Richard Giamberdine

Biography

Rich earned his degree in landscape architecture and environmental planning from Utah State University in 1961. In 1966, he began his career with the National Park Service, where he got a job as a park planner. Rich obtained several new titles through his career with the NPS, being promoted to positions such as Regional Landscape Architect for the Mid-Atlantic Region, Urban & Regional Planner for the Rocky Mountain/Mid-west Team, Senior Planner/Supervisory Landscape Architect and finally Senior Landscape Architect/Regional Planner.

As the Senior Landscape Architect for the National Park Service, Rich was responsible for managing the operating office staffs of all ten regional offices and the park staff of more than 337 field areas. He served as the principle professional spokesperson in interactions with other agencies, academic institutions, private organizations and professional societies on topics related to planning and landscape architecture.

Rich was the project manager for the Columbia Gorge project and was responsible for the land use alternatives study, which proposed innovative land protection and administrative strategies and led to the designation of the Columbia River Gorge as the nation’s first official National Scenic Area.

Richard was also an exceptional watercolor artist, having begun painting in college. His artwork has been recognized in art shows in the Denver area. Rich Giamberdine passed away in 1995, having left a tremendous legacy of public lands conservation behind him.