EDUCATE
1 2 WAYS TO B E A
SUSTA I N ABLE FROM DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TO GROWERS AND SUPPLIERS, WE ALL CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PLANET
1. UNDERSTAND HOW DESIGN AFFECTS MAINTENANCE Design the site, plantings and hardscaping by optimizing maintenance, and educate your clients on the maintenance requirements at the time of design. Can you reduce manpower and machinerun time? Design planting under trees so that leaves can be left onsite. This minimizes maintenance while allowing the leaves to enrich the soil and removing the need for fertilizer.
s members of the green industry, we have the privilege of making our world a greener, more beautiful place. Often in our jobs, we literally have Mother Earth in our hands. There are so many ways we can be more sustainable from how we design, how we work, and how we liaise with our clients. Sustainability shouldn’t create an additional burden—in fact, it can actually lessen our work. From climate change to water shortages to the quality of our air and water, we have the power to make a difference. Small changes we make today help back yards, communities and ultimately the world become a better place for the next generation.
3. CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT PLACE The spacing and specifying of plants can affect the amount of pruning that is required in the future. Choose plants that are well-suited to the location and will perform well with limited additional input.
The combination of clever design and construction planning can minimize waste. If you excavate a site and find boulders, you might incorporate them into the design instead of an off-site disposal. In Moncus Park in Louisiana, the construction team dug a pond and used the excess soil to build a hill—which happened to be the highest point in the city! This not only made the landscape more interesting and created an asset; it saved on disposal, trucking and costs.
2. CREATE A WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
50 Pro Landscaper USA South March/April 2021
south.prolandscaperusa.com
