Theme: ACTION! at the OREGON ZOO (IN PERSON) and ONLINE

As our communities experience life-altering changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, social movements, and climate change, designers are faced with new challenges — what does it mean to create safe and inclusive spaces for a world in crisis?

Landscape architects have been busy designing the frameworks for adaptable communities, cities, ecosystems, and a resilient planet. Our profession is filled with talk of innovative solutions to complex problems, but implementing them is half the battle. What are the steps our profession should take to heal our communities and landscapes, and respond to the critical problems that lie ahead of us? Who is doing this work already, and what can they teach us about applying and advocating?

As stewards of healthy communities and healthy landscapes, we see the contours of what needs to be done. There’s a time for mulling things over, debating the options, gathering consensus, and there’s a time to move and make things happen. Now is the time for ACTION!