Take for instance the building industry . . . As building starts slowed in the middle months of 2006 everyone was talking about the bursting of the bubble, but along came September and housing starts rose once again. Permit issuance has dropped a bit. However, there existed a substantial backlog of unstarted permits. So I believe those units, which were planned in the late months of ?EUR??,,????'?????<

This feeling is backed by a stabilization of builder confidence, which rose to an acceptable level of ?EUR??,,????'?????< LandscapeOnline.com builder confidence is a measurement, combining data from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), which reflects builders?EUR??,,????'?????<

Of course, as more and more development happens more and more water will be used. Thus, water looks to be one of the hottest, dare I say, most fluid issues affecting the industry, mainline America and, for that matter . . . the world . . .

There are two sides of the water issue that involve landscape planning?EUR??,,????'?????<

As the earth heats up (for whatever reasons) certain areas will receive even less precipitation. More than rain, snow pack is the critical issue here. Especially in the southwestern states, water from melting snow keeps the populace hydrated. If, as many have predicted, the Rocky Mountains receive less and less snow, L.A., Phoenix, and Las Vegas, which happen to be three of the fastest growing cities/regions in the country, will find themselves embattled in water wars.

As I write this, of course, there are record blizzards hitting the areas in and around Denver, and the past three years have presented record snow falls in the Sierras, so maybe the uncomfortable truth is that people will ignore any warning of pending drought. I mean, just look at Seattle and the pacific northwest . . . Known for rain, that area is wetter than even they are used to . . .

From the irrigation/landscape standpoint, though, it is best to plan for sustainable plant materials and the smart controllers. In Newport Beach, Calif., hundreds of residents received free ?EUR??,,????'?????<

In any event, the nation will need more landscape architects to drive the development of sustainable landscapes and that may be a problem . . . There are just not enough future LAs graduating to replace the boomers who are going to retire over the next several years. This is one of the biggest challenges facing the ASLA in the year(s) ahead.

While I have noticed more TV shows and commercials featuring a landscape architect in the line up, that has not yet translated into collegiate growth. So this one area has to be an immediate and central focus of the Society. Demand is definitely there. However, the question remains whether the last Colorado governor was an idiot or a prophet. If more LAs are not generated at the university level, the door will open for other professions, namely architects, to grab the lead.

So, as LASN begins year 23 we will be devoting a tremendous amount of energy on following these issues. As always, news is a major part of this publication and bringing you the good news of positive growth in both knowledge and planning is our mission.

If you have any insight into the above issues or want to share an issue you feel will impact the business, please let us know . . . 2007 is definitely going to be an interesting year, and we look forward to sharing it with all of you . . .

?EUR??,,????'?????<