Just Who Do You Think You Are?

LASN Survey Supplies Insight on Specifiers

LASN surveyed its readers back in May of 2003 to get an idea of how America's landscape architects are spending their time. Responses were overwhelming, as hundreds of you returned questionnaires, painting a rather clear picture of the landscape architecture industry. With a circulation of over 30,000, virtually every professional in landscape architecture , and many in other related professions, receive LASN. The many respondents that answer our surveys provide a pool of information that helps us, and you, gauge the latest trends and the direction of the industry.

Of all respondents, 65.9% of you are registered landscape architects, and 12.6 of you are landscape designers. The majority of LASN's readership lies in these two industries, while other professionals that receive the magazine include architects (7.2%), park and recreation professionals (6.7%), landscape contractors (4.9%), city planners (2.2%), and educators (2.2%). A small percentage of you are irrigation designers or golf course architects (0.9% each).

Landscape professionals have several options as to where they can set up shop. Small companies, government organizations, or universities are just a few examples of this. However, LASN's findings show that 35.5% of you work for a sole proprietorship of less than five employees. Nearly the same proportion of you, 30.5% to be exact, work for a corporation, and 18.2% of you have committed to a federal, state, city, or county agency. A lucky 3.2% of you are retired, and hopefully enjoying the free time you have for your own garden. Somewhere between corporations and very small companies is a void that not many landscape professionals like to enter, as only 1.4% of you work in a sole proprietorship with more than 25 employees, and 6.8% of you work in a sole proprietorship of 5-25 people. As for higher learning, 1.8% of you are initiating the next round of professionals in university and school systems.

In most literature you will find in the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ASLA, and other descriptive websites, landscape professionals tend to be entrepreneurs. LASN's survey found the same thing. In fact, the survey found that if you don't own the company, than many of you are somewhere at the top! Owners of companies make up 48.3% of respondents, while 17.9% report being project managers. Presidents and vice presidents compose 16.6% of respondents, and 9.3% of you are partner/ principals. Department heads and administrators sent in 8.6% of the survey responses, while 10.7% of you hold the title of corporate officer, field coordinator, or associate. Managers make up 4.6% or LASN's readership, but only 0.7% of respondents are assistants. (Totals may not add up because some respondents indicated more than one title).

A few of you indicated that you fill more specialized roles. As landscape architects are our target audience, 16.6% of you reported that you are designers, while 5.3% of you do estimating (you'll have to hook the remaining 94.7% up!).

Multi-tasking appears to be inherent in the professional landscaping field. While 76.7% of you perform design-oriented work, 15.8% of you are in sales and marketing. Another 30% of you perform administrative work. However, 23.3% of you said that you perform managerial duties. This could indicate that for some of you, your primary duty is leading the team, while for many of you, as owners and presidents, that you perform your trade while incorporating your leadership position

However, how much control do you landscape leaders have over who builds your design? The majority of you sometimes have control over which construction firms bid and receive the jobs you design, at 53.1% of respondents. A lucky 22.1% of you always have that control, while 14.6% of you never have that control. But considering that many of you work for corporations and the government, this is really not so surprising. A great many establishments need to hire talented designers to help them fulfill a vision.

What Kind of Shenanegans Are You Up To?

The workers of the green seem to be a very experienced bunch with many years under the ol' tool belt. As it turns out, 41.9% of you have been in your landscaping practice for 21-30 years, and 24.4% of you have been at it for 31 or more years. When you find your niche, you definitely stick! Those of you in the biz for 16-20 years comprised 13.4% of respondents, and 8.8% of you have been in the running for 11-15 years. The future of landscaping appears to be in the hands of 12.5% of survey respondents, who reported working in this field for ten years or less.

Regardless of how long you have been in business, it appears as if most of you are working as members of associations. Considering the type of guidance and connections one can acquire as a member of an association, the quality of work you put out as a member can only be increased. The most popular association is ASLA, to which belong 68.9% of respondents. The closest association in membership is the American Planning Association, which has hooked 10.6% of LASN's readers. Of the many other associations established, 56.9% of you belong to at least one of them. This includes (but is not limited to) the National Recreation & Park Association (8.3%), the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (1.5%), and the illuminating Engineers Society (1.5%).

Of the trade shows sponsored by these associations, the one that the most of you attend is the ASLA National Conference, with 42.6% of respondents. Also, 35.5% of you attend the ASLA Regional Conference. Another popular trade show appears to be the Green Industry Expo, pulling in 14.4% of you to check out the latest and greatest in the field.

Exactly What Kind of Work are You Doing?

Most of you work in more than one sector, offering your services to all types of bidders. When asked to finish the sentence, ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The kinds of work you mostly do can be reflected in your specifications. Of course, landscape architects specify all sorts of products by brand or company name, but the product that takes the cake was lighting equipment, which 72.6% of you specify. Considering that many of you are designing accessible areas, it is no surprise that 71.2% of you specify paving and hardscaping materials. Retaining walls end up on 69.7% of respondents order forms, and 65.4% of you specify site furnishings. In continuing the unfolding picture of well-lit, walkable , clean areas that you are designing, the drainage equipment that 59.1% of you order is right in line. Also, 58.2% of you specify architectural and/ or building products. Among other very popular products are erosion control products (53.4%), park and recreation equipment (51.9%), irrigation systems (51.9%), and fountains and water features (49%).

It's understandable that a professional may need a little help in areas that (s)he is not so prolific. After all, a jack- of-all-trades is a master of none, right? So in your landscaping endeavors, it looks as if the areas that landscape designers need the most consulting are in the more technical fields. Along with the 57.1% of you that employ engineering consultants, 53.3% of you use the expertise of irrigation experts. Lighting consultants get phone calls from 50.6% of you, while 46.2% of you consult soil scientists. It appears as if landscape architects are very confident about ground water management, as only 2.1% of you employ consultants in that field. Not to mention that most of you are pretty business savvy, as only 6% of you hire marketing and business consultants.

About half of you have jumped into the 21st century with your technology sensors blazing, as 51.9% of you or your companies have websites, and 14.4% of you say your site is in the works. About a third of you do not have any website, but most of you do use computers in some aspect of your business. The LASN survey revealed that 89.5% of you use computers for word processing, and 80.4% of you use them for specifications and materials lists. More than two-thirds of you, or 67.8%, engage in computer-aided design, and 59.8% of you use computers for bookkeeping and accounting. About the same amount of you, or 57.8% of you, use computers for estimating. Almost half of you, or 48.7%, use them for bid lists, and 38.2% of you flick on the computer to do engineering work.

Which leads us right into how many of you use the CAD system. This popular and important tool is used by pretty much all of you, with nearly equal proportions using CAD a lot as that which uses it a little. Those 41.8% of you who use the CAD program for up to 25% of their work match the 40.3% of you who use it for three-fourths to all of your work. The tie-breaker may be that 10.5% of you use CAD for 41-75% of your design work.

What Are You Thinking!!

The interests of landscape professionals obviously vary from person to person, but can be reflected in what readers say they want to see more of in LASN. Most of you (62.3%) are cutting-edge professionals who are eager to learn about the newest practices and design techniques in the field. A third of you (34.5%) are techies who are interested in the most up-to-date design information, while another third of you (34.1%) are interested product profiles and case studies of people who have been around the block. A good 31.4% of you want to know more about designing and building practices, and nearly an even quarter of you are interested in more computer information.

As for the types of information you glean from our magazine, the features really have what you like, with 86.1% of you indicating that you read them. However, 61.9% of you stay on top of the latest events by reading the news sections, and 61.9% of you dive in to the technology section. Product Focuses pull in 52.9% of you, and 42.6% of you read through the Market Place ads. What does this all say about you? You are dedicated professionals eager to learn about new products and the latest technology, and you use LASN as a resource for this kind of information.

As for the future of your companies, LASN plans to be there for you. Half of you foresee growth this year, and 40% of you believe that business will continue as usual. Ten percent of you see your business diminishing in 2004.

With all the variables that can affect an industry, landscape architects are plugged in to the best technology for their field. As parks and streetscapes are renovated and planned, riverfronts rebuilt, and gardens are carefully designed, landscape architects are no strangers to stepping up to the plank and walking off. With an economy that supports this creative industry, landscape architects will, no doubt, find opportunity in whatever situations arise.