QUARTERLY MEETING

September 22, 2004 | PGAdesign Office, Oakland

1. Introductions and Overview

   After self-introductions and a brief statement of our individual interest in HALS, Cathy Garrett gave an overview of the HALS program and what the National Park Service (NPS) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) have accomplished to date.

   We reviewed what HALS is and how it came about, HALS as a descendant of HABS and HAER and some of the inherent differences there are in recording landscapes. The roles of the ASLA and the NPS, funding issues and the three workshops completed to date were also described. The draft guidelines for narrative histories, measured drawings, and photography were outlined and the three levels of documentation were touched on.

   Betsy Flack of The Garden Conservancy and co-host of the meeting made some introductory remarks and expressed her desire for the group to produce a comprehensive database of northern California gardens and historic landscapes. Betsy provided copies of brochures on the Bay Area Public Gardens Network (BAGnet). She told us that her organization currently has three gardens covered by a conservation easement: Green Gables, Keil Cove and the Ruth Bancroft Garden, and that they are close to adding two additional gardens. The Conservancy is also engaged in studying the gardens of Alcatraz.

2. What Are We Going To Do?
   • Create a list of historic gardens.

     We discussed at some length how to create a list of historic landscapes with debate on whether to focus on HALS eligible candidates or to create a comprehensive list of historic gardens and landscapes. The consensus seems to be to do both. Many suggestions were offered of how we might start our list by soliciting lists that have already been started by other groups. Many of those in the room identified existing lists.

     TASK: If you have such a list or know of one, you should e-mail the list or information on how to obtain it, who maintains it, and what it encompasses to Betsy Flack at bflack AT gardenconservancy DOT org

   • Make suggestions of gardens/historic landscapes that you feel are candidates for HALS documentation.

     It was agreed that anyone who wishes to nominate a garden must fill out a Narrative Short Form. A hard copy of the form was provided as a handout. PGA will create a digital version and e-mail it to everyone.

     Since we are a non-funded all-volunteer group, it is essential that we distribute the tasks of our effort among us all; therefore all nominations should be submitted electronically on the digital form to minimize data entry work.

     TASK: Submit nominations to HALS on the digital Narrative Short Form by December 31, 2004.

   • Where Will The Data Be Kept?

     Laura Tatum and Carrie McDade from UC Berkeley's CED Archives explained that UCB's archives already include a collection of drawings and records from design professionals and firms about historic landscapes. This facility is a logical location for paper copies of original material.

     TASK: Laura and Carrie please send an e-mail out that describes criteria for your receipt of documents.

     Steve Rasmussen Cancian offered to look into how we might create a web site that could serve as a repository for digital media that could be accessible via the web. Is it possible that UCB CED Archives could house the digital documents?

     TASK: Steve to report back on setting up a web site for our group.

     TASK: Margaret Mori to contact Joe Owen and inquire about how to establish a link from the ASLA web site to our HALS website.

   • Criteria for Selection

     Tom Brown posed the question, "Who will establish the criteria for what sites are suitable for HALS documentation?" NPS and ASLA have defined this in a paper titled Identifying Historic Landscapes, which was included as a handout. The final draft of HALS standard guidelines for documenting landscapes is due to be issued by December 31, 2004.

     In addition, it will be up to HALS NCC participants to discuss and make judgments on which of northern California's sites should be included on a short list of HALS candidates and to identify the first one to three sites for documentation.

3. How Will We Document These Sites?
   • Utilize existing material

     After some discussion there seemed to be consensus that in order to expedite our progress and be able to deliver a product, i.e. documentation that will be accepted by HALS and ultimately by the Library of Congress, it would be wise to start with one or more sites for which ample documentation already exists. Additionally some discussion was held about representing the range of historic landscape that exists in California.

   • Utilize Students

     Helaine Kaplan Prentice and Linda Jewell from UC Berkeley described possible scenarios, whereby individual students or classes might be utilized to complete research work and documentation for HALS submissions. Bob Melnick, Dean of School of Humanities & Applied Arts at the University of Oregon, might be a candidate for collaboration.

     TASK: Linda and Helaine to keep their eyes out for promising students who might undertake an individual study on this topic. Also, think about how you could incorporate support for HALS into one or more of your classes.

     Dee Fay, a student at UC Davis, described the historic landscapes program at Davis and suggested that that student body might be good candidates for HALS researchers.

     TASK: Dee to discuss this with her professor at UC Davis and report back.

     Jill Johnson described Iowa State's summer projects program and offered it as another model for engaging students in this effort.

     TASK: Jill to contact Iowa State and report back on how their program works.

4. How To Broaden Our Outreach?

   In order to inform others of the HALS program, it was suggested that each of us extend invitations to the organizations we represent to make nominations for HALS documentation. It was agreed that such an invitation would have to include an explanation of the program and the criteria for consideration. This information is currently available on the ASLA web site at http://host.asla.org/groups/hppigroup/ and at NPS HALS at http://www.cr.nps.gov/habshaer/hals/.

5. Group Logistics
   • Venue for Meetings

     Meeting locations should alternate between Oakland and San Francisco. The offices of PGAdesign, Architectural Resources Group and the Oakland office of the National Park Service - Pacific West Region were all offered as future meeting sites.

   • Meeting Schedule

     It was agreed that we should meet again in January 2005. An exact date and location TBA. Our goal for the next meeting is to review and discuss gardens/sites that have been nominated for documentation and begin to identify a short list of candidates and priorities.

     TASK: Margaret Mori volunteered to provide snacks and drinks for our next meeting

6. What's Current?

   Cathy Garrett asked everyone to write letters to Governor Schwarzenegger objecting to the threat to eliminate the State Historical Resources Commission. It is not too late to write letters of support of its retention; see http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ for more information.

   Cathy also raised the question of the rumored demise of the Kaiser Roof Garden in Oakland, suggesting this may be a good site to document.