PLSO May June 2019

2 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 42, No. 3 From the Editor Greg Crites, PLS Editor MESSAGE EDITOR FROM THE Evidence of surveys here in some cases now date back a bit more than 200 years which seems a paltry amount of time if you embrace an Italian perspective, but there are lessons we can take away from the Italians that could be very important to our successors. Preserving physical boundary evidence, survey and conveyancing records are obviously important, but we mustn’t forget the value of documenting means and methods. I recently returned from two weeks wandering around in Italy with mem- bers of a wine club I belong to. During this holiday, my wife and I traveled to Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre and Lake Como with stops in several small villag- es that none of you will likely recognize. Though I have been to Europe before, I had little time to enjoy living in the countryside away from the tourists, so a week of our trip was spent living in a villa in Tuscany near the community of Trequanda. With a population of around 2200, it is a small commune in the Prov- ince of Sienna. Streets are generally cobbled, narrow, winding and difficult to navigate with any type of vehicle larger than a compact sedan. The beauty of the Tuscan countryside is pretty much breathtaking everywhere you look. The typical cypress trees line the driveways approaching most villas, which are generally situated on ridgetops, the lo- cation originally chosen as a defensible position which enabled the occupants to see approaching enemies from afar but now offering stunning views. I was struck by the abundant use of stone in their construction (this material was practical for many reasons, not the least being its ability to withstand attacks from enemies), which contributes to the age of many of the structures. Here in the western U.S., it’s unlikely that you’ll find homes more than 100-years old, as houses made of sticks don’t possess the durability of native rock (the big bad wolf would have a very difficult time blowing anything down there). The family that owns the villa we stayed in can trace its construction back more than 500 years, a staggeringly long time for a house to stand, especially from my American perspective. Everywhere you go in Italy there is evidence of Roman history. We could see remains of the ancient aqueducts supplying water to the City of Rome as we traveled north out of that city. Incredibly, after near- ly 2,000 years, one of those structures still operates (with some modern- day modifications) to supply water to the Trevi Fountain in the heart of the city and, of course, the many ancient ruins that blanket the area, which brings me to the heart of my editorial. Our trip organizer had been to Rome on several previous occasions, so she had some experience with the professional guides who can be hired to direct you through most of the more famous his- torical sites. Just like licensing surveyors, these guides are required to complete in- tensive training—training which includes continuing education! Our guide was ab- solutely fabulous, walking us through