Landscape Architect Articles

LASN News June, 200306-01-03 | News

Rain Bird??????oe unveils
2004 Rose Parade Float Entry

GLENDORA, Calif. – Rain Bird Corporation, officially unveiled the color rendering of its 2004 Tournament of Roses?EUR??,,????'?? Parade float entry, titled ?EUR??,,????'??Springtime Symphony?EUR??,,????'?? in a ceremony held at the company?EUR??,,????'???s headquarters.

In keeping with the 2004 Tournament of Roses Parade theme: Music, Music, Music, ?EUR??,,????'??Springtime Symphony?EUR??,,????'?? will portray Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s commitment to water conservation and environmental preservation by celebrating the grandeur, beauty and harmony of the natural world that together create nature?EUR??,,????'???s symphony.

?EUR??,,????'??Springtime Symphony?EUR??,,????'?? is emblematic of the arrival of spring, and will depict new and continuing life rising above the glistening winter snow thaw to unveil the magnificent colors and textures of the Southwestern landscape. The float, will feature eight separate waterfalls with over 1,500 gallons of flowing and cascading water, a signature element of all of Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s floats, to highlight Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s vision for ?EUR??,,????'??The Intelligent Use of Water.?EUR??,,????'?? The float will feature a family of newly hatched endangered Spotted Owl chicks, nestled in the protective care of their parents, safely perched in the crown of an oversized conifer tree. At the front of the float a curious Ocelot Cub is spotted exploring the blossoming playground, but instinct keeps the cat from venturing too close to the nesting owls.

Historic Properties Symposium

MASON NECK, Va. – A symposium entitled ?EUR??,,????'??Mission Impossible: Can Historic Properties Embrace a Landscape Continuum??EUR??,,????'?? looking at the stewardship dilemma involved in the preservation of historic properties.

The symposium will be held Friday July 11, with an optional field trip on July 12. Speakers Charles A. Birnbaum, C. Allan Brown, Richard Longstreh, Leni Preston, Pamela Seager and Judith Tankard, will consider where and when historic properties can broaden their period of significance and interpretative agenda to ensure the preservation and ongoing management of important later landscape features and where this might be difficult or untenable.

Ann optional field trip will take place with a visit to Fredericksburg, Va. Tour sites include Chatham, a mansion built in 1771, George Washington?EUR??,,????'???s Ferry Farm, and Kenmore, built in the 1770s.

The symposium is co-sponsored by the Cultural Landscape Foundation, Gunston Hall Plantation and the National Park Service Historic Landscape Initiative.

For more information visit www.gunstonhall.org.

Government Union Expresses Concern Over Hiring of Private Sector

With President Bush?EUR??,,????'???s release of his FY 2004 budget plan, in which he targets 850,000 federal jobs for outsourcing, federal employees are fearing for their job security and their futures, according to he Organization of Professional Employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture?EUR??,,????'???s (OPEDA) April 2003 newsletter.

The process, called ?EUR??,,????'??competitive outsourcing,?EUR??,,????'?? is when certain federal agencies name certain federal jobs as ?EUR??,,????'??commercial.?EUR??,,????'?? These jobs then have the potential to be completed by the private sector instead of by government employees.

Competitive outsourcing stems from the Office of Management and Budget?EUR??,,????'???s (OMB) Circular A-76 of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act (FAIR) of 1998. A-76 requires federal agencies to annually inventory their mission activities that they currently do that are commercial in nature. The process does, however, offer the opportunity for parties to challenge the FAIR reports. Yet the OPEDA newsletter reports that many people, including 135 members of the House of Representatives, are concerned about the possible privatization that could result from this act.

The OPEDA letter also states that 35 senators expressed to OMB director Mitch Daniels that outsourcing ?EUR??,,????'??would favor contractors, limit federal employees?EUR??,,????'??? ability to compete for jobs and adversely affect federal agencies while raising questions of accountability.?EUR??,,????'??

More recently, the 135 House of Representative members wrote Daniels, ?EUR??,,????'??We are concerned that the OMB?EUR??,,????'???s controversial revision of Circular A-76 will undermine public-private competition. Many jobs will be lost without an opportunity for federal employees to compete and demonstrate greater efficiency.?EUR??,,????'??

Their letter further urged that Daniels ?EUR??,,????'??prevent the privatization of the work performed by federal employees without the use of a fair, cost-based public private competition process.

According to OPEDA, the General Accounting Office (GAO) expressed concern that A-76 is more interested in doing lower-cost work that better-quality work.

Consequently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that in 2000, the median income for a private Landscape Architect was $43,540 annually. The median income for a government Landscape Architect was 31% higher, at $62,824 annually.

ASLA Medals and Firm Award Recipients Selected

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recipient of the ASLA?EUR??,,????'???s Olmsted Medal for his environmental leadership.

WASHINGTON – The Board of Trustees of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has selected the recipients of the 2003 Medals and Firm Award, to be presented during the ASLA Annual Meeting, October 30-November 3, in New Orleans.

Richard Haag, FASLA, will receive the ASLA Medal, which is the highest honor the ASLA may bestow upon a landscape architect whose lifetime achievements and contributions to the profession have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of the public and the environment.

Lawrence Halprin, FASLA, has been selected as the first recipient of the new ASLA Design Medal recognizing an individual landscape architect who has produced a body of exceptional design work at a sustained level for a period of at least ten years. Just a few notable examples of his work include the master plan for the Seattle Center, the Seattle World?EUR??,,????'???s Fair, Sea Ranch, Ghiradelli Square, Yerba Buena Gardens, and portions of the BART System in San Francisco and Freeway Park in Seattle.

Craig W. Johnson, ASLA, will receive the Jot D. Carpenter Medal for his sustained and significant contribution to landscape architecture education. Professor Johnson has served on the faculty of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at Utah State University for 37 years.

John G. Parsons, FASLA, has been selected to receive the LaGasse Medal in the Landscape Architect Category. This award recognizes landscape architects who have made notable contributions to the management and conservancy of natural resources and/or public lands.

Joseph T. Edmiston, FAICP, will receive the Lagasse Medal in the Non-landscape Architect Category. A native of Southern California, Mr. Edmiston received his undergraduate education at East Los Angeles College and the University of Southern California. As Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Planning Commission he helped enact the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Plan that set land use policies for local governments to follow.

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) will receive the Landscape Architecture Medal of Excellence for its significant contributions to landscape architecture policy, research, education, project planning, and design. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has been selected to receive the ASLA?EUR??,,????'???s Olmsted Medal, recognizing his sustained environmental leadership, vision, and stewardship.

The new ASLA Firm Award recognizes landscape architecture firms that have produced bodies of distinguished work influencing the professional practice of landscape architecture for a sustained period of at least ten years. The first recipient will be Jones & Jones of Seattle, WA. Firm principals Grant Jones, FASLA, and Ilze Jones, FASLA, met in the late fifties as classmates in the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington and founded their own firm in 1969 to practice landscape architecture, environmental planning, architecture, and urban design as a fully integrated collaborative. Signature projects include: the Nooksack River Plan; the Pioneer Square Historic District; the Woodland Park Zoo; the Portland International Airport Parkway; the San Diego Zoo; the Singapore Botanic Gardens; the North Carolina Botanic Gardens; the Jerusalem Zoo; Disney?EUR??,,????'???s Wild Kingdom in Orlando; and Paris Pike Historic Highway in Kentucky.

Gene Yearty Passes

William Gene Yearty of J F Yearty & Sons, Jacksonville, passed away in April. Gene was considered by many one of the pest control industry’s strongest and clearest voices for reason and common sense, according to Phil Busey of Turfgrass Management.

Gene emerged as an industry leader and advocate after the first few fertilizer ordinance meetings with the St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County Commission. Gene was outspoken in defense of the greens industry and he had a grasp of the Florida Statutes that was unparalleled. Through research and determination, Gene made valuable contacts at the state DEP. As local battles heated up throughout the state, Gene took a concept to Mike Thomas at DEP in Tallahassee. He enlisted Mike?EUR??,,????'??s help in organizing the first best management practices meeting for the greens industry in Orlando.

Gene was instrumental in bringing IFAS at the University of Florida on board so the lawn care industry would have research based guidelines to follow. He was a force behind a lawsuit against St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County that stopped them from passing a fertilizer ordinance until the BMP?EUR??,,????'??s were developed. Gene also became involved with Mike Thomas and others in Tallahassee in developing the model landscape ordinance for Florida so there would be continuity within counties and a solid foundation to work from. The lawsuit with St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County was settled through negotiation and an equitable ordinance was written that satisfied all parties.

According to associates, friends and family, Gene had a unique ability to work inside and outside of state and national associations to gain a consensus of support for positions of concern to the pest control and greens industries.

He was described by Nick Dennis as the spark plug behind best management practices (BMPs), such as the ?EUR??,,????'??Florida Green Industries’ Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida.?EUR??,,????'??

Lightfair Announces Product Showcase Awards

NEW YORK – Lightfair International took place May 3-8 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York city. The show is a comprehensive conference and trade show devoted to architectural and commercial lighting.

Winners of the New Product Showcase Awards Included:

Best Product of the Year:
Destiny ColorWash from TIR Systems Ltd.
Roeder Award:
Color Stream LED tubes from Pixeon and Mood Light LED light panels from Systems Trading Cor/Traxon USA.
Design Excellence Award:
NSPL510S warm white LED
from Nichia Corporation.
Energy Award:
PL-H CFL Systems from
Philips Lighting company
Judges Citation Award:
Sina by Delray Lighting

For a complete listing of awards, visit www.lightfair.com.

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FYI

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. Some species of the 45 genera grow up to 3 feet per day, which is one third faster than the fastest growing tree.

Belt Collins Annual Report

HONOLULU – Belt Collins, a landscape architecture, planning and engineering firm with eight worldwide offices, recently released the company?EUR??,,????'???s 2002 Annual Report. According to the report Belt Collins?EUR??,,????'??? markets showed some improvement in 2002 with companies overall achieving profitability and modest growth in gross income. The Hong Kong office has shown the greatest income improvement with a 20 percent gain in gross revenues.

Also announced in the report, Paul Hirota, the company?EUR??,,????'???s chief engineer and an employee for 46 years, retired this year.

IAAPA Cancels Asian Expo 2003 due to SARS

Alexandria, VA – The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced on April 22 its cancellation of the Asian Amusement Expo (AAE) 2003 due to SARS based on the recommendation of its AAE Advisory committee, according to an IAAPA press release.

According IAAPA President, J. Clark Robinson, too much is unknown about SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) to safely and confidently go through with the expo, which was scheduled for July 16-18 at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Robinson says that because of the many unidentified risk factors surrounding the SARS outbreak, ?EUR??,,????'??we have come to the conclusion that the foreseeable health situation in the affected areas of Asia does not allow AAE 2003 to be planned and held under acceptable condition.?EUR??,,????'??

Robinson expressed that canceling the expo was not an easy decision.

CLCA Hosts Orange County Beautification Awards

SANTA ANA, Ca. – The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) is a non-profit trade organization of state licensed landscape and landscape-related specialty contractors. CLCA’s membership, which totals approximately 2,500 companies, also includes suppliers to contractors, landscape architects, educators, public officials, and students. The association was founded in 1937 to serve the interest of its members, promote professionalism and advance awareness of the landscape industry.

The CLCA has been honoring award-winning landscape projects in Orange County, both commercial and residential, for the past 45 years at the annual O.C. Beautification Awards event. The goal of this event is to recognize the local craftsmen who produce the outstanding work and bestow public recognition on local companies, institutions, municipalities and O.C. residents for their interest in improving the beauty of Orange County.

Irrigation Association Loses Past President

FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Irrigation Association mourned the loss of David (Dave) Ramsey, President and CEO of United Pipe & Supply Co., Inc., headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

Ramsey led the IA as President from November 1999 to November 2000, and completed his five-year Board of Executives term as Past President in 2001.

Ramsey?EUR??,,????'???s entire career was spent at United Pipe & Supply, the company that his father, Taylor, founded. Taylor Ramsey served as IA President in 1979, paving the way for his son to distinguish them as the first father and son to have held the office.

Ramsey suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, May 13. Our condolences go to Ramsey?EUR??,,????'???s wife, Patricia, and three daughters, his United Pipe family, and his many friends throughout the industry.

Scott Moves Corporate HQ

The Scott Aerator Company recently moved to a new 5,000 square foot facility that will house their adminsitrative and production departments. The new location has enough property to add 10,000 square feet.

Holland, MI – Scott Aerator Company, the makers of fountains, aerators and no-icers, has moved to a new corporate headquarters at 13261 Riley Street in Holland, Michigan. The new 5,000 square foot facility houses their administrative and production facilities.

?EUR??,,????'??We have more than doubled our business in the last two years?EUR??,,????'??, said owner John Van Kampen. ?EUR??,,????'??We needed additional room to handle the increased production and new product development. Our new location has enough property to add an additional 10,000 square feet in the future.?EUR??,,????'??

Scott Aerator has nearly 40 years experience working with submersible motors. They sell direct to consumers as well as distributors throughout the United States and internationally.

Their lines of fountains, aerators and no-icers are constructed with rugged high-density polyurethane and stainless steel. They have an oil-free motor with a 5-year unconditional motor warranty. ?EUR??,,????'??Our focus from the very beginning has been on quality,?EUR??,,????'?? cited Van Kampen. ?EUR??,,????'??We use only the highest quality components and our 5-year unconditional motor warranty is the best in the business. We know we?EUR??,,????'???re doing something right when customers reorder and tell their friends and neighbors about our products.?EUR??,,????'??

For more information call www.scottaerator.com

Boston to Donate Money to the Sierra Club

PHOTO credit: Ron Pownal

Tom Scholz, the founder of the rock band Boston, announced that the group will use their summer tour to make the world a better place. The band will benefit the Sierra Club by donating $1.00 from every ticket sold on their upcoming nationwide summer tour. The donations will be used by the Sierra Club in its efforts to protect America’s communities by fighting for clean air and water, fighting to clean up toxic waste sites, and safeguarding America’s majestic landscapes.

?EUR??,,????'??Children are developing asthma near polluting power plants. Cancer incidence is increasing dramatically. Toxic pollution of air, water, and food has reached an alarming level. Woodlands are being replaced by asphalt, strip malls, and soon oil rigs. With global warming threatening our very existence, the IRS is giving tax incentives to buy bigger fuel burning SUVs,?EUR??,,????'?? says Scholz.

?EUR??,,????'??Meanwhile we have a government that’s busy catering to the whims of the environmentally irresponsible Corporate American financial powers that got them elected. People need to get involved now, and Sierra Club offers a way everyone can help in this fight for our planet.?EUR??,,????'??

Carl Pope, the Sierra Club’s Executive Director, says, ?EUR??,,????'??This gives a wide variety of people, beyond those already involved with the Sierra Club, an easy way to support the environment. All they have to do is buy a ticket to the concert and enjoy the music. We are thrilled to see a band like Boston recognizing what they can do to protect what we have and encouraging their fans to do the same.?EUR??,,????'??

At Boston concert dates this summer $1.00 per ticket will go directly to the Sierra Club to be used as a 501©4 donation. The number of tickets sold will be calculated nightly and each promoter will issue a check to the Sierra Club. 501©4 donations are of the greatest use for charities such as the Sierra Club because the funds can be used for lobbying. Since this kind of contribution is non-tax deductible, such donations are the hardest and, because of their flexibility, the most important to raise.

ASGCA and GCSAA create online
?EUR??,,????'??Remodeling University?EUR??,,????'?? program

LAWRENCE, KS – A joint effort by the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), has led to golf facilities now having a readily accessible resource in which to learn the steps involved in evaluating a remodeling or renovation project.

A new series of three online courses will present content from ?EUR??,,????'??Remodeling University: A Short Course to a Better Course,?EUR??,,????'?? a face-to-face seminar that has been offered at numerous venues, including the annual conferences for GCSAA, the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). The seminar examines budgeting, permitting, project phasing and the roles/interaction of golf course superintendents, architects, builders, club managers and golf professionals, among others. The new online modules will cover this same content in a self-paced format.

?EUR??,,????'??Remodeling 101: Examining and Evaluating your Facility?EUR??,,????'?? assists golf course decision-makers in determining if it?EUR??,,????'???s time for a remodel, renovation, or restoration project and will be available in June from the Learning Center of GCSAA?EUR??,,????'???s web site as well as at www.remodelinguniversity.org. The launch comes on the heels of the ASGCA Annual Conference, May 18-21 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The remaining two modules of the program will be online within the next eight months.

?EUR??,,????'??Remodeling or renovating a golf course is something that should not be entered into without a sound process,?EUR??,,????'?? said ASGCA President Jay Morrish. ?EUR??,,????'??We are pleased to join GCSAA in providing the industry with an effective online tool to evaluate and manage a remodeling project.?EUR??,,????'??

?EUR??,,????'??A superintendent has to make decisions about remodeling projects and with this course our members will learn an effective process to use on the job,?EUR??,,????'?? said GCSAA President Jon D. Maddern, CGCS. ?EUR??,,????'??We were enthusiastic in our support of the seminar program as offered at our conference and show. The opportunity to learn online brings this material within reach of all GCSAA members.?EUR??,,????'??