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Trustee Report
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Welcome to the fifth piece of this report series, "Your ASLA Membership," telling you just a few notes from our national organization over the last month. Remind people who may have lapsed in their membership to rejoin and that payment options are available. Please feel free to contact me at Trustee@FLASLA.org if you have any questions or concerns about ASLA issues. It’s National Landscape Architecture Month! Volunteer on a project to highlight and celebrate landscape architecture.
- May 15 is ASLA Advocacy Day. Florida will be represented by the Chapter President; Jeff Brophy, Chapter President Elect: Dave Ferris and Chapter Trustee, Emily O’Mahoney. This year, the Chapter leadership, realizing the value of the emerging professionals being involved, has offered a grant to each Florida University offering landscape architecture for a student to attend the ASLA Advocacy Day. Congratulations to the following students:
- Laura Snider, UF
- Andrea Sandoval, FIU
- There is still time
to tell ASLA what federal policy issues are important to you! Recently,
President Focht sent out a "Call For Issues" asking ASLA members
to tell ASLA what federal policy issues are important to them, as the ASLA
Advocacy Department prepares for the new 114 Congress (2015-2016). All ASLA members are encouraged to complete
the ASLA 2015-2016
Federal Priorities Survey. Questions?
Please contact Federal Government
Affairs Director Roxanne Blackwell; phone, 202-216-2334.
- Last week, ASLA
joined several conservation and public lands organizations in sending a letter
to the entire U.S. House of Representatives urging them to oppose H.R. 1459, a bill that would limit presidential
authority under the Antiquities Act to to protect iconic historical, cultural,
and natural sites across the country. In the past, this presidential
authority has been used in a bipartisan manner by 16 presidents to protect
places like the Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty, Acadia, Zion, and Olympic
National Parks. Unfortunately, the House voted 222-201 to pass this measurethat would strip this presidential
authority. Currently, the U.S.
Senate does not have plans to take up the bill.
- Federal Government Affairs Director Roxanne Blackwell met with the offices of Representatives Doris Matsui (CA) and David Joyce (OH) to discuss the Safe Streets Act. Both offices suggested that ASLA, along with other National Complete Streets Coalition members meet with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff in the coming weeks to discuss requesting Complete Streets language in a surface transportation reauthorization bill. ASLA and the coalition are working on messaging, strategy, and timing to meet with committee staff.
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
- A press release about National Landscape Architecture Month (NLAM) was distributed
via several wire services, including multicultural
distribution to reach minority media. NLAM’s theme is Career Discovery,
with an emphasis on reaching underrepresented groups. The NLAM logo was shared briefly via an
electronic billboard in New York City’s Times Square.
- CNBC included ASLA’s animation "The
Edible City" in a story
entitled "How we will live: More green, more urban, more efficient." It
was also picked up by NBC News.
- PR Manager Karen Trimbath Grajales helped arrange for the host of a Las Vegas radio
show, "Joe the AC Guy," to interview Jonathan Spears, ASLA, about
his insights on how residential landscapes can reduce the heat load for houses.
The segment is available here.
- Invitations were sent to 25 members in Portland and the surrounding areas to serve as guides for the Landscape Architects Guide to Sustainable Portland (working title), due to be published online in the fall. This new guide will join the guides to Washington, D.C., and Boston.
Note: President Focht will be speaking at the
FLASLA State Conference in Key Largo at the Ocean Reef July 24-26, 2014 so come
and meet him.
Emily M. O'Mahoney, ASLA
Trustee