For generations, agriculture has made significant contributions to Canada’s economy, food supply, environment and culture. On July 1, 1867, the federal Department of Agriculture was created and the first Minister of Agriculture was appointed. Today, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, provides leadership in the growth, development and sustainability of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.
Join the celebration agr.gc.ca/agriculture150.
Landscape Alberta and a group of local landscape companies are working to build a new park in Chestermere, AB. We are converting the skateboard park, located at the corner of Rainbow Road and Chestermere Boulevard, into a premiere park for the community to enjoy. The vision is to develop a park which will foster community engagement and be a landscaping showcase for the City – all through the generous in-kind contribution of our time, talent and resources.
The idea, which originated with Synergy, coincides with the establishment of the Reidbuilt Center for Community Leadership, which is intended to support local non-profit organizations. Recently Chestermere City Council and staff have agreed to support this project and re-allocated funding for much-needed irrigation. A more robust landscaping plan has been developed, and the next step is to broaden the involvement of local landscaping companies to help make this exciting project a reality.
The park will be installed in two phases. The first, large trees, loam and irrigation will be installed. The second phase of this park installation is the garden bed and shrub planting, as well as laying sod.
Phase 2: June 2-3, 2017 (weather dependent)
Foothills Premium Mulch 1700 sq m Donated
Sod 4180 sq m Donated
Karl Foerster Grass 111 Donated
Little Bluestem Grass 23 Donated
Blue Gramma Grass 56 Donated
Flame Grass 18 Donated
Shendandoah Switch Grass 47 Donated
Please contact Kyla for more information or to donate materials, equipment and labour.
kyla@landscape-alberta.com | P: 780-489-1991 x106 | C: 780-218-5203
Project Partners
Thank you to our Donors!
A new sub-committee of CNLA’s Landscape Canada committee is working towards a national centre of excellence (outdoor living museum) in Ottawa.
Did you know that Canada is the only G7 nation without a national garden? This is an opportunity to establish one that acts as a centre of excellence to educate youth on living green infrastructure, as well as a public gathering place that displays Canada’s rich horticultural heritage.
The Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative will help fund internships for post-secondary graduates and high school students working in the agriculture industry. These internships would include activities or projects that benefit the environment.
Funding is available through the following two streams:
The CLD designation recognizes that potential certification candidates might have extensive industry experience or already possess membership in other landscape design organizations. Therefore, these candidates are eligible to apply under the program provision instead of writing the formal exam, and submitting their portfolio.
Candidates with at least 12 years of design experience are now eligible to apply for the new “Grandfathering” provision under the Certified Landscape Designer (CLD) designation. Likewise, any candidates with full membership to a professional landscape design association (up to the discretion of the committee) are eligible for application as well. In addition to providing proof of education and work experience, candidates are also required to submit two sponsorship letters, validating their submission. Once the application is approved, candidates may be asked to discuss three relevant design projects, during which they played a significant role, with the Review Committee.
To learn more you can visit certifiedlandscapedesigner.com or listen to the webinar available online here. Any questions can be directed to Edith Oyosoro at the CNLA via email at edith@cnla-acpp.ca , or by telephone at 1-888-446-3499 ext. 8650.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), has released the sector-specific biosecurity guides for nursery producers. The guide supports the National Voluntary Farm-Level Biosecurity Standard for the Greenhouse, Nursery and Floriculture Sectors that was released in March 2016.
The Standard was developed by the Greenhouse, Nursery and Floriculture Biosecurity Advisory Committee (GNFBAC), which includes members from sector associations, producers, academia, and federal and provincial specialists. After the 2016 release of the Standard, the members of the GNFBAC formed three separate sub-committees to each develop a voluntary, sector-specific biosecurity guide to assist producers in achieving the target outcomes described in the Standard.
The nursery sector Biosecurity Guide, in combination with the Standard, will assist producers by:
• Raising awareness of biosecurity risks and the measures that can help reduce the risk of pest introduction and spread.
• Providing a nationally consistent approach to develop and implement a biosecurity plan in the nursery sector.
The Standard and nursery sector Biosecurity Guides are voluntary and can be adopted in their entirety or can supplement existing on-farm biosecurity programs. Funding to develop the Standard and producer biosecurity guides was provided under the Growing Forward 2 Agricultural Policy Framework.
CNLA extends their sincere thanks to the Biosecurity Subcommittee for sharing their time and expertise on behalf of the nursery sector in the development of the Standard and Producer Guide: Anita Heuver, Jeanine West, Guillaume Gregoire, Garth Nickerson, Len Smit, Dave Woodske and Rita Weerdenburg.
The Standard and Producer Guide are available as on-line or PDF documents.
Nursery Sector Biosecurity Guide (PDF)
Nursery Sector Biosecurity Guide (online)
Greenhouse Nursery Floriculture Biosecurity Standard (PDF)
Greenhouse Nursery Floriculture Biosecurity Standard (online)
One of the most valuable resources that Landscape Alberta offers its members is the Landscape Awards program. It celebrates the remarkable work being done in the design, construction and maintenance of Alberta landscapes, and showcases projects that earn the respect and admiration of peers and clients alike. Each entry is evaluated independently by a panel of industry judges using set criteria – marks are earned for creativity, construction skills and horticultural practices. Projects that score very highly in our Alberta program are elevated to compete in the National Awards of Landscape Excellence (Canadian Nursery Landscape Association).
The early bird deadline for the 2017 Landscape Awards is October 20, 2017.
Click here to download the awards package!
Interested in becoming a Landscape Awards Sponsor? Click here.
Milton, Ont. (April 18, 2017) — While winter is barely behind us, Landscape Ontario’s Snow and Ice Sector Group andLandscape Trades magazine announced today that it will hold its Snowposium on Sept. 28, 2017. This single-day event will feature a trade show, outdoor demonstrations, speakers, educational sessions, and networking opportunities for professionals responsible to keep our roads, sidewalks and parking lots safe during the winter months.
“Given the business climate and challenges facing our industry, continuing education is increasingly important,” said Jamie Perras, Snow and Ice Sector Group Chair. “Landscape Ontario is striving towards another great event full of up-to-date information for industry professionals. We are looking forward to presenting some new programming and ideas this September, and we invite anyone involved in the industry to come out to the tradeshow.”
New for 2017 is a change in the paid sessions format; there will now be two streams of education sessions, with breaks for networking with peers and suppliers. The event will feature an outdoor trade show, open to all snow and ice management professionals regardless of whether they are registered for the paid conference sessions. Attendees may visit with experts at numerous exhibits to see new products for this upcoming winter, hear product presentations and discuss practical tactics for operational efficiency in various areas of snow and ice management.
The 2017 Snowposium will be held at the Landscape Ontario Milton office, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include:
With conference programming focused on the real-world business issues crucial to running a successful snow and ice management operation — managing risk, product innovations, insurance, cost control, slip-and-fall claims and a focused tradeshow showcasing the new equipment and technology — the 2017 Snowposium is anticipated to draw an audience of industry leaders including private, commercial and municipal snow and ice professionals, property managers, equipment and operations managers, key personnel, industry suppliers and more.
Proceeds from the event will go toward research on salt usage to ensure snow and ice management activities and equipment are up-to-date, finding the ideal balance between public safety and protection of our natural resources. The Landscape Ontario Snow and Ice Sector Group advises nine provincial chapters on the latest information and technology available to operate a safe and successful snow and ice management operations.
Registration and a schedule of events will be available at Snowposium.ca.
For more information contact Amy Buchanan, Amy@LandscapeOntario.com, (800) 265-5656 ext. 329.
For exhibit space contact Darryl Bond, Darryl@LandscapeOntario.com, (800) 265-5656 ext. 366.
Effective April 17, the Landscape Alberta office will have a new home. Please update your records accordingly.
Alberta has a very comprehensive and complex underground infrastructure that provides essential goods and services to all Albertans. Each year, there are numerous instances where the integrity of this infrastructure is jeopardized by improperly conducted ground disturbances. Failure to Click, Tap or Call Before You Dig to have buried facilities identified and their locations marked prior to disturbing the ground, is the most frequent cause of buried facility damage.
All ground disturbers, including contractors, homeowners and land owners, can save time and money and keep themselves and our province safe and connected by following ground disturbance and buried facility damage prevention Best Practices. These include contacting Alberta One-Call in advance of any ground disturbance project, waiting for the buried facility locates to be done, respecting the locate marks, exposing any conflicting buried facilities before using mechanical excavation equipment, and digging with care.
As April is the traditional start-up of the annual digging season, the Alberta Damage Prevention Council proclaims April as SAFE DIGGING MONTH and encourages all ground disturbers to always Click, Tap or Call Before You Dig. www.albertaonecall.com or download the mobile app or call 1-800-242-3447.