Contents President's Letter

As we enter 2021, the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ILASLA) is positioned for one of our most exciting years as a Chapter and as a profession.

Contrast that with 2020, which might have been the most challenging and divisive year we have ever seen, or will ever see, as Landscape Architects and Americans. The Covid-19 Pandemic has upended our everyday lives and brought with it great suffering. The civil unrest and the ongoing struggle against racial injustice have challenged all of us personally and professionally to evaluate who we are and how we best serve our communities. Additionally, the effects of Climate Change have become ever more frequent and have impacted all of us.

Throughout these challenges, Landscape Architects have stepped up in numerous ways. Our members offered pro-bono design services to schools struggling with educating their students in the middle of a pandemic, lead volunteer efforts to help small businesses in disinvested communities of color, and advocated for social and environmental justice. Every step of the way, Landscape Architects have led and contributed significantly.

D uring the past year, the Chapter has seen significant contributions and accomplishments from our members and the Chapter Leadership team. We have expanded our educational offerings and deftly transitioned to an all-digital platform to continue to provide our members with the high-quality and relevant education they have come to expect. Our Advocacy Team has continued to fight for the Title Act reinstatement. Beyond our control, we have suffered numerous setbacks but now find ourselves poised for success in the upcoming Spring Legislative session. Finally, we have seen two of our long-time Chapter leaders elected to the national ASLA Executive Committee with Keven Graham, FALSA as Vice President of Government Affairs, and Bradley McCauley, ASLA as Vice President of Membership.

A s a Chapter, I know that we have learned and grown from the challenges of the past year. Landscape Architects are needed now more than ever to serve our communities, advocate for social and environmental justice, and lead the way on climate change. Our Chapter’s Leadership Team, one of the most dedicated and diverse groups in ASLA, is ready to serve our membership and our State.

I couldn’t be more proud to call myself a Landscape Architect and be a member of ILASLA.

Partnerships

overarching theme was pursuit of a practice act and it was maintained while we continued to provide enriching education activities and build our student membership base.

Advocacy

GREAT STRIDES WERE MADE TO REVISE OUR CURRENT TITLE ACT INTO A PRACTICE ACT. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE ADVOCACY TEAM DRAFTED AND COLLABORATED ON A PRACTICE ACT WITH ALLIED PROFESSIONALS. WORK ON THE PRACTICE ACT WITH MOVE FORWARD IN DECEMBER 2019.