WHO WE ARE

The Historic Landscapes Committee of the American Society of Landscape Architects San Diego Chapter – HALS (Historic American Landscapes Survey) promotes the documentation, preservation, and advancement of knowledge of historic landscapes in San Diego. The San Diego HALS invites a broad base of individuals and organizations who are knowledgeable and interested in historic and cultural landscapes to join us. Contact the Chapter to learn more and get involved.

OUR MISSION

Collaborate with individuals & local, regional, & national groups to understand & protect our landscape heritage & to reach the broadest possible audience.

Become a partner to educate & train professionals, students, teachers, & the general public to recognize, document & safeguard San Diego’s cultural landscapes;

Serve as the source of information & documentation of historic landscapes, & pioneering individuals who have contributed (through design, planning & advocacy) to this legacy;

Raise awareness of & support for individual landscapes-at-risk; and

Recognize & celebrate the efforts of owners, supporters & stewards of significant San Diego places.

ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS

ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) has an active HALS Program which engages with the National Park Service (NPS), will help support SD HALS and will provide guidance and resources. Their mission includes recording historic landscapes in the United States and its territories through measured drawings and interpretive drawings, written histories, and large- format black and white photographs and color photographs. ASLA has an active and supportive HALS Professional Practice Network, which shares information on cultural landscapes, supports Chapter HALS committees and assists with technical information for documentation.
The National Park Service manages the HALS National program, and formulates policies, sets standards, and drafts procedural guidelines in consultation with ASLA for HALS documentation which is submitted to the Library of Congress. The Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress preserves the documentation for posterity and makes it available to the general public, making it the preeminent source of documentation for historic properties.

HALS Committee News and Past Events