A Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association member publication
January/February 2015 Vol. 3, No. 1
Pictures from the 2014 Green Industry Show Those You Count on Most
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Advancing the professional landscape industry. MANAGING EDITOR | Joel Beatson LAYOUT & PRODUCTION | Kyla McKechnie EDITOR | Marnie Main ADVERTISING | Erynn Watson
January 5 - 6, 2015 Cultivate and Connect International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, ON http://bit.ly/1vmoBRo
January 6 - 8, 2015 Landscape Ontario’s Congress Conference and Trade Show Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, ON www.locongress.com February 9 – 10, 2015 Manitoba Green Show Victoria Inn, Winnipeg, MB www.landscapemb.com
Landscape Alberta Green for Life is a professional publication for the landscape trade in Alberta. Editorial and Advertising Landscape Alberta 200, 10331 - 178 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5S 1R5 P: 780-489-1991 F: 780-444-2152 admin@landscape-alberta.com
Landscape Alberta does not assume responsibility for and does not endorse the contents of any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Landscape Alberta or its members. Material may not be reprinted from this magazine without the consent of Landscape Alberta. ISSN No: 1929-7114 (print) ISSN N0: 1929-7122 (online)
Landscape Alberta Board of Directors Chris Brown, CLP, JLG, CSO, CRS Brown Landscape Services Ltd., Chair Brian Gibson, Green Drop Lawns Ltd., Vice Chair
Arnold van de Ligt, JLG, Manderley Turf Products Inc., Treasurer
March 11, 2015 Landscape Alberta Spring Workshop and Awards Dinner Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary, AB 1-800-378-3198 March 13 - 22, 2015 Canada Blooms Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON www.canadablooms.com
March 17, 2015 Landscape Saskatchewan Management Clinic Saskatoon Inn, Saskatoon, SK admin@landscape-alberta.com
March 24 - 25, 2015 Landscape Industry Certified Technician Exam Olds College, Olds, AB To register, contact Colin Vince at the CNLA: colin@cnla-acpp.ca
Cody Brown, Tree to Tree Nurseries Ltd.
Phil Paxton, CLP, CLT, Alpha Better Landscaping Inc. Jordan Voogd, JLG, Sunstar Nurseries Ltd.
John van Roessel, CLP, CLT, JVR Landscape (2006) Inc. Anita Heuver, JLG, Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd. Landscape Alberta Staff Joel Beatson, CAE, CLP, Executive Director joel.beatson@landscape-alberta.com
Marnie Main, Member Services Director member.services@landscape-alberta.com
On the Cover Photo Credit: Nigel Bowles A Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association member publication
January/February 2015 Vol. 3, No. 1
Erynn Watson, Member Services Assistant erynn.watson@landscape-alberta.com
Pictures from the 2014 Green Industry Show, Page 7 Those You Count on Most, Page 11
Valerie Stobbe, Trade Show Coordinator valerie.stobbe@landscape-alberta.com
Kyla McKechnie, Admin Assistant & Communications admin@landscape-alberta.com Cheryl Teo, Bookkeeper accounting@landscape-alberta.com
Pictures from the 2014 Green Industry Show Those You Count on Most
Follow us on Twitter @landscapeab Green for Life January/February 2015 I 3
Industry and Association News...
2014 Green Industry Show & Conference Landscape Alberta’s 2014 Green Industry Show & Conference packed the Edmonton Expo Centre on November 13 & 14. Hundreds of participants were drawn to the conference workshops and trade show - the third largest event of its kind in Canada. The event kicked off on Wednesday, November 12 with the Garden Centre Bus Tour through central Alberta, and the Landscape Alberta Nursery Growers Annual Auction held at the Coast Plaza. The auction was a big success, helping to raise money for horticultural research in Alberta and providing a great venue for networking. The educational conference featured several workshops, general sessions and special programs with speakers from across North America providing attendees with insight and information ranging from tree problems and solutions, employee recruiting programs, and research updates.
The trade show floor was busy this year – we welcomed over 140 high-quality exhibitors. Alberta MP and Federal Minister of State (Finance), Kevin Sorenson, was in attendance to make an important research funding announcement for our industry (details below). Planning is already underway for the 2015 Green Industry Show & Conference, which will be held in Calgary at the BMO Centre on the Stampede grounds, November 19 – 20, 2015. You can view photos from this year’s show online at www.flickr.com/photos/123834400@N05/.
Harper Government Supports Canada’s Horticulture Sector On November 13, 2014, The Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance) and Member of Parliament for Crowfoot, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced an investment of $2.3 million to the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance for a national research cluster to help address the industry’s top priorities.
$379 per hour, you may be hesitant to defend or pursue your legal rights. As a Landscape Alberta member*, answers to your company’s legal questions are now just a phone call away. Through the CNLA, the Landscape Alberta board has been offered a great opportunity to provide a new benefit to membership: Unlimited Telephone Legal Advice through DAS Canada.
Starting December 1st 2014 through November 30th 2015 every current Active member* of Landscape Alberta will have access to this service at no additional cost. DAS Canada is the country’s largest legal expense insurer – they have partnered with experienced and established law firms across Canada to ensure you have access to expert legal advice in your province of operation. *Eligibility: Landscape Alberta members in the Active category: contractors, nurseries, producers, garden centres. Associate (supplier) members are not eligible for this program.
It’s like having a law firm on retainer! You have unlimited access to a panel of experienced lawyers between 8 a.m. and midnight seven days a week, and 24/7 in emergency situations. Through the Legal Advice Line, you will receive general legal advice from a professional lawyer who will listen, understand and recommend a clear course of action for you to follow. It’s a simple 3-step process: 1 For any business legal question or situation, call 1-877-DASLEGAL (1-877-832-7534). 2 Provide the customer service agent with your business name, your name, and your policy number (policy certificates are now being sent to eligible members from the Landscape Alberta office). 3 The agent will then book a time, convenient to you, for the lawyer to call you back.
This cluster, comprised of industry partners and research organizations across Canada, will harness Canada’s expertise in areas such as water and nutrient management and sustainable production. It will also help the industry tap into new market opportunities at home and abroad.
There’s no limit to the type of business-related legal questions you can ask, the duration of your call, or the number of calls you can make. Use the Legal Advice Line to ask questions regarding contract disputes, employment issues, debt collection, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, tax audits, etc.
The legal landscape can be difficult to navigate, and with the average hourly rate of an experienced lawyer in Canada at
Landscape Industry Certified Technician Program The Landscape Industry Certified Technician designation
Unlimited Telephone Legal Advice – now included in your Landscape Alberta membership* Have a legal question? Don’t want to waste time and effort looking online for an answer? Does the thought of paying a lawyer to give you an answer just make you want to walk away?
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We believe this service has the potential to be a very helpful and cost effective benefit to members – we encourage you to use this new service and provide feedback to our Association office staff over the next 11 months. The service will be evaluated, and the board will decide on the viability and extension of the program beyond this pilot year.
provides individuals in the green industry with a means of proving a minimum standard of expertise in tasks typically required within the industry. Landscape Alberta provides Certified Technician exam opportunities in four specialty designations: Softscape Installation, Hardscape Installation, Turf Maintenance, and Ornamental Maintenance. Encourage and support professionalism in our industry – it’s a great way to invest in and grow valuable team members.
2015 Certification Exam - Alberta When: March 24 & 25, 2015 Written exam: Tues. March 24 (evening) Hands-on tests: Wed. March 25 (7am - 4pm) Where: Olds College - Landscape Pavilion
the entrepreneurial environment in Canada. CFIB lobbying has generated positive results from the federal government, such as: • Establishing the Code of Conduct for the credit and debit card industry, which gives you leverage when dealing with your processor • Helping all business owners plan for their retirement by fighting for and achieving the $750,000 capital gains exemption for small business • Ensuring business owners keep more of their retained earnings by achieving lower small business corporate tax rates federally in every province With a high number of CNLA members already members of CFIB and the excellent synergies between the two associations, the partnership was a logical step.
For Landscape Alberta members who currently belong to CFIB - their representatives will contact you by phone to review the partnership and renew your CFIB membership at the usual time. For our members who are not current CFIB members - here's the next step: Connect with CFIB by visiting http://www.cfib.ca/cnlamembers for more information and to join. We are very excited about this new relationship and encourage all members to check it out!
Participants must register in advance – test preparation materials are provided on signup, so start the process now and be well-prepared for this upcoming exam opportunity! The deadline to register is March 10, 2015. Contact: Colin Vince: colin@cnla-acpp.ca Toll free: 1-888-446-3499 ext.8615
CNLA teams up with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) has partnered with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) to extend the many benefits of CFIB to provincial association members. Through this partnership, Landscape Alberta members will benefit from reduced CFIB membership fees, a savings that will directly affect members already affiliated with the two associations. Some of the many benefits made available through CFIB are: • Additional proactive lobbying with all three levels of government • Access to significant discounts for payroll processing, courier shipping, and more • Online business training courses for both employers and employees • Unlimited access to CFIB Business Counselors in every province These are just a few examples of how CFIB can help you improve your business. At the same time, CFIB is working for its 109,000 members and all small businesses to improve
Green for Life January/February 2015 I 5
Pesticide Use: Reminder from City of Edmonton The City of Edmonton has asked Landscape Alberta to remind its members who work within the city limits to please review and comply with the Contractor’s Environmental Responsibility agreement. The primary issues this year have been contractors not complying with the section of the agreement regarding pesticide application, which requires the contractor to: • Notify the appropriate City of Edmonton District by email within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) of the intent to use a pesticide on City property; • Wait to receive written confirmation before proceeding with a pesticide application on City property, as failure to do so could cause unwanted harm in a location identified to the City of Edmonton with health and/or environmental sensitivities; • Email or fax a copy of the pesticide application record for each treatment site to the appropriate City of Edmonton contact within 48 hours following completion of the treatment. More information can be found at http://bit.ly/1xAsTk4. We advise you to review your operations ahead of the 2015 season in order to avoid any fines or other issues. Revisiting Canada’s Nursery Stock Standards One of the most visited pages and downloaded documents on the CNLA website is the Canadian Standards for Nursery Stock. First published is 1967, the nursery stock standards provide an important minimum quality benchmark and
6 I Green for Life January/February 2015
the document is referenced by landscape architects and designers, developers and government agencies in landscape contract specifications. In consideration of the changes to technology and production techniques since the publication of the most recent version p in 2006, it is time to once again review and upgrade this important industry standard. Any grower or Landscape Alberta member wishing to participate on this working committee is requested to contact Rita Weerdenburg (rita@cnla-acpp.ca). In Memoriam On Friday, October 10, 2014, Michael Lastiwka of Edmonton, AB passed away at the age of 85 years. Michael was the owner of Custom Tree Services Ltd. in Edmonton, AB.
He is survived by his loving family: wife Sandra; four children: Patti, Valerie (Terry), Jeff and Cindy; eight grandchildren: Ryan, Jeremy, Jordan, Chase, Reese, Lanna, Kristen and Michael; two great-grandchildren: Lyra and Brady; one brother Paul; numerous relatives and friends. Michael was predeceased by four brothers and six sisters. Respecting Michael's wishes, no funeral service was held. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, 20 Eglinton Ave West, 16th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M4R 1K8. Sandra would like to thank family and friends for their support during Michael's illness.
2014 Green Industr y Show Brian Gardner, Four Seasons Nursery.
Dan Bostrom and Trent Worton with Drive Products.
Nicole Kimmell, Rob Spencer and Toso Bozic with Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development.
Bill Bruinooge and Bill Jansen.
Jim Wotherspoon, Cheyenne Tree Farms Ltd.
Kurt Dickhoff, Dutchman Industries Inc.
Jason Pick, Jane Reksten, Kim Goddard and Kim Wickwire with Olds College.
Steve and Anne Le Nobel with L&M Sales.
Hugh Daugherty and Keith Milligan with Burnaby Lake Greenhouses Ltd.
Stephen Helsoot, CY Grower Supplies Ltd.
Tony Belilacqua, Kevin Milaney and Terry Folkerts with HJS Wholesale Ltd. Green for Life January/February 2015 I 7
Josh Smith and Kyle Breen with Rocky Mountain Equipment.
Travis Unger, BrettYoung.
Walter Roos, Pete DeVry and Jack Rozendaal with DeVry Greenhouses Ltd.
Rick Fawkes, Sea Soil™/ Feonix Forest Technology Inc.
Wes, Dusty and Robbie Wein with Clearview Horticultural Products Inc.
Rich Oke and Arnold Heuver.
Kevin Shaw, Bill Letondre and Kevin Dunse with DLF Pickseed.
Kate Grovet and Drew Patterson with TreeTime.ca.
Rick Veldjesgraaf, Rick’s Concrete Products/ Fountain Factory.
Annaleise Wolf and Geri Dominguez with Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd.
Fergus Monroe, Taylor Maat and Art Maat with Nektar Data Systems.
Brian Pirot and Erin Desroches with EasyPro Pond Products and Porous Pave Inc.
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Community Roots ULS Helps the Calgary Food Bank Celebrate 30 Years of Service The Calgary Food Bank is an important part of the community, providing food for those in need today and hope for a better tomorrow. In 2013, the Calgary Food Bank celebrated its 30 year anniversary and Landscape Alberta member, ULS Maintenance & Landscaping Inc., designed and installed a serenity garden to mark the occasion. We spoke with Steve Wheatcroft of ULS Maintenance & Landscaping about their involvement in this project.
Landscape Alberta: How did you come to be a part of this project? Steve Wheatcroft: Our company and employees have supported the Food Bank for many years, especially at Christmas, and we have forged an important relationship with them. As it was their 30 year anniversary, the Calgary Food Bank considered this a very important project and they contacted us to see if we would support it. It really was a no-brainer for us to undertake the project - we understand the work they do and see the people they feed – it’s awesome! The serenity garden project was built around the idea of securing a time capsule into a small park-like setting and bringing in some relevance to the 30 years of service to the community.
ULS provided all the conceptual work, design, and installation. It was great to see what our team could bring to such an important and significant project, while donating our time and effort.
LA: What was your vision for this project? SW: To celebrate this historic anniversary, ULS designed and installed a serenity garden on the north side of the building, which serves as the entrance for both clients and staff. The garden provides a place to pause, rest and think; an opportunity to consider the past, present, and what is to come for the community. It is in these moments that we realize we are all one, that there is no “me” without “we”. The serenity garden celebrates compassion and care - it provides a place and a moment to consider what really matters.
LA: Tell us about the design elements that provide special meaning for this project. SW: The key element in the serenity garden is the customdesigned pergola which conveys a symbolic message to those that take a moment to stop and open their hearts. The threepost pergola suspends a roof that features 30 laser cut stars and a large eye. Directly below the eye is a compass that acts
Green for Life January/February 2015 I 9
as the marker for the time capsule installed beneath the ground. Thirty stars symbolize the 30 years since the Food Bank started its mission; the eye represents the vision of a future where no one goes hungry; and the compass is a beacon to those that are finding their way through difficult times, with the help and compassion of this organization and its volunteers.
LA: What has been the community response since the completion of the project? SW: The project was well received and acknowledged by both the City of Calgary and the Provincial Government. At the celebration held when the time capsule was installed, there was a lot of excitement - people were impressed with the beauty of the project and the symbolic relevance. It was an emotional event that really left a mark on me and on our team. What a day it was! This garden will give back to others and show that beauty exists in the most unexpected places, ready to grow, flourish, and surround everyone with hope. I was so excited to see this garden come to life and become part of the Calgary Food Bank. It is an honor, privilege and most of all, it makes us all better people in a better world.
LA: Why do you feel it is important for companies such as yours to participate in community projects? SW: ULS is dedicated to “Planting Love & Landscaping Your Life” in the community. The Food Bank is like landscaping in that its basic goal is to Plant Love and give people the ability to grow and flourish. One hungry family is one too many. Our company and employees were also very involved with the recent floods in Calgary and provided free emergency services to over 100 homeowners. On a year-to-year basis, ULS supports numerous charities, with major support given to Kid Sport and the mission to “Get All Kids in the Game”. We are proud to be a corporate partner to Kids Sport Calgary and provide support for the Skate Shack Program and other initiatives. Dedicating time and support for the community also helps make us a strong team; it’s a win for everyone.
GISC 2014 – A year of exiting changes
Green Industry Show 2014 is now complete. It was an exciting show for me, and despite having attended the show many times, I was finally able to step behind the curtains and see how such an amazing event comes together. Throughout the show I was impressed by the excitement that filled the air. From exhibitors to attendees, I heard again and again how the feeling of the show was different and congratulated me for the success. I really wish I could take credit, however, I attribute the change in atmosphere to two things: First, the show moving to Calgary next year. Almost everyone I talked to was excited about the change in venue and the new audience that a southern location would bring. As we enter the cycle of alternating between Edmonton and Calgary over the next six years, we have an opportunity to reinvent the show to better serve our industry. We are beginning to plan already, and I am beyond excited for what the 2015 Green Industry Show will be.
Second, the staff of Landscape Alberta. Frankly, they are amazing and are the ones who make the show happen and make me look good. They know their jobs, are well-motivated, and I trust them to provide the quality experience you’ve come to expect at the show. I think it speaks clearly to the need for managers to lead through trust - so often I’ve seen in our industry a difficulty to trust in delegation. This year’s show is proof of the value of surrounding yourself with good people and empowering them to achieve excellence. Thank you to the Landscape Alberta staff - Marnie Main, Valerie Stobbe, Erynn Watson, Kyla McKechnie and Cheryl Teo - for an amazing show and conference. Also, a special thanks to Nigel Bowles for putting together this awesome team and leaving me in such good hands. See you in Calgary, November 19 & 20, 2015!
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Your crew is a direct reflection of you. That is what I tell the leader, owner, supervisor, crew leader, etc., who has concerns about the ability of his or her crews. I have noticed that this statement reduces the amount of complaining about the crews for a lax attitude or onsite blunder.
When I hear, "I can't find any people" ... a direct reflection of you. "My turnover is killing me”... a direct reflection of you. "I train them and then they leave"... a direct reflection of you. The list of employee concerns could go on, but all of them are a direct reflection of you. That is not a harsh statement; it should be a relief. If your employee concerns rest on your shoulders, then you have the ability to do something about them. That is the first step to building an employee partnership: understanding that the success of the partnership rests on you. Trust Once you grasp hold of the responsibility, you are now ready to make the partnership work. Step one in an employee partnership is no different than any other partnership... trust. In order to be trusted, you must be trustworthy. Are you trustworthy as a leader? Too many times I have talked with employees who mention the 30-day review they never received, the annual performance evaluation that is one month (or one year) past due, the raise they were promised, new equipment, truck, education, and on and on. If you are not going to deliver it, don't promise it. An undelivered promise to an employee breaks the trust that may be hard to rebuild. Once the trust is gone, the partnership is destined for failure.
Understanding Roles Here is a thought for you… "Job descriptions do not work." Why? Because nobody reads them more than once, if at all. They are put together from a book, a report, or a seminar handout that may not be anything close to what your company needs or, more importantly, what your employee needs to know. Printed job descriptions are a great resource, but to get the most out of the employee partnership, there must be a mutual agreement, and consistent review of progress and success. Consider initiating "Performance Management Goals" or driving performance with Better Results Campaigns.
Enhance with Synergy One plus one equals three. The partnership has to reflect that the employee is becoming a better person working for you, and the
Those You Count on Most By Jim Paluch
company is becoming better because of their efforts. The first place this begins is an understanding of the overall company vision. In my seminars I am impressed by how many people are now utilizing their mission statement. This simple statement can be the glue that holds the partnership together and energizes the organization to greatness. The company vision must be grand, authentic, value-based, from the heart, and about others. You as the leader must passionately sell the vision to your partners at every opportunity. A team must have a compelling purpose that appeals emotionally and rationally to the members of the team. If the leader lacks vision, the members of the team lack vision!
Share in the Success In a winning partnership, everyone accepts the responsibility of success and failure and thus shares in that success or failure. Successful companies today are incorporating the concept of open-book management into their company culture. Open-book management is a tremendous way to tell your employee partner, "I trust you!" When you begin to involve even the frontline technician into the understanding of what makes a company profitable or unprofitable, your partnership begins to grow. This is not about telling everyone how much you make. It is far beyond that. The very essence of open-book management stems from education. You may need to become more educated on the financial information that determines the fiscal success of your company. Your accountant will need to become more educated and aware of the need for accurate and timely reporting that allows you to track your financial success. (If your accountant can not make the transition, it may be time to discuss a new partnership with someone else.) Finally, educate your employee partner on business. This means starting with the simple and basic, then moving toward a comprehensive understanding of budgets, estimating, profits and, most importantly, how their individual effort impacts everything else. When an understanding takes place of the impact of each individual performance, then you can develop your reward programs based on the financial success of the company. Don’t Quit I have told thousands of employees and leaders about Builders and Destroyers over the past several years. It is the foundation of all of our programs, and the simple concept has transformed more companies than I can count. Destroyers, simply put, are the closed-minded, emotionally inept individuals who take a negative Green for Life January/February 2015 I 11
approach to everything from dealing with management, with family, and most importantly, dealing with themselves. The Builders have a different point of view. They are emotional geniuses with a high degree of versatility and drive. They are grounded in five important things: they continue to learn, appreciate people, have a great attitude, set goals, and don't quit. When you develop a partnership with a group of Builders, then together you will be driven to succeed and never quit, and it becomes the glue that holds an organization together as they grow. Don't Quit building your most important partnerships. Stay tenacious with the process. Be willing to try something, evaluate it and continue to move forward. Keep the end in mind; you are building the most important partnership, the one with your employees. Remember "Builders or Destroyers" ... who are you surrounding yourself with? Reprinted with permission by Jim Paluch. If you want to learn more about the power of PEOPLE SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE, contact: JP Horizons Inc., 7245 Mildon Drive, Painesville, OH 44077. Phone: (440) 352-8211 Fax: (440) 352-8225. E-mail: jim@jphorizons.com. www.jphorizons.com
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Located 5 kms m east east of Str Strathmor thmore, AB on Range aange Road Ro Roa oaad d 245 224455
New Members Welcome to our
Almac Landscapes Ltd. Alan MacKenzie 51 Midland Crescent SE Calgary, AB T2X 1N8 Phone: (403) 256-8414 alan@almaclandscapes.com www.almaclandscapes.com Earthworks 2001 Inc. Art and Bob Garrett 103 Deercroft Place SE Calgary, AB T2J 5V5 Phone: (403) 397-8422 artg@shaw.ca www.earthworks2001.ca
Hedgehog Enterprises Ltd. Judith Engeroff Box 2238 Whitecourt, AB T7S 1N2 Phone: (780) 778-0666 Fax: (780) 778-3998 hedgehog.landscaping@gmail.com www.hedgehoglandscaping.com Hire A Son Contracting Inc. Travis Currie 77 Skyview Point Common NE Calgary, AB T3N 0H1 Phone: (403) 889-4398 tcurrie2008@hotmail.com Jats Backyard Landscaping Alan Thomson 50 Sunset Drive South Whitehorse, YK Y1A 3G3 Phone: (867) 668-2691 jats@northwestel.net www.jatslandscaping.com
Outer Sanctuary Landscapes Inc. Sheldon Warkentin 95 Rice Drive SE Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3W8 Phone: (403) 928-5365 Fax: (403) 488-5137 info@outersanctuary.com www.outersanctuary.com
Rocky Mountain Equipment Canada Ltd. David Liptrot 301-3345-8 Street SE Calgary, AB T2G 3A4 Phone: (403) 265-7364 Fax: (403) 214-5656 dliptrot@rockymtn.com www.rockymtn.com
Landscape Onsites Lesson: De-icing & Anti-icing Products Objective: to familiarize crew members with different types of de-icing and anti-icing products. Training Materials: examples of sand, de-icing and anti-icing products, WHMIS sheets for de-icing and anti-icing material, applicators for granular and liquid product. Personal Protective Equipment: work boots, gloves. Lesson: Snow removal contracts will specify the type of abrasive, de-icing or anti-icing product to be used on a property.
Sand is an abrasive material applied to icy surfaces to improve traction. It works consistently at all temperatures, however large stockpiles of sand can freeze solid in the winter. Mixing salt into the sand will reduce the potential for freezing. In the spring, accumulations of sand must be cleaned up and can clog sewers and storm water drains.
De-icing chemicals are applied to melt surfaces on roads and walkways. Salt is widely available and is the most inexpensive de-icer, but is extremely corrosive to vehicles and damaging to plants and the environment. Government has introduced regulations to reduce the amount of salt applied to roads during the winter. Salt can be pre-wetted with liquid de-icing agents to both reduce the amount of salt needed and make it more effective at melting snow and ice. All chemical de-icers work by lowering the freezing point of water, but some products are more effective than salt at lower temperatures.
Anti-icing chemicals are proactively applied to the surface before a storm and significantly reduce the freezing point of water below its normal threshold. Pre-treating a surface with anti-icers before a big storm prevents snow and ice from sticking, making removal easier. Anti-icing products can be applied before a big storm to enhance road safety over the life of the storm. Liquid anti-icers are not applied in a heavy wash over the road, but more lightly. Using antiicers reduces the need for abrasives such as sand and requires less clean-up in spring. • •
Snow removal contracts will specify the type of abrasive, de-icing or anti-icing product to be used on a property. Because of the corrosive qualities of chemical de-icers, vehicles and spreaders should always be washed down after being used to apply de-icing products.
Source: Landscape Onsites. Visit the CNLA website at www.canadanursery.com to view other lessons from this manual – you can download individual lessons or order the full manual. Industry Training: As a member of your provincial association, you qualify for member savings programs with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. Take advantage of these training programs to keep you and your staff safe. Employers First: Members receive a 10% discount on over 40 landscape and safety training courses.
LS Training System: Members receive 5% savings on published rates for training modules. Visit www.cnla-acpp.ca/benefits for more information.
Green for Life January/February 2015 I 13
L - R: Marlene Semko, Bob Brown and Jim Semko
Ted Lord; First Association President
L - R: Doug Berggren and Ted Rathenuize
R: Cliff Galant; Social gathering at Pollock Farms
Murray Munro, Kiwi Nurseries Ltd.; Birthday push-ups at LANTA Convention 1983
A look back at our association
Fred, Doris and Frank Haddock; 1981
Ted and Justin Brown; Tree to Tree Nurseries Ltd.
The people in these photos have been identified to the best of our ability. If we have made an error or if you are able to identify someone in a photo, please email admin@landscape-alberta.com, so we can update our records. 14 I Green for Life January/February 2015
Custom Tree Movers
12 of Landscape Alberta’s Past Presidents at the Associations 40th Anniversary Dinner in 1997. Back Row L - R: Bill Jansen, Henry Heuver, Don Stumborg, Bob Andrews, Hans Bron and Wade Hartwell. Front Row L - R: Don Hay, Mike Haberl Sr., Al Barclay, Tony Heuver, Bob Sproule and Steve Lastiwka.
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