March 29, 2020
Dear Tennessee ASLA members and sponsors,
On behalf of the Tennessee American Society of Landscape Architects Executive Committee, we are writing to give you an update on the changes to the annual conference and other events impacted by COVID-19.
It is TNASLA and ASLA’s first and foremost obligation to protect the health and safety of its members, and larger landscape architecture community. Given the growing concerns due to the effects of COVID-19 on daily life, TNASLA has decided to cancel this year’s annual conference in Knoxville, which was originally scheduled for May 28-29, 2020. In response to recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TNASLA will be limiting meetings that require close contact, which includes the April Day on the Hill in Nashville and in-person Section meetings and events. As you know, the situation is fluid and changing on a daily basis. TNASLA will notify its members if there are any updates.
We will be proceeding with the annual awards, so we can continue to recognize the outstanding work being done across the state. The call for awards will not change, but the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020. Projects selected will be presented to the individuals and firms within each section at a meeting, happy hour, or other event later in the year. Please go to the website HERE for submission details.
We are grateful for the support we receive from our corporate sponsors and will be reaching out to you in the upcoming days to discuss your annual sponsorship and any other questions that you may have.
Additionally, we are sending our thoughts to all of our members in Nashville who have also been impacted by the recent tornado devastation. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do for you.
TNASLA Executive Committee is working to provide our members with a list of resources for virtual professional development opportunities and other online resources. If you have any questions or suggestions for connecting and convening in other ways during this time, please contact: tnasla@att.net or your section chair.
The impacts that COVID-19 continues to have on our society and professional community are swift and profound. It has also brought into question how we interact with each other and occupy public space. Let us not be discouraged but continue to strive to create spaces and landscapes that offer retreat, restore community spirits, and provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Sincerely,
Your TNASLA Executive Committee