ASLA 2040: A Framework for What Comes Next

At the 2025 ASLA National Convention, the American Society of Landscape Architects released its updated ASLA 2040 Climate Action Plan. The plan outlines how the profession can address emissions, biodiversity loss, and social equity through measurable change.

It sets a clear expectation: landscape architecture must move beyond good intentions and toward performance.

The framework focuses on operational and embodied carbon reduction, climate-positive design, water systems, material choices, and long-term stewardship. It treats landscapes as infrastructure, not decoration.

For Bayview, engaging with ASLA 2040 is an internal exercise. It raises practical questions:

• How are we evaluating long-term site performance?

• Where can we reduce material emissions?

• How do planting strategies contribute to biodiversity?

• How does our work align with emerging climate policy in New York?

The 2040 target is not abstract. It reflects the timeline required for meaningful change in land use, development standards, and environmental regulation. Landscape architecture operates within those systems.

As climate priorities increasingly intersect with urban policy and development, site design carries more responsibility. Soil systems, planting, and water management are not secondary decisions. They shape resilience outcomes.

We are engaging with ASLA 2040 as part of an ongoing evolution in how we think about performance, durability, and impact across projects.

You can review the full ASLA 2040 Climate Action Plan here:
https://www.asla.org/getcontentasset/b2c58e51-7ecf-46cb-bc96-2de4c6dc7bbe/547f34a1-c94b-4748-b717-f9bca7683a68/plan_members.pdf?language=en-US