In September, representatives from 30 ASLA Chapters and 25 licensing boards from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Buffalo, NY for the second ever in-person joint Licensure Summit. The summit’s theme, "Empowering Opportunity," engaged participants in enhancing standards, empowering stakeholders, and educating others in order to shape the future of landscape architecture licensure.  

Former U.S. Representative Brian Higgins (NY) opened the event with a keynote speech that spoke to the history of the development of Buffalo and the important role played by Frederick Law Olmsted. Throughout the next day and a half attendees took part in multiple sessions including:  

• Defending Licensure in a Deregulation Era 
• Data Insights on the Public’s View of Licensure 
• Enlisting Champions: Strategic Volunteer Recruitment 
• Understanding the CLARB Uniform Standard and Messaging Workshop 
• Multiple Routes, One Destination: Paving the Way for Inclusive Licensure 
• Navigating Legal Landscapes: Best Practices for Statutory and Regulatory Changes 

The New York Upstate Chapter also sponsored a boat tour of the Buffalo River that provided attendees the opportunity to learn how local, state, and federal funding and policies have enabled landscape architects to address environmental and social issues through their many projects along the river. 

By the end of the Summit, participants had forged connections with their peers and like-minded professionals from around the country and Canada, engaged in meaningful discussions to collectively advance licensure, and strategized on how to take these tools and resources and be a strong voice for advocacy and licensure in their state or province.  

Do you want to learn more about licensure advocacy and become involved? All ASLA members are invited to register for the next ASLA/CLARB virtual Web Summit on November 13. Additionally, ASLA offers many resources to help facilitate relationships with policymakers and others on its Advocacy FAQ webpage. 

A special Thank You to the following exhibitors and sponsors of the 2024 ASLA/CLARB Licensure Summit: