Plants, Places and People

Update from Dr. Mengmeng Gu

HLA Department Head

November is a very short month with the fall break and Thanksgiving (HLA lab was still buzzing on Thanksgiving!). My personal highlight of the month was attending my first American Society of Landscape Architects conference as the HLA Department Head. The best part of the highlight was meeting CSU Landscape Architecture alumni at the annual LA Bash Block Party AND going on a field trip to Salesforce Park in downtown San Francisco with professor Kelly Curl, who worked on the design team. 

ASLA and CELA

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) held their annual conference and meetings in San Francisco in early November. Students and faculty from the landscape architecture program attended conference sessions and toured significant sites, such as, the recently completed Presidio Tunnel Tops, which bridge over the newly tunneled Presidio Parkway, and the Salesforce Park, a 4-block urban park on top of the downtown transit center. Prior to the conference, Associate Professor Lori Catalano participated in the national CELA Executive Board meeting discussing topics related to the upcoming CELA conference next March, and the challenges of and opportunities for increasing diversity in the profession.

Dr. Gu and Associate Professor Kelly Curl hosted a gathering of landscape architecture alumni at the annual LA Bash Block Party, which is always one of the conference highlights for alumni, students, and faculty. (Lori Catalano)

Seven Landscape Architecture students (Natalie, Susu, Chandler, Audrey, Adam, Macy and Miranda) volunteered in late November and attended the National American Society of Landscape Architecture 2022 Conference held in San Francisco, CA. Students volunteered during the EXPO and various educational sessions, learning about design and the creative process, design implementation, leadership, career development, Planning, Urban Design, and Resilience and Stewardship. In addition, this was a great opportunity that offered students to visit San Francisco and visit many renowned built works by landscape architects. (Kelly Curl)

LDC Design/Build

The Landscape Design and Contracting Concentration within the Environmental Horticulture major, has been very busy this semester including both students and faculty. Students have had an exciting semester, participating in various events from Elevate, the National Association of Landscape Professionals Conference, to being a part of the inaugural Design Semester/Build Week. This year’s nonprofit is the Gardens on Spring Creek, in Fort Collins, and students made their final presentations to their clients. (Chris Tragakes)

Rams Against Hunger

The ARDEC South Research farm grew nearly 12k pounds of produce this year for the Rams Against Hunger. HLA student Thomas and Dr. Eduardo Gutierrez-Rodriguez are also part of the effort and Dr. Gutierrez-Rodriguez has been involved almost from the beginning and has helped write and update a 5-year plan. 

Fall Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Seminar Series

Every Tuesday from 12-1:00 p.m. Nutrien 163

Stay Tuned for Spring 2023 schedule