It’s that time again—time for the biennial Federal and State Legislative Priorities Survey!

Help determine ASLA’s federal legislative agenda and state advocacy activities for 2021-2022. As the national voice for the landscape architecture profession, we want to hear from you on what you think are the most important policy issues.

The current federal priorities for 2019-2020 are transportation planning and design, stormwater management, community and national parks, and planning for climate change and resilience, all with an emphasis on equity and environmental justice.

Over the past few years ASLA has achieved enormous legislative successes. On the federal side ASLA Government Affairs recently helped write and introduce multiple pieces of legislation including The Residential Energy and Economic Savings (TREES) Act. Additionally, the Living Shorelines Act, which ASLA endorsed and helped draft, passed the U.S. House of Representatives and awaits Senate action.

Through ASLA’s efforts and two outstanding years of iAdvocate participation, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is permanently authorized and on its way to being fully funded, while national parks and public lands have received record appropriations and may soon have funding to address their deferred maintenance backlog. After nearly a decade of advocacy, ASLA achieved a big green-infrastructure win with the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act becoming law.

ASLA government affairs has also taken action to oppose regulations that aim to rollback our bedrock environmental protection regulations, to oppose standardized design guidelines, and to urge global leaders to make green infrastructure and nature-based solutions a priority in addressing the climate crisis.

On the state side, ASLA government affairs in conjunction with chapters has successfully defended hundreds of threats to licensure. ASLA has also worked with chapters to host successful advocacy summits to help train chapter leaders in state and local advocacy.

We also saw the implementation of a highly effective Site Tour Month with many chapters inviting their state, local, and federal public officials to tour sites and learn about the importance of landscape architecture to their communities.

Two years ago we broke all our previous response records when over 1,100 ASLA members took our priorities survey. However, we know that we can do better this year. Help us double this record by not only taking this survey, but by encouraging your friends, colleagues, chapter members, and all landscape architects to participate. Every voice matters, and we want to make sure as many people participate as possible.

We thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts with us. Please complete your survey by Friday, May 15. With your input, ASLA will continue to succeed in our mission to advocate for you and your profession.