September/October 2014 Green for Life

A Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association member publication

September/October 2014 Vol. 2, No. 5

Key to Eective Training: Train with a Purpose Snow Business: Numbers are More Important than Ever

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Advancing the professional landscape industry.

MANAGING EDITOR | Joel Beatson LAYOUT & PRODUCTION | Kyla McKechnie EDITOR | Marnie Main ADVERTISING | Erynn Watson

September 16, 2014 Landscape Ontario’s Snow and Ice Conference and Expo Landscape Ontario Head Office, Milton, ON www.snowandiceexpo.ca September 30 – October 2, 2014 Canadian Urban Forest Conference Victoria, BC www.cufc11.ca

Landscape Alberta Green for Life is a professional publication for the landscape trade in Alberta.

Editorial and Advertising Landscape Alberta 200, 10331 - 178 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5S 1R5 P: 780-489-1991 F: 780-444-2152 admin@landscape-alberta.com Landscape Alberta does not assume responsibility for and does not endorse the contents of any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Landscape Alberta or its members.

October 1 -2, 2014 Canwest Horticulture Show Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC www.canwesthortshow.com October 22 – 23, 2014 Landscape Ontario’s Garden and Floral Expo Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, ON www.loexpo.ca October 27 – 28, 2014 2004 ISA Prairie Chapter Conference TCU Place, Saskatoon, SK www.isaprairie.com

Material may not be reprinted from this magazine without the consent of Landscape Alberta.

ISSN No: 1929-7114 (print) ISSN N0: 1929-7122 (online)

October 28 – 30, 2014 Damage Prevention Symposium Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB www.canadiancga.com/event-889396

Landscape Alberta Board of Directors Chris Brown, CLP, JLG, CSO, CRS Brown Landscape Services Ltd., Chair Brian Gibson, Green Drop Lawns Ltd., Vice Chair Arnold van de Ligt, JLG, Manderley Turf Products Inc., Treasurer Cody Brown, Tree to Tree Nurseries Ltd.

November 12, 2014 Landscape Alberta Nursery Growers Annual Auction Coast Edmonton Plaza, Edmonton, AB www.greenindustryshow.com

Phil Paxton, CLP, CLT, Alpha Better Landscaping Inc.

November 13 – 14, 2014 Green Industry Show and Conference Edmonton Expo Centre at Northlands www.greenindustryshow.com

Jordan Voogd, JLG, Sunstar Nurseries Ltd. John van Roessel, CLP, CLT, JVR Landscape (2006) Inc. Anita Heuver, JLG, Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd. Landscape Alberta Staff Joel Beatson, CAE, CLP, Executive Director joel.beatson@landscape-alberta.com Marnie Main, Member Services Director member.services@landscape-alberta.com

A Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association member publication

September/October 2014 Vol. 2, No. 5

Key to Effective Training: Train with a Purpose, Page 7 Snow Business: Numbers are More Important than Ever, Page 13

Erynn Watson, Member Services Assistant erynn.watson@landscape-alberta.com Valerie Stobbe, Trade Show Coordinator valerie.stobbe@landscape-alberta.com Kyla McKechnie, Admin Assistant & Communications admin@landscape-alberta.com Cheryl Teo, Bookkeeper accounting@landscape-alberta.com

On the Cover Rocky Mountain House Project HML Landscape Construction Ltd. 2013 Landscape Award of Merit Winner

Key to Effective Training: Train with a Purpose Snow Business: Numbers are More Important than Ever

Follow us on Twitter @landscapeab

Green for Life September/October 2014 I 3

Industry and Association News... positions, and the remaining section of the previous program that will continue under the name “International Mobility Programs.” Low-skilled positions (that are unable to be filled by Canadians) can be filled with workers from developing countries and will require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA, formerly LMO). High-skilled positions can be filled by those from highly developed countries, will largely come to Canada through international trade agreements, and will not be screened to see if Canadians are available first.

There is No Labour Shortage Got your attention? Good! This is the message we have heard several times now from the Canadian Government - they say the statistics don’t support employers’ claims of a labour shortage in our industry. To get the real story, we need to compile our own statistics so we have something to back up our position and arm ourselves for discussions with the federal and provincial governments.

First, please take 1 minute (or even less!) to fill out this short poll that will highlight very quickly the severity of the labour shortage almost everyone is facing. We are looking for a quick snapshot of how many unfilled positions you have in your company. This data will be used immediately in press releases and in communication to politicians to advance our position.

Poll: http://surveymonkey.com/s/initialhiringstats Second, several members have advised Landscape Alberta that they have begun to keep data on how many resumes they receive as compared to how many people show up for work, as well as how many of those last beyond the first week or month. We are asking members to go back and look at the last few months, if possible, or start to track these statistics within their own company. Each month we will release a new Hiring Statistics Poll for you to fill in, and hopefully this will show the ongoing need for workers and any trends that may emerge. Links to the June, July and August stat forms are below, or send an email to Kyla at admin@landscape-alberta.com to request an Excel template.

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June 2014: http://surveymonkey.com/s/statsjune2014 July 2014: http://surveymonkey.com/s/hsjuly2014 August 2014: http://surveymonkey.com/s/hsaugust2014 Thank you for providing this valuable information in support of our industry.

Ottawa Unveils Sweeping Changes to Foreign Workers Program The Canadian government has launched a detailed and sweeping reform of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), splitting it in two and imposing a long list of measures aimed at reducing its use for low-wage positions.

Effective immediately, employers in the accommodation, food services and retail trade sectors – as well as employers who hire cleaners, construction helpers, landscapers and security guards – will no longer be allowed to access the program in areas of high unemployment, which the government defines as being above 6 per cent (AB unemployment rate for June 2014 is 4.9% - Stats Canada).

Other key points of the announcement: • The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is being split into two: a smaller Temporary Foreign Worker Program that will largely focus on low-skilled 4 I Green for Life September/October 2014

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The new LMIA is described as “more comprehensive and rigorous” and the cost will increase from $275 to $1000 for each position requested. Employers will need to provide more documentation, including the number of Canadians that applied for the job and the number that were interviewed, as well as an explanation as to why they were not hired.

Employers that have a low-wage TFW workforce will be: limited to 30% or frozen at their current level, whichever is lower; reduced to 20% beginning July 1, 2015; and further reduced to 10% on July 1, 2016.

The 10% cap is the maximum percentage of low-wage TFWs that an employer will be allowed to have at a work site, as of July 2016.

The program will no longer rely on national occupation categories (NOC codes) to determine average wages. Instead, low-wage positions will be defined as below the provincial median hourly wage.

The maximum duration a TFW can work in Canada is being reduced to two years instead of four.

A new fast-track option will approve foreign workers within 10 business days if they are in the highestdemand occupations like skilled trades, or are among the top 10 per cent for highest paid occupations.

Starting this fall, the government will impose fines of up to $100,000 on employers who break the program’s rules and will disclose the names of employers who have been fined.

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The On-Farm Primary Agriculture stream will be exempt from the cap, the reduced eligibility periods, and the fee increase.

Green Industry Show and Conference The speaker lineup for the 2014 Green Industry Show & Conference (GISC) is now out! The GISC takes place November 13 & 14 at the Edmonton Expo Centre at Northlands.

Whether you are a landscape contractor, nursery grower, arborist or retailer, you will find expert educational opportunities for you and your staff.

based on a formula they have been using since 2011 that takes into account Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) in the province, and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). According to the province, the AWE rose 3.3% in Alberta over the past year, while the CPI jumped 1.4%. The average of 2.3% is rounded to translate into a wage increase of 25 cents an hour.

Nigel Bowles, Executive Director of Landscape Alberta, Retires On June 19, 2014, association members and industry colleagues gathered at Olds College to bid farewell to our long-time Executive Director, Nigel Bowles. Over 80 guests gathered in the Landscape Pavilion for cocktails, a BBQ dinner and a number of speeches and goodbye messages. Following dinner, Jane Reksten of Olds College led guests through a walking tour of the Olds College botanic gardens.

We send a huge thank you to Olds College for providing this great facility for our celebration. Thank you to our emcee for the evening, Vic Krahn, and our presenters, There are motivating management sessions Dean Falkenberg, Henry Heuver, Jim Wotherspoon, Bonnie Fermanuik, Michiel Verheul, for landscape contractors, technical Jim Calpas, Bob Sproule and Anita Heuver. presentations for growers and arborists, and how-to tips for retailers - something for everyone!

Our speakers include: • Bill Arman & Ed Laflamme, Are You a Fierce Competitor? and Recruiting Programs that Work • Bill McCurry, Giving your Business Roots, Blooms andWings • Philip van Wassenaer, Conservation Arboriculture and Tree Risk Management, and A View from the Top of the Redwood Forest • Jerry Montgomery, Thriving Not Surviving in a Big Box World

…plus many more exceptional speakers and workshops. For a complete listing of this year’s conference program, visit: http://bit.ly/2014giscprogram.

Add our 240-booth trade show into the mix and you have a first-class event that’s not to be missed. For more information on the GISC and our pre-conference events, including the Garden Centre Bus Tour and Nursery Growers Auction, visit www.greenindustryshow.com.

Register for the conference before October 30 and save! http://2014gisc.eventbrite.ca.

Alberta’s Minimum Wage Increase takes Effect September 1 Albertans who earn minimum wage will get a 25 cent pay increase as of September 1, 2014, when minimum wage increases from $9.95 per hour to $10.20 per hour.

The average number of people earning minimum wage in the province is only 1.5%, compared to the national average of 6.8%.

The province says the wage increases are Green for Life September/October 2014 I 5

Canada Changing from WHMIS to GHS Canada is transitioning its hazardous products classification system from Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Workplaces have about two years to get ready. GHS is being implemented into law by countries world-wide and the Canadian government has committed to amending its current laws by June 2015. The provinces will then amend their own laws and provide workplaces with a grace period.

WHMIS is the current Canadian system for classifying hazardous products and communicating information to users via labels, training and material safety data sheets (MSDS). It helps workers understand the hazards posed by chemicals they work with. GHS is a global system; given today’s international economy, having a global system is essential.

The Globally Harmonized System applies the same approach as WHMIS, but introduces new classification rules, label requirements and formats for MSDS, known under the new system as safety data sheets (SDS). This means you will have to make changes, but won’t have to start from scratch.

Workplaces will be able to use existing WHMIS processes to meet GHS requirements, such as maintaining a database of SDSs and ensuring workers receive the necessary training.

Roles and responsibilities for suppliers, employers and workers will not change due to the adoption of GHS. Workers will be just as safe, if not safer. GHS will likely add eight product categories: consumer products, pest control products, explosives, cosmetics, medical devices, drugs, food, wood and products made from wood. As well, the technical bulletins will contain more information, offering workers greater protection.

While the implementation is still in early stages, there are some things companies can do to begin preparations for the transition. Watch a free, pre-recorded webinar at www.ccohs.ca/products/webinars/ghs_canada.

6 I Green for Life September/October 2014

Alberta Weed Spotter App Available on iTunes The Alberta Weed Spotter App helps to identify weeds that are regulated under the Alberta Weed Control Act. The app also supports the reporting of weed sightings for weed management consideration in Alberta. For more information and to download the app, visit http://bit.ly/1rUf0LR. Get Ready for Your Red Seal Exam The Red Seal Program has launched a brand-new guide to help candidates get ready for their Red Seal exam. It offers various study tools, outlines the examination process and lets you know what to expect after the exam. Access the guide at: http://bit.ly/1pspHH6.

Elm Pruning Ban in Alberta Remember - pruning of elm trees is prohibited throughout Alberta each year from April 1 until September 30 in order to reduce the risk of introducing or spreading Dutch Elm Disease (DED).

Dutch Elm Disease is deadly and can affect any elm tree. Since its introduction from Europe in 1930, it has destroyed millions of American elm trees across North America. DED is prevalent in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Montana. At present, Alberta has the largest DED-free American elm stands in the world.

There are an estimated 750,000 mature elm trees found in Alberta.

The removal of dead and dying elm wood through pruning (October through March only) helps to reduce beetle breeding habitat and control any potential beetle population.

Prompt and proper disposal of the pruned wood is also essential to keep DED from spreading. It is essential that all dead wood be removed and properly disposed of by burning, burying or chipping by March 31 of each year.

It is also illegal in Alberta to transport or store elm firewood.

For more information on DED prevention, call the STOPDED hotline at 1-877-837-ELMS (3567).

Key to Effective Training: Train with a Purpose I had conducted a year-long training series for all our field people and something just wasn’t right.

When I was hired by a new company, I reviewed our jobs and found they were in poor condition. Crews were working unsafely and customers were furious about un-kept promises and inconsistent delivery. Adding insult to all of this, we weren’t making any money! So, I launched a full-scale assault with a hands-on weekly training program. All field employees had to attend a paid two-hour training session every Saturday for 52 weeks in a row. That should do it, right? Wrong!

• •

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By Bill Arman

know there is an emphasis on training, development and continual learning, it creates a culture that people want to be a part of, and want to stick around and be productive, positive, safe and happy!

Recruiting: When recruiting people to your organization, the mere fact that you have an active and vibrant training program makes you more attractive than your competitors.

Retention: People learn, develop, grow and in turn become more valuable to your organization when they are well trained. When the right people enjoy success and can link their success to the training that is available at their organization, they stay around.

Consistent Quality: A well-trained workforce delivers your services efficiently, effectively and safely. This will then play a major role in attracting the right customers!

Sales and Marketing: Having great training programs in place should be part of your sales and marketing program. You need to answer the question asked by your existing and potential customers, “How will your training program make my job easier?”

So what went wrong? I hadn’t trained with a purpose. I had just trained our entire field operations without any linkage or ROI through Training accountability to what was important to our Training increases the capabilities of both you and your team, which in turn increases your organization’s capacity. You can confidently take on that big job and know you organization. will perform and deliver a good return on investment training – as in, make money!

This took a while to sink in, and one night while I was lying awake worrying about all the See how training weaves its way through The Big Four? Delivering consistently on your things a leader worries about, the training service promises is far more profitable than the alternative. epiphany hit me. Training must have direct linkage to the company’s desired results, which must be measureable. Training has to have a purpose. I finally figured out that there were four key goals that all successful organizations must be able to achieve to truly enjoy sustainable success.

Training plays a foundational role in achieving what I call, “The Big Four of Organizational Success.” The Big Four are so critical, they must be consistently applied and executed for a company to achieve sustainable success.

Now I understand: with no training, there is no way to arrive at The Big Four! They are: 1 Find, attract, get on board, keep and grow the right people 2 Deliver your services consistently 3 Find, attract, get on board, keep and grow the right customers 4 Make money, as in profit Or in simple terms, People + Performance + People = Profit.

To convince you to invest in purposeful staff training, here are just a few examples of the positive effects that training has had on “Best in Class” companies: • Culture: When people feel safe and Green for Life September/October 2014 I 7

Now, take a good look at training within your organization and ask yourself: • What role does training play in recruiting and retention of employees, with safety, culture, work quality and making profit at your company?

• How do you measure the success achieved by your training program?

• Which people at your company currently receive training? Who are missing?

• Are you, the leader, getting the training you need?

• How should you go about building a more effective training program?

Remember that people are being “trained” every day at your organization whether you have a formal training program or not. Make certain that the training they are receiving is the right training and serves a purpose.

Hear Bill Arman and his colleague Ed Laflamme at the 2014 Green Industry Conference, November 13 & 14 at the Edmonton Expo Centre at Northlands. For more information, visit www.greenindustryshow.com.

Reprinted with permission from Landscape Trades.

REMINDER! The CNLA Member Services Team has received several reports from members who have been contacted by salespeople claiming to have savings programs with the association. A complete list of CNLA savings programs is available at www.cnla-acpp.ca/benefits.

The programs listed have undergone a strict review process by the Member Services Committee to ensure that they are valuable and safe for our members.

If you receive an unsolicited communication from a company claiming to have a program with CNLA that is not on our list of endorsed suppliers, please contact the Member Services Department at 1-888-446-3499 or email christine@cnla-acpp.ca.

Showcase your expertise and creativity...

Enter the 2014 Landscape Awards Entry forms and guides are available online at www.landscape-alberta.com (open to Active members of Landscape Alberta).

Entry Deadline: October 17, 2014 For more information, contact Kyla McKechnie admin@landscape-alberta.com 780-489-1991 or 1-800-378-3198

8 I Green for Life September/October 2014

Hello Alberta!

Hello Landscape Alberta members, I am pleased to be writing you as the new Executive Director of your association. I know I have very large shoes to fill (size 11 if I’m not mistaken) and am keen to build on the great work done by Nigel Bowles. I am excited to be back home, making the same trip my parents did some 34 years ago.

You see, I grew up in the Edmonton area - Bon Accord to be exact - where my father built our family and where we welcomed my youngest brother to the family. He made the return trip west several years ago and lives with his family in Calgary. My first job was here in Edmonton, laying sod for my Uncle Peter Fryzuk’s company. It was hard work, and dirty, but the few dollars in my pocket at the end of the day and being able to see the beauty I helped create was something that I always carried with me.

Years later I learned about Peter’s involvement in LANTA and the time he spent on the board of directors, including participating in the committee that hired Nigel. For those of you wondering, Peter is still in the industry, operating a small design-build firm out of Salmon Arm, BC. I wouldn’t quite call it fate, but it certainly is a small world and I feel blessed to be home and starting a family of my own.

The goal of advancing the professional landscape industry is, for me, truly noble. The sheer volume of passion, dedication and expertise that exists within you as members is an inspiration every day. The work you do each day enhances the life of Albertans – we are truly the original Green industry!

Landscape Alberta is committed to being an organization based on integrity, being responsive, value-driven and member directed. As I settle in to my first month in the office I can assure you that these values are ever-present in our daily operations. I look forward to meeting every member and encourage you to pick up the phone, send me an email or drop by the office (better yet, invite me out to yours). I would love to hear how Landscape Alberta can help you and your company grow and prosper.

Yours in horticulture,

2 01 15 COMING SOON

Growers oof Containeriized Gr Shrubs ~ R Shrub Roses ~ Evergrreens Pot-in-P ot i ot Trees ~ Fruitt Trees Native Plants ~ Vines ~ Aquatics Perennials ~ Grasses Grand Forks , B.C. 1-800-831-9611 www.bronandsons . com Green for Life September/October 2014 I 9

Conservation Arboriculture: Maintaining Old Trees in the Human Landscape

By Philip van Wassenaer and Alex Satel

For many people, trees are just another part of daily life. While everyone relies on, and many even take for granted, the ecological benefits trees provide every day, people’s interactions with trees are often limited. From time to time they might rake up leaves or prune a few branches, and even fewer may at some point in their lives plant a tree. But few people realize that trees, like works of art, stories or historic buildings, can also be part of a shared cultural, spiritual and natural heritage. Trees, therefore, deserve the same care and attention that is devoted to maintaining other heritage artifacts, especially as they enter into old age. This article explores how trees can become important heritage artifacts, why maintaining heritage trees is important, and what strategies can be implemented to assess and maintain such trees for the benefit of current and future generations.

In recent years, several groups and individuals have proposed definitions of what a ‘heritage tree’ might be. Some relation to a historic person, event or period, outstanding specimen characteristics, significant landmark function, or a number of other attributes may contribute to the heritage value of an individual tree or group of trees. Recently, Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk noted that trees in urban forests may help groups and individuals form a sense of identity, particularly in relation to a place they call home. Heritage trees also provide tangible links to places people once called home, or where others may call home in the future.

Trees and humans have shared the same landscapes for millennia. Over time, people learned to use trees for the direct benefits that they could provide. Through management systems such as pollarding and coppicing, they developed ‘working trees’ (a term coined by veteran tree researcher Ted Green) and used them for products such as fuelwood, building materials, and even food. For thousands of years, such trees provided rural peoples with a livelihood and a reliable means to sustainably harvest everyday products and materials.

As times changed, people increasingly moved from the countryside into towns and cities, and in some locations the old management systems became impractical or unnecessary.

The Industrial Revolution required coal to feed its steam engines and so the traditional coppiced forests were largely abandoned. Pollarding, once a key means of preventing browsing by domestic animals, became largely reserved for formal gardens and street trees in industrializing areas.

However, in many parts of Europe, pollarding still goes on or in some places has recently been re-started.

Arborists, foresters and tree advocates in the United Kingdom eventually began to rediscover the ancient working trees that dotted the landscape. Many were “escaped pollards” (also coined by Ted Green) or coppices, far too large to be workable but reminiscent of the shape and low spreading growth form which once made them so valuable to rural people. Many of these trees were found in former royal preserves, while others 10 I Green for Life September/October 2014

could be found in hedgerows or regenerating forests. Many are very old for their species, with some exceptional individual trees exceeding 1000 years of age. Such longevity was often made possible through past pollarding, which encouraged canopy rejuvenation and reduced static loading on trunks and branches. Such management also enabled pollarded veteran populations, often found as collections of open-grown trees, to become rich reserves of biological diversity for invertebrates and other saproxylic organisms (those dependent on decaying wood habitats).

A veteran red oak (Quercus rubra) at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, Canada.

Following a significant partial failure at the stem union, the large limb in the foreground has naturally propped itself and resumed vigorous upright growth. Another large lateral limb in the background is supported by an artificial prop. This provides an outstanding example of conservation arboriculture practices mimicking natural processes and tree survival strategies. (Photo: Philip van Wassenaer)

Wherever they were found, these trees stood as monuments of times past. In 1993, a group called the Ancient Tree Forum (ATF) began to come together to discuss these trees. By 1996, the group had launched the Veteran Tree Initiative (VTI), a collaborative effort with government agencies and nature conservation groups, to develop a standard for the identification, assessment, management and protection of these ‘veteran’ heritage trees in the United Kingdom. The VTI identified thousands of such trees across the UK and in Europe, and perhaps more importantly, articulated the cultural and ecological importance of these trees in towns, cities and the countryside.

Through their own work and that of other European researchers, veteran tree advocates began to increase their knowledge of tree life stages. Many foresters and arborists still lack knowledge about how trees age and progress to their old or ancient life stages. In fact, many trees in the urban forest labelled as ‘over-mature’ or ‘senescent’ are routinely removed just as they begin reaching true middle age, at the time when their habitat value is just beginning to increase. What causes these removals is a lack of understanding about the natural changes in tree physiology that take place as trees grow older.

As part of these natural processes, larger limbs are shed, cavities develop, and many trees naturally begin a phase

described as ‘canopy reiteration’ or ‘retrenchment’, whereby they become shorter and wider as they economise on energy allocation and transport distances. As such, they may begin to slowly decline in scale, from the top down, and lower sections may continue living for many more years. Effective management of veteran and heritage trees requires an understanding of these processes as natural survival strategies.

This knowledge of tree life phases is no longer new and uncertain; all arborists and urban foresters should become aware of the specific traits associated with ageing trees, and begin to manage the human landscape in ways which protect and promote the many benefits such old trees provide. For instance, Mats Jonsell, researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, has found that veteran lindens in urban Swedish parks contain levels of biodiversity comparable to or greater than their counterparts in natural forests. In North America, work by Professor Steve Sillet at Humboldt University has shown that the oldest trees in redwood forests contain the greatest amount of biodiversity, precisely because of the many microhabitats found, characteristically in features correlating to those most often considered by arborists as structural ‘defects’. Such research highlights the importance of saproxylic (dead wood) habitats for a variety of species, and the role of old trees as ‘arks of biodiversity’ throughout long periods of time. Apart from their role in providing habitat, the greatest proportion of benefits such as air quality improvement, stormwater retention, shading and energy conservation are typically provided by the largest trees in urban settings, as they have the greatest leaf area.

The challenge for responsible arborists is to sufficiently understand the structural tree features conventionally termed ‘defects’ and to be able to make balanced judgements about their significance as habitat. In this way, tree owners can be appropriately informed about these attributes together with their associated risks. This requires an evidence-based approach that avoids risk-aversion, so that management decisions can be based on real risks and also account for tree decay response strategies such as compartmentalisation or compensatory adaptive growth. Inappropriate judgements about the body language of trees will likely result in substantial intervention, including major limb pruning or whole-tree removal, possibly at the unnecessary expense of habitat and biodiversity values.

British arboricultural consultant and veteran tree specialist, Neville Fay, identified twenty commonly-found characteristics of veteran trees which many urban foresters and arborists would typically consider ‘hazardous’, and also identified important ecological interactions or floral and faunal species dependent on each of these common defect characteristics.

Considered alongside the work of Jonsell, Sillett and many others, this suggests a responsibility for arborists to carefully consider the quality of habitat when assessing trees. The Specialist Survey Method (SSM), devised by Fay and the VTI, is an effective means to record and analyse these features at a tree population level.

The appreciation of the ecological interactions between characteristics of a defect and its habitat potential contributes to a more holistic perspective of tree inspection and

2014

Green Industry

Show &

Conference

Learn. Experience. Connect.

Industry-leading workshops for landscape, turf, tree, greenhouse, nursery and garden centre professionals.

Plus a 240 booth tradeshow!

NOVEMBER 13 & 14, 2014

Edmonton Expo Centre at Northlands, Edmonton, AB

Register online (conference only): http://2014gisc.eventbrite.ca www.greenindustryshow.com

1-800-378-3198 Green for Life September/October 2014 I 11

management. This approach takes into account the risk and condition of trees without undue reliance on defect-oriented methodologies. While the identification and assessment of the significance of defects is integral to tree risk assessment, it should not drive the entire tree management process at the expense of heritage and ecological values. Finding ways to assess these positive characteristics will lead to a more balanced and proportionate tree management approach that accounts for risk while appropriately identifying important ecological and heritage values.

static cables can also act as fail-safe devices for failure-prone limbs, catching them should they fracture. The likelihood of introducing decay is also significantly reduced, as dynamic cabling systems do not require drilling to install fixed anchoring points such as eye bolts. Another method is propping, which is used extensively in many parts of the world but has not yet gained much traction in North America. Props are not appropriate in all circumstances, but can be designed to carefully balance the needs of the tree with other important considerations such as aesthetics.

Fortunately, modern arboriculture has progressed greatly – especially in the field of tree risk assessment. Today, advanced assessment methodologies such as tree radar, thermal imaging, sonic and electric impedance tomography, static load testing and others are available to experienced and progressive practitioners. These tools contribute to evidence-based tree risk assessment and can help arborists determine whether to, and how to, invest in the retention of veteran trees in the human landscape. They are also supported by an ever-growing body of research and knowledge which allows new insights into tree biomechanics – particularly the effects of internal decay on strength loss and stability. In doing so, these methods can help support arboricultural prescriptions designed to maintain mature, veteran and heritage trees in reasonably safe condition, or provide real justification when removal is deemed necessary.

Perhaps the most effective method of risk mitigation and veteran tree maintenance, promoted by many veteran tree advocates, is the practice of ‘retrenchment pruning.’ This method seeks to replicate the natural ageing process and involves directed pruning of the outer canopy to stimulate internal growth, sometimes even employing internodal heading cuts. Such pruning also reduces the wind sail area of a tree’s crown and long lever arms, thereby reducing the overall risks associated with failure during significant loading events such as wind or ice storms. Opponents of this methodology point out the commonly-accepted consequences associated with topping: weak branch attachments, vigorous sprouting and poor decay compartmentalization. Its proponents maintain the view that the judicious application of such pruning methods forms just one part of a long-term commitment to the tree, which must include a regular maintenance and monitoring regime. The overall objective of such a maintenance program, which may be somewhat reminiscent of historical pollarding and coppicing techniques, is to maintain a reduced size and enable the long-term retention of the tree. Proponents of this methodology also contend that such measures cannot be applied across the board, but may be applicable for special cases, particularly among trees of high landscape, biodiversity and heritage value, when determined appropriate by arborists or others experienced in veteran tree management techniques.

Veteran Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Central Park, New York City. Following the loss of large parts of the upper crown (natural canopy retrenchment), the tree is surviving through reiterative growth on the remaining limbs. Observing natural strategies employed by these veterans informs pruning of other trees as they enter the ancient phases of their lifespans.

(Photo: Philip van Wassenaer)

A number of time-honoured methods applied by arborists to reduce risk or promote tree longevity can also be applied to veteran trees, albeit sometimes in creative and novel ways.

Dynamic cabling is one successful method of risk reduction, reducing the likelihood of stem failure while allowing the cabled tree to maintain some of the flexibility necessary to stimulate the growth of reaction wood. Strong dynamic or 12 I Green for Life September/October 2014

The latter point highlights a simple truth that underlies the entirety of conservation arboriculture and veteran tree management: it is still an evolving discipline, and the key to its success will be experience, innovation, experimentation, knowledge transfer and adaptation. Those involved are playing a part in a new knowledge community. Veteran trees are, by nature, survivors, and can considerably outlive our professional life spans. However, as mistakes can lead to irreplaceable loss, it is important that practitioner experience and contributions from other disciplines are shared. While some attempts to maintain veteran trees on the human landscape may fail, the benefits derived from the successes will far outweigh the costs. As arborists and urban foresters move towards a greater understanding of the life stages of ageing trees, the benefits associated with their retention, and the tools and techniques for their management, future generations will reap the rewards of these living monuments to cultural and natural heritage.

See Philip van Wassenaer at the Green Industry Conference November 13, 2014. For more information, visit www.greenindustryshow.com.

Snow Business: Numbers are More Important than Ever

By J. Paul Lamarche

Horticultural service companies often get into the snow removal business to generate cash flow during the off-season, retain staff, and keep their summer maintenance customers happy. But if you don’t keep an eye on your labour overhead and equipment costs through benchmarking, you could be assuming a lot of work and risk with no rewards.

Labour costs more in the winter We cannot control when snow comes; even predicting snowfall is inexact. But you are certain to bear downtime staff costs between snowfalls. Smart operators understand their true labour costs for snow removal by including a downtime percentage in their cost-of-labour calculations.

What does such a calculation look like? My systems are based in division. I have used a 25 percent downtime estimate in the example below, although snow removal downtimes can be as high 43 percent. For example: Hourly Rate + Payroll Tax 100% - Downtime percentage $25 (hourly rate) + $5 (payroll tax) 100% - 25% (downtime) Or,

$30 (hourly rate + payroll tax) 75% (100% - 25% downtime) =$40

This illustration really drives the point home. When you have to pay your employees for downtime, your true hourly costs can almost double. Add this cost to the cost of operating a tractor or truck, and the expense could easily be more than $100 per hour.

Know your labour breakeven Build on that valuable number to find the starting-point rate for charging clients – your labour breakeven rate. If you do not know your overheard percentage, see All you need is a calculator, Landscape Trades, June 2005, www.landscapetrades.com/all-you-need-is-a-calculator.

Cost of goods sold (your true hourly labour cost) 100% - Your overhead percentage For example:

$40 (true hourly labour cost) 58% (100% - 42%* overhead) =$68.97 per hour

*This is a benchmark property maintenance overhead percentage You can adapt this formula to find your breakeven costs per day or per snow event. Remember, this is only the starting point on what you must charge your customers; your profit margin begins on top of this number.

Green for Life September/October 2014 I 13

Equipment: Looking toward the future As with other contracting specialties, my practical formulas can tell you how investing in snow equipment that improves productivity can pay for itself. My Equipment Costing Formula is a tool to help you figure Return on Investment (ROI). This important, often overlooked idea is to charge your customers for actual equipment costs, as well as an ROI factor – to allow you to buy a new piece of equipment when it needs to be replaced.

A sample calculation for a snow blade expected to last four years looks like this: $5000 (snow blade costing $6000, less its $1000- residual value) (Lifespan / 2) x usage $5000 1000 [(4 year lifespan / 2) x 10 hours x 50 visits, including salting trips] =$5 per hour

If your company performs both snow removal and summer maintenance or construction work, it is essential to maintain separate actual and budget numbers, so you have a clear picture of each endeavour’s profitability.

A solid understanding of your numbers could actually lead you to conclude that you could do better, overall, by improving efficiency and profitability for your summer operations. On the other hand, there is money to be made in snow – by using the right equipment and the right cost strategy.

J. Paul Lamarche has helped countless This formula is a powerful, yet simple tool; build a $5 per hour charge into the rates for Canadian horticultural business owners your blade, protect that cash in a separate equipment replacement fund, and you can find the path toward prosperity by understanding their true business costs. write a cheque when you need a new blade in four years!

Reprinted with permission from Landscape Take a hard look at snow operations Everything I have written and shared in my role as a consultant, applies to the snow Trades. removal business – know your true costs, your overhead, return on investment and profit margin. However, snow removal by necessity involves extra costs; that means extra risk.

Snow removal contractors need 4x4 trucks, while “no removal” companies can operate with a six cylinder, two-wheel drive trucks, at half the cost. Gas, insurance, repair and utility costs are higher, as are equipment, storage and repair shop needs. All these costs drive your overhead up.

Welcome to our

New Members

Curb Appeal Today Todd Reader 53231 Range Road 271 Spruce Grove, AB T7X 3L9 (780) 271-9954 todd@curbappealtoday.ca www.curbappealtoday.ca

Riverstone Ventures Ltd. Todd Strembitsky PO Box 23019 Citadel RPO St. Albert, AB T8N 6Z9 (780) 456-0480 Fax: (780) 472-9497 info@riverstonegardencentre.com www.riverstonegardencentre.com Valley Landscapers Ltd. George Leger Box 899 Grimshaw, AB T0H 1W0 (780) 618-9166 Fax: (780) 332-1855 gleger@abnorth.com

14 I Green for Life September/October 2014

Housekeeping for contractors by mark bradley

“A stitch in time, saves nine.” As old as that saying is, the truth still prevails. As your season slips into high-gear, don’t neglect the little “stitches” that keep small problems from growing into big ones.

Below I’ve listed items that cause small problems, lots of little stitches here and there. But you’ll lose count of wasted, unbillable hours working around these problems if you skip past the housekeeping phase and try to work through them.

Some of these problems lead to quick, so-called harmless trips to the store. Other, more serious neglected items will lead to audits, fines, and even preventable accidents.

So, bring your staff in on a Saturday and work through the items that apply to your company. The day’s wages will sting (a bit), but like a needle applied to fabric, a few hours spent preventing problems will save you hundreds of hours dealing with them.

Shop Housekeeping • Label all your shelves and storage locations. If there’s one thing you can do to make the effect of your cleanups last longer, it’s labelling.

• Having clearly-marked areas for everything prevents people from just tossing materials and tools wherever they feel like. Labels will not only make your shop look neater and cleaner, it will shorten your seasonal cleanup from months or years to weeks.

• Clean up employee meeting and lunch areas. These areas often suffer from neglect. Dirty, unkempt employee areas reinforce the message to all employees (especially new ones) that it’s okay to leave a mess.

• Clean out the equipment repair area in your shop.

Throw out any old tools and equipment that are beyond repair, or where it’s cheaper to replace.

• Throw out broken tools or materials that you’ll likely never use. They just add clutter. If it’s been sitting around for a year or more and you haven’t used it, toss it out.

• Check your material inventories. Restock materials, tools, small equipment, job consumables. Stock up on items you use just about every day to reduce wasted time stopping at vendors.

• Check your fuel cans. Are they colour-coded by fuel type? Do you have all the lids and nozzles (Hint: you probably need 3-4 spare lids for every can!)

• Do all your new employees have an area for their personal belongings, or a mail slot? Nothing says,

•

•

•

• • • •

“You’re not important and we don’t expect you to be here long,” like not providing a space for new employees while keeping spots for employees who no longer work for you.

Paperwork printed and ready. We’re trying to get rid of paperwork everywhere we possibly can, but you probably can’t escape it all. Make paperwork available on clearly-marked shelves.

Inventory your safety equipment. Check quantities of commonly-used safety supplies like hearing protection, eye protection, eye wash, and safety vests. Order more of what you need.

Look around the shop for hazard areas, especially for fuel or hazardous chemical storage areas. Post warning signs and no-smoking signs wherever necessary.

Update your MSDS binder. Ensure you have MSDS sheets for all hazardous materials and make sure your MSDS sheets are up-to-date (they do expire).

Check the first aid supplies at the shop. Make sure you’re stocked according to your local health and safety laws.

Inspect your shop fire extinguishers. Make sure the inspection is recent and they’re charged and ready.

Check and replenish inventory of cleaning supplies – brooms, dust absorber, spill absorber, truck washing supplies, etc.

Office Housekeeping • Walk into your greeting and receiving area. Pretend you are a customer, a new employee, a banker or a vendor. What’s the entrance to your office like? Is the first impression neat, tidy and attractive? If it’s not, why not?

• Make sure all new employees have an employee file.

Build a basic checklist for what should be in each file and staple the checklist to the inside cover of the folder.

• Make sure you are updating all staff, but especially new employees, with basic training. MSDS, PPE and relevant tool and equipment training are key. Get written signoffs for all training and keep signoffs somewhere that is easy to access.

• Put a plan in place for ongoing training. How often do you expect toolbox meetings? Where should staff get the content for these toolbox meetings? How do they submit the signoffs? What other training or inspections are expected?

• Update your Health and Safety policies, board Green for Life September/October 2014 I 15

•

• • • • •

do it. Post spring updates, pictures postings, contact numbers and emergency response plan. Save old policies, of last year’s jobs, pictures of this and use a new version number on new ones, so you can demonstrate that you year’s staff or equipment. Post review and update these regularly. inspiration from other sites!

Build an electronic calendar with key dates to remind you and your staff.

Anything to get you started.

Calendars are easy, fast and free ways to set up reminders for training deadlines, fleet and vehicle management, health and safety inspections and Vehicle, Trailer and Equipment Housekeeping more.

• Organize your keys. Build a rack in Ask all staff to report important allergies or health conditions. If you have staff the shop with clearly-marked with serious allergies, make sure you have an EpiPen at the shop or office. locations for each vehicle and Don’t forget to make sure people have been trained to use it. equipment key. Have at least two Check your office supply inventory. Restock where required. Label all office backups for every key. Keep the supply shelves and areas so that these areas stay neat and organized. backups organized with labelled key Check your uniform inventory. chains.

Update your answering machine message. If your message is old and tired, • Check dates of all plate renewals, consider a new one. insurance slip expiration, annual Update your website and any social media you use. Nothing is worse than a neglected website. If you haven’t posted any new content in a year or more, inspections, etc. Create electronic calendar entries to remind people of important expiration dates.

• Check all the paperwork in your vehicles. Each vehicle should have updated insurance slips, ownerships, copies of inspections, and any other relevant documents.

• Ensure all vehicles and trailers are registered for the correct weight.

• Include an emergency plan, emergency contact information and an accident checklist in each vehicle.

• Check inventory of daily vehicle inspection books/forms. Store in an easy-to-find place.

• Create binders for all vehicles and equipment in the office to store copies of ownerships, registrations, inspections and all maintenance records.

• Check your insurance policy against your current fleet, and ensure new drivers are named on your policy.

• Check the contents of all first aid kits in vehicles.

• Check the tool inventory in all your trucks and trailers. Replace any worn or broken items.

• Label all shelving and storage areas in your tool trailers (especially enclosed trailers).

• Ensure all equipment has an operator’s manual available.

• Make sure employees have sufficient training to inspect, operate, and work around and with the equipment they use.

Mark Bradley is president of TBG Landscape and the Landscape Management Network (LMN), both based in the Toronto area.

Reprinted with permission from Landscape Trades.

16 I Green for Life September/October 2014

Become More Productive Immediately: Tips for Time Follow Jeffrey`s Management

9

By Jeffrey Scott

No one is ever as efficient as they want to be, however, most leaders don’t know what to do about that. I have researched the best ideas for time management, tested them out myself, and collated this list. The techniques in this article will double your effectiveness and allow you to accomplish more than you ever thought possible.

1. "Give me two alternatives" Teach your direct reports and employees to answer their own questions, by asking them to come to you with two alternative solutions before asking you the question. Tell them you will coach them on which is the best - and the happy truth is, most of their questions will be solved by the time they develop the two alternatives. Teach them to fish, and you will all eat more fish.

the weekend), plan ahead for the next week. At 4 pm or in evening start to plan for next day. Taking time for quiet reflection improves your thinking process.

Foremen: Have your foremen report back to you at noon and at 4 pm. Have them answer: will they finish on time, have they run into anything that has set them back, do they need another kind of tool tomorrow.

7. Make one business-building improvement a day Improve one thing each working day, and in 20 weeks you will have improved 100 things in your company and doubled the effectiveness of your corporation. Keep this up and within a year you will be 250% better off. People overestimate what they can get done in a month, and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.

8. Have people clean up their own mess When you clean up after others, you train them to keep making mistakes. When clients complain about workmanship, have the employees responsible go talk to the client and fix the problem themselves - your employees will learn to do better next time.

2. Carve out alone time If you are bombarded with interruptions and can't seem to get any work done, carve out alone time each day (up to 2 hours), or a half day each week, where you "close the door, pull down the shades, put a do-not-disturb sign on your door, turn off your email ping and phone buzz, and let your employees know not to interrupt. You may choose to go off site to get the quiet you need. Train your staff when they can reach out to you, and when they shouldn't.

9. Outsource non-core tasks You don't need to be your own website guy or social media gal.

You don't need to be an expert in a side service (irrigation, fertilization). Understand what your core business really is, and focus your energy on building that aspect of the business.

Outsource or delegate everything else.

3. Use a weekly meeting Set up a recurring weekly time to meet with certain staff, and ask them to save up their issues for that meeting, and not to ask you throughout the week, unless urgent or critical to a project or client's satisfaction (in which case, see tip 1). Many issues will end up getting solved and/or not be relevant by the time your meeting happens.

Actions • Take the top 3 ideas, and implement one a week, or faster if they are simple to execute.

• Share with someone in your company to be your accountability partner.

• Ask your employees which of these ideas make sense to implement right away.

4. Don't sell to shoppers Qualify 60% (+/-) of the shoppers on the phone, and the other 40% on the first appointment. Use consultation fees and direct questions to make sure they are a good fit for you. Use your time on your higher value leads; close more good leads at a higher value.

Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, is the expert in growth and profit maximization in the lawn & landscape industry. He grew his company into a successful $10 million enterprise, and he's now devoted to helping others achieve profound success. To learn more visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.

6. Build the habit of planning ahead If you do everything last minute, you will make more mistakes, have less chance for support from others, cause more chaos, be more stressed, and waste everyone's time. On Friday (or

Hort Mart

5. Delegate low-profit tasks Delegate any task you could pay someone $20 to $25/hr or less to do. Brainstorm a list of 5-10 things you do that someone else could. And for your key managers lower on the pecking order, have them choose a lower cut off ($10 to $15/hr). You will make more money and have happier clients if you (and they) stay focused on your high value, high profit tasks.

Treat your business as a profession, and you will attract professionals.

Aurora Design DESIGN, PRINT AND DIGITAL SERVICES • Advertising Design • Flyers • Brochures • Newsletters • Business Cards • Photography • Catalogues • Promo Inserts ... and much more Please note our new phone number:

Phone: (587) 354-1265

E-mail: auroradesign@shaw.ca Green for Life September/October 2014 I 17

A look back at our association

18 I Green for Life September/October 2014