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The Guides are coming, the Guides are coming!!! If you are a vendor and are reading this in the month of March, then there is still time to join 400-500 vendors and promote your wares in the 2013 LASN Specifier's Guide. The Guide contains literally thousands of product shots and descriptions sorted by category and linked to vendor profiles with even more category-sorted products at landscapearchitect.com. According to every survey we've run on the issue, it is one of the most used resources in the industry and is usually on, or about, the desk of virtually every licensed landscape architect (20,000+) and commercial specifier (another 10,000) across the nation. To participate call 714-979-5276 x 113. Trade show season finally over . . . Well, trade show season is over and we are all ready to March into Spring. This year it seemed the southwest was the landscape trade show hub of the nation: ASLA in Phoenix, the Golf and Erosion Control shows both in San Diego, and the second annual LA Expo in Long Beach, Calif. From LASN's perspective, the second annual LA Expo was another success. Attendance was up more than 20 percent from the inaugural show, and exhibit space was up 15 percent. Even better, the LAF Charity event on the Queen Mary, although held on a dark and stormy night, was entertaining and educational, with keynote speaker Calvin Abe, FASLA sharing the stage with Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople. As Mr. Abe began to share his design philosophies, he was interrupted by a "call" from a mentor named Olmsted who, considering the purported haunted past of the Queen Mary, had us all looking over our shoulders for signs of landscape architects of olde . . . Abe then introduced Andy Lipkis, who, from an age when most of us were learning how to drive, was starting a program to plant literally millions of trees in and around southern California. Also at the LA Expo was an open panel discussion featuring landscape architects Lynn Capouya, Stephanie Lundgren, FASLA and Mia Lehrer, FASLA. The panel discussed the "Future of Landscape Architecture," with more than 100 design professionals glued to their every word. (See page 118 for more on the open panel discussion and page 114 for more on the LAF Charity Reception). While the LA Expo is nothing like the ASLA Annual Meeting, which will be in Boston this year and is the premiere event for landscape architects across the nation, the LA Expo has and will continue to grow into a leading regional event for landscape architects, designers and development professionals in the Southwest. Speaking about the ASLA . . . . I received my membership renewal letter from ASLA this morning. As soon as this column is written, I'll be renewing once again. We (LASN and company) are members of and work with many associations across the nation and around the world. Although in the early years of the magazine we seemed to butt heads at times with ASLA (and it took real effort to get all their wheels rolling toward supporting licensure in every state), the ASLA is truly one of the better associations in the industry and deserves your support. In an email signed by current ASLA president Thomas Tavella, FASLA, was this paragraph: "Public awareness of the profession is our top priority. Our efforts are increasing recognition for the profession and awareness of the benefits of hiring landscape architects. Our second highest priority is government affairs. Our online Advocacy Network ensures that our voice is heard year-round in Congress"?uincluding on the recent stimulus package--and state capitals across the country." Even though times are tough and money is tight, for landscape architects this is a "must join" Society. As the economy begins to grow again (and hopefully stays on course), the work of ASLA in securing and expanding your professional niche is invaluable. Now understand . . . We see lots of associations and some just don't cut it. Here in California, the major landscape contractors association seems to be shedding members and losing revenue at such a pace that I recently heard word it might be up for sale. I'm not sure that is even possible, but as a response, the association is supposedly considering raising its dues and making its membership even more exclusive and harder to qualify for. They are probably just going through a phase where their focus has shifted from helping their members to trying to hang onto the past, but that is certainly not the case with ASLA, which is moving steadily toward the future. I can unequivocally recommend that you join and support ASLA, and if your membership has lapsed, now is the time to get back on board. So again, as we March into Spring, these are going to be busy times, and LASN is here to help "guide" you to the events and associations that will help you and the profession leap into the future . . . God bless . . . George Schmok, Publisher
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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