I'm writing to express my ardent support for the continued licensing of landscape architect. The work we do directly impacts public health, safety, and welfare, so licensure is the most appropriate form of regulation to ensure that the public is adequately protected.

Licensure of landscape architects ensures our professionals are qualified by virtue of their education, experience, and examination. This system ensures that untrained individuals are prevented from engaging in professional practice that significantly impacts public health, safety and welfare, and protects the public from both physical and monetary harm.  Licensure as a measure of competence can assist consumers in identifying appropriate professionals for design services.

Because the scope of landscape architectural practice includes site and development plans, grading plans, vehicular roadways and pedestrian systems design, stormwater and erosion control plans, and the siting of buildings and structures, all work that localities and federal agencies require to be sealed by licensed professionals, the scope of landscape architecture overlaps with other licensed design professionals including architects, engineers, and Class B land surveyors.

Without licensure, landscape architects would likely be prohibited from leading multidisciplinary teams where they coordinate and administer the services of engineers, architects, and land surveyors. Without licensure, Virginia landscape architects would be unfairly disadvantaged in the marketplace because federal, state, and local contracts require the work to be completed by licensed individuals.

We need to maintain our licensure to keep the profession on an equal footing with its related licensed design professions, architecture and engineering. This equality enables landscape architects to lead projects, form certain business partnerships, and serve as principals in multidisciplinary firms. Licensure for only one or two of these design professions can cause confusion in the marketplace and may be perceived by the consumer as an endorsement of the skill and competence of one profession over the other, which destroys the competitive, free market in which design professionals compete.

Please support our hard-won continued licensure!