United States Forest Service, Washington, D.C.

 
As the US Forest Service's Chief Landscape Architect, Matthew Arnn is an inspiring thought leader to the more than 120 landscape architects practicing on over 190 million acres of national forests and grasslands. He guides his Forest Service team to create meaningful experiences for visitors to the agency's 36 million acres of wilderness, 370,000 heritage sites,122 wild and scenic rivers, and 156,000 miles of trails. His work highlights the wealth of remarkable ecological places and instills positive emotional and physical connections in hopes of fostering a long-lasting stewardship ethic. Arnn has worked across the continent and abroad, designing and planning visitor centers, trails, campgrounds, interpretation experiences, scenic overlooks, night sky viewing areas, and other recreation infrastructure. His efforts with the Living Memorials Project after September 11th led to the creation of 50 new parks, memorials, and open spaces that helped communities heal and regain hope. Other significant projects such as the Open Accessible Space Information System (OASIS), the Carhartt Centennial Corps fellows, and the Urban Resources Partnership benefited greatly from his thoughtful leadership. Arnn is a sought-after adviser on public lands design and planning issues, having worked closely with the National Forest Foundation, Trust for Public Land, Landscape Architecture Foundation, and the Mayors' Institute on City Design. In 2022, Arnn was awarded ASLA's LaGasse Medal, which recognized his practice of a more holistic definition of land conservation and public engagement.