BSLA Fieldbook BSLA 2014 Fall Fieldbook | Page 121

TOOLBOX / BSLA T he Fieldbook team is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bring topics at the forefront of our profession to practitioners of landscape architecture and partners in the endeavor. Each issue we strive to find themes relevant to the core values of landscape architecture. This issue our theme of landscape and technology has allowed us to look into the past and see how the evolution of our professional toolbox has changed the way we approach projects. Additionally, our Fall issue of Fieldbook is our issue to showcase the ASLA Award and BSLA Award winners, scholarship winners, as well as the new Fellows. One of the most creatively satisfying aspects of working on Fieldbook is reaching out to contributors to bring each issue to life. This issue’s theme materialized after discussing the National Park Service “Good Neighbors Program” which uses Olmsted’s historic toolbox to educate young students on the profession of landscape architecture. Those of us new to the team also learned that the BSLA helped fund the building of toolbox replicas over 10 years ago. It was a natural progression that led us to compare the tools of yesterday and today. Using Liza Stearn’s description of this program as a starting point, we reached far and wide in our exploration of the latest iterations of the tools. From within our BSLA community, Kate Kennen, ASLA and Scott Bishop, ASLA explore new methods of using plant material in the landscape, and Daniel Tal, ASLA and Jim Leggitt, FAIA describe the integration of computer and hand drawing as a new form of visual communication for our clients and community, and Stephanie Weyer, ASLA, provides her viewpoint into the growing use of the tablet in our profession. For a full understanding of how these tools have advanced, we also reached out to partners in the field. James Sottilo describes modern (and future) soil science, Dan MacIssac, PLS helps us understand advanced survey techniques, and Tegin Teich Bennett and Ritesh Warade describe the new methods of wayfinding. On behalf of BSLA, the Fieldbook team sincerely thanks the authors for all the work and for the generosity in sharing their expertise in the articles. BSLA Fieldbook is possible because of a large team of devoted landscape designers and architects throughout Massachusetts and Maine. It is with the utmost gratitude that the Fieldbook OLMSTED TOOLBOX Fro m t h e 2014 B SLA Fi e l d b o o k Ed i t o r i a l Te a m Editorial Team thanks all of our volunteers, with a special thanks to proofreaders Mary Alice VanSickle, Kimberly Drake, ASLA, and Elizabeth Knox, Associate ASLA In upcoming issues of Fieldbook, we look forward to working with BSLA members to bring you information that will continue to make this a reference manual for our membership and our larger community. 2014 Fieldbook Editorial Team Todd Robinson, Associate ASLA, Chair Tim Nickerson , ASLA Natalie Adams, ASLA Michele Folts, ASLA Vicki Carr, Affiliate ASLA Proofing Team Kimberly Drake, ASLA Elizabeth Knox, Associate ASLA Mary Alice VanSickle Thank you to Christian Phillips Photography for the tool box photographs provided to both BSLA Fieldbookand to the Good Neighbors Program of the National Park Service. Graphic available at ASLA website Boston Society of Landscape Architects Fieldbook 119