Indiana Landscape Architects to Promote Active Living, Earth Day, and Awards

Indianapolis, Indiana, April 6, 2005—Members of the Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) will celebrate National Landscape Architecture Month by promoting more active lifestyles, Earth Day, and the chapter’s annual awards program. 

The theme for National Landscape Architecture Month is Design for Active Living, highlighting ways community design affects residents’ daily activity levels and, in turn, their overall health.  Studies show that access to resources such as parks, recreational facilities, bicycle paths, walking trails, and sidewalks can increase physical activity among residents, lowering obesity and improving health. 

• April 16: Columbus, Indiana, People Trail Dedication
  Place:  Columbus Regional Hospital, 2400 East 17th St., Columbus, Indiana
  Time:  2:00 pm
  The Indiana ASLA chapter is pleased to join with the City of Columbus as a sponsor for the dedication of the new People Trail segment.  In promoting Design for Active Living, the event will feature walks, runs, biking, and other activities. For more information, contact Ed Curtin, FASLA, at ecurtin@columbus.in.gov.

• April 23: Earth Day Indiana Celebration
  Place:  Downtown Indianapolis American Legion Mall, Indianapolis, Indiana
  Time:  11:00 am-4:00 pm, rain or shine
  The Indiana ASLA chapter is sponsoring a booth featuring a craft activity for children at this event and will also distribute “walkability” and “bikeability” surveys for attendees to use in assessing their communities.  The free, outdoor festival offers live music, children's crafts, exhibits, food, entertainment, alternative energy vehicles, and much more. For more information visit www.earthdayindiana.org.

• April 30: Indiana ASLA Family 5K Run/Walk
  Place:  Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis, Indiana
  Time:  Walk begins at 10:00 am
  Join Indiana landscape architects in celebrating Design for Active Living at the Indiana ASLA chapter’s 2^nd Annual Family Fun Run/Walk. A National Landscape Architecture Month T-shirt is included in the participation fee.  The registration form is located online at http://www.inasla.org/images/run_walk_registration.jpg, through the Indiana ASLA chapter web site www.inasla.org, or contact Corrie Meyer, Associate ASLA, at cmeyer@schmidt-arch.com.  Family, guests, and even pets are welcome!

• Throughout April:  Student Outreach
• 2004 Indiana ASLA Professional Design Award Exhibit
  On display at Purdue University Horticultural Building and Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning Building.
• April 6, 2:00-6:00 pm, Student Office Hop & Past President Roundtable
  Office hop: Various Indianapolis area firms; Past President Roundtable: Browning Day Mullins & Dierdorf, 626 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Students from Ball State University and Purdue University will gain exposure to the profession in Indiana as they visit selected Indianapolis area landscape architecture firms from 2:00-5:00 pm. The day will end with a dinner and roundtable discussion from 5:00-6:00 pm with past presidents of the Indiana ASLA Chapter focusing on the current trends in the profession.    For more information contact Katie Clark at kclark@schmidt-arch.com.

“The change from a pedestrian to a commuter lifestyle has fueled an epidemic of obesity in the U.S., particularly among children,” said Scott Siefker, ASLA, president of the Indiana chapter of the ASLA.  "Years ago, we all used to walk to school, to the store, to the park, or to a friend’s house, but now we often are unable to walk or bike anywhere safely, because our communities are designed mainly for car travel.  As landscape architects, working with public officials, developers, and residents, we can design active living components back into our communities.  We want to encourage everyone to look at their communities during April and become advocates for an environment that is more exercise-friendly."

For more information on supporting or participating in the Indiana Chapter activities, please contact chapter coordinators Corrie Meyer, Associate ASLA, cmeyer@schmidt-arch.com or Scott Siefker, ASLA, ssiefker@hntb.com.  Information on the Indiana ASLA Chapter events is available on the chapter web site, www.inasla.org.

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects representing 15,000 members.  Landscape architecture is a comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management, preservation, and rehabilitation.  ASLA promotes the landscape architecture profession and advances the practice through advocacy, education, communication, and fellowship.  Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.organd www.inasla.org. 

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