"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." These certainly are not the best of times, but are they the worst? Have we got past the worst already or are things set to improve over the coming year?
There are mixed signals. Some reports suggest things will continue to drop off for a bit longer before they start to look up, yet even in such straitened times other reports suggest that many prospective clients find it difficult to secure the skilled landscape professionals they need in some areas, particularly in planning for sustainability and climate change.
Still ahead of us, and the topic of some recent discussions on Talking Landscape, are cuts in local authority spending, which will have a major impact on the profession, both for members employed in the public sector and for those who are their clients and need local planning structures to work effectively.
Against this uncertain backdrop, we have a general election in a few weeks, and we are inviting members in the UK to contact their local candidates and push the case for landscape up the agenda.
While the short term remains uncertain in many ways, the medium term is starting to look more positive. The expectation of a long slow recovery means that in five to six years time there is likely to be a repeat of the circumstances the profession faced in the middle of the last decade – a shortage of landscape architects. Fortunately, five to six years’ time is exactly when we will start to see the positive impact of our successful careers promotion campaign, I Want To Be A Landscape Architect as those who are entering college this September as a result of the campaign will become chartered landscape architects
If you have thoughts and suggestions on our changing economic circumstances, the effect of cuts on local authorities or impact on the profession, please share your views on Talking Landscapes.
Regards
Alastair McCapra
Chief Executive