Welcome to 2025, a year that has all the signs of being a great year and a great restart for the American adventure!

2025 . . . Specifically July '25, is the year that LASN celebrates its 40th Anniversary. That's right . . . Way back in July 1985, LASN was founded with the help of leaders like the Sperbers of Valley Crest fame, Educators like Donald Milton Roberts, PLA, FASLA, the OG Licensed Landscape Architect Raymond Page, ASLA Publicist Kay Tiller, and a host of Landscape Architects in the western region and across the country, almost all of whom encouraged and helped LASN champion licensure across the Nation. Watch for the July issue for a complete
history lesson . . .

 
2025, albeit towards the end of the year, is the year that, thanks to the journalistic efforts of LASN, will see a Landscape Architect who is licensed in 14 states become president of the ASLA (defeating the DC favored non-PLA) in yet another sign of the common sense that is sweeping the country and the rank-and-file members of the Society.

Looking forward, the building industry is excited, the manufacturing industries are excited, the energy industries (all of them) are excited, and the American people are excited. Interest rates are coming down, fuel prices are coming down, and illegal immigration is dropping like a rock. Voters are overwhelmingly choosing to focus on common sense and ditch the social engineering of the past administration, as every reputable school, business, and association is dropping the divisive DEI nonsense and turning to the business of common sense. Equality in America is based on effort, not equity or inclusion.

Rather than focusing on who is not a PLA, it's time to focus on who is a PLA and the work they are doing to advance the profession. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the work of our rising stars will attract better talent than any cheap, divisive slogan could ever do. And, for a preview of who is next, check out this past December's issue with a 24-page section on the upcoming generation of Landscape Architects.

With that, 2025 has the look and feel of a year of opportunity for Landscape Architects. With encouragement from LASN, we got the NRPA to add two PLAs to their Board of Directors. LASN's next targets are the NAHB and the APA. We can only hope that the executive leadership of ASLA gets on board and helps push these development organizations to heighten their interactions with
Landscape Architects.

So . . . Welcome to 2025, a year of change, a year of growth, and a year where common sense is leading the way to the advancement of this Great Profession! We'll see you out there . . .

God Bless Us Everyone!!

George Schmok, Publisher