![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Press Announcement: San Antonio Conference Outlines Future Actions of "Lawns & the Environment" Coalition
For Immediate Release March 26, 2004
contact: Paul Parker
pparkercrm@msn.com
Center for Resource Management
801-466-3600
On March 14 - 17, 2004 over 100 representatives of various government agencies, environmental groups, Cooperative Extension Services, universities, garden writers, and a variety of lawn care and landscaping businesses, associations, and suppliers met to discuss environmental issues and a draft set of environmental guidelines for responsible lawn care and landscaping. The three-day meeting took place in the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. At the conclusion of the conference, the Lawns & the Environment (L&E) steering committee presented a four-part action plan for future coalition activities:
- Expand membership of the L&E steering committee and develop a strategic plan for the initiative.
- Extend the review and comment period for the draft "Environmental Guidelines for Responsible Lawn Care and Landscaping" to June 30, 2004.
- Identify and select three to five cities willing to partner in public education demonstration projects.
- Convene 2nd National L&E conference in 2006 to evaluate demonstration projects and future actions.
Paul Parker, Executive Vice President of the Center for Resource Management (CRM) and co-chair of the conference said a brief conference report and educational video would also be produced to highlight the guidelines and the collaborative process of the Lawns & the Environment Initiative. Mr. Parker commented that, "The conference helped to broaden the support for a common set of environmental guidelines concerning the use of pesticides, fertilizers, water, and other landscape practices. There was a collective enthusiasm for different groups to use the guidelines in a common effort to educate the consumer." The San Antonio conference entitled, "Environmental Lawn Care and Landscaping: Reaching the Consumer" was organized by the L&E coalition under the auspices of the Center for Resource Management.
The San Antonio conference included speakers and presentations from organizations that are involved in these issues and public outreach programs from across the country. Conference participants had the opportunity throughout the three-day meeting to voice their opinions and provide recommendations concerning the proposed environmental guidelines and how best to educate and motivate consumers to adopt these practices in their home yards and landscapes.
L&E is a voluntary coalition of lawn care/landscaping industry organizations, environmental groups, and government agencies who are involved in residential landscaping issues. The coalition includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Scotts Company, The Toro Company, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Professional Lawn Care Association of America, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE), San Antonio Water System, American Nursery & Landscape Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Businesses for the Bay/Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Agronomy and Horticulture Services. The coalition has developed a common set of environmental guidelines for responsible lawn care and landscaping that was presented in the conference.
The host for the conference was the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), which also constructed five demonstration landscapes using the environmental guidelines. Conference participants toured the demonstration landscapes that are part of an open exhibit at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Calvin Finch, co-chair of the conference and Director of Conservation at SAWS said, "The guidelines being developed by the attendees of the "Lawns & the Environment conference will be invaluable to citizens trying to establish landscaping rules to protect the future of their communities. There are thousands of garden clubs, water utilities, nurseries, environmental groups, and landscape companies that will use the guidelines to educate the public.
The Toro Foundation is a gold sponsor of the Lawns & the Environment Initiative and Van Cline, Agronomist for The Toro Company made a presentation at the conference on his company's environmental philosophy and activities. Mr. Cline said, "Environmental stewardship has been an important part of Toro's business philosophy for many years. This initiative by the Center for Resource Management is a great vehicle through which we in the company can participate at a meaningful and practical level to advance environmental responsibility in lawn and landscape care. Opportunities to bring people together from the public realm, environmental groups, and industry don't come along every day. The work of this coalition under the guidance of CRM is very encouraging."
The Toro Company is a leading provider of outdoor maintenance and beautification products for home, recreation, and commercial landscapes around the world.
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency is also an L&E sponsor and a number of EPA officials attended the San Antonio conference. Ed Brandt, Economist with the Environmental Stewardship Branch of the Office of Pesticide Programs has served as a member of the L&E steering committee and helped draft the environmental guidelines. Mr. Brandt said, "In drafting the guidelines, the steering committee found we agreed far more often that we disagreed. Our goals are similar…..to live in and experience the benefits of a healthy environment. The conference generated additional support for the principles outlined in the guidelines and the need to work together for consumer education.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is an active member of the L&E steering committee and the nation's largest and oldest protector of wildlife. Through NWF's Backyard Habitat program 35,000 residential landscapes have been certified as backyard habitats. Lori Ward, Coordinator of the NWF Backyard Wildlife Habitat program, participated in the conference and said, "The Lawns & the Environment conference in San Antonio was a tremendous success. It was great to talk to the other stakeholders in the lawn and landscape arena and see how they are encouraging sustainable lawn care and landscaping practices. I truly think we all learned from each other and I appreciated the atmosphere of respect that was created. I received wonderful feedback about National Wildlife Federation and the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program and see many partnership opportunities for the future."
The Center for Resource Management is a national non-profit organization
that leads the "Lawns and the Environment Initiative". CRM has over 20
years of experience in fostering and guiding environmental collaboration,
consensus building, and policy development involving the business community,
environmental groups, science and government. CRM acts as a catalyst and
facilitator in bringing different and often conflicting interests together
to define the common ground in environmental problem solving. For more
information on the L&E initiative go to www.crm.org. 