commentary
George Schmok
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
gschmok@landscapeonline.com
Stephen Kelly
Editor
skelly@landscapeonline.com
Michelle Medaris
Education
mmedaris@landscapeonline.com
Kyle Cavaness
Economic News
kcavaness@landscapeonline.com
An Honorable Profession
One of the best things about being in the landscape
industry is the people. There is something about
working with plants and the outdoor environment
that gets right to the core of life. Salt of the earth
kinda stuff.
This industry is not for stockbrokers or lawyers.
There���s no selling short, speculation, or ambulance
chasing in the landscape professions. It���s not for
fashionistas or movie stars or people looking to get
wild acclaim from the masses. It���s definitely not a
business for professional politicians, although there
is a need for manure and earthworms. (Did I just
say that?!?)
Yep, the landscape industry is an honorable
profession: one for people who care about the
environment, who care about the living and
breathing, who care about balance. Yet often times
it is looked at as one of least important and least
appealing industries: home to illegal aliens, beer
drinking Bob, and tree hugging neophytes. To the
uneducated public, landscape is the land of low
wages, low esteem and low impact.
However to those who know, the landscape
industry is home to hundreds of thousands of
entrepreneurs and business owners. From planners
who make sure there is a learning element in the city
park, to the contractor who makes sure the slope is
stable, the landscape industry is full of motivated,
educated, dedicated and responsible men and women
who make a difference to the everyday lives of almost
everyone, everywhere.
That���s one reason I get upset when I see landscape
associations focus more on expanding worker permits
than on developing a domestic workforce. In this
industry there is a strong national association for
landscape architects (ASLA), a couple of semieffective national associations for contractors and
maintenance professionals, a few strong state
associations and a ton of other, unconnected state and
local associations. And while many of these groups have
great people involved in them, the bureaucrats have
of a way of taking over the agenda and watering down
the purpose.
To me that purpose should be to build the
industry and build up the hard working professionals
who comprise it, to portray to the public the
honorable work involved and recruit the best of our
youth to participate. And one of the best ways to do
this is to organize events that put the profession in
front of and in the embrace of the public.
You may have noticed over the years, the back
page of editorial in LASN is focused on projects
where readers have donated their time, money and
resources to help others. These articles focus on hard
working professionals setting aside monetary gain
to help their fellow man. Whether it is rebuilding
after a natural disaster or pitching in to landscape a
shelter for battered women, these kinds of projects
are the ones that can really make a difference and
show the public who a landscape professional really
is and what the profession is all about.
So as we all gear up for the summer rush, and
as D.C. rushes to install yet another form of
immigration reform, it is also time for the landscape
industry to put its best feet forward and engage the
public as an honorable, hardworking, profitable and
impactful profession, worthy of the best of our youth
and willing to help when called upon.
I know so many of you who fit that description;
it���s time the public knew you as well. That���s
why we at LASN magazine, our sister publications
and LandscapeOnline.com are expanding our
coverage of these events and encourage you to let
us know when you volunteer your services for a
���Stewardship��� project.
We, in turn, will do our best to compile these
projects into a national database and work to
educate the public on one of the most honorable
and fulfilling professions . . . That would be your
profession . . . the landscape profession!
Amy Deane
Editorial Administrative Assistant
adeane@landscapeonline.com
Associate Editors
Ashley Calabria
Associate Editor/Digital Information
University of Georgia
calabria@uga.edu
Buck Abbey, ASLA
Associate Editor Legislation
Louisiana State University
aainc@abbey-associates.com
Russ Adsit, FASLA
Associate Editor/Erosion
Executive Director, IECA
russ@ieca.org
Janet Lennox Moyer, IALD
Associate Editor/Lighting
moyerj@rpi.edu
(In Memoriam)
Don Roberts, FASLA
Kay Tiller
Frank Manwarren
Lois E. Schmok
David Brian Linstrum
(Oct. 29, 1935 - May 12, 2011)
LASN Associate Editor-at-Large
Art Director
Nicole Miller
nmiller@landscapeonline.com
Graphic Designer
Matthew Medeiros
mmedeiros@landscapeonline.com
Ad Coordinator
Oliver Calonzo
ocalonzo@landscapeonline.com
Circulation / Fulfillment Manager
Jacqui Argyle
jargyle@landscapeonline.com
Circulation / Fulfillment
Joanne Slaughter
jslaughter@landscapeonline.com
Jacquie Burleson
jburleson@landscapeonline.com
IT Department
Web / Tech Manager
Jerry Short
jshort@landscapeonline.com
Web / Tech Assistant
Mayra Gutierrez
mgutierrez@landscapeonline.com
Chief Operations Officer C.O.O.
Mark O���Halloran
mohalloran@landscapeonline.com
Sales Administration
Cynthia McCarthy
cmccarthy@landscapeonline.com
Marcia Owyang
mowyang@landscapeonline.com
Advertising/Marketing
714-979-LASN (5276) x113 ��� 714-979-3543 (Fax)
God bless!
Advertising Sales
Vince Chavira
vchavira@landscapeonline.com
George Schmok, Publisher
Proverbs 3:11-12 ������My son, do not despise the LORD���s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the
son he delights in.���
14 Landscape Architect and Specifier News
Larry Shield
Product Editor
lshield@landscapeonline.com
Matt Henderson
mhenderson@landscapeonline.com
Kip Ongstad
kongstad@landscapeonline.com
Booth / Banner Sales
Vladimir Kostich
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