OCTOBER 2026 NEWSLETTER

October 29, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH OCTOBER 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Devon Dillinger, ASLA Utah President

**Hello Utah ASLA!**

It is hard to believe we are already nearing the end of October! There has been quite a bit happening within our Chapter, and I wanted to take a moment to share some of the things we have been discussing and working toward.

Last week, I attended the ULI Utah Trends Conference in Salt Lake City, where much of the conversation focused on Utah’s continued growth, changing demographics, housing, transportation, and the future of our communities. As I listened to the presentations, I kept thinking about how much of this relates directly to landscape architecture. We have an important role to play in shaping how our communities grow, from our parks and public spaces to water conservation, urban forestry, and the overall quality of life in our neighborhoods. However, I also think we have opportunities to do more to make sure our profession is part of these conversations.

That ties into some of the work happening within our Chapter. Our Executive Committee continues to discuss advocacy efforts related to professional licensing, state policies, and opportunities to engage with local governments and other professional organizations. These efforts are not always the most visible part of what ASLA does, but they are important to protecting and advancing our profession here in Utah.

Looking ahead, we have some great Chapter activities coming up. On Thursday, November 19th, we have our Lightning Talks event at LOCI, with the theme “Things Not Related to Landscape Architecture, Until They Are”; Then, on Thursday, December 17th, we will join for a little friendly competition with ASLA, APA and AIA for Trivia Night at Denton House. These events are great opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, meet new people, and enjoy some time together outside our day-to-day work.

I also want to recognize the many volunteers and committee members who continue to work behind the scenes on membership, student engagement, climate action, historic preservation, professional development, and Chapter events. There is a lot of work involved in keeping our Chapter active, and I appreciate the time and energy everyone contributes.

As we look ahead to 2027, I would love to hear from our members about where you think ASLA Utah should be focusing its efforts. Are there issues affecting your practice, opportunities for collaboration, or things you would like to see our Chapter do differently? Please do not hesitate to reach out. Your ideas and involvement are what help make this organization valuable.

I hope to see many of you at an upcoming Chapter event!

UPCOMING EVENTS

**THIRD THURSDAY**

**LIGHTENING TALKS hosted by LOCI**
**WHERE: 859 S 800 E, Salt Lake WHEN:Thurs,Nov. 19th, 6:00pm**
**REGISTER HERE**

Investing in the Future of Landscape Architecture in Utah

Advocacy doesn't happen on its own. It requires a strong voice, strategic relationships, and the resources necessary to protect and advance our profession.

The ASLA Utah Chapter is committed to ensuring that landscape architects are represented in legislative and regulatory discussions that impact our work, our businesses, and the communities we serve. Effective advocacy helps preserve professional licensure, strengthen recognition of the profession, and ensure landscape architects have a seat at the table when important decisions are being made across Utah.

To support these efforts, the Chapter is expanding opportunities for firms and organizations to invest directly in advocacy. In addition to our longstanding Corporate Partner sponsorship, we are introducing two enhanced levels of support: Advocacy Partner and the Utah Landscape Architect Advocacy Board. We’re grateful to the firms who have already committed as Advocacy Board members and Partners, and we need more to strengthen our advocacy impact.

Recent discussions with state policymakers have focused on increasing landscape architects' involvement in public projects, particularly where site planning, irrigation design, and water conservation are critical considerations. These conversations continue to reinforce the importance of educating decision-makers about the value landscape architects bring to the planning, design, and stewardship of Utah's built and natural environments.

Participating firms will have opportunities to engage in advocacy discussions, connect directly with the Chapter's lobbyist, and help inform conversations on issues affecting the profession. These partnerships provide a meaningful way to stay informed, contribute to the Chapter's advocacy priorities, and help strengthen the profession's voice at the state level.

Simply put, your financial support makes advocacy possible. By investing in these efforts, your firm helps fund the work necessary to protect, promote, and advance landscape architecture throughout Utah. Together, we can ensure that landscape architects continue to have a strong voice in shaping policies, projects, and communities across our state.

Please review the attached sponsorship information for partnership levels, benefits, and participation details. Questions? Want to become an Advocacy Partner Contact: Bryce Ward, ASLA Utah Treasurer at wardwb@gmail.com or Jenny Sonntag, Executive Director at uaslaexecutivedirector@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting the future of landscape architecture in Utah. ASLA Utah Executive Committee

Park(ing) Day Recap

McKenna Montgomery, VP of Visibility and Public Affairs

Its that time of the year! With colder weather and winter just around the corner, ASLA Utah was excited to highlight the green spaces that bring us so much joy and advocate for more creative and contextually relevant open space opportunities. Every year on the 3rd Friday of September, ASLA Utah embraces the movement called PARK(ING) DAY! This global event repurposes two parking stalls into a mini park for the day, providing a much needed contrast from the harsh reality of our parking lots and how much space of our public realm they consume!

This year we teamed up with Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP), Landscape Forms, Progressive Plants, and SynLawn to complete our transformation from asphalt to lush park setting. We set up our “park” in the heart of bustling downtown Salt Lake with lawn games, sidewalk chalk and a varitety of native plants to educate passerby of the importance of planting native species.

The weather was perfect and we have many people stop by, to draw, play games and hear about the importance of Landscape Architecture. Thank you to everyone who helped make Parking Day 2026 a success! Looking forward to Parking Day 2027!

**https://qanr.usu.edu/laep/extension/design-charette**

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER

September 29, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Devon Dillinger, ASLA Utah President

Hello Utah ASLA! As I begin my term as President of the Utah Chapter, I thought I should start by introducing myself to those of you I have not had the chance to meet yet.

I am a landscape architect with Confluence, Inc. and am based in Salt Lake City, Utah. I have been involved with ASLA for much of my career, including service on national committees and as President of the Iowa ASLA Chapter (2022-2023). Since moving back to Utah in 2025, I served as our Climate Action and Biodiversity Chair until deciding to run for the Utah Chapter Executive Committee. I also currently serve in the SITES AP seat on the GBCI Credentialing Steering Committee, and I recently completed a 4-year term as a L.A.R.E. Exam Committee Writer with CLARB. I am excited to now have the opportunity to serve as your Chapter President.

My term officially began at the conclusion of the 2026 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in Los Angeles this year, which felt like a fitting way to start. Before the conference, I attended the Fall Chapter Presidents Council meeting with chapter leaders from across the country. CPC gave us the opportunity to talk openly about what is working within our chapters, where we are struggling, and what we can learn from one another.

We discussed member engagement, awards programs, sponsorships, chapter operations, K-12 outreach, and ways to make it easier for people to volunteer and stay involved. On the first day of CPC, one thing that stood out to me was how many chapters are working through the same challenges. People want to be involved, but everyone is busy. That makes it even more important that we create opportunities to participate that are worthwhile and realistic.

On the second day of CPC, ASLA leadership gave us a look at where the organization is headed nationally. ASLA is currently in the second phase of its Vision 2030 strategic plan, focused on strengthening the profession’s voice, supporting the long-term health of landscape architecture practice, and expanding the resources available to members. National is now beginning work on the final 2028 to 2030 phase, and chapters will have a direct role in helping shape those priorities. Throughout 2027, ASLA will be asking members across the country what they want the organization and profession to accomplish next. I want to make sure Utah is part of that conversation and that what we are experiencing here, the opportunities and challenges of practicing in our state, are represented.

After CPC, the ASLA National Conference itself was a great few days of education, tours, reconnecting with colleagues, and meeting new people. There was a lot of discussion about the future of landscape architecture, including climate action, new technology, professional practice, and how our role continues to evolve.

One of my favorite parts of the conference was spending time with our Utah students, faculty, and other practitioners. It was a good reminder that some of the most valuable parts of ASLA happen outside the formal sessions. Sometimes it is lunch, a conversation between sessions, or simply meeting someone you had not crossed paths with before.

As I look toward the coming year, I want us to build on the good work already happening within ASLA Utah. I would like to strengthen connections among members across the state, continue supporting our students and emerging professionals, and make sure the Chapter is providing real value to its members. I also want us to keep looking for ways to increase awareness of landscape architecture and the work our profession does throughout Utah.

I want to thank our outgoing leadership and everyone who has volunteered their time to the Chapter. ASLA Utah only works because people are willing to get involved and help.

I also want to give a sincere thank you to our sponsors and corporate partners. Their support helps make our conferences, educational programs, student activities, and Chapter events possible. We are fortunate to have industry partners who continue to invest in Utah’s landscape architecture community.

Most importantly, thank you to our members. Whether you have been involved with ASLA for years, recently joined, are still a student, or have not made it to a Chapter event in a while, I hope you will find a reason to reconnect with us this year. Come to an event, share an idea, volunteer when you can, or simply reach out and say hello.

I am looking forward to the year ahead and to working with all of you!

UPCOMING EVENTS

**Watch your inbox for details about each upcoming ASLA Utah Chapter Event**

**LuckyDog Virtual Lunch & Learn** **The Future of Play:** *STM Updates, Design Innovation & New Products from Playcraft* **Wed, Oct 7th**
**12:00–1:00pm MT**

**REGISTER HERE**

**Indigenous Right Relations: Design Alignment Through Cultural Humility Webinar Series**

**CLICK HERE TO REGISTER**

**A free webinar series Climate & Biodiversity Action 101 - free Webinar Series**

**CLICK HERE TO REGISTER**

Celebrate Your Favorite Historic Landscape with a Short-Form HALS!

Do you enjoy research and writing?

Sharpen your skills by completing a short-form Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS). Why complete a HALS report? HALS documentation is useful for educators and researchers and often provides a basis for preservation easements. HALS can also inform landscape rehabilitation. Perhaps most importantly, the stories historic landscapes reveal can live on through the HALS program even if the landscape disappears.

The 2027 HALS Challenge theme will be announced soon! In the meantime, learn more about cultural landscapes HERE or contact Amy Reid, Utah ASLA HALS Liaison.

I recently visited the International Peace Gardens at Jordan Park in Salt Lake City. Founded in 1939 by Mrs. Otto Wiesley and dedicated in 1952, it is one of the only historic parks on Salt Lake City’s westside. What historic landscape inspires you?

ASLA National Meeting - Los Angeles, CA 2026

Bryce Ward, ASLA Utah Chapter Trustee

And the Emmy goes to....ASLA!

One of the main highlights of my trip to L.A. was bumping into the actor who plays one of my favorite characters on Ted Lasso (Roy Kent), but the real excitement was being around fellow Landscape Architects and people passionate about designing and saving our world one landscape at a time. And as Ted Lasso has taught me, the power of "Believe" showed up in the conference presentations and the national ASLA BOT and CPC meetings. This gathering was a joy and privilege to experience and represent.

At both the Chapter Presidents Council and Board of Trustees meetings, our leadership was debriefed on the actions ASLA is taking to improve membership services, defend our licenses across the country, and prioritize federal and state policy issues that impact climate resilience, biodiversity, and other environmental and social justice issues. We also enjoyed a combined panel of representatives from CLARB, ASLA, CELA, and LAAB to discuss how to increase our pipeline of new registered landscape architects. It was also announced that,

"The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB)... announced a $500,000 gift to the ASLA Fund to launch the CLARB Exam Success Grants. This new initiative will provide financial support to eligible Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) candidates who face economic challenges in pursuing licensure. Subject to program requirements, the grants will reimburse eligible exam costs and help reduce financial barriers on the path to becoming a licensed landscape architect."

As someone who started taking the L.A.R.E. exams when five exams were issued, then it changed to four, and I had to forfeit two passed exams, this kind of assistance during a recession would have been very beneficial. As we discussed and questioned this issue during our meetings, I am confident that ASLA and CLARB will continue to improve the cost and administration of the L.A.R.E. to make it more accessible to those seeking licensure.

Next year's ASLA National Conference will be held in Chicago, IL, with the leadership and members of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA). This will be the largest gathering of landscape architects EVER. The combined event will take place September. 21-24, 2027, at the McCormick Place Convention Center. We are thrilled to host our international friends for their World Council meeting and join them in helping practitioners and communities alike.

Utah State LAEP at ASLA National Conference

RYDER MCCLAUGHERTY, Past President | Utah State ASLA Student Chapter

This year, Utah State LAEP was fortunate enough to have 25 students attend the 2026 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in Los Angeles. While each of us had a unique experience, several moments stood out to me.

One of the most meaningful parts of the trip was visiting the Los Angeles-based firms HKLA and SALT. Both offices were incredibly welcoming, but what stayed with me most was a message that came through in both presentations. HKLA shared their experience working in Compton, while SALT discussed a project in Skid Row. Outside stigmas often define both communities, but through community engagement, the firms found people who deeply cared about where they lived and simply wanted to be heard, supported, and given the opportunity for their communities to thrive. It was encouraging to see firms in one of the largest and most influential cities in the world representing landscape architecture with that level of care and empathy.

The conference also gave us a chance to connect with students, friends, and professionals from across the country, including colleagues from schools such as Ohio State, Wisconsin-Madison, Georgia, Minnesota, and Illinois. I was able to reconnect with Matthew Rentsch, one of my coworkers from my summer internship at Damon Farber in Minneapolis. Those connections made the conference feel like more than just a series of sessions and reinforced how connected the profession really is.

Finally, it was exciting as students to hear directly from some of the leading voices in our profession. We regularly read their work and study projects they have worked on in class, so hearing them speak in person made the profession feel much more immediate and real. Overall, the trip was a great reminder of how much we can learn from communities, professionals, and each other, and I am grateful that so many LAEP students were able to experience it together.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

AUGUST 2026 NEWSLETTER

August 23, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH AUGUST 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

During the 2024 ASLA Conference in Washington, DC, I had the opportunity to walk with our Past President, Lars Erikson, around the National Mall between sessions. We were talking about my goals for serving as ASLA Utah President, and I shared that one of my priorities was improving public understanding of landscape architecture. I asked Lars how he explains what landscape architects do. His answer has stayed with me. He said he doesn't usually start by describing the profession. Instead, he talks about the landscape architects he knows.

Landscape architecture is Nancy Monteith.
Landscape architecture is Terrall Budge.
Landscape architecture is Craig Johnson.

The more I've thought about that conversation, the more I've come to appreciate his perspective. Landscape architecture is an incredibly broad profession. Some of us focus on the intricate details of materials, planting, and site design. Others help shape campuses, streets, and communities. Some work at the scale of an individual site, while others influence municipal and regional planning. That breadth is one of our profession's greatest strengths, but it can also make it difficult to explain.

Over the past year, I've written about communicating the value of landscape architecture. We often try to explain the profession by listing the services we provide. Lars took a different approach. He explained the profession by talking about the people who practice it. Perhaps there is something to learn from that. Every landscape architect brings different strengths, experiences, and perspectives. Together, those individual contributions define our profession better than any single description ever could.

As a chapter, we have an opportunity to continue telling those stories. Let’s celebrate our award winners, recognize the accomplishments of our members, and share examples of the projects and people shaping communities throughout Utah. The profession is too broad to be understood through one project or one definition. It is better understood through the collective work of the landscape architects who practice it every day.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Election Results: 2026-2027 Utah ASLA Executive Committee

We are pleased to announce the results of the 2026 Utah ASLA Chapter Elections — with all four candidates running unopposed, we’re excited to welcome this talented group of professionals to the Executive Committee.

Devon Dillinger will be joining the Executive Committee as President, after serving as Climate Action & Biodiversity Chair.
Dan Sonntag joins the Ex. Committee as President Elect We are glad to welcome Dan to the Executive Committee in this leadership role.
Adam Castor returns for a second term as Treasurer, continuing his excellent work overseeing the Chapter’s financial management.
Jeff Coons has been elected as Secretary stepping into the role previously held by Ladd Schiess. Jeff has already been a valuable member of the Visibility & Public Affairs Committee.

We are excited to move into this new year of leadership with our newly elected Executive Committee Members, and extend our gratitude and best wishes to outgoing President Elect, Lars Erickson and President, Aaron Johnson and Secretary, Ladd Schiess. We sincerely appreciate your dedicated service and hope to see you continue your involvement through committees and chapter events.

We Need You!

ASLA Utah continues to promote and protect the landscape architecture profession—and we can always use more help! If you’re interested in joining a committee, assisting with even just one event, or just pitching in here and there, please reach out. Your support makes all the difference.

Here’s to another great year for ASLA Utah Chapter!

MEET YOUR NEWLY ELECTED ASLA UTAH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

TREASURER Adam Castor

Dear Landscape Architect

Dear Landscape Architect is a monthly feature from ASLA Utah exploring the art, ethics, and evolving practice of landscape architecture, written to spark conversation, reflection, and renewed care in our craft. Submit your question to dearlautah@gmail.com.

Dear Landscape Architect: “Some LA’s seem to hop around to different companies. Some are long-timers at the same place. What are you ? Why?”

Dear tenure watcher, thanks for the fun question! It would be nice to hear your thoughts on why and how long you have personally stayed employed at a particular company as well. Write back and share your thoughts when you have a few minutes.

The reasons a professional may stay with one company for a long time—or choose to move between firms more often—can vary as much as the professionals themselves, including different seasons of a professional’s life. Some people are shaped by loyalty, stability, mentorship, and shared history. Others are shaped by curiosity, opportunity, and the need to keep stretching into new roles, project types, or workplace cultures. Because I represent a panel of landscape architects, I’ll share perspectives from both flavors.

‘Long-Timer’

I’m definitely a long-timer. I’ve spent my entire career with one firm, and a big reason is that I found a company that aligns with what I value: meaningful projects, strong employee support, work-life balance, and a culture where people genuinely care about each other.

Our company often talks about success as a three-legged stool: employee-focused, client-based, and financially successful. If one leg is out of balance, the whole thing becomes unstable. That mindset has always resonated with me because it recognizes that good work, strong client relationships, and employee well-being all have to support each other.

I understand why some landscape architects move between firms, and there can definitely be financial, professional, or growth-related reasons to do that. But for me, I’ve found a place where I can grow, be challenged, contribute meaningfully, and still feel a strong sense of stability, camaraderie, and belonging. I’ve had recruiters reach out over the years, but leaving has never felt tempting because I already have what I would be looking for somewhere else.

I think there is value in both paths. For me, if you find a place that meets—and even exceeds—your expectations, it makes sense to keep investing in it.

‘Company-Hopper’

From the outside, my résumé probably looks like I hop around. But for me, moving has usually been less about restlessness and more about deliberate growth. I have changed companies when a new role offered a clearer path toward the skills, responsibilities, or project experiences I needed next.

Early in my career, I wanted exposure to the full range of landscape architecture practice. One firm taught me technical discipline through grading, detailing, planting plans, and construction documents. Another helped me understand public work, community engagement, and long approval processes. Another pushed me into project management, where I learned budgeting, scheduling, consultant coordination, and client communication faster than I would have otherwise.

In contrast to a theoretical ‘long-timer’, I haven’t expected one company to meet every need for an entire career. I’ve looked for seasons of learning: a season for technical growth, a season for civic projects, a season to understand a small studio, and a season to see how larger firms handle leadership, mentorship, design quality, deadlines, and profitability. When the learning curve flattened or the next opportunity clearly pointed somewhere else, I moved.

There were practical reasons too: compensation, commute, family needs, flexibility, workload, and whether the next step toward licensure, leadership, or a different project type was available where I was. Leaving did not always mean the previous firm was bad; sometimes the fit had simply changed.

I don’t romanticize changing firms. There are costs: starting over socially, rebuilding trust, learning new systems, and sometimes leaving good people behind. Stability has real value, and I respect those who build deep institutional knowledge. But movement can also be a commitment to growth and to finding the work where your contribution is most useful.

So yes, I’ve hopped around. But I’d describe it as purposeful movement rather than professional wandering. Some people grow roots by staying in one place; I’ve grown by carrying lessons from one place to the next. Both paths can be valid when chosen with self-awareness, integrity, and respect.

Did these answers make you think about where you sit or consider more deeply what others may be experiencing at work? I’d love to hear your experience with changing companies or deciding to stay longer. Email your thoughts to dearlautah@gmail.com.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

MAY 2026 NEWSLETTER

May 30, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH MAY 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

One of my primary goals as President has been to improve public understanding of landscape architecture. Continuing on that theme, I recently revisited the FrameWorks Institute Report, What is Landscape Architecture? Mapping the Gaps Between Expert and Public Understandings of Landscape Architecture. Researchers examined how we as landscape architects describe our profession and compared that to the public’s understanding of landscape architecture. The goal was to identify where those perspectives overlap, where they differ, and what those differences mean for communicating the value of our profession.

The report identified some important areas of common understanding. Both the public and landscape architects recognize that the profession draws on expertise in plants, design, engineering, and environmental science. There is also broad agreement that well-designed outdoor spaces benefit people, communities, and the environment.

What I found most interesting were the gaps between how we understand our profession and how the public understands it. Three of those gaps stood out to me:

Focus and Expertise

Landscape Architects: We view landscape architecture as a multidisciplinary profession that combines environmental science, engineering, planning, art, and design.

Public: People often associate the profession primarily with plants, beautification, or aesthetics.

Incorporating Nature

Landscape Architects: We seek to connect people with nature by thoughtfully integrating it into our projects and everyday life.

Public: Many people view nature and human activity as fundamentally separate, making designed natural spaces more difficult to understand.

Design Process

Landscape Architects: We think wholistically about systems such as drainage, circulation, ecology, and long-term performance.

Public: People tend to focus on visible features like trees and benches, while many of the decisions that determine how a place functions remain invisible.

The report also offers practical recommendations for closing these gaps. One of the most important is to paint a broader picture of landscape architecture by talking about the full range of expertise we bring to projects. Another is to avoid overemphasizing aesthetics and instead focus on outcomes.

That recommendation resonates with me because it aligns closely with many of the conversations we have been having as a chapter. When we talk about our work, we should certainly be proud of the beauty we create, but we should also talk about public health, economic value, resilience, community well-being, environmental stewardship, and water conservation.

The public already values the outcomes we care about. Our challenge is helping people understand the expertise required to achieve them. The better we communicate that connection, the more our profession will be understood and the greater impact we can have on the communities we serve.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Routledge Handbook of Urban Design Practice

Molly Robinson is hosting a book launch event at **June 3rd at 5:30pm at GSBS Architects**. She edited and several others in Utah contributed to the book. Panelists include Nancy Monteith, Clint Harper, and Christine Richman.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Herriman, UT.

What led you to landscape architecture? My dad has been in the landscape industry pretty much since he graduated high school, so I grew up in the landscape world. As I was growing up, I always loved art and being creative in that way, so one day in high school dad told me about landscape architecture and told me to try it out. Ever since high school I have been learning everything I can about landscape architecture and the industry as a whole.

What is your favorite part of your practice? I love the creativity and the collaboration of landscape architecture. Working together with other students and even practicing professionals have helped me with my creativity with designs and it has really showed me how diverse the industry can be.

What is your favorite hobby? I have always loved to read books, draw, and hiking or just being outside.

What do you find inspiring? One thing that I find inspiring is some of the other students and friends in the program. Seeing what they are accomplishing while in school and seeing the work that they put into their designs has shown me what opportunities that I can do for projects or even internships that I can be a part of in the future.

Describe a notable landscape architecture project you were involved in. One project I worked on recently for the Planting Design Class was creating a planting design for the city of Hyde Park, UT.

This was a group project where we all came up with an amazing design for this park with the intent of making this park feel like you walked right into the mountains while still being in the city. The park also had some wetland restoration included in the design, so it was a challenging but fun project to collaborate with my classmates and being able to learn more about the logistics of park design made this project a lot more interesting for me to be a part of.

2026 Conference Recap

Thank you to everyone who attended, exhibited, presented, sponsored and helped organize the 2026 Annual Conference. The Ballpark at American First Square in Daybreak was a unique venue with a spectacular view and the presentations, panels and site tours were equally amazing.

Michael Todoran from Haps Agency generously to provided complimentary professional photography for the conference. Click Here to see these beautiful images.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER

April 28, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

UPCOMING EVENTS

THURSDAY, May 7th 6:30-8:30 PM — Evening Social/Tour

FRIDAY, May 8th - Conference and Vendor Expo

Keynote Speaker:
Kona Gray

FASLA, PLA, Immediate Past President

Dear Landscape Architect: A monthly feature from ASLA Utah exploring the art, ethics, and evolving practice of landscape architecture — written to spark conversation, reflection, and renewed care in our craft.

Submit your question to dearlautah@gmail.com

Dear Landscape Architect: “How do you help or deal with coworkers that don’t seem to care about landscape architecture and just seem to do this for a paycheck (no passion)? I love our profession and try to do the best I can on projects. Am I the problem?”

I appreciate you asking this question because it points to a core competency in our field: collaboration. Landscape architecture is a team sport—clients, engineers, architects, contractors, agencies, and the public all shape the outcome. Passion helps, but collaboration skills are what turn a mix of motivations into a coherent project and keep your own passion from tipping into frustration or burnout.

The trick is to collaborate with—not try to convert—people who don’t share your level of passion for landscape architecture. On any team, values and incentives vary; your job is to create clarity, alignment, and momentum. One of my favorite interview questions is, “Why did you choose landscape architecture?” The answer often reveals how someone prefers to work, what they prioritize, and what kind of collaboration helps them do their best work.

Here are a few collaboration-forward strategies for working with teammates whose motivations may differ from your own:

Collaborate around outcomes (not shared motivation)

Replace emotional appeals with collaboration basics: define the goal, assign owners, agree on deadlines, and document decisions. Clarity is the most reliable “motivation.”
Build a small collaboration network. You don’t need everyone to think like you; you need a few reliable partners—an ally on your team, a mentor, or an external peer group (e.g., the Utah ASLA chapter)—to pressure-test ideas and keep communication healthy.
Use your passion strategically: invest deeply where you have influence, and collaborate pragmatically where you don’t. Boundaries aren’t a lack of care—they’re what make you dependable over time.

Check your collaboration signals (you may be unintentionally raising the friction)

Is your communication clear, respectful, and specific—or is it mostly frustration?
Are you setting agreements (scope, quality bar, timeline) and then trusting people—or micromanaging the how?
Are you treating your passion as the only “right” approach, or inviting others into shared standards and decision criteria?
Are you working with people whose strengths complement yours—and are you giving them a way to contribute meaningfully?
Is firm culture, leadership, or market sector shaping how collaboration works day-to- day? Which parts can you improve through process (roles, meetings, handoffs, feedback loops), and which parts require a different environment?

In the end:

Your passion is a strength—use it to elevate the work, not to measure other people’s worth.
Focus on what you can influence: set clear expectations, invite input, make decisions transparent, and follow through. That’s what strong collaboration looks like.
Passion is like a fire: useful when directed into craft and service, risky when it turns into resentment. Sustainable collaboration protects both the project and the people doing it.
The goal isn’t to care less—it’s to care more wisely, more sustainably, and in ways that make it easier for others to work well with you.

As a landscape architect, you’re not “the problem.” And yes—trees are always the answer.

Have you navigated similar dynamics at work—or found collaboration habits that protect your passion while strengthening the team? Email your thoughts at dearlautah@gmail.com

Where did you grow up? On The Island in Logan City (IYKYK)

What led you to landscape architecture? I have an older sister who is a USU LAEP alumnus. She spoke of it often, but I never understood exactly what Landscape Architecture was. I ended up looking into programs on a lark and fell in love with the expansive and collaborative nature of the discipline. With a background in hard sciences, the idea of being able to do something with your research is very enticing.

What is your favorite part of your practice? Finding the narrative threads of a project. Being able to synthesize the complex nature of a problem into something digestible and actionable.

What is your favorite hobby? I’m terrible with favorites! Lately, I’ve been teaching myself to play the ukulele, which has been a small joy and respite from my MLA coursework.

What do you find inspiring? The grit of humanity. I love seeing a professional tackle a project from a bunch of different angles. Letting their passion drive the work instead of their perception of their own skillset.

Describe a notable landscape architecture project you were involved in. It is ongoing, but I’ve been working on a project with Joe and Paula Swaner Sargetakis called Frog Bench Farmstead. It’s agritourism, but they keep it really grounded in Education in this way that centers the local community and invests in it. Watching and participating as the design unfolds has been incredible.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

February 2026 NEWSLETTER

March 27, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH FEBRUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

.I’m writing this month’s message while finally looking out the window at snow on the ground. After one of the driest December and January periods in Utah’s recorded history, it’s hard not to feel some relief. It’s also a reminder of how closely we watch water in this state, and how quickly concern turns into urgency when it’s missing.

Ongoing news about the Great Salt Lake has made water conservation a more public issue and impossible to ignore. Lake levels, exposed lakebed, air quality, and long-term ecological impacts are affecting communities across Utah. These are not abstract ideas.

Landscape architects have an important role to play.

Landscape architecture is recognized nationally as a STEM discipline, following a multi-year advocacy effort led by ASLA National. In 2020, Landscape Architecture was added to the federal STEM Designated Degree Program List, reflecting our foundation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as applied to environmental systems.

That scientific and technical grounding positions landscape architects to contribute real value to conversations about water conservation, watershed health, and the long-term future of the Great Salt Lake.

There are practical ways for us to engage:

Serve on boards, commissions, and advisory groups where policies and standards are shaped.
Pay attention to water-related bills being discussed during the current legislative session and consider writing letters to local and state leaders to share your professional perspective.
Encourage large institutional, municipal, and regional clients to revisit landscape standards and move toward performance-based, resilient requirements.
Participate in public surveys and comment periods.
Incorporate water conservation intentionally into projects, from planting design to irrigation strategy and long-term maintenance planning.

Landscape architects are not observers in this conversation. We can bring our technical knowledge and systems thinking to the table, we help shape decisions that directly influence water demand and environmental health across Utah.

Seeing snow on the ground is encouraging. Making smart, science-based decisions about water use is even more important. As we move forward, I encourage all of us to apply our expertise deliberately and confidently to help shape more resilient outdoor environments and communities.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 ASLA Utah Annual Conference

The Salt Lake Bees Ballpark at America First Square

THURSDAY, May 7th 6:30-8:30 PM — Evening Social/Tour

FRIDAY, May 8th - Conference and Vendor Expo

2026 Conference Pricing:

EARLY BIRD PRICING FOR ASLA Members & Allied Professionals: $200 (ends March 1st)
ASLA Member $250
Allied Professional eg: AIA/UNLA/ACEC Member $250
Non-Member: $275
- Want to save $50? JOIN ASLA NOW! The savings for this event covers Utah Chapter dues! Plus gains access to all ASLA Benefits!
- Have questions about membership? Reach out to anyone on the Executive Committee!
Emerging Professional: $100
Student $45
Non-LAEP Student: $100
ASLA UT SubCommittee Member: $100
Conference Speaker: $150

“I’m inspired by ecological systems at small scales, particularly microbiology and food systems. Music is also a major source of inspiration; its rhythmic flows and sequences can be mirrored in the Landscape.“

Dear Landscape Architect: A monthly feature from ASLA Utah exploring the art, ethics, and evolving practice of landscape architecture — written to spark conversation, reflection, and renewed care in our craft.

Submit your question to dearlautah@gmail.com

Dear Landscape Architect: How does landscape architecture make places safer?

Thank you for this great question! — The deeper you examine the profession, the clearer it becomes that safety is not a side consideration — it is foundational to what we do.

This is one of those questions where the more you sit with it, the more you realize just how much of our work is actually about safety — even when it doesn’t look like it on the surface.

Accessibility and Universal Design

At the most visible level, landscape architects advocate for and implement safety standards that protect users every day. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act significantly reshaped the built environment, and our profession has played a major role in advancing universal accessibility.

Designing for varying mobility levels does more than meet code requirements — it creates inclusive environments where children, parents, grandparents, and individuals of all abilities can participate in public life safely and with dignity. When universal design principles are thoughtfully integrated, accessibility becomes seamless, and safety becomes equitable.

Designing Spaces People Want to Use

Safety is not only about rails, slopes, and fall zones. Often, it begins with creating places people genuinely want to spend time in.

When spaces are welcoming, comfortable, and well-loved, they attract consistent use. And when people are present, there are “eyes on the street.” Passive observation discourages everyday crime and increases perceived safety. Clear sightlines, appropriate lighting, intuitive circulation, and well-defined gathering areas all contribute to environments that feel secure without feelingfortified.

Good design itself becomes a preventative safety strategy.

Safer Streets Through Design

Landscape architects shape safer streets — often without labelling it ‘traffic engineering’.

Narrower travel lanes, pedestrian refuges, parkway plantings, street trees, textured paving, and engaging edges naturally calm traffic. When drivers experience spatial enclosure, visual interest, and visible pedestrian activity, speeds drop.

Safe Routes to School initiatives are a clear example of how relatively small design moves can dramatically improve both actual and perceived safety for children walking and biking each day.

Planting design also plays a protective role. Landscaped buffers separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic. Thoughtful planting can define distinct activity areas within parks, reducing user conflicts while enhancing beauty.

Environmental Protection as Public Safety

Environmental resilience is another essential layer of safety.

Stormwater management strategies, green infrastructure, permeable surfaces, slope stabilization, and streambank restoration reduce flooding, prevent erosion, and protect infrastructure and homes. These systems help communities remain functional and safe during increasingly intense climate events.

Waterwise planting strategies and irrigation systems that utilize secondary or recycled water also protect potable water supplies — directly contributing to long-term public health and safety.

Resilient landscapes are not aesthetic add-ons; they are protective infrastructure.

Human Health and Well-Being

Safety is not only physical — it is social and psychological.

Seniors are safer when mobility needs are anticipated. Children are safer and healthier when neighborhoods encourage outdoor play. Public spaces designed to be inclusive rather than hostile foster dignity and reduce vulnerability for unhoused individuals.

Shade trees mitigate heat stress and reduce sun exposure. Access to greenery lowers stress, supports mental health, and encourages physical activity. Environments that feel restorative and welcoming directly influence public well-being.

Ecological Safety and Biodiversity

Non-human safety is also part of the equation.

Promoting native plant communities, eliminating invasive species, restoring habitats, and incorporating wildlife corridors reduce conflicts between animals and infrastructure while strengthening ecosystems. Pollinator gardens and biodiverse landscapes sustain the natural processes that ultimately sustain human life.

Ecological health and human safety are deeply connected.

A Layered Approach to Safety

The common thread through all of this is integration. Landscape architects do not solve one safety issue at a time. We layer social, environmental, physical, and ecological safety into the same spaces.

Through thoughtful planning, careful documentation, and responsible construction guidance, we help ensure landscapes are built to protect health, safety, and welfare.

That layered, systems-based approach is the quiet power of the profession — and something landscape architects should confidently and proudly claim.

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

MARCH 2026 NEWSLETTER

February 24, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH MARCH 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

As another legislative session comes to a close in Utah, professional licensure has once again been part of the broader conversation. It’s a reminder that licensure is something that gets revisited and evaluated regularly. It’s also something we don’t always talk about enough.

ASLA National continues to advocate for licensure as a foundation of the profession. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require landscape architects to be licensed to protect public health, safety, and welfare. At its core, licensure sets a consistent standard for how we practice and how we’re held accountable for the work we do.

https://www.asla.org/about/advocacy/licensure

In past newsletters, I’ve talked about how it can be more effective to explain landscape architecture by focusing on how it impacts people. It may help to talk about licensure in the same way.

1. Public Health, Safety, and Welfare

Instead of: Licensure ensures that landscape architects meet standards that protect public health, safety, and welfare.

Try: Licensure helps make sure the outdoor spaces people use every day are safe, comfortable, and designed to support how people move, gather, and spend time outside.

2. Environmental Stewardship

Instead of: Licensed landscape architects are trained in site design, grading, drainage, and environmental systems.

Try: Licensed landscape architects understand how water moves through the land, helping reduce flooding, prevent erosion, and conserve water in ways that protect communities and natural systems like the Great Salt Lake.

3. Professional Competence

Instead of: Licensure establishes accountability and reduces risk associated with improper design.

Try: Licensure helps ensure that the people designing outdoor spaces are responsible for getting it right, so communities avoid costly mistakes and end up with places that work well over time.

Each year, lawmakers look at occupational licensing, scope of practice, and how professions are regulated. Those conversations can shape how our profession is understood and how we’re allowed to contribute.

For the public, licensure builds trust. It tells people that landscape architects are trained, tested, and accountable. For our peers in architecture, engineering, and planning, it reinforces that we bring real technical depth and responsibility to the table.

For those who are already licensed, I’d encourage you to continue to communicate the value of that credential. For those working toward it, I’d encourage you to keep going. It’s an investment not just in your own career, but in the strength and credibility of the profession as a whole.

At the end of the day, licensure isn’t just a requirement. It’s part of how we build trust, strengthen recognition, and ensure that landscape architects continue to play a meaningful role in shaping the environments and communities around us.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 ASLA Utah Annual Conference

“PERSPECTIVES IN PRACTICE”

The Salt Lake Bees Ballpark at America First Square 11111 Ballpark Dr, South Jordan, UT 84009

2026 Conference Schedule

THURSDAY, May 7th, 6:30pm - EVENING SOCIAL AND SITE TOUR 1 PDH Cove House, 6650 W Lake Ave, South Jordan Sponsored by Pikus3D.

FRIDAY, May 8th, 6:00am - SUNRISE SOCIAL AND 1K 1 PDH Heights Park/Naboo Hill, 10644 Mellow Way, S Jordan

FRIDAY, May 8th, 7:30am - CONFERENCE ON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. Title Sponsor: BioGrass 7:30am - Breakfast & Vendor Expo Lanyard Sponsor: Rain Bird & Centerpiece Sponsor: LuckyDog Rec

8:30am - Welcome & Introduction. Lars Erickson, ASLA UT Past President

9:00am - Keynote Speaker 1 PDH Kona Gray, FASLA, PLA, Immediate Past President, ASLA National

10:00am - CLARB Uniform Standard .75 PDH Zachary Druga, CLARB Member Relations & Advocacy Mgr., Scott Peters, PLA, ASLA, Principal, Sr. Landscape Architect

10:45am - Vendor Expo Break Sponsor: Maglin

11:15am - Perspectives in Practice .75 PDH. Hailey Wall, Terracon and Dave Harris, Terracon

12:00pm - ASLA Utah President Address: Jesse Allen Legacy in Landscape Architecture Award Presentation- Sumner Swaner

12:30pm LUNCH & Vendor Expo. Lunch Sponsor: Garrett Parks & Play

1:30pm - Landscapes Under Pressure: Utah’s Water Future Unpacked 1 PDH Utah Waterways Presentation & Panel: Tage Flint, Jill Flygare, Cynthia Bee

2:30pm - Daybreak 20 Year Perspective 1 PDH Larry H Miller Company & Lance Tyrrell

3:30pm - Vendor Expo

4:00pm - Conclusion & Raffle: Lars Erickson, ASLA UT Past President

4:15pm - SITE TOUR: Downtown Daybreak 1 PDH 11111 South Ballpark Way, South Jordan

5:15pm - SITE TOUR: Daybreak Parks 1 PDH Starting Point: Beach Club, 4690 W Daybreak Pkwy, S. Jordan

“Dear Landscape Architect:”

A monthly feature from ASLA Utah exploring the art, ethics, and evolving practice of landscape architecture — written to spark conversation, reflection, and renewed care in our craft.

Submit your question to dearlautah@gmail.com

Dear Landscape Architect:

“What are your favorite design/installations in Utah—especially with regard to educating people about what a Landscape Architect does?”

Thank you for this thoughtful question. Two places stand out for how they help the public understand landscape architecture—one through direct instruction, the other through lived experience: the Jordan Valley Conservation Garden Park and the Daybreak Community. Together, they show how both explicit educational tools and everyday interaction with designed environments can deepen public understanding of the environmental, functional, and social value of our field.

The Jordan Valley Conservation Garden Park offers a clear and intentional learning experience. Interpretive signage, workshops, and demonstration areas teach visitors about water conservation, soil health, drainage, plant grouping, and the use of native and adaptive species. Through these design and programming choices, the park illustrates that landscape architecture is not just aesthetic—it's about environmental planning, resource stewardship, and long-term function.

Daybreak: Design Embedded in Community In contrast, the Daybreak Community educates through daily experience. As a master-planned environment, it weaves landscape architecture principles into streetscapes, parks, trails, and water systems, showing residents—often without them realizing it—that outdoor environments are intentionally designed systems influencing how a community functions.

Stormwater as a Visible Teaching Tool: Daybreak’s stormwater system, including Oquirrh Lake, basins, and wetlands, makes environmental processes easy to see. These features show how water is captured, filtered, and returned to aquifers, offering residents direct insight into the role landscape architects play in water management—particularly vital in a dry region like Utah.

Shaping Daily Life: Walkable streets, shaded pathways, and interconnected open spaces guide movement, social interaction, and well-being. These elements demonstrate how thoughtful design supports health, nature connection, transportation, and community life.

Planning at Multiple Scales: The community also reveals the importance of planning across scales. Open space networks, green corridors, and water systems are integrated with infrastructure from the start, reinforcing the broad scope of landscape architectural thinking.

Opportunities for Clearer Public Education: While Daybreak excels in experiential learning, it lacks clear on-site interpretation. Strategic signage could help residents connect their positive experiences to the intentional work of landscape architects—for example, explaining how water-efficient landscapes lower costs, how native planting reduces maintenance, or how stormwater systems support aquifer recharge and habitat.

Teaching by Design—and by Experience: Together, Daybreak and the Jordan Valley Conservation Garden Park show the power of combining hands-on interpretation with community-scale experiential learning. Both approaches help broaden public awareness of what landscape architecture is and why it matters.

We’d love to hear what places you think teach the public about landscape architecture—and how they do it. Email your thoughts to dearlautah@gmail.com, and I may feature them in a future column.

Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary by Completing a Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS)!

Amy Reid, HALS

Calling all history enthusiasts!

Now is your chance to contribute to the documentation of Utah’s historic landscapes. This year’s HALS theme encourages reports on “landscapes of liberty and freedom.” Across our nation landscapes of all types hold memories of the pursuit of freedom in its many forms.

Almost daily I walk through **Miller Bird Refuge in Salt Lake City,** a landscape along Red Butte Creek with rustic rubble* retaining walls and beautifully crafted features including a flagstone footbridge built during the Great Depression by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Stories of craftsmanship, struggle, hard work, and economic freedom are built into the landscape.

For me, Miller Bird Refuge is a physical reminder of how our nation freed tens of thousands of Utahns from the bonds of poverty during the darkest of times by employing skilled craftsmen and unskilled laborers to enhance parks and public spaces.

**Footbridge for Lee Charles Miller Park (known today as Miller Bird Refuge), 1936.** *Rubble masonry from the WPA era (1935–1943) refers to a construction technique used in New Deal public works projects, characterized by the use of irregular local stones laid together with mortar. This style is a key component of WPA Rustic architecture, designed to harmonize with the natural landscape and provide jobs to unskilled and semi-skilled laborers.

What landscape inspires you? Please consider writing a HALS to recognize it. All entries received by August 31, 2026 will be acknowledged at the ASLA conference in September. You may also submit your report to the Library of Congress archives.

Please note, this year the National Park Service is not holding a formal competition. More details can be found at: https://www.asla.org/news-insights/the-field/hals-2026-call-to-action. Contact our Utah HALS Liaison, Amy Reid, at amyreid99@gmail.com with any questions or to register your landscape so we can keep track of those being submitted.

Climate Action and Biodiversity Committee Update

Devon Dillinger, PLA, ASLA, SITES AP, Climate Action & Biodiversity Chair

Moving Climate and Biodiversity Forward in Practice

The release of the ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan (2026–2030) feels like an important step forward for the profession. It builds on the momentum already underway and focuses on something practical: how we take what we know and apply it more consistently across projects. That shift matters, especially in the Intermountain West.

In Utah and the surrounding region, water systems are under visible stress. The Great Salt Lake has become a national example of how declining water levels impact habitat, air quality, and regional health. Lake Powell has fluctuated dramatically over the past decade, exposing shoreline and changing how water is stored and managed across the Colorado River Basin. These are not isolated conditions but signals that are reshaping how we think about land, water, plants, and growth.

For landscape architects, this context changes how we approach site design. Water is no longer just a utility to be managed but a driver of how projects perform over time. The ASLA plan reinforces that climate and biodiversity are interconnected, and in this region, water sits at the center of that relationship. That connection shows up directly in project decisions, particularly in how we design planting, soils, and site systems.

Planting is one of the clearest examples of this shift. Native and climate adapted planting does more than reduce irrigation. It supports habitat, responds to changing conditions, and improves long term performance. Soil strategies function in the same way. When soils are treated as a system rather than a byproduct of grading, they improve infiltration, support plant health, and help stabilize landscapes in a water constrained environment. Early decisions around grading and disturbance also take on greater importance, as preserving existing systems often leads to better outcomes than replacing them.

The ASLA plan also highlights the growing importance of materials and embodied carbon. A significant portion of emissions comes from what we specify and build, which is changing how teams evaluate products. There is a greater emphasis on sourcing, lifecycle impact, and long term durability, and those conversations are happening earlier in the design process. These shifts do not require a complete reinvention of practice but instead a more consistent and informed approach to decisions that are already being made.

What makes this moment different is the level of alignment across the profession. These conversations are no longer isolated to individual projects or firms. They are becoming part of a shared direction, and as that alignment grows, expectations begin to shift. What was once considered an added effort is quickly becoming baseline.

In a region shaped by water, that alignment matters. The challenges we are seeing at the Great Salt Lake, Lake Powell, and across the broader system are not going away, but they do create an opportunity to respond differently. Designing with a clearer understanding of long term systems allows projects to contribute to resilience rather than add to existing pressures.

For us, this means continuing to integrate these ideas into how we approach projects from the start. It is not a separate layer but part of the core thinking that shapes grading, planting, materials, and overall performance. The work is already happening, and the ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan helps connect it, strengthen it, and move it forward with more clarity and purpose.

Learn more about the ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan here: https://www.asla.org/focus-areas/climate-biodiversity-action/climate-and-biodiversity-action-plan- (2026-2030)

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Learn More About Our Sponsors

JANUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER

January 28, 2026 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH JANUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS -

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

I recently signed up to participate in the 2026 USU LAEP Department-Wide Design Charrette on January 27th. I usually feel a bit of pressure going into these design reviews, thinking about what I will say and emphasize, and I almost always leave them mentally stretched, a little tired, and so glad I showed up.

When I am there, I try to follow the example of one of the most impactful professors I had. He had a way of meeting students one on one and helping them quickly see the crux of the problem they were working on. He always challenged me and left me motivated to find a better and more thoughtful solution. His favorite saying was simple: “Don’t make it interesting, make it good.”

That phrase has stayed with me as I have spent time with ASLA National’s 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, which outlines three outcomes: Prominent Voice, Professional Sustainability, and Unrivaled Expertise. The third outcome resonates with me and connects closely to the work we have been doing in the Utah Chapter to raise public awareness of landscape architecture.

The language around Unrivaled Expertise is intentionally bold. It challenges landscape architects to lead, to claim our role as experts in the outdoor environment, and to be recognized as essential contributors to society. It raises the bar and reminds us that our profession brings important knowledge to environmental systems, public space, health, resilience, and everyday human experience.

We have all experienced what it feels like when a client recognizes our expertise. Extending that understanding to a broader public audience requires us to clearly position our profession as capable of addressing the complex challenges communities face today. ASLA’s mission to lead the planning, design, and stewardship of healthy, equitable, safe, and resilient environments aligns directly with that responsibility.

As we move into the year ahead, I encourage all of us to focus on applying our individual and collective expertise to create better outdoor spaces and communities, strengthening the visibility and impact of our profession.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 ASLA Utah Annual Conference

May 7th-8th 2026

The Ballpark at America First Square home of the Salt Lake Bees

THURSDAY, May 7th 6:30-8:30 PM — Evening Social/Tour

FRIDAY, May 8th - Conference and Vendor Expo

2026 Conference Pricing:

ASLA Member $250
Allied Professional eg: AIA/UNLA/ACEC Member $250
Non-Member: $275
- Want to save $50? JOIN ASLA NOW! The savings for this event covers Utah Chapter dues! Plus gains access to all ASLA Benefits!
- Have questions about membership? Reach out to anyone on the Executive Committee!
Emerging Professional: $100
Student $45
Non-LAEP Student: $100
ASLA UT SubCommittee Member: $100
Conference Speaker: $150

2025 ASLA Utah Professional Awards Recap

Critter McCoughlin, VP of Membership

**DEAR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT**

Please take a minute and submit a question RIGHT NOW: **dearlautah@gmail.com**

Dear Landscape Architect is a monthly feature from ASLA Utah exploring the art, ethics, and evolving practice of landscape architecture — written to spark conversation, reflection, and renewed care for our living medium. Submit your question to dearlautah@gmail.com.

Did you miss last month? Here is the link to a question about continuing education and the core of Landscape Architecture: October’s Dear Landscape Architect

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2026 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners
Denton House | FenceTrac | G Brown Design

Learn More About Our Sponsors

DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

December 29, 2025 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

**UNLA Green Conference**

**Come visit the ASLA Utah Booth at the UNLA Green Conference January 5-7th, 2024** Mountain America Expo Center 9575 South State Street in Sandy **REGISTER HERE**

**ASLA UT Winter Social**

**Friday, January 30th ASLA UT Office, 280 S 400 W,** **RSVP HERE**

**USU Speaker Series**

**Lost in Translation**
**Carlos Licon**
*Associate Professor & Graduate Program Director,* Utah State University
Friday, January, 23rd 4:00pm
**Click Here to Join Lecture**

2026 ASLA Utah Annual Conference

May 7th-8th 2026

The Ballpark at America First Square home of the Salt Lake Bees

THURSDAY, May 7th 6:30-8:30 PM — Evening Social/Tour

FRIDAY, May 8th - Conference and Vendor Expo

2026 Conference Pricing:

ASLA Member $250
Allied Professional eg: AIA/UNLA/ACEC Member $250
Non-Member: $275
- Want to save $50? JOIN ASLA NOW! The savings for this event covers Utah Chapter dues! Plus gains access to all ASLA Benefits!
- Have questions about membership? Reach out to anyone on the Executive Committee!
Emerging Professional: $100
Student $45
Non-LAEP Student: $100
ASLA UT SubCommittee Member: $100
Conference Speaker: $150

***ASLA Utah wishes you Happy Holidays & a Prosperous New Year!***

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS -

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

I find the holidays to be a time when I have a bit more room to breathe, recenter, and think strategically about the year ahead. I’ve never been one for specific New Year’s resolutions; instead, I like to focus on fine-tuning and making shifts in overall direction. One way I do that is by getting important conferences, events, and milestones on my calendar early, so my time and attention align with what matters most.

One of the events I’m prioritizing is the ASLA Utah Annual Conference, taking place May 7–8th at the new Ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan. Conferences like this help us grow professionally, reconnect with colleagues, support the vendors and partners who sustain our chapter, and elevate the profession. Lars Erickson, our Past President, is working closely with the planning team to curate a thoughtful and impactful lineup of speakers and sessions, and I encourage you to read more about what’s in store in his note elsewhere in this newsletter.

In addition to the conference this year, I remain focused on two core priorities during my term as President that are both centered on strengthening recognition of landscape architecture.

One priority is building greater awareness and understanding of landscape architecture among public entities. Working alongside Thomas Eddington, our Vice President of Advocacy, and our lobbyist Dave Kallas, we are focused on strengthening relationships at the state and municipal levels. This work helps ensure that landscape architects are engaged in public projects and policy discussions, reinforcing the role our profession plays in shaping healthy, resilient, and connected communities across Utah.

Another priority is improving how we communicate what landscape architects do to the public, to our clients, and to each other. Building on research from the FrameWorks Institute and ASLA National, we know that people better understand and value our profession when we lead with how our work benefits people, strengthens communities, and improves quality of life. Being more intentional about this shift helps make our impact clearer and more relatable.

As we move into the year ahead, I encourage each of you to think about your own priorities. I hope that includes attending our Annual Conference, engaging in chapter events, and being intentional about how you talk about our work. Participation doesn’t look the same for everyone, but together we can strengthen the chapter, elevate the profession, and increase the impact of landscape architects across Utah.

Here's to an engaged and impactful year ahead!

LALA 2nd Annual Wreath Making Social

McKenna Montgomery, VP of Visibility & Public Relations

LALAs (Ladies in Landscape Architecture) gathered for their second annual holiday wreath making event at Amy Reid’s home. This event brought together 13 women from the local landscape architecture community here in Utah. The wreaths were made activity foraged foliage.

The atmosphere was cozy with the best snacks and drinks with thoughtful conversations about landscape architecture, career paths, and shared experiences in the profession.

This and other LALA gatherings have been great at creating connection, community, creativity, and support for women within the field. Those interested in getting involved with LALAs or attending future events are encouraged to reach out and join this growing network of women in landscape architecture.

Did you miss last month? Here is the link to a question about continuing education and the core of Landscape Architecture: October’s Dear Landscape Architect

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2025 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support! Looking forward to seeing you all in 2026!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners
Denton House | FenceTrac | G Brown Design

Learn More About Our Sponsors

NOVEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

November 24, 2025 by ASLA Utah

ASLA UTAH NOVEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 2nd is GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a global movement of generosity and change making. Each Tuesday after Thanksgiving, the world celebrates and champions stories and community organizations making a positive difference.

This #GivingTuesday This year the Utah Chapter of the ASLA is hoping you and/or your firm will consider giving to support the important work of the ASLA Utah Chapter. The Chapter works to promote the profession of landscape architecture and support your business, career, and future right here in Utah. 100% of your donation stays with the Utah Chapter and helps support the important efforts of the Utah Chapter.

Donate Here

SAVE THE DATE - Friday, May 8th 2026

2026 ASLA Utah Annual Conference

The Ballpark at America First Square home of the Salt Lake Bees

LEADERSHIP EXPRESS -

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

I want to begin this message by recognizing two individuals whose behind-the-scenes work is essential to ASLA Utah’s success: Ladd Schiess and Adam Castor.

Ladd, serving as our Chapter Secretary, is responsible for setting the agenda for our monthly meetings and documenting minutes. This requires him to be “in the know” on nearly everything happening across the chapter at any given time. He keeps us organized, aligned, and focused. Ladd’s attention to detail ensures that decisions are recorded, responsibilities are assigned, and initiatives keep moving forward. His work often goes unseen by most of our membership, but the chapter simply couldn’t function without him.

Adam Castor, serving as our Chapter Treasurer, manages the organization’s finances. We take this responsibility very seriously, as we are stewards of a portion of your annual dues as well as the generous contributions of our sponsors and vendor partners. Adam helps us track and allocate funds in a way that directly supports the chapter’s work. His diligence and transparency give our Executive Committee the confidence to plan responsibly and invest strategically in the programs and initiatives that advance our mission.

Thank you, Ladd and Adam. We are grateful for your leadership and your service to the profession.

In my first message last month, I shared that a major priority this year is strengthening the way we communicate who we are and what we do as landscape architects. I referenced the FrameWorks Institute report, Putting People at the Center: Reframing Landscape Architecture for Maximum Impact. The report’s core insight is simple: the public understands our work more clearly when we talk about how it benefits people, not just what it looks like or how it’s built.

Too often, we describe our projects in terms of features, materials, technical solutions, or abstract design concepts. While those details matter, they don’t communicate our value in a way the public immediately understands. When we lead with human outcomes, we help people grasp the purpose and impact of our work.

Here are a few examples, building off the report, of how we can reframe the way we talk about our projects:

From features to human benefit:

**Instead of:** “We designed a plaza with native plants, shade structures, and stormwater planters.”
**Try:** “We created a welcoming public space where people can gather comfortably, stay cool in summer, and enjoy cleaner air and water through thoughtful design.”

From design elements to lived experience:

**Instead of:** “We realigned a trail and added seating nodes.”
**Try:** “We made it easier and safer for families to reach the park, with places to rest, reflect, and connect along the way.”

From technical solutions to community impact:

**Instead of:** “We implemented bioswales and detention basins.”
**Try:** “We reduced flooding risks for nearby homes and created a healthier, more resilient neighborhood ecosystem.”

Each of these shifts helps people see landscape architecture as a service that improves lives, not just a set of drawings or site elements. It brings the focus back to people.

This year, I encourage every member of ASLA Utah to practice this reframing in project interviews, public meetings, classroom critiques, and everyday conversations. When we consistently describe our work through the lens of human benefit, we strengthen understanding, recognition, and support for the profession as a whole.

Thank you for your continued engagement and your commitment to shaping healthy, safe, and connected communities across Utah. I look forward to the important work we will continue together in the year ahead.

Jesse Allen, ASLA Utah President

Climate Action and Biodiversity Committee Update

Devon Dillinger, PLA, ASLA, SITES AP, Climate Action & Biodiversity Chair

I am honored to begin my first full year as the Climate Action and Biodiversity Chair for the ASLA Utah Chapter. As a licensed landscape architect and SITES Accredited Professional with experience in civic, park, campus, and public realm projects, I am committed to advancing climate positive and biodiversity positive design in Utah. My work centers on designing places that strengthen ecological systems, support public health, and reflect community identity. I look forward to bringing this perspective to our chapter as we advance climate action and biodiversity initiatives throughout Utah at a time when this work is even more important.

Our state faces some of the most rapid climate shifts in the nation. Utah is warming faster than the global average, and long-term trends show increased drought (see map for current drought monitor), shrinking snowpack, heightened wildfire risk, and significant stress on ecosystems and watersheds.¹

The Utah Department of Natural Resources notes that water supply, watershed health, invasive species pressures, and wildlife habitat resilience are among the state’s most urgent challenges.²

These conditions directly affect our communities, economies, and public health. They also underscore the importance of landscape architecture as a profession that bridges natural systems with human needs.

This year marks the release of the updated national plan, Landscape Architecture 2040: Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan. This plan replaces the earlier Climate Action Plan and Field Guide and will guide ASLA and its chapters through 2030. It presents a comprehensive vision for 2040 in which all landscape architecture projects achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions, double carbon sequestration from business as usual, restore and enhance biodiversity, and advance equity in the distribution of climate and ecological benefits.³ The plan also sets new five-year benchmarks, including a 50 to 65% reduction in emissions and measurable improvements in ecological restoration, habitat protection, and community resilience.⁴

Several components of the new plan are especially relevant to Utah. Our landscapes already illustrate the tight relationship between climate and biodiversity. Increased temperatures, greater variability in precipitation, and long-term water scarcity threaten the ecological systems that support our valleys, mountains, and deserts. Biodiversity decline reduces the natural capacity of Utah’s landscapes to store carbon, buffer extreme heat, moderate wildfire behavior, and maintain healthy hydrology. The plan’s emphasis on nature-based solutions, watershed-scale planning, and restoration of ecological function directly aligns with the long-term needs of Utah communities.

As Chair, my goals this year include sharing tools from the new plan, highlighting Utah-based examples of climate and biodiversity positive design, and coordinating with our regional partners and academic programs. I will also be reaching out to members who wish to contribute expertise, case studies, or ideas for educational events and collaborative initiatives. Our chapter has an opportunity to lead regional conversations about climate resilience, ecological restoration, and community health, all grounded in the landscape architecture profession. I look forward to working with all of you over the coming year!

**DEAR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT**

We didn’t get any new questions this month, so please take a minute and submit a question RIGHT NOW: **dearlautah@gmail.com**

Did you miss last month? Here is the link to a question about continuing education and the core of Landscape Architecture: October’s Dear Landscape Architect

Sitting Still - Olin Documentary and SLCPL Rooftop Tour Recap

Adam Castor ASLA Utah Chapter Treasurer

Sitting still. Taking in all you that you see, hear, and feel with a pen and sketchbook. Or paint and an easel. Pencils, chalk, charcoal, napkins, sketch paper, whatever. It’s probably something most of us would love to spend more time doing….graphically expressing ideas and thoughts, documenting experiences without a camera, understanding the dynamics of people, places, and environments, imagining amazing landscapes. Laurie Olin seems to have spent most of his life doing this. So much so, that a really inspiring documentary was created to highlight Olin’s life and career through his sketches, paintings, designs, landscape master plans, and candid interviews with other designers and artists that were influenced by Olin’s vision. Sitting Still, by filmmaker Gina Anelone.

Following a tour and presentation of the new Salt Lake City Main Library rooftop landscape and outdoor spaces by GSBS, ASLA Utah Chapter hosted a screening of the documentary for a group of about thirty ASLA members and practitioners. The tour of the rooftop highlighted the transformation of a persistent leaky rooftop with limited usable space and accessibility into an outdoor space that provides full accessibility to a variety of seating and viewing spaces, group photos and selfies, and a landscape design that will mature into an abundance of shade tree canopy and surrounding plants and wildlife. Additional rooftop highlights include the perimeter steel and glass fall protection along the perimeter edge, water proofing systems, synthetic turfgrass surfacing, site furnishings, and a new enclosed space for beehives. The library rooftop turned out to be a very nice, finished project and a great example of the importance of landscape architects’ influence on a project involving other design professionals.

Back to the film. It started with some opening remarks from Bill Williams, Director of Temple Design, Special Projects Department. Bill spoke about Laurie Olin’s connection to Utah through design on the LDS Church’s conference center rooftop, along with some other anecdotes about Olin that seemed on par with the film’s content and stories told by those interviewed for the film. Laurie Olin’s name is connected to some of the most notable landscape architecture projects and his influence has probably reached dozens of others. But the film’s focus wasn’t necessarily on those projects, its essence was in the form of portraying Olin’s ability to observe and understand, to make sense of the multitude of external factors that contribute to a place, to scribble, to sketch, to have a vision come to life through art and landscape architecture. To be loose. Doing it all while sitting still.

“One of the best methods ever devised to learn from the world is to actually be in it and sit still…”. – Laurie Olin

2025 ASLA National Conference in New Orleans

Carson Trejo, LAEP senior and USU ASLA VP of Public Relations

Hey Utah ASLA! My name is Carson Trejo, and I am the VP of Public Relations for our student chapter at USU. I’m excited to share my experience from the 2025 ASLA National Conference in New Orleans!

Last month, about 30 of our students had the privilege of attending the ASLA Conference in New Orleans. In the LAEP program at USU, we are fortunate to have full support to attend conferences and events like these. These opportunities are unique and meaningful in developing as professionals, exploring our interests, and growing as a program and a chapter.

It is always exciting to participate in the events of the conference! The sessions this year were great as usual. My favorite session was “Bees, Butterflies, Beetles – Oh My! Science-Backed Framework for Urban Pollinator Conservation.” This session presented the importance of science-based implementation of urban pollinator habitat while making it accessible and engaging for the public. They developed and presented the Somerville Pollinator Action Plan, which lays out the importance of pollinator conservation and how the community can participate. The document is great, so you should check it out.

At the LABash Block Party, we received 1st place in the School Spirit Contest for the second year in a row! Thank you to all of the professionals and alumni who helped us go BACK TO BACK! The dedication many of you have to connect with our student chapter is incredibly meaningful.

Lastly, the opportunity we are given to explore new areas of the country and to understand the culture and challenges that a place faces is extremely valuable. Visiting such a culturally diverse and rich place like New Orleans is something the members of our chapter will never forget!

Special Thanks to ASLA Utah 2025 Sponsors & Corporate Partners for their Support!

Platinum Sponsors
BioGrass | Great Western Recreation | Rain Bird

Gold Sponsors
Belgard | Hunter/FX Luminaire | LuckyDog Recreation | MADRAX/Thomas Steele | Victor Stanley

Silver Sponsors

Corporate Partners
Denton House | FenceTrac | G Brown Design