Subject: State of the Profession

From: [email-masked] (TRawson)
Date: 31 Oct 1995 20:10:18 -0500

I am exploring the LA field for a possible career change.  I have a couple
sets of questions:

I am curious in how LA's and students view the state the LA field now and
in the future.  Given that most LA's are employed by the government, and
the talk of massive federal government cutbacks (specifically, selling of
national parks/lands) by our Congress, what is in store for LA's?  Is it a
personally rewarding field?

I seek suggestions on readings on the profession, your LA role models, and
other info/suggestions for someone starting out.
Thank you for your help.

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From: [email-masked] (Dick A. Rol)
Date: Fri, 03 Nov 95 03:10:36 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
   [email-masked] (Albert  Chun) wrote:
>Check article in US News and World Report about future professions.
>
>TRawson ([email-masked]) wrote:
>: I am exploring the LA field for a possible career change.  I have a couple
>: sets of questions:
>
>: I am curious in how LA's and students view the state the LA field now and
>: in the future.  Given that most LA's are employed by the government, and
>: the talk of massive federal government cutbacks (specifically, selling of
>: national parks/lands) by our Congress, what is in store for LA's?  Is it a
>: personally rewarding field?
>
>: I seek suggestions on readings on the profession, your LA role models, and
>: other info/suggestions for someone starting out.
>: Thank you for your help.  

Very pleased to hear of your interest in Landscape Architecture!  I feel that 
the profession is certainly very healthy currently, and that it is on the 
verge of a major breaking point.  While there is talk currently of cutbacks on 
every level of government, there are some things that will never go away and 
will increasingly need governmental attention.  Things such as a growing 
population with growing demands for resources, space, and recreation.  An LA 
is ideally qualified to deal with issues such as these.  LA's are trained in 
areas of sociology, anthropology, geology, geography, engineering, 
horticulture, forestry, art, architecture, planning, etc, etc.  If our 
nation's (as well as the world's) resource related problems mount, LA's will 
be called upon for solutions.

Whether the field is rewarding or not really depends on your own set of values 
and ethics.  If the natural world is important to you, or if you enjoy simply 
creating opportunities out of problems, you may enjoy it.  It's such a diverse 
field, almost anyone can find a niche somewhere.

Some books that I have found particularly enjoyable:
* "Where the Buffalo Roam"  by Anne Matthews.  Talks about the Midwest, the 
Buffalo Commons, the Poppers.

* "The Wooing of Earth"  by Renee Dubos.  Talks about man's use of the earth 
and how we perceive our place in it.

* "Sand County Almanac"  by Aldo Leopold.  A classic.

* "Siftings"  by Jens Jensen.  Anything on or about Jens Jensen should be 
enjoyable.

* "Design with Nature" by Ian McHarg.  Views on the profession from one of the 
early greats.

Jens Jensen is one of my personal role models.  He and Frank Lloyd Wright 
designed within the "Prairie School", using only natural plant material and 
natural materials for their designs.  They were very naturalistic.  

I'd be happy to answer any further questions, assuming I know the answers of 
course. :-)

Dick A. Rol
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Albert Chun)
Date: 2 Nov 1995 20:28:49 GMT