1 Arizona Landscape Contractors Association Represents 433 companies

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Arizona Landscape Contractors’ Association Represents 433 companies Approximately 30, 000 employees $700 million in Arizona revenue 2

ALCA and SLM What is SLM? § Collaboration between Landscape Architect Janet Waibel & ALCA § Adopted by Arizona Landscape Contractors Association in October, 2011 § Standards that provide the best recommended practices § ALCA trademarked curriculum developed for certification purposes § 600 & growing certified SLM professionals are listed at www. ALCA. org 3

Who Endorses SLM? § Arizona Association of Community Managers § Building Owners & Managers Association of Greater Phoenix § Arizona Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects § Arizona Nursery Association § City of Phoenix 4

Topics Covered in SLM Practices Planting Composition Explained Decomposed Granite Planting New Trees Turf Management Tree Staking General Irrigation Pruning Trees Turf Irrigation Palms Site Drainage Shrubs and Groundcovers Urban Soils and Urban Plants Renovation Style Pruning Fertilizer and Soil Conditioners Cactus and Succulents Pesticide and Herbicide Application Ornamental Grass 5

Where is SLM? 6

So, how did we get here? § Customer’s Demand for Visual Confirmation of Work § Population unfamiliar with the Desert Landscape § Landscape Appearance Continues to Decline 7

Why Are Sustainable Practices Important? 8

Creates more attractive communities Promotes practices which enhance and preserve landscapes 9

Reasons for Pruning To encourage natural growth, forms and flowering of plant materials. Prune plants that have outgrown the space. Prune for safety related issues – plants that encroach over sidewalks; that obstruct lines of sight at intersections and driveways or that block signage. Prune frost damage after all danger of frost has passed. 10

Sustainable Practices vs. Non-Sustainable Practices

Plant materials will reach their potential Plants are healthier, live longer, allowed to bloom while requiring less water

Stages of Renovation Pruning Before pruning Several weeks later Renovation pruning Couple of months later 13

Sustainable practices are vital to the health of our trees Non-Sustainable Enhances and Preserves Landscape 14

Sustainable Palo Verde Non-Sustainable Palo Verde 15

Reduces overall cost by generating less plant waste Pruning done less frequently to perpetuate the health of the plant Frequent Pruning Requires more water More trips to landfill 16

More Time to Address Site Issues Check irrigation, soils, pests and plant issues 17

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Who benefits from the application of SLM practices? § Residents § Community Manager § Property Owner § Businesses § Landscape Contractor § The Community 19

Why should you embrace SLM? Conserve water Reduce generation of waste Longer and more abundant blooming periods Maintain healthier, more resilient plant materials Create a beautiful and natural landscape environment 20

Protect Your Landscape Investment Use the official guide for proper landscape maintenance Hire a certified Sustainable Landscape Professional For a complete list, go to: www. ALCA. org/SLM-certified 21

Thank You 22