Promoting landscape architecture through advocacy, education, communication, and fellowship.

California Wildfire Relief Efforts

The Southern California Chapter is closely monitoring the ongoing response to wildfires impacting California. Many of our members have been affected, and we want to extend our support to those facing these difficult challenges. We will continue to share additional ways to help as we stay in touch with members in affected regions. 

Ways you can help:

  • California Fire Foundation: Your donation to the Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund directly supports victims of wildfires across California. Donate here
  • American Red Cross: To support those affected by the recent wildfires, write “California Wildfires 2025” in the memo line of your donation and send it to your local Red Cross chapter or by completing the donation form at redcross.org/donate.
  • LAFD Foundation Emergency Fund: Funds from this foundation go to essential firefighting equipment, including emergency fire shelters and hydration packs. Donate here
  • Southern California Salvation Army: Help those affected by the wildfires by donating to the Salvation Army’s efforts in Southern California. Donate here
  • Southern California Disaster Assistance: If you are in need of assistance, visit www.disasterassistance.gov for resources and support.
@socalasla
Join us on Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 from 12-1pm PST (virtual) for the: 2025 ASLA SoCal Emerging Professional Committee (EPC) Virtual Kick-Off Event! Zoom Meeting ID: 883 3455 0920 Zoom Passcode: ASLAEPC Description: Join us on Wednesday March 5th, 2025 from 12-1pm PT on Zoom for our first ASLA SoCal Emerging Professional Committee (EPC) event of 2025! This virtual lunch session will feature an outlook for 2025 followed by a conversation with our ASLA SoCal 2025 President, Scott Rice, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP, President at Community Works Design Group. Scott will share about his background,and some of his goals for 2025 with ASLA SoCal, and also open up to questions/discussion with our local Emerging Professionals! We look forward to seeing you on 3/5 - this event is FREE, and geared toward emerging professionals, but open to all ASLA members! #emergingprofessionals #asla #americansocietyoflandscapearchitects #aslasocal
We at SoCal ASLA have experienced one of the worst climate catastrophes in California history. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the devastating fires across Southern California. Some of our members have been directly affected by the destructive wildfires while others of us have been focusing our energy on supporting those dear to us and our communities in any way we can. That is why we have created a 'Wildfire Response Taskforce' within our Climate Action Committee. Through volunteer, education, and advocacy we hope to create a strong community of landscape architects and professionals to help rebuild L.A. sustainably and mindfully in hopes to avoid future catastrophes like this from occurring. We invite you to join with ASLA SoCal in creating a coalition that will be a resource to landscape architects designing for fire abatement, as well as for the community and municipalities to inform site design standards. Please join SoCal President-Elect, Melanie Buffa, ASLA and SoCal Climate Action Chair, Alyssa Moffitt, Assoc. ASLA for this very important hour long Summit. Sign up link in bio 🌱
Welcome Tracy Wolk, Associate ASLA to the SoCal chapter's HALS Liaison role. To learn more about Tracy, please visit our bio. #socalasla
Support California Wildfire Relief For ways you can help, visit our chapter website at www.socal-asla.org #socalasla
Join us on January 22 for "Are You Ready to Grow" with Steve Windhager, Ph.D, Executive Director with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Visit our bio for more information on this event. #socalasla
The ASLA Climate Action Plan encourages all practitioners to develop a Climate Action Plan for your studio. SWA just announced the release of their plan- a great example for inspiration, whatever your scale. Visit #swagroup for a link to their plan in the bio. ASLA So Cal would love to hear from our members about your Climate Action Plans. Please share!
Biopolis 2024 was held in Cali, Columbia where the International Living Infrastructure Commission issued the Biopolis Global Manifesto to shift from grey to nature based cities. Let’s keep working with our local international partners to protect biodiversity! Message us for the link.
Lo-Tek Water is available for pre-order. The sequel to Julia Watson’s book Radical Indigenism, this book focuses on indigenous technologies for managing water resources. As we witness destructive, deadly goofing in Spain, Brazil and the US, ancient indigenous land management shines a light on how we can work with the earth natural cycles. Go to the Lo-Tek Institute website for more information on their books, collaborators, and their curriculum for schools to provide hands on learning about the ancient technologies that have the potential to inform a climate resilient path forward. #Lotekinstitute
ASLA Online Learning offers this free 9 part on demand webinar series covering research and methods toward decarbonization and biodiversity protection. Underwritten by Landscape Forms, this series addresses the Climate Action Plan Vision for 2040 goals.
Vibrant Cities Lab is a fantastic resource for research on the multitude of ecosystem services that trees offer to our environments. From carbon sequestration to increased learning for school children, offering respite from extreme heat to remediating brownfields, trees are a sound investment in our shared future.

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Recent SoCal News

California Green Building Council’s Call for Presentations – Due February 14

January 30th, 2025|Comments Off on California Green Building Council’s Call for Presentations – Due February 14

Do you have innovative ideas or cutting-edge projects that could inspire others? We want to hear from you! Submit your abstract and join us at the 2025 California Green Building Conference to help shape the future of sustainable design and construction. Ready to share your expertise? Choose from these engaging formats. Collective Impact: Share your project in a 10-15 minute spotlight! These short, impactful [...]

ASLA SoCal Welcomes New HALS Liaison

January 30th, 2025|Comments Off on ASLA SoCal Welcomes New HALS Liaison

The southern California Chapter welcomes Tracy Wolk to the role of HALS Liaison. HALS Liaisons are ASLA volunteers appointed by their chapter presidents who provide technical and other types of assistance to carry out the mission of the HALS program.   Learn More Here about HALS here   Tracy is a landscape designer based in Los Angeles, known for blending [...]

How to Help Those Impacted by the L.A. Wildfires

January 16th, 2025|Comments Off on How to Help Those Impacted by the L.A. Wildfires

As of this writing, more than 170,000 Los Angeles County residents are under evacuation orders and warnings. The Palisades fire, the first and largest of the multiple Santa Ana wind-fueled wildfires to break out across the region since January 7, has spread to nearly 24,000 acres—an area larger than Manhattan—and remains just over 20 percent containment despite the heroic efforts [...]

Emerging Professional Update

January 7th, 2025|Comments Off on Emerging Professional Update

Greetings ASLA Southern California Chapter, and specifically to our Emerging Professionals! 2024 has been a fantastic year for ASLA SoCal and the Emerging Professional Committee (EPC) – throughout the year we hosted a series of in-person and virtual events (all entirely free to ASLA members) focused on programs that advance our chapters strategic objectives of: Advocacy, Diversity, Education and Fellowship. [...]

Approved Amendments to MWELO Regulations

January 7th, 2025|Comments Off on Approved Amendments to MWELO Regulations

As of January 2, 2025, the amendments to the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) have been approved by the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and are effective upon filing with the Secretary of State and are in effect.   The final *.pdf text of the MWELO regulations can be found online here, and related rule-making documents are available on the [...]

Welcome New Members

Welcome New and Renewing Members

December 31st, 2024|Comments Off on Welcome New and Renewing Members

Angel Morales, Affiliate ASLA
David C. Skalka, Affiliate ASLA
Sergio Barrios, Associate ASLA
Danielle Behr, Associate ASLA
Hannah Michael Flynn, Assoc. ASLA
Yixuan Li, Associate ASLA
Martins Linde, Associate ASLA
Isabelle Nguyen, Associate ASLA
Lawrence Scarpa, Associate ASLA
Amelia Snyder, Associate ASLA
Adrian Chi Tenney, Associate ASLA
Ailsa Thai, Associate ASLA
Siena Wagner, Associate ASLA
Tracy Wolk, Associate ASLA
Minghao Zhao, Associate ASLA
Andrew Canfield, ASLA
Russell Alan Cletta, ASLA
Daniel J. Colbeck, ASLA
Jessie Corea, ASLA
Jaime Julio Del Carpio, Sr., ASLA
Benjamin V. Feldmann, ASLA
William Daniel Glockner, III, ASLA
Travis Gramberg, ASLA
Weston Henry, ASLA
Cameron J. Hunt, ASLA
Masako Ikegami, ASLA
Grace Li, ASLA
Kathleen M. McKernin, ASLA
Christopher Haig Merritt, ASLA
Gus E. Puertas, ASLA
Alexander Robinson, ASLA
Allison Rush, ASLA
Christopher P. Sosa, ASLA

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