Field Report – March 2009

Ball Horticultural Company received the 2008 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award at a ceremony in November for its Ecological Restoration Project, coordinated by Ball’s Keith Guimon. According to Guimon, the project began when an employee at Ball, together with Jack Pizzo of Pizzo & Associates, an ecological restoration firm with offices in Illinois and Michigan, approached CEO Anna Ball about restoring the land.

Before restoration, Guimon said the land was covered in buckthorn, garbage, trees and shrubs, and the remains of an old pig farm.

According to a timeline from Guimon, the project began with tree and brush removal in
October 2003. It eventually grew into 27 acres of native restoration. The team replaced invasive species with native plants, restored wildlife habitat, and created walking trails for employees.

The Conservation and Native Landscaping Award is sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness, an initiative that recognizes park districts, municipalities and corporations that make extensive and creative use of natural landscaping. The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the Chicago Wilderness Congress.

Guimon attended the ceremony, held at the University of Illinois Chicago campus, to accept the award on behalf of Ball. The restoration area is located in West Chicago, Illinois, home to Ball’s headquarters.

~ Jennifer Mitchell

Project EverGreen releases 2009 calendar
Project EverGreen, a national nonprofit committed to promoting the benefits of public and private green spaces, has released its third annual Because Green Matters calendar. The calendar features 12 photos from throughout the country that depict different ways to enhance green spaces within a community.

Photos were chosen from hundreds of submissions to the Project EverGreen calendar photography contest. The 12 winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to a national gardening retailer. Calendar photos feature projects from San Diego, California; San Marino, California; Glencoe, Illinois; Crystal Lake, Illinois; Kingwood, Texas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Akron, Ohio; Oley, Pennsylvania; West Jefferson, North Carolina, and Arlington, Virginia.
Each month is sponsored by a different organization that supports Project EverGreen’s mission. Sponsors include the Professional Grounds Management Society, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Tree Care Industry Association, Turfgrass Producers International, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, PLANET, Irrigation Association, Sports Turf Managers Association, the City of Akron, Sticks for Kids, Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association and Christmas Spirit Foundation.

The 2009 calendar is being sold as a fundraiser to benefit Project EverGreen’s educational programs. To order one, call (877) 758-4835 or visit www.projectevergreen.com for more information.

-Jennifer Mitchell

Clippings

Syngenta offers money-back guarantee program
Syngenta Professional Products is offering a money-back guarantee for its Barricade herbicide. Landscapers who usually make spring herbicide applications may be interested in The Barricade Spring Guarantee Program, which covers the herbicide through fall 2009. Visit
www.BarricadeGuarantee.com or call (800) 395- 8873.

Irrigation Association reveals new brand identity
The Irrigation Association unveiled its new brand identity, including a new logo and tagline, at the 2008 Irrigation Show. The new logo depicts the link between irrigation and producing growth, while the new tagline “Smart practices. Sustainable solutions.” gives IA’s mission and commitment to better water management.

Aquascape introduces apprentice program
Aquascape created the Aquascape Apprentice Program for contractors who are breaking into the water features industry and are not ready for the Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) program. Participants will receive a welcome kit, gain access to a message board for networking and educational purposes, and have a CAC mentor. For more information, visit your local authorized Aqua-
scapePro distributor or call (866) 877-6637.

SIMA 2009 Snow Warrior Awards applications available
Applications for the Snow & Ice Management Association’s (SIMA) 2009 Snow Warrior Awards are available. Awards will be presented at a banquet during the 12th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium in Louisville, Kentucky, in June. For more information or to apply online, visit www.sima.org.

Agrium opens new Canadian facility
Agrium Advanced Technologies (AAT) opened a new fertilizer production facility in Courtright, Ontario, Canada, to produce AAT’s specialized,
controlled-release fertilizers. Many of these products use the company’s patented coating technology. The new facility features an improved laboratory and improved warehousing and distribution capabilities. It will have an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons of slow- and controlled-release fertilizers.

PLANET holds meeting on sustainability
PLANET held a three-day meeting at Hunter Industries in San Marcos, California, to discuss “Innovating Toward a Sustainable and Profitable Future.” The purpose of the meeting was three-fold: to develop a better understanding of business models that currently work productively with sustainability and balance profitability, to start drafting a statement of intent and plan to carry out positive momentum within the industry, and to work to align or surpass standards of LEED.

Echo’s bed redefiner wins GIE+EXPO award
Echo’s new BRD-280 bed redefiner was awarded the Dealer’s Choice Award, hand-held category, at GIE+EXPO held in Louisville, Kentucky, in October. The product allows landscapers to perform flowerbed maintenance without a bulky machine or strenuous shovel work.

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