A challenge grows. The time to lead with landscape is now
“The devastating micro and macro dangers of this global crisis are in the foreground everywhere we look, and New England-based landscape architects are boldly pioneering solutions that mitigate these problems head-on. It can no longer be left unsaid: there has never been a time in our collective memories when the stakes for survival are higher, and our profession must continue to lead, innovate, and shape humanity’s response to these times. ”
November 2023
Dear BSLA members and our landscape architecture community,
As we reflect on 2023, we see the eye-opening consequences of climate change felt across New England and beyond. There has never been a time when the stakes are higher. New England-based landscape architects are boldly pioneering solutions that mitigate these problems head-on. Landscape architects and our design and construction community have increasingly essential impact in providing creative solutions at every scale. The time to lead with landscape is now.
We embrace this moment. BSLA works to support landscape architects, advance the profession of landscape architecture, and build a community of practitioners. As a volunteer-driven organization your contributions play a direct role, and with you, we are doing this - Thank You.
Together we can do more.
Thanks to your generosity, in 2023, we
Introduced over 400 high school students to the profession through Park(ing) Day and Earth Day workshops, focused on themes of pollinators, biodiversity, and addressing urban heat
Expanded educational opportunities as we co-launched the first ever landscape architecture summer program in Maine, while our Boston-area firms co-created a summer intern series for college and graduate students
Advanced equity, diversity and inclusion as we initiated LARE Mini-Grants and held the first “Journeys” panel and discussion, sharing a variety of perspectives and paths through the profession
Supported recent graduates through a portfolio review series that matched 20 mentor/mentee pairs, as well as a fall and spring LARE study series that welcomed over 80 emerging professionals
Explored a dozen landscape architecture projects on the front edge of climate action and equity with over 225 attendees in our Inside/Out site tours, and began production on the next Fieldbook: the CLIMATE issue (coming early 2024)
Hosted the second annual Landscape Architecture + Climate Action in New England virtual summit to an online audience of over 250, featuring the work of more than two dozen firms and individuals
In addition, we released the first BSLA Coloring Book (not only for kids…) including drawings by 23 individuals, firms, and academic studios. We connected in person with at least 700 of you, whether we were learning about landscape design for wildlife, helping plant wildflowers, celebrating Design Awards or just being social, and we came together online as firm leaders, as public-sector landscape architects, and as emerging professionals to collaborate, learn from each other and strengthen relationships. We are building a community of practitioners.
We have done this all with extraordinary volunteers — thank you!!! — and a staff of 1½.
Last year BSLA transformed the “Cunningham Challenge” into a revived, permanent fundraising effort called the "Circle of Support.” With your financial contributions we raised more than $96,000 in 24 months. Additionally, so far this year over 250 of you – more than ever before – have led tours, written articles, taught teens about pollinators and permeability and lots of other things. Thank you.
As we head into 2024, we believe our outreach can grow even stronger, and become even more impactful. Will you help us sustain and grow this work? Your donations directly expand our ability to connect to youth; advocate for our profession; increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field; and strengthen the visibility of landscape architecture throughout the region. With you, in 2024, we will do all of the above again — AND — connect with more high schools. Support more emerging professionals. Increase state-level advocacy, visibility, and awareness. Launch a regional landscape architecture conference. The time to lead with landscape is now.
As an individual or as a firm, we ask you to reaffirm your commitment to the “Circle of Support,” and to consider even greater contributions than you have graciously provided in the past. And if you’re not yet part of it, please join today.
Every single contribution — financial and volunteer, great and small — will strengthen the excellent work underway and help us lead in this moment.
A contribution to BSLA is an investment in the future of our Massachusetts and Maine landscape architecture community.
Click here to make a pledge or to volunteer. Thank you.
With sincere gratitude and appreciation,
BSLA member, firm leader, and catalyst Matthew Cunningham, ASLA;
BSLA president Luisa Oliveira, ASLA;
BSLA past president Kaki Martin, FASLA;
BSLA president-elect Michelle Crowley, ASLA; and
BSLA executive director Gretchen Rabinkin, Affil. ASLA
The inaugural Summer of Spatial Design students start with site poetry under the tree canopy at the University of Southern Maine arboretum
If you're interested and have some questions, please be in touch. We're happy to discuss. Email gretchen@bslanow.org or call Gretchen at 617 686 4362 to start a conversation.
The Boston Society of Landscape Architects, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501c(6) professional association. Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions. They may be deductible as trade or business expense. Please consult your tax advisor.