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Feature:
There are many benefits to job costing in landscaping. Job costing helps achieve profit, creates better employees and simplifies paper work. An authority on job costing shared his thoughts on the subject with an audience of landscape contractors in January at Landscape Ontario Congress in Toronto.
Landscaping
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Preparations for the 2016 PGA Championship at the Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey proved to be a challenge for superintendent Mark Kuhns, who dealt with an untimely rainstorm. Still, he and his team pulled it off.
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The turf industry, like just about any other green industry, is dependent upon Mother Nature to help it along. Turfgrass needs water to survive and thrive. When Mother Nature fails to produce, irrigation is needed, yet water sources might not always be plentiful.
Expect a sod shortage in Ontario this season Editorial
This results in great angst among turfgrass managers during periods of extended drought, when government ministries and local conservation authorities are also restricting the amounts of water that can be used when sources get dangerously low.
Mike Jiggens
Drought was a serious issue in many parts of Ontario in the summer of 2016, and sod producers are feeling the pinch. Fields seeded to Kentucky bluegrass in the fall of 2015 didn’t fare as well as anticipated, forcing producers to cut into their inventories. This has resulted in a shortage of available sod earmarked for the commercial and municipal sectors.
Sod producers are holding their breath that what was seeded last fall will have the chance to mature this summer – with the help of Mother Nature –perhaps being pushed through more aggressive fertility and irrigation.
It is unusual for the industry to be plagued by back-to-back catastrophic growing years, and sod producers are crossing their fingers for a rebound season.
In the meantime, contractors hoping to provide instant lawns for newly constructed homes and commercial properties need to ensure they are first in line and are prepared to commit to volumes. Greg Skotnicki, president of the Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario, said those not prepared to commit are taking their chances.
The reality, too, is that sod prices are likely to increase this year as a result of the projected shortage and the additional inputs that have had to go into the crop.
“If they’re (contractors) bidding on jobs, I think they definitely need to contact their sod supplier to arrange pricing, and I wouldn’t go on the assumption of what you paid last year is what you’ll pay this year,” he said.
Owners of newly constructed homes want an instant lawn and may not be enamoured by the prospect of having to pay significantly more for that immediateness. By the same token, they don’t wish to seed their lawn because of the wait involved and the expense of watering it in. If their home is move-in ready in early summer, seeding certainly won’t be their preference.
Alliston sod producer Tom Brayford said this spring will be pivotal and that if it is a disaster, “it’s really going to be a crunch we haven’t seen before.”
Both Skotnicki and Brayford share their thoughts about this potential scenario in this issue. -
Job costing will ensure landscaping jobs are finished on time and on budget. Even one additional day can prove costly.
THE BENEFITS OF JOB COSTING IN LANDSCAPING
Job costing will help achieve profit, create better employees and simplify paper work
By Mike Jiggens
Job costing is an important part of a landscape contractor’s operation, yet few companies know how to effectively utilize it. Effective job costing will boost a contractor’s bottom line, benefit a company’s culture, create employee work incentives and simplify paper work.
Mike Lysecki, chief technology officer for LMN – a landscape estimating and timesheet software company in Whitevale, Ont. – shared the advantages of job costing in January with an audience of landscape contractors who attended Landscape Ontario Congress in Toronto. His presentation also outlined key mistakes that can be made in job costing.
Prior to his association with LMN, Lysecki was the director of operations for nine years at TBG Landscape in Whitevale where he streamlined the company’s operations, helping it grow to a $50-million oper-
ation from $3 million. He said he learned several lessons along the way.
The first mistake in job costing, he said, is that landscaping companies either aren’t doing it, they’re not doing it enough or they’re not doing it on time. He admitted job costing might be considered a “pain in the neck” among those working in the field who have little desire to track various data and for those in the office who must interpret that data in a manner that is usable, readable and good for estimating. Taking the time to create awareness of the benefits of job costing for all employees is worth the effort, he added.
“Talk about the benefits to all your staff, including the first thing about job costing.”
Lysecki said everyone wishes to make more money, but that can’t be done unless it’s determined what is making money.
“What jobs and services consistently make money? What things should we focus
on? What should we stop doing?”
The idea, he said, is to go after the business that generates the most revenue and profit.
“Ultimately, that will improve everyone’s standard of living in the company.”
MEASURING JOB PERFORMANCE
Job costing has a significant impact on a company’s culture. Lysecki said if an employee isn’t aware of how he is doing at his job, he might be inclined to put in a lackluster performance. Using a “scoreboard” or a type of job performance measuring device will inspire employees to work harder, he said.
“If you’re not talking to the foreman or the estimators and even bookkeeping about how we’re identifying things that are working and not working, then everyone just assumes we must be doing so well that the stuff isn’t even that important or we’re
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making too much money or we don’t have to try very hard.”
Implementing a scoreboard reinforces the importance of making money every day and is a vital component of job costing.
Accurate estimating is born of job costing, he said, adding it assists in knowing where a company is over or underestimating in areas such as labour, time and materials.
“Job costing will also really help us pinpoint those problems and improve them so we don’t keep making the same mistakes year after year.”
Mistakes are repeated without job costing, Lysecki said. The company owner or operator will sometimes learn mistakes the hard way and correct them, only to hire someone new to help with estimating and watch that individual make the same mistakes as his predecessor because there is no system in place to ensure repeated errors are eliminated.
Job costing is the key to incentives, he said. Budgets are set for crews who will be taught how the budgets are derived. They will understand that each time they complete a job in less than an estimated time frame that they can begin on other jobs in a timely fashion, ensuring maximum revenue. When revenue goals are beaten, it seeds a staff bonus program.
During his time with TBG Landscape, Lysecki said he learned how many extras were missed prior to the implementation of an incentive program. Without job costing beforehand, extras weren’t being tracked.
“But if crews are now getting measured on their performance or something comes up above and beyond what they were asked to do, you can bet now they’re going to track it so that they don’t look bad on their scoreboard.”
COMMON MISTAKE IN JOB COSTING
A common mistake leading to bad job costing is the quick estimate, Lysecki said. Square foot pricing, for example, is difficult to job cost. Contractors can track labour and material costs, “but it’s pretty difficult to track it if the crews don’t know how you want to track. It’s really difficult to tell a crew that at $20 a square foot how many hours they have to complete that work.”
There is also the need to know if a particular job will be done by hand, by a machine or by a machine fitted with a specific attachment.
Landscaping employees tend to do a better job if a “scoreboard” is used to track their progress. Job costing creates employee work incentives.
“If they don’t know any of that information, then it’s really difficult to figure out if that $20 a square foot is the right price or the wrong price or if the crew is taking too long or whether the estimate is right or wrong. Estimates should be built – labour, materials, equipment and subs.”
Pricing by the square foot should be determined by how long the job will take to complete as well as the equipment and materials necessary, Lysecki said. This will provide ammunition for how the job will be bid, and the plan can be given to operations to organize the job.
A quick and easy way to determine the cost of planting is multiplying the cost of the plant by three to arrive at an installation price, but Lysecki said it doesn’t help with job costing.
“If we figure out we went over budget, was that three times too much? Were our plants just so cheap that we didn’t recover enough labour when I just multiplied it by three? Did we take too long? Did we go too quickly? Is three the right number?”
He said those questions cannot be asked unless it is known how long the job should have taken and the equipment and materials required.
An estimate becomes the framework for job costing, breaking down how the job is to be tracked, how detailed it should be, and knowing what subsections sub-contracted work should be broken down into. Without a good estimate, nobody knows how to track their time or costs, Lysecki said. With
an estimate becoming the framework for tracking costs, accounting and bookkeeping will better understand everything and crews have a better knowledge of their role.
Jobs can be broken down into such areas as hardscapes and softscapes, with each phase having its own set of estimated hours, “and that becomes the way we’re going to score the job.”
With job details properly broken down, bookkeepers will enter all associated costs so that they are easy to translate.
“Without that, everybody’s guessing.”
Technology has made the process simpler. Lysecki said doing everything on paper tends to lead crews to fill out anything or nothing. Such misinformation as incorrect spelling and erroneous dates is handed into the office where it becomes the problem of the office staff. Those employees are forced to reinterpret everything and make corrections.
Lysecki said no matter the efficiency of the office staff, at some point they will give up and stop fixing little details. By the end of the year, job costing will have failed.
“With technology, you can streamline or validate information as it’s happening.”
Technology such as estimating and timesheet apps gets dates right and limits choices. Using paper, crews can write in anything or nothing, but the right app will force job costing their time the way it needs to be tracked.
“They don’t have a choice to do it any other way.”
TAKING AWAY THE GUESSWORK
Lysecki said the big lesson he learned about job costing and estimating is that crews and accounting personnel can’t be expected to simply guess and be accurate.
“You have to really give them a framework and say, ‘here’s your job, here’s the tasks, and here’s how often we need this filled out.’”
The method allows staff to better plan jobs. With less time spent crunching data, more time is available to carefully plan jobs better, leading to fewer mistakes and better job costing.
“The people who fill out that information are in the field every day with dirty and sore hands. They’re hot, cold or sweaty. There are three other people on site running around with equipment, wheelbarrows and dirt. There’s a lot going on to keep track of at that level.”
Most job costing efforts fail, Lysecki said, because crews will go from filling out nothing to adding far too much detail and trying to do it all in one step. He said everyone is busy enough as it is, and adding more work makes things more difficult.
What needs to be analyzed first is labour since it is the biggest variable and can lead to a job going over budget. Materials and equipment can also be the culprit of a job going over or under budget, but it is almost always labour, he said, making it the one that demands the greatest focus. Labour is also providing the best information because it’s the crews in the field who provide the best job costing information.
Lysecki cautioned, however, that a landscaper shouldn’t want a system that is too complicated because crews don’t want to and don’t pay enough attention to filling out paper work. They are not enamored by the task and fail to see the big picture. The goal is to simplify as much as possible because even though the bookkeeper might process the job costing information, it is the foreman who provides the information, “and he’s got 150 things on his plate everyday.”
It should be kept at a level that is informative and useful, yet not too detailed, he said.
“It’s way better to have less information that we actually trust than lots of information that nobody trusts.”
A good job costing system should include accounting in the decision-making process, Lysecki suggested, adding too many contractors don’t effectively use their accounting departments.
“If you set up job costing and it doesn’t go into accounting very well, it’s all going to get washed away anyway.”
Lysecki said it’s much easier to take an accounting database and add complexity and more detail than it is to take a detailed one and simplify it and merge things together.
“It’s a lot easier to start simple and split than it is to try to merge.”
Starting simple ensures better information and makes everyone’s jobs in transition easier, he said. Instead of introducing a new system to everyone that they don’t understand, it should be kept simple.
“You’ll still have good information you can trust, and then it’s easier to spoon feed some complexity in later.”
He compared it to climbing the face of a cliff. Scaling a cliff is the fastest way to the top of a mountain, but most people will fall if they attempt it. If there were stairs up the mountain, it would be a slower yet safer climb.
“That’s the way you might want to look at job costing.”
BUILDING UP COMPLEXITY
By building up complexity one stair at a time, the summit will likely be reached, he said. By trying to “scale the cliff,” or going from little
job costing to highly detailed job costing, it probably won’t work, resulting in a fall to the bottom.
When pricing out work, the number of unbillable hours must be taken into account so that the rates charged take into account time spent loading, driving and washing trucks.
Lysecki said merging job costing and payroll into one system saves time because it’s only one set of data entry.
“In the past, you would have crews
clocking in over here, they were writing time over there, and I would be looking at this time and this time and justifying them and passing this sheet over to payroll and this sheet to someone entering job costing into a spreadsheet, and we’re all touching this information three, four or five times.”
Less data entry means less duplication of work. It goes into the system once, but comes out a couple of different ways. The technology prevents hours from being missed and having workers paid for 10
hours while logging in only eight. The question of where the other hours come from can readily be accounted for.
“Now every minute of time they get paid for is cost somewhere.”
Having job costing and payroll in the same system also achieves a better completion rate, Lysecki said, warning that having too many systems or the wrong systems to do job costing is a big mistake.
Job costing should be done in accounting by entering every single transaction. This ensures bills are paid properly, staff is paid properly and sales are recorded properly. Doing job costing in accounting is the easiest place, Lysecki said, because it provides a complete history of all transactions. Anything else ends up as double entry and presents an opportunity for error.
“Job costing shouldn’t be something that owners and estimators and operations managers keep secret. That defeats the entire purpose. The people doing the work are the ones you want to show whether you’re doing a good job or not a good job. Good staff want to be recognized. We have problems finding and keeping good staff in this industry. Maybe job costing is one of the reasons why it’s so hard.”
Lysecki asked how good a worker would feel if the company he worked for had no real idea how good his work was, other than offering a subjective measurement of his worth by saying he’s good because he shows up to work on time.
“If you can’t tell someone how good he’s doing, it’s stressful as a good employee who
Mike Lysecki, LMN chief technology officer
works hard every day and doesn’t know if he’s doing a good job. If you don’t know if you’re doing a good job, you can bet the owner doesn’t know if you’re doing a good job.”
Good staff tend to leave a company if they have no idea of their worth and are better off working for someone who understands his worth, he said.
Bad employees, on the other hand, have a place to hide if there is no job costing, and will stay with an employer for as long as he’s permitted.
“Without job costing, without knowing how well they’re doing, you’ll probably let them stay longer than you should because you’re worried you won’t find somebody else who’s as good to replace them.”
STAYING ON BUDGET
Staying on budget while on a job is vital and could prove to be costly to a company that goes even one day over budget. Lysecki said a two-week project that takes two weeks and one day to complete is likely to cost an additional $600 in payroll for a three-person crew. There are also fuel and equipment costs that won’t be
Elaborate stone work takes time, and landscapers must job cost accordingly.
rec overed plus a lost day of billable time because the next project won’t be started on time.
“So the cost of going over budget by one day is about $4,500.”
He said a profitable company could easily become unprofitable if about 10 days are lost in one season. Getting the job done on time ensures there will be sufficient money left over at the end of the season to share with key people.
Job costing helps ensure work gets done on time and prevents over-budgeting. Lysecki said companies that don’t job cost tend not to be profitable.
Timely feedback ensures a more accurate payroll, he added, stressing the importance of verifying paper work on a daily basis.
“If it’s not done everyday, then you know people are guessing.”
When guessing is done, mistakes are made, he said.
“If you don’t get timely feedback, you have no idea how your job progress is. We have to have you doing your timesheets every day. It has to be accurate. If you’re getting your sheets every day, you’re demonstrating to your employees that it’s important to know whether we’re on time or not, and that’s motivating for everybody.” -
Staying on budget when on a job is vital and could prove to be costly to a company that goes even one day over budget.
The trust a customer has for his landscaping company will develop into a long-term relationship, especially when he knows his yard will be maintained in a timely manner and with quality workmanship.
‘Satisfied’ customers
will kill a landscaping business
Striving for customer loyalty will greatly boost the bottom line
By Mike Jiggens
Retaining “satisfied” customers is not in the best interests of a landscape contractor, nor will it contribute to a business’ growth, an audience of landscape contractors was told in January at the 44th Landscape Ontario Congress in Toronto.
Motivational speaker Bill Hogg, owner of Bill Hogg & Associates in Aurora, Ont., said keeping merely satisfied customers actually kill a business.
“Satisfaction is worthless,” he said during his keynote address.
To illustrate his point, Hogg recalled a hotel visit he made during a business trip to the United States. Upon checking out, he was asked to fill out an evaluation sheet to assess various aspects of his stay, filling out scores of five on a scale of one to 10 for each specific item. When asked why he chose to take a middle-of-the-road approach, he said he was satisfied with aspects of his stay, but with nothing more or nothing less.
Confused, the hotel official asked what more could have been done to achieve higher scores. Hogg cited a number of reasons for his scores, noting that although his name was in the hotel’s system – having stayed there previously – he wasn’t welcomed back. Nor was he asked at reception if he had a chance to eat. When he asked for a recommendation to dine at a nearby restaurant, he was sent to one a short distance away, but found it closed upon arrival. In the end, Hogg said he was merely satisfied with his stay.
Returning to the same city a short time later for another business trip, Hogg opted to stay at another hotel that was closer to his conference site. There he was given a warm cookie upon his arrival and was offered a complimentary shuttle ride to the airport when he checked out. The cost of his stay was also about 80 per cent of
his previous visit to the other hotel. He said the choice of preferred hotel was obvious.
“The more expensive organization was relying on the thread count of their sheets –maybe – or the quality of art on their walls, but what they didn’t understand was twwhere are some fundamental things that are important to people, and they didn’t understand what was important.”
Hogg said what meant most to him was the feeling that he was important.
“By handing me that cookie and offering me the service of a ride back to the airport, they created a connection with me that the other place didn’t.”
The hotel example can be applied to the landscaping world, he said, adding the reality is that 75 per cent of customers will leave and do so gladly if they are merely satisfied or less than satisfied. They will walk by a business they are simply satisfied with and go to a competitor further down the street, he said.
SATISFACTION GETS YOU NOTHING
Being less than satisfied can lead to anger and litigation, Hogg said, while more than satisfied means happy and loyal customers. Satisfied is only slightly better than “pissed off” and frustrated, he added.
“Satisfaction gets you nothing. What it gets you at most is an invitation to come back and do business with them again. You haven’t pissed them off so much that they’re saying, ‘We’re not going back.’ All you’ve done is retain the right where they might consider coming back to visit you again.”
A man will return to the same barber over and over because he trusts him to cut his hair to his liking. He counts on his barber to
bring out the best in the customer.
“That’s loyalty,” Hogg said.
There’s a notable difference between a satisfied customer and one who is loyal, he said. The satisfied customer focuses on price, and if he can find a better deal elsewhere, he’ll go there.
“They shop around for the bargains and are easily lured away by the competitor’s deal.”
Hogg said the satisfied customer is not emotionally connected with a business and will buy less. He will test a competitor’s offerings and will have no compelling reason to return to the original business.
A loyal customer, on the other hand, will focus on value and the relationship. Hogg said businesses that don’t have such customers have problems.
“Your business is built on shaky ground. They’re (loyal customers) willing to pay a premium. They’re not willing to pay a premium necessarily because you’re doing a better job. They’re willing to pay a premium because they trust you will do the job you’re committed to, it will be done in a timely manner and it will be done right.”
Hogg said it is worth a premium to him if he hires a landscape contractor who will shovel him out after a heavy snowfall so that he can arrive to work in time. When he first hired a landscape contractor, he was his only customer on the street. In recent years, several of his neighbours have hired the same company to look after their properties. Consequently, the contractor’s costs have been reduced because he’s already in the neighbourhood and can service all prop-
erties in one stop.
The contractor added to his clientele because the neighbours saw the quality job done at Hogg’s residence. He said his landscape contractor might make a mistake once or twice, but will always take the time to fix things and make them right.
“It’s a one-time slip-up. It’s not a history or a pattern. These are the kind of things that separate loyal from satisfied customers.”
SATISFACTION IS WORTHLESS
A satisfied customer is a contractor’s worst enemy. The contractor gets that customer’s business year after year because of where he sits and not because of the quality of job that creates loyalty.
“If you’re spending your time searching for slightly better than pissed off and angry, then you’re probably not building a strong, long-term business. You have no room for error and no room for margin because you’re constantly competing on the basis of price.”
Most contractors believe they are undervalued for the job they do, Hogg said.
“Satisfaction is worthless and loyalty is priceless.”
Contractors who don’t create programs aimed at building loyalty with their customers are building their businesses on weak foundations, he said.
Businesses wishing to connect with people will have to connect with them emotionally. Doing so gives the business the ability to get people to take action, Hogg said, adding, in advertising, trusts sells the product.
Back to Back in the Battle Against
Canadian Turf Distributors
Atlantic Provinces
Irri Plus Inc. (902) 405-4774
Quebec Triad
Ville St. Laurent, QC (1 location) (800) 567-2473
Central Irrigation Supply
Ville St. Laurent, QC (514) 788-5884
Atlantic Irrigation
Ville St. Laurent, QC (514) 913-6719
Ontario
Site One Landscape Supply
Concord, ON (4 locations) (800) 347-4272
Vanden Bussche Irrigation
Milton, ON (5 locations) (800) 263-4112
Central Irrigation Supply
Mississauga, ON (4 locations) (905) 795-8088
Atlantic Irrigation
Toronto, ON (416) 244-5551
Manitoba
Consolidated Supply
Winnipeg, MB (204) 632-7643
Site One Landscape Supply Winnipeg, MB (204) 694-9442
Saskatchewan
Consolidated Supply
Saskatoon, SK (306) 653-5444
Site One Landscape Supply Saskatoon, SK (306) 931-2440
Alberta
Emco
Calgary, AB (403) 278-1470
Corix Water Products Calgary, AB (5 locations in AB) (800) 242-3176
Consolidated Supply Calgary, AB (403) 203-7550 Edmonton, AB (780) 413-3173
Site One Landscape Supply (2 locations in AB) (403) 236-0102
British Columbia
Consolidated Supply
Kelowna BC (1 location) (250) 863-8291
Corix Water Products Surrey, BC (11 locations in B.C.) (800) 667-2445
Site One Landscape Supply (4 locations in B.C.) (250) 544-0401
Van-Kel/EMCO Corporation (8 locations in BC) (800) 667-8825
Vancouver Irrigation Supply
Vancouver, BC (604) 251-2258 (4 locations)
Rain Bird International Inc. www.rainbird.com/ca
“How are you creating an emotional connection with your customers?”
Hogg said the trust he has that his landscape contractor takes care of his gardens so that they don’t look like “crap” when friends come to visit is an emotional connection that has been made.
“I trust that my lawn will be mowed in a timely manner and that it will look good.”
He said it’s the trust he develops with those who perform the job that keeps him on as a customer.
There are two types of loyalty, he said – loyalty of convenience and loyalty of allegiance. A person might be reluctant to change cell phone service providers because it may mean having to change apps and move stored photographs and other saved data.
“How many of your clients are with you because of convenience?”
Hogg said contractors with customers of that nature in their mix need to learn how to get them out of that category.
Loyalty of allegiance is based on emotion, he said, because customers trust the contractor will do the job.
“That’s why I have my snowplowing done by the same guy. I know he’s going to do a great job for me.”
It’s an emotional connection tied to the service delivered, Hogg said.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
He reflected on his relationship with a lawn care operator who had taken the time to introduce himself, discuss the program options his company provided and ask if there was anything else he could do. Hogg said he no longer had a connection with the lawn care company itself, but more with the individual who represented the company.
“He made sure that we understand that he has everything under control. He takes three minutes once a year to meet with his customers, but that small amount of time he has devoted to customer relations has escalated my loyal relationship with him five to 10 times.”
Hogg said that’s how to develop a solid business relationship, adding it’s simple and there is nothing fancy about it. It’s the connection that helps build a business, by letting customers know there is care.
“You have to let people know they’re important to your business. They’re not just a number. They’re not just a customer. They’re a person, and you understand what their needs are, what their desires are, and what’s important to them.”
A lack of customer service is why customers switch to another landscape contractor, Hogg said, adding they rarely switch because a product is wrong. Customers will be lost to a competitor from time to time because that business may offer some-
Companies that go the extra mile and strive for customer loyalty will reap the benefits.
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thing the other doesn’t. Often, however, it’s because a relationship has become stale.
“May be they (customers) feel like they’ve been taken for granted. Maybe you need to spend a little more time creating that connection. Other people can do things better than you, but if you have a great customer service relationship, it will go.”
Businesses that wish to protect their margins and profitability must strengthen the emotional connections with their customers by building on a strong customer service foundation that can never be duplicated or taken away, Hogg said.
Customer service is not a goal, but an outcome, he stressed.
It’s not just the connection between the landscape contractor and the customer that matters, but the relationship between the contractor and his employees, Hogg said. There is customer satisfaction and there is customer engagement.
Satisfaction is about the needs of the individual that are met through the relationship with the organization, rationally connected based on the employee’s needs.
Customers are willing to pay a premium if they know the contractor is doing the job he is supposed to do in a timely manner and done properly.
He may wonder if he’s paid sufficiently or is given adequate vacation time.
Engagement is when the employee aligns
his priorities, goals and desires with the needs of the organization and begins to see both his and the company’s end goals as the same.
ACHIEVING ENGAGEMENT
Hogg said a contractor who hires people who simply show up could potentially achieve satisfaction, but not necessarily engagement. He said the employer must observe his employees to see if they believe in what they do and if they feel they’re making a difference.
“Do they take pride in their work? If they don’t take pride in their work, what quality of work will they have? Do you treat them well?”
Hogg said research shows that employees’ attitude toward the job and the company has the greatest impact on customer loyalty and the financial elements of the business.
“If you have happy, engaged people working in your organization, that will have a much greater impact on your bottom line results.”
Solid employee engagement is based on the leadership of the employer, he said, adding it will show if an employer isn’t motivated or excited about what he does. If he
speaks negatively about others, including customers, his employees are apt to behave in the same manner.
“However you behave is exactly how the people in your organization are going to behave.”
It’s easier to create a work environment that allows people to work at an exceptional level than it is to hire exceptional people. Landscape contractors tend to hire people they feel good about, but if employees are no longer energetic and productive, they usually reach that point due to a direct tie with the company’s leadership culture, Hogg said.
“At the end of the day, you better make sure you’ve got your people right. If you don’t have your people right, then I don’t care how great your company is. I’m the guy who can kick your ass with an inferior service because I’ve got a better customer service experience.”
Hogg said it all comes down to having individual meetings with the company’s customers, adding it’s critical that opportunities are made for such face-to-face get-togethers.
“That’s the moment of truth, the opportunity for you to engage. You need to look for opportunities to engage like that. You need to look for opportunities to let them know you’re there to serve and that you appreciate them. That’s what’s going to create that emotional connection.”
Hogg’s take-home message to his audience included four key messages:
• Satisfaction is worthless.
• Emotional beats rational.
• Exceptional customer service is not a goal, but an outcome.
• Organizations do not own the customer experience. The people do. -
Bill Hogg, Bill Hogg & Associates
CANADIAN SUPERS PLACE AMONG TOURNEY’S TOP 50
Three Canadians finished among the top 50 in the field at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s national golf championship played in February at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
The annual event was held in conjunction with the GCSAA’s annual Golf Industry Show.
Best among the Canadian contingent was Andre Aymar, superintendent at Toronto’s Islington Golf Club. He carded rounds of 78 and 76 to tie for ninth place with a 36-hole total of 10 over par. For his efforts, he earned $50.
James Beebe, course manager at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Priddis Greens, Alta., tied for 15th with scores of 81 and 75 for a 12 over par total.
Dave Svab, manager at Silver Styx Golf Course in Markstay, Ont., tied for 46th place with scores of 82 and 84 for a total of 22 over par.
Both Beebe and Svab finished out of the money.
The tournament champion was Mike Stieler, superintendent at Spring Creek Golf & Country Club in Ripon, Calif., whose 73-73 scores gave him a two-over-par total. His first-place cheque amounted to $250. Stieler previously won the tournament in 2012.
S everal other Canadian superintendents and industry affiliates competed in other events, including four-ball, “classic” and “shamble” competitions.
• British Columbia competitors: Michael Newton, Capilano Golf & Country Club; Jamie Robb, Capilano Golf & Country Club.
• Alberta competitors: Peter Dall, Canmore Golf & Curling Club; Tim Knutson, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club; Chris Paterson, Glencoe Golf & Country Club; Kerry Watkins, Glencoe Golf & Country Club.
• Saskatchewan competitors: Kevin Bloski, Early’s Farm & Garden Centre; Doug Campbell, Riverside Country Club.
• Ontario competitors: Chris Andrejicka,
Essex Golf & Country Club; Paul Brown, Sarnia Golf & Curling Club; James Burlington, Loyalist Country Club; Richard Butler, St. Andrew’s East; Jim Flett, Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club; Martin Kopp, Brampton Golf Club; Michael MacGillivray, Bayview Golf & Country Club; Darren Nicol, Bramp-
ton Golf Club; Mark Prieur, Trafalgar Country Club; Paul Scenna, Beacon Hall Golf Club; Chad Vibert, Mad River Golf Club; Rob Wright, Devil’s Pulpit Golf Association.
• Quebec competitors: Luc Ladouceur, Club Laval sur le Lac; Marc Antoine Briére. -
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A TREE’S LIFE DEPENDS ON PROPER PRUNING
Pruning at the right time and in the right location can mean the difference between a healthy tree and a failing tree
By Mike Jiggens
Knowing when to prune a tree and how to do it properly as well as understanding why it must be done can make a significant difference in its lifespan and its structural integrity.
Ian Bruce, president and senior consulting arborist with the Bruce Tree Expert Company in Toronto, shared the dos and don’ts of tree pruning with an audience of landscape contractors attending January’s Landscape Ontario Congress in Toronto.
“When you look at the condition of a tree, and you say it’s in good condition, the condition reflects two things that are connected but totally different,” he said. “There is a health or biological condition, and there is a structural integrity condition.”
A tree can be perfectly healthy, Bruce added, yet it can be a “structural basket case.”
Throughout his presentation, he showed photographs of trees challenged by structural issues that had been remedied through cabling and other measures. Proper cabling, for example, can save an otherwise healthy tree that is simply structurally weak.
The relationship between the diameter of the branch and the trunk it’s attached to should be about 30 per cent, Bruce recommended.
“As you go over that and reach 50 per cent, that’s a very weak structure.”
If a branch is shortened, stunted and held back, the trunk will get bigger and the branch will never become a problem, he said.
If someone doesn’t understand how to properly prune or when best to do it, he’s likely going to do more harm than good. A physiological balance exists between the crown and root system.
“If you interrupt that balance, the tree is automatically under stress, period. There are no ands, ifs or buts about it.”
If a tree’s crown is reduced or roots are cut, it will become stressed. If the tree is already suffering from other types of stresses such as diseases or insect pests, it will be less able to respond to those.
“Know why you’re pruning. Understand how much you can take out and minimize how much you remove.”
TECHNIQUE MORE IMPORTANT THAN TIMING
Bruce said proper technique is generally more important than timing. If the tree is healthy, timing is less important while technique will always be important. The negative consequences of improper pruning technique will, in most cases, last a lifetime, he added, especially when improper pruning is done to a mature tree. Young trees are apt to survive, but older trees can be damaged for life.
The negative consequences of improper timing, on the other hand, are short-lived,
usually lasting no more than a year or two before it becomes a non-issue.
Bruce recalled a case of a tree that was improperly pruned and that subsequently died, costing $15,000 to remove.
“Don’t prune without good reason and select the right tools.”
Every branch counts, he said, especially if they are larger than two inches in diameter. If a cut is made in the wrong location or if the branch is not cut properly, it will allow an entry point into the tree for disease and decay to occur in the trunk. Improper pruning, therefore, can artificially shorten the life of the tree.
“All pruning cuts should be made at a growing point.”
WORST TIME TO PRUNE
From bud break to full green condition is the worst time to prune because the tree is expending energy to break the buds and is also undergoing shoot elongation, secondary thickening and annual ring. When trees are flowering, they are expending further energy.
Injury or damage caused by pruning cuts “put it right on the edge.”
The general rule of thumb in pruning is to avoid removing more than 25 per cent of a tree’s living crown. Bruce said the standard was once 30 per cent, but the number was
eventually deemed too much.
When shortening a branch – especially a larger limb – it should be cut back to a point where there is a living branch that is 25 to 30 per cent of the size and diameter of the branch being removed. Anything less and the smaller branch may not support the cut, he said.
The smaller the cut, the greater the opportunity the impacted surface has to close over, decreasing the chances of decay.
Bruce recalled that when he first began in the industry in the 1970s, he was instructed to make flush cuts as close to the trunk as
Bruce said long stubs shouldn’t be left behind. For best long-term results, pruning should maintain the natural habit of a plant, allowing the tree to respond better.
“It will cost you more if you try to make the tree something it isn’t. It will end up costing you more, and every two or three years that you go back and re-prune it the price will go up because costs are going up. That goes back to selecting the right tree in the first place.”
More branches can be safely removed from a young tree than from an older tree, Bruce said.
Attempts to help nature regain the balance between a tree’s crown and its root system makes sense, he said, but if the tree if topped it is already expending energy to defend pruning cuts and to regain its equilibrium, he said.
“If you then cut the roots, you’re putting it under more stress because it also has to expend energy to defend the damage to the roots.”
Ian Bruce, senior consulting arborist, Bruce Tree Expert Company
possible because it was believed the wound would close over faster and, once it had healed over, it was difficult to see a cut had ever been made.
The science today suggests that cuts are made only into the branch tissue and not into trunk tissue.
“If you cut the branch off and stay outside the protective zone, then any decay that develops from that cut will only involve branch tissue in the trunk.”
Branch tissue in the trunk started at the pith the first year the annual ring was put on outside the pith and may have been one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. Every year a successive annual ring gets put on that branch and gets bigger, leaving a cone-shaped branch rising out of the trunk and getting bigger towards the outside of the trunk. When decay occurs, cone-shaped decay is visible if only branch tissue is involved.
As a tree trunk grows up and divides into two co-dominant leaders – or equal-sized branches growing vertically near the top of the tree – one branch should be cut to allow the other to become dominant.
Leaving the co-dominant leaders unattended could initiate perforation at the V-junction, subjecting one of the branches to split or tear in a heavy wind, jeopardizing the tree’s health.
Water sprouts, or shoots that occur along branches usually where pruning has been done, should be managed or thinned so that they don’t become a problem themselves, Bruce said. Leaves on water sprouts are photosynthesizing and sending energy locally first before energy is sent to the roots.
Pruning at planting should be limited to broken, dead, diseased or interfering branches because the tree is already stressed. The first three times a tree is pruned after planting are the most critical, he added.
“You are setting the framework and once that framework has been developed, there is a lot less significance in the pruning that goes beyond that. So the first three prunings in a tree’s life – if they’re done properly – are the absolute most important.”
Dormant season is generally the best time for pruning, Bruce said, because the tree is being disturbed at a time when it is free of such other disturbances as weather, drought and the sun. He said pruning is done year-round by arborists because “it’s the nature of the beast,” but he suggested caution be exercised because some types of trees prefer to be pruned at different times of the year.
He said he occasionally tells clients that certain trees should not be pruned at a particular time of year. Evergreens, for example, should not be pruned in the fall because their foliage will turn brown.
Trees susceptible to profuse “bleeding” from pruning cuts should be pruned in the fall or early winter or spring when leaves have fully formed, Bruce said. This will help avoid putting a tree under stress and adversely affecting its health.
Pruning into the branch collar or branch bark ridge cuts into trunk tissue, leaving the tree’s life expectancy at a fraction of what it might have been because a trunk cavity will be created.
If the objective is to cut a one-inch branch on a tree whose trunk is one foot in diameter and the cut is made in the correct location, a oneinch cavity will have been made in branch tissue and not trunk tissue. If a flush cut was made to the same tree, the cavity will be made into trunk tissue and runaway decay will likely result because many tree species don’t compartmentalize well.
That’s the significance of making the right cut in the right place, Bruce said. -
Rain-soaked PGA Championship posed challenge for superintendent
Mark Kuhns delivered quality golf conditions in spite of extreme heat and relentless rain.
By Mike Jiggens
Mark Kuhns is no stranger to serving as host superintendent at a PGA Tour major championship. Since 1999, he has been the director of grounds at Springfield, N.J.’s Baltusrol Golf Club where the PGA Championship was played in 2005 and 2016. Prior to that, he was superintendent at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania where the 1994 U.S. Open was played.
Each of these major championships has a story to tell. The most recent of his major experiences – the 2016 PGA Championship –had its own story that Kuhns shared with members of the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association at their annual conference in Niagara Falls in January.
The 2016 PGA will be known for the deluge of rainfall it experienced on the weekend, almost forcing the tournament to spill over to a Monday conclusion. The extreme weather contributed to the event becoming the first major ever to retain the third-round pairings for the final round, grouping golfers whose 54-hole scores were dissimilar in many instances.
Kuhns, who has been in the industry for 41 years, said working the tournament was a challenge from the outset. Prior to play getting underway that week in July, temperatures had reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, eventually giving way to heavy rainfall by the weekend. With play suspended on Saturday and crews unable to keep up with clearing water from the playing surface, the tournament was in jeopardy of having to be extended an additional day. Leading up to the tournament, however, it was business as usual.
“You do what you normally do,” Kuhns said. “Sound agronomic principles.”
At Baltusrol, aeration is done three times a year, beginning in early March. The aeration schedule is strategically targeted for times when it’s the least disruptive to members. The three-times-a-year aerating regime began when Kuhns first started at Baltusrol.
“Aerification is pretty standard. When we do aerification in August, we go wall to wall. Prepping for the PGA is no different. The idea is to firm greens. We may increase the topdressing applications on the greens to try to keep them a little firmer and to keep them from getting too fluffy leading up to the event and keep them truer.”
Double cutting of greens is also routinely practiced daily at Baltusrol.
Kuhns said although it wasn’t part of his PGA Championship equipment, the Air 2G2 air inject machine from Campey Turf Care Services will be incorporated into his fleet of course maintenance equipment this season after having recently seen it demonstrated. He said when he began at Baltusrol in 1999, greens were hardpan and tines would bottom out at about 3½ inches when aerating. He initiated a drill-and-fill process to break through the 3½-inch level, changing up the size of some of the tines to go deeper and achieve infiltration rates of up to four inches or better an hour.
“The water is going down. It’s pulling the air in behind it. The greens got healthier in the last 17 years.”
Preparing a golf course for a PGA Championship is not the same process as the other majors or any of the Tour’s other events. Neither the PGA Tour nor the USGA sets up the golf course. Instead, it’s one individual – chief championship officer Kerry Haigh of the PGA of America – who is responsible for virtually everything and
Baltusrol Golf Club, home of the 2016 PGA Championship.
who works directly with the superintendent.
Kuhns recalled a remark Haigh made in 2003 when Baltusrol was preparing for the 2005 PGA Championship, that the PGA of America “doesn’t go to golf courses where we need agronomic help.”
Working with only one individual has its merits, Kuhns said, noting Haigh oversees the entire setup, including the infrastructure, roping details and pin locations.
“It’s nice to know you don’t have a lot of people with their fingers in the pie.”
WORKING UP THE ROUGH
Kuhns said the rough is something that always needs work, especially in areas where irrigation is leaner. The rough at Bal tusrol was interseeded with five species of grasses added, including turf-type tall fes cue, turf-type perennial ryegrass and Ken tucky bluegrasses.
“Over time, we kept interseeding those rough areas at a time when maybe they were at their weakest point.”
Mid-summer was a strategic time as the rough was in the midst of heat stress during drought and poa annua was fading away in some areas. Those areas were aerated and seeded. The different varieties were chosen to keep a broad genetic base when seeding.
“If there is a problem with one particular variety or another, it’s not going to take the whole thing out of the picture.”
During the PGA Championship, the rough proved to be a challenge for the play ers. Several applications for disease and insect control were made inside the gallery ropes in the rough.
“We didn’t want any of those areas to decline.”
It was the first year the PGA of America regulated the rough. The intermediate rough was cut at a height of 1¼ inches over the first five feet. The next eight feet were cut at three inches and the rough was tapered off to six inches beyond that.
“It’s their (PGA’s) event and we set it up the way they want it. It’s part of the contract.”
TREE MANAGEMENT
Tree management programs are a key component of preparing for a Tour event. Baltusrol has an abundance of trees, albeit fewer than when Kuhns was originally hired.
“Most of those we took down over the
years were for the health of the turf.”
Close to 500 trees have been taken down since 1999 in areas around tees and greens. Kuhns posed the same question to Baltusrol’s members that he posed years earlier to the membership at Oakmont: “Do you want an arboretum or do you want to play golf here?”
Members chose the latter, realizing selected trees needed to be removed in favour of sunlight penetration. Heavily shaded areas led to little carbohydrate
pr oduction, poor root growth and the inability to sustain the wear of day-to-day play. Heat and drought added to the problem, leading to the decision to interseed.
In preparation for the PGA Championship, wooded areas needed clearing to provide tented areas. Efforts were made to ensure there were no liability issues with overhead limbs or branches that might “poke out an eye among the spectators.” The cost of maintaining the trees for the PGA was about $150,000.
A new approach was taken with bunker maintenance for the championship that also appeased club members who had issues with their playability.
“A member wants a perfect lie in a bunker and they want the perfect sand so they can spin the perfect shot and drop it inches from the hole, or in the hole.”
Kuhns said members got tired of hitting side lies from the bunkers if the ball became lodged on the upsweep. Rather than trying to change the mindset of golfers by reminding them bunkers are hazards, a new solution was reached for bunker maintenance. Squeegees were used to roll up the edges of the bunkers, allowing balls to roll down to the bottom for a perfect lie. Only the bottoms of the bunkers were raked.
“The members now love the bunkers, they love the sand and they love to play out of them.”
The system was used again in the fall during the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.
“It’s a little more maintenance, but a lot less headaches.”
The bunkers contain three to four inches of sand and are checked periodically for consistent depth. Most bunkers are lined and drain well, he said.
UPPER COURSE USED AS WELL
Baltusrol is known mainly for its lower 18-hole course that served as the venue for the 2016 PGA Championship. Its upper course, however, is a top 100-ranked layout and is arguably a greater challenge than the more famous lower course. When it comes to major championships, the upper course is utilized for such things are parking, a site for corporate tents and a driving range for the field of golfers.
“If we didn’t have that space on the upper course, we couldn’t host a major because it’s needed for the infrastructure.”
The first hole on the upper course became the driving range for the PGA Championship. Tents were erected on the last three holes of the upper course, spanning the length of each hole from tee to green.
“Basically, when it’s over those areas are dead and we have to bring those back. That’s the biggest challenge when it’s over. Come Sunday night, members don’t care about the PGA anymore. They only want to know, ‘When am I going to be able to play my facility without all that junk out there?’”
More than 180 tractor-trailer loads of material were hauled onto the Baltusrol site in preparation of the major. Kuhns said trucks were often lined up all the way down the street, adding neighbours would complain about engine noise at 3 a.m. The necessary materials arrived at the golf course months in advance of the tournament. By early April, building was underway for the July event.
Kuhns said the key is to arrive at the date of the scheduled event “intact” so that there is no suffering by the golf course from stresses or weaknesses. A proactive approach with pesticide and fertilizer usage is taken by Kuhns and his staff to ensure everything is accomplished in a timely fashion and that nothing gets ahead of them. During this process, he monitors all products used to ensure amounts are minimal and label directions are strictly followed.
One of the measures taken was to place gravel over landscape fabric on the 18th fairway of the upper course to serve as a makeshift roadway to access the tents. When the tournament was over, the fabric was pulled away and any remaining gravel was raked up. Kuhns began the practice at the 2005 PGA Championship. It was an idea that helped to reduce the amount of stress on that hole.
“Getting to that event stress free is our key function.”
SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Some adjustments were made to the regular routine at Baltusrol leading up to the PGA Championship. Carts were shut down almost a month in advance and guest play
was eliminated about three weeks beforehand. Additionally, no other events were scheduled for the golf course.
“Leading up to that day (when play was halted) was unbelievable,” Kuhns said. “We had more play in those first few months we were open than we ever had in a year’s time.”
Divots were repaired during the threeweek lead-up to the PGA Championship.
“We had good growth and good health of the turf.”
Coming to the aid of Kuhns and his own staff were 14 interns, most of who had been at the golf course the previous season. Bolstering the staff were volunteers who came from Canada, South Africa, Korea, Singapore, Ireland, Germany and France. An array of distributors and manufacturers lent a helping hand with both manpower and additional equipment.
“We couldn’t have done it without their assistance, especially when you see what we had to go through.”
Kuhns said it is considered taboo to disclose green speeds during the PGA Championships, but added speeds were upwards of 12 and even 13 at times. For member play at Baltusrol, green speeds on the lower course are maintained at about 11 and reach about 10.6 on the upper course.
With the amount of heat the area experienced in the days leading up to the tournament, the threat of pythium was present and irrigation had to be carefully monitored. He found success turning his water on first thing in the morning and was able to stay ahead of play and allow conditions to dry out during the course of the day.
Mark Kuhns, director of grounds, Baltusrol Golf Club
On day one, temperatures got extremely hot and greens were syringed. The putting surfaces at Baltusrol are predominantly bentgrass with some poa annua. Because of the heat and the wish to keep greens dry, “it was getting very close to the edge.”
Things got a little brown, Kuhns said, but it was basically superficial. By Monday, everything was green again.
“We got really close on Thursday to having a major meltdown. Fortunately, the PGA let us jump in and syringe, and we were able to keep up with it and keep everything alive.”
RAIN AND RAIN AGAIN
Kuhns said the greens had nicely firmed up by Thursday, but then it rained that evening. He and his staff got through the rain event and mowing was completed on schedule the following morning. Once work was finished in the morning, the rain began again.
“The big thing was bringing back playability. When the rains did come, how fast could we get it back? That’s when my communications with Kerry Haigh became essential.”
The two met almost hourly to discuss the means to work through their setback. Rain was particularly damaging by the third round of the tournament on Saturday. Four groups had yet to tee off when play was suspended due to excessive rainfall. Armed with 125 squeegees, crews couldn’t keep up the amount of rain, and it began to look like the tournament might have to be extended to Monday to get it all in.
Kuhns, who was temporarily living on site in a camper trailer during the tournament, said Haigh called him at 3 a.m. on Sunday to discuss their course of action. It was decided the unfinished third round would be completed with a shotgun start in the morning and the same pairings would be maintained for the final round later that day.
The rain turned everything into a “royal mess,” Kuhns said, adding “tons” of straw was put down to keep a lid on muddy conditions. The club had about 5,000 pounds of seed on hand for its rough areas damaged by gallery traffic. The seed was put down before the rains began, enabling the spectators to tramp it into the mud.
“It was beautiful,” he said. “All the seeds were imbibed. When this thing was over, those things exploded with grass seed and came back faster than you can ever imagine.”
LIFT, CLEAN AND PLACE
Because of the wet course conditions, the fourth round was played with preferred lies, allowing golfers to lift, clean and place their balls on the fairways.
A window of opportunity was realized early Sunday morning to allow greens to be mowed, bunkers to be groomed and standing water on the fairways removed. The shotgun start to complete the unfinished third round began at 7 a.m. Kuhns said the improvised format led to some grumbling among the golfers, “but we had to do what we had to do.”
Areas around the infrastructure and those occupied by the galleries sustained significant damage.
“We’d been through this before and we knew what we had to do.”
In the aftermath of the tournament, some of the pathway areas required double aerification. Much of the affected areas were hydroseeded. Straw was placed atop the hydroseeded areas to keep moisture in.
“A lot of these places were out of the irrigation zones, so we
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had to conserve as much moisture in there while we were germinating that seed.”
Kuhns said it was amazing how quickly those areas came back.
The ninth fairway on the upper course had been badly trampled by spectators who used it as an entranceway onto the lower course, resulting in the need for resodding.
Extensive damage was realized in other areas of the upper course, including zones reserved for parking as well as a helicopter pad on the 11th fairway.
“That was our first priority — to get the fairways back in shape. It was a tremendous job trying to get things back in shape again.”
During the takedown of infrastructure, a lot of debris remained behind, including nails. Collecting the metallic waste was accomplished with a large magnet on wheels.
A lesson learned from the 2005 PGA Championship saved the Baltusrol staff time and grief during the dismantlement
of infrastructure. GPS was used to mark grounding rod locations to prevent impact by mowers that could have caused serious equipment damage.
After removing the temporary roadways, the areas were double and in some cases triple aerified to alleviate compaction and to bring up enough soil to ensure good seed contact.
A two-week window of opportunity existed after the infrastructure takedown that provided ideal amounts of moisture and good temperatures to ensure the best possible germination. The turf grew in tremendously fast, Kuhns said.
By Oct. 15, the full upper course was open and ready for play. A composite course had opened two weeks following the PGA Championship with 15 of the upper holes playable. Three holes were contested a second time to allow members to play a full 18-hole round. The lower championship course reopened for member play four days after the PGA Championship ended. -
FREEZE/THAW CYCLES POSE CHALLENGE TO ATLANTIC GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS
Winter seasons in Atlantic Canada used to be predictable. Snow would arrive in the latter half of December and would remain until March when it would melt with rising spring temperatures.
That hasn’t been the case in recent years.
Changing cycles of snow, rain, freezing rain and fluctuating temperatures have posed a challenge to golf course superintendents who traditionally start to prepare their courses for spring during the late stages of winter.
Paul MacCormack, superintendent at Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, P.E.I., told CBC News that the unpredictable winter conditions have forced him to pay closer attention to what is happening under the snow cover. He said he must be especially mindful of ice that can form during periods of thaw and refreezing. Crown damage can occur and possible death to the plant.
Blowing snow from greens is often a guessing game.
He said in past years, the tendency was to not worry about the winter weather because
Paul MacCormack, superintendent, Fox Meadow Golf Course
it was so consistent.
In spite of the closer attention MacCormack finds he’s paying to his course, he said he is optimistic conditions will return to normal once the course is ready for play in May.
Drought in 2016 plagued several sod producers in Ontario, leading to poor growth of immature plants seeded the previous fall. The situation led to the need to cut into inventories.
DROUGHT-RIDDLED 2016 WILL LIKELY MEAN SOD SHORTAGE THIS YEAR
Increased inputs likely to increase the price of sod as well
By Mike Jiggens
Kentucky bluegrass sod grown for commercial purposes is expected to be in short supply this year in some Ontario markets, including the Greater Toronto Area, the president of the Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario says.
Greg Skotnicki of Manderley Turf Products said last year’s extreme drought is
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largely to blame for the expected shortage.
“Their (sod producers) new seeding didn’t do very well, and they cut into a lot of inventory,” he said. “The suspicion is there will be a shortage of sod. It’s hard to tell how much because we don’t report numbers. I think there will definitely be a shortage, and I suspect there will be price increases associated with it.”
The shortage is expected to affect mainly the commercial landscaping and municipal markets.
Last summer’s drought meant irrigation had to be stepped up in many regions of Ontario to grow in the still immature crop seeded in the fall of 2015 and to keep inventories healthy. The expense associated with the increased demand for water at a time when it was already in short supply is apt to be passed on to the customer this year.
Of the approximately 55 sod-growing operations in Ontario, 20 to 25 of them are likely to realize shortages, Skotnicki said, noting their operations are in areas affected most by drought.
Tom Brayford, owner of Brayford Sod in Alliston and a director with the NSGAO, said there is a high concentration of sod producers in his geographic area near Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto.
“All of us in this area are feeling the
crunch of a shortage, and it’s mostly because of dry, dry conditions which affected seedings from last year,” he said. “Seedings that we expected to be harvesting next year are not mature enough, and some is an outand-out loss.”
Unless upcoming seedings can be pushed, things will be tight, Brayford said.
Most producers seed in August or September and can normally expect to harvest sufficiently mature turfgrass by the spring of the following year at the earliest. Several factors – notably the weather – can disrupt the timetable spanning seeding to harvest.
Several producers were forced to re-seed last fall and put down greater amounts to compensate for the loss experienced in 2016.
Brayford said the Alliston area is blessed with good groundwater resources for irrigation purposes, but sod producers in other areas of the province aren’t as fortunate.
“We have the capability of irrigating to a point,” he said, adding that in particularly dry years producers must abide by watertaking restrictions imposed by government ministries and local conservation authorities.
“You can’t water like a drunken sailor,” Brayford said. “Without irrigation or moisture, it’s very difficult to just simply harvest the grass.”
AGGRESSIVE FERTILITY AND IRRIGATION
He said producers are trying to weather last year’s “storm,” anticipating that they might be able to “push” this year’s crop. Producers are banking on their seeding from the fall of 2016 through aggressive fertility and irrigation, and hope Mother Nature will do her part to help.
“With the right amount of input, you can push that grass and potentially get onto that crop in less time,” Brayford said. “But if we have a repeat performance of last year – which is out of our control – and you have two years of disastrous germinations proceedings, now we’re in big trouble because nobody has three or four years of inventory.
“You can try to weather and stomach one bad year. A second one is catastrophic.”
Brayford said he couldn’t remember the last time the industry experienced back-to-back years of bad growing conditions.
“We’ve always been able to make do and get through that second year and kind of make up for the first one,” he said. “This is going to be a pivotal spring. If it’s a disaster, it’s really going to be a crunch we haven’t seen before. We’re all crossing our fingers that we get a proper germination and rebound.”
Skotnicki suggested customers should be apprised of an expected sod shortage so that they can plan accordingly.
“If they’re bidding on jobs, I think they definitely need to contact their sod supplier to arrange pricing, and I wouldn’t go on the assumption of what you paid last year is what you’ll pay this year,” he said.
Customers who commit to volumes should be first in line to get sod, Skotnicki said.
“If you’re not prepared to commit, then you’re taking your chances.”
Between 75 and 80 per cent of sod customers who will feel the pinch are landscape contractors while municipal sports
turf managers represent the remainder.
Skotnicki said there is little sod producers can do to prevent or protect against drought. Sod will require more frequent irrigation that will bump up its price.
“There’s not much you can do in the short term to solve the problem. Hopefully you’ll catch up the next year or the year after.”
He said of a five-year period growing sod, one year tends to be outstanding, three are standard years, and one is usually substandard. The coming season is expected to be less than standard, he added.
It generally takes 18 to 24 months to grow a crop ready for harvest. When there is a shortage of water as well as the need to irrigate, the cost of sod will increase significantly because more money will have to be sunk into irrigation.
“There’s nothing that helps sod more than Mother Nature,” Skotnicki said, noting that ample snow cover during the winter months will lead to a healthy water table.
He said Manderley wasn’t hit as hard by drought last summer as some operations were elsewhere in Ontario. Located in eastern Ontario, Manderley’s inventory is in good shape, he said. -
Workers must be taught resilience to bring about change
Persevering in the face of adversity is critical to getting ahead
By Ernie Philip
Corporate leaders need to teach wor kers resilience to navigate change.
My first job in sales at a small Canadian printing company more than 20 years ago was far from easy or glamorous. I sold printers out of a van and had to meet a daily quota of at least 30 cold calls. This entailed lugging a printer from my van into prospective customers’ offices to provide demonstrations and free trials.
I was tempted to hand back the keys to my van and pack it in many times, but I stuck it out for a year – a lifetime in that role. Along the way I discovered I had a trait that has served me well throughout my career and positioned me to be an effective corporate leader: resilience.
Persevering in the face of adversity is critical to getting ahead. It has the power to take us farther than IQ, education or experience alone. It’s applicable across all roles and all lines of business in every industry around the world. And yet, we don’t spend nearly enough time developing resilience in our workforce.
While some people seem to be born with thicker skins, for most of us resilience is a skill that we need to learn and practise.
American psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman has spent the last 30 years studying resiliency to understand why some people rebound after a setback and why others fall into a state of learned helplessness. He and his team at the University of Pennsylvania created the Penn Resiliency Program. They train businesses in resiliency and reduce the number of those who struggle in adversity and increase the number of those who grow.
Corporate leaders must first help employees build mental toughness. This requires recognizing their emotional response to failure is based solely on their own beliefs about what it means to fail. If they believe failure means not getting something right on the first try, they’ll stop trying. Being mentally tough
means you know this moment is temporary and you have the emotional sophistication to shake off negative thoughts and try again.
Next employees need to learn to recognize their unique strengths and how they make a positive contribution to the project or the organization. This helps give employees the confidence to innovate and push forward, even after temporary setbacks.
The last step is about changing the way we communicate and respond to our colleagues. Responding in an active and constructive way versus a passive or dismissive way will help them become more resilient. Think about the manager that merely says, “Good work,” in a performance review versus the one that praises specific achievements, their value and a worker’s personal growth. Employees of the second type of manager will rebound much quicker from a set back because they have an active and engaged relationship and can see their value.
Studies have shown that resilient people are happier and have higher life-satisfaction. In the workplace, resilient people experience less stress and are able to grow in their careers from what they have learned from their challenges or setbacks. They take less time off, are more productive and can adapt more quickly to change.
The rapidly expanding global market is transforming the way we work and confronting organizations with an unprecedented pace of change.
Change can be a force of good, pushing individuals to learn and develop and driving organizations to evolve and grow. It can also become overwhelming for employees and businesses, if they are ill prepared.
As leaders we need to focus on equipping our employees with the resilience and the mental agility to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing world.
We all want to be happy, productive, successful, and deliver incredible value to our customers and the people we work with. Our success is not guaranteed and our failures don’t need to define our careers. It’s our optimism and resilience that will help us positively respond to challenging situations and will give us the opportunity to dream big and push forward.
As leaders, we can help create resilient employees who can steer through change, pressure, uncertainty and ambiguity and have the coping strategies to manage stress, overcome setbacks and continue to innovate. -
Ernie Philip is senior vicepresident of document outsourcing services at Xerox Canada, a leading document management technology company, delivering managed print, digitization and transaction processing services that help clients achieve greater efficiency and productivity to realize better business results.
EUROPEAN AGENCY ALLAYS CANCER FEARS OF CRUMB
RUBBER
Fears that tie synthetic turf crumb rubber infill with cancer have been allayed by the European Chemicals Agency, according to a March 3 report by the Irish Times.
The agency has found that based on recent studies, there is no notable cause for concern among athletes or those who install the artificial playing surfaces.
It is the conclusion of the European Chemicals Agency that recycled tire rubber poses a low level of risk.
The question as to whether a link existed between the rubber infill and cancer began to be asked when the coach of the University of Washington’s women’s soccer team was visiting a hospitalized goalkeeper. There, she learned four other soccer goalkeepers had been treated with chemotherapy at the hospital the previous week. The coach began to compile a list of 38 players who had been diagnosed with cancer, including 34 goalkeepers. Since December, the list had grown to 186 players, including 116 goalkeepers.
Research was conducted in both Europe and the United States to determine whether potentially toxic substances could enter the body either through skin contact, ingestion or inhalation.
“The concern for lifetime cancer risk is very low given the concentrations of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) typically measured in European sports grounds,” the European Chemicals Agency stated, adding that in the studies it evaluated, concentrations of PAHs in recycled rubber granules were significantly below legislatively-set limits for toys.
The agency, however, has asked that only rubber granules with low concentrations of hazardous materials be used in synthetic turf manufacturing.
The agency has also recommended that athletes playing on synthetic fields wash their hands after use, clean cuts and scrapes, and remove their shoes and equipment outside to prevent it from being tracked inside. Equipment and uniforms should then be cleaned. -
Earth and Turf Topdressers
• Pull type or self propelled walk behind models
• Capacities from 4 cu. ft. to 26 cu. ft.
• Spreads wet or dry material
Gandy Drop Spreaders for Granular Application
• Sizes from 24” up to 144”
• Walk-behind, pull-type or tractor-mounted
Millcreek Large Area Topdresser
• Capacities from 1 cu. yd. up to 5 cu. yds. • Sabre tooth beater for even wet material spreading
• High flotation turf tires
• Tractor PTO or hydraulic drive
Lynex LX1000 Extreme Slope Radio Controlled Mower
• Handles slopes up to 75 degrees
• 40” flail head
800m range
22 hp gas engine
• Tracks with rubber spikes won’t damage asphalt
• Replaces up to 10 men with string trimmers
Gandy Sweepmaster
• Quickly brushes topdressing into established turf
• Incorporates crumb rubber into synthetic turf
• 72” wide deck
• Patented angled double-diamond brushes
• Choice of hitches: basic tow, manual lever lift, electric or hydraulic
Hydraulic suspension
3pt. hitch front and rear
Confidence compounds: the impact of boldly seizing opportunities
Confidence is a skill that requires practice
By Jill Johnson
One of the most significant leadership skills you need to develop is your confidence. It is an essential core leadership competency. Confidence allows you to have impact far beyond your title or level within your organization.
Building your confidence requires a disciplined focus on seeking and accepting bold opportunities to help you reach for higher rungs of influence and impact. You don’t need to make huge leaps or take big risks, but each small effort or success will build your confidence over time. As your confidence compounds, you will find you can do vastly more than you ever dreamed
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was possible. There are three keys to build your confidence: practice, preparation and your presentation.
CONFIDENCE IS A SKILL YOU NEED TO PRACTICE
Just as with any new skill, you have to practise it over and over for it to become something you can do with ease. The key is to identify what skill you need to master next. Opportunities to practise new skills are all around you. You should plan to practise your new skills both inside and outside of work.
Find assignments you can take that will get you in front of more people and aug ment your experience. If someone you respect asks you to do an assignment or join a committee, say “yes” to it. Tell people what you want to work on next. Practice saying things before you ever need to – or feel ready to – say them in front of oth ers. Put yourself forward for consideration whether it is a board appointment or your next job or to receive an award.
Getting the opportunity is one thing; what do you do with it when you get it is even more important. It is the consistency of your efforts on practising new skills that builds your confidence. This consistency is necessary before you can ever rely on it. You want this new skill to become so natural that you don’t even have to think about it. It just becomes a part of you. When you consistently deliver your best, you will feel like you can handle anything that comes at you.
your material cold and be able to respond effectively to questions and challenges. Take calculated risks and do things you don’t expect will give you a big win. What do you have to lose? Just keep trying as each attempt is building your skill and preparing you for the next opportunity. Leverage everything you have in your arsenal to build your confidence and give you a boost to try something bold. Bring all of your skills with you as you move through life.
When you have the chance to make your
dream come true, grab it with both hands. Don’t let the golden handcuffs of thinking you should stay where you are hold you back from fully embracing your success. Don’t let your fears psych you out before you even see what you are truly capable of. Tell yourself, “Yes, I can! I will. I am. I’m gonna!”
But remember, not everything you try will work… but that does not mean you should stop your efforts. Build your confidence and your future by laying down a solid foundation of preparation.
Don’t expect to be confident in the beginning. Remember that all skills build in small cascades. Often we think we are at a plateau because we are not making larger moves. At that point, you are likely growing in a spiral that is just too subtle for you to see just how far you have really come. You are deepening your abilities with your practice. Others will see your growing confidence, too.
PREPARATION IS NECESSARY
M ost people want to take shortcuts. The more detailed and thorough your preparation, the greater the likelihood you will have success. Preparation is especially essential to having confidence in yourself, especially when you are dealing with power players. Don’t wing it when you have a big meeting. Take the time to thoughtfully prepare well ahead of time. That will let you practise and adjust. When you do that, you will know
PRESENTATION: LET PEOPLE SEE YOU
To ever be noticed, you need to step out in front and allow people to see you. You need to identify, enhance and believe in your own leadership abilities. If you don’t, why should anyone else? Don’t assume that people will recognize and reward your talents.
Your posture and facial expressions play an important role in becoming more confident. You need to look, act and speak with confidence and clarity. People who project confident body language are listened to more carefully. Standing tall or sitting up straight when you speak helps convey an air of confidence, too.
Make sure you control your emotions rather than let your emotions control you. Giving an over-the-top or hysterical comment is going to minimize the confidence people have in you. Be measured and mindful of how you are appearing to others.
The gap between our dreams and believing we can achieve them is confidence. We all get stuck at various times in our lives. We all have self-doubts. Self-doubt is poison to confidence.
Your confidence will fluctuate. Sometimes you will feel like you can conquer anything and other times you will feel like you should have just stayed in bed. When this happens, there is something going on deep within you. That is the time to step back and reflect, to reach out to confide in a trusted confidant, or just allow yourself to embrace the stillness of a momentary plateau.
FINAL THOUGHT
Confidence is something you work on your whole life. So continue to try new things. Stay resilient, even when you think you cannot. Remember the compounded impact of taking small bold actions that don’t take a lot
of time can morph into amazing opportunities with the potential to transform your future. Don’t waste any more time. Take control of your destiny. Think big and be bold! -
Jill Johnson is the president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, a highly accomplished speaker, and an awardwinning management consultant. She helps her clients make critical business decisions and develop market-based strategic plans for turnarounds or growth. Her consulting work has impacted nearly $4 billion worth of decisions. She has a proven track record of dealing with complex business issues and getting results. For more information on Jill Johnson, visit www.jcs-usa.com.
Make Your Competitors Green with Envy.
Congress crowd largest
The largest attendance in the history of Landscape Ontario Congress was realized in January with more than 13,650 industry professionals present during the three-day conference.
Congress is Canada’s premier green industry trade show and conference, featuring more than 600 exhibitors. The 44th annual event took place Jan. 10-12 at the Toronto Congress Centre.
“To achieve modern gardens, landscapes, nightscapes, outdoor living space or to source the latest trends in hobby gardening, our members and visitors need to have a one-stop buying venue,” said Heather MacRae, director of events and trade shows. “Congress’ popularity with our contractors makes us proud. Welcoming back retail suppliers and independent garden centre owners, our partners from Garden Expo, added excitement to the show after a 16-year hiatus.”
Congress ’17 also featured the annual Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence ceremony, the popular Tailgate Party as well as a strong lineup of industry-leading speakers and conferences. Hardscape Live returned for a second year, providing live ICPI hardscape installation demonstrations, and the members of the Ontario Provincial Police took audience members through vehicle safety and inspection information on the show floor.
The next edition of Congress takes place Jan. 9- 11, 2018.
For more information visit www.locongress.com. -
Pesticide bylaw in Summerside too costly, operator says
A Summerside, P.E.I. lawn care operator says a proposed pesticide bylaw for the city will be too costly and wishes to see it phased in while suggesting its IPM component be delayed.
According to CBC news, landscape pesticide applicator Dan Murphy is asking the city to allow businesses to used “allowed” lawn care chemicals without having to abide by IPM regulations, adding IPM should only be followed when using insecticides.
In addition to wanting any bylaw phased in, he wishes to see the IPM component delayed until 2018.
IPM certification costs about $500 annually.
The final draft of the proposed bylaw was to go before city council in late February. Its passing was anticipated in early March.
Snow contractor quits plowing on storm’s eve
About 1,600 customers have been left out in the cold after a private snow removal contractor in Gatineau, Que. ceased its operations during the weekend of Feb. 11-12.
Citing financial hardships, RM Deneigement’s ill-timed shutdown coincided with a major storm that hit Eeastern Canada.
The business owner’s wife told CBC
News that money problems were behind the decision to shut down. She said the cost of labour and fuel factored in the decision and that it was never pre-planned.
The storm that hit Quebec and Eeastern Canada prior to Valentine’s Day left about 30 centimetres of snow in the Gatineau region.
Customers snowed under by fraudulence
An Ottawa-area snow removal contractor has been charged with fraud after securing more than 10 snow removal contracts with local residents and then failing to carry out the work.
Boxer Snow Removal used an alias, fake telephone numbers and expired emails to obtain its contracts, police say.
The company’s owner has been charged with fraud under $5,000 as well as possessing and laundering the proceeds of crime. He is facing similar charges for a company he operated in 2016 called Capital City Lawn and Snow Removal.
The Better Business Bureau had been alerted last December about Boxer. The company didn’t have a licence to plow snow. The bureau added the company’s listed address didn’t exist and said customers had prepaid for snow removal but didn’t receive the service.
Ottawa-area customers failed to receive snow removal services by a company charged with fraud.
Former golf superintendent joins Synthetic Turf Int’l team
A past president of both the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association has joined Synthetic Turf International of Canada as its national sales manager.
Robert Burrows will be responsible for contributing to STI Canada’s business strategy and development.
“We are excited to welcome Robert to Synthetic Turf International of Canada as we expand our services,” general manager Scott Smockum said. “His specialty in prestigious golf construction and management combined with disciplinary budgeting complements our current team as we continue to evolve in this ever-growing market.”
Burrows has acquired more than 20 years of experience in the golf industry as a superintendent at Fairmont Banff Springs, Rosedale, Hillsdale and Credit Valley. His turf management education has comes from the University of Guelph, the University of Massachusetts and York University. Additionally, he has an honours certificate in advanced business principles from the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business.
In his new capacity with Synthetic Turf International of Canada, he is expected to relate with current superintendents, architects, city planners and developers in addressing their needs for synthetic turf.
Visit www.synthetic-turf.ca for more information about Synthetic Turf International of Canada,
Products
John Deere co-launches OnLink
John Deere Golf and software company OnGolf have joined forces to provide golf courses with a cloud-based golf course management system that collects data and manages equipment, labour, water, chemicals, nutrients and playing conditions.
The OnLink platform also offers precise and accurate weather forecasting information. The cloud-based, automated-reporting software focuses on providing critical course conditions, economic reports and other insights to golf superintendents and operators, allowing them to make the best possible economic and agronomic decisions.
“John Deere Golf is excited to join forces with OnGolf to provide this comprehensive course management solution to our customers,” said Dave Plaster, sales manager, John Deere Golf. “With OnLink, course operators will be able to create and easily maintain best practices for course management and equipment maintenance.”
In less than two years, OnGolf users have recognized more than $1 million in savings. In addition to current course management programs, OnLink will provide a fleet management solution. Set to launch this summer, the fleet management program will track equipment maintenance, usage with labour operator qualifications and scheduling, cost of ownership, parts look-up and ordering for all brands of equipment.
“John Deere’s equipment and fleet management expertise, coupled with OnGolf’s success with performance optimization software, creates an innovative management solution for our customers and the industry,” said Walt Norley, founder and CEO, OnGolf. “These cloud-based features are proven to simplify course maintenance, saving managers time and money while improving playing conditions.” Subscriptions for OnLink will be available soon through John Deere Golf dealers and OnGolf.
Renovation Made Easy With
New Products
New features added to greens roller
The To ro Company has improved upon its GreensPro™ greens roller with a new model that features split stainless steel smoothing rollers. The GreensPro 1260’s smoothing rollers reduce the risk of scuffing during turns and overlapping heads that deliver a consistent playing surface with each pass.
The GreensPro 1260 also features a quick-latch coupler with a 60-degree pivot handle that makes the transition from roll to transport easier. The 1260 model is a step up from the older 1240 model.
Simplifying routine maintenance efforts was a primary driver in the development of the new GreensPro 1260. In addition to reducing the number of grease points from four on the GreensPro 1240 to one on the 1260, the new model provides easy access to all vital components of the machine. The drain for the hydraulic oil, for example, is now located on the bottom of the machine
to simplify fluid changes. Additionally, the drive system on the new model features a hydraulic drive motor that powers the traction roller. This significantly reduces maintenance associated with traditional chain and sprocket drive systems. All of these factors contribute to simplified maintenance
efforts to help increase overall course productivity.
Additionally, the GreensPro 1260 offers several ergonomic benefits to the operator, including a new bi-directional seat adjustment lever to easily adjust the operating position, standard arm rests for increased comfort, and a rubber isolation mount to help minimize vibrations to the operator.
“The new GreensPro 1260 takes all the best parts of previous GreensPro models and incorporates a number of features to increase productivity and comfort, and simplify routine maintenance efforts,” said Jamieson Bergen, senior product marketing manager at Toro. “All the new features really add up to make this new greens roller a leader in its equipment class.”
The Toro GreensPro 1260 begins shipping this summer.
Visit www.toro.com for more informatiom
New Products
Power tools automatically change voltage by tool
DeWalt has expanded its Flexvolt system with outdoor power equipment featuring batteries that automatically change voltage when the operator changes tools.
The power equipment lineup includes the new 60V Max chain saw, handheld blower and string trimmer that each feature the new Flexbolt 60V Max, 3.0Ah battery (9.0Ah when used in 20V Max tools).
For commercial construction professionals, the Flexvolt system is backwards compatible with most of the existing DeWalt 20V Max system that now includes more than 100 products. The Flexvolt batteries operate both 60V Max outdoor power equipment and 20V Max power tools. The 60V Max chain saw (DCCS670X1) is equipped with a powerful brushless motor to deliver gas performance. The low kickback 16-inch Oregon bar and chain has auto-oiling for continuous lubrication and a tool-free tensioning system for quick bar and chain adjustments. The chain
saw delivers smooth cuts, long chain life and does not have the engine maintenance required for gasoline-powered chain saws. With no more cold starts and carburetor issues, the chain saw starts easily with the pull of a trigger. The 60V Max handheld blower (DCBL770X1) is also equipped with a brushless motor that generates gas performance to clear job site debris at up to 423 CFM and 129 mph. The blower also includes a flat concentrator nozzle to increase air speed to 175 mph for heavy-duty debris. A variable-speed trigger and lock allow for full throttle control without having to constantly hold down the trigger.
The 60V Max string trimmer (DCST970X1) features a 15-inch cut swath accepting DeWalt 0.080-inch or 0.095-inch lines and a gear-drive transmission to provide amplified torque that maintains cut speed under load.
equipment allows commercial construction users to leave the gas tank behind and expand their DeWalt power tool and battery systems. Each of the models will be available this spring.
All DeWalt outdoor power tools come standard with a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service contract and a 90-day, money-back guarantee.
For more information visit www.dewalt. com.
Global urban parks in 2030 likely to be maintained by robotics
More than 500 landscaping architecture students from 15 countries, including Canada, recently took part in a global survey to determine what urban parks and green spaces will look like in 2030.
Conducted by outdoor power products manufacturer Husqvarna, the survey’s result point to the growth of green spaces in urban areas in size and importance, maintained with the support of sensors, robotics, drones and citizens.
To explore its findings, the company is setting up a robotic pilot to calculate sustainability and productivity gains, and help to collect data for sustainability research.
The 533 landscaping architecture students representing 60 universities were asked, “Given urbanization, sustainability and the rapid development of technology, what will the future urban park look like in 2030?”
“The need for green spaces is growing, and it is inspiring to think about how green spaces in cities can come to be maintained in 2030,” said Pavel Hajman, president of Husqvarna Division.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT
• Students agree that the No. 1 purpose of the park is to have a positive environmental impact on the cities they inhabit, reduce air and water pollution, mitigate urban heat waves, lower noise levels, and generate positive outputs. (92 per cent of the surveyed students said the key purpose of parks in 2030 will be to have a positive environmental impact on the surrounding cities, acting as their lungs; 86 per cent said parks will encourage sustainable living; 61 per cent said future parks will produce sustainable energy)
• There is a global consensus among the students that green spaces in urban areas will increase in total size and become more accessible, versatile and multifunctional, redefining the park concept. (71 per cent believe parks will take up more urban space than today with the biggest increase coming from new smaller parks and pop-up parks situated on rooftops, vertical green spaces and abandoned sites; 64 per cent prefer a diverse nature
over a more uniform design with more wildness and less lawn.)
• Technology will play an increasing role in enabling sustainable urban parks, improving the environment and connecting people with nature. (98 per cent of students are positive to use new technology in parks; 63 per cent would like to include sensors to track the park health; 47 per cent says robots and drones will be an important part of park maintenance.)
• The new role and use of parks suggests that park maintenance will require more specialists to care for the increasingly diverse nature, yet park upkeep is expected to become a task shared among professionals, citizens and robots. (77 per cent of students want parks to be open 24 hours a day; 53 per cent wish for park maintenance to be done any time of the day to cater for increased use and access; 64 per cent believe volunteers from the community will support park maintenance together with professionals and automated solutions.)
URBAN ROBOTIC MOWER PILOT AND DATA COLLECTION
As suggested by the report, automation will play a larger role in the future of taking care of parks. For this reason, starting this year, Husqvarna and the City of Stockholm are conducting a pilot that will look into how robotic mowers can improve sustainability and productivity in urban green spaces. The robotic mowers will be equipped with sensors to collect data on air quality, light, sound and rainwater. The data will be collected by the non-profit organization Quantified Planet to support research for sustainability.
David Schmelefske• KentMcDonald • Trevor Hunter • Victor Freiberg • Ken Graham www oscseeds.com•E-mail:seeds@oscseeds.com www.oscturf.com www.oscturf.com•email:seeds@oscseeds.com
fax (705) 878-1978 cell (705) 917-0266 paul@grahamturf com www.grahamturf com
…..some Olympic thoughts DUFFER
By Ian Robinson
Wr iting this column is tougher is tougher than being locked in a small room because I have children, and children are the very soul of complexity. The computer upon which I write this is located in the basement recreation room. The reason it’s there, instead of someplace private where – and this is just a stray thought–a fellow could concentrate is because the children need it to play computer games involving demons and multi-barreled rocket launchers and enemies whose heads explode in three dimensions.
Doom and Wolfenstein and stuff like that, plus something from Disney where nobody blows up. My three-year-old son still kind of likes that one. That is after he’s finished the last level of Wolfenstein —the one where he uses the super weapons you find in the secret rooms to kill Hitler. After a tough day of toppling the Third Reich, the little fellow needs to kick back with a half hour of learning the difference among small, medium and large with Daisy Duck.
I can distinguish small from medium and large, but I’ve been to the last level of Wolfenstein only once, and then the giant Hitler robot killed me deader than Jean Chretien’s sense of English syntax.
So, as I sit here writing, I’ve got a 12-year-old daughter dancing around the room to some CD that features an ongoing criminal conspiracy with tattoos singing sinister lyrics, with a rhyme scheme devised by Dr. Seuss’ evil twin to the accompaniment of something that sounds like dueling chain saws cutting through metal pipe while my three-year-old son stands next to me, saying, “Dad, whatcha doin’? You writing? Why don’t you write about kangaroos? Kangaroos have pouches which are full of slime. The baby kangaroo lives in the pouch. A baby kangaroo is called a joey. Can I play the game with the bad man with the mustache that I kill?”
Anyway… onwards. I just convinced my daughter to turn off the CD, gave the other kid a gigantic bowl of ice cream to distract him so that I could turn on the Olympics. Nobody I recognize is running or swimming or jumping, but that’s the point, isn’t it? It’s nice to see people competing on TV who aren’t making six gagillion dollars a year. There is, we’re told, purity to amateur sport.
The Olympics are, after all, the collection of events that sees officials take a scraping from inside each and every athlete’s mouth for chromosome testing. Chromosomes are those little thingies inside our cells that confirm whether we are male or female. This is to ensure that nobody has, like the former Soviet states were rumoured to do, take an inferior male athlete and alter him like an ill-fitting suit –take a nip here, a tuck there, stitch up where appropriate – and create a better-than-average female athlete. It is the sporting event in which the people who make those plastic pee cups do land office business because the competitors are shooting up more than Robert Downey Jr. and Scott Weiland combined.
I did, however, like the guy who learned to swim last January and who competed in the 100-metre freestyle. It wasn’t swimming, but drowning slowly in a straight line. The officials were about to jump into the pool to rescue him when the roar of the crowd became so deafening it inspired the guy to reach the end of the pool. It was real amateur
sport at work.
Don’t even get me started on Eric Lamaze and his you-mademe-smoke-cocaine-so-it’s-not-my-fault defence. And since when is horsey riding a sport, anyway? As far as I’m concerned, they ought to give the medal to the horse. The horse breaks a sweat. The rider just plays dress-up and gets to model tight pants on television. As long as the horse is drug-free, what’s the problem?
Polo… now that’s a real sport involving horses. People can get killed playing polo, and there’s a ball and a stick and goal posts and everything. The only thing that could improve polo would be if they put the horses on skates or if they went all the way back to the game’s roots.
You see, polo was invented by the Mongols, back when Ghengis Khan was in charge and, instead of a ball, they used to take the decapitated head of an enemy and ride around whacking it with sticks. Originally, they didn’t even have goal posts or anything. It was just considered amusing to whack some dead guy’s head around with a stick. Then they got bored with that and turned it into a game. And when the head wouldn’t roll anymore, well… Given their tastes in sport, it was pretty much guaranteed the Mongols would have a fresh supply of enemies with good heads on their shoulders. There were no sporting goods stores back then, just a bunch of guys walking around with no idea what was going to happen to them. I’d like to see that in the Olympics.
Come to think of it, maybe polo would be a way for us to let disgraced, drug-positive athletes take part in the Olympics in good conscience. After all, the country has gone to a fair amount of trouble and expense to groom them to the point where they can represent Canada on the world stage. So polo might be the answer. Let the disgraced athlete take to the polo field—not as one of the players, but one of the balls. -
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