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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/557483
50 September 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com STAYING CURRENT As a landscape professional, following the path of being a good steward can take many shapes. You face regulations; differing opinions on what constitutes stewardship; and the challenge of scientific, peer-reviewed material holding less weight than an isolated report found on the Internet. Recently, we are seeing examples of this play out with the Montgomery County (Md.) City Council proposal to ban the use of pest control products to control weeds on private property. They have ignored testimony by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and have relied on their own hand-picked studies. Then, we have the new H-2B requirements, with the opposition saying guest workers are displacing U.S. workers. When you advocate for these issues, some may say you are not being a steward of the environment or the economy. They completely ignore your data explanations. Another example is the EPA's Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The EPA is trying to sway public opinion by saying that the new rule it is not overreaching with new provisions based on the existing Clean Water Act — they are just redefining what was made unclear by a Supreme Court ruling. But if you are left on your own to interpret what the new rule constitutes — such as deciding what a regulated ditch is when you are altering soil or land in a design/build or maintenance operation — you might decide wrong. And then you could be in violation and facing a fine or citizen lawsuit. This could certainly make you be viewed as less than a steward of the environment. In the future, wouldn't it be better to be able tell a customer that not only can they tally the value your work by the amount of their bill, but also by a calculated value of ecosystem services you provided from your work? This concept of ecosystem services has not gone unnoticed by our industry. We are working on a way that you can show your stewardship to your customers in this real, calculated way. In order for an ecosystem to provide services to humans, some interaction with, or at least some appreciation by, humans is required. Thus, use value is defined as the value derived from the actual use of a good or service, such as hunting, fishing, bird watching or hiking. So, in the case of professional landscape services, the customer's enjoyment of their property was increased because of the services you rendered. A new study by the World Resources Institute and Cardno ENTRIX, Creating Value through Ecosystem Service Management in Urban and Suburban Landscapes, describes the ecosystem services approach and how it relates to managed landscapes. It reviews the economic, environmental and social benefits derived from managed landscapes with a focus on seven ecosystem services: aesthetic and recreation opportunities, water quality, air quality, carbon sequestration, local climate control, water retention, and soil retention. These services can be quantified and economically valued using existing methods. Let's all look forward to a change in the way we are viewed as stewards. Tom Delaney, is director of government affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET). Environmental Stewardship for Today and Tomorrow ILLUSTRATION ABOVE ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/SMARTBOY10 LI ■ BY TOM DELANEY This concept of ecosystem services has not gone unnoticed by our industry. We are working on a way that you can show your stewardship to your customers in this real, calculated way.