2021 Quarter 2: Chapter Newsletter

NMASLA — June 2021

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear NMASLA members,

As the world re-opens to a semi-normal state again, the NMASLA excom are working to host the annual Quarter 3 Golf Tournament this year, after having to cancel all of our events last year due to the pandemic. The web page is now open for registration and welcome participants and more sponsors to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this event with us.

We are also in the early stages of developing our NMASLA design awards program, which is hosted every five years, for our Quarter 4 event this year. Stay tuned for more, as we open up the website for project submissions soon. We have joined teams with Nevada’s ASLA chapter who will be our jury this year, and we will be theirs when they host their awards in 2022.

For both of these events, the Excom is extremely lucky to have the one, the great, and a former Excom member, Aaron Zahm leading us to make both of these events as successful. He has lead the planning of the golf tournament for years, and he was the leader of the last NMASLA Design Awards in 2015, which was an amazing success. Thank you so much from all of us, Aaron!

I hope you enjoy our second quarter newsletter for 2021. As always, please let us know of any other ideas you may have brewing for our newsletter, and send us projects to potentially profile in upcoming email blasts or future quarterly news. Thank you for supporting NMASLA and the landscape architecture profession through your membership with ASLA.

Kenneth Francis, NMASLA President

NMASLA NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN

Its that time of year once again, and NMASLA is in the process of putting together the slate for your 2022 Officers and Members at Large. If you are interested, or know someone who is eager to serve on the Executive Committee, these are the current positions and those positions that we will need to fill:

President (moves to from 2021 President-Elect): Courtney McKelvey

PRESIDENT-ELECT - Open for nominations

Past President (Moves to from 2021 President): Kenneth Francis

Trustee (serving second year of a two year term): Jitka Dekojova

SECRETARY - Open for nominations

TREASURER - Open for nominations

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE (Currently there are 4 Members-at-Large) - Open for nominations

If you are interested or would like to talk bout the positions, please contact Kenneth Francis by June 30 at:

kenneth@surroundings.studio or at 505.913.1942

This is a great group and a great organization that would benefit from your contribution of a few hours a month help raise the profile of Landscape Architecture in New Mexico.

Think about it……..

MEMBERSHIP ANNIVERSARIES

We would like to acknowledge these individual for their continued membership in NMASLA. Celebrating these milestones in 2021 are:

45 Years

• Craig Campbell

35 Years

• Judith Suiter

20 Years

• Juli Niemann

15 Years

• Michael Polikoff

• Kenneth Francis

• Catherine B. Mathews

10 Years

• Scott Culler

• Jitka Dekojova

• Christie Green

• Patrick Sinnott

  5 Years

• Kevin Amagai

Congratulations, and thank you!

RECENTLY PUBLISHED…..

A continuing feature of the NMASLA Newsletter highlights member projects that have been included in recent publications. If you or your firm have such a project, please send it to me at glenclcark6517@yahoo.com and get the recognition you deserve!

A new book has hit the bookstores highlighting the gardens of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast. Titled, Under Western Skies with text by Jennifer Jewel and photographs by Cailtin Atkinson, the book features both private and public gardens. Two New Mexico firms projects were included in the Southwest section: Tano Point by Surroundings Studio (Karen Still) and the Academy for the Love of Learning by Radicle (Christine Greene). The book is lushly illustrated and introduces each garden with a description of the Place, the People, and the Plants that make up each garden.

Landscape is a synthesis of the cultural and natural processes of a place. As such, landscapes provide a suitable framework for governance that promotes sustainability and resilience. Any landscape holds the possibility to both improve and regenerate the natural benefits and services of ecosystems. The Sustainable Sites Initiative was an interdisciplinary group effort which developed a rating system that advances best practices for landscape design. The system, called SITES, is grounded in the ecosystem services concept. Advantages of SITES include its credibility, replicability, and scalability. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc., SITES is being used by the cities of New York, Chicago, and Atlanta, the state of Rhode Island, and the US. General Services Administration to guide design decisions toward sustainable outcomes. These practical applications in landscape governance help inform socio-ecological practice and theory. Tess Houle, Brian Verardo, and Aaron Zahm of MRWM contributed to the article.

In the June 2021 edition of Edible New Mexico, Christine Greene of Radicle learns the lessons of range land stewardship and it’s carrying capacity in these days of extreme drought, while on a spring expedition.

Kona A. Gray
FASLA, PLA - EDSA, Principal
Daniel Vasini
WEST 8 NY, Creative Director

Tuesday, June 15, 2021 | 2:00 PM EST | Free Virtual Event
Credits: 1.5 PDH

Through the pandemic we have all had opportunity to explore new paradigms, many in regard to business methods. This presentation explores the benefits and challenges we are now faced as designers working in a remote condition. We will discuss strategies for maintaining creativity and effectively collaborating with clients and colleagues on design. Join us as we discuss remote team management and strategies to maintain connection.

Learning Objectives:
1. Creative Design Process During the Pandemic
2. Methods of Remote Collaboration
3. Remote Team Management & Strategies

UNM Department of Landscape Architecture iPads

The UNM SA+P Landscape Architecture Department would like to express a tremendous thank you to Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, MRWM, Surroundings Studio, Richard Bumstead, and Consensus Planning for sending in donations for the iPad/tablet fund. Originally, we were aiming for enough funds to purchase 3-5 devices (based on the most basic 8th Gen. model). However, with the number of donations received, we were able to purchase four of the most recent iPad Air models (better screen, more memory, faster processor) which will ensure students can use the newest releases of highly useful apps like Morpholio Trace, Photoshop, and Illustrator for years to come.

We are working to get the devices into to the hands of select students as soon as possible to use for final graphics for this semester, and look forward to following up to thank you for your support and demonstrate how these incredibly useful tools are being utilized. Even as we transition back to in-person learning this fall, these will be incredibly useful tools to build additional skills and new ways of graphic representation.

Thank you all!

• Anthony Fettes

  Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture

  Student ASLA Faculty Advisor

  UNM School of Architecture + Planning
  

UPCOMING EVENTS…..

It’s ON - Q3 NMASLA Golf Tourney - August 27, 2021, Arroyo del Oso Golf Course

Q4 GALA and AWARDS - Date and location to be announced