The Field

On March 18, 2015, the ASLA Executive Committee approved the new Environmental Justice Professional Practice Network (PPN). We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the establishment of this group and look forward to working with you to integrate issues of environmental justice into the education and professional practice of landscape architecture.

ASLA members are welcome to join the new PPN by contacting ASLA Membership Services at membership@asla.org 888-999-ASLA.

Mission Statement and Goals

Environmental Justice is a topic of great concern for the profession and while we have many examples of environmental justice in practice, it is not an integral part of every project. A few decades ago we aspired to make sustainability a fundamental part of every landscape project; today we have the same aspirations and hope that future generations will intuitively design with keen sensibilities and sensitivities for all people in all landscapes.

The mission of the Environmental Justice PPN is to provide a forum for ASLA members involved in environmental justice. We have big aspirations for this group and will be working to accomplish some major goals:

1. Create a network of knowledgeable landscape architecture professionals involved in, inspired by, and interested in pursuing environmental justice through education, research, and practice.
2. Collect, compile, advance, and disseminate state-of-the-art information and research related to environmental justice practices.
3. Provide assistance as needed to support and inform ASLA programs and policies on issues related to environmental justice.
4. Support initiatives, programs, and mentoring opportunities that expose underserved student populations to landscape architecture career options and help achieve full representation of perspectives in the profession’s work.
5. Encourage members to develop Online Learning presentations, submit proposals for ASLA Annual Meeting education sessions, submit projects for design awards, and post content through The Field.
6. Encourage members to work with allied professionals to develop resources for environmental justice.

The Field and Online Learning

We encourage any of you who would like to contribute to The Field or the Online Learning series to contact us. Sharing your own research and experience is the best way to increase our collective efforts towards environmental justice in our work. The more we know about new techniques and developments, the closer we come to implementing them appropriately.

PPN LinkedIn Group

From the EJ PPN webpage, you can join the PPN’s LinkedIn group and begin networking and sharing information with other members of the group. (Note: PPN LinkedIn groups are open to non-ASLA members as well as members, unlike the PPNs themselves. Anyone interested in landscape architecture and environmental justice may join the PPN’s LinkedIn group.)

Please feel free to contact us if you have an idea, project, or program that could be assisted by the Environmental Justice PPN. We’re here to support each other as advocates for environmental justice and landscape architecture.

All ASLA members may join one Professional Practice Network (PPN) for free, and each additional PPN for only $15 per year. To join the Environmental Justice PPN, email membership@asla.org or call 888-999-ASLA.

by Julie Stevens, ASLA, and Kathleen King, Associate ASLA, Founding Co-Chairs of the Environmental Justice PPN