During the ASLA 2024 Conference on Landscape Architecture, 6,500 participants came together to learn, connect, share knowledge, gain inspiration, and bring value to their practice. This landmark event celebrated the 125-year legacy of the American Society of Landscape Architects while setting sights on the future of the ever-evolving field of landscape architecture.
If you missed the conference, 50+ education session recordings are available online so you can experience ASLA 2024’s informative sessions and engaging discussions led by experts and innovators on topics from equity in climate action to collaboration with AI to construction administration. Visit the ASLA Online Learning library to gain insights into pressing challenges and emerging possibilities, charting the course for a more resilient and equitable world. (And if looking at all these amazing sessions has you feeling inspired, the call for presentations for ASLA 2025 opens in early January!)
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Listed below are the 2024 conference education sessions added to the ASLA Online Learning library. Besides the general session and LARE Prep workshops, all conference recordings offer Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System™ (LA CES™)-approved professional development (LA CES PDH); five recordings also offer SITES-specific continuing education hours to maintain the SITES Accredited Professional (SITES AP) credential (GBCI SITES-Specific CE).
ASLA 2024 General Session – Ancestral Futures: Indigenous Science and Technological Innovations in Landscape Architecture
Join Julia Watson, a futurist landscape designer and best-selling author, and Dr. Lyla June Johnston, an Indigenous scholar and environmental advocate, for an inspiring keynote session. Together, they will explore the intersection of ancient ecological knowledge and modern technological advancements in landscape architecture. Through storytelling and case studies, Watson and Johnston will discuss how embracing Indigenous principles and innovative design can help us create resilient, sustainable landscapes that honor the Earth and its ecosystems.
A Conversation: The Power of Equity in Climate Action – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Sparking a broad conversation about the role of equity in all work, this session poses ways the ASLA Climate Action Plan can structure equity as the umbrella. The power of centering equity in the plan’s goals and initiatives will be discussed by leaders of BlackLAN and the Climate Action Plan.
A Conversation with Congress: How Landscape Architects Green Schools – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
This session will explore how landscape architects can increase opportunities to green schools through advocacy and promotion of the values of these spaces. Using case studies, policy insights, and practical strategies, landscape architects will learn how to shape and advocate for legislation to implement nature-based solutions in the education environment.
A Phase-by-Phase Approach to Decarbonizing Design – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
This session focuses on how to approach decarbonization as designers. Landscape architects are skilled at balancing a complex array of different considerations on every project, regardless of its type or scale. To achieve carbon reduction goals, our design approach must incorporate best practices and strategies seamlessly into our practice.
A Sole Practitioner’s Guide to Hiring Your First Employee – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Ready to make the leap from solo practice to delightful design duet? Join two experienced micro-office leaders in an honest discussion about the risks and rewards of hiring your first employee. We will discuss the who, what, when, and why, and how to go about it.
Beyond the ADA: New Federal Guidance Impacting Accessibility in the Public Realm – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Access Board and U.S. Department of Transportation, have been pushing the needle forward on inclusive design within the public realm. Learn how the latest guidance is turning into law and how best practices tested in complex streetscapes are applicable elsewhere including site design.
Blueprint 2.0: Reimagining Prosperity Around the World’s Largest Airport – 1.0 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Atlanta is home to the world’s busiest airport, surrounded by 13 communities that have experienced limited investment, educational inequality, and loss of character. This session focuses on the Aerotropolis, a multi-jurisdictional initiative to generate economic resilience, equity, and placekeeping through a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors.
Bringing Nature into the Heart of Darkness: Restorative Justice in the Garden – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Can the environment of a maximum-security penitentiary be transformed into a healing oasis that supports restorative justice and transformation? Incarcerated individuals at the Oregon State Penitentiary raised the funds, and two hundred inmates built the Memorial Healing Garden, demonstrating extraordinary commitment, shared purpose, dedication, and hope.
Business of the Business: Strategies for Managing Small Design Practices – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
The primary hurdle for a business leader may seem to be acquiring and executing new projects while ensuring client satisfaction. The reality is more complex. Managing a small firm can often be more demanding than handling design and project execution. Various management approaches exist. Which one is best for you?
Climate Action Planning (The Verb): Promising Practices for Climate-Positive Work – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The urgency of the biodiversity and climate crises requires fast and strategic response. Climate action won’t happen on its own: firms must create roadmaps to operationalize and implement climate action. This session explores approaches and provides lessons in creating climate action plans at three firms of differing sizes and geographies.
Concrete Confidential: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Ubiquitous Building Material – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Concrete is a ubiquitous building material, relatively economical, adaptable, and maintainable, but it comes with a heavy environmental price tag. Since it’s not departing anytime soon, we need to be smarter when designing with concrete and integrate practical steps that will reduce waste, improve longevity, and include eco-friendly mixes into projects.
Design for Freedom: Eliminating Forced Labor in the Building Materials Supply Chain – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE
It is time to reimagine landscape architecture and join our architectural and engineering colleagues by raising awareness and inspiring responses to disrupt forced labor in the materials supply chain. Learn how this new movement is mobilizing leaders, and how you can participate to design and build a more humane future.
Designing for Energy Transition: The Opportunity of Renewable Energy Landscapes – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The challenge of finding space for the massive amount of renewable energy needed is daunting, but landscape design can help. This panel will present case studies of cutting-edge renewable energy landscapes from Europe, as well as ongoing U.S. explorations of opportunities for landscape design within the renewable energy transition.
Design Matters: The Impact of Landscape Architecture on Infrastructure Projects – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The East Midtown Greenway was one of the most complex gaps of the Manhattan Greenway in New York City. It is built entirely on structure and overwater. This session explores how landscape architects played a critical role in collaborating with the client and engineers to create a stunning greenway.
Doing Good: Building and Sustaining an Ethical Practice – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
From early professional development to long-term growth, leading designers are finding success in business models that are focused on a genuine ethos of practice. Each of these renowned speakers will share unique case studies and processes that have resulted in authentic studio structures that aim to strengthen the public realm.
Evidence-Based Design for Human and Environmental Health – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The Southwestern Medical District Green Corridor and Park Project is using an innovative, research-backed design approach to address challenges caused by the effects of urban heat and air quality on human health and ecosystems. The panelists will delve into the evidence-based design process, share insights gained, and highlight key lessons from their work.
Federal to Local, Making Tree Equity a Reality – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The Forest Service is committed to growing America’s urban forests. Cities need more trees and canopy coverage to ensure residents receive essential ecological services equitably. This presentation delves into urban forestry and tree equity, highlighting how federal efforts lead to effective local strategies and the critical role landscape architects play.
Finding Your Place: Landscape Architecture in Engineering(-first) Design Firms – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Exacerbated by the retirement of the boomer generation, the pandemic, and the “great migration,” landscape architects across the country have been searching for their place within the industry. Hear from landscape architecture practice leaders within engineering-first firms and learn how collaboration, culture, and identity align for practitioners to thrive in these workplaces.
Following a Founder: Designing Your Path to Leadership in a Growing Firm – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Firms can and should be designed to support the vision of a founder. But what happens when the firm grows and new leaders emerge? Explore how rising leaders at TEN x TEN and Fletcher Studio have charted their paths and positively influenced the evolution of both firms.
Four Coasts: Improving Coastal Design Through Landscape Architecture and Engineering With Nature – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Hear from leading coastal designers—researchers, landscape architects, and engineers—on how to work with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Districts to develop nature-based designs for coastal infrastructure. Strategies discussed will include tools and data required, concept development, team structure, outreach efforts, and policy strategies.
From Afterthought to Forethought—Approaches to Construction Administration – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Design without execution is merely a beautiful idea. For a landscape to be successful, it must be informed by both an artisanal and pragmatic approach with a focus on craft. In this session we will explore three approaches to construction administration for private residential, commercial, and public projects.
From Removal to Reuse: Perspectives on Reclaimed Material in Design – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE
Using reclaimed materials in landscape architecture offers a variety of environmental and aesthetic benefits, but there is still untapped potential for these materials in public projects. Hear about how three industry professionals are approaching the benefits and challenges of using reclaimed materials in the public realm.
From Waste to Resource: Increasing Circularity in Engineered Soils Through Renewable Materials – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Manufactured soils rely on extracting virgin materials. This session delves into an EPA-funded multisector research study on the production and performance of glass-based soil. This research illustrates how the innovative use of renewable materials in public works and GSI projects can reduce their environmental footprints while creating local circular economies.
Generative Planting at Scale: Systems Design for Ecological Impact – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Dive into the future of planting design in this conversational session, exploring how digital tools, including AI, are reshaping large-scale performative planting projects. Examine ecological and aesthetic strategies that transition from traditional methods to interconnected systems thinking. Uncover the evolving role of designers in this age of new tools.
Get the Dirt on Soil-level Strategies for Climate Resilience and Carbon Drawdown – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Soils are critical for the success of any landscaping project, but they are also a critical tool in combating climate change and increasing resilience against the climate changes we are already experiencing.
Greenspeak: Dialogue Between Landscape Architects and Native Plant Producers to Promote BNG – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
In 2024, we’re stepping up our game in setting ambitious biodiversity goals. During this session, we’ll engage in meaningful discussions to identify key challenges, discover opportunities, and discuss how to overcome obstacles together across the design/supply chain. To expand nature-based solutions, we need a solid network of suppliers and partners.
Hard as a Rock! Detailing Natural Stone Paving for Timeless Durability – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
For thousands of years, stone has been used to craft landscapes of enduring beauty. As project performance demands, applications, and complexity increase, consideration must be given to ensure the longevity of stone installations. This session examines the considerations, best practices, and detailing techniques to safeguard installations for generations to come.
Hot, Dry, Burnt: Adapting to Climate Change in the American West – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
In regions where cities are becoming hotter, dryer, and more exposed to wildfire, landscape architects are poised to play an outsized role in helping communities adapt. Hear from experts about new resources, ongoing research, and proven design strategies for responding to climate change in the American West and beyond.
Indigenous Design: Design Adapted to Place – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
The profession of landscape architecture in Canada is taking steps toward renewed relations with Indigenous peoples, a process known as Reconciliation. The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Reconciliation Advisory Committee supports this process through research, practice, advocacy, and policy that is changing the practice of landscape architecture in Canada.
Inside the LA Studio—LandDesign – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
How does LandDesign adapt their practice to evolve with an ever-changing profession? With a collection of individuals that believe everyone deserves great design. Dive into the history of LandDesign’s multi-disciplinary practice and their optimistic outlook on the future of the firm and landscape architecture profession.
Inside the LA Studio—Michael Vergason Landscape Architects – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
MVLA is founded on the belief that landscape architecture is a poetic response to the human need for connection to the world. Established in 1987, we are a studio-based practice committed to timeless design and resilient execution. The firm approaches each project with a creative and rigorous study of the site. We then identify ways to marry human use with the land’s cultural and ecological systems. This process forges places that spark delight and rekindle our unity with nature.
Inside the LA Studio—PUSH studio Landscape and Urban Design – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
PUSH studio, LLC, is a small Black-owned firm located in Washington DC. The firm has focused on cultural landscape and urban design projects over the past ten years. PUSH studio defines cultural landscape as “…projects that respond to and reflect the history and culture of diverse communities.” The firm vision encourages leadership to ensure the creation of consistently unique place-specific design solutions that resolve complex challenges within the urban landscape. With two partners trained in landscape architecture and architecture, the firm practices at the intersection of both professions.
LANDSPLAINING: Advocating for the Role of Landscape Architecture – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Featuring a cross-disciplinary discussion, this session will seek to educate and motivate practitioners by elevating the conversation about the role of landscape architecture for potential clients in the public and private sectors. Attendees will learn how to position their business through case studies, industry video interviews, and personal insights.
Leaping Forward: Growing from Full-time Employment to Entrepreneurship – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Entrepreneurship is both risky and rewarding; making the move to running your own office can be daunting. This talk takes guests through the formation of a new firm. Learn about your rights as you transition from employee to employer. Instead of a side gig, why not start a main gig?
Making Materials Work for Climate Action and SITES – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE
This session explores strategies for specifying and obtaining more sustainable materials to reach the goals outlined in the ASLA Climate Action Plan and SITES rating system. Diverse perspectives will be provided by a U.S. federal government agency, a nonprofit third-party certification body, and a landscape architecture and urban design firm.
Making the Most of Federal Transportation Funding to Maximize State Active Transportation – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as we explore best practices in maximizing federal funding opportunities for active transportation and trails. We will highlight case studies and approaches to strategically take advantage of funding in your state, including using safety and climate funding, as well as discussing equitable access to funds.
Outdoor Lighting—Beautiful, Biologically Appropriate, and Ecologically Responsible – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE
Biodiversity is not exclusive to land and water. The night sky supports significant biological functions for people, plants, and pollinators. This workshop will provide the latest insights you need to implement responsible lighting at night, making beautiful nighttime environments more understood while minimizing biological disruption and damage to nocturnal ecosystems.
Ownership Transition: The ESOP Strategy – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Ownership transition is a difficult decision facing firm leaders, but what happens when owners and employees have conflicting goals? Through one firm’s story, learn how an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was the answer. This panel will share the drivers, process, and outcomes of transition from founders to the next generation.
Performance-Based Plant Selection: Developing a National Bioretention Plant Selection Tool – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Plants struggle to survive in bioretention, yet plant functionality is critical to bioretention’s success as a cost-effective alternative to gray infrastructure. Constant replacement is a financial burden and limiting factor for effective treatment. This discussion will focus on what we know regarding plant attributes to reach improved success across ecoregions.
Planting for the Next 125 Years: Landscape Architecture’s Role in Combating Invasives – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Planting design brings the opportunity to create beautiful, inspiring spaces, but also the responsibility to consider the impact of plant selection on long-term maintenance, climate change, and ecosystem health. This session highlights strategies available to professionals facing issues of climate adaptation, shifting cultural values, and complex species interactions.
Poetry of Place: The Pursuit of the There There – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
How do we create landscapes that people connect to? Beginning with uncovering the character and cultural narratives of the site, this session explores material authenticity as a way of cultivating a sense of place. The speakers discuss the imaginative potential of vegetation, stone, metal, and concrete to create powerful human experiences.
Reframing the Plantation Narrative: A Community-driven Evolution of Latta Place – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Latta Place is a historic house and plantation, formerly a home to enslaved people and currently a heritage site within the Mecklenburg County, NC, park system. We will explore the community-driven process to restore the site and recenter its dominant narrative. Lessons for working on complex sites will be shared.
Rematriate the Land: Our Obligations to Truth and Healing – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge comprises foundational systems relating directly to the practice of cultural activities grounded by human interaction with the land and each other. Our obligations as landscape architects should be to facilitate the restoration and protection of cultural places while working to return Indigenous access to these lands.
Restoring to What? Addressing Biodiversity in the Era of Climate Change – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Restoring ecosystems within our communities offers valuable lessons in how vibrant and adaptive landscapes strengthen our civic fabric. Diverse yet engaging regenerative landscapes in the public realm restore ecological function and address the myriad opportunities for meeting biodiversity and resilience goals in changing climate conditions.
Sensory-Responsive Design: Qualitative Insights and Design Methodologies for Crafting Neuro-Inclusive Environments – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Sensory-responsive design emanates from an evidence-based connection between sensory sensitivities and neurodiversity. To best meet the needs of the neurodiverse community, a sensory-responsive process must be applied in designed landscapes. Attendees will learn about neurodiversity and techniques to apply in the classroom and in practice.
Sustaining Green: Innovative Partners and Funding in Systems-Based Design, Construction, and Maintenance – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
There is never enough funding for design, construction, and maintenance of green infrastructure. In this session, you will learn about models to bring resources to green infrastructure: systems-based solutions for revitalizing vacant land and parks, structuring green finance to mobilize private investments, and partnering for a full-circle urban wood economy.
The Complex Nature of Mini-Forests: Promises and Perils of Urban Restorative Forest-Making – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Mini-forests have made their way to America with the promise of a natural succession shortcut to mature forests within urban environs. Mini-forests are celebrated for biodiversity, carbon sequestration benefits, and accessibility for grassroots rewilding, but what opportunities and precautions should be considered as timeless approaches to forest-making are remixed and popularized?
The Research-Practice Ecotone: Models for Authentic Inquiry and Discovery – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
New paradigms in the convergence of research and practice are explored through the metaphor of the “ecotone.” This panel will discuss new integrated models for navigating the research-practice boundary zone to address the complex issues faced by landscape architects through case studies such as Tidal Philly and Ford’s Michigan Central.
Think BIG! Exploring Strategic Roles to Increase Transparency and Impact of Practice – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
In an ever-evolving industry where professionals seek new paths for career growth, a spark for creativity, and engaging work, how do you cultivate a studio that supports long-term planning and creates space for discovery? Hear from leaders in roles strategically developed to change practice culture and elevate the profession’s impact.
Unlocking the Carbon Potential of Soils – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE
Soils hold 80% of global terrestrial carbon stocks and are critical for carbon drawdown. The nitty “gritty” details of how we work with soils hold the greatest potential for carbon sequestration of any aspect of the built environment. This session shares best practices for maximizing carbon storage in designed landscapes.
Using Your Voice to Influence Landscape Architecture Licensure and Policy – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Become a policy influencer! Learn to identify and collaborate with key legislators, empowering yourself to shape landscape architecture policies. Position yourself as a valuable resource with insights into protecting health, safety, welfare, and the environment. This session educates and empowers you to become an effective advocate.
Washington D.C.—A Tapestry of Towns and Small Gardens – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)
Washington D.C. has evolved over time as an expanding tapestry of architectural styles. While civic buildings are celebrated, the District’s 300,000 homes provide a multiplicity of distinct neighborhoods and architectural styles. As homes are renovated, landscape architects thoughtfully blend community identity with modern life, elevating both neighborhood character and design.
When 1 × 1 = ♾️: Design Ethics, Storytelling, and Collaboration with AI – 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)
Join a candid conversation with an AI visualization thought leader, a landscape architect, and a global corporate digital strategist to unpack future storytelling through AI-powered design processes and technologies. Attendees will gain practical insights, explore collaborative workflow, and reflect on ethical considerations while delving into an epic journey of narrative building.
About ASLA Online Learning
ASLA Online Learning offers both live virtual presentations throughout the year and most of the 200 recordings available offer Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System™ (LA CES™)-approved professional development hours (PDH).
PDH may be earned after viewing a presentation by completing and passing a short quiz. Be sure to check state mandatory continuing education requirements to ensure that LA CES courses are compatible with your state’s continuing education requirements.
Log in using your ASLA username and password for member discounts and access to free PDH, for ASLA members only. ASLA Online Learning content, except some LARE Prep and SKILL | ED content, is free for Student ASLA members to access!
Log in with your existing ASLA username and password to get started. If applicable, be sure to update your asla.org profile with your CLARB record number and Florida license number—these fields can be found under the “About Me” tab, in the “My Professional Information” section—to ensure this information appears on your certificates. If you do not have an account on asla.org, follow the instructions under “Create an Account” to set up a new guest account to log in.
Questions about ASLA Online Learning? Please contact us at learn@asla.org.