The 1998 ASLA Annual Meeting... A Beautiful Learning Experience! by Kay Tiller, Executive Regional Editor Portland was a "park" and the 4,400 attendees of the 1998 Annual Meeting in early October walked into the Exhibition Hall on Saturday afternoon and found themselves in an atmosphere never before attempted or ever done at an ASLA national meeting. The idea was to showcase Oregon's green industry and the unique way Portland's design community works with its suppliers. "The Oregon Experience," as the show was named, sought to create an appealing atmosphere for interaction between exhibitors and attendees. Unable to get into the hall until Tuesday night before the ribbon cutting at 3:30 on Saturday, staff members from Teufel Nursery, Inc. worked 24-hour shifts to construct the fountains, walls and paved plazas. Also working behind the scenes were the various nursery people who provided a rich palette of plant materials to complete the illusion of an outdoor environment. J. Frank Schmidt, Northwest Shade Tree, and Jaycee Newman provided over 150 specimen trees with root balls weighing about 1,500 pounds each! Teufel also contributed 10,000 ground cover plants that were "planted cheek to jowl" to simulate a mature garden beneath the tree canopy. Three other small local firms, Blooming Nursery, Oissinn and Bosky Dell Natives, contributed perennials, grasses and native plants to complete the colorful scene. "It was an incredible team effort," explained Nan Simpson, co-chair for the event. "Robert Perron, FASLA, conceived the design plan. Our friends in the nursery industry responded to ASLA's ambitious plans with complete enthusiasm, and the people who pitched-in on the construction worked tirelessly for eighty-four straight hours to make it a reality." "The defining moment for me was when young Alex Christensen, son of Teufel Vice president Christensen, said, "Dad, I want to become a Landscape Architect." (Alex created one of the garden areas beside the spray fountain between 10 p.m. and midnight on Friday). That alone was enough to make the whole effort worthwhile," Simpson stated. With the theme of "Exploring Livability & Quality of Life," the meeting began with an address by former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day in 1970, an event which involved 20 million people. Three days of educational sessions ranged from Growth Management Planning to Biotechnical Erosion Control Solutions; from Alaska's Public Lands in Transition to Native Americans in the Invisible Minority in America and The Pacific Rim; and Top Down Meets Bottom Up in Watershed Design to Establishing the Worth of Scenic Values. The entire agenda was made up of nine major tracks: Practice Management, Pan Pacific Connection, Historic Preservation, Technology, 21st Century City, Public Lands, Pacific Northwest, Digital Technology and Water. This year, new Forum Sessions were held in the exhibit hall which covered a wide variety of subject matter, everything from "The Future of Landscape Architectural Licensing" to "A Global Perspective on the Future of the Profession." These were very well attended. The closing General Assembly, "A Perspective on the Future of Public Lands" was very ably moderated by John Reynolds, FASLA, president of LAF and Regional Director of the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. The panelists included Landscape Architects, developers, planners and journalists whose work includes commentary on the current status of the proverbial war between environmentalists and the development community. The Landscape Architects who made the trip to Portland seemed intent on seeing "its beautiful country with the organized tours of the city . .That figures...so did I! Portland is a beautiful city, especially during this time of the year! lasn Thousands of dollars of plant material and landscape amenities were donated by local vendors to create the "park-like" atmosphere in the ASLA Exhibit Hall. ASLA exhibit hall attendees enjoyed a host of innovative products and services, many of which were released to Landscape Architects for the first time. The prestigious 1998 Class of Fellows was inducted into the College of Fellows during an elegant ceremony and dinner sponsored by LASN. Sporting his "Portland Jacket," newly inducted Fellow Paul Morris (left) joins Stephen Trudnak at the LASN booth in the ASLA Exhibit Hall. (right)