America in Bloom and Project EverGreen award city
America in Bloom, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting nationwide beautification programs through the use of flowers, plants and trees, in conjunction with Project EverGreen, presented Beloit, Wisconsin, with Project EverGreen’s Landscaped Areas Award at its annual awards ceremony.
Each year, cities nationwide that actively work toward beautifying their community’s green spaces are encouraged to enter the America in Bloom contest.
America in Bloom judges evaluated Beloit on eight criteria: floral displays, environmental awareness, landscaped areas, tidiness, urban forestry, heritage preservation, turf and groundcovers and community involvement.
“When a community takes care of its green spaces, you know it takes care of its citizens,” says Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen. “Beloit demonstrates a strong understanding of the lifestyle, economic and environmental benefits that green spaces have to offer and I hope that other communities will follow suit.”
Delilah Onofrey, external relations chair for America in Bloom, said the city has expanded its parks department and reinvented it as a leisure division with crews focused on making Beloit a great place to enjoy and thus standing out from this year’s contest entrants.
–Chris Hawk
Housing slump doesn’t slow down landscapers
Despite a housing slowdown, the vast majority of landscape architecture firms report they are even busier than before, according to a third-quarter survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
More than three out of four firms reported steady or increased billable hours compared with the previous quarter, and four in 10 firms were planning to hire additional staff.
“The demand for landscape architecture services remains strong in the traditional markets, while it continues to grow in emerging areas, particularly for sustainable design services,” says Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. “With only 30,000 landscape architects in the United States and the projected growth in demand for landscape architecture services, there are significant opportunities for young people considering entering the profession.”
Nearly 44 percent of respondents described their billable hours as either “well above” or “slightly above” average. Thirty-three percent said that billable hours were “average,” while 24 percent said hours were either “slightly below” (20 percent) or “well below” average (4 percent).
ASLA e-mailed a questionnaire to the key contacts across the country, and received responses from 251 independent landscape architecture firms. The survey will be repeated in mid-
January 2008, and the results will be reported in February.
–Chris Hawk
CLIPPINGS
ANLA to partner with floriculture association
The American Nursery and Landscape Association will join OFA, an association of floriculture professionals, for their annual short course. Both organizations have members whose business activities include landscape design and garden retailing as well as growing under glass, in containers or in the field. The short course July 12-15 in Columbus, Ohio, will attract 10,000 visitors from around the world. Floriculture industry leaders can take advantage of more than 130 education sessions and the 1,400-booth trade show.
Bayer and Nufarm settle patent infringement suit
Bayer CropScience and Nufarm Americas jointly announced they have reached a settlement in a lawsuit, filed by Bayer, for infringement on its patent for the pesticide imidacloprid. Nufarm has acknowledged that Bayer’s patent is valid and enforceable. Under the terms of the settlement, Nufarm and its business partners have been granted freedom to operate using the patented imidacloprid on fertilizer technology, including the ability to commercialize products incorporating the patented technology.
Doosan completes acquisition of Bobcat
Doosan Infracore announced the completed acquisition of Bobcat brand of construction equipment and attachments from Ingersoll-Rand. Doosan says the three entities will operate as individual businesses, owned by Doosan Infracore International, and will be known as Bobcat, Doosan Infracore Portable Power and DII Attachments. The company will now have a combined network of over 3,500 dealers worldwide and 20 manufacturing plants in the United States, Europe and China.
Arysta releases new insecticide premixtures
Arysta LifeScience North America turf and ornamental products has announced federal registration of new turf insecticide premixtures under the Aloft brand name, in both granular and sprayable formulations. The Aloft premix combines the residual activity of clothianidin with the knockdown activity of bifenthrin, providing two complementary modes of action.
