Leaders Express - April 2026

April 2026

Highlights

Government Affairs – General

• Transportation Leave Behind: ASLA's Government Affairs team has created a new Landscape Architects Design Transportation Networks leave behind. ASLA members may use this resource to assist with legislative meetings on the federal, state, and local levels. This new leave behind compliments the leave behinds Landscape Architects Design Water Systems and Landscape Architects Design Healthy, Safe Resilient Communities.
• ASAE Fly-in: ASLA's Government Affairs team participated in the 2026 American Society of Association Executives fly-in. The team joined association leaders from across the country to engage congressional offices on key priorities, including the Safeguard Charity Act, full implementation of 529 plans expansion, and reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. These meetings reinforced the importance of a strong policy environment that supports nonprofit organizations and their ability to serve communities and their members.
• iAdvocate:ASLA advocates continue to use the iAdvocate Network to advance policies important to the profession. To date in 2026, ASLA and its advocates have sent nearly 18,000 messages to Congress and state legislators about issues important to the profession. March state campaigns included grassroots outreach related to adoption of the Uniform Standard for Landscape Architecture and "welcome back to session" messages to legislators in Arkansas and Louisiana. Landscape architects may continue to make their voices heard on campaigns for:
  • Bike-Ped Funding in Jeopardy
  • Student Loan Access for Landscape Architecture Students
  • Support the Our Parks Act
  • America The Beautiful Act
  • Climate Action - Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act, and more.

State Government Affairs

• State Legislative Sessions (2026): As of April 10, 31 states remain in regular legislative session, and ASLA is currently tracking over 80 legislative proposals nationwide. Members and chapters can follow occupational licensure bills and regulatory trends through this monthly report. Over the past month, the State Government Affairs team has worked closely with multiple chapters and partners to address legislative activity impacting the profession, including:
  • Hawaii Uniform Standard: SB 2607, which adopts the Uniform Licensure Standard, successfully passed the Senate on March 10 and is now under House consideration.
  • Illinois Licensure Extension and Practice Act Strategy (HB 5428): The reauthorization of the Illinois Landscape Architecture Registration Act is moving forward, which passed the House Judiciary-Civil Committee on March 25. The bill would extend the profession's sunset date from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2032.
• State Advocacy Days: The Government Affairs team continues to provide support to chapters holding state advocacy days. The team worked closely with the Louisiana Chapter on their April 1 State Advocacy Day, which also happened to be Professional Landscape Architect (PLA) Day. This proactive advocacy effort marked the Chapter's first organized advocacy event at the Capitol in several years. Additionally, Iowa, Illinois, and Kentucky held state advocacy days during March. These events serve as vital platforms for members to engage directly with legislators and demonstrate the essential role of landscape architects in community design and safety.
• WLAM Resolutions/Proclamations: ASLA has been actively supporting Chapters in securing official State and local resolutions to celebrate World Landscape Architecture Month and PLA Day. Recent successes include Florida, which secured a statewide resolution along with 25 local proclamations, and Hawaii and Louisiana, where state resolutions were officially introduced. Additionally, the team is coordinating with the Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho/Montana, Louisiana, New York (NYSCLA), San Diego, and Vermont Chapter's to boost their statewide visibility. These efforts ensure the impact of landscape architecture is recognized by policymakers across the state; please contact Cole Calloway, [email protected], for additional support in these initiatives.
• Licensure Summit: ASLA, in partnership with CLARB, hosted the first Licensure Summit of 2026, engaging more than 265 active participants. The session highlighted key state legislative trends, progress on Uniform Standard adoption, and effective advocacy strategies—including successful models for State Advocacy Days shared by leaders from the Florida and Louisiana Chapters. A recording of the summit is now available for those who missed the live session or wish to revisit the strategic insights shared.

Federal Government Affairs

• ASLA Advocacy Day 2026: Registration is now open for ASLA's Virtual Advocacy Day, which will be held on June 10. This year's event will be held virtually, bringing ASLA members together to engage with Congress on key issues impacting the profession.
• Support Active Transportation Funding: The current surface transportation law is set to expire September 30, 2026, and congressional leaders have signaled that they intend to eliminate active transportation, including bicycle, pedestrian, and trails projects. ASLA needs all landscape architects to use the iAdvocate Network to support active transportation in the next bill. Members and Chapters should also use the ASLA Guide to Hosting Site Tours with Public Officials to host policy makers at their active transportation projects to conduct site tours that emphasize these projects.
• White House Ballroom Update: ASLA submitted comments to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) ahead of its April 2 review of the White House East Wing and Ballroom project, raising concerns about conflicts with federal cultural landscape guidelines and insufficient Section 106 review. For more details, read ASLA's latest LAND article covering the NCPC decision and related developments.
• Congressional Meetings: Government Affairs met with the office of Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) to discuss opportunities to recognize World Landscape Architecture Month. The discussion also covered the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization and the need to maintain and fund active transportation programs, as well as the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and the integration of nature-based solutions into Corps projects. The team also requested support for updating the Congressional Research Service's decade-old report on green infrastructure and urban stormwater management. The GA team also had a similar meeting with Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) to explore opportunities to highlight World Landscape Architecture Month.
• Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations Update: ASLA joined coalition partners in signing two letters to Congress advancing federal water infrastructure and resilience priorities, including $3.25 billion in fiscal year 2027 (FY27) funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and support for a comprehensive "River Budget" to strengthen flood management and watershed restoration. Government Affairs will continue working with partners to advance sustained federal investment in clean water and nature-based solutions.
• Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation Appropriations Update: ASLA has joined with our active transportation partners in sending a letter to House Transportation Appropriations subcommittee urging that the FY27 Transportation & Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill include report language to compel US DOT Secretary to approve and obligate previously awarded Safe Streets For All grants and to release a list of all unawarded grants to the Committee on a quarterly basis.
• Transportation Funding Available for Landscape Architects: The Department of Transportation has released the fiscal year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The deadline for applications is May 26 at 5 pm ET.
• The SS4A program provides funding for two main types of grants:
  • Planning and Demonstration Grants are used to develop, complete, or supplement an Action Plan, as well as carry out demonstration activities that inform an Action Plan.
  • Implementation Grants are used to implement strategies or projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan and may also bundle funding requests for supplemental planning and demonstration activities that inform an Action Plan.

↑ Return to top

• ASLA announced a one-year fellowship with Keenan Gibbons, ASLA, principal and director of landscape architecture at SmithGroup and lecturer at the University of Michigan. As ASLA's second Climate & Biodiversity Action Fellow, Gibbons will advance landscape architecture strategies that are most effective in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. He will focus on reducing extreme heat impacts, particularly for underserved communities in the U.S. and worldwide.
• ASLA and the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) co-hosted a half-day online roundtable with leaders from multiple sectors to discuss how to make a stronger economic case for nature-based solutions. Roundtable participants identified the common challenges in quantifying and monetizing benefits and new opportunities for cross-sector research and program collaboration. The roundtable included 21 participants from 11 states and 3 countries, representing a range of sectors and expertise.
• The Climate & Biodiversity Action Committee will host the next webinar in their series: The Biodiversity Primer: Designing for Net-Positive Biodiversity Impact with Jennifer Dowdell, ASLA, Biohabitats; Christian Runge, ASLA, Mithun; and Grant L. Thompson, ASLA, PhD, Davey Tree Expert Company on April 21 at 1 pm ET.
• The ASLA Fund Research Grant on inland flooding received four submissions from universities. A review panel of landscape architecture educators is reviewing the submissions and will select the grant winner.

↑ Return to top

• Twenty-nine rising leaders have been selected for the ASLA SKILL | ED Firm Leadership Accelerator, launching April 21. Over the next six months, this intensive cohort will meet bi-monthly to master the business essentials—from financial literacy to strategic mentorship—required to buy into an existing firm or successfully launch their own practice.
• Program outline:
  • Firm Owner Mindset, Leadership, and Soft Skills
    Speaker: Steven Terusaki, ASLA, Founder & CEO, SEIDO Consulting, LLC
  • Branding, Marketing, and Business Development
    Speakers: Kacey Clagett and Tiany Galaskas, Appleseed Strategies
  • Ownership / Start Up (Legal)
    Speaker: Patricia A. Harris, Esq., LEED AP, Founder and CEO, LicenseSure LLC
  • Moving Up and Delegation
    Speaker: Stephanie Pankiewicz, ASLA, PLA, Partner, LandDesign
  • Funding and Financing
    Speaker: Anthony Mar, Founder and CEO, AM Advisors
  • The program culminates at the ASLA 2026 Conference on Tuesday, September 15, with an in-person Industry Day where participants will showcase their business plans and connect with firm leaders.

↑ Return to top

• The ASLA National conference team has been meeting with the Southern California Chapter committee chairs to collaborate on planning the upcoming ASLA 2026 conference. We are eager to explore their innovative concepts to ensure the conference is both an impactful success and a truly memorable experience for all attendees.
• ASLA will partner with the National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC) to offset greenhouse gas emissions from the ASLA 2026 conference. This partnership will also advance the cultural empowerment and climate and biodiversity equity goals of the ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Plan and ASLA's Call to Action: Co-creating a Future that Heals Land and Culture. The carbon offsets NICC will provide have been generated in the Tribal Forests of the Blackfeet Nation in northwest Montana. The Nation's forest carbon project is a climate and biodiversity solution that generates carbon credits through Improved Forest Management.

↑ Return to top

• The Founders Club is holding its next Founders Club Town Hall in June. Join today and be part of the club for as little as $18.99/month!
• The ASLA Fund Advisory Council continues to meet monthly. This group of 10 members comes from a diverse professional background and helps to guide the Fund's efforts with their combined experience.
• In partnership with the Advisory Council, the ASLA Fund is proud to announce the inaugural ASLA Fund Catalyst Award, to be presented at the 2026 conference in Los Angeles. This new honor recognizes "landscape-adjacent" champions—including educators, public officials, and community leaders—who drive global social and environmental change through research, advocacy, and sustained commitment to the Fund's mission. By celebrating these visionary partners, we aim to expand the profession's influence and build broader awareness for our critical initiatives. Stay tuned for further details on the selection process and reception (for Founders Club members only).

↑ Return to top

Library and Archives

• The Books by ASLA Members storefront (asla.org/books) has been overhauled, offering members a refreshed, browsable collection of hundreds of titles by fellow members across landscape architecture, sustainability, urban planning, garden design, LARE prep, and more; all purchases generate revenue for the ASLA Fund through Amazon Affiliate links.
• Sales from the Books by ASLA Members web interface in the first quarter totaled 100 items, compared to 94 items last quarter.

Social Media Profile Performance

• Across ASLA platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Threads, and TikTok), the total audience reached 304,512 as of March 31, reflecting a net audience growth of 2,491—more than double the growth seen in February.
• Community interaction surged in March, with high engagement on Instagram (158 touchpoints)—including posts and comments sent by ASLA— and LinkedIn (30 touchpoints) driving increased brand visibility. This strategic activity resulted in 877,538 impressions, an 83 percent increase over the previous month. Audience interaction peaked with 60,595 engagements and 23,160 post link clicks. The overall engagement rate rose to 6.9 percent, signaling high resonance with professional and student audiences as momentum built leading into World Landscape Architecture Month.

Honors and Awards

• ASLA Honors: The nominations for 2026 Honors have been shared with the ASLA Board of Trustees. Voting will take place at the spring Board meeting at the end of April.
• ASLA Professional Awards: The 2026 Professional Awards juries have completed their decisions and have notified the winners of the good news. They will be recognized during the annual conference on September 16.
• ASLA Student Awards: The registration period is open now, and the registration deadline is Friday, April 24. The submission deadline is Friday, May 8.

Landscape Architecture Magazine

LAM Online Traffic Data: (March 11-April 8)

Top 3 posts

1. A Love Letter to Cherokee Street by Timothy A. Schuler; March 5; 785 views
2. Time Will Tell by Michael Grove; February 25; 684 views
3. The Co-Design Catalyst by Aaron Thompson, ASLA; March 18; 590 views

• Total Views: 17,639 (down 12.7% from the previous report)
• Views of main LAM web page: 3,475 (down 18.1% from the previous report)
• Total active users: 10,089 (down 15% from the previous report)
• Total new users: 9,476 (down 16.8% from the previous report)
• Returning users: 1,063 (down 15% from the previous report)

Percentage comparisons from a year earlier:

• Total Views: down 17.9%
• Views of main LAM web page: down 29.2%
• Total active users: down 14.7%
• Total new users: down 15.8%
• Returning users: down 47.4%

Data about The Landscape Report

* May include MPP opens and bot clicks
** Data for 4/9 TLR was not available

↑ Return to top

• Staff produced a first quarter Career Discovery Inventory Engagement Report that examines the distribution of both physical materials available in the Career Discovery store, such as the YOUR LAND Magazine and Schoolyards in Bloom educational poster, as well as digital resources and programs accessible on the Career Discovery web page. Together, these materials offer a range of entry points for engaging K-12 students in STEM-centered, career-connected learning, whether through classroom instruction, informal exploration, or educator-led programming. The report aims to identify areas of strong adoption, highlight opportunities for expanded outreach, and inform future strategies for scaling Career Discovery efforts. First quarter findings included:
  • YOUR LAND Magazine physical copies make up the largest share of distribution. Demand is strongest in Pennsylvania. Other notable distribution points include New Jersey, Virginia, and Minnesota.
  • The Schoolyards in Bloom educational poster shows a more modest but geographically diverse distribution with Pennsylvania leading again and single-unit orders appearing in Texas and Wisconsin.
  • The data also shows that the Career Discovery web page is the clear leader in both digital reach and user engagement for K-12 outreach in volume. ASLA's Activity Sketch Books and Schoolyards in Bloom form a second tier of in-demand content user interaction. STEM Literacy by Design performs moderately across all metrics.
  • Two resources stand out for their high engagement times. ASLA's Multimedia Library for K-12 Students and Educators has a long average engagement time of approximately 5 minutes. Similarly, the Walt Disney Imagineers Present Disney Paper Parks DREAM BIG with Design Special Edition shows the highest engagement time at over six minutes. Please direct requests for the full report to Senior Manager Lisa J. Jennings, Career Discovery and Diversity.
• ASLA honored Glenn LaRue Smith, FASLA, in Designing Across Continents, an interview with Senior Manager Jennings. Smith was selected for the highly competitive American Academy in Rome - Mercedes T. Bass Landscape Architect in Residence fellowship to participate among the 2025 cohort of esteemed professionals redefining the role of design in cultural storytelling. "The American Academy in Rome Residency selection gave validity to my 45-year body of work in landscape architecture," Smith says.

↑ Return to top

• President Bradley McCauley, FASLA, is the keynote speaker at the Central States conference this week and will visit the University of Nevada School of Architecture, Las Vegas, and West Virginia University, Morgantown, in the next few weeks.
• President McCauley will hold the second session in the Groundwork: Conversations Shaping the Profession series on May 18.
• President-elect Gretchen Wilson will be the keynote speaker at the Alabama Chapter's conference on April 17 and will participate in the Northern California Awards Ceremony in Oakland on April 23.
• CEO Torey Carter-Conneen, Hon. ASLA, was the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Chapter earlier this month. CEO Carter-Conneen, will also be the keynote at the Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter, April 24-25.

↑ Return to top

May 26: Transportation Funding application deadline

June 10: ASLA Advocacy Day 2026

↑ Return to top