Environmental Stewardship Award

About the Program
Many individuals, companies and organizations in the horticulture industry are implementing environmentally sensitive practices above and beyond typical procedures. The BC Landscape & Nursery Association believes that it is important to properly recognize environmental leadership and stewardship of the groups and individuals who use eco-friendly nursery products, services, and methods. The Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) honours those in the industry who put forth extra effort to enhance the environment and set an example for all.

The BCLNA is supported by a network of members and non-members involved in a wide range of activities, including supply, plant production, landscape and environmental design and installation; each of these activities has environmental implications. The ESA is an incentive for the horticulture industry to practice what they preach as a "green industry", and implement environmentally friendly business methods into their operations.

Those nominated for the ESA are recognized for incorporating essential elements of environmental stewardship into their horticultural activities or projects. The BCLNA encourages the industry to make an effort to find those worthy of nominations, be it themselves, their colleagues, or others, including growers and suppliers.

The ESA is generously underwritten and sponsored by Linnaea Nurseries Ltd. and Peel Nurseries Ltd. An entry which proves to be of exemplary environmental stewardship is awarded a $500 cash prize and winners plaque.

The ESA program commences in early summer, with judging occurring in mid-October.

For more information contact the BCLNA 604-574-7772 or download an entry package here.

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2007 Environmental Stewardship Award Winner

District of Maple Ridge for their Community Ecosystem Restoration Initiative

This year’s Environmental Stewardship Award was presented to the District of Maple Ridge for their Community Ecosystem Restoration Initiative.

The project involves various objectives and steps including:

• Identification of suitable restoration sites using municipal mapping and inventory of disturbed areas, sparsely vegetated areas, dead and dying deciduous stands, as well as riparian areas that have a high incidence of invasive flora species.
• Developing landscape prescriptions for hazard tree removal, thinning, invasive plant removal, and replanting for municipal public and private lands.
• Securing tree stocks using native species.
• Implementing planting nearly 300,000 tree specimens around the District of Maple Ridge.
• Municipal wide education outreach program with general public and school programs.

They are recognized for its multi-faceted approach to ecosystem restoration on a larger, municipality-wide scale.  Groups involved were:  The District of Maple Ridge, local volunteer groups and Ecosystem Restoration Associates.

The funding of the project is supported by participating partners and companies seeking to address climate change.  In this case, the objective is CO2 reduction through the creation and restoration of habitat by giving a home to 300,000 native plants in Maple Ridge parks and on municipal lands. The potential positive impact on the environment is substantial and the inclusion of so many segments of the population will add a broad educational aspect.

Cougar Canyon Elementary School Rain Garden
Honorable Mention

Several years ago, Deborah Jones of the Cougar Canyon Streamkeepers was looking for an appropriate site to construct a demonstration rain garden in the North Delta area.  The purpose of the project was to show the community how rain water that falls on roads and parking lots doesn’t have to end up in pipes, which allow road contaminants to enter Cougar Creek.

Instead, a rain garden was to be constructed that would infiltrate water from a parking lot and clean it before it reached the creek.  Cougar Creek is a major salmon-bearing stream in North Delta.

The judging committee was impressed by both the intent, as well as the implementation of the Rain Garden. The educational component scored very high.  The judging team thought highly of the importance of reducing the amount of run-off from the school parking lot, while at the same time improving water quality from the run-off through the use of an attractively designed, landscaped swale, acting as a bio-filter system. The project is very visible and was installed with the help of the school community and other local groups.

This project is a typical example of how taking many small steps can add up to having a larger, positive impact on improving the community’s environment.

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