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January / February / March 2017
VNLA Newsletter
2017 VNLA Officers & Directors OFFICERS President VIRGINIA ROCKWELL ‘12 Gentle Gardener Green Design PO Box 191 Montpelier, VA 22957-0191 (cell) 434-531-0467 gentlegardener@gmail.com Vice President AARON WILLIAMS ‘14 Education Committee Williams Landscape & Design PO Box 7001 Williamsburg VA 23188-7001 757-564-7011 aaron@wldgreen.com Secretary/ Treasurer BRENT HUNSINGER, Legislation’15 Brent's Native Plantings 10715 Hamilton's Crossing Dr Fredericksburg, VA 22408 443-655-3410 brenthunsinger@gmail.com Past President BILL GOULDIN ‘12 Strange’s Florist/Garden Ctrs 12111 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23233 804-360-2800 wjg@stranges.com
Executive Director
2 YR DIRECTORS
1 YR DIRECTORS
MATT DEIVERT ‘17 South Riding Nurseries 8010 Industrial Park Ct Bristow, VA 20136-3125 Ofc: 703-479-2701 Cell: 571-220-1483 mdeivert@southridingnurseries.com
JEFFREY HOWE, Certification ‘16 Windridge Landscaping Co 7158 Rockfish Valley Rd Afton, VA 22920-3182 434-361-1588 Cell: (434) 531-1919 jhowe@windridgelandscaping.com
SEANA ANKERS ‘17 Legislation Lee Highway Nursery 5055 Rock Springs Rd Warrenton VA 20187-8950 540-216-7062, Cell: 540-878-0554 Seanankers.lhn@gmail.com MITZI MARKER ‘17 Sandy’s Plants 8011 Bell Creek Rd Mechanicsville VA 23111-3705 804-746-7092 Cell: _____________ mitzi@sandysplants.com PAUL MUNN ‘17 Waynesboro Nurseries PO Box 987 Waynesboro VA 22980-0987 540-946-3800, Cell: ______________ pmunn@waynesboronurseries.com
CECILIA PALMER ‘17 West Winds Nursery/Shade JEFFREY B. MILLER Tree Farm Horticulture Management 5710 Featherbed Ln Associates LLC Sudley Springs VA 20109383 Coal Hollow Road 2004 Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 703-631-0983, 1-800-476-0055 Cell: 703-906-2769 Fax: 540-382-2716 westwindsn@aol.com info@vnla.org
VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
SCOTT PRICE, Education ‘16 David Scott Price Design 2772 Earleysville Rd Earlysville, VA 22936-9665 434-466-5656 Cell: scott@dscottprice.com THOMAS BUCKLEY Public Relations ‘16 Riverbend Nursery 1295 Mt Elbert Rd Riner VA 24149-3611 800-638-3362 x102 Cell: 540-850-0420 thomas@riverbendnursery.com DOUG RODES, Membership ‘15 James River Nurseries 13244 Ashland Rd Ashland VA 23005-7504 (804) 798-2020 Cell: (804) 380-5259 drodes@jamesrivernurseries.com CHRISTOPHER BROWN JR
Research Committee ‘13 Lancaster Farms 5800 Knotts Neck Rd Suffolk VA 23435-1353 757-484-4421
Christopher@lancasterfarms.com
January/February/March 2017 January / February / March 2017
Educational Advisors
VT/HRAREC Ex-Officio non-voting
DR. JIM OWEN HARAREC 1444 Diamond Springs Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23455 (757) 363-3804 jim.owen@vt.edu DR. LAURIE FOX HRAREC, 1444 Diamond Springs Rd; VA Beach, VA 23455-3363 757-363-3807 Cell: 757-284-6139 ljfox@vt.edu DR. ROGER HARRIS VA Tech Horticulture Dept. Head Saunders Hall (0327) Blacksburg, VA 24061-0001 540-231-5451 rharris@vt.edu
MANTS’ Directors JOHN LANCASTER‘02 Bennett’s Creek Nursery 17497 Benns Church Blvd Smithfield, VA 23430 757-483-1425 john@bcnursery.com ROBIN RINACA - 15 Eastern Shore Nursery of VA PO Box 400 Melfa, VA 23410-0400 757-787-4732 rrinaca@esnursery.com DANNY SHRECKHISE Shreckhise Nurseries ‘12 PO Box 428 Grottoes, VA 24441-0428 540-249-5761 Danny@shreckhise.com
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Table TableofofContents Contents 2017 2017 VNLA VNLA Officers Officers && Directors Directors ............................... ...............................3 3 AdAd - Bennett’s - Bennett’s Creek Creek Nursery Nursery ...................................... ...................................... 5555 AdAd - Bremo - Bremo Trees Trees ......................................................... ......................................................... 5656 AdAd – conserVAlandscape.com – conserVAlandscape.com ..................................... .....................................7 7 AdAd – Eastern – Eastern Shore Shore Nursery Nursery of of Virginia Virginia ...................... ...................... 3737 AdAd - Farm - Farm Credit Credit .......................................................... .......................................................... 5656 AdAd – Gossett’s – Gossett’s Landscape Landscape Nursery Nursery .............................. .............................. 4343 AdAd – Guthrie – Guthrie Nursery Nursery ................................................... ................................................... 4949 AdAd – Hanover – Hanover Farms Farms .................................................... .................................................... 1919 AdAd – Hawksridge – Hawksridge Farms Farms .............................................. .............................................. 2121 AdAd - Johnston - Johnston County County Nursery Nursery Marketing Marketing Association Association - JOCOPLANTS - JOCOPLANTS ............................................. ............................................. 5252 AdAd - Lancaster - Lancaster Farms Farms ................................................... ................................................... 5050 AdAd – MAS – MAS Labor Labor Solutions Solutions ......................................... .........................................2 2 AdAd – Pender – Pender Nursery Nursery .................................................... .................................................... 3939 AdAd - Plantworks - Plantworks Nursery.............................................. Nursery.............................................. 4646 AdAd – Shreckhise – Shreckhise Nurseries Nurseries ........................................... ........................................... 1313 AdAd – SiteLight – SiteLight Id Id ......................................................... ......................................................... 1515 AdAd – Tankard – Tankard Nurseries Nurseries ............................................... ............................................... 3333 AdAd – TD – TD Watkisn Watkisn Horticultural Horticultural Sales Sales .......................... .......................... 1010 AdAd – Turtle – Turtle Creek Creek Nursery Nursery ........................................... ........................................... 2727 AdAd – Virginia – Virginia Conservation Conservation Assistance Assistance Program Program ........ ........ 2929 AdAd – Waynesboro – Waynesboro Nurseries Nurseries ........................................ ........................................9 9 AdAd – Willow – Willow Springs Springs Tree Tree Farms Farms ................................ ................................ 3535 Editorial Editorial - Improving - Improving Downstream/Bay Downstream/Bay Water Water Quality Quality - A- Fish A Fish thatthat Could Could ............................................. .............................................9 9 Events Events - Calendar - Calendar ......................................................... ......................................................... 5454 Events Events - SEGreen - SEGreen - The - The Next Next Generation Generation .................... .................... 5353 Events Events - Shenandoah - Shenandoah Valley Valley Plant Plant Symposium Symposium 2017 2017 .. 51 .. 51 News News – BMPs – BMPs forfor Bee Bee Health Health in in Horticulture Horticulture Industry Industry .................................. .................................. 1818 News News - Brent - Brent Hunsinger Hunsinger Recipient Recipient of of Environmental Environmental Steward Steward Award Award ................................................ ................................................ 1010 News News – Chesapeake – Chesapeake Bay Bay Landscape Landscape Professional Professional ....... ....... 4141 News News - Helping - Helping Horticulture Horticulture Find Find ItsIts Niche Niche ............... ............... 1616 News News – Helping – Helping rollroll outout VAVA Tech’s Tech’s ‘welcome ‘welcome mat’ mat’ ... 19 ... 19 News News - Howard - Howard Saunders Saunders Recipient Recipient of of Professional Professional of of thethe Year Year ...................................................... ...................................................... 1111 News News - MANTS - MANTS is Winner is Winner forfor Buyers Buyers && Sellers Sellers ......... ......... 1414 News News - Maslow - Maslow Young Young Professional Professional of of thethe Year Year byby NALP NALP ....................................................... ....................................................... 1313 News News – Miller – Miller Presented Presented thethe NVNLA NVNLA Byron Byron Wates Wates Award Award ...................................... ...................................... 1414 News News - Monarda - Monarda Brings Brings thethe Heat Heat to to High High Summer Summer ........ 3838 News News - National - National Agricultural Agricultural Classification Classification Survey Survey ........ 2727 News News - National - National AgAg Classification Classification Survey Survey FAQ FAQ ......... ......... 3232 News News - Regulatory - Regulatory ....................................................... ....................................................... 2424 News News – Chesapeake – Chesapeake Bay Bay Landscape Landscape Pilot Pilot Program Program .......... 4040 News News - Urban - Urban Trees Trees Can Can Save Save Tens Tens of of Thousands Thousands of of Lives Lives Globally Globally ............................................ ............................................ 3636 News News – VA – VA Tech Tech Horticulture Horticulture Academic Academic Advisor Advisor .......... 2020 VNLA VNLA Newsletter Newsletter 4
News News - Virginia - Virginia Ranks Ranks Fifth Fifth ........................................ ........................................ 3838 News News - VA - VA Tech Tech alumnus alumnus hashas National National Mall Mall covered covered 2121 News News - Young - Young Professional Professional Award Award – Steven – Steven Pekary Pekary ... 12 ... 12 Obituary Obituary – Ken – Ken McDonald McDonald ........................................... ........................................... 5050 Tips Tips – Groundwater – Groundwater Withdrawal Withdrawal Permitting Permitting Fact Fact Sheet Sheet ........................................................ ........................................................ 2525 Tips Tips - So – Perennial Long Social Plant media of the ........................................ Year: Asclepias.............. 3351 Tips Tips – Surface - So Long Water Social Withdrawal media ........................................ Grandfather Policy 2433 Tips Tips - The – Surface ‘Shazam’ Water ForWithdrawal Plants ................................... Grandfather Policy 32 24 VNLA Tips - Board The ‘Shazam’ MeetingFor Summary Plants ................................... .............................. 4432 VNLA VNLA - Certification – Officers and Decals Directors and Magnet 2017 Photo ................... ............... 4951 VNLA VNLA - Certification - Board Meeting QuizSummary # 79 .................................. .............................. 3144 VNLA VNLA – Field - Certification Day 2017Decals at Bennett’s and Magnet Creek ................... Nursery . 4449 VNLA VNLA - Mobile-Friendly - Certification Quiz App#Grower 79 .................................. Guide ............. 1231 VNLA VNLA – New – Field Member Day 2017 Welcome at Bennett’s ................................ Creek Nursery 47. 44 VNLA VNLA - Photo - Mobile-Friendly Contest Winner App .................................... Grower Guide ............. 1712 VNLA VNLA - Plant – New Profile Member – Chimonanthus Welcome ................................ praecox .......... 2347 VNLA VNLA - Quiz - Photo Article Contest - WPS Winner Focus: .................................... Display of 17 Pesticide Safety,–Application &Hazard Info ... 2923 VNLA - Plant Profile Chimonanthus praecox .......... VNLA - Quiz Article - WPS Focus: VNLA - Quiz Article - WPS Focus: Display of Worker andSafety, Handler training ......................... Pesticide Application &Hazard Info28 ... 29 VNLA - Survey ................................................... 8 VNLA - Quiz 2016 Article - WPS Focus: VNLA - Thanks Annual Breakfast Meeting Sponsors 528 Worker and Handler training ......................... VNLA - Photo Contest .................................... 17 8 VNLA - Survey 2016 Rules ................................................... VNLA - Thanks Annual Breakfast Meeting Sponsors 5 VNLA - Photo Contest Rules .................................... 17
VNLA VNLA- Mobile- MobileFriendly App Friendly AppGuide Guide totoVirginia Growers! Virginia Growers! Look upup Look plant sources, plant sources, hotlinks toto hotlinks grower email, grower email, website website and phone! and phone!
www.vnla.org/Grower-Guide www.vnla.org/Grower-Guide
VNLA will be discontinuing the “800” phone VNLA will be discontinuing the “800” phone number in 2017, Contact phone number is number in 2017, Contact phone number is still 540-382-0943 still 540-382-0943
January/February/March January/February/March 2017 January / February / March2017 2017
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Vol. 87, No.1; Jan/Feb/Mar 2017 Vol. 86,Editor: No.4; Jeff Oct/Nov/Dec 2016 Miller Editor: Jeff Miller
383 Coal Hollow Road; Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 383 Coal Hollow Road;Address: Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 Internet E-mail info@vnla.org www.vnla.org (Association Info) Internet E-mail Address: info@vnla.org www.vnla.org (Association Info)
https://www.facebook.c om/VNLA1932 https://www.facebook.c om/VNLA1932 Twitter: @vnla1932 Twitter: @vnla1932 Telephone: 540-382-0943
Fax: 540-382-2716 Telephone: 540-382-0943 Fax: 540-382-2716 Disclaimer: Published for your information,
this newsletter is notfor an your endorsement Disclaimer: Published information, for individual products or editorial comments. this newsletter is not an endorsement for individual products or editorial comments.
SAVE THE DATE!!! SAVE THE DATE!!! SAVE THE Field DATE!!! 2017 VNLA Day 2017 VNLA Field 2017 VNLA Field Day Day
President’s Message President’s Message
Dear VNLA folks:
At our recent board meeting in Welcome to a new we yearwere as a member Williamsburg, updated of the Virginia Nursery Landon the succession planand by Sonya scape Association. “May you be Westervelt and so far, we are still blessed to live in interesting times” on schedule. The plan is detailed is my rephrasing of an by oldSonya, proverb. in an article, written on Change is here now. page 9 of this newsletter.
YouThe -- board as 550+ members, growers, decided to authorize the rewriting of four -Certification landscape professionals have been Chapters perfor year over the now. next making change some years four years, along with online study As with many plants you grow, it is slow at first, subterraguides. The also logo stickersemerges. and magnets nean, and notboard visible to authorized the eye, then suddenly The for Virginia Certified Horticulturist (VCH) members. changes you make are in many areas: technology, labor, communication, financing, Most of our time training, was spentsuccession updating theplanning, member application which customer or client market segments to pursue. and dues structure, which had not been updated in over twenty years. reduced the number active member categories VNLAWe is changing in step withofyou and your business, and and raised the dues amount per category to reflect current with the new markets for the many plants, products and dolserlar volumes. Webyare very to have the revenue from vices provided you as fortunate nursery and landscape professionMANTS every year, but in light of the upgrades that are being als. made to the VCH program and the succession planning we felt this necessary. planforreceived unanimousaresupport by The was customers and The clients your businesses more dithe board. verse, and markets are more segmented than ever before, with different priorities andField needs. Following a very successful Day at Grelan Nursery this
past summer; plansisare under way with for next year.membership, For 2017 we Similarly, VNLA a “big tent”, a varied th will meet at Bennett’s Creekof Nursery in Smithfield July 20 representing ALL aspects our green industry.on Inside our .big Ourtent featured speaker be Dr. professionals, Charlie Hall from Texasa of nursery andwill landscape we have A&M who will prepare two programs for VNLA Field Day diverse group of folks who grow, plant and care for the landone for the morning and another in the afternoon. We will be scapes in our Commonwealth and elsewhere. trying the July date in 2017 because, in the past, we had favorThus,turnout the mission of the VNLA is: is a favorite vacation able in July, because August month, and schools are starting earlier in August. To enhance, promote and advocate for Virginia’s nursery Please respond to AmericanHort Legislative Alerts on continand landscape professionals. uing labor/immigration issues. You are the meal, if you are not One constant in Virginia: agriculture, forestry and fisherat the table, all the time! Your repeated responses to the alerts ies,very including our green remains the leading inis important, even industry, though they may seem redundant dustry in our Commonwealth. sometimes. Virginia policymakers LISTEN agriculture, theBreakgreen Save the date for our next Annualwhen VNLA Membership industry included, speak. We help other parts of agribusifast Meeting at the Sheraton Hotel during MANTS, on ThursnessJanuary understand the That publics, consumer and day, 12, 2017. samestakeholders, evening, the Annual Virginia customer segments out there, as we work with homeowners, Agribusiness Council’s Legislative Appreciation Reception retailDinner customers, and others, who will buy and will indevelopers, be Richmondbuilders, and I and other members from us and are be representing theinfluenced VNLA. by media, policy, regulation, paid advertising and other factors. So we are often the “trend I sincerely appreciate all of the support that you have given to spotters” for agribusiness in Virginia. the VNLA and myself this past year and encourage you to continue yourfor support become more support become In order us to and represent youeven well, andinvolved for you in to the be VNLA programs and events! counted, please participate in surveys to help policymakIsle of Wight County, Smithfield, VA ers and others understand trends affecting us and the market Isle of Wight County, Smithfield, VA segments you pursue: Isle of Wight County, Smithfield, VA Bill Gouldin, Virginia Nursery &Bill Landscape Professional survey is VNLA President Gouldin2016 co-sponsored byVNLA VNLA, Virginia wjg@stranges.com 804-360-2800 President 2016 Turfgrass Council wjg@stranges.com 804-360-2800 VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 6 6 January / February / March 2017 VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter October/November/December 2016 6 6 October / November / December 2016 VNLA Newsletter
(VTC), and other service providers from design, installation and maintenance are particularly welcomed, as they are not counted elsewhere. USDA and Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) no longer fund this research. We do. We want good data, so please participate. http://bit.ly/2gZKDFp
USDA AGRICULTURAL CLASSIFICATIONSURVEY was due January 30, 2017, but can be completed by May 30, 2017 at www.agcounts.usda.gov
Should your firm be counted late 2017 in the Ag Census?
If you grow or tend or sell more than $1000 of plants, honey, clear land by goats for hire, even for your own jobs, congratulations! You’re a Farmer! Late this year the Ag Census will arrive. By law, you are required to respond if you get a form later this year. VNLA member and VCH survey regarding paper versus paperless quarterly newsletter and grower guide: going out to you in March. Each member now receives 5 print publications each year. You may prefer to read online: http://www.vnla.org/Newsletter/Newsletters-Online. We'd like to accommodate different members’ needs, and save some trees and some freight. The flip-page VNLA publications are in Issuu at https://issuu.com/search?q=vnla on your tablet.
We’ve requested up to five email addresses for those in your organization so if a Constant Contact email gets snagged by one of your spam blockers, another in your firm will get it.
When we send out a legislative alert asking you to raise your voice, whether to federal, state or local lawmakers, policymakers or regulators, please do. These public comment periods for regulatory agencies are real. Letters, emails, calls and postcards to legislators get compiled and counted. Your voice is heard. As AmericanHort’s Craig Regelbrugge told us at our member breakfast at MANTS, if you have not suited up to get on the playing field before, now is the time. Finally, call the VNLA office, me, and other relevant Board members. Our contact info and relevant area to you is on a page near the front of this newsletter each quarter. We will get you to the right folks and make it happen, together. All the best, Virginia R. Rockwell VCH No. 2363, VSLD No. 097, NMP No. 714 VNLA President, 2017 434-531-0467, gentlegardener@gmail.com
Other ways we want to hear your voice: Meet up with prospective members and others at events you may already be attending around the state.
15 February after CVNLA Winter Symposium in Richmond, VA. See the notices elsewhere and via Constant Contact emails.
16 February after PLA Symposium in Charlottesville.
Ad – conserVAlandscape.com
Enroll your staff NOW in Virginia Certified Horticulturalist (VCH) to study via web-enabled service using VT distance learning software. A test will be scheduled near you, and one re-take is free. Practice makes perfect! Summer 17 Field Day, Workshop and Tour before and after: This year, graciously hosted by Bennett’s Creek Nursery in Smithfield VA on or around July 19 through 21. Come all 3 days or just one, bring your VCH’s to earn continuing education units (CEU’s). Listen up when we call during an early summer Call-A-Thon to request your donation to the VNLA Horticulture Research Foundation Inc. This 501(c)3 foundation funds research important to you. Your gift to it, and our various Scholarship funds, is tax-deductible for you as a charitable donation. Show your professionalism by showing clients your affiliation with the VNLA on Houzz.com and follow our LinkedIn, Facebook page and VNLA tweets at @vnla1932.
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VNLA - Survey 2016 For several years now we have been trying to put together a Green Industry Survey for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The goal of this survey is to total the economic impact of the entire green industry - nursery, greenhouse, sod producers, sports, golf, landscape, lawn care, retail sales, etc. We have finally gotten commitments for funding from the following groups: Virginia Turfgrass Foundation: $30,000 Virginia Turfgrass Council: $5,000 Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association: $5,000 Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association: $5,000 There are other groups who have not committed funds at this time, but we certainly want to include them in this survey.
Dr. Amy Thelk, Ph.D., Director of Assessment and Evaluation, at James Madison University (independently of JMU) is managing this project and the expectation is for the survey to be online by September 2016, with a completion date by the winter of 2017. Once the data is compiled from all the various participants, we will distribute the data only for participating association use. The goal is to gain input into information each association would like to gather. For example, the sod producers may want to know the total number of acres of fescue under production in Virginia. So, this question will be asked of the sod producers only in their section of the survey. Another example may be a total square footage of flowers under production in greenhouses in Virginia- this will be asked of the nursery and greenhouse participants. We will certainly be collecting economic data from all participants such as revenue, employees, payroll, equipment purchases, chemical and fertilizer purchases, and more. The current list of groups participating is:
VA Sod Growers Association VA Golf Course Superintendents VA Turf Council VA Sports Managers Association National Association of Landscape Professionals Virginia Nursery and Landscape Professionals (and allied associations) Virginia Recreation and Park Society VA Department of Transportation Virginia Flower Growers Association VA Turfgrass Foundation Virginia Cemetery Association VA Professional Grounds Management
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Mid-Atlantic Association of ISA (VA only) Virginia Christmas Tree Growers The entire survey will be done online. There is a core section asking basic questions and then the industry group specific section.
Why Should You Participate in the Survey? Why Survey? Goal
2008 was last of 5 rotating specialty crop surveys Bay water quality goals due mid-2017 (TMDLs) Prove what you’re doing for Bay water goals and need to do Labor issues at the federal level (Overtime, ACA, H2B, H2A, Immigration) Groundwater resources, especially the Eastern Shore area Bees and Pollinators communications between applicators and beekeepers Nutrient Management in production and urban areas (all golf courses will have NMP by next year) Data will not be extrapolated, which means that totals are based on your input.
Create green industry awareness Establish Industry Benchmarks Support Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry and VDACS Utilize data for communications Develop accurate industry numbers, # jobs, taxes etc. The last statistics available are:
Turf - 2005 $4.6B Golf - 2013 $2.5B Nursery - 2007 $1.2B Total $8.3B From Survey Coordinator, Gil Grattan, Virginia Green Lawn Care, Richmond, gil.grattan@virginiagreen-
lawncare.com 804-285-6200
Complete the Survey Today at http://bit.ly/2gZKDFp
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Editorial - Improving Downstream/Bay Water Quality - A Fish that Could Menhaden, the most important, misunderstood fish in the Chesapeake Bay. Long before Europeans arrived in Eastern North America, naturally, nutrient rich rivers flowed into the Bays, EstuMenhaden Fish, aries and Wetlands, stimulating the growth of phytoplankton, the beginning of the food chain for aquatic animals. Menhaden evolved by the trillions, schooling through the waters, toothless, mouth open, filtering plankton, cellulose and plant detritus, their food source, at an individual rate of about 4 gallons’ a minute. They became the primary food source for most species of predatory (food) fish. A Harpers Weekly article in 1879 stated there were “unimaginable quantities of menhaden in every Bay and River” and that schools of these filter feeders could stretch “forty miles long”. Coupled with the oyster reefs of the past, these two filter feeders kept our waters crystal clear, much like the waters you find in the present-day Caribbean. This allowed sunlight to reach the depths, supporting the growth of aquatic
plants and grasses which in turn converted more carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis. The interdependence and cleansing effect of these two-species helped prevent deadly algae blooms and the de-oxygenation of water that causes widespread fish kills and literal dead zones. Now picture this; you’re on the Chesapeake Bay and sight Sea Gulls, Gannets, Ospreys and various other Sea Birds circling and diving on a patch of what looks like ‘boiling water’. As you get closer, you realize the turbulence is caused by thousands of menhaden jumping out of the water. Birds are screeching, anglers arrive sensing predatory fish below. Bluefish are in a feeding frenzy, ripping the menhaden to shreds, trout circle around the perimeter, picking off stragglers. Below all this, rockfish start to feed on the scraps drifting downward, occasionally charging to the surface to eat a menhaden whole. Crabs and flounder on the bottom wait for the leftovers. When the predators have had their fill, the commotion naturally subsides as the school of menhaden move on, filter feeding. A few birds continue to circle around an oily slick left on the water. A spotter plane (one of several) sees the birds, approaches and sights the menhaden school moving on like a huge, single entity. A ship arrives, two smaller boats are launched, stretching a purse sein net out between them, encircling the school. The
Ad – Waynesboro Nurseries
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News - Brent Hunsinger Recipient of Environmentalist Award
ship pulls up, inserts a huge vacuum hose and sucks up the entire school. This devastation is repeated until the ships ‘hole’ is full. Bycatch is not talked about. The ship (one of many) then heads to Omega Protein’s reduction facility (formerly Zapata VNLA Mission, VNLA Corporation, renamed for Mission, better marketing appeal) in TheVision VNLA has held three Happy Hour Meet Up’sthem this past winter in Charlottesville in conjunction with the and Objectives for 2015 Reedville, Virginia. A monopolistic company grinds Vision and Objectives forthat 2014 Seminars, Richmond in with CVNLA Short Course, and Virginia Beach for members and up,PLA reducing them to fish meal,Mission, oil,conjunction chicken feed, dogthe food adVNLA ditive and other byA 2005 study by for VIMS (Virginia non-members to products. have a casual gathering a couple of hours. If you are interested in helping host an event in Vision and Objectives for 2014 Institute of Statement: Marine estimated that 76% the Bay’s your area, contactScience) Doug Rodes, drodes@jamesrivernurseries.com . Mission To enhance, promote, andofadvoStatement: To Enhance and VirMission Statement: To Enhance and promote promote Virrockfish are malnourished and infected with wasting disease cate fornursery Virginia’s nursery and industry. landscape ginia’s landscape ginia’s nursery and and landscape industry. professionals. photos by Fletcher caused by mycobacteria, related to the losspromote ofMichele carbohydrate Mission Statement: To Enhance and VirVision: totobecome the leader andand resource for the Vision: become the leader resource forVirthenow rich menhaden as their primary food source. Rockfish are ginia’s nursery and landscape industry. ginia nursery andyoung landscape Virginia and landscape industry. forced to eatnursery more blueindustry. crabs, causing there decline. Vision: becomeare theeating leadermore and resource for the Vir-shad Rockfish andtoBluefish of the endangered Objectives Objectives nursery and annual landscape industry. and ginia herring on their spring spawning runs. Bluefish over 2 pounds Available are rarely seen in theLabor Bay today. Educated, Skilled Force Educated, Available Skilled Labor Force -- Goal: Goal: Objectives VNLA will continue to promote programs that will VNLAare will continue promoterecently programs will Seagulls flying inland,toprobing tilledthat farm land, Educated, Available Skilled Labor Force Goal: education, train and provide an available skilled labor education, train and provide an available skilled la- for our trash dumps and visiting fast food restaurants, looking VNLA will continue to promote programs that will force. bor force. food. I’ve seen Eagles eating carcasses on the roadside. History VNLA President, Bill Gouldin (l) presents the 2016 education, train and provide an available skilled labor tells us the overfishing of whales forGOAL: lamp oil) Environmental Steward Award to Brent Hunsinger Effective and Advocacy Effective Communication and(originally Advocacy GOAL: force. Communication shifted to menhaden after the Civil War andamong has a way of reVNLA will communication staff, VNLA will effectively effepctively communication among staff, ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD - To be eligible to receive Effective Communication and Advocacy GOAL: peating itself, some States noticed. board, board, members, members, partners partners and and the the community. community. VNLA will effepctively communication among staff, this award, the recipient must be a current individual or Today, thirteen of the Allocation fifteen east coast states have banned Maximizing and Resources -- GOAL: Maximizing and Allocation Resources GOAL: the board, members, partners and the community. company VNLA member in good standing with the organifishing of menhaden for the reduction industry. Approximately VNLA VNLA will will secure secure increased increased funding funding from from diverse diverse zation. One award will be presented each year based upon Maximizing andcomes Resources - GOAL: 80% of today’ssecure catch out of staff, the Chesapeake Bay and sources theAllocation necessary boardboard and comsourcesand and secure the necessary staff, and adequately fulfilling, or exceeding the criteria, otherwise, will secure increased funding from diverse 20%VNLA from coastal Virginia and North Carolina. These fish are mittee members to runtoarun dynamic organization. committee members a dynamic organization. the award will be skipped that year. Participants are encoursources and secure staff, board and mostly juvenile. They the are necessary not the reproductive age comof three aged to maintain due diligence in practicing and utilizing years. mittee members to run a dynamic organization. Expand and Membership and Outreach GOAL: Membership and Outreach - GOAL: Expand and best management principles (BMP) resulting in the least communicate the value of membership. communicate value Menhaden can bethe thought ofofasmembership. nature’s own ‘EPA’, until Membership and Outreach - GOAL: Expand andman negative impact on our environment. Each individual or interfered. They -are critical to membership. the will restoration of adoption the Bay and communicate the valueVNLA of Stewardship promote Stewardship - GOAL: GOAL: VNLA will promote adoption company will promote and show that our horticultural intheof Atlantic ecosystem. Why is it that this is the only fish Best Management Practices. ofentire Best Management Practices. dustry has a moreSupport positive thanVNLA negative impact on our enStewardship - GOAL: VNLA will promote adoption controlled by our state legislature, influenced by Omega’s lobvironment by how we operate on a day-to-day basis. of Best Management Member Growers! VNLA will promote Strategic Marketing -Practices. Strategic Marketing - GOAL: GOAL: VNLA will promote bying and targeted campaign donations? This begs the quesitself as leader and of the green industry. itself as the the leader and resource resource ofVNLA the green industry. tion, which is more important; the fate of the Chesapeake Strategic Marketing - GOAL: will promoteBay Brent Hunsinger, Virginia Certified Horticulturalist, Onlinea at www.VNLA.org or the fateas ofWhat Omega Protein? itself the leader and resource of the green industry. started Brent’s Native Plantings about 5 years ago, as a conWhat are are members members problems? problems? New Native Plantfirm Section! servation landscape contracting in Fredericksburg. Submitted by:What Tscharner D. Watkins III, 2260 Chalkwell Drive, How are to them become aregoing members problems? How are we we going to help help them become VNLA ForSupport a print copy Midlothian, VA. are 3113,we home 804-378-0813 cell 804-929-1982 more successful? Upon moving to Virginia, Brent began to volunteer for How going to help them become more successful? Support VNLA call 1-800-476-0055 Member Growers! Support VNLA Friends of the Rappahannock. He reached out to folks workmore successful? 2 principle references used (beside common sense): ‘The Most email info@vnla.org ing on behalf of the River Basin Commission Important Fish in the Sea’ by H. Bruce Franklin Menhaden Fish Member Growers! on a River
VNLA Meet Up in Charlottesville
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Facts, website; www.chesapeakebay.noaa.gov **of note, google Menhaden; there is a 26 minute movie titled ‘Menhaden, the most important fish on the Bay’
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Member Growers! Online at www.VNLA.org Online at www.VNLA.org Online at Plant www.VNLA.org New Native Section! His first volunteer task was trying to wrestle a rainwater harNew Native Plant Section! NewFor Native Section! a print copy vest barrel into a Toyota Prius afterPlant the driver of the hybrid Friendly Yard best practice design project.
call 1-800-476-0055 won it in a raffle. After failing to fit it through For a For print copy a print copy the doors, he Fall Class and Test for info@vnla.org gave up andReview delivered the barrel in his own vehicle. call email 1-800-476-0055 call 1-800-476-0055 info@vnla.org email info@vnla.org Virginia Certified Horticulturist Later he raised money foremail the Friends of the Rappahannock by paddling it, solo, from its source to the Chesapeake Bay in canoe and kayak.Crozet, VA Brent joined the VNLA Board as our legislative and policy Monday’s, 5:30-8:30 p.m. We Want to Hear From You! volunteer two years ago, just as the topics of invasive plants, October 20 – December noxious weeds, east8of I-95 Send you groundwater commentswithdrawals and suggestions toand pollinator protection all heated up at the same time. Exam, Saturday, December 13
info@vnla.org 1-800-476-0055
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his very business model suggests that he is more closely aligned with the "other" side. The people he is negotiating against/with are the very ones he depends on for his business to be profitable. That's quite a balancing act!”
After high school, Howard attended Virginia Tech, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture in 1968. He then worked briefly in York County, Virginia, before serving in the U.S. Navy for two years.
“Presenting him with this award, while very much deserved, also gives the presenter a "bully pulpit" with which he/she can bring to the attention of the nurserymen present, that if Brent can "take one for the team" maybe they could think about making his job just a little easier and start working a little harder to back away from the plants listed on DCRs invasive species list - in the interest of being good stewards of the land as well as gaining brownie points from the public, of course.”
Then in 1972, Howard got a job as a Fairfax County Cooperative Extension Agent, which brought him to N01ihern Virginia. He also was active in 4-H, where he served as a counselor. But it was while working as an extension agent that Howard began visiting Merrifield Garden Center in 1973, and met the owner, Bob Warhurst.
Submitted by Tom Thompson, Natural Art Landscaping, Richmond
News - Howard Saunders Recipient of Distinguished Professional of the Year
The two hit it off and Bob offered Howard a job on the spot. Initially, Howard worked for the startup company paii time to see if he liked it. He did. And a year later, on March 1, 1971, Howard accepted a full-time position and became the General Manager at Merrifield Garden Center. He was the company's 11th employee, including family members. But Howard was the first "big hire" for the new operation that had only been in business for three years at that point. "We thought we were the cat's meow when we got Howard," Merrifield Co-Owner Doris Williams said. "I thought he was the smartest man who ever walked on two feet." Howard has been an integral part of the Merrifield Garden Center management team since that day, over 42 years ago. In addition to his management duties, Howard has served as the main buyer for Merrifield Garden Center, where he has worked closely with growers from all across the Commonwealth and the country to get the plants that were needed.
VNLA President, Bill Gouldin (l) presents Howard Saunders, Merrifield Garden Center the 2016 Professional of the Year Award
DISTINGUISHED VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR - This award is given annually by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association to honor a member of our green industry. The selection criteria are based equally on a candidate who has spent their career promoting and advancing the green industry. This individual is selected on the basis of long term contributions to the local and/or state organizations of Nursery and Landscape Associations. Howard Saunders has been serving the nursery and landscaping industry in Virginia for over 50 years. At the age of 15, Howard began working at McDonald's Garden Center while growing up in Hampton, Virginia. He quickly learned his plants and all facets of the nursery business.
Howard Saunders helped Merrifield Garden Center grow from one store with a handful of employees, to three stores with over 600 employees. As Bob Warhurst said before his death, "Howard helped make Merrifield Garden Center what it is today. He brought ho1iicultural expertise, experience and a knack for knowing exactly what our customers are looking for." Howard and Bob shared a mutual respect for one another, and always worked very well together. Howard has also supp01ied the nursery industry and its associations. He has attended numerous meetings of the NVNLA over the years, and in 2015, received that organization's Byron Wates Award, which is given annually to the person who has served the industry and the association with distinction. Howard Saunders is a household name throughout northern Virginia and the state of Virginia. He is well respected by all of his peers and has developed a reputation for honesty and integrity. He is a true nurseryman and a testament to what working in the horticulture industry is all about. Howard and his wife, Debbie, live in Gainesville, VA. They have two grown children, Brian and Amy, and they are the proud grandparents of Kolby and Huxley. Outside of his work life, Howard enjoys spending time with his family and friends, working in his garden, going to Disney World and attending Virginia Tech football games. Nomination submitted, and presented, by Kevin Warhurst
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News - Young Professional Award – Steven Pekary
Piedmont Landscape Association President at large Involved with the formation of the McIntire Botanical Garden in Charlottesville Volunteers to give talks at Piedmont Virginia Community College and hosts student trips to the office to tell them about careers in landscaping Coordinates employee field trips to gardens all along the east coast to give them fresh ideas and perspective Holds monthly educational classes for all of his teams He has developed internal systems that have greatly increased group efficiencies Volunteers to give educational talks to local garden clubs The list goes on and on. Steve was raised on his family’s farm in Orange, Virginia and studied horticulture at Piedmont Virginia Community College. He has 15 years of experience in the industry and is an Advanced Virginia Certified Horticulturist with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association as well as a Certified Arborist through the International Society of Arbiculture. Steve lives in Louisa, Virginia with his wife and three children.
We can’t think of a better person to be considered for the Young Professional of the Year Award Steven Pekary, Recipient of the VNLA 2016 Young Professional of the Year Award
Steve was not able to be here today, so the award will be presented to him at J.W. Townsend’s staff meeting.
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR - This award may be given to a young member (defined as 40 years or younger) of the VNLA to recognize the remarkable achievements thus far in their career. The recipient will be involved in the industry beyond their daily job and will also have contributed to the success of the member company. The recipient will demonstrate leadership, innovative thinking and enthusiasm for the industry.
Submitted by Phil O’Frias, J.W. Townsend Inc., Charlottesville
Steven Pekary began working at J.W. Townsend Landscapes in March of 2003. In June of 2007, he was promoted to VP and Maintenance Director at which time he had 6 employees. Today, his team is made up of 35 members and his division has grown by 450% During this growth, he added an additional (4) departments to streamline work flow and team management. Steve is a true leader and is always the first in the office and the last one to leave. He is always in a fabulous mood and truly enjoys what he does for a living.
VNLA - MobileFriendly App Guide to Virginia Growers! Look up plant sources, hotlinks to grower email, website and phone! www.vnla.org/Grower-Guide
Steve’s passion for this industry expands well beyond the walls of J.W. Townsend. Following is a sample of his extracurricular industry activities: VNLA Newsletter 12
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News - Maslow awarded Young Professional of the Year by NALP
and landscape industry. We are proud to recognize you as a true leader in our industry. Mark will be recognized at the NALP’s National Collegiate Landscape Competition opening ceremony, Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah.
Southern Landscape Group and the National Association of Landscape Professionals are excited to inform you that Mark Maslow, company Founder and President is the recipient of NALP’s prestigious Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. NALP’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes a young entrepreneur who has demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and initiative, and serves as a shining example to students in pursuit of a landscape industry career. The nominees for this year’s award presented exemplary qualifications. Candidates displayed leadership and community service involvement as well as outstanding contributions to company growth and volunteerism. Winning this award puts you above and beyond an exceptional group in the lawn
Southern Landscape Group is the premier landscape design/build maintenance company serving Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake and surrounding areas. Southern Landscape Group boasts a team of forty highly trained and skilled landscape professionals with 12 degreed professionals on staff! Their exquisite portfolio contains notable work such as the Virginia Tech April 16 Memorial, Jefferson Street Downtown Lynchburg Streetscape Renovation, and multiple national award winning residential landscape projects. To view their accolades and learn more about their work, please visit www.soscapes.com. Footnote: Mark has served on the VNLA Board and was VNLA President in 2011. He also completed an Ironman Marathon Evington, VA 24550, 434-821-6004, www.soscapes.com
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News – Miller Presented the NVNLA Byron Wates Award
News - Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Winner for Buyers & Sellers
VNLA Exhibit at MANTS with Board Members: (l-r) Brent Hunsinger -Secretary/Treasurer and Matt Deivert - new Director and Jeff Miller, Executive Director,
Welcomes Over 11,300 Buyers and Sellers to 47th Annual Horticulture Trade Show Chuck Wood, NVNLA President, presents the Byron Wates Award to Jeff Miller
The Byron Wates Award was present to Jeff Miller, Executive Director of the VNLA and President of Horticulture Management Associates LLC on Monday, January 23, 2017 at the Annual Meeting of the Northern Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association in McLean, Virginia.
The Green Industry Marketplace Celebrated RecordBreaking Registration on Day One Baltimore, Md. – The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show brought springtime to Baltimore again this January for the 47th annual horticulture show. Covering 300,000+ square feet of contiguous exhibit space at the Baltimore Convention Center, the premier green industry marketplace for businesses took place January 11– 13, 2017.
The Byron Wates Awards was created from the namesake of association founding father, Byron Ernest Wates, Sr. Byron began his family owned landscape business, Area Landscaping, Inc. in 1953 and was a leader in the local landscape industry rallying support for issues of the industry at the time. He first became a member of the NVNA (previous name of Northern Virginia Nurseryman’s Association) at the beginning of association inception in 1957. He served on several committees as well as served as President.
MANTS welcomed over 11,300 total registrants (including exhibitors) to this year's show; this includes a record-breaking 10,000+ people who had registered by the end of the first day of the show alone. These attendees, who gathered to do business, network and learn about the newest green industry trends for 2017, had the opportunity to visit 952 exhibiting companies spread out over 1,536 booths. In addition to exhibitors, 3,600 non-exhibiting/buying companies were represented on the show floor.
The award was first presented by his Son, Byron Wates, Jr. in 1993 and was created to recognize those who have outstanding contributions and dedication to our association and industry. Those individuals have dedicated great time and talents to promote education, events and business growth. Without their help our association would cease to move forward.
"Everyone here at MANTS would like to thank our partners, hosts, sponsors, attendees and exhibitors for making 2017 another wonderful year on the MANTS floor," said Vanessa Finney, Executive Vice President of MANTS. "This year's show recorded the highest attendance in eight years and had an exhibitor retention rate of 93%; to me, these are indicators of the health of our country's horticulture industry, from the source of input to final product sale. It also means that MANTS is achieving our mission to connect buyers with sellers to facilitate business. We felt a positive and enthusiastic flow of energy throughout this year's show and hope this sets the tone for the industry in the remainder of 2017."
Byron’s involvement was monumental and years later after his family members took over the business and they continue his legacy of service. His son Byron Ernest Wates, Jr. and Granddaughter Amy Wates Ordonez continue to serve on the Board of the NVNLA to this current day.
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MANTS continues to have a large economic impact on the city of Baltimore, bringing in thousands of out of town guests who enhance business for attractions like hotels and restaurants in an otherwise slow time of the year. In 2017, the show booked over 4,800 room nights at 11 Baltimore area hotels.
Each year, people from across the country, and around the world, travel to Baltimore to take advantage of MANTS' horticultural marketplace. In 2017, MANTS attracted attendees and exhibitors from 45 different states and representatives from 16 various countries (including the U.S.) and the territory of Micronesia. When asked why he travels from England to attend MANTS each year, Raymond Evison of Guernsey Clematis Nursery commented:
In 2018, MANTS will take place from January 10 - 12 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
"For my business, I want to develop new contacts throughout the world and learned about MANTS through some of our customers. I've been to MANTS many times, at least the last 10 years. It is very convenient, some of our customers have booths here so I can meet with them and plan for the future. While we have the opportunity to communicate in various ways today, I think the best is to meet people physically, there's nothing better than that, and MANTS gives us that opportunity." "It is always very interesting to see what new products are being developed but what I learned more about at this year's show is how to develop the right social media contact with the consumer...the consumer base has changed." Evison added, "being at the beginning of the year, I've always found its pulse to be a very good indicator of how the industry is feeling, and it is great to see and hear the buzz at this year's show." SiteLight .5 pg ad 11-07 New address.qxd
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The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, MANTS, is known as the Masterpiece of Trade ShowsTM and is sponsored by the State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. MANTS is the place horticulture industry leaders gather every January because MANTS means business. The show covers over 300,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space at the Baltimore Convention Center and draws exhibiting companies and attendees from throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. MANTS 2018 is scheduled for January 10-12 at the Baltimore Convention Center. For the latest information visit our website or call us at (410) 296-6959. CONTACT: Eve Hemsley Butt, Senior Account Executive, Maroon PR I8825 Stanford Blvd., Suite 145 I Columbia, MD 21045 Office: 443-864-4246 Cell: 443-878-7360, MAROON PR Eve@MaroonPR.com www.maroonpr.com 3:54 PM
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News - Helping Horticulture Find Its Niche
Dave Close, (front row, white shirt) represents the Virginia Tech Department of Horticulture on the NICH.
The goal of NICH (National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture) is to get 90 percent of U.S. households gardening by 2025. The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH; pronounced "nitch") is a movement whose intention is to provide a unified voice to promote the benefits and value of horticulture to policy makers, decision makers and the general public. NICH brings together academic sectors. government, private industry and nonprofits with an interest in consumer horticulture. NICH's mission is to "grow a healthy world through plants, gardens and landscapes." In short, NICH seeks to cultivate a passion and appreciation for plants, while increasing a universal demand for gardening. NICH aims to echo and capitalize on the success of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance. This alliance — a national coalition of more than 120 organizations representing growers of fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products — was organized in advance of the 2007 Farm Bill to ensure that Congress heard the message, loud and clear, that specialty crops were important and that federal funds were needed for research and extension in specialty crops. Representation came from across the specialty crop sector and included United Fresh Produce Association, AmericanHort, U.S. Apple Association and many others. As a result of the alliance's efforts, the 2007 Farm Bill allotted $230 million (later raised to $320 million) for specialty crops.
Since its inception, NICH has aligned dozens of organizations, crafted a mission and vision statement, and developed a working set of core values, goals and associated objectives. NICH's vision is to "use stakeholder partnerships to increase the percentage of U.S. households participating in consumer horticulture to go percent by 20255" Three goals were crafted to address the potential benefits consumer horticulture will have on community, economic and environmental systems. Specific objectives were also developed to guide work on each goal. Our organizational structure allows us to recruit nationally known leaders including researchers, extension agents. master gardeners. nonprofit directors, growers, retailers and industry providers. Three goal committees (Community, Economic and Environmental) interact with three advisory councils representing different consumer horticulture sectors. The goal committees prioritize and plan work to fulfill the initiative's mission. The councils (Land Grant, Commercial and Non-Profit) each provide industry- and sector-specific input and guidance. The Executive Committee manages the general business of the organization and ensures equality and open communication to all stakeholders, supported by marketing expertise. Tom Bewick from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture serves as an external advisor.
How will NICH benefit the retail garden and nursery industry? NICH aims to grow a culture where plants are considered a necessity rather than a luxury. Envision a society where people of all ages garden or engage with plants for their well-being every day of the year. More gardeners and consumers of garden-related goods and services will mean an increased demand and sales for plants and related products. By developing a cohesive voice, NICH will position consumer horticulture to be more successful in leveraging public funding from USDA's Specialty Crop Research Initiative and other sources, thereby growing the entire industry. NICH will conduct comprehensive industry-wide research: implement prioritized research objectives; document economic impacts; and articulate the social and environmental benefits of consumer horticulture. NICH seeks to build a strong case for continued support that will benefit university research and extension personnel, as well as school gardens and community green spaces.
The alliance continues to have a huge impact on the producUltimately, NICH aims to raise the profile of consumer tion of commodities such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture and esteem for those who work in the trade nursery crops and floriculture, While the alliance benefits including landscapers, growers and suppliers to the inhorticulture production. NICH represents the end-use side dustry. of horticulture, ultimately serving the general public (consumers). VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 16 16 January / February / March 2017 VNLA Newsletter
Winner of the Photo Contest
VNLA - Photo Contest Rules The contest is open to any photographer (amateur and professional) except members of Board of Directors of VNLA and their families. Entries are limited to VNLA members and their staff. Each photographer may enter up to three (3) digital images per Newsletter deadline (see #6). Email images to info@vnla.org . Include your name, phone number, company, and email. One winning entry per photographer per year. You may re-enter non-winning entries. Please e-mail images separately. Feel free to elaborate on any story surrounding the photograph. Photos should be 300 dpi high resolution. All photographs must be related to the Green Industry. The subject can be located in a nursery, back yard, or in a landscape--just so it is obviously related to the green industry profession.
We utilize fresh cut greenery from in the park, with cones, seedpods, and grasses, to create window boxes and containers for Busch Gardens’ ChristmasTown. Photo Winner: Sheila Cox Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA
Win $50, submit your photos! Good Luck and Happy Photographing!
Deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. on the Newsletter Copy Deadline, which is the 15th of January, April, July, and October. All submissions become the property of the VNLA. Model Release forms are required with each photograph which contains a clearly identifiable person. Release forms are available from the VNLA office, on request, and are also available for download from the VNLA website at Model release in MS Word format or Adobe PDF format. Judging is done by the VNLA Communication Committee. All decisions are final
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Involvement There are many ways, big and small, that members of the nursery industry can become involved with NICH. First and foremost is to join the organization. If you are unable to commit to more active efforts, you could be involved by monitoring future growth and successes via the listery (sign up at goo.gl/2MH2tY), or you could recommend someone who should be involved in an industry grant review panel. Other opportunities include helping spread the word about NICH, offering your expert advice, or getting involved with a group of like-minded passionate leaders with a committee or council that suits your time and talent. All have major impacts on the effort. To join NICH or learn more about the initiative, visit www.ConsumerHort.org for more information. Contact Dave Close at Virginia Tech at dclose@vt.edu
Pollinators, as a whole, encompass a diverse population of thousands of different species, such as managed honey bees, wild bees, butterflies, birds, and bats. Protection of pollinators in general, especially bees, continues to be a major concern among the general public and within the green industry. Several culprits have been identified as factors contributing to managed honey bee losses, including Varroa mites, other pests/diseases of bees, loss of habitat and nutrition, and off-target effects of pesticides. Alternatively, wild, unmanaged bee populations are most greatly affected by landscape changes and habitat degradation. HRI developed the BMPs, which cover greenhouse and nursery production, woody ornamentals, and managed landscapes, with the assistance of researchers and apiarists throughout North America. Updates to these recommendations will be made as additional research results regarding bee and pollinator health are released.
By Gail Langellotto, D. Casey Sclar, Ellen Bauske, Tom Underwood, Susan McCoy & Tom Bewick
News – BMPs for Bee Health in Horticulture Industry WASHINGTON, DC and COLUMBUS, OH—January 19, 2017—The Horticultural Research Institute, the research foundation of AmericanHort, is pleased to announce the release of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry. BMPs are intended to inform horticultural professionals about the green industry's impact on bee health. Through the use of BMP guidelines, horticulture can continue to play an important role in pollinator health. In 2015, the Horticultural Research Institute recognized the need for sound research to develop best production and management practices, educate, and empower the green industry. HRI, in collaboration with AmericanHort, continues to directly fund and leverage research to refine science based guidance on horticultural practices and protecting bee and pollinator health. As part of the broad-based Horticulture Industry Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative that includes industry and consumer outreach and the establishment of industry best practices, HRI has:
Directly funded four important research projects Launched the Grow Wise, Bee Smart website Joined the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge campaign
Jon Reelhorn, HRI President, states, "Investment in research surrounding horticulture's role in pollinator health is part of HRI's longstanding commitment to fostering new information relevant to horticultural practices, techniques, and principles. We are pleased to have developed a set of BMPs that offer specific guidance to the industry to refine their stewardship role in bee health."
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For the full Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry, visit the GrowWise, Bee Smart website at http://growwise.org/. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155. Contact: Jennifer Gray, Research Programs Administrator jenniferg@americanhort.org or 614.884.1155
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News – Helping to roll out Virginia Tech’s ‘welcome mat’ Susie and Mike Hildebrand
Tim Bell plucked weeds from hydrangea beds at the Hahn Horticulture Garden, where blooms of the flowers dotted a sea of green with patches of lavender and rose. But for Bell, this was more than just a moment in a gorgeous garden. “Working in the garden has broadened my idea of what the green industry has to offer,” said the 21-year-old environmental horticulture major from Riner, Virginia. Bell, who was chosen as a Michael and Susie Hildebrand Hahn Horticulture Garden intern, said being able to work in the garden full time has been an invaluable practical complement to his classroom work. It has made him aware of the importance of aesthetics — not only in landscaping, but also in other aspects of the green industry, such as fruit and vegetable production and agritourism. “In agritourism, the landscape can be as important as the crops themselves if you’re trying to attract people to your
property,” said Bell. “That’s valuable knowledge I gained from this internship.” Bell, who visited the Hildebrands and their business, James River Nurseries, saw how landscaping integrated various plant varieties at homes and commercial establishments. During his internship, he was also able to implement what he gleaned from those site visits. “I learned how to install flower beds, and that gave me an idea of how to lay things out and plan what looks good together,” he said. Mike Hildebrand (horticulture ‘74) started his business in 1983 with a couple of employees and two trucks. Today James River Nurseries sits on 200 acres in Ashland, Virginia, and is a testament to Hildebrand’s success and to the bond he and his wife, Susie, have with the Hokie Nation. Hildebrand sees his relationship with Virginia Tech as symbiotic. He has continued to rely on training from the university and also takes on interns in his business.
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“The industry is leading us to a place where we need people who are trained and educated in our field,” Mike Hildebrand said. “The Virginia Tech horticulture department and Virginia Cooperative Extension have helped us keep abreast of what’s happening in the green industry in our state.” The Hildebrands’ gift gives students like Bell the opportunity for a paid internship at the Hahn Horticulture Garden and is in keeping with their history of generosity to agriculture programs at Virginia Tech. The Hildebrands are active volunteers for the horticulture department and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and they also served on the college’s steering committee during the university’s most recent fundraising campaign. They are members of the Ut Prosim Society, composed of the university’s most generous donors. With their current-use gift to establish a garden internship, they also became members of the university’s 1872 Society of alumni and friends who make leadership annual gifts. “The Hahn Garden is the welcome mat to Virginia Tech, and we like the way it has grown over the years,” Mike Hildebrand said. Reprinted from the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Innovations, Vol. 5 Issue 3, October 2016, by Amy Loeffler, http://news.cals.vt.edu/innovations/
News – VA Tech Horticulture Academic Advisor
Today’s millennial students crave a well-rounded education that is not only challenging but also prepares them to be outstanding job candidates who on to rewarding careers. And that is where the college’s system of academic advisors comes into play. Each CALS academic department has a go-to advisor who guides students through the labyrinth of university policies and offers advice and guidance when students are applying for internships or undergraduate research opportunities. The college and departmental advisors help students fulfill their degree requirements while providing moral support throughout their academic careers. “We have a well-established network that supports our students in not only the nuts and bolts of adhering to policies, but that also encourages students to pursue interests that will enrich their academic careers and build relationships with faculty members to prepare them to compete in the job market,” said Susan Sumner, associate dean of academic programs in the college. Jennifer Stewart provides academic and career advising to Analit Chambi-Rojas, a sophomore in the Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. Analit Chambi-Rojas, a sophomore from Annandale, Virginia, majoring in crop and soil environmental sciences, has used the services of her department’s advisor, Jennifer Stewart, to apply for internships. She recently applied for one with the Urban Water Undergraduate Research program in Fairfax, Virginia. “If I hadn’t had that guidance, I wouldn’t have had a good idea of where to start,” said Chambi-Rojas. Department of Horticulture professor and student advisor Alex Niemiera said knowing the students and their career goals is a big part of being a good advisor. It’s also important that advisors know what career paths are out there. “Right now there are five horticulture jobs for every student,” said Niemiera, a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Career Advising and assistant dean of student programs. “You have to know how to align a student’s strengths with where they want to go professionally and academically.”
Professor of Horticulture Alex Niemiera and Elizabeth Wilson of Axton, Virginia, discuss career options while visiting the college’s greenhouses. Wilson is finishing her undergraduate degree in environmental horticulture while taking classes toward a master’s degree in career and technical education.
The college student of the 21st century needs to do more than just check off boxes on a sheet of paper to fulfill the class requirements for graduation. There are internships, study-abroad opportunities, and countless experiences beyond the classroom to consider. VNLA Newsletter 20
That formula has helped one of Niemiera’s former students go on to become the lead horticulturist for all of the federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Niemiera recalls that his own undergraduate advisor was less than helpful, and while he eventually landed in a fulfilling career, it was a long journey to figure out how to get from obtaining his undergraduate degree in biology to his current position.
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Frenda Haynie, who received the 2015 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Advising, sees her role as an academic advisor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics as establishing a rapport with students to uncover each one’s academic path. “Building relationships with the students is the most rewarding part of my job as an academic advisor. They know I am here for them,” said Haynie. “The college and the department allow me to be very student-focused.” Reprinted from the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Innovations, Vol. 5 Issue 2, April 2016, by Amy Loeffler, http://news.cals.vt.edu/innovations/
News - Virginia Tech alumnus has the National Mall covered February 1, 2017, John Royse studied how turfgrass tiles can protect the landscape while he was a graduate student at Virginia Tech. After graduation he formed his own company and his tiles were recently used on the National Mall during both the presidential inauguration and the Women's March. John Royse’s childhood idea that turned into a research project at Virginia Tech came to life in front of a global audience last month. The world got to see the result of his research during the presidential inauguration and Women’s March, when 2.5 acres of Royse’s white tiles were some of the ones used to cover the ground on the National Mall. The tiles minimize damage to grass during large events. While Royse’s coverings have been used in Houston at a Taylor Swift concert and to protect the Philadelphia Eagles’
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turf, the dual events last month were the biggest test of “turf tiles” to date. And the whole world was watching. Other brands of tiles were used during the inauguration in conjunction with Royse’s. Turf coverings were used this year and in 2013. Royse’s product – and business, Royse Green Technologies in State College, Pennsylvania – was developed while he was a graduate student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. The recent events at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., proved that Royse’s research was spot on. “This might be the largest covering of turf anywhere as far as we can tell,” said Michael Stachowicz, director of grounds at the National Mall and turf management specialist for the National Park Service. “Nothing was touched when the tiles were removed.” “We have to act in a way that does not cause damage; the problem is having a perpetual state of construction,” he said. “If we prevent the damage, then the next activity can come in after and use the Mall.” Royse said Virginia Tech was fertile ground for his idea. While he was at the university, he also tested panels that have LED lights under the tiles to keep the grass healthy. “Virginia Tech provided the opportunity to help me with financial backing and knowledge,” he said. “The support was great.” The idea originated from Royse’s childhood days when and his brother played wiffle ball under backyard lights at night. “Why not put lights on the panels to keep the grass healthy?” he thought. Existing solutions, such as putting plywood on the ground during events, blocked sunlight, resulting in dead, brown grass after a few days. Re-establishing damaged grass after a major event is timely, expensive, and may not be successful. Royse’s research at the university evaluated four tiles and the impact of lights when the grass was covered for up to 20 days in the spring, summer, and fall. Different light, temperatures, and soil moisture yielded different conclusions, but there was one constant: Grass did not do well under tiles without light in any season. Grass under translucent tiles survived up to 12 days in an open field. Grass under lighted panels lasted up to 20 days before the grass lost its color. Panels with LED lights seemed the best solution, he said.
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That’s how turf tiles were born. Royse’s company builds tiles with LED panels and semitransparent panels without lights, such as the ones used at the National Mall. The application for each product is different based on how long the covering will be on the ground. As evidenced by his research at Virginia Tech, the key to maintaining the turf is allowing light to penetrate any covering. Non-LED tiles allow 25 percent of light through and for a period of less than 10 days on the ground, which can be enough to save the grass. The LED tiles have wide application for concerts and athletic turf, said Royse, winner of the 2016 Sports Turf Managers Association Innovative Award. “The research helped me design my product,” he said. “It gave me the confidence I needed to know it would work.” Royse completed the product design shortly after finishing his degree, and has a patent for the technology. To date, his company has manufactured more than 104,000 square feet of the reusable turf tiles — that’s enough to cover all the ground inside a professional football stadium, including the field and sideline. “John had a great deal of entrepreneurial spirit in developing his concept, and I was happy to support his efforts as he pursued his dream and brought a new form of technology to protective panels,” said Michael Goatley Jr., professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist. “Dr. Erik Ervin and I are certainly proud to have played a small role in John's success. He joins a long list of successful Virginia Tech Turf Team graduate students that have gone on to do some pretty amazing things in the world of turf management.” In addition to entrepreneurism, the research has also been the springboard for more “turf evangelism” and how Royse first connected with the National Park Service. By using tiles to protect turf before, during, and after public events, the turnaround time between activities is minimized. “The challenge is to host mega-events and also be this landscape people expect to see when they come to D.C.,” said Stachowicz, noting that he is anxious to try LED turf tiles in the future. What’s next? For now, Royse is taking it all in. “It was very cool having the product there are the epicenter of the world for a few days,” he said. Reprinted from the Virginia Tech News, February 1, 2017 https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2017/02/CALS-turfgrass.html 4
VNLA will be discontinuing the “800” phone number in 2017, Contact phone number is still 540-382-0943
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VNLA - Plant Profile – Chimonanthus praecox by a frequently trodden path to take full advantage of its sweet scent, together with evergreen shrubs like Pittosporum tobira and Osmanthus fragans, which also provide fragrant flowers other times of the year. Wintersweet can survive winters in USDA hardiness zone 6, however, flowers may be damaged by cold temperatures. In such locations, it is best planted in protected areas, but one has to be willing to accept that there will be winters when flowers will be lost to cold weather, as it also happens with Edgeworthia chrysantha. On the other end, in zones 8 and 9 in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, it will benefit from being in part shade in the hottest part of the day in summer. Latin name: Chimonanthus praecox (L.) Link (pronunciation: kee-MON-AN-toos PREH-cox) Common name: Wintersweet Origin: China Habit: Upright, multi-stemmed, vase shaped. Height & spread: Usually to about 12’x10’.
It is in the middle of winter when gardeners dream of the scents of spring flowers, and perhaps one of the paradigms of deliciously fragrant spring blooms is oriental hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis and its hybrids). However, there are several shrub species that can provide us with a similar sweet scent in our gardens in the midst of winter, and the best choice is probably wintersweet. Although it is not a common shrub in American gardens, it is an excellent choice in all but the smallest yard. A close relative of Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus), wintersweet has a similar presence in the garden in summer, with a medium to coarse texture, but flowers don’t make appearance until winter. It is then when one is carried away by its sweet scent, even before spotting the shrub itself. The butter yellow flowers may open up as early as mid-December in mild climates, but more often span between late January and March. The flower buds are also very attractive right before opening, as they look like golden pearls along the stems. The waxy and slightly translucent tepals have a purplish marking at the base, although the cultivar ‘Luteus’ has all yellow tepals with no markings.
Leaves: Rough, entire, oblong to oblonglanceolate, opposite, 2-5” long and 1-3” wide. Yellow in fall but somewhat semievergreen in mild climates. Flowers: Appear from December through March and are about 1/2-3/4“, with numerous butter yellow tepals with a dark reddish-purple base. Very fragrant. Soil and pH: Prefers a slightly acidic, humus-rich soil. Moisture: Evenly moist and well drained. Specimens planted in the shade can tolerate dry soils once established. Light: Full sun to part shade. Growth rate: Slow to medium. Pruning: No pruning is usually required. Pests and diseases: None of concern under good growing conditions. Seasons of interest: Fall-winter. USDA Hardiness Zone: 7 (6) to 9. Propagation: By seed or rooted cuttings. Seedlings may take up to 5-7 years to flower.
The flower display of wintersweet is best enjoyed when it By Francisco Javier de la Mota Daniel, PhD candidate can be both seen close up, to appreciate the interesting strucin Horticulture at Virginia Tech ture of its flowers, as well as from some distance and with Reference: Flora of China. Volume 7, page 92. back sunlight, when the translucent tepals create a beautiful Accessed through www.efloras.org effect with the low winter sun. In my garden, it is planted VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 23 VNLA Newsletter January / February / March 2017 23
News - Regulatory First Doomsday Vault Withdrawal
Tips – Surface Water Withdrawal Grandfather Policy
For 12-years, the Global Crop Diversity Trust has funded, equipped, and coordinated 11 global gene banks to preserve seeds, including thousands of varieties of seeds used to grow 17 essential world crops. During September 2015, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault allowed the first withdrawal of seeds. A gene bank called the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas had deposited backup seeds while it had been based in Aleppo, Syria. Due to the Syrian civil war, the group relocated to Beirut, Lebanon, and needed some of its deposited genetic material to reconstitute its collection to meet requests for germplasm from farmers and agricultural organizations. - Phil Jones
NAS Report – Genetically Engineered Crops In May, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report about experiences with genetically engineered crops. The Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops reviewed published literature, read more than 700 comments from members of the public, and heard from 80 speakers. The committee considered the safety of GE crops as related to human and animal health and environmental consequences. The committee "concluded that sweeping statements about GE crops are problematic because issues related to them are multidimensional."
Glyphosate Debate Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that comprises the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup.. During March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization issued a report that classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans." During April 2015 the US Environmental Protection Agency posted an internal document on its website stating that glyphosate is "not likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment met with the WHO Core Assessment Group on Pesticide Residues and concluded that "glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through the diet." From Virginia Tech Information Systems for Biotechnology, 12/20/16, www.isb.vt.edu
DEQ has three primary concerns it would like to address: Reaching agreement on the volume of grandfathered withdrawal for each grandfathered withdrawer. There are multiple numbers (intake capacity, limit in 401 certification, safe yield, historic volume of withdrawal) associated with some withdrawers. This primarily affects municipal withdrawers. Determining when a grandfathered withdrawal right terminates. There are some industrial entities that claimed a grandfathered withdrawal in 2007 and provide an annual report each year, but have not actually withdrawn anything during that entire time period. Developing agreed-upon documentation of the volume of withdrawal for the grandfathered withdrawals. DEQ is concerned about these issues because it uses permitted/grandfathered withdrawals in its modeling for new permit applications. Increasingly, DEQ is relying on actual withdrawal date (rather than permitted/grandfathered withdrawal volumes) when analyzing permit applications. This could lead to over-allocation issues if withdrawers ever seek to use their full grandfathered volume. The issues in the groundwater management area were pointed to as an example of the problems this could create.
DEQ does plan to address this issue in 2017, but it does not have a plan/process for doing so in mind yet. They are willing to consider our recommendations on how to move forward on these issues. The VNLA is a participating partner in the H20 group to help monitor, develop policy and regulations dealing with surface and groundwater issues affecting the green industry. Information provided by Andrea Wortzel, Mission H20
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Purpose:
Groundwater Withdrawal Permitting Fact Sheet
The Virginia General Assembly determined that the continued and unrestricted usage of groundwater is contributing and will contribute to pollution and shortage of groundwater, thereby jeopardizing the public’s welfare, safety and health. The Groundwater Management Act of 1992 was adopted in order to conserve, protect and beneficially utilize the groundwater of the Commonwealth and to ensure the public’s welfare, safety and health, management and control of groundwater resources is essential. Groundwater is regulated under the Ground Water Management Act of 1992 (Code of Virginia, Title 62.1, Chapter 25) and the Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations (9 VAC 25-610-10 et seq.), through the Groundwater Withdrawal Permitting Program in defined Groundwater Management Areas (GWMA).
Groundwater Management Areas:
Currently, there are two Groundwater Management Areas: The Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area comprises an area east of Interstate 95. The Eastern Shore Groundwater Management Area includes Accomack and Northampton counties. The following table lists the counties and cities included in the designated groundwater management areas.
Groundwater Management Areas in Virginia Eastern Shore Groundwater Management Area includes the following counties: Accomack and Northampton Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area includes the following counties and cities: Caroline* Fairfax* Isle of Wight King and Queen New Kent Richmond Surry City of Chesapeake City of Newport News City of Suffolk
Charles City Gloucester James City Lancaster Northumberland Southampton Sussex City of Franklin City of Norfolk City of Virginia Beach
Chesterfield* Hanover* King George Mathews Prince George Spotsylvania* Westmoreland City of Hampton City of Poquoson
Essex Henrico* King William Middlesex Prince William* Stafford* York City of Hopewell City of Portsmouth
*Only those portions east of I-95 are included in the GWMA
Who will need to obtain a Groundwater Withdrawal Permit?
All persons who withdraw more than 300,000 gallons of groundwater in any month in designated groundwater management areas must obtain a groundwater withdrawal permit
How long is a permit valid?
All Groundwater Withdrawal Permits are issued for a maximum ten (10) year term.
Permit Fee Requirements: Type of Groundwater Permit
Issuance/Reissuance
Modification
Agricultural Withdrawals Historic Permits (Initial permit for an existing withdrawal based solely on historic withdrawals)
No Fee $1,200.00
No Fee $600.00
New or Expanded Groundwater Withdrawal Permits
$6,000.00
$3,000.00
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Expansion of the Groundwater Management Area On January 1, 2014 the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area was expanded. As a result, all persons in the expanded area withdrawing or having withdrawn groundwater on or before January 1, 2014 in excess of 300,000 gallons per month (from well, well system or a pond recharged by groundwater with mechanical assistance) shall apply for an Existing Users Groundwater Withdrawal Permit to continue your withdrawal. To continue your withdrawal as an existing user you must submit a complete application. The application must meet the requirements in 9VAC25-610-92 and be received by the Groundwater Withdrawal Permitting Program by June 30, 2014. Applications can be mailed to: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Office of Water Supply - GWPP P. O. Box 1105 Richmond, Virginia 23218
Existing Users Benefits
By submitting a complete application prior to the June 30, 2014 the following apply. You will be:
Granted withdrawal limits related to your historic withdrawal amounts for the first permit term Be charged a lower application fee for the Existing Users Groundwater Withdrawal Permit
You will not be required to:
Attend a pre-application meeting prior to submittal of the application Perform technical evaluations including aquifer tests or other hydrogeologic tests to complete the application package Submit mitigation or water conservation and management plans with your application Conduct an evaluation for the lowest quality water needed for the intended beneficial use will be required Provide an alternative water supply source evaluation for the proposed withdrawal Meet the public participation requirements (public notice and/or public hearing) for permit issuance
Who to contact for additional information: Contacts
Craig Nicol, Program Manager (804) 698-4214 Craig.Nicol@deq.virginia.gov Hank Ghittino , Permit Writer (757) 518-2197 Hank.Ghittino@deq.virginia.gov Erinn Tisdale, Permit Writer (804) 698-4066 C.Erinn.Tisdale@deq.virginia.gov Bhudeo Sinha PhD., Permit Writer (804) 698-4229 Bhudeo.Sinha@deq.virginia.gov Brenda Brown, Permit Writer (757) 518-2188 Brenda.Brown@deq.virginia.gov Previn Smith, Compliance and Enforcement (804) 698-4027 Previn.Smith@deq.virginia.gov
Assigned Territories
Accomack, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Northampton, Virginia Beach Fairfax, James City, King George, New Kent, Lancaster, Northumberland, Prince William, Stafford, Westmoreland Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, King William, Prince George, Spotsylvania, Surry, Sussex Essex, Franklin, Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Ivor, King & Queen, Mathews, Middlesex, Newport News, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Richmond Co., Southampton, Suffolk, Williamsburg, York All areas within the Groundwater Management Areas
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News - USDA Sends National Agricultural Classification Survey Ahead of 2017 Census of Agriculture WASHINGTON, Dec 9, 2016 –In preparation for the 2017 Census of Agriculture, close to one million potential farmers and ranchers will receive the National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) this month to help the U.S. Department of Agriculture identify all active farms and ranches in the United States. The result of the NACS will determine who receives a census of agriculture questionnaire next December. The census of agriculture, conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. Through the census of agriculture, producers are able to demonstrate the value and importance of agriculture, and influence decisions that will shape the future of the industry in this country. The census of agriculture defines a farm as any place, big or small, that produces and sells, or could sell, $1,000 or more of agriculture products within a calendar year. NACS is required by law as part of the census of agriculture. By this same law, all information reported by individuals is protected.
NASS will begin data collection for the 2017 Census of Agriculture in late 2017. The census of agriculture is Your Voice, Your Future, Your Opportunity. For more information about NACS and the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov.
News - National Agricultural Classification Survey Frequently Asked Questions: What is the National Agricultural Classification Survey? The National Agricultural Classification Survey is a nationwide effort to identify potential agricultural operations in the United States. The results of this survey will help provide the best possible coverage for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture is a complete accounting of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census, taken only once every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. [continued on page 32]
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Quiz Article - WPS Focus: Worker and Handler training On January 1, 2016, EPA’s revisions to the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) regulations became part of the Code of Federal Regulation, specifically 40 CFR Part 170. This article focuses on the employee training requirements which become effective on January 1, 2017. As a refresher, the WPS applies whenever a pesticide referencing the WPS is used in the production of an agricultural plant. Establishments that employ people to work with plants treated with pesticides or to handle/apply pesticides must provide pesticide safety training and other information under WPS. This would include establishments such as greenhouses and nurseries where plants are grown commercially and also retail garden centers that maintain plants for sale. A person would be employed if they receive a salary or wages, including piece-rate wages, on the establishment where the agricultural plants are produced. The WPS defines two types of employees, workers and handlers. Workers perform tasks in areas where pesticides have been applied to agricultural plants. They may contact plants, plant parts, or soil and other surfaces that may contain pesticide residues. They should not have direct exposure to the pesticide before it is mixed or while it is being applied. Handlers mix, load, or apply the pesticide. They may also perform other duties such as handling open containers, assist with applications, act as flaggers or repair and maintain contaminated equipment. The WPS training requirements differ somewhat for both types of employees. The training provided to handlers will also allow them to perform worker tasks. Beginning in 2017, WPS training will be required annually (once every 12 months) for workers and handlers. Previously, training was required once every 5 years. All employees trained during the current year or over the past 4 years will have to be trained again in 2017. Another significant change is the timing of training. In the past, employers could provide workers with basic safety information upon hiring and then were allowed to let workers work for up to 5 days before providing them with full WPS training. Some people referred to this period as a “grace period”. This will no longer be permitted. Employers will have to provide workers with full WPS pesticide safety training prior to performing any task in a treated area of an establishment where within the last 30 days a pesticide product has been used or a restricted-entry interval has been in effect.
if the workers or handlers are not trained as required by WPS. Growers who use labor contractors will want to obtain documentation of the pesticide safety training for each worker or provide it themselves prior to allowing contracted laborers to work on their establishment. In the past, recordkeeping of pesticide safety training was voluntary as was the issuance of training verification cards. Under the revised WPS employers must document then maintain records of pesticide safety training for each worker or handler employed for two years from the date of the training. If an employee requests, the employer must also provide them with a record of their training. The training record has to include the following information: 1. The trained worker’s handler’s printed name and signature. 2. The date of training. 3. Information identifying the EPA-approved materials used. 4. The trainers name and documentation of qualifications (ex. Certification Number). 5. The agricultural employer’s name. Training must be conducted in areas that are free from distraction and conducive to learning. The trainer will also have to present the information, either orally from written materials, or audio-visually in a manner that the employees can understand. If the workers or handlers do not speak the same language as the trainer, a translator would be necessary. The trainer must be present during the entire training and respond to questions. The trainer will be unable to put in a training video and go do other activities. Pesticide safety trainers must meet certain criteria prior to providing pesticide safety training. If they train workers, they must be either a certified applicator, state designated trainer, or a trainer who has gone through a train-thetrainer training program for workers or handlers. Previously, trained handlers could train workers but that will no longer be permitted. Similarly, trainers training handlers must be either a certified applicator, state designated trainer or a trained trainer who has completed a train-the-trainer program for handlers. The content requirements for the pesticide safety training have been expanded but will not be required until January 1, 2018 at the earliest. New training resources are currently in development. Although trainers will not have to cover the new content in 2017, they will have to make sure that their training materials are EPA-approved. In the past, the training materials did not have to receive EPA-approval as long as they covered all the required content. To determine whether your material is EPA-approved, look for an EPA publication number (ex. EPA 735-B-06001) or approval code. If you do not see one, contact VDACS (information below).
The revised WPS places the responsibility for training workers or handlers, including those provided by labor contractors, on the person who owns the agricultural establishment or who is responsible for managing it. This means that the owner or manager of the establishment, not the labor contractor, could be cited for a violation of WPS VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 28 January / February / March 2017
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In addition to the pesticide safety training, handlers may also have to be trained on the use of a respirator. This becomes a requirement when the handler will apply pesticides which require respiratory protection. The training would be specific to the respirator required by the pesticide label. In addition to this training requirement, the employee would also have to undergo a medical evaluation prior to using the specified respirator and be fit tested for that respirator. As with the basic pesticide safety training employers will have to retain records related to respirator training, fit testing and medical evaluations for 2 years. Employers also have to provide employees with establishment specific information. Specifically, employers must inform workers and handlers about the location of the pesticide safety information (poster); pesticide application information and safety data sheets; and decontamination supplies. In many cases, the employer may want to include this with the pesticide safety training. If a business hires someone who has already been trained under WPS during the past year at another employer or by a labor contractor, they would have to provide this establishment specific information separately from the training. As a reminder, VDACS currently funds Telamon’s Pesticide Safety Training Program. This allows Telamon to provide free WPS compliant pesticide safety training to growers throughout Virginia. Telamon’s Pesticide and
Workplace Safety Trainer can be contacted at (804) 3816082. If you have additional questions about the new training requirements feel free to contact Micah Raub, the Program Coordinator for the Worker Protection Standard. Mr. Raub can be reached by phone at (804) 261-0937 or by email at micah.raub@vdacs.virginia.gov . Additional information on the rule is also available at: https://www.epa.gov/pesticideworker-safety/revisions-worker-protection-standard .
Quiz Article - WPS Focus: Display of Pesticide Safety, Application and Hazard Information Since it was implemented in 1992, WPS has required that growers who apply pesticides referencing the Worker Protection Standard (40 CFR Part 170) to agricultural plants record information about the pesticides applied and display it in a “Central Location” where the information could be readily seen and read by workers. It has also required the display of basic pesticide safety information advising workers on how to protect themselves from pesticides that they might contact during their work on an agricultural establishment. The revised Worker Protection Standard continues to
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require the display of pesticide safety and application information with some changes. Most of these changes will be implemented on January 2, 2017 although some will not be implemented until 2018. Unless otherwise noted this article focuses on 2017 requirements. One significant change is that growers will have to display hazard information, specifically safety data sheets (SDS), for pesticides applied along with the pesticide application information. The pesticide application information will now also include the start and end times of application and the crop or site treated. Listed below is the application and hazard information that must be displayed no later than 24 hours after the end of a pesticide application: 1. A copy of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each pesticide applied; 2. The name(s), EPA Registration number(s), and active ingredient(s) of each pesticide applied; 3. The crop or site treated and the location and description of the treated area; 4. The date(s) and times the application started and ended. 5. The duration of the applicable labeling-specified restricted-entry interval for that application. Another significant change relates to the retention of the above information. Under the original and revised WPS, this information must be displayed for 30 days from the end of the last applicable restricted entry interval for an application. In the past, WPS did not require it to be retained once the 30 days expired. Beginning in 2017, employers will still have to display the information for 30 days but will also have to retain it for 2 years after the restricted-entry interval applicable to a pesticide application expires. Note that the 30 day display is required when workers or handlers are on the establishment during that period. The information does not have to be displayed the full 30 days if no workers or handlers are present. It would still have to be retained for 2 years if it was required to be displayed at the central location. The revised WPS no longer specifically references the “Central Location” but still requires the display to be at a place where workers and handlers are likely to pass by or congregate and where it can be readily seen and read. For the purposes of this article, the term “Central Location” will continue to refer to the site designated by the employer for the display of application and hazard information. The employer must make sure that all of the displayed information required by WPS is legible and accessible to workers on the establishment at all times during normal work hours.
be new content requirements. EPA plans to distribute a new poster containing the new content for agricultural employers to use. Employers can also create their own display in other formats so long as all of the required new content is included. For information on the new content, employers can reference 40 CFR §170.311(a)(3). As part of the pesticide safety information posting, the employer must provide information about nearby operating medical care facility capable of providing emergency medical treatment. This information is to be clearly identified in the display as emergency medical contact information. It must include the name, address and telephone number of the identified establishment. Unlike the pesticide application and hazard information, the pesticide safety information must also be displayed at other locations on the establishment beginning in 2017. In addition to the “Central Location” it must also be displayed where decontamination supplies are provided at permanent sites, like bathrooms. The pesticide safety information must also be provided at temporary locations if the decontamination supplies are provided in quantities to meet the requirements for 11 or more workers. Although the pesticide application and hazard information may be removed from display after 30 days, there are provisions for requests for copies or access to the information during the 2-year retention period. WPS has specific provisions permitting current and former employees, treating medical personnel and designated representatives to request access to or copies of pesticide application and hazard information. These provisions will not be discussed in this article but are found in 40 CFR §§170.311(b)(7), 170.311(b)(8) & 170.311(b)(9). Under 40 CFR §170.309(m), agricultural employers would also have to provide any records to authorized representatives of the state or federal government upon request for inspection or copying. Additional information on the rule is available at:https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revisions-
worker-protection-standard
As a reminder, VDACS currently funds Telamon’s Pesticide Safety Training Program. This allows Telamon to provide free WPS compliant pesticide safety training to growers throughout Virginia. Telamon’s Pesticide and Workplace Safety Trainer can be contacted at (804) 381-6082. If you have additional questions about the new training requirements feel free to contact Micah Raub, the Program Coordinator for the Worker Protection Standard. Mr. Raub can be reached by phone at (804) 261-0937 or by email at micah.raub@vdacs.virginia.gov.
Displayed along with the application and hazard information will be the pesticide safety information. Employers can continue to use the current EPA pesticide safety poster until at least January 1, 2018. At that time, there will VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 30 January / February / March 2017
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VNLA - Certification Quiz # 79 If you are a Virginia Certified Horticulturist, answer the following questions from the previous article, mark your answers on the card insert and mail, scan or fax back to the VNLA office towards your recertification CEU’s for your Virginia Certified Horticulturist.
Worker Protection Standards January/February/March 2017 Prepared by: Sandy Miller 1. Which of the listed below is the application and hazard information that must be displayed no later than 24 hours after the end of a pesticide application: A. A copy of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each pesticide applied; B. The name(s), EPA Registration number(s), and active ingredient(s) of each pesticide applied; C. The crop or site treated and the location and description of the treated area; D. The date(s) and times the application started and ended. E. The duration of the applicable labeling-specified restricted-entry interval for that application. F. All of the above 2. The WPS defines two types of employees, workers and drones. A. True B. False 3. Beginning in 2017, WPS training will be required quarterly (once every 4 months) for workers and handlers. A. True B. False
4. Previously, training was required once every 5 years. All employees trained during the current year or over the past 4 years will have to be trained again in 2020. The training record has to include the following information: A. The trained worker’s handler’s printed name and signature. B. The date of training. C. Information identifying the EPA-approved materials used. D. The trainers name and documentation of qualifications (ex. Certification Number). E. The agricultural employer’s name. F. All of the above 5. Employers can continue to use the current EPA pesticide safety poster until at least January 1, 2018. A. True B. False 6. As part of the pesticide safety information posting, the employer must provide information about nearby operating medical care facility capable of providing emergency medical treatment. A. True B. False 7. Another significant change relates to the retention of the above information. Under the original and revised WPS, this information must be displayed for 30 days from the end of the last applicable restricted entry interval for an application. A. True B. False 8. Beginning in 2017, employers will still have to display the information for 30 days but will also have to retain it for 2 years after the restricted-entry interval applicable to a pesticide application expires. A. True B. False 9. Growers who use labor contractors will want to obtain documentation of the pesticide safety training for each worker or provide it themselves prior to allowing contracted laborers to work on their establishment. A. True B. False 10. One significant change is that growers will have to display hazard information, specifically safety data sheets (SDS), for pesticides applied along with the pesticide application information. A. True B. False
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[continued from page 27] Why should I respond to the National Agricultural Classification Survey? Your response to this survey will help NASS provide the most complete accounting of U.S. agriculture. Did you know that 75 percent of the 2.1 million farms in the United States reported agricultural sales of $50,000 or less in the 2012 Census of Agriculture? Many people who do not consider themselves to be farmers or ranchers actually meet the official census definition of a farm (sold or normally would have sold $1,000 or more of agricultural product in a year). Do you really need to count me? YES - if you own or rent agricultural land, grow vegetables, grow horticultural or floricultural products, have fruit or nut trees, cattle, horses, poultry, hogs, bees, aquaculture products, or consider yourself a farmer or rancher, we need to hear from you. How will the National Agricultural Classification Survey be conducted? Survey forms will be mailed in December to addresses where agricultural activities may have occurred or have the potential to occur. Responses are due by February 1, 2017. NASS will follow up to try and gather the information if we do not receive a completed survey.
“DUPLICATE” on the other forms and return them all in the same envelope. Why did I receive this form? How did you receive my name? To ensure the most complete Census of Agriculture, NASS maintains a list of individuals who have agricultural production. Additionally, we obtain mailing lists from public and private sources associated with agriculture. Some of the lists did not indicate whether the addressee was actually an agricultural producer but did indicate that the addressee likely has the potential to have agricultural production. You may have received a survey form if your name appeared on one or more of those lists. What if I want more information?
For more information or help completing your form, call 1-8884AG-STAT or 1-888-424-7828.
Tips - The ‘Shazam’ For Plants Will Identify Any Plant From a Picture
How do I respond to the National Agricultural Classification Survey? Please complete your form online at www.agcounts.usda.gov. All you need is the identification number on the survey form to complete your survey online. Or you can complete and return your form by mail using the return envelope provided. Will my information be kept confidential? Absolutely. Respondents are guaranteed by law (Title 7, U.S. Code) that their individual information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the information only for statistical purposes and publishes data only in tabulated totals. The report cannot be used for purposes of taxation, investigation, or regulation. The privacy of individual records is also protected from Freedom of Information Act requests. What if I am not actively farming or ranching? If you are not actively farming, ranching, or engaged in any agricultural activity, your response is still important to us to verify that you do not currently meet the definition of a farm or ranch. Please complete the first four questions on the front page of the form and follow the instructions provided. If you do not return the form, NASS will follow up to try and gather the information.
An estimated 400,000 flowering plant species exist in the world, and, understandably, it can be difficult to keep track. The vast majority of us can only recognize and name a handful of plants, even if we would like it to be otherwise. If you would like to sharpen your knowledge in the wonderful realm of plant species, I have some good news for you. Like everything else: there’s an app for that! If you ever walk by a specific plant that you would like to identify, or you have extensive knowledge about plant species that you would like to share, then the PlantNet app is for you. Available for iPhone and Android devices, it is essentially the Shazam for plants. It’s pretty awesome to consider what technology is capable of these days.
What if I receive more than one form in the mail? If you receive more than one form, please complete a form How Does the App Work? for each separate operation you conduct. If you only have one operation, please complete only one form and write VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 32 January / February / March 2017
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The app works by collecting data from a large social network which uploads pictures and information about plants. Scientists from four French research organizations including Cirad, IRA, Inria/IRD, and the Tela Botanica Network developed the app. The app features visualization software which recognizes many plant species, provided they have been illustrated well enough in the botanical reference base. PlantNet currently works on more than 4,100 species of wild flora of the French territory, and the species list is provided through the application. The number of species included and images used by the application grows as more users contribute. While only a small percentage of plant species can be identified so far, the more users who join, and the more participants from different countries become involved, the more diverse this app will become. So if this is something that interests you, get the app and start contributing today. What Value Does It Add? While at the moment it doesn’t focus on edibles, this app lays the frame work for herb collecting and identifying plants in nature that could either be dangerous to you or that you would love to learn more about. The average person these days is enjoying a greater appreciation for nature this app can help them outfit their home and living space with plants they love.
In the future, an edible database could help foragers pick from the wild spread nature has to offer. Not only are wild sources of plants and herbs cleaner and free of pesticides, but they also can be picked fresher and be more nutritious. At the same time, this app is inevitably going to get people out in nature more as now they can walk about trails and nature with a keen curiosity to learn more about what’s around them. GWA News Clippings, Alanna Ketler
Tips - So Long Social media The kids are opting out of the online public square When my digital media students are sitting, waiting for class to start and staring at their phones, they are not checking Facebook. They’re not checking Instagram, or Pinterest or Twitter. No, they’re catching up on the news of the day by checking out their friends’ Stories on Snapchat, chatting in Facebook Messenger or checking in with their friends in a group text. If the time drags, they might switch to Instagram to see what the brands they love are posting, or check in with Twitter for a laugh at some celebrity tweets. But, they tell me, most of the time they eschew the public square of social media for more intimate options.
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The times, they are a-changing For a few years now, alarms have been sounded in various quarters about Facebook’s teen problem. In 2013, one author explored why teens are tiring of Facebook, and according to Time, more than 11 million young people have fled Facebook since 2011. But many of these articles theorized that teens were moving instead to Instagram (a Facebook-owned property) and other social media platforms. In other words, teen flight was a Facebook problem, not a social media problem. Today, however, the newest data increasingly support the idea that young people are actually transitioning out of using what we might term broadcast social media – like Facebook and Twitter – and switching instead to using narrowcast tools – like Messenger or Snapchat. Instead of posting generic and sanitized updates for all to see, they are sharing their transient goofy selfies and blow-by-blow descriptions of class with only their closest friends. For example, in a study published in August last year, the Pew Research Center reported that 49 percent of smartphone owners between 18 and 29 use messaging apps like Kik, Whatsapp or iMessage, and 41 percent use apps that automatically delete sent messages, like Snapchat. For context, note that according to another Pew study, only 37 percent of people in that age range use Pinterest, only 22 percent use LinkedIn and only 32 percent use Twitter. Messaging clearly trumps these more publicly accessible forms of social media. Admittedly, 82 percent of people aged 18 to 29 said that they do use Facebook. However, that 82 percent affirmatively answered the question, “Do you ever use the Internet or a mobile app to use Facebook?” (emphasis added). Having a Facebook account and actually3+ using Facebook are two different things. While Pew does have data on how frequently people report using Facebook (70 percent said at least once a day), those data are not broken down by age. And anecdotal evidence such as what I’ve gathered from class discussions and assignments suggests that many younger people are logging in to Facebook simply to see what others are posting, rather than creating content of their own. Their photos, updates, likes and dislikes are increasingly shared only in closed gardens like group chat and Snapchat.
Based on my discussions with around 80 American college students, there appear to be three reasons for choosing something like Snapchat over Facebook. Granny did not need to see what you got up to last weekend. Woman image via www.shutterstock.com . 1. My gran likes my profile picture As Facebook has wormed its way into our lives, its demographics have shifted dramatically. According to Pew, 48 percent of Internet users over the age of 65 use Facebook. As social media usage has spread beyond the young, social media have become less attractive to young people. Few college students want their parents to see their Friday night photos. 2. Permanence and ephemerality Many of the students I’ve spoken with avoid posting on sites like Facebook because, to quote one student, “Those pics are there forever!” Having grown up with these platforms, college students are well aware that nothing posted on Facebook is ever truly forgotten, and they are increasingly wary of the implications. Teens engage in complex management of their self-presentation in online spaces; for many college students, platforms like Snapchat, that promise ephemerality, are a welcome break from the need to police their online image. 3. The professional and the personal increasingly, young people are being warned that future employers, college admissions departments and even banks will use their social media profiles to form assessments. In response, many of them seem to be using social media more strategically. For example, a number of my students create multiple profiles on sites like Twitter, under various names. They carefully curate the content they post on their public profiles on Facebook or LinkedIn, and save their real, private selves for other platforms.
Is this a problem? We may be seeing the next evolution in digital media. Just as young people were the first to migrate on to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, they may now be the first to leave and move on to something new. Young adults still are the most likely to use social media. Pew Research Center This exodus of young people from publicly accessible social media to messaging that is restricted to smaller groups has a number of implications, both for the big businesses behind social media and for the public sphere more generally.
From a corporate perspective, the shift is potentially troubling. If young people are becoming less likely to proWhy would they leave? vide personal details about themselves to online sites, the Although there is not a great deal of published research on digital advertising machine that runs on such data (dethe phenomenon, there seem to be several reasons why scribed in detail by Joe Turow in his book “The Daily You”) younger people are opting for messaging over social media. may face some major headwinds. VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 34 34 January / February / March 2017 VNLA Newsletter
For example, if young people are no longer “liking” things on Facebook, the platform’s long-term value to advertisers may erode. Currently, Facebook uses data it gathers about users’ “likes” and “shares” to target advertising at particular individuals. So, hypothetically, if you “like” an animal rescue, you may see advertisements for PetSmart on Facebook. This type of precision targeting has made Facebook into a formidable advertising platform; in 2015, the company earned almost US$18 billion, virtually all of it from advertising. If young people stop feeding the Facebook algorithm by clicking “like,” this revenue could be in jeopardy. From the perspective of parents and older social media users, this shift can also seem troubling. Parents who may be accustomed to monitoring at least some proportion of their children’s online lives may find themselves increasingly shut out. On the other hand, for the growing number of adults who use these platforms to stay in touch with their own peer networks, exchange news and information, and network, this change may go virtually unnoticed. And, indeed, for the many older people who have never understood the attraction of airing one’s laundry on social media, the shift may even seem like a positive maturation among younger users. From a social or academic perspective, the shift is both encouraging, in that it is supportive of calls for more reticence online, and also troubling.
As more and more political activity migrates online, and social media play a role in a number of important social movement activities, the exodus of the young could mean that they become less exposed to important social justice issues and political ideas. If college students spend most of their media time on group text and Snapchat, there is less opportunity for new ideas to enter their social networks. Emerging research is documenting the ways in which our use of social media for news monitoring can lead us to consume only narrow, partisan news. If young people opt to use open messaging services even less, they may further reduce their exposure to news and ideas that challenge their current beliefs. The great promise of social media was that they would create a powerful and open public sphere, in which ideas could spread and networks of political action could form. If it is true that the young are turning aside from these platforms, and spending most of their time with messaging apps that connect only those who are already connected, the political promise of social media may never be realized. https://theconversation.com/so-long-social-media-the-kids-areopting-out-of-the-online-public-square-53274
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News - Urban Trees Can Save Tens of Thousands of Lives Globally By Reducing Air Pollution and Temperature Nature Conservancy Study Projects Impact of Tree Planting in 245 Cities
trees and in 2014, after a particularly bad ash borer infestation, more than 15,000 were removed citywide. And while the City was able to replace about half of the removed trees, other conservation groups like the Morton Arboretum, Openlands, Cook Country Forest Preserves and The Nature Conservancy have united to form a Chicagoland cooperative called CRTI, or Chicago Region Trees Initiative. The group identified the cost benefits and services current Chicagoland canopy provides: Trees in the seven-county Chicago region currently store. about 16.9 million tons of carbon ($349M/year).
Photo by Susan Pierce, Trees Atlanta, Bugwood.org
A new study from The Nature Conservancy finds that an investment in tree planting of just US $4 per resident in some of the world's largest cities, like Chicago, could improve the health of tens of millions of people by reducing air pollution and cooling city streets. Released this week at the American Public Health Association annual meeting, the Planting Healthy Air study applies well-established research into how trees clean and cool the air locally at a global scale to identify those places where an investment in tree planting can make the biggest impact on people's lives. The Conservancy partnered with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership group to develop the study, with the aim of providing urban leaders with the data they need to demonstrate that investments in tree planting can improve public health in their cities. "Trees can have a significant local impact on pollution levels and temperatures," said Rob McDonald, lead scientist for global cities at The Nature Conservancy and the study's primary author. "Urban trees can save lives and are just as cost-effective as more traditional solutions like putting scrubbers on smokestacks or painting roofs white." Like many other cities, there are myriad threats to trees in the Chicago region, including urban development, invasive plants, and pest infestations, which can wipe out millions of trees. In 2013, the City of Chicago removed more than 9700 VNLA Newsletter 36
These trees remove about 677,000 ton of carbon per year (absorbing 2.5 million tons of CO2). ($14M/year) These trees remove about 18,080 tons of pollution from the air each year. ($137M/year) The trees of the Chicago region reduce residential energy costs by about $44 million per year. Each year, these trees provide services valued at about $51.2 billion.
A US Forest Service report shows that in the City of Chicago, there are about 3.5M trees, covering approximately 17 percent of the city. Carbon storage is approximately 716,000 tons, valued at $14.8M and overall pollution removal is about 888 tons/year, valued at about $6.4M per year. "The idea behind the Conservancy's global report is to show that money really does grow on trees – the goal is to bring trees to the forefront as part of a sustainable, money-saving and cost-effective solution to many health and environmental issues worldwide," said Jeff Walk, conservation director for The Nature Conservancy's Illinois chapter. "Proximity to buildings, post-plant management, tree inventory and even community engagement are just some of the key components to a successful tree planting campaign. With this report, the Conservancy and its many partners hope to galvanize local leadership with a well of information and resources to support tree management programming." "It's much more than just planting trees," said Lydia Scott, CRTI director. "It's about planting a seed in the minds of residents and lawmakers to show the value and need of trees in Chicagoland and beyond. Tools like our digital Northern Illinois tree selector and step-by-step tree planting handbook are fantastic resources that puts the knowledge in the hands of residents and those who serve the residents. The Conservancy's report makes the case for global investment in projects like CRTI."
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The challenges facing cities are significant, but trees can be an important part of the solution:
that mayors and other municipal leaders around the globe can implement to improve the lives of residents within their communities, reducing air pollution and slowing climate change
Every year, more than 3 million people die from the effects of fine particulate matter – air pollution so "Trees alone cannot solve all of the world's urban air and small that it can enter the bloodstream and lungs, causheat challenges, but they're an important piece of the soluing such ailments as asthma, heart disease and stroke. tion," McDonald said. In cities, much of this pollution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, including in car engines. Trees can remove as much as a quarter of the particulate matter pollution within a few hundred yards, and when planted in BiggestNur/4.625x7.375 8/30/04 10:24 AM Page 1 ESN-117 the right places, can offer a very effective barrier, filtering bad air and protecting local residents Ad – Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia
Urban heat is already the deadliest type of weather-related disaster facing the world, and the impacts will only increase as our climate continues to change. In France in 2003, a summer heat wave killed approximately 11,000 people in one week, so many that the Paris city morgue was overwhelmed and the bodies had to be stored at a vegetable market. The most vulnerable to deadly heat waves are elderly people without access to air conditioning. Trees can cool their immediate vicinity by as much as 2 degrees C, offering a means of protecting people from the impacts of a changing climate
The Conservancy's Planting Healthy Air study found that an annual global investment of US $100 million in tree planting could provide 77 million people with cooler cities and 68 million people with measurable reductions in particulate matter pollution. Cities with high population density, high levels pollution and heat, and a low cost of planting trees showed the highest return on investment, with countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh topping the global rankings. But the data also shows neighborhoods in every city that offer a high potential benefit to residents from tree planting. Planting Healthy Air: Global Return on Investment Rankings: The study ranks all 245 cities for the potential per capita impact of planting trees, as defined by degrees of temperature reduction or the amount of fine particulate matter pollution that could be removed with a given investment Trees not only clean and cool the air, they simultaneously offer other benefits, including urban green space for residents, habitat for wildlife and carbon sequestration. Tree planting is a solution VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
Too Small
Too Big
Just Right
WH O C A R E S T H AT WE AREN’T THE BIGGEST NURSERY AROUND? Maybe you should care. Some nurseries get so big they can’t consistently control quality. Some are too small to produce the volume of plants you require year after year. Luckily, we’re the perfect size. We’re large enough to get you the plants you need when you need them. But we’re never too busy to Eastern give our trees and shrubs and our customers Shore the care and attention they require. Which Nursery Of is no small feat. Virginia Call Eastern Shore Nursery today and order the healthiest plants money can buy. Keller, Virginia • 1-800-323-3008 • www.esnursery.com
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Interactive maps that can be used to zoom in to neighborhood level data are available at: nature.org/healthyair. The Planting Healthy Air Executive Summary, as well as photos, graphics, maps and other visual assets available for publication can be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h1dor7pbzk4gp5m/AAAhTkZpYAdgxgFLtGSo2fvsa? d1=0
News - Virginia Ranks Fifth Among States On 2016 Champion Trees National Register
News - Monarda Brings the Heat to High Summer
Volunteer big tree hunters Gary Williamson, left, and Byron Carmean relax in the shade of the national champion laurel oak they discovered in Chesapeake, VA
Mt. Cuba Center's latest research report, Monarda for the Mid-Atlantic Region, details the results of a three-year study of Monarda, commonly called bee balm or wild bergamot. Also included in the report are the results from our citizen science project which recorded the number and types of pollinators which visited each selection in the trial. The study included 40 selections of Monarda, including seven species native to the eastern United States as well as their hybrids. The foliage of Monarda is prone to developing a fungal disease called powdery mildew, which, while mostly harmless, can make the plant look ragged by the end of summer. The trial rated plants based on their resistance to powdery mildew, as well as their ornamental value and hardiness. Monarda has seen commercial success for its brightly colored flower clusters which bloom in vibrant shades of purple, red and pink at the peak of summer. This perennial thrives in full sun conditions and draws a variety of pollinators, including native bees and hummingbirds. Its ability to support multiple pollinator species makes it an excellent candidate in the growing trend of pollinator gardening. For information: http://mtcubacenter.org/monarda-bringsthe-heat/ Jeff Downing, Exec. Director
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Virginia ranks fifth among states having the most big tree specimens, with 57 national champion trees, according to the 2016 American Forests Champion Trees national register. Virginia gained 12 new champion trees this year, including a pussy willow in Page County, a loblolly pine in Northampton, and a laurel oak in Chesapeake. Among Virginia's other champions are a water tupelo in Greensville (the largest of the state's champion trees), a southern bayberry (the state's smallest champ), a swamp dogwood in the City of Franklin, and a dwarf hackberry in Alexandria. Several trees were also delisted this year, including a Chinese privet, a pumpkin ash, and a black cherry. According to Eric Wiseman, associate professor of urban forestry and arboriculture in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and coordinator of the Virginia Big Tree Program, these trees were delisted because of a change in American Forests' measurement requirements for trees with "atypical trunk development" such as split trunks or multiple stem trunks. "A lot of gigantic trees have multiple stemmed trunks or those that fork near the ground line, making them difficult to measure," he said. 'The national cadre, who consult on measurement guidelines, tightened up their requirements and scrutinized these types of trees to make sure they were being judged fairly and equitably across the country:'
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VNLA Pender ad half page_VNLA pender half page ad 1/15/14 11:21 AM Page
With the new measurement guidelines in mind, Wiseman said News – Virginia Agribusiness that he and other program volunteers plan to remeasure and resubmit some multithemed trees to the register. Banquet & Town Hall Meeting
The Virginia Big Tree Program, managed by Virginia Tech's Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, maintains a register of the largest specimens of over 300 native and non-native tree species in Virginia and works to educate the public about the value of trees and forests.
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Volunteers nationwide, referred to as big tree hunters, search NEW AD for and nominate trees for the Champion Trees national register, which is updated each year. The register then lists the largest trees in the country for more than 660 species. In order to be eligible for inclusion on the register, trees must be at least 9-and-a-half inches in circumference and at least 13 feet in height. In addition, only certain species of native and naturalized trees are considered eligible. A tree's size is based on a formula that includes trunk diameter Via Green Industry Council members install plants and flowers
(measured 4-and-a-half feet above the ground), height, and the for the Virginia Agribusiness Council Banquet. average spread of the crown, or upper branches. From these (front) Lorene Blackwood, (l‐r) Bill Bonwell, Gwynn Hubbard, three measurements, a point value is assigned to each tree, and Peggy Seay, Cary Gouldin the trees with the most points are named champions. According to Wiseman, most champion trees are also veteran trees, often having survived more than 100 years. As a result, there is often frequent turnover on the registry, as older trees die. Some champion trees, however, can grow much more quickly when presented with optimal growing conditions. Wiseman went on to explain that the mild climate in Virginia provides optimal growing conditions for many species, helping to keep multiple Virginia champions on the register year after year. "We have a very diverse physiography in Virginia," he said. "We have major physiographic areas and many diverse ecosystems, so a lot of species can thrive here." James River Nurseries installing plants James River Nurseries installing plans "Big and sod from Brookmeade Sod Farm tree this can really to the pubandprograms sod fromlike Brookmeade Soddemonstrate Farm lic what trees can achieve:' Wiseman continued. "Nearly 80 percent of the state population lives in urban areas, so they don't see trees that are reaching their biological potential. Many trees in urban areas do not live longer than 20 to 25 years due to the harsh growing conditions. When you contrast the biggest sugar maple on the register to the one you see in the local park, it's easy to develop appreciation for the sheer size trees can achieve in a more natural growing environment:' If you have a champion tree on your property, Wiseman recommends having a certified arborist examine it to identify any threats or deficiencies early on. "A lot of things about tree care are a mystery to the average homeowner:' he said. "Unless you know the science, you don't Town Hall meeting at Grelen Nurseries, Orange, VA know what to be aware of. These are living organisms, and once certain issues have manifested, we have a very limited capability to rehabilitate the trees:' Contact: https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2016/12/cnre-virginiachampiontrees.html
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News – The Chesapeake Bay Landscape Pilot Program Update What's New? The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council and our partners are delighted to announce that the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) certification has awarded over 80 Level 1 credentials. We are grateful to many organizations and individuals for volunteer input and technical assistance. Over 115 candidates from Virginia, Maryland, and DC enrolled in the Level 1 pilot program, which was held in autumn 2016. Additional Level 1 exams were given January 19, 2017 at the Mid-Atlantic Horticulture Short Course in Virginia and February 2 in College Park, MD. Enrollment was full for the Level 2 Intensive Seminar pilot, scheduled for January 26-28, 2017 in Arlington, VA. We expect to re-open Level 1 training in spring 2017 following a short pilot evaluation and program refinement period. Applications are now being accepted at cblpro.org PURPOSE AND MISSION What is this initiative? The mission of the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Certification program is to develop a voluntary, regional (that is, Chesapeake Bay-wide), advanced credential system and network of sustainable landscape professionals who design, install, and maintain sustainable landscapes. The credential emphasizes small-scale stormwater retrofit best practices and conservation landscaping with native plants to benefit the environment. What practical purpose does it serve? Across the six states and the District of Columbia in the Chesapeake Bay region, local governments and others work to meet their individual environmental and habitat goals with an increased effort to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution from sediment and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These efforts have created an increased demand for conservation landscape professionals consistently trained in specific, well-researched best practices. When designed, installed and maintained properly, best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens and other bioretention areas, permeable hardscapes, buffers, trees and other native plantings, and rainwater harvesting are effective in reducing stormwater runoff and pollution. By working with nature, sustainable landscapes also support local and Baywide biodiversity and habitat restoration goals. What problem is this certification intended to solve?
and a wide range of design, construction and maintenance approaches across the six states in the Bay watershed particularly. Local governments are now responsible to regulators for accurately predicting and measuring reductions in pollution. The reductions in runoff, sediment and nutrients have been vetted for each best management practice (BMP). If standards for design, installation and maintenance for the BMP are not followed and verified, BMP projects may not deliver enough reduction in pollution to adhere to the watershed's `diet'. Many groups have independently struggled to teach and communicate best practices to the design, landscape and stormwater communities. Despite these efforts, duplication of time, funding, purpose and variation in standards and methods for stormwater best practices have led to inconsistent knowledge and abilities among landscape professionals who are expected to implement these practices. BACKGROUND IS there a need? Localities, developers, other stormwater experts, watershed groups and landowners are increasingly demanding qualified landscape professionals to be better stormwater partners who can properly implement "green" stormwater and sustainable landscaping best practices. Many report a scarcity of professionals or uncertainty about how to find qualified professionals. Landscape professionals also report how difficult, timeconsuming and expensive it is to choose the right training on the right standards for their staff to attend when faced with myriad programs in different localities. The CBLP program creates standards and guidance for training and educational partners to establish a network of consistent and aligned training and educational opportunities for certification candidates. To connect certified CBLPs with clients and employers, and enhance the marketability of their skills, the program provides a searchable database of qualified landscape professionals. STEWARDSHIP OF THE PROGRAM Who is developing the program? Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) and partners University of Maryland Extension, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) Habitat Partners© and Wetlands Watch are collectively known as the CBLP Consortium. We are developing the new comprehensive credential with guidance from a steering committee and group of conservation, landscape and stormwater experts from across the Bay region. Who is funding development of the program?
Local interest in these sustainable landscaping techniques The National Fish and Wildlife Federation, University of and differing priorities have resulted in inconsistent training Maryland Sea Grant, the Campbell Foundation, Virginia VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 40 40 January / February / March 2017 VNLA Newsletter
Environmental Endowment, the Prince Charitable Trust and the VDGIF Habitat Partners© currently fund the CBLP initiative planning and pilot. The DC Department of Energy and Environment funded development of our maintenance manual. How many volunteer hours have been contributed thus far? More than 3,800 volunteer hours have been contributed, to date.
Shortly thereafter, CCLC and Wetlands Watch in partnership with the University of Maryland Extension, and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Habitat Partners© spearheaded the effort to apply for grant funding to develop and pilot this Chesapeake Bay Conservation Landscape Professional program. Funding began from various sources in late 2014. WHAT IS A PILOT?
What are the origins of this Consortium?
What do you mean by a pilot?
In February 2013, private sector landscape and other professionals, watershed organizations, localities, soil & water conservation districts, states and federal professionals, plus academic researchers and experts, all working in the field of non-agricultural best practices for soil conservation & water quality, convened at the Collaborative Summit on Protecting Water Quality in Williamsburg, VA. The UVA Institute for Environmental Negotiation facilitated the work of these groups.
The pilot program provides an opportunity to conduct a controlled trial of the certification system and materials in a small geographic area. Once the pilot is complete in early February, we will assess the results and refine the certification before we launch it to a wider audience.
Shared consensus was overwhelming on these points: There is a lack of connection between demand for qualified people to maintain, install and design best practices to meet Bay watershed goals and the availability of landscape people to do the work; and, disparate local and regional training programs are an inefficient and inconsistent way to reach and train these people in the practices to be applied Bay-wide.
How will you incorporate feedback from the pilot into the rollout? Following the assessment and some anticipated refinements, CBLP will launch in Virginia, Maryland, DC and Pennsylvania in mid-2017. We plan to expand to Delaware, West Virginia and New York by 2018.
News – Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional
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TIMING When and where will the next classes and exams be held? We will offer Level 1 training in Virginia, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania starting in late spring. Level 2 training will be offered in the second half of 2017, possibly sooner with enough applicants. We will announce some Level 1 training dates by March. Can I sit for the exam in January or February 2017? Only enrolled pilot candidates who attended the mandatory training in 2016 may take the exam in January or February. CANDIDATES FOR CERTIFICATION Who can be certified for Level 1? Level 1 is a baseline credential with emphasis on maintenance of stormwater best management practices. Candidates seeking certification at this Level must have one of the following qualifications: A Degree or Certificate from an accredited institution of higher education in related fields of study such as agriculture, botanical sciences, engineering, environmental or soil science, forestry, horticulture or plant science, landscape architecture or design, planning, or other related field; OR, A Professional Certification which requires the holder to engage in continuing education in order to maintain the credential, in a related field such as arboristry, green infrastructure or low impact development (LID) practices, grounds management, horticulture, integrated pest management (IPM) or licensed pesticide application, landscape design, landscape technology, or nutrient management (fertilizer) planning or fertilizer application, soil science, wetlands delineation, habitat protection/restoration or other related field. What must I do to be certified at the advanced Level 2?
Candidates who have completed and received Level 1 CBLP certification AND who have demonstrated experience in design and/or installation of sustainable landscapes must also complete a 3-day Level 2 Intensive Seminar and Assessment. Within six months after completing certification, CBLPs must demonstrate that they have properly designed or installed a number of residential-scale best practices, such as rain gardens, to meet minimum state standards. Will I have to earn CEU's to keep my certification? Yes, continuing education units (CEU's) will be required to maintain the certification.
Will the certification or my CEU's be eligible for CEU's for my other professional certifications? Each credentialing organization sets policy for how it grants CEU 's. We anticipate reciprocity for relevant professional education. For the pilot, several partners, including MNLGA, VNLA, PNLA, VSLD, and Virginia DCR NM recognized CBLP training for CEUs. What if I don't pass the first exam the first time? The application fee includes one additional exam "retake" opportunity. A small fee will be required for additional retakes after that. What benefits will the credential offer me? Credentialed professionals will be listed in our searchable online database. The database will provide the public and local governments with a means for locating experienced and highly trained CBLPs. Some watershed groups and local governments have expressed an interest in preferentially hiring certified CBLPs, or have pledged to place CBLPs on a preferred provider list. CBLP consortium partners will continue to market the certification, build name recognition and gain additional pledges for preferential hiring or placement on preferred provider lists. Does this certification help me if I move my business or practice outside my home state in the Bay Watershed? Because CBLP is a Bay wide credential, it will be transferable and, as awareness grows, will be recognized across state lines, and outside the Chesapeake Bay Watershed boundaries, as total maximum daily load (TMDL) watershed implementation plans to improve water quality exist all over the United States. LEVELS 1 AND 2 What information will be covered in Level 1? Design, installation and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with emphasis on landscape maintenance protocol for stormwater best practices. The Level 1 Study Guide provides an outline of learning objectives and key information for candidates. Given that Level 1 focuses on maintenance, does everyone have to start at this level, including experienced designers? Yes. Can I "place out or' or skip this first level training and exam if I am a registered L.A., engineer, or have a degree in a relevant subject?
No. There is an expressed need for consistent training of core knowledge about conservation landscaping and stormHow many, and in what renewal timeframe? water management in the Chesapeake Region that Level 1 training and assessment will address. This shared Twenty CEUs are required for recertification every 2 years. knowledge, particularly regarding maintenance of best VNLA Newsletter January/February/March 2017 42 42 January / February / March 2017 VNLA Newsletter
practices, has been identified as one of the critical success factors in making these practices perform better than they have in past.
What information will be covered in Level 2?
Does any other industry-recognized "equal" Level 1 CBPL certification?
When will you pilot test the second level?
certification
No. The standards for registered professionals and degreed individuals also apply to industry certification holders: These are excellent credentials as prerequisites, necessary to enroll, but not sufficient or "the same as" Level 1 certification.
Is this curriculum content state-specific or will your training focus on the best practices common to all six states and DC in the Bay watershed? The program will focus on best practices in use throughout the watershed, but candidates must learn how to identify, understand, and comply with state regulations and local ordinances that pertain to their work.
Is Level 2 focused on design or installation, or both? Level 2 is an advanced credential for experienced professionals in design and/or installation of conservation landscapes, emphasizing detailed expertise of small, residential-scale stewardship practices for the Bay, particularly focused on stormwater retrofits to existing landscapes. Proper design and installation of these retrofits may require advanced knowledge and skills and must meet minimum state design standards.
The Level 2 Study Guide may be downloaded from the CBLP website, www.cblpro.org The pilot Level 2 three-day Intensive Seminar was held in Arlington, VA, January 26-28, 2017.
Do you anticipate more levels? Not at this time. Who's providing the training now? Pilot program trainings were co-designed and lead by stormwater and sustainable landscape professionals with experience as technical advisors, practitioners, and educators to professionals. In addition, their networks help provide real-world maintenance practicum experiences for candidates in the field at locations in VA and MD.
What if best practices change? We expect the content for certification to evolve as practices change. We will maintain a list of training partners and recommend other continuing education opportunities that provide updates on emerging issues, concepts, and practice changes.
If I get certified, how do I connect with clients whose projects may require, specify or prefer that a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional carry out the work?
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An online database of Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals will serve as that resource for property owners, localities, and others seeking qualified professionals. The CBLP program administrator will also forward announcements and inquiries from local government and watershed groups to our CBLP network.
NEXT STEPS FOR CANDIDATES How do I sign up? Apply online at cblpro.org How much will it cost? We will publish fees for the expanded certification in March 2017.
OUTLOOK AFTER THE PILOT If you are successful, what does the future look like? What is your vision? We envision a healthy Chesapeake Bay in which consistentlytrained landscape professionals design, install and maintain conservation landscapes including small-scale stormwater best practices that meet state and local goals to reduce stormwater runoff, sediment and nutrients, while benefiting residents and ecosystems. In short, our aim is for CBLPs to establish successful careers and businesses as regionally-recognized and trusted professionals that produce and
maintain functional and attractive landscapes that are better for all.
After the pilot, who will administer each level of the training, testing & re-certification program for this credential? CCLC and the CBLP Steering Committee will maintain the certification standards, curriculum, testing materials, scheduling, database of certified professionals, and tracking of continuing education/education required for maintaining certification.
Are you considering Training Partners in specific states to extend your reach? Yes, we intend to work with a network of aligned and qualified partner organizations and educational institutions in Bay watershed states, both as core training partners and to provide CEU opportunities for our certified CBLPs. As our program expands, so will our training partner network. We expect to remain involved in teaching and evaluating these regional trainers to ensure consistency across the region. These plans are informed by feedback we receive from pilot CBLP candidates, results and outreach costs. For more information. contact: Beth Ginter, MPSLU, Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification beth@chesapeakelandscape.org Mobile: 703-501-1208
VNLA – Field Day 2017 at Bennett’s Creek Nursery
Keynote Speaker
Charlie Hall
Bennett’s Creek Nursery (Isle of Wight Farm) VNLA Newsletter 44
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VNLA - Board Meeting Summary Board Meeting Minutes Summary 1/10/17 Baltimore Convention Center 1:00 p.m. Board Orientation A board member orientation was conducted by Sonya Westervelt and Jeff Miller and policy manuals were distributed to all board members along with the anti-trust statement. Executive Committee – Bill Gouldin gave a short report on a recent meeting he had attended, representing the VNLA at the request of Dean Alan Grant, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, at the Farm Bureau Building in Richmond. They discussed upcoming funding issues and those related to the federal Section 229 Funding. Budget 2017 –After some discussion of how to clarify the accounting of the scholarship funds, the consensus of the Board was for the Treasurer and Executive Director discuss this with our CPA and Attorney and to review the CPA’s Audit Review letter. MANTS Directors Rotation Procedure was reviewed by Sonya Westervelt for clarification for new board members. MANTS Director’s Report – Danny Shreckhise, Robin Rinaca and John Lancaster stopped by after the MANTS Board Meeting to provide the following updates on the trade show:
As of January 10, there were over 8,000 pre-registrations, with over 5,000 room nights booked at 11 hotels through the housing bureau. The exhibitor retention rate is 93%, with 60 new exhibitors, 952 booths and 90 advertisers and sponsors. Shepherd Logistics, a nation-wide company, is the new trade show exhibitor company. The MANTS Board will have their annual retreat in September and will beginning to plan for the 50th anniversary of MANTS in 2020. The show has been hosted permanently in Baltimore since 1981. The show is doing great financially and is the top show in the country. Over the years, the show as returned over $10 million to the three states of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The MANTS most important asset is its value is timing and location. Ten years ago, the MANTS tax status was changed and the participating states are not actual owners any more, but are sponsoring associations with MANTS being its own separate corporation. Each state has 3 appointed directors on the MANTS Board.
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Executive Transition – Sonya Westervelt reviewed the Succession Plan Job Description Report that had been distributed to the board prior to the meeting. The job description is a guide for the search firm once it is selected, which should be completed by the end of February and the job would be posted in early March, after the VNLA spring board meeting. Bill Gouldin volunteered to help co-chair the committee to assist Sonya this spring as needed. Dues structure changes was discussed, by Aaron Williams, with some of these objectives: Become less dependent on MANTS revenue per the 2014 VNLA Strategic Plan (dues income is less than 20% of our income) Simplify and update dues category structure Website updates and more interactive format Grower Guide as a mobile-friendly app Pre-Field Day Workshops with keynote speakers Providing more member services Education Live/recorded webinars Annual major updates of the Virginia Certified Horticulturist programs Webinars – Aaron Williams reported on a new partnership with Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) to host webinars on alternate months (even months) of the VNLA webinars (odd months). This will provide additional six CEU opportunities for VCH.
Legislative Report – Brent Hunsinger reported on the changing status of several General Assembly bills that the VNLA had been tracking:
SB 964 – Running Bamboo – this does not affect the green industry, only affects localities on establishing ordinances, per wording input from the VNLA. SB 1030 - VDACS Delinquent Collection Fee – failed in committee Invasive Plants – the VDACS regulatory list is a very short list. One of the determining factors now is the definition of “commercially viable” and the consensus was that it is a percentage of revenue.
Public Relations – Thomas Buckley reported that approximately 2,300 Guide to Virginia Growers had been mailed out. He is working on expanding the “native” section in the Guide. Research – Christopher Brown Jr. reported that the committee will select a date to do a Call-A-Thon. He had also discussed possible joint funding of research projects with AmericanHort’s Horticulture Research Foundation (HRI) for projects that the Research Foundation could not fully fund.
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Jeff Miller will help set up a conference call with SunTrust representatives to see what assistance and guidance they could provide in establishing a regular donor plant 2016 Grant requests that were funded by the VNLA Horticulture Research Foundation at their annual meeting on January 11 were announced: Jim Owen - VA Tech HRAREC: Nitrogen Fate in Container Crop Production, $9,921 Jeff Derr - VA Tech HRAREC: Optimizing Liverwort Control in Nursery Crops, $4,800 Tom Yeager & Jeff Million - University of Florida, IFAS: Modification of Irrigation App for Use Outside of Florida, $4,200 Peter Schultz - VA Tech HRAREC: Management of the Crape Myrtle Bark Scale in Virginia Nurseries and Commercial Landscapes, $3,260 Total requested $22,181 Total awarded: $22,181
Board & Executive Director Evaluations – Bill Gouldin reported that he had only received 3 evaluation responses and requested the board to complete and return the evaluations to him as soon as possible.
we attempted to prioritize a few items for discussion and we accomplished some simple necessities.
We reduced the number of review sessions because of lack of attendance, availability of instructors and favorable locations for the classes to take place.
We established consistent rates of pay for class instructors, a syllabus for the classes to follow and determined that we may need to pay for testing locations as needed.
The VCH manual was discussed at length and many opinions voiced about its purpose and future. In the opinion of the majority it is clear that the manual needs updating- adjusting to new technologies to meet a changing audience. Several of the members of the committee agreed to review a copy of the “new” 2015 Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist Manual which recently went through an update after 30 years. Unfortunately, we did not compile our reviews in any formal fashion, so it is only in discussion that we have formed a positive opinion of the Maryland guide but realize that we still need our own version.
As per the direction of a previous board, specific chapters are being re written and or consolidated and the Manual is to be regularly updated. This year the Conservation Chapter was introduced and we are writing 3 RFP’s for the chapter rewrites for 2017. The RFP will be published at MANTS and set for release In January.
The Scholar program is a success and is being converted to Canvas by May 2017/
Certification Training/Testing info sent to Regional Virginia Certified Horticulturist Coordinators for Review Classes and Testing
Green Industry Survey – Jeff Miller reported that the survey response rate was still low and that there hadn’t been many responses from the board. The survey request will be sent to the members again requesting support of the survey. Education Committee – Aaron Williams reported that the VNLA Field Day would be on July 20, hosted by Bennett’s Creek Nursery at their Isle of Wight Farm in Smithfield. Dr. Charlie Hall will be keynoting two presentations that day. Discussions are in progress for the Educational Workshop the day before Field Day and the Summer Tour in the Tidewater area on Friday after Field Day. Certification Updates – Jeff Howe reported on a proposal from Dr. Alex Niemiera to upgrade the Plant Database with plant characteristics for each plant to enhance the VCH educational toolbox and with the possibility of using it as an online revenue stream as a licensing or subscription asset. It would also be a value-added membership benefit. It was the consensus of the board for the committee to determine costs for annual maintenance/upgrades/changes and possible methods to monetize the program. As the year closes on Certification we have made some progress and laid a course for immediate future. We have added 83 new certified horticulturist and 113 took the test. There are currently 503 active VCH.
We held a Certification conference calls in February and September. During these calls with long agendas
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o o o o o
Amy Ordonez, NVNLA Terry Koci, CVNLA Hampton Roads – Laurie Fox Lynchburg (SW VA) – Yulita Ellis and Clare Robertson Charlottesville – Jeff Howe
The VCH committee presented the following suggested changes to the VNLA Board on October 19: 1. Our first priority was to establish some consistency with review classes and testing and set fees for instructors. (See the CVNLA schedule below) 2. It was recommended that the review class include 21 hours of total training time. 3. It was recommended that a uniform class fee should be $125 per person, collected by the VNLA and then be reimbursed to the regional association (CVNLA and NVNLA) or the individual instructors in the Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg areas (CVNLA
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has opted for the same rate as 2016, $75, they pay their instructors directly)
Quality” for review and testing in 2017. Copies are available on the website.
4. It is up to the discretion of the regional coordinator to determine the qualifications of individuals who assist with the teaching. They do not have to be VCH, as long as they are knowledgeable in the subject(s) they are reviewing and are good presenters.
Membership - Doug Rodes reported that at the October 19, 2016 board meeting, the board passed a new dues structure and to approved contracting with ACCESS Inc. to modify/redesign the membership application.
5. The winter class schedule was set and we developed a standard syllabus which will guide instructors and students with subjects for each class. Instructors are encouraged to use the online Scholar review format which lists: Learning Objectives Study Guide Related Resources Quiz 6. We are trying to coordinate and involve community colleges and technical centers again by reintroducing them to VCH with our new brochure and making them aware of the online learning opportunities. 7. We discussed the future role of our certification review manual and accepted the new Chapter 16 “Conservation Landscaping for Best Practices for Water Quality”, which will replace the previous Chapter 16 “Water
Upcoming Member Socials
February 15, 2017, 5-7:00 pm, Short Pump, VA, in conjunction with CVNLA Short Course at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens at BJ’s Brewhouse, 12010 West Broad St., Henrico
February 16, 2017. 5-7:00 pm, Charlottesville, VA, in conjunction with PLA Seminar at Paramount Theatre and the social will be held at the South Street Brewery, 106 South Street East, Charlottesville
Spring Board Meeting, Wednesday, March 1, 2017 Summer Board Meeting, Saturday, June 10, VA Tech
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Laura Beaty/VNPS
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We all need pollinators, and they need more Virginia natives! Plant species that are native to Virginia support a much greater diversity of wildlife species than the non-native plants we typically see installed in our landscapes. This is because native insects, which are a fundamental part of complex food webs and healthy ecosystems, are uniquely adapted to the native plants with which they co-evolved. When you design with native plants, you create beneficial habitat for pollinators like bees and butterfiles. The future of our human food sources, and the success of our agriculture and horticulture industries, depends on the services of these invaluable insects. Visit www.dgif.virginia.gov/habitat Ad sponsored by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program with funding from NOAA and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, members of the public-private Virginia Native Plants Marketing Partnership.
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VNLA – New Member Welcome
FirstName Jamie Carl Carly Jordan Nona Linda Alexandra Jelte Daniel Lee Eric Stephanie Joanne Michael Maria David
LastName Albright Banks Dove Hoffman Kaplan McBride Moskaluk Schaap Scott Siegelman Stormer Seltzer Chapman Gentile Hudson Conley
Matthew Allison Beverly Christina Charles Dennis Keenan Kevin Ellen Chris Katie Morgan Mingyan Madeline
Berry Valenzia Ricci Spilde Grizzard Potts Cole Clark Peterson Edwards Wirth Forehand Chan Pequigney
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VNLA Newsletter
CompanyName Associate ‐ Albright Associate ‐ Banks Associate ‐ Dove Associate ‐ Hoffman Associate ‐ Kaplan Associate ‐ Mcbride Associate ‐ Moskaluk Associate ‐ Schaap Associate ‐ Scott Associate ‐ Siegelman City of Virginia Beach City of Waynesboro Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Commercial Scapes, Inc. Dirty Girl Gardening DK Arbor Nursery Dos Amigos Landscaping and Grounds Manage‐ ment Environmental Quality Resources Imagine Gardens and Landscapes by Beverly Ricci James City County Norfolk Academy Potts Consulting Potts, Minter and Associates, P.C. River City Tree Care Simply With Nature LLC Smith Turf and Irrigation Student ‐ Wirth VT Senior VT Senior VT Senior
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City Midlothian Fredericksburg Blacksburg Fredericksburg Charlottesville Glen Allen Alexandria Lyndhurst Mount Vernon Aylett Norfolk Staunton Williamsburg Bristow Blacksburg Ivor
State VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA
Charlottesville Millersville Chantilly Newport News Norfolk Chevy Chase Richmond Richmond Fairfax Station Richmond Virginia Beach Blacksburg Blacksburg Blacksburg
VA MD VA VA VA MD VA VA VA VA VA VA VA VA
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Obituary – Ken McDonald
Virginia Chapter of the Holly Society of America (past chapter president and board member), Hampton Roads Horticultural Society (past president and board member), the Exchange Club, and served on the Hampton Roads Sanitation District Commission. Gardens of special interest are the Sandra and Kenneth McDonald Azalea and Rhododendron Garden at James Madison University's Edith J. Carrier Arboretum in Harrisonburg, VA, and the McDonald Hybrid Azaleas area at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk.
Ken (r) and Sandra McDonald and family at the dedication of the McDonald Hybrid Azalea Collection at Norfolk Botanical Garden in 2013
In Remembrance of Ken McDonald, Jr, Nurseryman and VNLA President VNLA in 1971 Kenneth McDonald Jr., a Hampton native passed away January 31, 2017, after a long illness. He was born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, to Kenneth McDonald and Helen Morris McDonald on February 5, 1935, in Dixie Hospital. He graduated from Hampton High School in 1952, and then attended Virginia Military Institute, where he participated in cross country and swimming. He graduated in 1956 with a bachelor of science in civil engineering and later became a licensed Civil Engineer. After graduating from VMI, he entered the Army as a 2nd lieutenant. Ken was stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and Hanau, Germany.
Ken is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sandra Kibbee McDonald, Ph.D., children Kenneth Allen McDonald (Cheryl) of Smithfield; Amy McDonald Blow (Wes) of Newport News; Leslie Margot Gerber (John) of Berthoud, Colorado; Brian Neil McDonald (Margaret) of Memphis, Tennessee; Scott Douglas Gerber, Ph.D. of Ada, Ohio; granddaughter Isabel Alessandra McDonald, Tennessee; sister Marjorie McDonald Gordon (Bruce), Hawaii. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church, 100 West Queen's Way, Hampton, VA 23669; the American Rhododendron Society, ARS Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 214, Great River, NY 11739 or Perc Moser, ARS Research Foundation, 301 Caversham Rd., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010; or Virginia Military Institute, http://www.vmi.edu/foundation/about-giving/ways-togive/memorial-gifts/ Funeral arrangements made by R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home.
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He retired from the Army as a Captain in 1963 and went to work with his father at Le-Mac Nurseries, Inc., in Hampton. Le-Mac Nurseries was founded in 1927 by Ken's father and a Frenchman, Jacques Legendre. The nursery at first grew general nursery stock and later specialized in growing evergreen azaleas to be shipped throughout the eastern U.S. to nurseries, garden centers, and florists. Ken took over management of Le-Mac in 1965 when his father died and continued there until his own retirement in 2004. The nursery name was changed to Le-Mac Azaleas in its later years, as its specialty was azaleas and rhododendrons. Ken enjoyed travel and hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and other mountainous areas in the Southeast observing the native azaleas. He was active in many local and national associations including the Virginia Nurserymen's Association (past president), VMI Alumni Peninsula Chapter, American Rhododendron Society (district director), and was also active at the local level in the Middle Atlantic Chapter ARS as president and longtime board member. He was a member of the Colonial
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January/February/March 2017 January / February / March 2017
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Events - Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium 2017
Save the Date
VNLA – 2017 Officers and Board of Directors
March 24, 2017
6thAnnual
$80.00 early registration fee until Jan. 3 Join Waynesboro Parks & Recreation as we present A Gardener’s Palette of speakers during the 2017 Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium. The event offers something for everyone from novice home gardener to experienced horticulturist. The proceeds will supplement the horticulture program’s budget to provide more bloom for the community.
2017 Speakers
Will Hooker
Dr. Doug Tallamay
Professor Emeritus NC State University
Professor University of Delaware
Vinnie Simeone
Ellen Ecker Ogden
Horticulturist/Author
Author/Lecturer
News – Perennial Plant of the Year: Asclepias – Butterfly Weed With all the ‘buzz’ about bees and butterflies, why not celebrate an excellent plant known for its ability to support insects and birds and serve as the primary caterpillar food for a beloved North American native butterfly? The Perennial Plant Association is proud to announce Asclepias tuberosa s its 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year. Commonly known as butterfly weed, this long-lived and striking perennial is native to the continental United States (except for the northeast) along with some Canadian provinces. With vibrant orange/red/yellow flowers that seem to jump out, butterfly weed is a great addition to a sunny garden with average to dry soils.
540-942-6735 www.waynesboro.va.us/249/Events events@ci.waynesboro.va.us
Left to right, front row: Christopher Brown Jr, Research Director, Brent Hunsinger – Secretary/Treasurer; Virginia Rockwell, President; Bill Gouldin, Past President; back row: Jeff Howe, Certification Director; Seana Ankers, Legislative Director; Thomas Buckley, Public Relations Director; Mitzi Marker, Director; Matt Deivert, Director; Cecilia Palmer, Director; Jeff Miller, Executive Director; (not in photo: Paul Munn, Director; Scott Price, Education Director; Doug Rodes, Membership Director See complete Board contact information on page 3
It is easy to recognize because of their “5 up and 5 down” appearance. Each flower has 5 colorful petals that hand down and 5 upright curved petals called hoods. It is also makes and excellent long-lasting cut flower. Mature plants do not transplant well so proper siting is important. For more information go to http://www.perennials.com/content/gardeners-resource/perennial-of-the-year/
VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
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July 15, 2015 Trade Show: 9 AMWednesday - 3 PM
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Trade Show: 9 AM - 3 PM Shop 24 Local Nurseries in one Convenient Location! Shop 24 Local Nurseries
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VNLA Newsletter
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DR. CHARLIE HALL
“The SEGreen Conference creates connections, content and collaboration to spark synergies to deliver results for your business.” Dr. Charlie Hall, Professor and Ellision Chair, Texas A&M, is a nationally recognized expert in the econmy and its impact on the green industry. Hear Charlie at SEGreen!
Transforming from a traditional trade show format, the SEGreen Conference will have a clear focus on connecting the industry to identify today’s business challenges and opportunities, develop new insights and solutions, and deliver a dynamic and interactive experience with tours, strategic education, keynote sessions, and participantdriven roundtable discussions for all segments of the horticulture industry. See, hear and make more green at SEGreen! Chart your course at www.segreen.org.
August 1 - 3, 2017 | The Classic Center | Athens, GA Produced by the Southern Nursery Association VNLA Newsletter
January / February / March 2017
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Upcoming Events March 16, 2017, VNLA Webinar: “Worker Protection Standards – Major Changes in 2017” by Micah B Raub, VDACS, Noon – 1 pm, www.vnla.org 1-540-382-0943
July 23-28, 2017, Perennial Plant Symposium, Denver, CO http://www.perennialplant.org/ August 1-3, 2017, Southern Nursery Association Trade Show, SEGreen The Next Generation, Athens, GA,
www.segreen.org
March 23, 2017, TREE CARE SYMPOSIUM, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, VA, www.lewisginter.org March 24, 2017, SHENANDOAH VALLEY PLANT SYMPOSIUM, Waynesboro, VA www.waynesboro.va.us April 22-29, 2017, Historic Garden Week in Virginia, http://www.vagardenweek.org/ May 17-19, 2017, American Boxwood Society 56th Annual Symposium, Nashville, TN http://www.boxwoodsociety.org/abs_symposium.html May 18, 2017, VNLA Webinar: “Edibles and Landscape” by Brienne Gluvna Arthur Noon – 1 pm, www.vnla.org 1-540-382-0943 June 10, 2017, VNLA Summer Board Meeting, Blacksburg, VA info@vnla.org 1-540-382-0943 June 10, 2017, VA Tech Hahn Horticulture Garden Gala, Blacksburg, VA http://www.hort.vt.edu/hhg/ June 21 – 24, 2017, American Hosta Convention, “From Sea to Shining Sea”, Norfolk, VA,
August 9-11, 2017 Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association Annual Conference and Farm Tour, Wytheville, VA www.VirginiaChristmasTrees.org 540-382-7310
secretary@VirginiaChristmasTreeGrowers.org
August 23-25, 2017, Farwest Trade Show, Portland, OR www.farwestshow.com/ July 20, 2017, VNLA Webinar: “Emerging Pests” Dr. Pete Schultz, VA Tech HRAREC, VA Beach Noon – 1 pm, www.vnla.org 1-540-382-0943 September 21, 2017, VNLA Webinar: “Invasives” by Jeff Derr and Jacob Barney, VA Tech HRAREC, VA Beach Noon – 1 pm, www.vnla.org 1-540-382-0943 November 16, 2017, VNLA Webinar: “Rose Rosette / Emerging Pests, by Dr. Chuan Hong, VA Tech HRAREC, VA Beach Noon – 1 pm, www.vnla.org 1-540-382-0943 January 10-12, 2018, MANTS Trade Show, Baltimore, MD http://www.mants.com/
http://ahs2017convention.org/
July 15-18, 2017, AmericanHort “Cultivate ’17 – It’s all about You”, Greater Columbus Convention Center, OH www.americanhort.org/Cultivate 614-487-1117
VNLA Workshop, Field Day, Summer Tour July 19, VNLA NURSERY LEAN MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP, by FlowVision, Suffolk, VA.
www.vnla.org
July 20, 2017, VNLA ANNUAL FIELD DAY Keynote Speaker; Charlie Hall at Bennett’s Creek Nursery, Isle of Wight County, VA (near Smithfield/Suffolk) www.vnla.org July 21, 2017, VNLA SUMMER TOUR, Hampton Roads area, www.vnla.org
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Test Schedule 2017 ___ Leesburg, Monroe Technical Center, Friday, May 17, 2017, 10 am–2 pm (Deadline 5/3/17)
For a Current Calendar of all Green Industry Events, go: http://www.vnla.org/Calendar
NEW Interactive Calendar! All of these events qualify for VNLA VCH CEUs
January/February/March 2017 January / February / March 2017
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Prsrt. Std U.S. Postage PAID Blacksburg, VA Permit No. 107
Your Roots Are In Virginia!
383 Coal Hollow Rd. 383 Coal Hollow Rd. Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Keep growing. One day you may outgrow your current operation. Farm Credit will be there to help you expand. Whether you need to purchase real estate, build new houses, buy more equipment or need a revolving line of credit for plant stock, we have the financing you need. Every business has growing pains. Give us a call and we’ll be sure your financing isn’t one of those.
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