Subject: Re: Landscape Designers

From: [email-masked] (terry clements)
Date: Fri, 02 Feb 1996 10:52:26 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, Petros Liapis
<[email-masked]> wrote:

> ...........That's a difficult question....
> You see Greg, we haven't figure-out yet what "Landscape architect" means.....
> 
> Petros.

Actually not so difficult in many states.  In states where Landscape
Architects are licensed or certified, there is a legal definition for
landscape architect or landscape architecture.  It's found in the enabling
legislation which defines those areas of the practice of landscape
architecture related to the protection of the health, safety and welfare
of the general public.  Because the enabling legislation usually states
that the title landscape architect or practice of landscape architecture
can only be used by those who have passed an exam (which only says that
one is minimally competent to practice and protect....), people who have
not passed the exam can not call themselves a licensed L.A., but can call
themselves 'landscape designers'.  ( There is an organization  (The
American Society of Landscape Designers) which admits anyone calling
themselves an L.D.  No state licensure or certification required.  I
suppose on another level, the title and licensure also makes it easier to
establish credibility for particular degrees of practice.  Also, to sit
for the exam, candidates usually have completed a 4 or 5 year program of
rigorous study patterned along the same lines as an architect.

There are certificate programs and some university programs for landscape
design, though these are generally located within horticulture programs
and focus on residential and small scale design with a heavier emphasis on
planting.  Landscape Architecture programs are required to cover such
technologies as grading and drainage, hydrology, construction materials
and details, land planning, land management and such additional topics as
social factors, natural sciences and professional practice.  (It's a lot
to include even within the five
year undergraduate programs)
-- 
Terry Clements
[email-masked]