Led by Senator Mark Norris, Senate Joint Resolution 761 was signed into law this week, declaring the month of April 2014 as Landscape Architecture Month in the state of Tennessee. The state joins in the celebration of National Landscape Architecture Month (NLAM), first introduced by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in 2010.
“WHEREAS, the profession of landscape architecture enhances the built environment through skillful and artful creation of safe, functional, accessible, secure, and aesthetically pleasing public and private places…“
– SJR 761 Read More…
This year’s theme for NLAM is “Career Discovery” and focuses on introducing landscape architecture to students, specifically minorities that are underrepresented within the profession.
“In a recent ASLA survey of graduating landscape architecture students, nearly 84 percent of respondents were Caucasian, 12 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander, 6 percent answered Hispanic/Latino, 2 percent identified as an American Indian, while a mere 1 percent were African-American. These numbers have held steady for nearly 13 years ; it’s time to make a change!”
– ASLA.org
In an effort to better inform young adults about landscape architecture, ASLA has launched a new informational web page that answers questions like “What is Landscape Architecture?” and “How do I become an LA?”. Also included on the page are links to several tools useful to selecting a school to attend.
Visit the ASLA “Your Path” Page
NLAM includes Earth Day on April 22, along with the April 26 birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), considered the “Father of American Landscape Architecture” and designer of many iconic US landscapes, including NYC’s Central Park and Asheville, NC’s Biltmore Estate.
In April of 2015, NLAM will be renamed World Landscape Architecture Month in recognition of the profession’s global impact.