Click the photo for a link to download the full Canopy Report. America’s favorite tree is the maple, followed closely by oaks. • The majority of Americans have climbed a tree (67%), half (51%) have gone leaf-peeping, and just over a third (36%) have hugged a tree. • If trees could talk, most of us would want them to sound like Morgan Freeman, though nearly one in three GenZers would prefer Leonardo DiCaprio’s voice. In honor of Arbor Day 2024, the Arbor Day Foundation just released the “The Canopy Report,” a new consumer report on how America sees trees. And while the stats above represent so ..read more

By Joe Magazzi & Christine Menapace From the April 2024 Issue   Like it or not, pesticide bans and restrictions are increasingly being implemented across the country.  As a result, many lawn and landscape professionals worry about being left without effective tools in their toolbelt to combat pests and disease. Finding viable alternatives to these compounds will be a major challenge for our Industry. However, this article provides some advice when it comes to alternatives. Since I wrote my last article for Turf three years ago, there have been even more advances in technologies f ..read more

Takeuchi recently announced its Dealer of the Year, Dealer Salesperson of the Year and the recipients of its 2023 Dealer 360° awards. The announcements took place at the company’s 2024 Dealer Summit in San Antonio, TX. These awards recognize Takeuchi dealers across the U.S. and Canada for excellence in sales performance, facilities, training, accounts receivables, marketing/parts and service. “Our Dealer 360° awards program outlines a unified standard of operation that promotes consistency among Takeuchi dealers,” said Jeff Stewart, president of Takeuchi-US. “We obviously want our dealers to b ..read more

Michael Traub, Chairman of the Executive Board of STIHL. The STIHL Group, a leading manufacturer of chainsaws and outdoor power equipment, increased the share of sales from battery-operated tools to 24% — up from 20% in the previous year. As a result, almost every fourth STIHL product sold is battery-operated. This and other news were announced at the 2024 annual financial press conference held yesterday. While sales of gasoline-powered products declined significantly, the battery and iMow business grew. In Western Europe and North America in particular, the battery drive type already plays a ..read more

The Kress Commercial platform of battery-powered landscape maintenance equipment is now AGZA Field Tested Certified (AFTC), according to the American Green Zone Alliance. This includes the full suite of Kress 60V handheld equipment and the Kress Commercial CyberSystem, which charges commercial-grade batteries in eight minutes. The AFTC designation marks the culmination of a four-year effort working with Kress engineers, tool designers, and product managers with visits to Florida and California. As a first step, Kress product developers teamed up with AGZA and gathered information from current ..read more

The Propane Education & Research Council has hired David Walters as the new director of autogas business development. In this role, Walters will develop and implement strategic market plans to increase propane autogas adoption and support the research and development of innovative products. David Walters “David has been at the forefront of driving sustainable energy solutions in the transportation sector, and we’re confident he will bring those talents into this role to seize opportunities ahead for our industry,” said Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of PERC. Walters brings more than 25 ..read more

A plastic pileup. Photo: APLD It’s Earth Day and this year’s theme is Planet vs. Plastics, with EARTHDAY.ORG demanding a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040 for the sake of human and planetary health. The organization calls for people to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion. In the Green Industry, the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) is addressing the issue of horticultural plastic pots—and ..read more

The City of Glendale in California is now the largest Level 1 AGZA Certified Green Zone municipality in the U.S. An AGZA Green Zone is one in which routine landscape maintenance is independently verified for low impact operations. Glendale joins South Pasadena, South El Monte, Mt. San Antonio College, Altadena Public Libraries, University of Southern California, Los Angles State Historic Park, and Adams House State Historic Park as AGZA Green Zone Certified in LA County. Glendale also joins countless others nationwide. Click to make larger. AGZA Green Zone Certification is a structured progra ..read more

Invasive iguanas are becoming more widespread in southern Florida and Texas and are also located in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As an invasive species, they not only compromise natural ecosystems, but their potential to wreak havoc on lawn and landscapes is truly significant. Invasive & Destructive Invasive iguanas—of which there are three including the green iguana, black spiny tail iguana, and Mexican spiny tail iguana—were introduced to the area during the pet trade in the early 1960’s. Originally from central and south America, they found our environment to be co ..read more

Fairway continues its expansion in Central Florida with the addition of Dr. Jack’s. This will strengthen not only its lawn care business but also its pest control offering. Founded more than 50 years ago in 1972 by Dr. Jack Reinhardt, Dr. Jack’s is a recognized name for pest control and lawn care in the Orlando area.  Jack’s sons, Rick and Jim, have run the business for 20+ years, growing and expanding their father’s legacy. Photo courtesy of Fairway CEO Greg Harbison states, “Dr. Jack’s exemplifies Fairway’s values of service excellence and employee culture. Rick and Jim have grown their ..read more