The Iowa Nursery & Landscape Association represents the interests and concerns of nursery and landscape professionals through education, legislative monitoring and the INLA Certified Nursery Professional Program ?EUR??,,????'??? ?EUR??,,????'??Pros To Grow With.?EUR??,,????'??
The INLA Convention will be held earlier in January than usual. Rather than the usual Wednesday through Friday slot, the convention and trade show will take place Sunday through Tuesday, January 16-18, 2005. Contrary to opinion among some skeptics, the new location for the annual convention, Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines, is well on its way to completion and will be done in time.
Certification
INLA Certified Nursery Professionals will receive new certification manual chapters during the convention. Ann Marie VanDerZanden, associate professor of horticulture at ISU, has revised and updated a chapter in the landscape specialization manual, and Judy Sharpton has written a new chapter, Sustainable Merchandising Techniques, for the garden center specialization manual.
Annual Workshop
In September of 2003, the INLA introduced the INLA Workshop: Nursery & Landscape Troubleshooting Tour, which received an enthusiastic response. When we offered it again this year the response was less than overwhelming and it was cancelled. INLA has requested input from its members to make the INLA Workshop an event they will want to attend in 2005.
Report from Beth W. Palys, executive director
Since its inception in 1967, The Landscape Contractors Association MD-DC-VA, www.lcamddcva.org, has met the needs of landscape professionals throughout the region.
Leadership
Deonne Wollman, CLP is the president for 2004 and 2005. Beth W. Palys, CAE, is the executive director for 2004.
Certification
The Certified Landscape Technician Test (CLT) is a national hands-on testing program that validates the quality of landscape contractor?EUR??,,????'???s work and helps market their services to the public. The 2005 test will be held on July 30 in Derwood, MD.
Awards
Our annual Excellence in Landscape Awards Competition gives landscape contractors the opportunity to shine by showing their clients and prospective clients the value of their work. In 2004, there were over 60 awards presented. The 2005 ?EUR??,,????'??Winter Workshop?EUR??,,????'?? annual meeting will be held from Feb. 15 to 17 at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center, Ellicott City, Maryland. Sessions will be held in the areas of landscape design, landscape installation and maintenance, business practices and pesticide recertification, as well a full day of sessions in Spanish.
Legislative
LCA participates in the Maryland Green Industry Council. Through our participation, LCA has a voice in issues affecting the green industry in Maryland.
The Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association (LNLA) was founded as the Louisiana Association of Nurserymen in 1954. LNLA is a professional non-profit organization representing Louisiana?EUR??,,????'???s green industry. Member firms include wholesale nursery crop producers, landscape contractors, retail garden centers, arborists, landscape architects, county agents, sod growers, arborists and others associated with the green industry. Membership primarily includes wholesale growers, retail garden centers and landscape contractors.
Alliances/Events
LNLA is a participating state in the Southern Nursery Association and a participating state association in the annual Nursery/Landscape Expo managed by the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. The Gulf States Horticultural Expo is a key event at the current time for LNLA. In addition, LNLA will be working on several new projects over the next couple of years. Significant efforts will be made in marketing and promotion by (1) publishing a ?EUR??,,????'??Landscape Plants for Louisiana?EUR??,,????'?? booklet for retail garden centers, landscape contractors and landscape architects, (2) continuing Louisiana Public Broadcasting commercials to promote the value of landscaping, employing and consulting with licensed landscape and horticulture professionals, and LNLA as a professional organization servicing the state?EUR??,,????'???s green industry, (3) developing a ?EUR??,,????'??Louisiana Grown?EUR??,,????'?? program, and (4) enhancing website development for consumer education. Also, LNLA is preparing to provide significant funds to the LSU AgCenter for implementing improvements to nursery crop and landscape research support facilities.
The LNLA is one of the participating states in the Southern Nurserymen?EUR??,,????'???s Association (SNA). SNA is the strongest regionally based nursery association in the United States, comprising sixteen state associations.
The LNLA works on a cooperative basis with many other regional and statewide green industry organizations. These groups include: Louisiana Urban Forestry Council, Southwest Louisiana Association of Nurserymen, Southeast Louisiana Nursery Association, Central Louisiana Nurserymen?EUR??,,????'???s Association, the Louisiana Turfgrass Association, the Louisiana Pest Control Association and the Baton Rouge Landscape Association.
The LNLA conducts educational programs for Louisiana?EUR??,,????'???s green industry professionals. These include landscape and lawn maintenance workshops and the very popular Louisiana Plant Materials Conference.
The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (www.mnla.biz) is the state?EUR??,,????'???s oldest and largest green industry trade organization. Started in 1925 as the Minnesota Nurserymen?EUR??,,????'???s Association, today MNLA represents and serves nursery and greenhouse growers, garden centers, irrigation contractors, industry suppliers and a wide range of landscape professionals. The association?EUR??,,????'???s goal is to help members operate their businesses more successfully by providing education, networking, legislative and regulatory representation, public relations and financial benefits through group purchasing and other member services.
Leadership
John Mickman of Mickman Brothers Inc. is MNLA president for 2004 and 2005. Bob Fitch has been the executive director from 1996 to the present. Their headquarters are located in St. Paul, Minnesota.
MNLA Annual Meeting
Online registration is already available for the MNLA 2005 annual meeting (Minnesota Green Expo, www.minnesotagreenexpo.com) on January 5 to 7 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Last year the MNLA had approximately 7,500 attendees. They typically receive 35 award submittals and select 20 winners in their annual awards ceremony, the Landscape Design Awards. New for 2005?EUR??,,????'???s meeting is a Green Expo Carnival on Thursday evening, January 6. Also new for 2005 are industry roundtables including topics like Field Management and Employee Productivity, Designing Native Landscapes and Rain Water Gardens?EUR??,,????'???Love?EUR??,,????'???em or Hate?EUR??,,????'???em.
Report from Betty Weist, NJLCA executive director
Members of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) can sum up 2004 with the tag line, ?EUR??,,????'??growing every day.?EUR??,,????'??
Every time our members take advantage of the many opportunities for networking and education, or participate in our Landscape Achievement Awards program, attend general membership meetings or take part in our Certified Landscape Technician program, our membership grows.
This year got underway with the association?EUR??,,????'???s annual Business Improvement Seminar featuring topics including: accounting, budgeting and efficient use of clerical services; using the web as a marketing tool; and relating to Hispanic workers. Our president, Paul Siciliano, commented, ?EUR??,,????'??This meeting really gets our members out in the dead of winter. It?EUR??,,????'???s a time to see old friends and get updated on contractor issues.?EUR??,,????'??
The main event of the year is our annual trade show that occurred on February 25, 2004. This one-day event featured over 150 exhibitors and day-long educational programs. Around 1,500 attendees take advantage of the ?EUR??,,????'??one-stop shopping.?EUR??,,????'??
Alliances
The NJLCA has a strong educational commitment and relationship with Rutgers University, the state?EUR??,,????'???s land grant college. The association provides funds for one of the college?EUR??,,????'???s turfgrass science buildings. The University also provided the site for September and October 2004 refresher classes and hands-on testing for administering the National Certified Landscape Technician Program.
In cooperation with another green industry group, an exhibit at the state?EUR??,,????'???s agricultural museum featuring the ?EUR??,,????'??Evolution of the Green Industry?EUR??,,????'?? was displayed from April through August. One item of exceptional interest was a 1950s backpack blower. There were many items considered antiques and their modern versions.
Lobbying
The NJLCA works all year with a lobbyist and other green industry groups in the prevention of stringent restrictions during droughts with the state?EUR??,,????'???s Department of Environmental Protection. A Home Improvement Contractor?EUR??,,????'???s Act took effect in November requiring registration of all landscape contractors with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
The particular objectives of the NY Turf and Landscape Association are to improve conditions in the landscape industry by making business between members ?EUR??,,????'??profitable and pleasant.?EUR??,,????'?? The association has established an educational program, and a library and scholarship fund. In the past, a cash award was given to various libraries in the county to be used toward the purchase of horticultural and gardening books. To date, NYTLA has made awards to approximately 25 libraries. On ?EUR??,,????'??Arbor Day?EUR??,,????'?? numerous varieties of trees have been donated to different towns and sites throughout Westchester County.
Leadership
Executive director is Michael Bellantoni. Sr. president is Joe Tinelli.
Annual Awards
The annual scholarship awards, known as the Frank Sgobbo Memorial Scholarship Fund, were given to high school students undertaking a career in landscaping or horticultural. This was changed in 1996. It is now being awarded to two students enrolled in a horticultural curriculum at a qualified college in New York. The current value of each award is $1,000. To date, 76 scholarships totaling $39,550 have been awarded.
Certification
The association promotes and executes the Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) test throughout the state under the auspices of the Association of Landscape Contractors of America.
Number of years that the New York Turf and Landscape Association has been in existence.
Source: New York Turf and Landscape Association
Business was up in 2004, reports the Oregon Landscape Contractors Association (OLCA). The Portland-based association has close to 500 members and a website at www.oregonlandscape.org.
Certification
One of the year?EUR??,,????'???s biggest events for the association was the administration of the annual Certified Landscape Technician test, held July 29 at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City. In a result indicative of the test?EUR??,,????'???s difficulty, just five of 36 test-takers passed the exam. The exam is formulated by the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and consists of three core tests in installation, maintenance and irrigation, with advanced specialty sections in carpentry, concrete and irrigation management.
Annual Expo
The OLCA holds its biggest event of the year, the Oregon Landscape Expo, on Dec. 8 and 9 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The event offers members and visitors a variety of education sessions as well as an industry trade show and a chance to network. More information is available on the website.
Finally, the OLCA has its annual leadership change in January, when current head Martin Gascoyne passes the presidential baton to John Gawlista.
The South Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association sponsors a variety of activities to meet the needs of its membership. The Annual Trade Show and seminar program is scheduled for February 3 to 5, 2005 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The event features a 368 ?EUR??,,????'??? booth trade show, a seminar program with 20 different topics discussed, a golf tournament, a sporting tournament and auction. SCNLA also sponsors its Certified Nursery Professional Test and the National Certified Landscape Technician Test. For more information about SCNLA visit www.scnla.com.
The Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, or TNLA, held its event of the year this Aug. 20 through 22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Close to 9,000 participants gathered for the 2004 Nursery/Landscape Expo. The event included a pre-Expo education conference that followed the two-day exhibition, which boasted 710 exhibitors filling 1,567 booths and 156,700 square feet of exhibition space.
Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, TNLA president Eddy Edmondson and chairman Mike Branch presented booth awards to six Texas landscape businesses. The winners included Green Valley Growers of Willis; Color Star Growers, Inc. of Giddings; First Foliage of Homestead, Pavestone Company of Grapevine, Oldcastle Jewell Concrete of Waco and Modular Watergardens of Hurst.
The TNLA is already looking forward to next year?EUR??,,????'???s event. The 2005 Nursery/Landscape EXPO will be held Aug. 19 through 21 at the Dallas Convention Center. Booths are already available. More information can be found by calling 800-880-0343 or by visiting the website at www.txnla.org.
Charter year of the Landscape Contractors Association ?EUR??,,????'??? now known as the California Landscape Contractors Association ?EUR??,,????'??? the oldest landscape contractor organization in the state.
