Ecological restoration is becoming a growing area of interest for landscape architects. The recent Society for Ecological Restoration Conference in Irvine, California drew professionals from all disciplines, such as biologists, urban and regional planners, state and federal agencies involved with resource management, ecologists and educators to address the planning and integration aspects of restoration. In addition to the many landscape architects in attendance, Ian McHarg and Bonnie Fisher, both Landscape Arhcitects were featured as keynote speakers for the plenary session.

The program, which opened on June 16th with participation in actual restoration projects, was developed to provide timely information to those interested in renewing our degraded land and water. Plenary and technical sessions featuring international experts began on the 17th and continued for three days. John Haynes, Landscape Architect and Transportation Erosion Specialist for Caltrans commented "More Landscape Architects are becoming involved in the restoration field, but they are smaller in number in comparison to other professions here. I see the restoration field as probably the biggest potential growth field for landscape architecture in the next couple of decades."