ACT + ADAPT!
Earth Day 2023 Climate Conference

The Southern California Chapter of the ASLA is excited to announce that we are planning the very first in-person Climate Conference for the ASLA on Earth Day, April 23, 2023, at Magic Johnson Park in Los Angeles. As we all know, climate change will become one of humankind's biggest challenges in the coming decades and out profession is well positioned to meet the urgent need to mitigate its effects and deal with adaptation strategies.

In this one-day first of its kind conference we have too little time to tackle all of the expansive climate issues. Since this event is a call to action for landscape architects towards finding solutions for climate change related issues, the Southern California Chapter of the ASLA is calling for presentations in the following categories:
- Carbon Reduction
- Adaptation to local climate conditions
- Heat
- Flooding
- Sea level rise

 
- Wildfire resilience
- Food insecurity
- Biodiversity preservation
- Climate justice
- Regenerative design
- Natural Systems approach to design, implementation, and post-construction
The work may include the following:
- Designed project, planning projects, or built projects of any scale from residential to regional
- Policy work and community engagement work that is private, public, or non-profit
- Research work that supports landscape architectural solutions
Collaboration is encouraged for all submissions.

The deadline to submit is January 15, 2023, by 11:59 PM, so submit your presentations as soon as possible.

9th Annual Net Zero Conference Wrap Up

SoCal ASLA's Climate Action Committee Chair, Ronnie Siegel, organized a session of four landscape architect presenters for the 2022 Net Zero Conference at the LA Convention Center on Sept. 15, 2022. The session's title was Landscape Architecture-Design for Resilience. The summary of the talks were that Landscape Architecture is at the confluence of carbon, climate, equity, ESG, net zero, and resilience. Our session's four landscape architects Gary Lai, Jessica Henson, Claire Latan???(C) and Jeremy Klemic produced examples of their work demonstrating how the design of our built environment enables us to become more resilient to the future climate conditions of increased heat, drought, and flooding. At the same time, they showed how we can conserve energy and increase carbon sequestration through smart and more extensive use of plant material. They presented solutions to the inequities exacerbated even further by climate change using design with nature in schools, parks, and streets of vulnerable communities to provide urban heat reduction, food security, physical fitness, stress reduction, and educational opportunities while at the same time supporting biodiversity in both urban, rural, and natural environments.
Our four speakers deserve our gratitude for volunteering their time to promote landscape architecture at this world forum where over 1500 attendees from 53 countries and 45 US states spanning all industries convened! Their presentations were inspiring and advocated for climate action and for our profession to be at the center stage of solutions.
SoCal ASLA Chapter Member Inducted into Class of Fellows

On Sunday evening, November 13, 2022, twenty-seven ASLA members were inducted into the 2022 Class of Fellows. Among those elevated to Fellow was Southern California Chapter Member, Claire Latan???(C). Chapter leadership was on hand to congratulate Claire and celebrate the evening at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco. Claire was escorted by her long-time mentor and friend, former professor from Cal Poly Pomona, Joan Hirshman Woodward.

Roaming with Rios: Palm Springs Downtown Park Walkthrough


The first in person event in two years, chapter members, colleagues and friends gathered on Saturday afternoon, February 19 in in the Desert for a walking tour of a 2-acre public open space that is the heart of the city's ambitious redevelopment and revitalization of downtown Palm Springs. Thank you to RIOS for providing the opportunity to the chapter.