I am Jason Thomas, and the current president of the Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. As a registered Landscape Architect, I am writing in support of the continued licensure for a profession that clearly set itself apart from many other allied design professions.

With experience working within multidisciplinary teams throughout my career, I have witnessed the unique approach to the design and construction industry Landscape Architects bring. It is our unique education and professional experience that sets us apart, but also affords us a common design language allowing us to seamlessly work within these teams. In fact, I am currently on an interdisciplinary design team where the Landscape Architects are the project managers and lead designers; additionally, this particular team consists of architects, civil engineers, PM&E engineers (Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical), as well as other design professionals. Needless to say, this is not the first time in my career I have been on an interdisciplinary team where Landscape Architects took the lead role. If the profession of Landscape Architecture were no longer a licensed profession, the likelihood of Landscape Architects leading a team of allied design professionals would be diminished, and along with it the unique site design perspective we bring to the table. One might think of us as being the “quarterback” of the site design team as we speak the same language and are often the common link between several design professions.

In addition to our background, education, and history of successfully leading teams of qualified design professionals, licensure is also the most appropriate way to ensure that the public is adequately protected as we promote health, safety, and welfare on nearly all projects we touch. Landscape Architects frequently design aspects of site development plans to include grading plans, stormwater, erosion control, transportation plans (to include vehicular and pedestrian), among a host of other related site design plans that are often sealed and reviewed by governing agencies. This is a responsibility that Landscape Architects do not take lightly.

Moving beyond the aforementioned points, there are other equally valid reasons as to why Landscape Architects should continue to be licensed. For example, if licensure is eliminated, Landscape Architects may no longer be able to hold leadership positions such as officers, directors, or managers of multidisciplinary firms. Furthermore, Requests for Proposals and Requests for Qualifications issued by Commonwealth and federal agencies typically require a Landscape Architect to hold licensure. Eliminating the licensure of Landscape Architects would eliminate these state and federal opportunities for Landscape Architects. This would be an avoidable and unnecessary act to the many Landscape Architects who were educated at Virginia colleges and universities and currently practice in Virginia. Expounding on this, and on a more personal level, I have been part of several design teams on Federal projects. Without licensure in the Commonwealth, I would need to obtain licensure in other states, or possibly even consider moving to a state where my chosen profession is licensed.

In conclusion, there is no comparing the skills of a Landscape Architect with other professions, such as a landscape contractors, and often, other licensed design professionals. Licensure of Landscape Architects will continue to ensure that professionals are qualified through a combination of education, experience, and examination. Furthermore, licensure will ensure that untrained individuals are prevented from engaging in a profession that is proven to play a critical role in the public’s health, safety, and welfare. Lastly, licensure can help individuals rest assured that all licensed Landscape Architects meet a certain level of competency in our highly technical field.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jason Thomas, PLA, ASLA