Find your people

Talk to people in your community who are taking action and find out how your skills, strengths and interests can plug in. When Pland Landscape Architect Tess Houle, PLA, ASLA was wrapping up her Master of Landscape Architecture at University of New Mexico in 2018, she started talking with like-minded people about reviving the Arid Low Impact Development Coalition (Arid LID Coalition). Focused on increasing the use of Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Low Impact Development (GSI/LID) and rainwater harvesting practices in New Mexico, Houle worked with this diverse, interdisciplinary group to restart the coalition. 

By taking actions on her passions, Houle also attracted the attention of like-minded employers. When a role become available at Pland, Principal Landscape Architect and CLARB President-elect Brian Verardo thought of Houle. “As my mentor, Brian knew exactly what my interests and goals were and invited me to apply because he and the firm supported the same things,” Houle says.

Tess Houle (second from right) with the Arid GSI Coalition. (Photo/Arid GSI Coalition)

Become an expert

Landscape architecture can sometimes feel like a “jack of all trades” field that requires work at both broad and detailed scales. You can go from one meeting talking about regional identity and local placemaking ideas to another about the best effects of road salts on stormwater harvesting basins. To empower yourself as an advocate, build your skills and knowledge in the opportunities specific to your eco-region. 

Senior Landscape Architect at Pland Mario Nuño-Whelan, PLA, ASLA says that he has become more of an authority in stormwater harvesting and water conservation because of his efforts spent “nerding out” on those specific realms in school and outside the office. 

“Make an intention, pick your niche, and really try to focus rather than trying to attack this huge topic of climate change,” Nuño-Whelan recommends. He suggests attending conferences, going to local workshops and utilizing resources like the  ASLA Climate Action Plan to help clarify your interests and gain deeper knowledge.

Mario Nuño-Whelan speaks at the Land and Water Summit in 2022, Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo/Pland Collaborative)

Learn the lingo

Houle recommends learning the interdisciplinary language of the other professions you are collaborating with. She often works with engineers and architects and emphasizes the importance of being able to communicate the landscape architecture perspective. 

“They are more likely to listen to me because I know what words to use and how to present information,” she says. Landscape architects are uniquely positioned to be an “interdisciplinary glue” that connects other professions because of a broad understanding of engineering, architecture and regulations. Position yourself as a bridge builder that connects the divide between these fields and lean into the value of your specialized training in plants, ecology, soil and hydrology that other professions lack. 

Use that license

Licensure opens doors. Proof that you’ve learned the ropes through your hard work as a professional, licensure adds credibility and creates opportunities to be invited to meetings with equal footing to other subject matter authorities and municipal leaders. Being at the forefront of climate crisis advocacy in landscape architecture involves a certain amount of experimentation in design. 

“For design approaches that push the envelope or test the tried-and-true, it’s the licensed professionals that get a seat at the decision table,” Nuño-Whelan says. “Licensure demonstrates you’ve been doing this long enough to know some of the potential pitfalls for shaking things up.”

Plaza at the Railyards in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo/Pland Collaborative)

Lead by example

While landscape architecture is consistently pro-climate adaptation, often we are limited by maintenance budgets, concern about public perception and municipal hesitancy. But in the past few years, Houle has noticed a shift. In large part due to landscape architects executing successful GSI/LID projects that serve as examples, she’s seen public entities get on board with the importance of this work and make updates to regulations accordingly. 

One project Houle worked on that had a meaningful impact on public perception of GSI was the Plaza at the Railyards in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pland was able to use a GSI solution of a stormwater harvesting basin that included wood mulch, gravel and inundation-tolerant and phytoremediation plants, to keep polluted parking lot runoff from draining directly into the primary event space. It was so successful that the city has incorporated similar stormwater harvesting basins into several other public works projects. While some projects prioritize GSI/LID best practices to meet permit requirements, many organizations are starting to implement these standards regardless of regulations based on proven case studies—such as the Plaza at the Railyards—for managing stormwater quantity and quality. 

Plaza at the Railyards in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo/City of Albuquerque)

Firms that design and implement these successful case studies attract more than just awards; one of the reasons Nuño-Whelan was drawn to working at Pland was the work we did at CNM Smith Brasher Hall. This LEED Gold certified project incorporated sustainability-focused features in a very distributed and public-facing way, including stormwater harvesting ponds with dense native vegetation at the building entrance and a connected network of GSI features like bioswales with check dams, tree trenches and soil sponges.

CNM Smith Brasher Hall in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo/Pland Collaborative)

Put on the pressure 

Take your knowledge and use it to actively engage the elected officials, public servants and other professionals who hold the power in your city. The mayor and city council membersas well as public works, planning, and safety department employees are great humans to connect with and position yourself as an expert. 

For example, in March 2024, the City of Albuquerque amended the Complete Streets Ordinance to include Arid-Adapted GSI, thanks to seven years of continuous pressure on representatives by the Arid LID Coalition and partner organizations. This pressure came in the direct form of contacting city councilors, but also in more nuanced forms of influence like advocating for Arid GSI in client, public, and coordination meetings whenever applicable, educating peers and consultants about the benefits, hosting a website, and expanding the membership of the Coalition to add formal support and legitimacy for the cause. 

Anyone has the capability to advocate on behalf of critical climate issues. Find your passion, dive in and educate yourself. Find a group of similarly motivated and focused people, and leverage your professional training and influence to bring about change in your sphere of influence. Be patient and persistent, support each other along the way, and you’ll see your hard work pay off in rewarding ways.