Landscape Saskatchewan April 2013 Newsletter

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

LANDSCAPE NEWS SASKATCHEWAN

APRIL 2013 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1

SASKATCHEWAN MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF LANDSCAPE EXCELLENCE

Glen Thrasher owner of G & S Landscape & IN THIS ISSUE Excavation, Saskatoon accepts the SNLA 2012 Residential Landscape Construction Over $50,000 Message from award from Aaron Krahn, president of SNLA. New President!

G & S Landscape & Excavation’s submission was for the River Heights Project. Landscape Saskatchewan 2013 Conference, encourages members to take pictures of the work Awards & AGM they do throughout their busy season for submission into the provincial competition. Winners at the provincial level then compete at the 2013 Softball National Awards of Landscape Excellence.

Tournament, July 20 At the end of January, CNLA hosted its 10th annual National Awards of Landscape Green for Life Excellence gala in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Co-hosted by Landscape Ontario’s Community Award Denis Flanagan and new CNLA President, Christene LeVatte, it was an evening National Plastics to remember! Nine awards were presented to companies and individuals across Recycling Event the country, showcasing Canada’s best. Energy was high as industry professionals gathered together to display their work and celebrate those who make up this Garden Centre fantastic industry. Also in attendance were government representatives, the CNLA Inspection Program board and staff, provincial association staff, and the national certification committee, just to name a few! It was an excellent opportunity to meet CNLA members from across the country and view their exceptional work. Even though judges can only give one award per category, all entrants deserve recognition on their fantastic projects.

The landscape awards recognize those companies that have actively participated in Welcome to the future raising the level of professionalism in the industry. It is never an easy decision for the of the landscape judges and this year was no different, as all entrants displayed a high level of effort and and nursery industry expertise. Thank- you to all entrants, as well as the award sponsors: RBC, Chrysler, DynaSCAPE, Caterpillar and John Deere. www.landscapesaskatchewan.com

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Happy spring everyone!

Well it seems that someone needs to wake up Mother Nature and tell her it is spring! The snowfall has kept many of our members very busy this winter and now this spring too. I hope you’re all working with good sound contracts.

We had our annual general meeting in Saskatoon last month , thank you for the great networking with everyone that could make it and we were sorry to have missed those of you who had to work. Usually, March is a nice slow month where we can all regroup from winter and gear up for spring and participate in events like the two day conference held during the AGM. Not this year! The snow just keeps on coming!

Thank you to all the speakers that made time to come out and share their knowledge and time with us Paul Doornbos - “The Importance of Personal Development” & “Landscape Marketing and Sales Management”; Nigel Bowels - “How to Write a Snow Clearing Contract; Tyler Whist - “What’s Eating Your Ash? SNLA has a new board and as the new President I want to open my door if anyone wants to contact me regarding SNLA I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope you all have a great spring season!

Board of Directors: LESLIE CORNELL President LLOYD TRASK Vice President ROBIN ADAIR Director LUKE vanDUYVENDYK Director JEREMY HERMAN Director AARON KRAHN, CLT CNLA Representative

Administrative Support: NIGEL BOWLES Executive Director

MARNIE MAIN Member Services, Director ERYNN WATSON Member Services, Assistant VALERIE STOBBE Office Services Trade Show Co-ordinator

Sincerely,

KYLA McKechnie Administrative Assistant CHERYL TEO Bookkeeper

Leslie Cornell Landscape Saskatchewan President

CHRISTINE FINN Provincial Relations Support, CNLA/SNLA

Contact Us:

IMPORTANT DATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS

For more information about submitting an article or advertising in this publication please e-mail or phone: CHRISTINE FINN christine@cnla-acpp.ca Phone: 1-888-446-3499 Ext 8655 Fax 1-866-833-8603

National Plastic Recycling Event June 21 - July 1, 2013

Landscape Saskatchewan Annual Softball Tournment July 20, 2013 Forest Park, Field 1& 2

c/o Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association 200, 10331 - 178 Street Edmonton Alberta T5S 1R5 Tel: 780-489-1991 Toll Free: 1-800-378-3198 Fax: 780-444-2152 www.SNLA.ca

National Tree Day

September 25, 2013

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ASSOCIATION NEWS 2013 LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, AWARDS & AGM

On March 14th & 15th Landscape Saskatchewan held it’s Annual Conference, Awards & AGM in Saskatoon at the Heritage Inn. Once again the conference was a success and it was a great opportunity for members to get together and compare notes about the industry and business.

This year members had the opportunity to hear Tyler Wist a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta, and a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a MSc and a BSc High Honors. Tyler spoke on how horticultural ash are widely planted across the Western Canadian Prairies and are food for a wide variety of insects that damage the trees. Tyler has tangled with and learned about several ash attackers and he shared his wealth of knowledge to help members identify what’s eating your ash.

Nigel Bowles of Landscape Alberta spoke on “Staying out of Court – How to Write a Snow Clearing Contract”. Prior to becoming Executive Director of Landscape Alberta, Nigel was a successful landscape and snow removal contractor in Edmonton. He authored and reviewed many landscape industry contracts and has seen first hand the consequences of poorly written or non-existent snow removal contracts. Nigel provided great advice to our members.

Paul Doornbos of Thornbusch Landscaping Inc. did two presentations for those in attendance.

Paul is a graduate of Kemptville College of Agriculture Technology. Thornbusch Landscaping was born out of 30 years of varying degrees of involvement in the horticulture industry. Paul’s involvement LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN APRIL 2013

started as a child in a family greenhouse nursery business in Niagara and has grown into a sincere desire and passion to be a part of the advancement of horticulture in general. Paul is both a Landscape Industry Certified Manager and Technician. Paul has received the Award of Excellence for his work. On Thursday, Paul spoke about “Beginning Your Own Business, The Importance of Personal Development as a First Step”. Then on Friday, Paul did a full day presentation “How to Get The Right Job at The Right Price”, based on the CLP module Marketing and Sales Management, which involves using effective communication in the marketing process. It looked at how market research, pricing strategies, advertising, competitive bidding, contract negotiation, and customer service can improve business.

On Thursday afternoon Landscape Saskatchewan held its Annual General Meeting, with the election of the Board of Directors for 2013.

Landscape Saskatchewan would like to thank this year’s sponsors, Lakeshore Tree Farms and HortProtect.

THIRD ANNUAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, JULY 20, 2013, SASKATOON. SAVE THE DATE! On Saturday, July 20, 2013 Landscape Saskatchewan will host their 3rd Annual Softball Tournament. This year’s event will take place at Forest Park, Field 1 & 2, 215 Nelson Road, Saskatoon. Landscape Saskatchewan will host a BBQ social after the championship game, which is still in the planning stages. Registration forms coming soon. If you would like to pre-register your team or if your company would like to sponsor this year’s softball tournament and help offset the cost of the event, please contact Christine 888-446-3499 ext 8655 or at christine@cnla-acpp.ca.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS NEW MEMBER COMPANY...

GARDENS BY DESGIN INC. Landscape Saskatchewan would like to welcome new member Gardens By Design Inc, under the ownership and direction of Lane Bullied, Christopher Lake, SK. When asked about the company, Lane had the following statement, “Our main focus is designing and building landscapes for the many ‘cottage’ owners around the various lakes in our area. These projects are designed to fit into the natural environment as well as provide function for the homeowners while they are enjoying their Lakeland retreat.

We also design and build landscapes for residential and commercial settings and recently have enjoyed designing and building natural play areas for childcare facilities and school settings.

Gardens by Design Inc. would not be where we are without our excellent team of staff.

We employ individuals that thoroughly enjoy working in an outdoor environment creating beautiful landscapes with great functionality. Our team of staff continues to grow along with our company.

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN HOLDS OJT COURSE On March 18 -19, 2013, Landscape Saskatchewan held an OJT Course at Lakeshore Tree Farms, and seven of our association members participated.

The training concept of the course was customized for our industry, is simple in design and very practical for members to use. It focused on teaching those who attended how other people learn and demonstrated the best methods for improving the skills of the trainers. These improvements lead to quicker training, more effective and productive trainees and improved safety and work quality. Companies who have participated in OJT have found it very beneficial.

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN 2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our mission at Gardens by Design Inc. is to create beautiful and functional landscapes, while providing top level craftsmanship, extensive horticultural knowledge and unrivaled customer servic.”

Leslie Cornell - President Cornell Design & Landscaping Ltd Moose Jaw, SK

LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY CERTIFIED UPDATE

Lloyd Trask - Vice President The Lawn Loggers Limited Saskatoon, SK

A Landscape Industry Certified Test was held at Olds College in Olds Alberta, March 26/27 2013. 30 Candidates from the Prairie Region came to challenge the designation written tests on day one, and the exterior technician hands on test on day two. Emil LeBlanc of Sawyers Trees and Landscape of Saskatoon participated in the testing. A big Thank You goes out to our Judges, JTA’s, and Volunteers for coming out to support the Landscape Industry Certified Program.

If you are interested in getting your Certification go to landscapeindustrycertified.org to find out details.

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Robin Adair - Director Arbour Crest Tree Service Ltd Saskatoon, SK Luke vanDuyvendyk - Director Dutch Growers Garden Centre Ltd Saskatoon, SK Jeremy Herman - Director B & B Tree Service Inc. Saskatoon, SK Aaron Krahn - CNLA Representative Lakeshore Tree Farms Ltd. Saskatoon, SK 5

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INDUSTRY NEWS HARPER GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HORTICULTURE SECTOR

market development, industry-to-industry trade advocacy, and consumer awareness and branding activities.

This announcement is another example of what is being done to enhance competitiveness for Canadian agricultural exports. Under the Harper Government, Canada has achieved six new free trade agreements that have opened the doors of diverse international markets to Canadian agricultural products. The Government of Canada has also identified market development as a priority under Growing Forward 2. To find out more about the AgriMarketing Program, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/agrimarketing.

Canadian horticulture growers are working to expand into new markets abroad with the support of the Harper Government. Member of Parliament Ted Opitz, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced March 16, an investment to help the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association increase international demand for Canada’s hardy and diverse horticulture exports.

NEW “GREEN FOR LIFE COMMUNITY AWARD”

“Our government remains focused on the economy, and a strong horticulture industry will help to fuel that growth,” said MP Opitz. “Our strategic investments in market development will help ensure that Canadian growers stay competitive in the global marketplace.”

A new “Green for Life Community Award” coordinated by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) and our ten provincial associations was launched in March of this year.

This investment of $53,000 will help the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association further explore potential growth markets, such as Germany, Russia, and China. It will also be used to build on the work done at previous international shows, increasing the recognition and reputation of the Canadian horticulture sector.

“This new Award will recognize projects or geographic segments within a community, region, or municipality that have specific benefit to the public through the development and/or maintenance of green spaces.”, says CNLA’s Public Relations Committee Chair Bill Hardy. “In February 2013 we recognized the efforts of the Friends of St. James Park and the St. Lawrence Market BIA for their efforts to rejuvenate St. James Park in Toronto after the Occupy Toronto protesters had trampled the grass and gardens to mud – this first award has led to the launch of a national program to recognize exceptional projects like this across Canada”.

“We know there is strong demand in emerging and growing markets for the attributes for which Canadiangrown nursery product is already well-recognized-namely quality, environmental friendliness, and, above all, winter hardiness,” said Rita Weerdenburg, Growers Manager of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. “This investment by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada allows us to further explore the potential of those valuable markets, thus strengthening the viability of this important sector of agriculture across Canada.”

Horticulture accounts for 15 per cent of Canada’s total farm cash receipts, which translates to more than $6 billion per year. The ornamental horticulture sector makes up approximately 30 per cent of that industry, which employs around 110,000 people. Through the AgriMarketing Program under Growing Forward, the Government of Canada is investing $88 million to help industry implement long-term international strategies, including international LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN APRIL 2013

Projects can be nominated from anyone within the community or by the respective community, parks or schools championing the respective project, in partnership with a CNLA provincial association office. Participation is easy, through submission of 5 digital photographs and a project description form. Entries will be judged on a defined set of criteria including Community Spirit, Innovative Ideas, Environmental Sustainability and Community Impact. The overall winner will receive a trip for two to attend CNLA’s National Awards of Landscape Excellence ceremony in February 2014, St. John’s, Newfoundland.

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INDUSTRY NEWS refer to the Growers Canada page for further details on the information that will be required of their suppliers for trouble-free import of these products.

Reasons to participate in the “Green for Life Community Award” Program: · Acknowledgement of the respective community, parks and school groups and their special projects being recognized within their community · Stimulating community energy and interest · Promoting excellence in environmental initiatives · Recognizing the dedication of valuable volunteers · Provincial and National exposure of project entries through promotional materials, media releases and websites

Wooden Pallets and Packaging

International regulations as specified in ISPM No. 15 now require that wooden pallets, crates and other packaging be heat treated to prevent the spread of pests. The presence of an internationally recognized logo commonly referred to as the “wheat sheaf ” verifies treatment in accordance with these regulations. The only exception to these international standards is the movement of product between Canada and the US. Both countries are currently moving towards a harmonized implementation strategy.

This was originally scheduled to take effect in 2012, with a “soft” implementation for the first year resulting only in a notification of infraction and full implementation to begin in 2013. That date has now been pushed back to start in 2015. See the CNLA website for more details; updates will be posted as they become available.

If you have a project that you are interested in submitting please contact the CNLA office for more information on how to connect with your provincial association office.

SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER; ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL CFIA REGULATIONS?

Import Permits

Calls to the CNLA office from grower members about various CFIA-related matters are always a sure sign that spring and the busy shipping season are just around the corner. We encourage all growers, and especially those that deal with US companies for both imports and exports, to logon regularly to the CNLA website for updates on various issues that may have a direct impact on your business. Of particular note for this coming season:

Each year, the CNLA office receives calls from importing nurseries that encounter problems with incoming shipments of plants due to incomplete Import Permits. You are reminded to advise your suppliers that plants not listed on the Import Permit are not allowed entry to Canada and so will need to be returned or destroyed. Import Permits cannot be amended once product arrives in Canada, however, in the event of an emergency it may be possible to amend permits while product is in transit. Further information can be provided by your local CFIA inspector.

Bamboo Stakes

Growers were notified in the spring of 2011 about restrictions on the export of nursery products associated with bamboo stakes. Although these were not new regulations, they were once again being enforced by USDA. The somewhat erratic nature of this enforcement is the cause of much confusion, but growers should always assume these regulations will be enforced. More details are posted on the website.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN MANUAL NOW AVAILABLE Launched at Landscape Ontario Congress in January, the new Landscape Design Manual has been an instant success. This manual can be a preparation tool for candidates taking the Landscape Industry Certified Designer exam and portfolio review, but it can also be a great resource for anyone interested in landscape design. The manual comes with a DVD, which includes photos, and sample designs.

It can currently be purchased through Landscape Ontario.

Visit www.horttrades.com/landscape-industry-certified or call 1-800-265-5656 to order your copy today.

Similar regulations are now being enforced by CFIA related to the import of bamboo stakes or nursery stock associated with bamboo stakes. In summary, treated bamboo product can be imported, but the regulations related to proof of treatment are not always straightforward. It is recommended that nurseries intending to import product containing bamboo stakes LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN APRIL 2013

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INDUSTRY NEWS GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN DECLARES APRIL 2013 SAFE DIGGING MONTH Record-setting snowfall in many areas of Saskatchewan may be delaying the start of prime construction season, but educating the public about working safely around underground infrastructure is more important than ever. To increase public awareness, the Government of Saskatchewan, together with Sask 1st Call and the Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance (SCGA), is once again declaring April as Safe Digging Month across the province.

The SCGA is a member-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring worker and public safety, environmental protection and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices in connection with underground infrastructure activities. For more information please go to www.scga.ca

“There is a great amount of construction activity planned this year. With this high concentration of activity, it is extremely important that contractors and homeowners alike remember to Call Before You Dig,” said Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter. “Preventing damage to our Province’s underground infrastructure is a shared responsibility, and one that is vital to maintaining public and work site safety.”

Sask 1st Call is a not-for-profit “Call Before You Dig” underground facility location service for contractors and homeowners who are planning to dig or excavate. Within two working days of the request, the member companies of Sask 1st Call will locate the underground facilities at the project site, allowing work to continue without impacting buried infrastructure, or disrupting service to customers. Sask.

1st Call has 45 members (including SaskEnergy/TransGas, SaskPower, SaskTel and pipeline companies) and represents more than 400,000 kilometres of buried infrastructure across Saskatchewan. For more information please go to www.sask1stcall.com.

Homeowners planning outside projects and contractors preparing for another construction season are encouraged to adhere to a simple message: before you dig, know what’s below. Sask 1st Call hopes that anyone planning underground construction ensures that the appropriate line locates are completed before breaking ground on any project.

“Sask 1st Call isn’t just for contractors doing major construction projects. It’s for homeowners putting in a new fence or deck, planting a tree or any other activity that requires digging,” said Manager of Sask 1st Call Barb Tchozewski.

“While line locate requests were up 10 per cent last year, even one hit to underground infrastructure is too many. Sask 1st Call is here to keep workers, homeowners and communities safe, especially during the busy construction season that will soon be underway.”

LANDSCAPE CANADA NEEDS YOUR INPUT FOR THE 2012 SURVEY How did your business compare to others across Canada in 2012? We urge all of SNLA’s landscape members to respond to the survey and share their information.

The information collected will benefit all members, the more who participate the more meaningful the results.

Responses will help CNLA prioritize projects and look at new opportunities that will help your business succeed.

The survey should take 15-20 minutes to complete.

The direct link to the 2012 survey is https://www. surveymonkey.com/s/LCC-2012.

Uncontrolled excavation continues to be the most frequent cause of damage to buried infrastructure and facilities.

Requesting line locates prior to starting any underground construction work and following safe excavation practices, helps avoid the unnecessary consequences such as costly project delays, damage costs, disruption of essential services, property damage, environmental concerns, personal injury and even death.

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“Safe Digging Month is a great way to remind the people of Saskatchewan of the importance of work site safety, as well as following effective and safe excavation practices every step of the way,” said SCGA Executive Director Daryl Posehn.

“Construction activity in the province continues to increase and that also means that potential risks and hazards go up as well. Unnecessary risks are taken by both homeowners and contractors when they decide not to plan ahead before beginning construction work.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS WHERE IN THE WORLD CAN CNLA TAKE YOU?

2013 NATIONAL PLASTICS RECYCLING EVENT

If you are interested in getting a global perspective of the industry, consider taking a trip this year. CNLA partners with international organizations to help members learn from others around the world. This year, we invite you to take advantage of these partnerships, and join us on a trip to Melbourne, Australia from October 6-11 with IGCA or to New York City, October 19-26 with ELCA.

Garden Centres Canada, in partnership with CNLA’s Provincial Relations Committee, is coordinating the 2013 National Plastics Recycling Event, taking place Friday, June 21st – Monday, July 1st.

We have launched an on-line tool kit that includes a variety of resources for participating garden centres, as well as a map to showcase participating centres across Canada.

Garden Centre owners will be able to gain a wealth of information on the International Garden Centre Congress in Melbourne, Australia. This tour will be attended by independent garden centre owners from around the world. This is a great opportunity to share information, and see first hand what trends are happening in Australia that you can use at your own garden centre. Early-bird pricing has been extended until April 30th. Visit www. igccaustralia2013.com for more information and to register.

Last year 8 provinces and over 56 garden centres participated in the program collecting an estimated 91,229 lbs of plastic! This was a 40% increase in participation from the 2011 event. Let’s continue to make this event grow – join us and let’s show the public that we are the true green industry!

Take a tour of the Gardens of New York organized by the European Landscape Contractors Association, and as a member of CNLA, you have access to this unique opportunity. Special early bird pricing of 2800 euro includes everything on the itinerary, except flights from Frankfurt (an unnecessary 790 euro for Canadians). If you are interested in taking part, please visit the Landscape Canada section of CNLA’s website: www.cnla-acpp.ca.

If you are already working with a recycler in your province, please let us know who they are so we can add them to our list! CNLA has worked with a variety of recyclers over the past four years of the program. It is up to each garden centre to select a recycler that they are happy with, and arrange for pick up of materials with this company.

A list of recyclers across Canada that CNLA is aware of can be found on the National Plastics Recycling page under “Recycling Resources for the Hort Industry”. This list will be updated regularly as other recyclers are found.

If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact Julia Ricottone at the CNLA office: 1-888-4463499 x8615, julia@cnla-acpp.ca/landscapes.

THE 2013 GARDEN CENTRE INSPECTION PROGRAM

Please check with your own recycler, but generally all recycling partners will accept the following clean and dry plastic items during the event: garden pots and trays and greenhouse poly. Some recycling partners will also accept the following items: tags, irrigation pipe, fertilizer bags and soil bags. Please check with your local recycling partner to confirm that these items are accepted.

Looking for a new perspective on how to improve your garden centre, the Garden Centre Inspection Program is designed to offer a critical, third-party look at all aspects of your garden centre’s operations. The result is a step by step work plan for making improvements that add to your business’ bottom line immediately.

For more information about the program use this link, http://www.cnla-acpp.ca/plasticsrecyclingevent.

Registration closes on April 26th, for a June inspection.

Contact Julia Ricottone at the CNLA office if you have any questions about the program: julia@cnla-acpp.ca, 1-888446-3499 x8615 LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN APRIL 2013

To confirm that you will participate as a recycling droppoint during the event, please email Julia Ricottone at julia@cnla-acpp.ca.

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