|   |
The Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation (AHLP) is pleased to announce that its 46th Annual Meeting will be held virtually in September 2026. We invite submissions that engage with the theme Landscapes Without Boundaries: Respecting the Past, Investing in the Future.
Historic and culturally significant landscapes have never adhered neatly to political, disciplinary, institutional, or cultural boundaries—and neither should the conversations that shape their preservation. This year’s virtual format is intended not only to broaden participation across the United States and Canada, but also to expand access, foster sustained dialogue, and support new forms of digital engagement within the field.
The conference theme reflects AHLP’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and critical inquiry. “Respecting the Past” acknowledges the depth of knowledge, stewardship, and lived experience that defines our work. “Investing in the Future” emphasizes innovation, resilience, inclusion, and the evolving tools and methods that will shape the next generation of conservation and preservation practice. We particularly encourage submissions that examine how boundaries—geographic, temporal, environmental, theoretical, and institutional—are negotiated, challenged, or redefined through landscape preservation.
At a time when many practitioners and institutions face increasing constraints on conservation work, this conference seeks to foster dialogue, resilience, and collective strategies for sustaining the field.
The 2026 program will feature three curated thematic panels. They include:
Note: Proposals addressing any aspect of the theory, practice, or teaching of landscape preservation and conservation are also particularly welcome.
The 2026 Virtual Conference will take place via Zoom on the following dates (Eastern Time):
Each session will be 60 minutes in length and will include a combination of pre-recorded and live components.
Selected presenters will be asked to submit a 10–15 minute pre-recorded presentation in advance of the conference. These recordings will be made available to registered participants prior to the session and may be included in AHLP’s digital programming.
Live sessions will prioritize discussions and audience engagement, rather than full-length formal presentations. Presenters should expect to offer a brief (no longer than 3 minute) “live” summary of their work and participate within the moderated dialogue. All registered members attending the conference are asked to watch the collection of narrated presentations prior to the live, Zoom event. These presentations will be available on the AHLP’s YouTube Channel, found here.
All sessions will be recorded. Captioning and other accessibility accommodations will be provided where possible; participants are encouraged to indicate any specific needs at the time of submission or registration.
Please submit an abstract (500 word maximum) that clearly articulates:
These questions will be used to help structure panel conversations and audience engagement.
All abstracts must be submitted electronically as Microsoft Word documents (.docx) and formatted as follows:
A. Title Page
Please include:
B. Content Pages
Please include:
Please do not include author names or identifying information on content pages.
(Please remember to include page numbers and a shortened version of the paper title in the footer.)
Questions and proposals should be emailed to the Call for Papers Conference Coordinator:
Dorna Eshrati, PhD
Assistant Professor │ Department of Landscape Architecture
R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
Ball State University
Architecture Building (AB) 229
2000 W University Ave
Muncie, IN 47306
Phone: 765-285-1976
Email: deshrati@bsu.edu
| • Submission Deadline: | May 30, 2026 |
| • Notification of Acceptance: | June 30, 2026 |
| • Pre-recorded Presentation Submission: | August 15, 2026 |
Proposals will be evaluated through a blind peer-review process and selected based on the following criteria:
Individual papers will be organized into thematic panels by the program committee.
Please note, presenters must register for the conference and be current members of AHLP at the time of participation. The registration link for the conference can be found on our website, www.ahlp.org
Following the conference, AHLP will compile session recordings and selected pre-recorded presentations into a digital proceedings archive. Contributors may also be invited to submit an optional written version of their work for inclusion in AHLP’s digital publications (including our website, newsletters, etc.)
These materials will support AHLP’s expanding YouTube channel and digital outreach efforts, increasing accessibility, visibility, and long-term impact for the work presented.
Presenters are encouraged to incorporate visual materials where appropriate. Authors are responsible for securing permissions for all images and media included in their presentations.
Please note that accepted presenters will be required to pay a $45 USD registration fee.
This fee applies only to presenters whose submissions are accepted for inclusion in the online sessions and YouTube presentation format. General attendance for the online sessions requires active AHLP membership.
