I began my professional career in Virginia and have maintained my Virginia (and Maryland) license for about 20 years.  Landscape architects are responsible for numerous elements of health, safety, and welfare and should be held to the high standard that licensure requires.  From the design of grading, walls, fences, steps, and ramps to the establishment of ecological systems in response to climate change and extreme weather, landscape architects provide vital expertise to the site planning and design process.   Likewise, accessibility for people with disabilities (and those with strollers or the elderly) rely on the design expertise of landscape architects to integrate circulation paths and spaces that maintain equal access to our community open spaces.

Rigorous educational, testing, and continuing education requirements are followed by landscape architects to ensure their plans protect public health, safety, and welfare.

Finally, while many may not consider planting design a terribly problematic issue, we are faced with numerous environmental challenges in this arena - such as keeping invasive species at bay and providing habitat for native pollinators, amphibians, and songbirds - that landscape architects are trained in and can attest to as licensed professionals.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments.