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TODAY'S CHALLENGES AND INITIATIVES TO MEET THEM
By Suz Trusty
As TPI celebrates its 50th anniversary, today’s green industry challenges are many and varied. Consider this list. Governmental rules and regulations; a limited labor force along with immigration and temporary worker issues; attacks on turfgrass by self-appointed environmentalists; the proliferation and promotion of plastic surfaces (artificial turf); drought, climate change and water!
While the challenges are formidable, TPI is aggressively addressing them and is forging strong bonds with other industry associations to respond to them and to develop ongoing initiatives that provide TPI with opportunities to be a recognized partner in turfgrass stewardship and industry-wide public relations programs.
Partnerships
Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) and Te Lawn Institute (TLI) have partnered with the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the Irrigation Association (IA) once again to promote the April
is...National Lawn Care Month campaign. (For details, see the article on Page 40.)
Via a February 8 email, Lisa Schaumann, Director of Communications for NALP, notified the participating associations that Chase’s Calendar of events has officially recognized and will list April as National Lawn Care Month. Since 1957, Chase’s Calendar has been the definitive day-to-day resource of what the world is celebrating and commemorating. Tis resource is widely used by media and thus should garner even more media attention and help further validate the month.
Also in February, NALP issued its annual roundup of trends expected to innovate and dominate landscapes this year. Te voice of the landscape industry, NALP crafts its annual forecast drawing from the expertise of landscape professionals across the country that are at the forefront of outdoor trends, as well as broader lifestyle and design trends.
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Among their top seven trends was “Growing ‘smart’ lawns. Trough selective breeding of plants, turfgrass seed producers have made significant advancements in developing cultivated grass varieties, called cultivars, which are designed to be smarter. Tey can better withstand the elements while still delivering an aesthetically beautiful and healthy lawn, making them especially desirable in drought-prone areas. Modern cultivars also enhance the environmental benefits of lawns, including the production of oxygen, while the latest strides in irrigation technology help conserve water.”
NALP’s Vice President of Government Relations Paul Mendelsohn also works with the H-2B Workforce Coalition, which includes AmericanHort and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) among its many members, in lobbying on behalf of that important temporary worker program. Trough email correspondence, NALP keeps TPI apprised of these activities, including calls for action.
OPEI also actively addresses green industry issues, serving as the voice of its members. In addition, OPEI’s Research and Education Foundation funds and manages the TurfMutt program. A real-life rescue dog named Lucky is the TurfMutt who inspires children to care for green spaces while learning science. Designed for children from kindergarten through fifth grade, the TurfMutt environmental stewardship and education program, in partnership with Scholastic Education, the world’s largest education provider, has brought Lucky and his team of environmental cartoon superheroes to more than 1 million children in 35,000 classrooms and more than half a million teachers.
OPEI, and TurfMutt’s real-life rescuer, Kris Kiser, OPEI president and CEO, have extended their outreach to dog lovers everywhere through serving as a sponsor for the Lucky Dog show that airs as part of ‘CBS Dream Team, It’s Epic!’ on Saturday mornings. Heart-warming stories include the TurfMutt program and feature a rescue dog who finds his forever home with a great yard, with Kris and Lucky instrumental in the process by working with the adoptive family to ensure their yard is dog-ready. Articles in Turf News help promote these initiatives.
Tese partners, along with the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA), also work together in the Greenscapes Alliance to address issues impacting the turfgrass industry. For example, consider ASHRAE, one of several organizations that prepare building standards and is trying to introduce language that would limit the
TPI Turf News March/April 2017
5 1960-1969 countdown to tpi’s 5oth anniversary in 2017
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