. In particular, the New Jersey chapter highlighted its experience using the Advocacy Network to mobilize members in support of licensure upgrade legislation in their state. The chapter credited the 150 grassroots activists who helped generate enough political support to secure the bill’s passage in the New Jersey Assembly.

Several ASLA members visited the ASLA Commons in San Francisco to sign up for the Advocacy Network or to update their profile to ensure successful delivery of ASLA Action Alerts and grassroots communications. Many members also learned about ASLA’s ongoing legislative efforts and took action by sending letters of support on current key issues for landscape architects such as The Small Community Visioning Improvement Act, The No Child Left Inside Act, legislation that would provide support for environmental education in K–12 school curriculums, and The Green Energy Education Act.

Finally, former Vice President Al Gore, Hon. ASLA, who addressed ASLA members via satellite at the Closing General Session, recognized the significant contributions that landscape architects are making to raise the awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. Gore, who was honored in 1992 with the Olmsted Medal, ASLA’s highest honor for individuals outside the profession of landscape architecture, thanked ASLA and its members for their continued leadership in designing a sustainable built environment and protecting natural resources. He also recognized landscape architects as pioneers in the movement to combat climate change through their long-standing commitment to promoting environmentally friendly designs.