历史沿革与使命定位
美国专业景观设计师协会（Association of Professional Landscape Designers，简称 APLD）成立于 1989 年，总部设于美国宾夕法尼亚州哈里斯堡（Harrisburg, PA），是美国景观设计行业的非营利专业组织。其核心使命是推进景观设计专业的发展，并推动会员成为合格的专业人士。APLD 鼓励全体会员遵守专业标准守则，积极参与继续教育，并紧跟行业最新发展趋势。协会通过设立覆盖全美各州的地方分会以及接纳国际个人会员，构建起跨地区的景观设计专业网络，是北美最具代表性的景观设计师行业协会之一。
认证体系与会员制度
协会的核心专业认证项目为注册专业景观设计师（Certified Professional Landscape Designer，简称 CPLD），要求申请者具备至少三年专业景观设计经验、相关学历或 450 小时以上园艺相关培训课时，并通过由专家评审团主持的同行评审流程。CPLD 资格代表第三方机构对设计师专业能力的认可，也是消费者甄选合格设计师的重要依据。APLD 设置四类会员资格：新兴专业人士（Emerging Professional，年费 210 美元，针对从业不满三年者）、专业会员（Professional，年费 470 美元，针对从业三年以上者）、景观设计爱好者（Landscape Design Enthusiast，年费 225 美元，面向相关行业从业者与设计爱好者）、以及教育者会员（Educator，年费 75 美元，面向非执业的设计教育工作者）。
组织架构、地区分会与董事会
APLD 的日常运营由位于宾州哈里斯堡的秘书处负责，战略方向由董事会监督。协会在五个核心州设有地区分会，分别为亚利桑那分会（apldarizona.org）、加利福尼亚分会（apldca.org）、华盛顿特区-马里兰-弗吉尼亚分会（dcmdva-apld.org）、俄勒冈分会（apldor.org）以及华盛顿州分会（apldwa.org），并另设虚拟分会（Virtual Chapter，apldvc.org）覆盖非美国居住或所属地区无地理分会的国际个人会员。董事会由七位董事组成，包括 Francesca Corra（CPLD, FAPLD）、Mardi Dover（CPLD）、Rachel Gioannini、Lisa Port（CPLD, FAPLD）、加拿大安大略省的 Haig Seferian（FASLA, CLD）、Steve Skaggs 与 Susie Thompson（CPLD, FAPLD），代表美国与加拿大的多元设计实践。
年度国际景观设计奖与行业活动
APLD 年度国际景观设计奖（International Landscape Design Awards）是协会最具声望的行业表彰项目，涵盖八个不同类目，从难度、工艺水平、细节关注度到最终实施效果进行综合评审。2025 年度最佳展示奖（Best of Show）由 David Thorne Landscape Architect, Inc. 凭借 Valley Brook 住宅设计项目（造价十万美元以上类目）获得；2024 年度景观设计师年度奖由 Katherine Field and Associates 的 Fen’s Edge 项目获得。协会还定期举办线上与线下活动、年度国际景观设计大会以及持续教育单元（CEU）课程，2026 年国际景观设计大会将于 9 月 10 日至 14 日在美国俄亥俄州哥伦布市举行，主题聚焦景观设计、园艺实践与专业发展的交叉议题。
可持续设计立场与设计定义
APLD 于 2020 年发布关于园艺塑料容器的深度研究报告，揭示塑料花盆对环境的长期危害，并承诺与行业利益相关方协作，寻求可生物降解或可持续材料替代方案。协会对可持续景观设计的官方定义强调两方面：营造健康繁荣的环境、提供栖息地与生态系统服务，以及高效合理使用能源与材料、为后代保留资源选择空间。协会同时发布了《景观设计定义》（Landscape Design Definition），明确景观设计涵盖植物配置、土壤改良、灌溉、照明、雕塑装饰、微气候调控以及长期管理与传承等全过程，并要求全体会员遵守所在地区相关法律法规。APLD 也通过多样性、公平与包容（DEI）声明，承诺在专业关系、客户合作与社区互动中践行包容原则。
Historical Evolution and Mission
The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), founded in 1989 and headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to advancing the landscape design profession and promoting its members as qualified, dedicated professionals. APLD encourages all members to adhere to a code of professional standards, actively participate in continuing education, and remain current with state-of-the-art developments throughout the field. Through its network of state chapters across the United States and individual international members, APLD has become one of North America’s most representative professional associations for landscape designers.
Certification Program and Membership Categories
The Certified Professional Landscape Designer (CPLD) program is APLD’s flagship credential, requiring at least three years of professional landscape design experience, relevant education or 450 contact hours of training, and successful completion of a rigorous peer review process led by trained Review Panel Experts. CPLD designation signals third-party validation of competence and helps consumers identify qualified designers. APLD offers four membership categories: Emerging Professional (USD 210/year, for designers with fewer than three years of experience, limited to five years), Professional (USD 470/year, for designers with more than three years of experience), Landscape Design Enthusiast (USD 225/year, for related industry professionals and design enthusiasts), and Educator (USD 75/year, for non-practicing landscape design educators).
Governance, Chapters and Board of Directors
Day-to-day operations of APLD are managed from its Harrisburg, PA headquarters, with strategic direction provided by the Board of Directors. APLD maintains five core regional chapters covering Arizona (apldarizona.org), California (apldca.org), the Washington DC-Maryland-Virginia region (dcmdva-apld.org), Oregon (apldor.org), and Washington State (apldwa.org), plus a Virtual Chapter (apldvc.org) for international members and members without a geographic chapter. The current board comprises seven directors representing diverse practices: Francesca Corra (CPLD, FAPLD), Mardi Dover (CPLD), Rachel Gioannini, Lisa Port (CPLD, FAPLD), Haig Seferian (FASLA, CLD, Ontario, Canada), Steve Skaggs, and Susie Thompson (CPLD, FAPLD).
International Landscape Design Awards and Industry Events
The APLD International Landscape Design Awards Program is the association’s most prestigious recognition, evaluating projects across eight categories on the basis of difficulty, craftsmanship, attention to detail, and execution. The 2025 Best of Show went to David Thorne Landscape Architect, Inc. for the Valley Brook residential design project (over USD 100,000 category); the 2024 Landscape Designer of the Year was awarded to Katherine Field and Associates for the Fen’s Edge project. APLD also hosts in-person and virtual events, continuing education unit (CEU) programs, and its annual conference. The 2026 APLD International Landscape Design Conference will be held September 10-14, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, exploring the intersection of landscape design, horticulture, and professional practice.
Sustainability Position and Landscape Design Definition
In 2020 APLD published an in-depth study on horticultural plastic containers, documenting the environmental harm caused by plastic pots and committing to stakeholder collaboration on sustainable alternatives. The association defines sustainable landscape design as the design, installation, and management of landscapes that encourage a healthy and thriving environment with habitat and ecosystem services, while using energy and material resources efficiently for future generations. APLD also publishes a formal Landscape Design Definition outlining the full scope of professional practice—from site analysis and plant specification to construction oversight and long-term stewardship—and requires all members to comply with relevant local laws, codes, and ordinances. The association further affirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across all professional relationships and community interactions.
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