Vermont ASLA Chapter

Comments from Chapter President Adam Portz

Vermont ASLA President Adam Portz and Past President Kathleen Ryan at the Susannah Drake Lecture at Middlebury College in October.

In review, 2010 has been an epic year for landscape architecture in Vermont and across the nation. While the economy may still have the upper hand, the accomplishment of “50 by 2010” is a huge success for the profession of landscape architecture. To that end, many thanks to the enduring work of Jim Donovan, the Licensure Committee, the folks at National, the Executive Board, and Kathleen Ryan. Kathleen led the chapter with grace and a calm sense, which made the past year enjoyable and productive.

Thank you, Kathleen, for your work and service as chapter president, and for passing such a bright torch!

Licensure Update
The chapter recently applied for a licensure grant through national ASLA. The intent of the grant is to sustain our lobbying efforts as we head towards a sunset review in three years. To establish licensing for landscape architecture in Vermont, we needed to gain the support of the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) and to do this we agreed to the sunset review. We believe that three years is probably too short a time line to show the real need and worth of licensing of landscape architects. We fear that OPR will again find, as it did in all three of our sunrise reviews, that there is no health, safety, and welfare reason for licensing our profession. If there is a negative OPR review, our licensing will sunset unless the legislature steps again and votes to continue our licensing. Thus, we think that maintaining a presence in the legislature is critical, rather than disappearing only to reappear again when we need their help.

Towards this end, we are again using the same lobbyist that helped us with our successful campaign to at least initiate licensing. We are also going to continue hosting a legislative breakfast and have a landscape architecture day with afternoon reception in the State Building to show the work of Vermont landscape architects and to let legislators know about our profession, its importance to Vermont, and the Vermont economy. (The legislature can look at more than just the strict issues of health, safety, and welfare to which OPR is limited for its sunrise and sunset reviews. Consequently, they can, if they choose, also consider economics, restrictions to trade, and other non health, safety, and welfare issues as they make their decision.)

Lastly, as many of you may be aware, the state’s process for licensing is not as straightforward as one might hope. The chapter is not directly involved with the process, but we are hoping to have some impact in the coming weeks. The secretary of state will be appointing two landscape architects to an advisory panel. The panel will advise the secretary on carrying out provisions in the bill. And therefore, we hope there is opportunity to resolve the pitfalls within the process.

To view more reports from the 2010 ASLA Chapter Reports click here.