Message from the Director ] WSNLA

2023 Wsnla Board Of Directors

Executive Committee

Katie Miller WSNLA President Skagit Horticulture katiemiller@skagithort.com

Trevor Cameron, CPH WSNLA President Elect Sunnyside Nursery trevor@sunnysidenursery.com

Kirsten Lints, CPH WSNLA Vice President Gardens ALIVE Design kirsten@gardensALIVEdesign.com

Megan Pulkkinen, CPH, EPC WSNLA Treasurer Megan Pulkkinen Landscape Design megancph@hotmail.com

Tim Gray WSNLA Past President Pacific Stone Company timg@pacificstoneco.com

CHAPTER & CAUCUS LEADERSHIP

Peter Van Well North Central Chapter President Van Well Nursery 509-886-8189 | pete2@vanwell.net

Kate Domoszlay Wholesale Grower Caucus Chair T&L Nursery Kate@TandLnursery.com

Jami Burke Horticulture Supplier Caucus Chair

Walrath Soil Technologies 253-531-7499 | jami@tewalrath.com

Open Positions:

Mt Rainier Chapter President

Olympic Chapter President

Seattle Chapter President Retail Nursery Representative Landscape Representative

WSNLA cultivates its mission and at its core - Plants, People & Passion!

The first quarter of the year has been a hurricane of WSNLA activity with its eye on supporting the success of your business and growing our industry. At the core of all of it all making it happen are people!! People passionate about protecting their industry. People passionate about promoting their industry. And, people passionate about cultivating the professionalism in our industry.

A great example of this is the WSNLA General Membership Meeting & Celebration. This year, we brought members together in person for the first time in 3 years. It was so nice to see all the familiar faces and meet the many new ones. Your Executive Officers highlghted the initiatves WSNLA is advocating on behalf of the industry. The energy that happens when peers take time to gather is so exciting to be a part of. In a world where we are all so busy, this annual event is your prime opportunity to learn, and provide input, on how your dues are being invested to target promote, advocate and advance your business. If you were not able to attend, please be sure to join us next year!

In this issue, you will meet your 2023 WSNLA Executive Officers and your new Grower Representative on the WSNLA Board of Directors. I hope you enjoy learning more about them and their vision and excitement for serving their industry. If this is something that interests you, the board currently is seeking a Retail Nursery Representative and Landscape Representative. You are encouraged to consider serving or nominate a peer.

Your WSNLA President Katie Miller (Skagit Horticulture) and Vice President Kirsten Lints, CPH (Gardens ALIVE Design) literally traveled the state to spread the word about the breadth of jobs that make up our industry. They attended 5 events in 3 days and connected with over 100 students. A huge thank you to Cascade Tropicals for their partnership in promoting horticulture and floriculture careers. The task force’s work does not end here. Turn to page 12 to learn about what they are working on next and how you can get involved.

social media, direct to industry professionals and at career and networking events with emerging professionals. While the Career Fair may have ended, the WSNLA Career Center is open all year making it easy to promote your job openings, target professionals, and leverage connecting with emerging professionals via the work of the WSNLA task force.

Let’s talk about the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. This event is literally a benchmark that spring is on its way and for those five shows days it is Spring in Seattle at the Washington Convention Center. WSNLA’s garden team, sisters Maria Bertucci, CPH, and Juliana Bertucci, The None Such, LLC, did a stellar job designing and installing our space on the garden show floor. The space is filled with plants and ideas to protect and create habitat for pollinators. Thank you to T&L Nursery, NW Nurseries & Watson’s Greenhouse for supporting the WSNLA garden and helping to promote professionalism and showcase that plants are purposeful.

Another task force is focused on industry promotion with the message of Plant Something Pollinator Friendly. They are set to work with a creative firm to create point of sale signage, to be used universally by retail nurseries looking to identify pollinator plants, and develop a marketing toolkit for nursery and landscape businesses to use for social media and e-communications as you educate your customers.

People are truly the strength and vision of this Association. You all carry the torch to protect, advance and grow your industry. Please consider sharing your time and talent.

Plant a Career in Horticulture

• Build & strengthen relationships with colleges, universities & high school horticulture programs.

• Bring awareness to the large variety of horticulture careers.

• Create pathways for employment and career development.

• Add exposure for WSNLA Career Center job listings

Plant Something Pollinator Friendly

1. Drive business to your nursery or landscape business.

• 3-year advertising campaign

2. Content & resources for staff training and to use for consumer education.

2. Working with creative firm to develop materials.

WSNLA’s business membership includes a diverse community of large and small growers, garden centers, landscape professionals and suppliers. It is the intent of WSNLA Board of Directors to ensure legislative activities focus in on overarching WSNLA member needs, while effectively balancing the diversity in business scale and location. To that extent, the following priorities have been identified, with member input, to guide and strengthen WSNLA legislative and regulatory activities throughout the State.

WASHINGTON STATE NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Washington Nursery and Landscape Association supports stewardship of the land and the plants and trees that grow upon it.

Our priorities include:

• Promoting a positive business climate for growing and marketing plants and landscape services.

• Protecting our industry from burdensome regulation, taxes and fees.

• Working in a bipartisan manner and focusing on results.

• Ensuring policies are reasonable and based on sound science.

WSNLA will coordinate with other affiliated professional organizations to support our members on agricultural and environmental issues such as:

• Water availability, management & quality

• Urban planning and the inclusion of green spaces

• Pesticide regulation

• Open space taxation

On general business issues, WSNLA will focus on impact to members. Such issues include but are not limited to:

• Labor: availability, training, minimum wage, workers comp, health care, benefits

• Simplifying business regulation including streamlining local jurisdiction business licensing

• Taxes