The National Park Service is excited to present, as part of the year-long celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday, a landmark symposium on the multifaceted aspects of work by the Olmsted firm.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site and the National Center for Preservation Training & Technology (NCPTT) are presenting a three-day symposium (including two days of presentations and posters, with an opening-night lecture at the Boston Public Library, co-sponsored with the Leventhal Map and Education Center and third day of field excursions) that examines the life and work of the Olmsteds, the numerous landscapes designed or influenced by them and the various legacies – historic, cultural, horticultural, social, professional, environmental – that can be traced to this influential firm.
Proposals for presentations are being sought from all disciplines, with a particular emphasis on the methods of preservation and conservation of these landscapes, the impact these landscapes (and these landscape architects) had on the lands they scaped, and the social change brought about by this work, historically and in today’s quickly-changing world.
Particular emphases may include: sustainability in the face of climate change; social change and the need for / impact on open spaces; environmental justice; and the role of government in open space preservation.
Please see the attached Call for Papers for details of presentation submissions, abstract instructions and important dates. Continuing education credits will be offered to attendees through the American Society for Landscape Architecture (ASLA).
You can also view a PDF of the Call for Proposals here.
The organizers of the Symposium are asking for help in distributing this Call for Papers as widely as possible. While the focus of the symposium is broadly examining the conservation, preservation and influence of the Olmsteds, the organizers are seeking a diversity of presenters in all areas, including professional status, community group affiliation and disciplinary vector (science, arts, design, public service, literary). The organizers look to create a dynamic, innovative experience for all attendees and presenters. For further information contact Debbie Smith.
