This Wednesday, August 17, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is sponsoring a nationwide Public Awareness Summit. Landscape architects all over the country are mobilizing to showcase the many different contributions we make within our communities, offering expertise that spans from urban planning to historic site renovation, from streetscape design to stream restoration, and from working with small gardens and parks to large-scale transportation corridors and entire neighborhoods.

I’m proud to have two of my own design projects featured in the New Jersey ASLA’s summit activities. Both Morristown Green, a NJ-ASLA award winner, and the Thomas Nast House, Villa Fontana, also in Morristown, will be the host sites for public displays to highlight the role of landscape architecture. Both projects required study to preserve the sites’ historic integrity and context while accommodating modern use—a challenge frequently faced within our profession.

According to ASLA, “landscape architecture translates as the design of almost anything under the sky.” Many people are unaware of the broad spectrum of disciplines that fall under our profession, including environmental science, ecology, urban planning and design, coastal and waterfront planning, stormwater management, horticulture, historic preservation, security design, land reclamation, public art, and much more.

My own work at Dewberry is a reflection of those diverse project requirements. I’ve had an opportunity to work on major transportation initiatives, such as New Jersey’s I-80/I-287 interchange improvements; healthcare facilities; commercial projects; stream restoration and stormwater management designs; and even a dog park. Recently, I helped design Willoughby Plaza, a vibrant urban space now under construction in Brooklyn.

While many projects are a reflection of busy urban communities, bringing people together and supporting diverse activities, others are much quieter and more serene. The design of cemeteries is an example—the kind of project where landscape architects, through thoughtful and creative design, can make a significant difference. It’s a specialization that is often overlooked, but one that I’m proud to have developed during my own career.

What has the profession of landscape architecture meant within your community? Visit www.asla.org to find out more. And on Wednesday, look for us—we’ll be out spreading the word.