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Landscapers and government agencies
are sculpting a green environment

By PETER DERVIN
Washington Association of Landscape Professionals

Over the past year, many people have voiced concern with how the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP)has addressed environmental issues facing the landscape industry -- specifically salmon protection, water quality and quantity; as well as fertilizer, pesticide and chemical regulations and run-off.

WALP was created 16 years ago to provide the landscape construction and maintenance industry with professional, educational and legislative representation.

Through the years, several issues have impacted our industry, including the sales tax on landscape maintenance services, water restrictions due to drought conditions in 1992 and 1993, and air pollution violations from composting facilities due to a lack of disposal sites for grass clippings and landscape material debris.

"The water restrictions imposed in 1992 were devastating to both the landscape and nursery industries. The public perception was that if we can’t water our lawns, surely we can’t water our trees, shrubs and groundcovers."


The water restrictions imposed in 1992 were devastating to both the landscape and nursery industries, causing financial hardships for many companies. The public perception was that if we can’t water our lawns, surely we can’t water our trees, shrubs and groundcovers.

As a result, the Washington Green Industry Council was organized to address water issues and work with Seattle Public Utilities on developing a Water Shortage Contingency Plan in 1993.

Since 1993, Seattle Public Utilities and King County Hazardous Waste have developed the Natural Lawn Care Program and the Irrigation Efficiency program. King County Hazardous Waste has developed their EnviroStars program that addresses environmental waste disposal practices and business opportunities.

In the summer of 1998, Seattle Public Utilties and King County Hazardous Waste contacted WALP to discuss and explore how industry could get involved in the Natural Lawn Care program.

I explained who makes up our membership, and how the Natural Lawn Care program might effect their businesses. Additionally, I shared my concerns about being regulated by government; and said that if government wants to have industry as a partner, we needed to create new business opportunities, not regulations.

Seattle Public Utilities and King County Hazardous Waste introduced me to the EnviroStars program where they developed a "Green Business Directory" promoting businesses practicing environmental applications. With less than 10 firms listed, the landscape industry was not represented very well in the directory.

How could a landscape business become pro-active in addressing environmental impacts affecting their work? It was time to think about how WALP promotes professionalism to the public.

The Certified Landscape Technician program is our major program addressing professionalism and education. This national program establishes a benchmark and a level of standardization among landscape professionals. Through the CLT process, candidates are tested on knowledge and field experience. For instance, over the years, the CLT program has been working on Advanced Endorsements in concrete installation, carpentry, and in irrigation water auditing.

Incorporating the CLT program into the EnviroStars program seemed an ideal way to educate industry about environmental practices -- and create business opportunities.

Seattle Public Utilities and King County Hazardous Waste were also interested. After all, the CLT testing program provided people with the opportunity to be qualified to perform at a standard proficiency level. WALP, the city and the county explored the possibilities of developing an Advanced Endorsement for the CLT program based on horticultural best practices. In order to pursue this, all three agencies needed to find out if industry was interested.

I pitched the idea of an Advanced Endorsement to our certification committee. In the meantime, Seattle Public Utilities and King County Hazardous Waste went to work to develop an introduction brief about the Natural Law Care program.

In November 1998, I addressed the National Landscape Technician Council (NLTC) to get formal approval to develop a pilot program based on Environmental Practices for Western Washington. The goal from this point was to have a pilot test for our CLT testing in May 1999. Throughout the winter and spring of 1999, WALP members, Seattle Public Utilities, King County Hazardous Waste, and Clover Park Technical College worked to develop a study guide and test questions for this pilot test.

In May 1999 we had one candidate take part in the pilot test where we offered just three sections. The candidate reported back that the test was not hard enough -- we needed to increase the difficulty to insure advanced education on environmental issues.

In the year since that first pilot test, reviews and revisions were made to enhance the program. On May 20, 2000, four candidates participated in the pilot testing. The candidates were tested in written comprehension, customer education, site assessment, mowing, irrigation, fertilization, weed and pest control, renovation and installation, and other maintenance practices.

"(Our goal) is to have WALP members, Certified Landscape Technicians and landscape professionals be viewed as problem solvers regarding the issues of fertilizer/pesticide runoff, irrigation efficiency and grass cycling."


Observers from British Columbia, Oregon and California reviewed the level of professionalism demonstrated by the candidates, judges and the program itself. The next step in this process is to present the program to the National Landscape Technician Council for their review and approval, making this Advanced Horticultural Management Endorsement program a national standard.

Throughout this process we have asked individuals on both sides of the environmental fence to participate in developing the program. Some have been willing and some have not. The goals for developing this pilot program is to give landscape professionals the opportunity to become educated in horticultural best practices so they can provide these services to their customers.

To clarify, WALP is not in favor of the banning of any federally approved fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or any other products used by landscape professionals. WALP endorses the safe use of these products by professionals who have received their Pesticide Applicators license through the State of Washington Department of Agriculture Pesticide Management Division.

During this past legislative session, bills that addressed water issues seemed to include language promoting landscape ordinances. In fact, the Legislature has also addressed fertilizer labeling and other issues pertaining to chemicals in the environment. As the salmon issue continues to grow, the landscape industry needs to be pro-active in order to protect our rights and interests regarding these issues. Our goal with the CLT Advanced Horticultural Management – Lawns Endorsement, is to have WALP members, Certified Landscape Technicians and landscape professionals be viewed as problem solvers regarding the issues of fertilizer/pesticide runoff, irrigation efficiency and grass cycling.


Peter Dervin is the executive director of the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals.


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