Upcoming Chapter Events
Charette
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
ALTA Planning + Design, 711 SE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97214
Emerging Professionals Social
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave., Portland, OR 97214
2011 Annual Symposium
Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
Portland State University, Shattuck Hall Annex, 1914 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201
CE Credits
Symposium - 6.0 hours of HSW PDH credits and 1.5 hours of general PDH credits.
Charrette - 1 hour of PDH credit.
For more details and to register for this event Click Here!
EXHIBITS & SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!
Exhibits are a cost-effective way to make new contacts. Exhibit registration includes one full symposium registration for the primary representative for access to the educational offerings, meals, breaks and all session materials.
Sponsorships are a great way to support ASLA Oregon Chapter programs, as well as gain increased exposure. Sponsors will be listed in the Symposium program, on the website, in the Newswire, etc. Sponsors will also be recognized on-site at the event.
Thank you to our current sponsors:
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The Western Group
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Portland State University
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Landscape Forms
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For more exhibit and sponsorship details and to sign up today Click Here!
Meet David Fisher ‘Regional Parks & Trails Guru’
  ASLA Mt Hood Chapter and Metro are Hosting
Meet David Fisher: ‘Regional Parks & Trails Guru’
Date: Thursday April 28, 2011
Time: 5:30 -7:00 pm
Location: Maul Foster Alongi, 2000 NW 19th Ave., #200, Portland, OR
(Fitzgibbons Glass Building -Elevator and stairway entry at the rear of the building from the parking lot.)
Refreshments will be provided
Mr. Fisher was the executive director of the Metropolitan Park and Recreation District later renamed, The Great Rivers Greenway District (GRG) in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a strong advocate of community participation, neighborhood involvement and collaborative partnerships. His leadership resulted in the creation of $90 million of parks, trails and open space throughout the St. Louis region.
He also was a powerful force during his tenure at the Minneapolis park system, arguably the best served by trails and open spaces in the United States.
You will also learn more about The Intertwine, the Portland region’s own efforts to more fully integrate our own system of parks, trails and natural areas.
This is an informal event that will offer landscape architects an opportunity to meet with an expert in regional greenway and trail development and is free for members of Oregon ASLA and $10 for non-members.
To register on-line, click here!
Announcements
April is National Landscape Architecture Month!
Celebrate National Architecture Month!
 In celebration of National Landscape Architecture Month, the April issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine has been posted online for free downloading and viewing, compliments of Kornegay Design. Please celebrate with us by forwarding this link to colleagues and clients, posting it to your own web site, and sharing it via your social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).
Happy April--National Landscape Architecture Month!
  Brad McKee Ann Looper Pryor
Editor in Chief Publisher
Learn more about NLAM
Check out hundreds of activities nationwide
In honor of NLAM the April issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine is available for free.
Check it out online!
Check out these links for more information about National Landscape Architecture Month!
ASLA NLAM2011
Designing our Future: Sustainable Landscapes
Looking to get involved with your local chapter? Have an idea for Landscape Architecture Month 2011?
Contact ASLA Oregon Communications Chair, Christopher Olin, today!
March 2011 Trustee's Report
Some of the highlights from our National Office the past month are as follows:
Governance and Administration
EVP Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, was in Austin, Texas, along with Public Relations Manager Jim Lapides and Professional Practice Manager Liz Guthrie for a SITES Technical Core Committee (TCC) meeting. In addition to TCC members and SITES partners Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and U.S. Botanic Garden, the meeting was attended by representatives of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Goals of the meeting included review of initial documentation submitted by pilot projects, identification of areas/issues that require clarification or further development, and review of opportunities for coordination and alignment between SITES and LEED®. The SITES Executive Committee also met separately and with GBCI leadership to advance discussions regarding a potential partnership with GBCI for SITES project certification and professional credentialing.
Government Affairs
ASLA received over 300 green infrastructure case studies. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water is seeking data to help inform its efforts in crafting a new national stormwater rule.
Legislative Analyst Kevin O’Hara attended the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Highways and Transit Subcommittee Hearing entitled “Improving and Reforming the Nation's Surface Transportation Programs.†A series of hearings by early April will set the stage for the committee’s approach to reauthorizing the Surface Transportation Act. President Obama’s budget called for significant program consolidation including changes to the transportation enhancement programs; however, details remain few and far between at this juncture.
Two new tools have been added to ASLA’s resources for those preparing to take the national licensing exam. In recent years, the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards has created exam vignettes for the two graphic sections of the exam and furnished them to ASLA so that they are widely available to candidates. The ASLA LARE Prep Committee has developed two companion tools for these vignettes: (1) the Practice Vignette Guide, which provides tips on using practice vignettes for preparation and common mistakes that candidates make on the graphic sections of the exam; and (2) Common Issues and Frequent Vignette Mistakes: Section C, which focuses on particular issues with taking Section C. A similar guide for Section E is in development.
Public Relations and Communications
Advertising contracts for Landscape Architecture Magazine is 11 percent higher in dollar value than the sales as of the same week of 2010.
EXPO and annual meeting sponsorships now eight percent higher in dollar value than sales for the same number of weeks prior to the 2010 annual meeting.
Member and Chapter Services
Two membership issues have been reviewed this past year. One is on the rules for International Membership and the other is whether Full Members must be licensed. A national committee reviewed these issues and provided recommendations to the National Executive Committee which approved them. The recommendation is not to require licensure for full membership. I will review the pros and cons of both of these issues at upcoming Chapter Executive meeting. Members are welcome to come and provide input.
Public Relations and Communications
ASLA’s The Dirt blog was selected as one of the Top 10 Best Websites for planning, design, and development by Planetizen.
UO A Winner in Design Competition
UO Architecture-Business team recognized in North American competition
The students’ achievement furthers UO’s reputation in sustainable, affordable design
EUGENE, Ore. -- (March 25, 2011) – In just 15 days of nearly round-the-clock work, a team of UO landscape architecture, architecture and business administration students completed a comprehensive design-development project in a recent competition, producing a “Water Scapes†entry that was singled out for excellence in sustainability.
The team placed in the top 11 in the competition, which drew 153 entries from 60 universities competing for $80,000 in prizes.
 “Being about urban design and financial feasibility, it’s one of the rare opportunities for a dialogue across disciplines,†noted landscape architecture assistant professor Deni Ruggeri, who advised the winning team. “Rarely do you have MBA and design students working together.â€
The ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition asks graduate students to form teams of five students across three disciplines. This year’s competition asked how a site in Seattle could capitalize on its new light rail station. The proposal needed to be sensitive, appropriate and affordable.
UO team members included Roberto Bio, master’s of landscape architecture; Andy Fenstermacher, master’s of business administration; Vanessa Nevers, master’s of landscape architecture and master’s of architecture; Brian Rajotte, master’s of business administration; and Lauren Schwartz, master’s of landscape architecture and master’s of business administration.
The UO team’s entry, “Water Scapes,†won an honorable mention â€For Comprehensive Thinking about the Water Cycle.†The honorable mention categories did not exist prior to judging but were “individual projects that the jury members felt stood out,†ULI spokesman Robert Krueger said.
“Water was the one (concept) that made more sense and allowed for stronger design opportunities,†Bio said. “Seattle means rainwater, and buildings produce a lot of gray water that can be used.â€
It was the first year a UO team entered the competition, now in its ninth year. Students had a month to prepare for the official kick-off, Jan. 17, when details of the competition were released and a 15-day clock began ticking.
The finance team recommended phasing, zoning, and size. The landscape architects and architects produced the graphics, with Schwartz playing a pivotal role as intermediary.
“We definitely started to notice a difference between the work process of MBAs and design students,†Fenstermacher said. “The MBAs wanted to really crunch the numbers before putting pencil to paper. At times this clashed with the design students who were definitely more eager to start drawing. It took a few days to overcome this learning curve.â€
The other thorny aspect of the competition was its compressed time frame. “Roberto and I worked till 4 a.m. almost every night,†Nevers added. “I had two hours of sleep a night for the entire two weeks. By the end of the competition I was completely delirious.â€
Both design and business teammates felt they gained insight into how each other thinks and how that will translate to the workplace. “It was like making a puzzle with different people making different pieces,†Schwartz said. “Everyone made their part in their own way but in the end each piece fit together to make a complete picture.“
Nevers said the competition validated her choice of career. “It's not often that we get rewarded for what we love in life. I feel fortunate to be doing what I'm doing.â€
The competition is funded through a $3 million endowment from Gerald D. Hines, chairman and owner of the Hines real estate organization. Co-sponsor The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit organization with members in 95 countries.
 Caption: Lauren Schwartz (from left), Andy Fenstermacher, Vanessa Nevers and Roberto Bio share a laugh while reviewing their competition entry. The team worked across disciplines to create an award-winning design.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 63 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Marti Gerdes, Communications Specialist, (541) 346-6094, martig@uoregon.edu
Source: druggeri@uoregon.edu, (541) 346-3619
Links: http://aaa.uoregon.edu/; http://udcompetition.org
Schirmer Satre Group…Starts Now
Carol Schirmer and Rick Satre are pleased to announce the founding of Schirmer Satre Group. Schirmer Satre Group is a full-service multi-disciplinary firm offering planning, landscape architecture and environmental consulting services to public and private clients throughout western Oregon. Schirmer Satre Group offers a well rounded project approach to clients through a multi-disciplinary synthesis of services, providing broadened perspectives, enhanced expertise, and economy of services. Whether specific sites or comprehensive designs, Schirmer Satre Group can help clients realize their objectives for regulatory approval, quality design and long-lasting performance. Schirmer Satre Group is certified WBE, DBE and ESB.
Carol Schirmer, ASLA (BS ’79, BLA ’89, MLA ’91) is a licensed landscape architect with 21 years experience. Rick Satre, AICP, ASLA, CSI (BLA ’77, MS ’91) is a certified planner and a licensed landscape architect and has been practicing for 33 years.
Schirmer Satre Group is located at 375 West 4th Avenue, Suite 201, Eugene, OR 97401. They can be reached at (541) 686-4540, or email carol@schirmersatre.com or rick@schirmersatre.com.
Get your firm featured in the LASN Sept. Issue
In the upcoming September 2011 Issue, LASN will be featuring outstanding Playground designs from around the country. For an opportunity to gain national recognition for your firm, please submit your best Playground project for feature consideration in this issue.
Questions? Please contact:
Doreen Darnell, Editorial Coordinator
Landscape Architect & Specifier News
14771 Plaza Drive, Suite M
Tustin, CA 92780
(ph) 714-979-5276 x132
(fx) 714-979-3543
(em) ddarnell@landscapeonline.com
www.LandscapeOnline.com
Greenroads
Great news, Greenroads is looking for new projects and enthusiastic people and organizations to join in our mission to support sustainability in transportation!
First Greenroads Project Starts Construction
That's right, ground has broken on our first project already! Check out our photostream on Facebook for more information about the Southeast Pioneer Way Reconstruction Project with the City of Oak Harbor, WA!
Spring Application Period Now Open Through April 30
We are now accepting new applicants for project reviews. We have also posted our Selection Criteria to assist you with deciding which project to submit as well as a quick primer on How to Get Your Project Rated. The application period will close on April 30, 2011 at 11:59pm. We are accepting applications on an approximately quarterly basis so do not fret if you miss this deadline - there will be another soon.
Public Comment Period Closes May 7
We posted the latest Greenroads Manual on February 4. Our public comment period officially opened February 7, 2011 and will close on May 7, 2011. Please consider registering as a Reviewer to add your helpful comments soon!
Become a Member, Sponsor or Volunteer
If you are interested in getting involved with Greenroads Foundation, please take a look at our brand new Join page.
Website Facelift
You may notice a bit of rearranging has been going on with the website - we are very pleased with our facelift so far, especially the home page! Let us know what you think!
JobLinks
Summer internships are an excellent opportunity for students to gain valuable hands-on experience while providing firms with extra help and prospective future employees. ASLA is offering a special JobLink summer internship promotion to its members. During the months of February, March, and April, ASLA members may post one free intern position per firm, agency, or organization. ASLA will target students with email reminders promoting JobLink, informing them about the summer internships to increase the applicant pool.
Here’s what members need to get started:
1. Visit the JobLink home page.
2. Click “Post a Job.â€
3. Members will be redirected to the login page. Enter the member’s login and password. Should log in assistance be required, contact Member Services at 888-999-ASLA (2752).
4. Complete the fields requested. From the “Career Category†drop down menu, “Internship†must be selected in order to receive the free posting.
5. When done, click “Post Job.†Members will be taken to the “E Commerce / Shopping Cart†screen and the internship will appear in the basket at no charge.
6. Click “Proceed to Payment†to proceed with the order.
7. Review the details of the order, then click “Ok†to finalize the order.
8. The internship posting will “go live†immediately.
Whether the challenge is recruiting new employees or searching for new jobs, JobLink is the solution. JobLink offers an exclusive reach to the landscape architecture community with its two primary functions—job postings and résumé postings—making JobLink the best way to recruit top quality candidates for open positions or for individuals to find new positions. As an inexpensive alternative to newspaper ads and other generic online career sites, JobLink provides access to a smaller, more qualified pool of candidates and firms that are actively looking for new talent.
For more information or questions about JobLink or the free internship posting, please contact me at cmitchell@asla.org.
Event Calendar
Check out the online Calendar of Events for the most up-to-date listing of opportunities!
Additional Opportunities
Please join the New Rail~Volutionaries in welcoming Gabe Klein to the Portland area.
 Gabe is visiting us from the Washington, DC area, where he recently headed the DC Transportation Department, DDOT. During his tenure at DDOT, Gabe spearheaded many sustainable transportation initiatives. Most notably, under his leadership the DDOT implemented the United State’s first bikeshare, Capital Bikeshare, as well as pushed forward major streetcar and bike lane projects. Gabe was also influential in modernizing the department’s communications, providing citizens with a more transparent way of accessing information.
The New Rail~Volutionaries will hold an informal happy hour to greet Gabe on April 8 at Ron Tom’s on East Burnside. Hopefully it will be sunny and we can sit outside on the patio. Please feel free to come by, say hello, and drink some great local beer with us as we welcome Gabe to Portland!
Location:
Ron Tom’s
600 East Burnside
Friday, April 8
5:30-7:30pm
 Join the New Rail~Volutionaries for a tour and ride of the Portland Aerial Tram. We will meet in front of the South Waterfront Terminal at 5:30pm, tour to start shortly after. Art Pearce will lead the tour, and it will be free of charge.
Afterwards we’ll hop the streetcar and have some beer and food at the Harborside Pilsner Room. Join us if you can!
New Rail~Volutionaries
March Happy Hour and Tram Tour
Tuesday, March 22
5:30-7:30pm
Meet at South Waterfront Tram Terminal
Architects in Schools: Portland Exhibit Receptions
First Thursday, May 5 from 5:00-8:00pm
Center for Architecture, 403 NW 11th
Albina Community Bank Gallery, 430 NW 10th
Opsis Architecture, 920 NW 17th
US Bank Tower, 111 SW 5th
Architects in Schools: Bend Exhibits (tent.)
First Friday, May 6 from 4:30-7:30pm (tentative)
Old Mill District, 330 SW Powerhouse Dr.
Architects in Schools: Eugene Exhibits
Wednesday, May 25 4:30-6:30pm
Eugene Arts & Technology Academy, 1650 West 22nd in Gym 3
Architects in Schools: Salem Exhibits
First Wednesday, June 1 5:00-7:30pm
Where the Sidewalk Begins, 233 Commercial St. NE
More Information
Job Listings
Landscape architecture firms can reach landscape architects across Oregon with an advertisement in NewsWire or on our website. Details click here.
Newswire Submittal Requirements
NewsWire is a publication of the Oregon Chapter ASLA.
NewsWire is published at the beginning of each month for annoucing information for the following month. All ads and information must be received by noon of the previous Friday for inclusion
Please send all submissions questions and comments to Dana Baisden.
Keeping Yourself Current
Please help us keep our mailing list current. Send updates or corrections of your contact information to info@aslaoregon.org
Contact Us
Executive Committee and other contact information is available at the Chapter Website
For mailing and other administrative inquiries about the chapter, contact:
ASLA Oregon Chapter
147 SE 102nd Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97216
phone: 503.227.6156
fax: 503.253.9172
info@aslaoregon.org
Follow Us
Oregon ASLA Facebook Page
Oregon ASLA Emerging Professionals Facebook Page
Oregon ASLA on Twitter
Oregon ASLA Blog
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The American Planning Association (APA)
