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News from VTC
PETERSBURG PROJECT
January 1, 2022 – PETERSBURG, Virginia – The Virginia Turfgrass Council-Environmental Institute (VTC-EI) completed the Petersburg Service Project, a partnership between Virginia State University, Emmanuel Apostolic Temple, City of Petersburg, James River Association, Keep Virginia Green, and others. Previously, a stormwater mitigation project had the unintended consequence of allowing sediment to flow from the church property into the James River. The Petersburg Service Project installed a low maintenance landscape at Emmanuel Apostolic Temple that will greatly reduce the pollution.
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The VTC-EI Petersburg Service project installed landscaping which will help reduce sediment flowing into the James River. The importance of reducing sediment was underscored in a recent USGS report which shows the long-term suspended-sediment load in the James River is degrading.
Members of the Emmanuel Apostolic Temple and the surrounding community were engaged with the planning and installation of the project, cooperating in bringing public awareness to environmental concerns in a practical, hands-on effort.
ABOUT VTC-EI
The Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute was founded to address a critical need in the green industry: to advocate for best practices and environmental awareness in and around the turfgrass management community. VTC-EI strives to educate decision makers about the environmental benefits of wellmanaged landscapes and demonstrate a commitment to healthier ecosystems.
VTC-EI was launched in 2021 with a tangible benefit to Virginia’s environment and its citizens. Their first project was the distribution of 25,000 packets of flowering pollinator seeds across the state. A project in February brought together professionals from far and wide to plant 6,000 custom grown American Dune Beach Grass plants in the oceanfront dunes in Virginia Beach.
VTC-EI will repeat both projects in 2022, this time planting 15,000 American Beach Grass plants to protect the Chesapeake Bay. This project is part of a larger industry event focused on educating turfgrass and landscape professionals about practices to protect and preserve Virginia’s landscape and resources.
BECOME A PARTNER
With your support, we can continue to shed positive light on our industry and create new initiatives to protect and restore our environment while advocating for the allowance of best management practices used by turfgrass managers. By partnering with the VTC-EI, your organization demonstrates its commitment to a healthy environment and its support of turfgrass professionals’ ability to continue their work. You will help give turfgrass and landscape professionals a voice through legislative advocacy.
VTC-EI provides great benefits to turfgrass professionals, member companies, the industry at large and the environment. We invite you to become a supporter and be part of our unique effort to advance both the environment and the industry.
You can partner with VTC-EI by becoming a donor or sponsor.
JOIN THE LIST OF DONORS AT www.vaturf.org/sponsors
For specific opportunities to partner (as a business or individual) with the VTC-EI in making meaningful changes in Virginia and beyond, watch for the launch of the Environmental Partnership Program.
As a 501(c)(3) Corporation, all donations to VTC-EI are tax-exempt.
