I am a landscape architect in North Carolina who has also done a good deal of work in Virginia and have been licensed in Virginia since 2002.  Licensure for landscape architects is absolutely essential.  In my practice I have dealt with stormwater issues, grading, erosion control, transportation including pedestrian / vehicular systems, siting of structures, tree conservation, zoning and other agency review issues.  These greatly impact public health, safety and welfare and they required trained knowledgeable professionals.  Without licensure mistakes made could lead to downstream flooding, additional polluting of surface waters from stormwater passing over sites (even simply from parking and roadways), silt traveling off sites and damaging areas downstream, conflicts between vehicles and pedestrian, buildings and other site features located in unsuitable locations that put people in harm's way, and degradation of air quality due to canopy loss.  Without licensure, these services will potentially be offered by people with no knowledge of how to actually perform them.  Mistakes made in the process could lead to loss of value, property damage and a potential loss of life.  Please consider carefully what public protections you are willing to eliminate.  Please keep licensure for Landscape Architects.