By Jackie Higgins, ASLA, San Diego Chapter President 

According to our San Diego Chapter historical timeline, we began with several individuals meeting in May of 1964 at the home of Roland Hoyt, for fellowship and sharing of ideas regarding the Landscape Architecture profession. Over the next six years, the size of the meetings increased to four or five principals of firms, ten associates, and students, who all worked together to achieve sectional status under the Southern California Chapter of ASLA.  

In 1975, Joe Yamada, Gerry Garner, Stephen Halsey and a few others wrote ASLA National requesting status as a chapter in San Diego.“Gerry Garner was the Chairman of the Organization and Development Committee and Stephen Halsey wrote the By-laws, Annual Budget and filled out all the forms for chapter status.” 

In November 1975, the National Board of Trustees unanimously approved the formation of a "Southwest California Chapter." In 1976 the name changed to the San Diego Chapter of ASLA and was officially announced at the ASLA Annual Meeting, held in San Diego at the newly built Sea World and Vacation Village. At this annual meeting, Harriett B. Wimmer was elected a Fellow of ASLA National for outstanding contributions to the profession and Tom Van Dyke was elected as the chapter’s first trustee for ASLA National.  

Harriett B. Wimmer was born in Iowa, moved to San Diego in 1912, studied landscape architecture at the University of Oregon, opened her own office in 1950, and became the first woman landscape architect in commercial practice in San Diego. 

Sea World San Diego, designed by Joseph Yamada, later went on to win an ASLA National design award for phase I. 

Stephen Halsey was elected the first San Diego Chapter President in 1977, where he set the chapter goals: “make the community more aware of the services landscape architects provide, respond to local political events and decisions, provide educational and informative chapter meetings.” Still relevant to landscape architecture worldwide today. 

The most prominent community issues for the chapter at that time were water conservation and flood control planning, especially in the area of Mission Valley. True to form, the San Diego ASLA Chapter continues to be on the leading edge of water conservation education and water resource management, stemming from the unique ecological systems and biodiversity within the county. 

On the tenth anniversary of the San Diego Chapter, the San Diego City Council approved the first city-wide landscape ordinance, with credit to eight ASLA San Diego Chapter members for developing it.

In 1991, our chapter saw another first when Marian Marum became the first woman president, which opened the door for many more women to come. 

San Diego Chapter members have contributed to many national and locally notable projects such as: 

• Balboa Park Master Plan, Estrada Land Planning
• Seaport Village and San Diego Floodway, Wimmer Yamada, and Caughey
• Aviara Country Club and Resort, Dennis Otsuji who later became the ASLA National President 1994-1995
• Salk Institute East, Michael Theilacker
• Marina Linear Park- Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, Peter Walker and Patrick O’Connor
• San Diego Airport Terminal Renovations, Patricia Trauth, Rick and AECOM

San Diego Chapter members have contributed to many national and locally notable projects such as: 

• Balboa Park Master Plan: Vicki Estrada, FASLA, Estrada Land Planning 
• Freedom Park at USS Midway Museum Park: Pat Caughey, FASLA with Wimmer Yamada, and Caughey, ASLA National President 2006-2007 
• Aviara Country Club and Resort, Japanese Friendship Garden, Manzanar Internment Camp: Dennis Otsuji, FASLA National President 1994-1995 
• North Embarcadero Visionary Plan: Andrew Spurlock, FASLA, Spurlock Landscape Architecture 
• Waterfront Park: Glen Schmidt, FASLA, Schmidt Design Group 
• Salk Institute East: Michael Theilacker: Peter Walker and Patrick O’Connor  
• Sunnylands: James Burnett, FASLA, Office of James Burnett 
• San Diego Zoo: Joseph Yamada and Harriett Wimmer 
• Seaworld: Joseph Yamada and Harriett Wimmer 
• Friendship Park: dedicated by first lady, Pat Nixon: Michelle Landis 
• San Diego Airport Terminal Renovations: Patricia Trauth, AECOM and Rick Engineering 
• SDSU West Campus Riverside Park: Glen Schmidt, FASLA, Schmidt Design Group 

Past SDASLA President’s Award Recipients:  

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Jackie Higgins, ASLA, is a licensed professional landscape architect with over 20 years of project management experience leading data-driven land-planning projects, an advocate for creative interdisciplinary solutions for ecological and social challenges, and an accomplished strategic partnership builder. She is currently Vice President of Planning, Design, and Programs with Forever Balboa Park.