About the cover

Is Washington just a ghost of what it once was?EUR??,,????'???or?EUR??,,????'???is there a new sunrise at the nation?EUR??,,????'???s capital? In any event, all eyes are on Washington as 1995 brings a new Congress to Capital Hill. Will there be tax cuts? Both parties are rushing to take the first hack, but even if they come to fruition, I?EUR??,,????'???ll bet they are not retroactive.

And what about Landscape Architects? They too have a new face in D.C.. Will the new EVP of the ASLA be able to set the Society on the right track? The inside word is . . .

(C.B. Low)

. . .Yes!

• Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All! 1995 looks to be an exciting year for the landscape architectural profession. From sunrise to sunset, every day will offer the profession a multitude of opportunities to grow toward professional recognition, personal satisfaction and financial independence.
• Registration is the focal point of professional recognition. California, with 20% of the nations registered LA?EUR??,,????'???s, is facing legislation that first sunsets the board, then makes the (unofficial?) board show the legislators that LA?EUR??,,????'???s meet the criteria for needing registration and have the operating ability to protect the public through enforcement and standard setting. I believe the criteria is obtainable and that the registration of LA?EUR??,,????'???s best serves the public?EUR??,,????'???s interest . . .
• ?EUR??,,????'??One who draws up, coordinates, and supervises the execution of plans for converting a given area of land into a unified ornamental development.?EUR??,,????'?? Funk & Wagnalls New International Dictionary of English Language @ 1987.
• Whatever definition you use, look to the ASLA to strengthen its position for registration and also to focus on educating the masses on the value of professionally prepared landscape plans.
• Will contractors soon be able to take the test and become Residential Practice Landscape Architects? The answer may be found in the above definition . . .
• One interesting note?EUR??,,????'???the new computer-generated landscape design programs are also making it easy for non-registered /educated landscapers to provide very official looking documents. Will registration enforcement be able to monitor this arena if contractors are not allowed to test?
• Since we are logged-on to computers, did you hear that LandCADD has been sold to a company called Eaglepoint Software? Look for even more exciting additions, which LASN will be reviewing as we zero in on LASN?EUR??,,????'???s. Landscape ON-Line BBS and as we look in '95 to increase our reporting on the computer end of the business.
• Back to the ASLA and the New EVP. . .while it is still too early to formulate a real opinion, I already sense a new, positive attitude coming from ASLA HQ. For example, although Mr. Dalton declined an invitation by LASN to say a few words in this ?EUR??,,????'??Yearbook/Forecast?EUR??,,????'?? Issue, at least he was polite enough to explain that he had self-imposed a period of 45 days to ?EUR??,,????'??take in information, not put it out. . .?EUR??,,????'?? Solid, stable and polite leadership will make a world of difference for the Society. So. . . Happy Holidays, Mr. Dalton, and best of success. . .we look forward to hearing from you in '95 and the years ahead . . .

Not a Trivial Pursuit

• In response to a trivia Q&A in the Oct. '94 Issue proclaiming the Nat?EUR??,,????'???l Park Service as the Largest Employer of LA?EUR??,,????'???s, who would call but a confident lot of LA?EUR??,,????'???s from the U.S. Forest Service who seem to believe they are the largest employed group of LA?EUR??,,????'???s. My information was based on research conducted in putting together the World Directory of Landscape Architects with Don Roberts, FASLA. Unfortunately, Mr. Roberts has since passed away. SO. . .we are doing the research again. Stay tuned. . .
• And speaking of public practice, look to LASN in '95 for a year-long series on public practice Landscape Architects spearheaded by Kay Tiller and with initial assistance from Leslie Kerr of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, along with input from the Nat?EUR??,,????'???l Forest Service, the Nat?EUR??,,????'???l Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City LA?EUR??,,????'???s, State LA?EUR??,,????'???s and DOT LA?EUR??,,????'???s.
• The economy is going to grow in '95 and Landscape Architects still have an opportunity to identify areas such as wetlands, community planning and universal access and chart a course of leadership. There will be aggressive competition from Contractors, Nurseries, Designers, Architects and even Botanists, but with careful and assertive action Landscape Architects are in a position to blossom in the years ahead. We?EUR??,,????'???ll see you there!

?EUR??,,????'??+God Bless