1. Professional Practice

Question 1

How does copyright affect you as a landscape architect?

Answer 1

Your work is protected by the The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, which gives you the exclusive right to copy, adapt, communicate, lend or sell copies of the work. When working as an employee, this right is held by the company you are working for.
It also applies in the work you produce: you must only use information (e.g. images and maps) that you have the right to use.

Question 2

1A. As a landscape architect, what ethics should you follow?

Answer 2

You should follow the LI code of conduct (e.g. acting with integrity, not bad-mouthing other practises or the LI), always act with an appropriate duty of care to clients and end users, and follow general professionalism.
As outlined in the LI Royal Charter, you also have a responsibility to the environment and planet.

Question 3

1A. How does being a chartered landscape architect affect your personal life?

Answer 3

You should follow LI standards such as having your personal finances in order, not bad-mouthing other professionals, practises or the LI, and general integrity.
You should also be aware of and avoid any potential conflicts of interest between your personal and professional life, e.g. living next to and objecting to a proposed development that your client is promoting.

Question 4

1B. What is the difference between the LI Royal Charter and the CoC?

Answer 4

Royal charter sets out the objects of the LI, protects the title of CMLI and requires the gov to consult the LI on landscape topics.
The CoC sets out the ways in which members of the LI must act and maintains a standard of work and professionalism.

Question 5

1B. When was the LI founded, and how is it structured?

Answer 5

The LI was founded in 1929 and is the professional body for the landscape profession in the UK. Technically, it is a professional organisation and educational charity, that promotes the art and science of landscape practise.
It is run by staff, such as the CEO and those looking after events and membership, and governed by a Board of Trustees, an Advisory Council and three standing committees.

Question 6

1B. What is the LI’s board of trustees?

Answer 6

The board of trustees is made up of several members, and has legal responsibility for the LI. They meet five times a year. Its members are:

• Five honorary officers (elected by LI members) such as the President, Vice President, honorary treasurer and secretary and the past president and president-elect.
• Chair of each of the LI’s standing committees (education and membership, technical and policy/communications)
• Four trustees selected by the board depending on skills required.

Question 7

1B. What is the LI’s advisory council?

Answer 7

The advisory council represents members and helps set the objectives of the LI. It has 30 members, such as:

• the five honorary officers
• three standing committee reps
• 12 branch reps
• Seven corporate members
• two associate members
• one student member

Question 8

What are the LI standing committees?

Answer 8

The three standing committees (Education and Membership, Policy and Communications, and Technical) advise on and help implement the main areas of the LI’s activity.

Each committee chair sits on the LI’s Board of Trustees, and each committee also has a representative to the advisory council. Various subcommittees and working groups lead on specialised areas of work, such as publishing technical notes.

Question 9

1B. What terms do you agree to when becoming a member of the LI?

Answer 9

You agree to the terms of the royal charter, by-laws and the CoC. Essentially, you have to act in accordance with these rules/policies, and represent the institute and the profession professionally and with integrity.

Question 10

1A. What is a professional?

Answer 10

A professional person is someone who offers a:

• competent and honest service
• based upon skilled intellectual technique
• and an agreed code of conduct.

To be professional, among other things, is to be the best you can at your job, good at listening to the brief and the client, acting in the best interests of your client, and being knowledgable in your chosen profession.
This professional competence is often assured by chartered membership of a professional body such as the LI.

Question 11

1B. What is the Code of Conduct?

Answer 11

The code of conduct sets out the professional standards by which a landscape architect must follow in their everyday life.

Question 12

1B. What are the three overarching themes of the CoC?

Answer 12

Promoting professional attitudes, promoting professional competence and promoting trust in professional relationships. [attitudes - competence - trust]

Question 13

1B. What are the implications of the royal charter?

Answer 13

The royal charter protects the CMLI, or ‘chartered landscape architect’ title, and also means that only practises registered with the LI can describe their practises as “Chartered landscape architects”.
It also requires the government to consult the LI on any landscape-related matters, such as new or updated policy, such as the NPPF.
It also sets out several objectives that landscape architects have to meet.

Question 14

1B. What are the objectives of the Royal Charter?

Answer 14

The royal charter has four objectives:

• To protect, conserve and enhance the natural and built environment for the public benefit…
• To encourage research, education and knowledge relating to Landscape Architecture…
• To establish, uphold and advance the standards of education, qualification, competence and conduct of those who practice Landscape Architecture as a profession
• To determine standards and criteria for education, training and experience.

Question 15

1C. What obligations of a landscape architect exist beyond the UK?

Answer 15

As landscape architects in a wider global community, we should follow the policy and guidance from international bodies and policy such as the European Landscape Convention (Florence 2006), IFLA and IFLA Europe.

Question 16

1E. How many hours of CPD should you complete each year, and why is it important?

Answer 16

All LI members, apart from affiliate, retired and student members (and those on P2C), have to complete and record 25 hours of CPD each year.
This includes:
- at least 10 hours of structured, formal learning such as organised CPD events and webinars
- at least 5 hours related to climate, sustainability, resilience and environmental/biodiversity net gain.
CPD is recorded on the LI website.
Ongoing CPD is a requirement of LIL membership, to maintain high professional standards. As a company, it also improves efficiency, reduces staff turnover (by investing more time in your staff) and reduces risk of claims.

Question 17

1A. The landscape consultant’s appointment mentions duty of care. What does this involve?

Answer 17

The LCA states how landscape architects must act in regard to duty of care: they must act with reasonable skill, care and dilligence in all their services, in accordance with the standards of the profession.

Question 18

1A. What is the landscape consultant’s appointment?

Answer 18

It is an official document that advises consultants and their clients on the process of landscape services, and the standard of these services.

Question 19

1A. What are the responsibilities and obligations of a landscape architect?

Answer 19

That of a skilled person, a responsible agent and of an impartial professional.

Question 20

1A. What moral obligations do landscape architects have in their professional lives?

Answer 20

Landscape architects have a moral obligation to protect, conserve and enhance the natural and built environment for the benefit of the public, as set out in the royal charter.

As landscape architects, we have moral obligations to our client, such as a duty of care, to our staff, to the profession and to the natural environment.

The LI’s emerging code of practise also has a rule specific to sustainability - and professionally we have a key role to play in the reduction and mitigation of climate change.

Question 21

1A. How would you react if a client asked you to undertake a project which was environmentally sensitive?

Answer 21

I would remind them that we are professionally bound to our professional code, and morally I would not be able to undertake this task. I would explain why - and perhaps suggest ways in which they can alter the project to minimise its environmental impact.

Question 22

1A. Who is your duty to as a professional?

Answer 22

As professional architects, we have a duty to our clients, the public (including future users) and end users of our design, and the environment. As set out by the code of conduct, we also have a duty to the LI and the profession to uphold its reputation, promote the profession and support others within the profession.

Question 23

1B. Why have a code of conduct?

Answer 23

It ensures a certain quality of professionalism and work within the industry. The code of conduct exists to protect clients, the public and the profession, and to maintain the status of the profession. It is used to guide us as professionals, to ensure a high quality, honest and efficient service to the clients of the profession, and to advance and promote the profession.

Question 24

1B. List the code of conduct.

Answer 24

The LI’s code of conduct consists of 12 standards, which each come under 3 overarching themes: to promote professional attitudes, competence and trust in professional relationships [attitudes - competence - trust (A-C-P).

There are 5 standards relating to professional attitudes:

1. Responsibility (to peoples, users, environment, LI, the profession, client)
2. Reputation (uphold reputation of the profession and the LI)
3. Promotion of the CoC (actively promote the LI’s code of conduct)
4. Participation (promote and further the aims and objectives of the LI).
5. Integrity (act with integrity at all times)

There are 2 Standards relating to competence:

6. Competence (only carry out tasks you are technically and professionally competent to do)
7. CPD (maintain CPD)

There are 6 Standards relating to trust in prof. relationships:

8. Organistion (organise your professional work responsibly and efficiently)
9. Standards (carry out your work to relevant technical and professional standards)
10. Professional Promotion (only promote professional Services in a fair, trustworthy and repsonsible manner, also whilst not ‘poaching’ work from other professionals)
11. Finances (ensure proper management of all professional and personal finances)
12. Insurance (ensure all necessary insurance in place)
13. Complaints (appropriate complaints procedure must be followed, both internally and with the LI)

Question 25

1A. What ethics should landscape architects abide by?

Answer 25

As landscape architects, we should abide by ethics set out in the code of conduct and the royal charter - always acting with integrity, honesty and to the best of our ability in order to best serve the client, the profession, the LI, the public and the environment. As stressed in the emerging new code of practise, we should be striving to minimise our impact on climate change also.

Question 26

1A. What are the advantages of employing a professionally qualified / chartered landscape architect?

Answer 26

It provides clients with an assurance of the landscape architect’s professionalism; that the work will be carried out to the best of their ability, with honesty and professional integrity, and in the best interests of the client. It also protects the client, the landscape architect and the public from poor quality work and professionalism.

Question 27

Can you tell me the importance of working with other disciplines?

Answer 27

For landscape architects, working with other disciplines is really important. As set out in the CoC, we must not undertake work we are not qualified or capable to do, therefore it is common for us to either work alongside other disciplines within the wider design team or or appoint sub-consultants. Working with the expertise of different disciplines is key in ensuring a scheme is successful, and good communication between disciplines is essential.
For example…
[Use example from own experience - multi-disciplinary team such as flood engineers, architects, planners, ecologists, arboriculturalists, heritage consultants, verified visualisers…]

Question 28

You find yourself a commission but it covers work for which you are not qualified. How would you advise your client?

Answer 28

As set out in our code of conduct, you would not be able to take that work on. If you are a multi-disciplinary company, you might be able to redirect the work to someone else in your company under the same contract. You may also be able to sub-contract out the work, if the professional relationships and practicalities allow. If not, I would make a recommendation to the client if I know any external consultants appropriate.

Question 29

What is continuing professional development?

Answer 29

get definition

Question 30

Is there anything in the CoC that constrains the work you do?

Answer 30

Ethics: 
Contracts:
Conflict of interests:
Insurance: 
Not poaching work or clients

Question 31

Why do you want to become chartered?

Answer 31

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Question 32

What is the aim of the European Landscape Convention?

Answer 32

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Question 33

Why are ethics important?

Answer 33

As a professional, we have a responsibility to act ethically: it is a key part of being a professional and an important part of the LI’s code of conduct (acting with integrity at all time, upholding reputation, not bad-mouthing other professionals or the institute etc).
Proper ethics ensure the high standard of your work, protect the reputation of yourself, your employer, your client and the institute (also a CoC standard).
Proper ethics ensure your work is accurate and truthful to your professional judgement, and ensure you carry out your responsibility to society and the environment - and to protect, conserve and enhance.

Question 34

What is the European landscape convention?

Answer 34

It is an international treaty dedicated to the protection, management and planning of all landscapes in Europe.
It organises European cooperation on landscape issues, and provides guidance for International, national, regional and local policy and and management.

Question 35

How do the recent changes to the NPPF affect our work as landscape architects?

Answer 35

The changes made to the NPPF in July this year contain several points which relate directly to our work:

• Added references to expecting ‘attractive’, ‘beautiful’, ‘well-designed’ places
• Added reference to National Design Guide
• New paragraph 131 highlights importance of trees, tree-lined streets, other trees and tree maintenance