2026 Olmsted Network Conference Explores Resilient Landscapes

The Olmsted Network's 2026 Annual Conference, The Power of Connection: Shaping Resilient Public Landscapes, will take place September 23–25 in Portland, OR, offering 12 LA CES/HSW professional development hours.  

Set against the backdrop of Portland’s renowned park system, first shaped by the Olmsted Brothers' 1903 plan, this year’s conference examines the relationships that sustain public spaces—linking people to parks, history to innovation, and vision to stewardship.  

Sessions will explore parks as civic infrastructure, funding and political support for public landscapes, the Olmsted legacy in the Pacific Northwest, and long-term stewardship. Speakers include:  

• Keynote speaker Dr. Vivek Shandas, Professor & Sustaining Urban Places Research Director, Portland State University (Portland, OR) 
• Christine Abbott, Project Manager, PLA, ASLA, Berger Partnerships (Seattle, WA) 
• Justin Cutler, Former Commissioner, Atlanta Parks & Recreation (Atlanta, GA)  
• Laurie Matthews, FASLA, Director of Preservation Planning + Design, MIG (Eugene, WA) 
• Mike Houck, Executive Director, Urban Greenspaces Institute (Portland, OR) 
• Dr. C.N.E. Corbin, Professor, Portland State University (Portland, OR) 
• Jana La Sorte, Board Executive Director, Fort Tryon Park Conservancy (New York City, NY) 

Afternoon tours will explore Portland landscapes—including Laurelhurst Park, the South Park Blocks, and the Albina neighborhood—through the perspectives of historians, practitioners, and community organizations, highlighting stewardship, equity, and the city's evolving design legacy. 

The conference opens with the separately ticketed Olmsted Salon: Private Designs in the Pacific Northwest, an intimate luncheon at Elk Rock Garden highlighting Olmsted-designed private estates and communities. It concludes with the 2026 Olmsted Network Awards Dinner, a celebration of the individuals and organizations whose work reflects the enduring ideals of the Olmsted legacy—promoting health, beauty, community, and access to nature for all. 

The Olmsted Network is the only national organization dedicated to Olmsted parks, places, and principles. For over 40 years, it has advocated for threatened green spaces, educated the organizations that steward them, and championed Olmsted's enduring vision of parks for all people.  

Registration is $400 and includes conference sessions, meals, and tours. Discounted rates are available for qualified attendees. Register by September 15 at olmsted.org/2026conference.