April 1, 2019
British Columbia Update April 2019
BCLNA works to eradicate Japanese beetle
The BCLNA continues to work with its partners, including CFIA, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, the Invasive Species Council of B.C., the City of Vancouver as well as MetroVan, in the continuing Japanese beetle eradication efforts for 2019. The regulated area has increased slightly in size, with treatment areas to be determined over the next few weeks on both public and private lands. BCLNA member companies with clients in the treatment area were able to obtain approvals for treatment in 2018, most of which are still in effect in 2019, enabling an earlier start to the application of Acelepryn in downtown Vancouver this year. BCLNA’s role is to facilitate dialogue and communicate the effect of the regulations to landscapers and retailers, and to provide information for their clients. Most retailers and landscape suppliers who deal with trade in the restricted area will no longer take returns of plants. The eradication is estimated to take three to five years.
Laura Bryce, BCLNA’s Japanese Beetle and Technical Coordinator, will be taking the lead on the J.B. issue, as it continues to take considerable collaboration and discussions to continue the eradication initiative. Gulshan Josan, BCLNA’s new Marketing and Communications Coordinator, will be working with Laura to build on the 2018 work, increasing distribution networks into the landscape trade, which is estimated to be about 2,500 businesses in the greater Vancouver area.
Laura Bryce, BCLNA’s Japanese Beetle and Technical Coordinator, will be taking the lead on the J.B. issue, as it continues to take considerable collaboration and discussions to continue the eradication initiative. Gulshan Josan, BCLNA’s new Marketing and Communications Coordinator, will be working with Laura to build on the 2018 work, increasing distribution networks into the landscape trade, which is estimated to be about 2,500 businesses in the greater Vancouver area.
Gulshan Josan
Get ’em while they’re young!
BCLNA booth at the Vancouver home show.BCLNA is actively working to support budding horticulturists to come into the industry through a targeted plan, with visits and discussions with students at horticulture education institutions as well as career fairs. This is part of BCLNA’s recruitment and retention strategy, to promote professionalism and leadership through the BCLNA’s associated programs and benefits.
Growth for B.C. home show
Bucking the trend of declining interest in shows, BCLNA members enjoyed brisk business at February’s B.C. Home + Garden Show, with good contacts for future business and also recruiting potential staff. Organized by Fanny St. Hilaire, BCLNA’s Landscape Coordinator, the focus was on providing professional garden and landscape advice to engage the public.
Fanny St. Hilaire
Labour Market Partnership project
The BCLNA is well underway in its Strategy Development Phase, to deal with severe labour shortages for the landscape and ag-hort sectors. Funded by the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, this multi-year project has strong support from industry leaders. A Governance Committee has just met to develop visions and values, with a full Partnership Committee meeting coming in April to review the draft Strategy. It is anticipated this B.C.-focused program will pilot the outcome of the Strategy in 2020, and is gaining considerable interest from other agricultural sectors including ‘fur and feathers.’Climate change?
This is written in March, after a balmy January led to a freezing February, with five times the usual amount of snow, and an all-time low temperature for the month since recordkeeping began. For nursery growers, it was a close call, as buds were about to break, which would have caused significant issues moving stock east. Shipping is now about two weeks behind the regular schedule, with Vancouver Island quickly opening up as the weather warms.CanWest Hort Expo 2019
BCLNA’s planning and program development for CanWest has an early kickoff, with the addition of Chris Yee to assist CanWest’s marketing and promotions. Michelle Linford, BCLNA’s Operations Coordinator, and Karen DeJong of K. DeJong Marketing Services, the Show Coordinator, are building the program and trade show with new components and ideas. CanWest 2019 takes place in Abbotsford on Sept. 25 - 26; watch for details coming out early June 2019 at canwesthortshow.com.
Chris Yee
Visit the BCNLA website at bclna.com.